Hello everyone, I need to apologize because I was unable to reply to any of the reviews. Please know that I love each and every one, they are the fuel that keeps me going. Thanks to those who alerted and those who added the story to their favorites list.

Warning: This chapter contains heavy angst. I promise that the next chapter will be lighter. I need to start being good to the boys.

Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight.

Chapter 38

"You heard the man, let's get going. We have at least half a day of travel ahead of us. But before we go I have a present for you, slaves." The soldier's sickly sweet sing song voice made the other dominants roll their eyes and the subs go on high alert.

The submissive's fears came to the surface as the light of the moon was reflected off the metal rings on his hand. It had been less than a day since the wretched piece of metal was taken off their necks, but there it was again; ready to re-introduce them to hell.

"We are not slaves! We earned our freedom!" Seth couldn't go back to being the meek slave that believed he couldn't demand anything from life. He had rights, he was a free man. Through sweat, blood and tears he had been able to cast off his chains. He knew that both he and Embry had survived for a reason; they couldn't find their end in the middle of nowhere surrounded by hateful evil men.

"Let me tell you something sweetheart." Said the soldier grabbing Seth's face painfully. "You're nothing but scum. Submissives are born with only one purpose, to serve us dominants. Get that in your bald head, I want to make it very clear, that way you can go to the afterlife knowing you died a slave."

"Man, speaking of needs; tell me again why we can't fuck them. The midget doesn't smell that appetizing, he smells too much like Jacob, but the healer's scent is driving me crazy. I've had a boner since we took them from the room."

"Fuck man shut up, we have our orders. We can't fuck them because if by any chance they're found whoever's scent is on them will have his days numbered. Believe me I don't care about any of you but Carlos doesn't want this traced back to him." The last wolf to speak, one that by then the subs knew was named Diego looked angry but looks can be deceiving. He gave off a different vibe; he seemed different than the others, like he didn't want to be there. He looked like he wanted to escape almost as much as the submissives did.

"You may be used to half ass jobs man but I've done jobs for Carlos in the past and I don't leave loose ends. It would be hell to pay."

"More the reason to not waste time messing with the slaves. Let's keep going, I want to get back to the house tonight."

The submissives resisted as much as they could but at the end they were overpowered and found themselves wearing collars once more. Seth thought that he should just phase and end it right there but couldn't bring himself to do it. Even if Jacob never knew it, he wanted to stay strong for him. He would go by somebody else's hand, not by his own. As if reading his mind Embry took his hand and gave it a squeeze. Their eyes met and they could see the despair in the face of the man before them. Only hours earlier they felt like the luckiest men alive and in the blink of an eye everything came crashing down faster than a house of cards.

"Seth do you know where we are?" Embry's voice went unnoticed by the dominants. Seth's keen sense of hearing picked it up and he shook his head in negation. They held on to each other as they were dragged through an overgrown field.

It was pitch black out and if it hadn't been for their ability to see in the dark they would've been lost. They used the stars and their sense of smell to guide them to their journey's end. Hours later the sun shone on the cobwebs making the dewdrops sparkle like small diamonds. The wolves were exhausted, especially the slaves. They not only carried their physical tiredness but their spirits were drained of energy and hope.

Seth held on to Embry tightly as a bout of nausea attacked him. He had never been sick, the wolf gene protecting him and prolonging his life. "Em I don't feel good." He didn't have time to draw another breath before the contents of his stomach ended up on the floor. The submissive leaned against a tree trunk throwing up while Embry rubbed circles on his back.

"Shit what's wrong with him?" Asked one of the dominants with fear on his voice.

Another wolf jumped back a few feet to make sure he was a good distance from the slave. "Could he have the Norwana?

"Don't be stupid; shifters are immune to the virus. Bitch cut it out, stop wasting time." Diego's words were harsher than he intended, even if it was just to hide his degree of concern for the small wolf.

"I'm not taking any chances, I'm out of here. You three can take care of them." As the soldier said this he took off running away from the group. No wonder he was friends with Carlos. They were both made of chicken shit.

"They don't pay me enough for this shit. I'm not laying my hands on him. I'll see you back at the house. Hey wait up!" Another soldier took off after the first one, disappearing from sight in minutes.

"Damn it, I guess it's only you and me Diego. Anyway we're very close to the place Carlos instructed us to take them. Got to hand it to the guy, this is truly in the middle of nowhere." He roughly grabbed Embry's arm to take him away but was faced with even more resistance from the sub. There was no way he would leave his friend when he was feeling so poorly. He tried put up a brave face but anyone could see through his façade. He was scared; he had never seen a wolf get sick and worried that Seth could really be ill, either with Norwana or an equally lethal virus. Embry snaked his arm around Seth's waist and kissed his sweaty forehead. They walked together, following the man who led them to their date with destiny.

The submissives looked around them and became enthralled with the beauty that surrounded them. The clearing was bordered by tall oak trees old as time itself. They could hear the roar of a river and smell the moss. If it wasn't for the fear of what would happen shortly they would've found the place perfect, idyllic even. "Ok dogs this is the end of your journey. It's a shame I didn't get to party with you two but there will be others. I'm sure Jacob is already lobbying for a new slave."

Diego grabbed Seth's arm painfully as he pulled him away from his friend's arms. "Give me the stupid rope, let's get this over with, stay here I'll deal with this one first." Seth didn't resist and Embry didn't hold him. They had given up. There was no sense in prolonging the inevitable.

They walked a considerable distance away from Embry and the other wolf. Diego brought his finger to his lips to signal the sub to remain quiet. "I'm not going to hurt you little one. I've never killed an innocent man and I don't intend to start now. Stay hidden and don't make a peep. Here" He said giving Seth two keys. "These are the keys to your collars. After we leave run to a small town about a mile north from here, find a house and hide there. When I get back to the Black's I'll tell Jacob where you are so he can come get you, good luck."

Seth sat on the floor too weak and tired to even think. He observed Diego's movements as he tied a rope around a big heavy rock before loudly dropping it in the water. The submissive guessed that rock was meant to be his body and was grateful that this total stranger found compassion in his heart for the likes of him.

Diego got Embry who after seeing his best friend being led to his death had crumbled on the floor, his weeps drowning every other sound around him. His only consolation was that he would see Seth soon. Once they inhabit the lands of their ancestors nobody would be able to hurt them ever again. His sorrow was transformed into joy when he saw his best friend hiding behind some bushes. He ran to him who with tears in his eyes welcomed him in his arms. After dropping another rock in the river Diego left without looking back or even waving goodbye to the slaves.

The two friends held each other willing their hearts to calm down and their breathing to even out. They removed their collars and waited until the sun was directly over their heads before walking away. They went inside the first house that looked sturdy enough. Sitting quietly inside they pondered everything that happened in the last two days. Their lives were never easy and the roller coaster of emotions was taking a toll on them. Seth was lying on his side with his head on his friend's lap while Em tried to figure out what was wrong with his friend.

Back in the manor every available wolf was put to work trying to locate the submissives. It had been three days since anyone saw them last and everyone who cared about them was growing increasingly worried. Nobody realized they were gone until late the next day after rescuing Jacob. Billy asked Carlisle to keep both Jacob and Edward sedated until they could find out more information. The last thing anyone needed was for them to phase and blow their stitches or re-break their bones. Search parties were sent out but came back empty handed.

Nerves got frayed when the mangled bodies of two wolves were found splattered over the rocks at the bottom of a high cliff. The first thought that came to mind was that it was the submissives. After retrieving the bodies they were able to identify one of them, Diego. The other body was beyond recognition. People questioned what could have happened. Diego was a hard working honest to God guy whose only fault was associating with Carlos and his little band of misfits. Looking into this matter took second place to finding the subs. Nothing could be done for him but there was still hope for the submissives.

At last two wolves that had been assigned by Carlos to patrol the outermost area of Billy's land came forward to inform him that two nights before they had seen the two submissives going south. The Aleph didn't quite swallow this. For one, the timeline didn't make sense. The subs were fast and it wouldn't take them one whole day to run from the house to the place they were supposed to have been seen. Also, the idea of either one of them running away was preposterous. Seth was very vocal about getting his master back and even led the rescue. He didn't risk so much just so he could run away from him. These doubts added to the recent deaths worried the Aleph. It could be nothing more than an unfortunate coincidence, but it could also mean the rise of a new enemy.

"Billy, I have to stop sedating them, they are using all the reserves. If there is an emergency we won't have anything, I haven't been able to synthetize more. You know how fast they burn everything I inject them with. It's been five days already, I think we have to face reality brother. The submissives are gone."

"Carlisle I'm afraid." Admitted Billy. "This is going to kill my son. He loves Seth so much and won't be able to recover from something like this. Then there is Edward, do you have any idea how long he has been mourning Benjamin? Embry made him smile again. Seth gave Jake his soul back while Embry gave Ed hope. When you take away a man's soul and his hope, what are you left with?"

"I guess we'll find out." Whispered the doctor with sadness in his voice.

As discussed, the medicine was tapered off slowly. It would be a matter of waiting for the last dose to be completely burned off before all hell broke loose. As on cue on the afternoon of the sixth day after Seth's disappearance Jacob struggled to wake up. The instant he opened his eyes he searched for his lover in the quiet room. All he could hear was Edward's soft snoring and the rhythmic beat of his heart. He was still groggy and decided to stay in bed until the room stopped spinning. The time he had been in captivity was short but that didn't take away from the fact that it had been horrible. The only way he didn't lose his mind and phased to end the torture he was being subjected to was to think of his pup.

He couldn't wait to tell him of all the plans he had. They would leave as soon as possible; travel south to look for his sister. He had heard that slavery had been abolished in South America and wondered if Leah had anything to do with that. Once there they would get married and he would devote the rest of his life to make up for everything he put Seth through. He didn't fool himself, it wouldn't be erased but if he could substitute every bad memory with a good one it would be a start. With a little luck after a while there won't be any more bad memories. Leaving his father was a painful decision but he knew it was the right one. His priorities were very different; he was more than ready to be a loving husband. One that Seth would be happy to wake up next to ever day for an eternity. Jake sat up slowly feeling as his stiff muscles ached from lack of use. He wondered how long he had been lying down. After examining his wounds he determined it had to be at least three days. No wonder Seth was nowhere to be seen, Carlisle would pay for keeping him asleep when he could've been with his pup.

He was so proud of his submissive. The moment he saw his beautiful face he felt like an angel had descended from heaven to come to his aid. At first he thought it was a hallucination but soon enough he saw it was real. That's when it hit him; his lover could lose his life in the rescue attempt. It was not fair, he had been through enough. He should've given him more credit; his submissive had been absolutely fantastic.

Jacob stood up carefully, his wobbly legs threatening to give under him. After stretching his limbs trying to get them to work properly, he quietly left the room. Stepping out of the clinic he searched for his favorite scent in the entire world, his mate. He thought that he was probably still too groggy since he couldn't for the life of him find it. When he walked into the lounge all eyes landed on him, some looking like they had seen a ghost, others had a sad strange look on their faces. "I know I look like shit; you wouldn't look very hot either, believe me." He joked.

"Jake why don't you go back to bed? I'm going to get Billy." Alec was giving off a weird vibe that Jake couldn't put his finger on. He took off running and disappeared from everyone's sight.

"I've been in bed for far too long. I miss my pup. Have you guys seen Seth?" The wolves exchanged looks, most of them avoiding Jake's gaze. Of course no one answered, nobody knew of his whereabouts.

"Son I'm very happy with the way you're recovering but you shouldn't overdo it. Let's go back to the clinic, Carlisle thought you would be asleep for a few more hours and stepped out but he will be back soon." Billy placed his big warm hand on his son's back and attempted to usher him back to the clinic but Jacob wouldn't hear of it. Everybody's attitude was making him very uneasy.

"Dad what's going on? Everybody is acting really weird." He asked a question but didn't wait for an answer. Instead of complying with his father's suggestion he walked in the direction of his room. "I need to see Seth."

"Son, wait."

"No dad, I need to see my pup. If you want, come with me to our room. Once he is by my side we'll talk."

Trying to avoid making a scene in front of his pack Billy accepted Jake's invitation. The Aleph offered his arm for Jake to hold on to. The usually confident and strong wolf was but a shell of his former self. What pained his father the most was knowing that in the next few minutes his son would experience one of worst agonies he would ever go through. He walked slowly trying to avoid the inevitable.

Jacob let go of his father's arm and stormed his room grinning like an idiot. "Puppy where are you?" Less than a minute passed before he became frantic. There was something seriously off. Every surface in the room had a thin layer of dust and he couldn't detect his lover's scent or hear his heartbeat. His mate was nowhere to be seen. "Dad what the fuck is going on? Where is Seth?"

"Jake, come sit down." Jacob ignored him as he paced back and forth. "Son, please stop we need to talk."

Jake slowly turned to look at his father. What he saw in his father's expression could be described as an omen for bad news. "Son, you have been asleep for six days. The day after we came back Seth and Embry disappeared. I asked Carlisle to keep both you and Ed sedated while I sent out several teams to look for them. All our efforts have been futile."

"If this is your idea of a joke, let me tell you something, it's not funny. Dad, tell me you're lying, say it, fucking say it!" Billy's heart wept for his son. He could see the desperation and anger in his eyes. His biggest fear was turning into a cruel reality right before him. The light in Jacob's eyes was fading. The flame that kept his spirit alive was dwindling. Many would say that if he reacted in such a way it meant that he hadn't really changed, that it was all fake. But Billy knew the truth; he had experienced firsthand what abandonment does to a person. He wished he could take Jake's pain away but all Billy could do was hold his hand.

"Do you really believe I would joke about this? It would be cruel and I may be many things but cruel is not one of them."

"Oh God what if somebody took him? I failed him, he needed me and I was sleeping my days off. You had no fucking right to keep me sedated. I needed to protect my pup. If something happens to him I…I my God this can't be happening."

"That's not the case; several days ago the subs were seen leaving the property. They were alone; nobody was forcing them or taking them against their will. The sooner you face reality the better, Seth left. We may never know why, but the undeniable fact is that he did."

"I asked him so many times to never leave me. I know why he did it, he fooled me into thinking he loved me and at the first opportunity he just took off. The perfect revenge if you ask me."

"For Christ's sake son, Seth loves you, never doubt that. You should have seen the way he led us to you. It was like there was this invisible force pulling him in your direction. I don't know what happened but what I do know is that it had nothing to do with revenge."

Jake walked to the window where Seth used to stand waiting for him to come back home. "Dad, I want to be alone." Jake's hardened features were something the Aleph never wanted to see again. Jake was leaning against the window wiping his eyes. His voice had turned cold and his gaze remained lost in the horizon. It almost would have been better if Jacob went into a rampage; what Billy was seeing was a soulless man.

"I don't think that's a good idea. If you don't mind I'm going to stay here with you."

"What are you afraid of? That I will off myself? It could happen, it could not. I don't want you babysitting me, please go."

"Jake but…" Billy was interrupted by his son.

"I asked you to leave my room, if you insist on staying then I'll go. I'm sure I can find someone to pick a fight with, I have plenty of enemies that won't hesitate to take advantage of the chance to end me."

The Aleph walked to his son and taking Jacob's arm he gently turned him around until he faced him. The crippling sadness in his son's face was as hard to look at as the sun. His spirit groaned in pain for losing his innocent hope. "We'll do it your way; I'm leaving but promise me you won't do anything stupid." Billy would beg and plead if it was necessary. The idea of losing his son was too painful to even consider. Jacob didn't speak he just nodded while averting his gaze.

Jacob remained on the same spot for hours after his father exited the room. His mind was a jumble of images with only one constant, Seth. Their journey had been terrible and wonderful at the same time. He felt alive for the first time in years and opened himself to the possibility of loving and being loved. He couldn't help but smile thinking of Seth's puppy dog eyes, how they sparkled when he was happy. How he crinkled his nose when he smiled, his laugh was something that he wanted to hear all the time, every day, for the rest of his life. Now it was all gone, like a cloud of smoke blown away by the wind. He left taking his heart with him, how was he supposed to keep going?

Everything hit him at once, the abandonment, the betrayal, how heartless and selfish Seth turned out to be. The weight of every thought floating around on his head made him sink to the floor. Pulling his knees to his chest he wept bitterly. Every tear that slid down his face was a testament of another dream that died. Dawn found him with red rimmed eyes and dried streaks on his cheeks. The golden rays of the morning sun announced a new day but he didn't care. He allowed his sadistic shriveled up heart to feel again, his pup awoke his spirit, and for what? Now he was going to die of a broken heart.

Jacob heard how his door was slammed open with an awful bang. "I guess you know already. What are we going to do?" He had wondered how long it would take for Edward to hear the news.

"Absolutely nothing. They don't give a shit about us; if they did they wouldn't have left." Answered Jacob in a dull monotone voice.

"Don't be such an asshole! You know very well that Seth loves you. The same way Embry loves me. You don't know what happened, shit nobody does! Don't fucking judge them."

"I'll do whatever I want! Maybe I'll just get another slave. His ass around my cock will help me forget that ungrateful bastard."

"Don't you dare to say that! How can you even consider the idea of getting another submissive? You want Seth to find you in bed with another man when he comes back?"

"Stop it with the fucking questions. Get it in your thick head… they are never coming back."

"Then we'll go after them. I know there is a powerful reason for them not being here, but I doubt it was because they abandoned us. I can't phase yet but I'll walk. I'm leaving at noon. If you change your mind and want to come with me you know where to find me."

"I won't change my mind. Don't go after him, have some dignity man."

Edward's patience was running very thin. Jacob was acting like a spoiled brat and this annoyed Ed to no end. He stormed in the direction of the alpha grabbing him by the shirt to make him stand up. "You self-righteous prick! Your fucking pride will be the end of you. If you're not willing to look for him fuck you! You had an angel by your side and now you don't care about him. Two subs all alone God knows where is a recipe for disaster. But I guess you don't care if he becomes somebody's slave. You don't care if he is hurt or even if he gets killed."

"You can say that again, I don't care what happens to that fucking dog." He spat on Ed's face.

Edward pushed him back disgusted with the alpha. "You know what, if he actually left you, I'm glad that he did…It's obvious you don't deserve him." That said, Edward left the room banging the door closed so hard it almost came off its hinges. He couldn't believe Jake's audacity; he needed to get off his damn high horse and face reality. If Seth left him, which Edward doubted, it was because he couldn't forgive the months of abuse he suffered at his master's hands.

Edward's words caused the balance to tilt in favor of destruction, both physical and emotional, finally opening the gates of fury. "Fuck you Edward! Fuck Seth! Fuck my life!" With one swift movement of his closed fist Jacob turned the coffee table in the lounge to splinters. Every chair found itself on the lawn, smashed to smithereens. Furniture ended up in pieces, books littered the garden. He needed to destroy something; it was the only way to ease the pain in his chest. His life was ruined.

Anger was taking control of Jacob's mind and spirit. He was blinded by the raw rage in his heart. Looking around for something else to break he spotted one of the symbols of Seth's condition as subhuman, the chain. He ran his splinter covered hands over the smooth cold metal, remembering the first time he chained his pup. His mind was flooded with the images of a sleeping slave on the floor, the chain clinging with his every movement. How defenseless and miserable he looked. So much cruelty, so many punishments, starving him, hitting him, raping him. He brought his hands to his tear streaked face in shame and screamed to the top of his lungs cursing every living thing. His jarring pulsing cry was something nobody ever heard before. He was nothing; there was no hope or salvation. Using all his strength he pulled the chain. At first it wouldn't budge, but he continued. His hands began to bleed from the friction but he welcomed the pain. Sorrow and suffering will be his constant companion. That's what he deserved. At last the darn thing came off the wall and Jacob spat on it before it ended up on the lawn with the rest of his possessions.

He decided the bed had to go, it held too many memories, both good and bad. He gripped one of the pillows to throw it outside but stopped in his tracks when he sensed something that he thought he wouldn't get to enjoy ever again. The pillow was impregnated with Seth's scent. He brought it to his face to inhale and feed from it. His clean sweet scent filled Jacob's lungs, momentarily making him forget his reality. He couldn't bring himself to throw the bed away, it was sacred. So many nights they had fallen asleep in each other's arms, happy and sated. Seth distilled innocence through every pore. He looked so adorable sleeping in his arms, his beautiful lips slightly open. The warmth of his soft skin, his lithe arms surrounding him, keeping him safe in a cocoon of love and comfort. Now everything was gone, his bed would forever be cold and it will never again see nights filled with love.

Several hours later Edward was saying his goodbyes. He didn't know what he would face so he made no promises of returning. "I guess he is not coming Billy, I thought that after his tantrum he would come to his senses. Again, I was wrong; he will regret this decision for the rest of his life."

"It took all my strength not to run in his room when I heard his screams but I knew he needed to face his demons on his own. I just stood outside his doors listening to his hopeless weeping. It breaks my heart, I'm losing him again."

"I lost hope but you're his dad, don't abandon him. Don't repeat what happened when Sarah died. Keep an eye on him and even if he seems unlovable still love him. Quil wanted to come with me, but Jake needs a friend, he'll be there for you too." Regardless of his feelings towards Jake's action he loved him. "I'll get going. Until I'm able to phase I won't be able to let you know of any progress. I can't tell anyone what I'm doing and expose the subs; it could cost them their life. Good bye my friend."

"Ed wait up!" It was not the voice they wanted to hear but it surprised them nonetheless. "I'm going with you."

"Why? You hate the subs."

"I don't exactly hate them, I'm just prejudiced but I'm working on it. The fact that Emily and Sophia are on my case about it twenty four seven has been unwelcomed but effective. The truth of the matter is that my little girl loves Seth. She heard me talking to the guys about his disappearance and has been inconsolable. I love her and if her happiness depends on me dragging that mutt back here I'll do it." His last comment earned him some eye rolling. He was doing so well and had to stick his foot in his mouth once again. But that was Paul for you.

Billy stood on the yard until Edward and Paul disappeared between the trees. He said a prayer for them and for his son. Their journey through the south won't be easy, especially with winter on their heels. But they were determined and courageous and that's half the battle.

Hundreds of miles away, in the northwest, Seth and Embry were having the same argument again. "It's been a month already, nobody is coming. The weather is getting worse every day; if we don't leave we might get stuck here when the heavy snow starts." Embry paced back and forth in the living room of the house they had inhabited for the last month. After looking around a development they found one with working solar panels. At least they had clean water and heat. Embry was not bothered by the cold but Seth was a different story. Every day he grew weaker and seemed to be dying slowly. He spent entire nights howling at the moon, hoping his call would reach his mater. He barely smiled, he had no reason to do it.

"Maybe they were held back, Jake is going to come for me, I know he will. Diego was going to tell them to come find us here. We can't leave, they might never find us." Seth sat on the sofa watching how his friend paced up and down. He absentmindedly rubbed his stomach to ease the cramps he had been experiencing for the last week. They were very fleeting but that didn't mean it was not annoying.

"We'll leave them a note telling them where we're heading. You freeze at night because we cannot even light the freaking fireplace; we cannot risk any dominant noticing we're here. Brother please…" Embry knelt before his friend. "… You're worrying me, have you looked in a mirror? Dark circles around your eyes, you can barely keep anything down. You're scary thin and are always exhausted. I need to get you to a doctor, I've tried everything in my arsenal but it hadn't worked. Whatever is making you so sick doesn't respond to my gift."

"You worry too much, I look worse than I feel. Please give me two more weeks; if by then Jacob hasn't showed up we'll leave. Depending on the weather it will take us more or less a week to get to Quebec since we have to avoid all the outposts. I promise we'll go find Emmet and his pack. We'll be safe there, they have a doctor." Seth clapped his hands startling his friend. "I know what will cheer you up, let's go hunting, I'm hungry." He wasn't really hungry, after upchucking most of his breakfast he didn't feel like eating. But he knew that Embry loved to hunt. Seth had showed him how to do it and since then it was the only times Embry seemed to be happy. It was a temporary fix but it was better than nothing. Embry knew his friend and could spot his avoidance tactics. He was reluctant to accept Seth's idea. He wanted to get out of there; he loved Seth with all his heart and was terrified of losing him. His friend was depressed and ill, he needed more help than he could provide.

Both men walked hand in hand to the back yard and took off their clothes. They summoned their wolves and in no time Embry's wolf stood proud waiting for his friend. Seth panicked when his wolf wouldn't respond to his call. Was this another symptom of his mysterious ailment? He used his most painful memories to try to produce enough anger to get his wolf to surface. Unfortunately nothing worked. "Something's wrong I can't phase, I think my wolf left me." A sudden overwhelming fear attacked Seth. The negative thoughts kept coming one after the other, like waves on the beach. He began to sweat profusely and his heart felt like it would explode at any moment. He didn't want to be a burden and wished that before that happened the ground would open up and swallow him.

Embry phased back and caught his friend just in time when he collapsed. "Buddy calm down, you'll get sick again." He picked him up bridal style, took him inside and gently placed him on the sofa. Seth curled into a ball when he felt a sharp pain in his stomach. Embry helped him through the pain and when it passed rolled him on his back to examine him. He ran his hands on his slightly swollen stomach and could feel that something was going on but couldn't put his finger on what it was. A crazy and impossible idea popped in his head. It would explain all of Seth's symptoms.

"There is a hospital in town; they may have something I need. I'll be right back." He wrapped his patient with two heavy blankets before running off.

Before his father's fall from grace he had helped him many times in the small clinic he managed. He never told him about the ability he discovered when he found a bird with a broken wing and was able to fix it just by touching it and making a wish. Knowing that his dad was extremely judgmental he kept it a secret, the last thing he wanted was to be considered a freak. Still he was able to anonymously help many patients and that filled him with joy. Unfortunately the appeal of a quick buck was too tempting and gambling became his father's god. In matter of months he lost everything, including his son and his dignity. He even threw away the money he zealously had put away to pay for Embry's freedom. Years later he learned his father took his life after he saw his son being taken away bruised and bloody. He couldn't live with the guilt and the shame. He condemned his son to a cruel future.

The small hospital had exactly what he was looking for. Back in the house he saw his friend sleeping soundly and charged the three monitors he found to see if any of them worked. Luckily one of them worked. Embry shook his friend awake and handed him a glass of water to stave off the nausea he always felt. "Hey feeling better? You have been sleeping for hours."

"I'm feeling a little better." Seth stopped talking and inhaled deeply to calm himself. "Em am I dying?"

"Don't even say that, you're not going to leave me." Answered Embry his voice cracking. "I have a theory; it's farfetched but humor me ok?" Seth nodded and leaned back to let his friend apply the warm gel to his stomach.

A huge grin appeared in Embry's face at the same time big fat tears rolled down his cheeks. "What's wrong Em? It sounds like I have a pony trotting inside me."

"That is your baby's heartbeat. You're pregnant."

"Very funny mister."

"I'm not joking, I've heard it before. It's something you don't forget. The baby's heartbeat is twice as fast when compared to yours and like you said sounds like a pony, even though it sometimes sounds like a washing machine."

"Wait, you… you're serious. I have a baby growing inside me?" Asked Seth hesitantly.

"Yep, I'm going to be an uncle."