Ooh, its getting near the end now… I'm sensing a couple more chapters to go, if that!

17. Bonding

"Matty! Matty! Up, up!" Katherine shouted stumbling after the teen as he walked into the living room.

"You want me to pick you up?" He asked playfully.

"Yeah." She stood on his feet stretching her arms up to him. He laughed swinging her up over his shoulder as she burst into a fit of giggles, flailing her arms and legs as he started spinning around.

"Hey Logan?" He called over to the twin sitting on the floor watching some teddy bear on television reciting the teddy bears picnic. "Is there something on my back?" He asked.

"Kaf-rim is." He laughed pointing, his speech not yet developed enough to pronounce his sisters name properly. Getting to his feet he ran into Matt's leg pulling at his trousers. "Me, me!" He giggled as much as his sister as she began to scream nearly kicking Matt in the face. "Whoa! Easy… calm down. You'll ruin my suit." He chuckled putting her back down on the floor.

"No… up!" She demanded stamping her foot before clamping onto his other leg.

Matt raised an eyebrow walking away with some difficulty as Logan clung onto his leg even fiercer. Both the twins laughed as he dragged them across the floor trying in vain to walk to the doorway. "Um… Clay?!" He called up the stairs as Elena came trotting down a moment later, her hair a little unkempt, which didn't go unnoticed.

"Oh dear," She laughed. "Doesn't look like your going anywhere tonight kid. What are you two like?" She sighed dramatically putting her hands on her hips as she looked at her kids as they continued to squeal with laughter as Matt made another futile attempt to walk.

Matt looked at her helplessly. "Please?" He asked.

"Come on darling." Clay said appearing pulling on a t-shirt as he jogged down the stairs behind her. "Give the kid a break." He gave her a kiss as the twins noticed his appearance.

"Daddy!" Logan exclaimed as they both lunged at him, as he feigned them knocking him down wrestling with them as he pinned them to the floor before blowing raspberries on their stomachs.

"Okay then, are we ready to go?" Nick asked walking out of the study as he fixed his cufflinks.

"Sure am." Matt replied brushing down the creases the twins had put into his new suit and tightening his tie as Clay picked himself up off the floor. "Mom!" He called. "We're going to leave without you!"

"What?" Belle answered coming from the kitchen in a little black dress with Antonio. "I was ready half an hour ago, thank you."

"Have fun." Elena smiled picking her son up and walking back into the lounge with Katherine nestled in Clays arms.

******

"Do you remember this place?" Nick asked an hour and a half later as Antonio confirmed their reservations on their arrival at the restaurant.

Belle cast her eyes around the building with dawning realisation.

"What? What is it?" Matt asked curiously shrugging his jacket off.

Belle smiled coyly. "This is where Nick and I came for our date the last time we met."

"Oh…" Was Matthews response before he clicked it was the night he was conceived. "Eww!" He shook the thought from his head as Antonio chuckled leading him away.

Ignoring her sons comment, she let the waitress lead them to their table as she took away their coats. "I didn't know this place was still open." She replied still looking around to see what had changed.

They sat through three courses in relative comfort, Antonio was eager to know more of Belle's business and the state of Matthew's education – much to his embarrassment – the teen was praised as being one of the brightest students in his year.

At the end of the meal, the adults sat talking over coffee's whilst Matt played a game on his mobile phone.

"You know…" Belle cleared her throat settling her mug down, but not looking at anyone in particular. "I was thinking earlier, that it might not be a bad idea to consider moving back to New York." She suggested.

Matt's head shot up from his game. "Move back?" He asked eagerly as Nick sat forward in his chair, his eyes lighting up.

Belle nodded. "Don't think I haven't noticed you're not entirely happy in Wisconsin." She said wagging her finger at him. "Not to sound too philosophical but you need to be around these guys." She waved her hand at Antonio and Nick. "Admittedly I thought it would be better for you to be by yourself… I can see now I made a mistake." She said the last part of the sentence almost under breath.

"No, it's not that!" He replied, feeling the need to defend her choices, as they were honest intentions to make him as safe as possible. Nick and Antonio remained silent. "I feel – I don't know, settled here I guess." He pulled a face. "Does that sound weird?" He asked looking at his Dad.

Nick shook his head. "Not really – I can see sense in it. You're around people you don't need to hide from." He replied taking a sip of his drink.

Antonio looked on with a smug look on his face towards his own son, trying not to smile too broadly as Belle had confided her thoughts to him earlier that evening.

"It's a good atmosphere for you." She admitted. "I was just thinking, logically it would be better for you to live here."

"Your part of the Pack now kiddo, and therefore under it's protection." Antonio added leaning back in his chair and puffing out his broad chest.

"But…" Matt tilted his head in confusion. "What about you?" He asked his mother.

"I guess I'll just look after myself." Belle gave a small shrug. "I'm sure I can find some work to keep me going." Belle smiled fondly.

"Don't worry about your mom." Nick told him as he hailed for the cheque.

******

As they left the restaurant in Antonio's Mercedes, Belle picked her head up at the direction they were travelling in.

"Are we not going back to Stonehaven?" She asked from the back seat.

"If it's cool, we're going to head back to ours for tonight." Nick admitted. "Dad's got to get back to work tomorrow; otherwise he's going to have to fire himself." He laughed looking over at his Dad. Antonio smirked.

"But we haven't got our clothes with us." She replied.

"Actually," Matt spoke up. "We do, it's in the trunk." He tried not to smile as him and Nick exchanged a look. Belle just rolled her eyes playfully sitting back in her seat and settled in to the ride.

"Jesus, this is where you live?!" Matt awed at the white mansion, with its expansive lawn leading to a three story house. Path's had been created in the lawn as a luxurious looking marble topped table sat underneath a willow tree. Another path lead away into the nearby woods where little solar lights forked into the ground highlighted the path for at least a quarter of a mile before being shrouded in more trees.

Antonio pulled the car into the garage towards the back of the house as Nick climbed out first and opened Belle's door.

"Are you alright?" He asked, noticing she had been decidedly quiet since leaving the restaurant.

"Yeah - sorry." She smiled sheepishly folding her arms as Matt followed Antonio into the house laving the two alone.

"What's wrong…?" He pulled her to him, resting his hands on her hips.

She looked around nervously rubbing at her arms as she shivered. "Its just the last time I was here, was the last time I was here." She emphasized each word. "Sorry… I just can't help but feel a little uncomfortable that's all." She feigned a smile as he embraced her in a hug.

"It's okay…" He whispered into her hair.

"So," She sighed. "I'm guessing you guys are going to want something more to eat, huh?" She asked pulling away, changing the conversation.

Nick chuckled. "You know it." He paused - momentarily frowning, as he went to take her hand, but she stepped away from him folding her arms over her chest as she followed after her son.

After the additional meal, Belle put the dirtied plates in the dishwasher after the three men had finished eating. The feeling of unease still felt decidedly uncomfortable.

"Are you okay?" Nick asked standing behind her as she stared out the window. Concern etched in his face.

She gave a dopey smile Nick knew to be forced, as it didn't reach her eyes. "I think I'm going to head to bed to be honest."

"Okay, well give me a minute and I'll come with you." He replied cheerily.

"No." She stuttered surprising him. "If it's all the same… I'd rather be by myself tonight." She cringed on the inside as her stomach knotted at the look that flitted across his face before he replaced it with his candid grin.

"Sure," He paused, regaining his composure. "I'll show you to one of the guest rooms…" His voice devoid of any emotion as he walked away, leaving her to follow wondering what he had done wrong.

******

The next morning, Belle woke up relatively early. The reaction she had to being at Nick's house once again had surged forth all of the memories she had tried so hard to repress from all those years ago. She had spent half of the night thinking things over; annoyed at her self for falling for Nick once again, when a knock at the door broke her out from her reverie.

She cleared her throat expecting Nick to be on the other side. "Come in." She said, pulling the duvet up to cover her bare legs. She blinked in mild surprise as Antonio came in bearing a tray of fresh coffee, and croissants.

He smiled warmly at her. "I could hear you tossing and turning last night… thought you could do with some caffeine." He comforted setting the tray down on the bedside table.

She smiled at him as he handed over one of the large mugs and filled it with black coffee straight from the pot. "Thank you…" She paused as he waited patiently for her to continue. "You're a good friend Antonio." She added shifting over to make room for him.

He sat himself down on the edge of the bed picking up one of the croissants and tearing off a chunk, before stuffing it in his mouth.

"You want to talk about why you spent the night by yourself?" He asked as her cheeks flushed.

"I'm sorry." She started. "Just coming back here overwhelmed me somewhat…" She stayed quiet for a time, both Antonio and herself eating and drinking in relative silence. "It's just, I see how happy Matthew is here, and how Nick and the rest of you have treated him like one of your own, but I just cant see where I fit in to all of this."

Antonio noted the almost helpless look on her face. "You know Nick cares for you a great deal." He told her as she found the inside of her cheeks burn with embarrassment.

She took a moment for the stinging sensation to stop. "But again, where do I fit in with the Pack?" She asked, as Antonio sighed. "I want what's best for Matt, and I know that's being here – but I don't know if it's the best thing for me." She whispered. Antonio remained silent as she blew out a long drawn breath, brushing her fingers through her hair. "Why does life have to be so fucked up sometimes?"

Antonio chuckled shaking his head. "Well you know - if everything in life went smoothly, it would just be predictable, and dull." Belle savoured the taste of the fresh coffee. "Do you love him?" He asked as she met his gaze with her wolfish eyes.

"I never stopped."