Bella's POV

I get to Embry's house and while I normally just walk in I decide it's probably a good idea to knock this time, knowing he's mad at me though not as mad at me as he is Jake and Lacy. This is all a mess but he's way over blaming Aidan. Aidan pretty much does what Ari wants and Ari likes to piss off Embry.

Embry opens the door and hugs me telling me he's sorry and that Stacy took the kids to stay with her mom for a while. She's really upset that he threatened Lacy. Understandable.

"You threatened my daughter."

"Bells I am so sorry but I am so worried about Ari."

"Lacy told you she was fine and if that changes she will tell you. It's your fault she ran. She's scared Embry." I tell him. I feel bad for him but this a lot his fault.

"It's just not fair, how did I end up with the pregnant teenager? You and Quil let Lacy run around and do anything she wanted to do and she ends up responsible and I protect Ari from everything I can and she gets pregnant."

"It's rebellion Embry, you overprotected her. Lacy never felt the need to rebel and she knew that she could come to us with anything and she did. Ari didn't have that and a lot of the time she turned to Aidan and now she's pregnant and if you don't want to lose her you need to learn to deal with that."

"What if she takes off like Lauren did?" He asks and makes me really mad.

"Ari is nothing like that bitch."

"Except for the whole pregnant teen thing that ruined Lauren." Well yeah I kind of forgot about that.

"Ari has what Lauren didn't… people to support her. And your support would mean so much to her. I know she does everything she can to piss you off but she loves you and she's going to want you to be there for her as long as she's sure you're not going to shoot her boyfriend."

"I would never actually shoot him. Consider it, threaten it even but never actually do it." He tells me.

"You need to talk to her."

He asks me how he's supposed to do that and I tell him that his best bet is probably apologizing to Lacy since she's the only link he has right now. He agrees to it and comes back to my house with me.

"Why are you here?" Lacy asks him as soon as we're through the door. She's usually so sweet.

"I'm so sorry Lacy, I love you and I should have never said the things I said to you. I'm just so worried about Ari. Is there any way you can ask her to contact me? I'm not happy about this at all but I would like to try to be there for her and I would never really hurt Aidan." He tells her and Jake and Leah are listening and watching her.

"They are on their way back; they are going to stay with Jake and Leah. I will try to convince her to talk to you but if you screw it up you will be so sorry." Lacy tells him and he just nods yes. He's getting smarter.

Leah and Jake leave and Embry leaves soon after.

"I'm so sorry mom," Lacy tells me as soon as they all leave.

I ask her why and she says for being rude to Embry and for keeping where Ari was a secret.

"You didn't do anything wrong baby, how was the shop today?"

"It was good but a lot of people have been asking if we're going to start doing classes again. I can't do classes, I'm so busy and Ari is a terrible, terrible teacher and I don't really trust anyone else there."

"Ask daddy, he would probably do them again." I tell her. Quil and Embry pretty much handed Lacy the store and stepped back. Embry still does the money and Quil does most of the hiring and but she runs the day to day stuff.

"I don't want him to think I can't handle it. I mean he was my age when they started it and it was just them and they did everything .Daddy and Embry still do a lot." She tells me.

"Daddy and Embry had far less business baby. Just ask him, he gets bored you know?"

He gets bored and drives me nuts when I'm home and he desperately wants to go back to working in the shop but he doesn't want Lacy to think he thinks she can't handle it. She agrees to ask him and then goes outside with him and Derek where they are working on Derek's car.

She comes back in an hour later covered in dirt and smiling telling me he said he would do it.

"Told you, you staying for dinner?" She says yes and runs upstairs to take a shower and steal some clothes. She only lives a few minutes away but I miss her. Now Derek is getting ready to go to college soon and I don't even remember what's like to not have a kid living here.

Maybe I can steal Ari's baby…

Quil and Derek come in soon after.

"You trying to get rid of me?" Quil asks me laughing.

"Never." I tell him pretending to be offended before laughing.

Dinner is ready and we're all sitting at the table and Derek is trying to convince Lacy to come to Lena's dance recital but Lacy is tells him she needs to work.

"Part of the benefit of being in charge is not having to work every weekend." Quil tells her and she says she doesn't trust anyone else. "I do understand, I never did either except Embry and we switched off. Why don't you let me work Saturday? I really don't mind, I miss it." She happily agrees and makes plans with Derek.

After dinner she offers to clean up and volunteers Derek to help while Quil and I sit outside on our swing. I feel kind of old.

"Remember all the nights we spent out here rocking Lacy to sleep?" He asks me and I smile and tell him of course I do.

"She's all grown up now." I tell him trying not to cry.

"We did a good job."

"Yep, but she's sad now, she would never admit it but she hates being alone and us being together so young and Ari and Aidan and Derek and Lena doesn't help. I mean I'm not worried about it, I know she'll find someone and she'll be happy. I just hate how much she worries about it. I'm glad she's going out with Derek Saturday. She spends so much time at the store and then all the rest of her time with Ari or Sara. Which is great for Ari and Sara, but she needs a social life."

"She's fine. She has friends; she's just not like them. They either all went to college or they're getting pregnant or partying. And she likes Ari and Aidan and Sara. Sara thinks she's the best person in the world. Everyone needs someone who thinks that." He tries to assure me but I still worry.

Friday night Lacy and I go shopping together so she can buy a new dress for the recital. She picks a dress that makes it unmistakable that she's not my little girl anymore.

She picks Derek up on Saturday and she looks so happy. Maybe Quil is right and I worry too much.