Author's Note:

You're update has arrived! It's a little less depressing than the last two have been...thank goodness. I don't like writing sad chapters, they dampen my mood. Just a head's up, I'm heading to Florida this week for a vacation, so I won't be able to update until I get back! Anyways, as always, I hope you enjoy, and don't hesitate to comment. I have been getting some new reviewers lately, and I hope I get even more. I love reading your reviews, even if they are to just say hi. So make sure you review! Please and thank you! :)

Happy Reading!

I don't own Twilight, but if Stephanie Meyer does happen to be reading this, I would highly encourage her to donate some of the rights to me...

The moonlight of your soul,

told of memories long ago,

Of the days when we were young,

Of love that we'd forever hold,

Truly, truly trust your heart,

Truly, truly trust your heart

-Trust Your Heart, The Kinks

Ch. 20 The Next Step

"Well Quil, it looks like you should be all set to phase again, whenever you feel ready. All the bones are healed, even the crack in your skull, but you still might have some headaches from that", Sue informed Quil, Emily, Sam and I. A week had passed since the entire incident happened, and Quil was finally well enough to go back home and phase again.

He did look a heck of a lot better. He no longer winced when he moved wrong, and he looked healthier in the face, too. I couldn't help but hope that his fast recovery was partly due to me being around him 24/7. At least I hoped that was why.

Anyway, I was really happy to hear Sue's news, almost as much as Quil himself. I knew being a part of the pack meant the world to Quil, and the thought of him having to give that up forever...it frightened me.

"That means he can get the hell out of my house, too, right Sue?" Sam asked, a joking smile plastered across his face. Emily whacked him on the shoulder, but couldn't help but let a smile break through. Even I let out a small chuckle at Quil's expense.

"Yes, I'm afraid it does", Sue laughed, packing away her supplies into her little leather bag. Quil was the only one that hadn't laughed yet, and when I looked over to register his face, it was...blank. His eyes looked nervous, his body tense, his face blank from any expression at all.

"Quil, are you alright?" Emily wondered, lifting her palm to Quil's forehead to take his temperature. He did look a little green in the face.

Quil answered after a few seconds of silence. "Uh-huh. Um...Claire?"

"Hmm?" I questioned, taking Quil's large hand in mine.

"I'm going back to my house...", he started, pausing to take a deep breath.

"And...", I urged, confused as to why he what he was so nervous about.

"And I want you to come with me." He looked up at me, assesing my expression, which was full-blown shock.

Move in...with Quil? I mean, I guess it would be the next step for our relationship, but...I didn't expect him to ask, like now. Now was soon. Very soon.

But if I said no, he would think me declining meant I didn't take our relationship seriously. I did, God knows I did, but I don't know if I was ready to live with him. I've never lived with a boyfriend before. Dylan and I had our own apartments. This would be completely new territory for me.

"Uh...um...uh", I fumbled, trying to form my thoughts into words. It wasn't really working.

"I understand if you aren't comfortable with that. You don't have to feel like you have to. I'm a big boy, Claire", Quil mumbled, looking totally destroyed. Oh...God no...that's not what I meant...

"NO!" I practically screamed, forgetting that Sam, Emily, and Sue were still in the room. They looked a little startled from my unexpected blow-up, but they all quickly shuffled out, sensing Quil and I needed some privacy to talk this one out.

"No, Quil, I didn't mean to give the impression that I don't want to live with you. I do. Really, I do. But, I've never lived with a guy before, other than my dad and Sam, so I'm just a little unsure. I'm just scared", I admitted, my voice softer than before, my eyes darting everywhere around the room except Quil's face.

I heard a low chuckle coming from Quil, and my curiosity got the best of me. I glanced over to see Quil holding back a full out laugh-fest. What could he possibly think was so funny right now?

"What?" I asked, my voice a mixture between irritation and confusion. He just laughed harder.

I waited patiently, glaring at him the entire time, until he managed to contain his giggling so that he could explain.

"You- you're nervous?" He sputtered, a huge smile still gracing his handsome face.

I suddenly felt self-concious with his inquiry. Yeah, I was nervous, what was wrong with that?

"Yeah. Why's that so funny about that?" I asked, narrowing my eyes at his humor-filled face.

"Claire, I'm not gonna bite you. It's not gonna be scary. What are you so worried about?" Quil wondered, his smile finally fading into a questioning gaze, his brown eyes studying my face.

"I'm- I'm nervous about everything. What if you don't like me? I'm not very attractive in the mornings you know, and my morning breath is just nasty. And what if we like to watch different TV shows. Or if we have different cleaning patterns. And...what if we end up fighting all the time? And then we'll never want to see each other again...", I shot off, creating all these horrible, hypothetical situations that could be very real possibilites...

"Claire. I imprinted on you. Do you understand what that even means?" Quil asked, staring at me with those intense chocolate eyes, almost to the point of making me blush.

Of course I knew what imprinting means. He's explained it to me before.

"Yeah."

"Well then you should know that none of those issues will ever happen to us. I was made to make you happy. Even if you don't look gorgeous in the mornings, which I highly doubt because you're always beautiful, I will still love you. And I have some nasty morning breath, too...And if we watch different shows, than we'll take turns. And if I'm too messy for you, well then, I'll work on being cleaner. We won't fight all the time because I can't fight with you. It hurts me too much", Quil explained, running a finger across my forehead to brush away a few straying strands. "So what do you say? Will you move in with me?"

This time, I had no doubts. "I'd like that", I replied, smiling wide. Quil's smile soon matched mine.

"You have no idea how much this means to me, Claire. I promise, we'll take it day-by-day, I'll make sure you're comfortable. You don't have to worry", Quil gushed, squeezing my hands and standing up off the bed. "You won't regret this."

And I was one hundred and ten percent sure that he was right. I wouldn't regret this.

"Hey, Claire, I told you to stop carrying those boxes!" Quil scolded, running outside to pry yet another moving box from my reluctant hands. He didn't want me to carry the moving boxes because apparently I 'could trip and fall, or get a backache, or stub my toe'.

Pssh. Overprotective werewolf.

Quil's house wasn't really how I expected it. He told me he used to room with Embry, before Embry found his imprint, so I figured the house would be a total bachelor pad. It really wasn't.

It was right on the edge of La Push, surrounded by woods, and not to far from Rialto Beach. The house was three bedrooms, two bathrooms. The siding was white, shingles grey, and the steps leading up to the white screen door were wood. Black shutters framed the windows at the front of the house. A few bushes and scrubs decorated the stone pathway connecting the stairs to the road. There wasn't a garage, Quil just pulled up right on the lawn.

Inside, the house was even more of a surprise. The living room was fairly decent in size, a creamy color coating the walls. A large, comfy looking brown leather couch filled most of the room, while a wooden entertainment center framed a large television. A lamp stood in the corner, and a matching coffee table sat inbetween the couch and the TV.

The kitchen was equally cozy, plenty of wooden cabinets surrounding sky blue walls. The countertops were a simple tan tile, even more shocking was that they were spotless. The appliances were all white, and clearly cleaned regularly. There wasn't a formal dining room, so a small, round wooden table with matching chairs sat in one corner of the kitchen, next to a back door leading to the backyard.

The master room was a deep burgandy color, and the bedding was cream and burgandy checkerboard print. Two nightstands stood on either sides of the king-size bed and a large wooden dresser sat across from the end of the bed. A master bath was attached to the room, and was pretty impressive. A large, whirlpool tub/shower, double sinks with matching tan tile from the kitchen, and a white toilet.

The other rooms were empty, both smaller than the master room, but equal to each other in size. One was painted a grayish color, the other was a peach tone. The other bathroom had a shower stall, single sink and toilet.

The house was nice, but the most shocking thing for me was how clean and neat the entire place was. I didn't know Quil was a maid on the side!

I took my bags to the master, and Quil cleaned out over half of his drawers for my clothes, even after I told him he didn't need to, I could get rid of some of my stuff. He didn't listen though.

After we finished unpacking, we didn't really know what to do. I stared at Quil, and he stared right back. We were alone. In our house.

Quil called it that. Our house. It sent tingling sensations down my spine.

"Should we - Do you wanna play a board game?" Quil asked, his eyes flitting to the closet where he kept the games, I assume.

"Why not?" It's not like we had anything better to do...well, I could think of some other things, but...

He smiled and opened the closet to reveal the stacks of childhood games he had accumulated. Clue, Monopoly, Sorry, Chutes and Ladders, Mousetrap, Yahtzee, Jenga, Scrabble, Pictionary, and Candyland. Quite the collection.

"Pick whatever one you want", Quil said, staring intently at me.

Decisions...decisions. "Scrabble."

Quil reached up, skillfully sliding the box out from under some of the other boxes, and brought it down. I followed him out into the living room, where he set the box down and began to pull out all the pieces. Little did Quil know that I was the champion at this game. Literally.

In my elementary school in Boston, they had a Scrabble tournament once, and I got first place. I won the championship round with the high scoring word, Quartzy. Quil was about to get his unsuspecting ass kicked.

By a girl.

Finally, some funniness. I was getting sick of all that angst.

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