Okay so here is the next chapter . . . sorry that it took so long. School has picked up and I got my first novel NEW BEGINNING self-published. Don't forget to become a fan to TWIDDLE SERIES on facebook for all the updates about it.

This chapter is for Lela Rye, x-blackmeadow-x, for helping me with the point of view thing that was bothering me. And thanks to everyone else for their comments, I really enjoy reading them and knowing what you all think about the story.

Can't wait to read everyone's REVIEW!

Chapter 17

Ash's POV

"Are you sure that you should be leaving right now? Can't you just stay a couple of days?" Mom was walking us back to the car. She wasn't letting up on trying to convince me to stay here for a while.

"I'm sure mom, there are some things that I have to take care of before I go and tell my sister's what happened." I tried to come up with a good reason to leave right now. "Besides, the girls should know as soon as possible, and I'm not going to tell them over the phone."

"You really have changed since the last time that I saw you." Water started to cover her eyes as she watched me. I didn't say anything back to her, instead I hugged her. It felt weird, I normally don't hug anyone, but I went through with it. She was right, I had changed. It was soon time to see if Mare approved.

"You do realize that we'll have to go and talk to Thierry in person before you can do anything." Quinn leaned forward in the back seat. "And you know how long that can take, hours and hours." I quickly jerked the car making the seatbelt dig into him. The smile on his face disappeared and one grew on mine.

"I'm sure that you two can deal with Thierry while I go and visit my sisters at their hotel." I thought about how it would happen. How I would just go there and surprise Mare by showing up on her hotel room door. I couldn't wait to see her face when she sees me again. I also just couldn't wait to see and hold her again.

"You know that you have to be there too, especially seeing as there's something going on with Jared and a human. We're probably going to be in charge of making sure that the human is safe." James sounded firm. There was no way that I would be able to get out of this new task, I understood that. I also understood that the weekend was almost over and I was losing time to be with her. There was no way that I would forgive myself if I missed this chance to be with her.

The rest of the car ride was silent. I spent the time just thinking about what the different possibilities were for me with Mare. There was one of the worst options of me not being able to see her, or there was the option that she didn't want to see me at all. I flinched at just the thought of either one. Then I would think about the better options, that I did make it in time to see her, or that she would accept me and be proud of me.

I realized that if I did see her than I would have to say goodbye to her again. There was no way that I was going to get her involved in this supernatural war. If I told her about it I knew that she would want to join and help, but I wasn't going to risk it. I wasn't even risking the possibility that someone could be waiting to get back at me by going after her.

I lost the argument of being able to leave right away without talking to Thierry. I just kept on thinking about seeing her again. Every so often I would look at the time just to see that a couple of minutes had passed since last time. We had finally made it back to the mansion when James's phone went off.

"We just pulled in Poppy." James talked calmly to Poppy. The moment that we were still I pulled the key from the ignition and got out as quickly as I could. I just wanted this over with as quickly as possible so I could leave.

Everyone else in the house paid little attention to us. They were all consumed with what their soulmate were saying and doing. I did my best not to watch them thinking that soon I could just be near my soulmate again. I didn't hesitate for a second going into Thierry's office when I got to the door after passing almost everyone that stayed there.

"I want to have the rest of the day off Thierry. There's something that I really want to do for the rest of the day that was kind of short notice." I didn't wait for Thierry to get any words in before I asked. This was all that I wanted right now; there was no way that he was going to distract me with another mission before I asked for it.

"Fine Ash." Thierry looked slightly relieved that I was actually asking for some time off since I got here. "Just do me one favour before you leave." He rested his weight on his arms that rested on the desk in front of him. I just nodded thinking that I could get this done in a minute. "I want you to meet the girl that we're going to protect. I'll get the girls to watch her today but I want you guys to watch her later on."

"Are you sure that you want to leave though Ash." James and Quinn walked into the room then. "I'm positive that out of everyone here, you might know the most about the guys' motivations and what he wants with the girl."

There was no way to get out of this. I wanted to just yell at them to stop talking to me and run to where Mare was. I just wanted to see her and yet I'm standing here being distracted with a girl that gained the attention of a vampire.

In the end I ended up agreeing to meet the girl before I left. I informed them that I was only going to meet her for five minutes before I left. There was no reason for me to stay and watch this girl with the others while the girl of my dreams was in the same city as me for the weekend.

"Try not to look so depressed Ash; you might get her freaked out." Quinn walked beside me while James led the way. I just ignored him and followed James to the room where the girl would be staying.

It turned out that she was staying in the room beside mine. I just thought that it was convenient right now. Once I saw her than I could just slip into my room and make sure that I looked good enough to see Mare.

James went into the room first. I lingered behind trying to make it seem like nothing was wrong with me for the sake of the girl. She didn't need to worry about anything while she was here, heck she was probably freaked out by now after what supposedly happened.

It wasn't long before Quinn left me to go into the room. I could faintly hear a girl's reaction when he walked into the room. If I hadn't been distracted than I know that I would've heard what she said. Rachel won't like her if she hits on him.

Pulling all of my energy together for a couple of minutes I hid all of my emotions. I wasn't going to be the one to freak this girl even more. I pushed all of my thoughts about Mare to the back of my mind so I could hopefully be completely focused on what was going on.

It only took a moment before I walked into the room behind the others. I kept my head down until I was past the doorframe, then I looked at my surroundings and I froze.

She was here, my Mare, my other half, my soulmate. When I saw here I fought hard to remain where I was. I desperately wanted to hold her, touch her, and just be with her for the rest of my existence. The others didn't know her, didn't know that this was the girl that had completely changed me for the better.

I was overwhelmed that she was here. Just by looking at her I could tell that she was

just as surprised as me. It wasn't long before I remembered what this would mean, her being here. She was in danger now, and we were going to protect her. I was going to keep her safe from everything that I could.

Ash! Her voice echoed throughout my mind and I couldn't help a smile at that. She still remembered me. Hopefully she still cared about me as much as I cared about her.

"So what do you say Ash?" Quinn's voice suddenly brought me back to what was happening around me. My sisters were here as well. Should have guessed that they would be here with her. I just raised me eyebrow at Quinn waiting for him to ask me again, and he did. "Are you still going to head out?"

Mare's face grew grim. Listening to her thoughts I knew that she wanted to spend some time with me and figure out what was going on. She also wanted to just talk about what happened since she sent me away.

"No." My eyes stayed on Mare the entire time. "I'm staying."

Like I said before, I am sorry that it took me so long to update. Hopefully I can soon find some more time to write more of this story.

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