Wolves of the Pacific

by greenpeach20

In 1902, Renesmee Cullen grew tired of the tedious life of moving around with her family and decided to make the journey west as a mail order bride. Yet a chance encounter with a reddish brown wolf would change her life forever.

85. Chapter 85

Chapter 85

Ada María never went to sleep that night. She would close her eyes but sleep would never come, so she would just look at Nathan. Truly this was strange for her. She was experiencing several firsts with him. At times, it was overwhelming. When it became clear she wouldn't get any sleep, Ada María got out of bed and wandered downstairs to make coffee and get some fruit ready for breakfast. She finished in minutes and then found she had nothing to do again. So she went upstairs and returned to bed with Nathan and just held him while he slept. Eventually she heard Scarlet stir and then go downstairs to the coffee that was almost certainly lukewarm by that time and the fruit on the counter. With Nathan still out cold, Ada María put her sundress back on and went downstairs. Scarlet glanced at her when she came down the stairs.

"Everything's fine with you and daddy I take it?" Scarlet asked.

"Yes, we worked everything out," Ada María nodded and went to make herself a cup of coffee. "He was happy to find out you and I had come to common ground."

"I knew he would be," Scarlet said. Scarlet sipped her coffee saying nothing further. After the prolonged silence, Ada María spoke again.

"As you know, my brother is visiting," Ada María said.

"I remember. I met him last night," Scarlet said.

"I know he'll be rather eager to meet Nathan."

"You told him about daddy?" Scarlet asked, a little surprise, "I know you already mentioned me, but I didn't think you talked about daddy."

"At length actually," Ada María said and sipped her coffee. "I thought perhaps I could locate my brother and we could all sit on the beach together. You can thank him in part for us reaching common ground."

"How so?" Scarlet asked.

"I confided in him with regards to our situation and he offered sound advice," Ada María answered plainly. Scarlet wasn't entirely sure Ada María had followed Marcelo's advice given they'd argued most of the night until giving up and just agreeing to be civil, but rather than argue, Scarlet smiled a little.

"He seemed nice," she said. After a moment of silence, Ada María excused herself with hers and Nathan's cups of coffee and went upstairs where he was still lying in bed.

Since it was a Sunday, Ada María spent the day with Nathan and Scarlet. They went to the beach together so Scarlet could spend time with the neighbor kids while Nathan and Ada María talked. While they sat together, they both heard movement in the sand and Ada María knew who it was based on the smell but said nothing.

"You must be Nathan," the voice said and they looked over their shoulders at Marcelo.

"I assume you're Marcelo?" Nathan asked with a smile as she stood up to meet the man. "Ada talks about you all the time." Marcelo raised a brow at the nickname Nathan used.

"And she's spoken quite a bit about you since I got here yesterday," Marcelo said and accepted Nathan's hand in a shake when it was offered. "I had the pleasure of meeting your daughter, though I fear it was overly brief."

"Yes, I heard she'd gone to the bar alone," Nathan said. "I don't think she mentioned she'd met you, but I guess I haven't really asked her about it."

"From what little I was able to speak with her, she was a very sweet girl," Marcelo said. "I admit I'd gotten quite an earful about her from Ada María. I knew what I heard was said out of frustration at the time."

"Frustration I hope will be a non-issue going forward," Nathan hurried to say. "Are you staying on the beach? Why don't you sit with us for a while?"

"I think that sounds lovely," Marcelo said and sat down in the sand beside Ada María. "And Ada María, our parents arrived this morning. They're waiting out the sun at my place. They're asking about you."

"Your parents are here?" Nathan asked.

"Well, I've been preoccupied," Ada María said. "I assume mother is exhausted, so we should probably let her relax."

"Naturally," Marcelo said. "I've not mentioned Nathan. I assumed that was something you would prefer to bring up."

"Indeed it is," Ada María said a little unnerved all of a sudden.

"Am I allowed to ask when I get to meet them?" Nathan asked with a chuckle.

"Let me bring you up first before we start talking about introductions," Ada María said, slightly uncomfortable.

Both sensing Ada María's discomfort with the topic, Nathan and Marcelo went on to get acquainted with one another. When all the kids were done playing ball and needed to return home, Scarlet came over and sat with them to speak more with Marcelo. She found herself far fonder of the brother than Ada María instantly. Much like his sister, he was a charmer who, again much like Ada María, was a rather loose spirit until his lover Laura 'whipped him into shape' as he put it. In truth, she should dislike Marcelo though perhaps the fact that he wasn't in a relationship with her father made the man far more appealing. They stayed on the beach until the sun was beginning to set and Marcelo excused himself to return home hoping to catch their mother while awake. Ada María preferred to return with Nathan and Scarlet and the three of them walked up the hill to his blue house, grabbing some food on the way home. Once they returned and since Scarlet had finished her dinner, she opted to go straight to bed while Nathan and Ada María stayed downstairs.

"I like Marcelo," Nathan said. "He's a lot like you. I'll bet you two were best friends growing up."

"I suppose that's one way to put it," Ada María said. "We didn't become friends until I was older. When I was little, he used to tease me relentlessly."

"No different than me and my siblings," Nathan chuckled. "One time when we will really little, we'd gotten candy from the shop and the shopkeeper had given us some black licorice candy."

"I'm not sure I'm familiar with black licorice."

"It's…" Nathan said and thought about it a moment. "Have you ever smelled fennel or star anise?" Ada María nodded. "That's basically what it is. It's really bitter and has an abrasive taste. Anyway, the shopkeeper had given us black licorice and I'd hated it but Natalie hadn't gotten to try it. I told her they were rainbow eggs and if she ate one a rainbow would appear. So she took one outside with her and stared at the sky while she put it in her mouth. Next thing I know, Natalie's crying because they tasted so bad."

"Sounds like something Marcelo would do to me," Ada María giggled.

"One time, my brother Kevin convinced her that if she kissed a frog, it would turn into a prince. It jumped in her face and she was crying to whole time while mom scrubbed her face."

"Now that's just cruel," Ada María laughed.

"Dad ended up making Kevin kiss a frog to teach him a lesson and mom had to scrub his face too," Nathan chuckled. "We were assholes to each other when we were kids."

"Sounds like it," Ada María smiled. "You have two brothers don't you?"

"Yeah, Kevin and Kyle," Nathan said. "But Kyle never got into trouble. He was a bit of a mama's boy honestly. He took to medicine and mom made him her apprentice. He studied medicine at one of the finest schools in the world and now he's trying to build a hospital. Mom really wants to build a school."

"Kyle sounds a touch boring," Ada María said honestly.

"He is a bit of an introvert," Nathan said with a shrug. "Mom's started getting on his case about him getting married and he keeps putting it off."

"Why the sudden desperation? She's got two grandsons and two granddaughters, so it can't be that."

"It's not that," Nathan said in Renesmee's defense. "She just wants us all to be happy. From what dad says, she's just worried that Kyle is thinking too much about work and isn't really doing much living. She's just worried about him."

"Then why isn't she nagging you?" Ada María joked rhetorically, not expecting Nathan to answer.

"Because I'm doing a little too much living," Nathan smiled. "At least I'm sure that's what she thinks, but mom would never say it. She knows I'm happy. Besides, I already found my imprint." Ada María didn't say anything at first. Rather, she and Nathan shared a look. Nathan smiled charmingly and Ada María blushed just a bit. That blush was all the confirmation Nathan needed, even if she wasn't directly saying anything.

"How about I make us coffee?" she finally asked.

"Not now," Nathan smiled. "I need to get up early and if I drink coffee, I won't get any sleep. Speaking of which," he continued and stood from the bar stool he sat at, "I'm going to go ahead and get myself to bed. You're staying the night, right?"

"I planned to," Ada María said.

"Did you want to come to bed or stay down here a while?"

"I'll come up," Ada María said. "Not much for me to do all alone down here."

Nathan smiled and extended his hand to Ada María. She accepted it and let Nathan lead her upstairs to his bedroom for the night. When she woke, Nathan and Scarlet had already left for the day, but Nathan left her a little note letting her know he'd see her soon. There was some left over coffee from the morning, so she drank that and finally left the house around 11 that morning. Figuring she'd be expected to, Ada María made the trip to Marcelo's little house before she had to go to the bar. She'd barely reached the door ready to knock when her father opened the door for her.

"I was wondering when you'd arrive," Rafael said.

"Sorry it took a bit for me to get here. Is mother awake?"

"She is," Rafael said as he stepped aside so Ada María could enter Marcelo's house. Yaretzi rose from the kitchen chair she sat at and went right to Ada María to give her a hug.

"It's been too long," Yaretzi said then released Ada María so they could look at one another. "How has everything been? Marcelo said there was something you wanted to talk to us about."

"He did?" Ada María said, feeling her heart stop. She wasn't ready to talk about this yet.

"He did," Rafael said as he walked back over. "Is everything alright?"

"Everything's fine," Ada María said. "Where is Marcelo?"

"He's upstairs sleeping. He was up all night playing chess with your father so he's a little tired," Yaretzi smiled. "So what was it you wanted to talk to us about?"

"Oh, nothing," Ada María tried to dodge. "Marcelo must have misheard me. I'd only said I couldn't wait to see you both."

Though far from convinced, Yaretzi dropped the topic and, eventually, so did Rafael though it was begrudgingly. Ada María stayed for a little over an hour before retreating to the bar for the night, never mentioning Nathan. She wasn't ready. If she could arrange it so Nathan and her parents didn't meet this visit and it was another three years before they did, that would be her ideal situation. Perhaps by that time she might be able to look Nathan in the eye and tell him she loved him. Following that, Ada María didn't stop by Marcelo's house for two days. She didn't end up seeing Nathan in that time either. She kept herself focused on the bar and, perhaps there was a portion of this to it, tried to ensure Nathan and her parents would not cross paths, although they didn't come to the bar in those two days either. Ada María, in fact, didn't see Nathan again until that following Saturday afternoon. He and Scarlet had just left the restaurant and were at the beach together while she was walking along at which point she invited herself to Nathan's house for the night after she closed the bar. In fact, he ended up surprising her by coming to the bar during the last hour of operation wanting to walk her back. So once the bar was closed, Nathan and Ada María walked up the hill to his house hand in hand.

"Do you want some coffee?" Ada María asked when they arrived at the house. "I also have that bottle of wine I left here if you rather that."

"I'll take the coffee, but if you want wine, have at it," Nathan smiled. Ada María smiled back and helped herself to a glass while getting the coffee ready. "So what did your parents say?" Nathan asked.

"Pardon?"

"What did your parents say when you told them about me?" Ada María froze a moment with her glass at her lips and just gulped some wine in lieu of answering him. "Are you doing that because I wasn't well received or because you didn't tell them?"

After finishing her gulp and taking a deep breath, she looked at him and finally said, "Haven't told them."

"Why not?" Nathan asked.

"I just wasn't ready to," Ada María said. Although he wasn't saying it, she could tell Nathan was a little disappointed with that news. She put down her glass and went to Nathan, sitting on his lap on the bar stool and wrapping her arms around his neck. Despite his frustration, Nathan wrapped an arm around her waist and placed a hand on her knee. "Don't take that the wrong way. I just feel it's too soon to think of introducing you to my parents. I barely see them anymore and they, or I should say father, isn't terribly keen on the lifestyle I live. If father found out about you, after he scrutinized you of course, he'd expect us to marry and for me to give the bar over to Marcelo. I don't want to do that."

"When did I ever say I'd expect that?" Nathan asked slightly defensively.

"I didn't say you expected that; I said my father does. And the last thing I want is the man breathing down our necks when we should be having a good time."

Nathan and Ada María looked at each other a moment before Nathan finally sighed and gave her a kiss, saying he'd trust her judgment and wouldn't push any further about the matter. And he did just that. After that night, Nathan didn't bring it up again and Ada María's parents stayed in Salvador for a few weeks before moving on again having never met or even heard of Nathan. Marcelo gave Ada María some dirty looks over it, but she disregarded them, reasoning it was her decision.

Just after their parents had left, Ada María and Marcelo were at her house playing with the frogs when he said to her, "You love the man but you won't even mention him to mom and dad?"

"I'm not ready to," Ada María said. "It…I don't know. It makes things too…."

"Real?" Marcelo asked. There was an awkward silence for a while before Ada María almost begrudgingly nodded.

"Yes," Ada María admitted as she petted her frog with her fingertip. "I can't even tell him how I feel about him."

"Sounds to me like you're thinking about this whole thing too much," Marcelo said. "Nathan seems like a very laid back kind of man. I have a hard time believing he'd expect you to be a house wife or something if that's what has you worried."

"I didn't think that," Ada María mumbled. She stared at her frog a moment longer before saying, "I'm still sleeping with the cop."

"Officer Acosta you mean?" Marcelo asked and Ada María nodded. "I don't know why you worked up that agreement in the first place. You could just as easily have killed him."

"Perhaps, but I didn't care five years ago. He's reasonably handsome and a good lover. I wasn't really thinking outside of that."

"So just kill him now," Marcelo offered. Ada María thought about it a moment, but something took the wind from her sails on the plan.

"I wouldn't be able to get away with it this time," Ada María said. "His friends are all fully aware of me. At least, they know he and I are having an affair. If anything happened to him, it wouldn't take much for them to all put two and two together. I'd be forced to leave Salvador and I'd have to explain it to Nathan."

"You think he wouldn't understand?" Marcelo asked.

"He would," Ada María said. "But I don't want to tell him that. And I certainly don't want him to try and take charge with Officer Acosta. If Nathan found out, I've no doubt he'd gladly walk right up to the officer and tell him to back off. Who knows how it would crumble from there."

"Let me ask you an honest question," Marcelo said. "Is this about ensuring you don't tarnish your image and risking Nathan thinking less of you or is this about keeping things the way they are?" Ada María opened her mouth to defend herself, but she found she couldn't say anything for herself.

"Everything's moving too fast," Ada María finally admitted after a moment of silence.

"Have you explained that to Nathan?" Ada María didn't answer. Instead, she stared at her frog continuing to pet its head. "Ada María, how's he supposed to know to back off a little if you don't tell him?"

"I don't want him to back off," Ada María said defensively. "I just want to," she started, but stumbled over her words and changed course, "I only mean that," she tried to continue but stopped again. Then she sighed heavily. "I don't know what I want." Marcelo looked at Ada María thoughtfully a moment before putting the frog he held back in the aquarium.

"Take it from someone who learned the hard way, Ada María," Marcelo started. "If he loves you, he'll be patient with you. But eventually, he'll get sick and tired of being dicked around."

"I'm not dicking him around!" Ada María said defensively.

"Just let me finish, Ada María," Marcelo said. "When Laura and I first met, I was the same as you. I fucked who I pleased when I pleased because that's just how I lived. Even when I realized I had feelings for Laura, I went about business as usual without thinking about her or what she wanted, even if I only slept with my victims. Then one day, she caught me with a victim, put me in my place and ran away without letting me talk. She wouldn't speak to me for months."

"I haven't been with anyone but Nathan. Except the officer, but that's purely business. He means nothing to me."

"Well, none of my victims meant anything to me either and our relationships were just sustenance. My point, Ada María, is that I almost lost Laura because I was being selfish."

"You were being selfish, Marcelo. I'm being practical."

"Ada María, just listen to me," Marcelo said. "What I'm trying to tell you is get loose ends tied up. If you love this guy, you owe it to him to do that. He seems to be smitten with you and you him. There's no place in that relationship for the officer or anyone else for that matter. Unless, of course, he agrees to more people. But he can't very well agree to or deny that if you don't talk to him." Ada María remained silent a moment. When she didn't answer, Marcelo sighed and placed a hand on Ada María's shoulder. "Just think about what I said, okay? I won't tell you what to do or how to be with Nathan, but at least think about what I said. Alright?"

When all Marcelo got was a limp nod, he sighed again, but gave Ada María a reassuring hug. Back home, October brought what could be considered an interesting occurrence. Travis came to visit Embry and Kevin on Halloween and they all sat together next to the radio and listened to a broadcast of War of the Worlds as part of a series on the radio. JJ and Salem listened too while Natalie and Jae played with Nesia. The following day, there were reports of a panic that people thought the United States was under attack in reality. A story Kevin found rather bizarre given he recalled three separate times during that broadcast where the narrator explained this was a work of fiction. As it turns out, the panic was rather heavily exaggerated. However, more important things had happened earlier that month in the form of the Germans marching into the Sudeten lands upon an agreement being reached and, Winston Churchill, a man far less optimistic about the Munich Agreement to say the least, had made a broadcast in which he called the agreement a defeat and that the world should prepare for hostility to rise. That scared the shit out of Kevin more than any broadcast adaptation of a novel about aliens.

Nathan promptly called Gabriella, begging for an update, but she had none. Everything was still being processed. Not the answer he wanted and desperately needed. Everything continued to spiral down, weeks later, Kevin received a letter from Amber telling him that a man named Ernst Vom Rath had been assassinated in Paris by a young Jewish man. The fact that the man was adamantly against Adolf Hitler's anti-Semitic mantra did little to help the situation and no doubt would fuel an already ticking bomb. Around that time in December, Kevin called Gabriella again.

"Good morning, this is Gabriella with Mr. Lockley's office; how may I be of assistance?" she asked, her gentle Italian accent coming through the phone.

"It's Kevin Black," he answered. "Please, Gabriella, give me some good news. I got a letter from my Fiancé telling me that a German was assassinated in Paris. This is out of control. I need them out of Europe."

Gabriella sighed, but not condescendingly. It was scared in fact. "I'm sorry, Kevin, but I'm afraid I don't have any better news. Germany has now banned Jewish children from attending school. We have Jewish families storming to embassies begging for visas."

"But Amber and her family applied first. That has to count for something."

"It will," Gabriella assured, "but this new development will cause a delay. I'm sorry, Kevin, I really am. I wish I had better news, but our hands are tied. I promise, Mr. Lockley is doing everything in his power. I know it doesn't seem like it, but he's doing his best. The new developments in Poland aren't helping either."

"What new developments?" Kevin asked.

"Well, I don't know the exact number, but thousands of Polish Jews were rounded up by German Police and forced to leave the country and return to Poland. It was horrible from what we're hearing. If they couldn't get over the border, they were beaten."

Kevin felt himself getting sick. He was shaking now and, perhaps for the first time for as far back as he could remember, he feared he might cry. "Please," Kevin finally said. "Gabriella, I'm begging you. There has to be something we can do. I'll call the American Embassy in Paris myself if I have to, but please. Help me."

There was a moment of silence before Gabriella said, "I'll talk to Mr. Lockley. I'll ask him to see if there's any way he can expedite the Dymek's visas."

"Tell whoever he needs to speak to that I'll pay for it if needed," Kevin pleaded. "Just name the price, and I'll make it happen. Just please." Kevin kept shaking and Gabriella heard the panic in his voice.

"Don't worry, Kevin, I'll see what I can do. If they demand money, I'll tell you, but I'll have Mr. Lockley negotiate. I really am sorry Kevin, but we'll do what we can."

"Thank you," Kevin finally said, still shaking. "That's all I ask." They said their goodbyes and Kevin finally ended the call and started rubbing his face in frustration.

"I take it you've read the papers?" Alphonse's voice came and Kevin looked up at him.

"Yeah," Kevin mumbled. "I also spoke with Gabriella."

"What did she say?"

"Still pending," Kevin mumbled. "Apparently in Germany, Jewish children are no longer permitted to attend school and now they're being flooded with visa applications. Some of those people are Polish immigrants from what I hear that were assaulted by German police. With Vom Rath's assassination in Paris, this is going to keep getting worse."

"So what will you do?" Alphonse asked.

"I begged Gabriella to see what she could do to expedite the Dymek's visa approval and if they want money to tell me and I'll pay it. I don't care if I have to go to my grandparents and beg for money. I'll do anything at this point."

"Kevin…" Alphonse said, then looked at his feet, and looked at him again. "If you want a little money-"

"No," Kevin said. "I'll not beg you for money."

"Given you bailed me out, it's the least I can do," Alphonse said and Kevin shot Alphonse a shocked look. "I found out years ago. I'd written to Ana's father to thank him for the loan and he told me he'd not loaned us a dime. I figured it out from there." Kevin softened and held his head down staring at his desk. "Kevin, please. Let me help you." Kevin was silent a moment, still shaking from the phone call. "You saved me from losing my daughter, Kevin. Let me save you from losing your fiancé."

"You'd do that?" Kevin asked.

"Of course," Alphonse said. He even started looking at his face and shifting awkwardly. "If they demand money, tell me right away and I'll cut a check right then."

"I," Kevin started, still shaking and a little shocked. "I can't ask you to do that."

"You're not," Alphonse said. "I'm offering. And I'll not take no for an answer." Alphonse finally smiled a little and walked over and put a hand on Kevin's shoulder reassuringly. "We'll get here safe, Kevin. I promise."

"I don't know how to thank you," Kevin finally managed.

"You don't have to," Alphonse said. "I quite literally owe you my life." Alphonse patted Kevin's shoulder and began to leave. "Keep me updated, alright, Kevin?"

"Alright, Alphonse," Kevin finally smiled.

That evening, Kevin wrote Amber and Levi advising them that he'd spoken with the immigration office to try and expedite their visas. He hoped that by the time they received his letter that those would be obtained and they could finally come to America. Shortly thereafter, it was 1939. Kevin eventually received a call from Gabriella about Amber's and her parents' visas. They could be expedited, but as he feared, it would cost him, and no small sum either. Feeling as though he had led in his stomach, Kevin went to Alphonse and told him what Gabriella had told him. Not seconds after Kevin mentioned he'd received word from Gabriella, Alphonse reached for his checkbook and asked, "How much?" After Kevin guiltily thanked Alphonse and Alphonse telling him there was no need to thank him, Alphonse wrote the check and Kevin walked down to the immigration office and personally delivered the money. Gabriella accepted the check, but it wasn't without a considerable amount of guilt on her shoulders and without apologizing again.

Of course, just two weeks later, Kevin no longer cared. He received a telegram from Mr. Lockley's office asking him to come to his office and when Kevin arrived, the bright smile on Gabriella's face was unmistakable. Mr. Lockley came out and told Kevin personally that the Dymek's visas had finally been approved. Kevin was so happy that he nearly fainted. He then asked if the Dymeks were aware and he was advised according to the Embassy, they were already making arrangements to get their things packed and leave Paris. He was so happy he hugged both Gabriella and Mr. Lockley before finally returning to the office. Alphonse saw the smile on Kevin's face as he went into his office, so Alphonse grabbed something from his drawer and went across to Kevin's office.

"I assume the news is good?" Alphonse asked.

"They've been approved," Kevin smiled. "Their visas have been approved. I'll be writing as soon as I can and asking them to let me know when their ship will dock and where."

"Well then," Alphonse smiled and held up the bottle of champagne. "I'd say this calls for a celebration."

"Have you had that in your desk this whole time?" Kevin asked with a chuckle.

"I have a few bottles, actually. My father-in-law bought several bottles, so this is actual champagne and not that knock off sparkling wine crap. He sent us about six bottles. This one's for when the visas got approved, I've got one we'll crack open when she finally arrives, we'll save one for your engagement party, another for your rehearsal dinner, and, finally, one for your wedding day. The six one I'll save for Anastasia's wedding."

"You don't have to waste five bottles on me," Kevin laughed. "How about this one, save one for when she arrives, and then one for our wedding day. That'll give you three bottles for yourself."

"Alright, if you insist," Alphonse grinned as he undid all the packaging for the bottle. Then he pulled out a little knife and attempted to open the bottle the fancy way, but, it didn't quite work and he just caused it to be off center. With a laugh, Kevin took the bottle and pulled out the cork with a pop and they poured themselves their glasses. "Cheers to your fiancé and her family's citizenship," Alphonse said and held up the glass.

"Cheers to finally starting our lives together," Kevin smiled. "The moment she's off that fucking boat, we're talking to that Rabi in my neighborhood and setting up a day to get married."

"Sounds like a set up for romance," Alphonse chuckled and they clanked their glasses together and drank. Between the two of them, they finished the whole bottle. Olga, hearing the commotion, did manage to get a sip before it was gone and gave Kevin a big hug. 'Lord knows you've been pulling your hair out over this,' she'd said to him.

Kevin returned home that day and made Embry come back home to the tribe with him so he could tell everyone that Amber and her parents had received their visas and they would be coming to America. He wasn't expecting quite the resounding joy that he'd received, but the whole pack cheered for him and Kyle went to Kevin's side and hugged him tight, even lifting him off his feet and spinning him around. Renesmee and Jacob gave their own voice of joy and Renesmee demanded to know the moment they would be arriving so the whole family could be here and they could welcome the Dymeks properly with a big party. He said he'd send a telegram to Aidetzi and Marcus in Hawaii to make sure they could come, though sadly it wasn't likely. It would take too long for them to arrive. That night, Kevin joined the pack hoping to tell Nathan, but he wasn't there that night. Determined, he went on patrol every night until a few days later, Nathan finally became a wolf to check in on everyone and was just as ecstatic about the news as everyone else.

That same morning, after they'd finished with work for the day, Nathan took Scarlet with to where he knew Ada María's house was. While he'd still not really been in the house, he'd gone there with Scarlet before to see her aquarium. When they arrived, they knocked and heard Ada María's voice from the backyard and followed around. She was cleaning the aquarium and Scarlet went to play with the frogs in their separate container so Nathan and Ada María could talk.

"Did you want some help?" Nathan asked with a light chuckle.

"Oh, no, I'm almost done anyway," she answered. "After this, I was going to leave for the bar."

"Glad I could catch you then. I came because I had good news."

"Good news?" Ada María asked with a giggle. "And what good news is that?"

"My brother Kevin got word that his fiancé's visa has been approved. So she and her parents will be coming to America."

"Good," Ada María smiled. "How long was this going on for?"

"Too long," Nathan said. "He's over the moon. I actually wanted to talk to you about it."

"About what?"

"Well, all things considered, Scarlet and I should get back home." When Nathan said that, Ada María stopped what she was doing and looked right at him.

"You're leaving?"

"Not right away," Nathan was quick to say. "I figure we'll wait to leave until Amber and her parents are in America. The reason I wanted to bring it up to you was so we could talk about you coming with?"

"Coming with?" Ada María asked, a little stunned.

"Yeah," Nathan said. "I've been promising my family for a while that we'd come back home soon or when the time was right. I can think of no better time than when Kevin's going to be getting married. And I've started to miss home a little. I know Scarlet has been too."

"Nathan.." Ada María started, unsure what to say. She'd just have to force herself to speak. "I don't want to go to Washington. My place is here. My work is here. My life is here. I can't just leave, especially without any sort of plan. Best case scenario I can ask Marcelo to look after the bar for me, but that would just be temporarily."

"I know you'd have a lot of loose ends to tie up," Nathan said reassuringly. "If we need to wait until that's all sorted out, I don't mind-"

"Nathan, you're not listening to me," Ada María said. "I don't want to tie any loose ends. I don't want to leave. I want to stay here in Salvador." They were both quiet a moment while Nathan thought.

"Ada…" he started and stopped before finally continuing, "I can't stay here forever. I have to go home eventually."

"Why?" Ada María asked. Then she went to Nathan and wrapped her arms around his waist and looked into his eyes. "I know you miss home a little and I can understand you wanting to go back for a while. I don't blame you. If you want to go home for a while, then I'll wait for you to come back. But I stay here."

"Ada María, you've never been past Mexico," Nathan reasoned. "How can you assume you don't like it in Washington when you've never been there?"

"Nathan, I know it's cold and I know I don't like cold. Besides, it's more than that. Like I said; I can't just up and leave. My life is here. I'm the one who's rooted here. You're the wanderer." She went to her toes and gave Nathan a brief kiss. "I'll support your decision to return home for a time, but I want you to come back."

"But Ada, I promised-"

"You promised you'd come home, but you said nothing about staying," Ada María said.

"That's implied," Nathan said.

"But not implicitly said," Ada María argued. "Just tell them you'll need to come back."

"Ada, you're putting me in a really uncomfortable position," Nathan said. "I'm not asking you to leave this instant. I'm giving you notice to get things sorted out."

"Nathan," Ada María said as firmly but as gently as possible. "I think I know what you want and it's not something I want. You want to go back to Washington so we can get married and start a family." Nathan was quiet, so Ada María continued. "That's never really been anything I want to do with my life, Nathan. It doesn't mean I don't….well..you know what I mean."

Finally, Nathan smiled just a little, "No, I don't. Enlighten me."

Ada María blushed and stared at Nathan's chest, "It doesn't mean I don't…you know….care about you or feel deeply for you. It just means that's not what I want with my life. I've never pictured myself as a mother. I've never really wanted to be one honestly."

"So it's not being with me that you don't want. You just aren't particularly open to marriage and kids?"

"I mean…I guess marriage wouldn't be so bad," Ada María said. "I can't imagine very much would change if we were to get married. Hell, as far as I can tell, we'd just be living together."

"You just don't want to have kids," Nathan said.

"Not really, no," Ada María said honestly, finally looking up at Nathan. He didn't seem heartbroken, but he also didn't appear to be particularly thrilled with the news. "I'm sorry if I've thrown a wrench into things."

"Hey," Nathan shrugged gently, "at least you're being honest with me. I'd rather you be honest with me then regret marrying me or something."

Ada María smiled sincerely and went on her toes again to given Nathan another kiss. "Thank you for understanding."

Nathan smiled weakly, but kissed her back and held her close. "I guess since it'll just be me and Scarlet going, we can go home sooner than expected."

"You'll come back, though. Right?" Ada María asked and Nathan smiled wider.

"Yes, Ada, we'll come back."

"Good," she said and kissed him again.

Scarlet overheard the conversation and was less than impressed with Ada María's answer. In truth, since their truce, she'd grown less and less fond of Ada María, though she still couldn't quite pin what exactly it was. Of course, this was part of it. She didn't like that Ada María seemed to refuse to do anything to make her relationship with Nathan better or to move it forward. It was always Nathan moving things forward. She still hadn't even told Nathan she loved him! That was the thing that really got under Scarlet's skin. Granted, Nathan had not said it either, but he kept giving her chances to say it and she never did. However, for Nathan's sake, she kept her mouth shut and said nothing. At this point, she was just looking forward to going back home.

Shortly thereafter, Nathan and Scarlet got on a train that would take them to Colombia where they would get on a boat that would take them to California to a train that would take them to Washington. An exhausting trip to say the least. In the meantime, Kevin awaited a letter or any update from Amber advising their travel plans. So far, he'd only gotten the letter of glee from Amber telling Kevin they'd gotten their visas and how she was so excited and she and her parents were getting things ready and really buckling down to learn English and so on. Kevin wrote back with his own delighted words and promises that they'd begin making arrangements for their wedding once they'd gotten to Washington. He even promised to give her the wedding of her dreams, no matter what. Every possible dream she could want for their wedding, he would make it happen, even if he had to make himself broke doing it. She'd earned it as far as he was concerned and he wanted their wedding day to be a day she would remember for all eternity. It wasn't until March that Kevin finally received a letter from Levi letting him know that they would be getting on a boat with other Jewish refugees, most of whom were fleeing Nazi Germany, so they would be in good company, and they were expected to embark in Cuba in May from what he knew. Kevin told Alphonse the following day.

"Cuba?" Alphonse asked.

"That's where it's going," Kevin said. "They have their visas. I just need to renew my passport. It's expired."

"Does Cuba require a passport?"

"The United States does, and I'd rather have it," Kevin said. "I'm sorry to do this to you, but I'll be leaving for Cuba next chance I can get a train to Florida and a boat to Cuba. Then I'll get them back to Washington."

"I understand," Alphonse said with a kind smile. "I figured you'd have to take a long vacation for this. Make sure to go to Havana. I hear good things about it."

Kevin chuckled, "We'll look into it. And thank you for being so patient about this. Even with the increase in staff, I still feel guilty about leaving."

"Don't," Alphonse said. "You do nothing but work and I know you've not taken hardly any of your pay for a long time to keep us afloat. If you need to take a few months off to rescue your fiancé, by all means."

"Thanks again," Kevin said. "Tell Anastasia I'll bring her back something nice."

"She's a big fan of dresses these days," Alphonse said with a chuckle.

By the time Kevin had received a train ticket and had boarded leaving for Florida, Nathan and Scarlet had finally made it to California and were on a train to Washington. Scarlet discovered a rather avid hatred of boats despite their convenience. Sadly, she suffered much the same sea sickness as Embry was prone to. She'd never been so happy to see land. Nathan sent a letter to Tamara while they were in California letting her know they were back in America temporarily. A few days later, they finally made it back home to Washington and made the trip back to Forks. They stopped at the General Store first, stepping inside and catching Jae at the register. Jae almost laughed when he saw them, both from not be able to believe they were back and from being shocked how much both of them, Scarlet especially, had changed.

"Holy shit," Jae said and finally laughed, walking around the counter to Nathan and hugging him. Nathan hugged him back and Scarlet got in on the hug. "I can't believe this. Scarlet, you've grown so much!"

"Daddy complains I'm turning into a woman right before his eyes," Scarlet joked.

"Only that's it's happening too fast," Nathan smiled.

"And you," Jae said and released them so he could look at Nathan. "You look three shades darker."

"Yeah, sun will do that to you," Nathan laughed. Just then, Hailey came out and was surprised to see them.

"When did you get back?"

"Just now," Nathan said.

"Well, everyone's going to be happy to see you," Hailey said. "How was South America?"

"Paradise on earth," Nathan said.

"Bold claim," Hailey said skeptically, but smiled all the same. "You'd better get your ass to the tribe. I can't guarantee you'll go long without an assault, though."

"I figured," Nathan smiled. "Before I leave, how is everyone? When is Amber getting here?"

"Kevin's left for Cuba to get her. They're sharing a boat with a lot of other Jewish refugees from Germany and they're arriving in Cuba in May I think."

"So he won't be back for a while?" Nathan asked.

"I don't think so, but he'll come back with Amber regardless," Jae smiled. "So where's Ada María? Didn't she come with you? We were really hoping to meet her."

"No, she needed to stay home," Nathan said. Scarlet gave Nathan a look, but said nothing. "I'll have to go back once Kevin and Amber have gotten married."

"Wait, you're going back?" Jae asked. "Why?"

Nathan shrugged, "Ada doesn't want to come to Washington. It'll be a while before I can convince her to change her mind, but I promise I'm working on it. Although, given I'm asking her to leave Salvador for Forks, it's a really tough sell."

"Yeah, no kidding," Jae chuckled a little. "Well, I'll just warn you: Aunt Nessie won't be happy."

"I know, but I'll get her to understand. I'll come home for good eventually, I promise. I just need to convince Ada."

"Alright, if you say so," Jae said. "You get back home. Everyone will be happy to see you. The boys have missed you a lot and you still need to meet your niece."

"That's right, I haven't met my niece yet," Nathan chuckled awkwardly and rubbed the back of his neck. "I've missed a lot haven't I?"

"Nothing you can't get caught up on," Jae smiled reassuringly.

Nathan and Scarlet finally left the General Store and made the long walk back to the tribe. When they arrived, Nathan felt a strange sense of relief. He'd not seen home for so long. He'd not realized how much he really missed it. He was more determined than ever to convince Ada María to join him here. He'd figure something out. Just because he was asking her to come here and be with him didn't mean they had to have kids if she didn't want to.

"Nathan?!" The voice took Nathan out of his trance and he saw Natalie running over to him. She nearly jumped into his arms to hug him and JJ and Salem were close behind. Nesia tried to follow as far as her little legs would take her, but Renesmee picked her up and went towards them all. The whole tribe did. Nathan caught Natalie and hugged her tight.

"Hey, Natalie," Nathan said.

"I can't believe you're home," Natalie smiled and hugged him tighter. She finally let go and looked at Scarlet. "Oh my God, Scarlet, look at you! I barely recognized you!"

"I guess I grew on you," Scarlet grinned and hugged Natalie back. Not quite as tall as Natalie, but she was getting pretty damn close.

"Nathan," Renesmee said, tears actually beginning to form as she came to him and hugged him.

"Hey mom," Nathan smiled and hugged her back. "No need to cry, mom. I've not been missing. Just vacationing."

"Don't be so flippant," Renesmee smiled and let go of Nathan to look at him. "You've changed so much."

"I'm just more tan," Nathan laughed. Renesmee turned her attention to Scarlet.

"You've grown up so much, Scarlet," Renesmee said and leaned down to hug her. Nathan took Nesia from Renesmee's arms and looked at her.

"So this is Nesia?" Nathan asked.

"Yeah, this is her," Natalie grinned. "We finally had a girl."

"She looks just like you," Nathan smiled and then he looked at his nephews who were both smiling. "Well, don't just stand there you two. Come here and hug me." JJ and Salem smiled and went to Nathan to hug him and he kneeled down to hug them back.

"So where's Ada María?" Renesmee asked while Nathan continued along his rounds to hug everyone.

"She didn't come," Nathan said a little nervously. "She's still a little hesitant about coming to Washington. I'm still trying to help her warm up to it."

"So you're not staying?" Renesmee asked, less than pleased.

"I'll stay until after Kevin and Amber get married," Nathan reassured. "After that I'll go back to Salvador, but I'll come back once I've convinced Ada to come back with me." Renesmee looked as though she might say something, but Nathan interrupted. "I know it's not what you wanted to hear, but her life is in Salvador. I'll need to help her uproot and I can't do that until she's willing."

"So how long will that take? You've been gone three years, Nathan. Going on four," Renesmee said.

"I know, mom, I know," Nathan said. "I just need you to be patient with her. Just give her time."

"We'll trust your judgment, Nathan," Jacob spoke up before Renesmee could.

Renesmee stayed quiet, but it was only for the time being. Everyone took Nathan and Scarlet to the beach to catch up and got a bonfire started to stay warm by while everyone asked Nathan and Scarlet to regale them with stories of their travels and all the things they'd seen. They talked about the ruins, the deserts, the jungles, all the animals the saw and the fruit they tried. Nathan, having brought some of that fruit in question, gave it to Natalie for her to try, such as pineapples, passion fruit, dragon fruit, mangoes and all other tropical fruit he was able to bring that he knew Natalie would love. There was enough for everyone, but Natalie hogged most of it. No one could recall another time when Natalie had actually eaten more than everyone else. She was especially fond of the passion fruit. Nesia wasn't at first, but when the passion fruit went from sour to sweet in the same bite, she found she was a little more open to it. After hours around the fire talking and catching up with Nathan and Scarlet, the two of them went back to the house they'd not been in since Tomoeh passed away. Renesmee and Jacob returned to their house and Jacob was getting ready to go on patrol, but Renesmee stopped him.

"So after all this, he's going back?" Renesmee asked.

"What?" Jacob asked.

"Nathan and Scarlet," Renesmee clarified. "They're finally back home, but they're not even staying for very long and then going back?"

"Renesmee, he said he'd stay until after Kevin's wedding. I would assume that means he's staying until the end of the year at least."

"Yes, but then he's going back. How long will it take for him to come back after that? Another four years? Maybe more?"

"Renesmee, I don't know," Jacob said. He walked over to her, took her in his arms and tried to comfort her. "I know this is upsetting, but if there's one thing I know is she's not like you or like Natalie or something. She's just different. There are a lot of things, from what I'm told, that she just doesn't want with her life. A domestic life is one of those things. I'm sure with time, Nathan will convince her to come be here with him, but until then, he has to be in Salvador."

There was a long silence between them as they looked into each other's eyes until Renesmee finally said something. "She loves him, right? She makes Nathan happy?"

"Yes, Renesmee, she makes Nathan happy," Jacob smiled reassuringly. "We just have to sit back and let Nathan convince Ada to come here. There's not much more we can do."

Although Renesmee was still extremely apprehensive about it, she finally smiled at Jacob and hugged him, needing the comfort. Jacob was late getting to patrol that night, but Renesmee needed him more than the pack did at that moment. Back in Salvador, Ada María was feeling the effects of Nathan's absence. She missed him terribly and started staying at his house every day so she could be around his things and feel like he was there. She slept in his bed, made her coffee in his kitchen and went to the beach at their usual spot every Sunday. One of the neighbor kids had approached her asking where Scarlet was and she had to tell them she'd returned to America. The look of disappointment on the children's faces was enough to make the empty feeling a little worse. Within two weeks, she was almost never at her own house save to feed her frogs or clean their aquarium. Otherwise, she was at Nathan's house or at their spot on the beach.

But when she was at the bar, she went about business as usual. She danced, basking in the praise and adoration of the patrons, managed food and beverage, kept her employees paid and happy and kept Officer Acosta happy too. She'd found herself growing more and more resentful of the Officer quite frankly. Even missing Nathan and being desperately horny as a result did nothing for her when she was with the officer. If anything, she always felt unfulfilled and found him severely inadequate. Regardless, she tolerated his touch if only to keep things as they were. To uphold what last shred of normalcy she still had, though by that point she started wondering why she clung to it so tightly.

Kevin, finally, arrived in Cuba in May. He found a hotel to stay at that was near the dock where the St. Louis was expected to dock. He found he was giddy; like a school boy excited for a first date with a girl he had a crush on. He sent a telegram to Forks so word could be delivered that he'd finally arrived in Cuba after a long train ride and then a brief boat ride and were it not for his eager anticipation, he might have fallen asleep becoming dead to the world when he reached his hotel room. But he was restless. Finally, on May 27th 1939, he received word that the St. Louis was approaching Havana. He found out from a waitress who, thank all that was holy, spoke English and he'd not even sipped his coffee, thanking the young woman for her assistance and making a run for the docks. The ship was approaching and he started shaking again. He couldn't believe his eyes. Amber, Anna and Levi were at the head of the ship with hundreds of other passengers eagerly waiting for entry.

When Kevin finally spotted Amber, he pushed his voice into her mind, calling to her. She spotted him too after that and waved her hands frantically at him in joy. She looked about ready to cry. Kevin was of a similar sentiment. At long last, the boat docked at the harbor in Havana and a large group formed at the side of the ship eagerly awaiting entry into the country. Kevin bounced nervously from foot to foot, waiting for the passengers to disembark. But it didn't come. An hour went by and still no one had been permitted entry. He started trying to talk to some men on the dock, but none of them spoke English. Finally, he came across someone that did speak a little English, but he didn't know what was going on either.

"Daddy, what's going on?" Amber asked after they'd all waited with no sign of entry.

"I don't know," Levi said. "You and Anna wait here. I'll see if I can find anything out." Levi did his best to move through the crowd of people towards to section of the boat where they should embark. A single person was let off the boat suddenly after a great deal of scrutiny so it seemed, but no one else was given access at the time. He finally came close enough to the scene where he was able to get some insight. "What's the delay?" Levi asked one of the other passengers that had boarded in Cherbourg.

"They aren't letting us in," the man said.

"What do you mean they're not letting us in? We have entry."

"That's all I've heard," the man replied. "The man they just let off apparently meets new requirements that the Cuban president put into place."

"What requirements?!" Levi asked a little too loudly.

"I don't know," the man said.

Levi tried talking to the other passengers to get more information, but he kept getting the same answers: they weren't being allowed entry and the best they could find out is the Cuban president had changed the law so their visas were suddenly useless. Kevin didn't find out for another hour and it was only when a few people were finally getting permitted entry that he pulled aside a passenger and asked them what was going on. He got the same answer. It wasn't the answer he wanted. Kevin spent the remainder of the day trying to find anyone he could talk to, reason with, bribe, anything to get Amber and her family off that boat, but it was no use. By the end of the day, less than 30 of the passengers on the St. Louis were permitted entry into Cuba. Kevin didn't leave the harbor. He continued talking to anyone he could, begging anyone to let the Dymeks off the boat. It was an ordeal that went on for six days. One passenger attempted suicide and was taken off the boat to a hospital. The captain of the ship did what he could to argue on the passengers' behalf, but he was getting nowhere. People were panicking, passengers, including Levi, begged for entry. They had the paperwork, but no one that mattered would listen. After six days of being at the harbor, the Cuban president insisted the St. Louis had to leave. When Kevin heard the news, he was disgusted. He located Amber again on the boat, tempted to tell her to just jump.

"Kevin!" she screamed at him. When she knew she had his attention, she continued. "They said we're going to Florida!"

"Where in Florida?" he pushed the thought into her mind rather than yell.

"Miami!" Amber yelled. Miami.

With that in mind, Kevin returned to the hotel, paid for his time there and ran to the water and discreetly got into the water and swam for Florida. When he arrived, he ran as fast as his vampiric form could manage to Miami and waited briefly before he saw the boat Amber and her family were on again. He had a renewed hope when he saw the ship, but that hope didn't last. Passengers on the ship had evidently wired President Roosevelt, or so Kevin heard, but it was without success. He never responded. What Kevin heard next was enough to make his blood boil. When the refugees had begged for entry, they were told they would need to get on the waiting list for visas just like everyone else. Kevin couldn't believe his ears. The ship never even docked. In a desperate attempt to get Amber and her parents off at the absolute least, Kevin found the docks and spoke with everyone he could, sailors, captains, anyone, but it was no use. He even got into a fight with one of the captains demanding they retrieve the Dymeks from the boat; that they had their visas and had already been approved and to let them into the country. All it got him was a few nights in jail. He wasn't let out until two days later when the St. Louis was already long gone, having given up hope for refuge and returning to France. News hit the stands immediately with sympathy for the plight of the refugees, but little more than that.

"This is ridiculous," Jae mumbled under his breath as he read the paper of what had happened. They'd already received a wire from Kevin about it, hence the reason he'd been released from jail. The Cullens had paid his bail. Still, reading it in black and white made it all the more disheartening.

"They really turned them away?" Natalie asked while they sat together on the couch, her feeding Nesia some breakfast. "How could they do that?"

"Fear," Kyle answered bluntly. "Blind fear."

"So what happens next?" Nathan asked. "They have their visas don't they? They should be able to get into the country."

"In theory, but it won't happen," Kyle said. "Not this year at least. I looked into this and there's a quota that was put down back in '24 of how many refugees would be permitted to enter the US at a time. We evidently exceeded that quota near instantly."

"That's bullshit," Nathan muttered. "So what will Kevin do? Can he just bring them here?"

"I don't know," Kyle said honestly. "He's not coming home just yet. I know that much."

"Shit," Nathan said.

Amber, Levi and Anna, as well as the remaining refugees on the St. Louis, returned to Europe. Kevin was able to find out they had disembarked in Cherbourg, but that was the last he'd heard of regarding the St. Louis. Kevin tried wiring the docks in Cherbourg or anyone he could, but he never received an answer. Kevin started panicking and he returned to Washington right away hoping with all his heart that perhaps Amber or Levi or Anna might have written to him telling him where they were. There were no letters. Panicking, he wrote a letter and sent it to the only address he had: their apartment in Paris. In July, he received a notice from the new renters stating that the Dymeks no longer lived there. Not knowing what else to do, Kevin reached out to Carlisle begging him to enlist assistance from friends he had in Europe to look for Amber and her parents in the hopes of removing them from Europe and getting them into America at all costs. When he found out Carlisle had friends in Egypt, he asked Carlisle to wire them as well, hoping that maybe the Dymeks had fled to Jerusalem like so many others that had fled as part of the Zionist movement. By the end of July, what had once been a mood of elation had soured considerably to unbridled panic. Kevin pestered Carlisle for updates daily though sadly it was more often than what he could provide.

"What's going to happen now?" Scarlet asked Nathan after Kevin had finally returned and failed to reach Amber or her parents.

"I don't know," Nathan said. "There's not really much we can do in any case."

"How could they turn those people away?" Scarlet asked.

"Like your uncle said," Nathan said somberly. "Fear." There was a moment of silence while Scarlet clutched one of her old childhood toys for comfort, sitting on her bed and Nathan at the edge like when she was little. "I guess at this point all we can do is return to Salvador."

"What?" Scarlet asked.

"We were going to stay until the wedding. I don't know if there will be one any time soon. We'll have to wait for Kevin to get Amber into the country."

"We're leaving already?" Scarlet asked.

"We'll leave in another month," Nathan said. "I'll get us a train so we can stop in Nevada first. See Tamara, Dan and Meg. You can see Mina and Lida too."

"Daddy…I don't want to go back."

"What?" Nathan asked, surprised by her statement.

"I don't want to go back. I want to stay here," Scarlet said.

"But Scarlet, we have to go back," Nathan said. "Ada's still there and-"

"I'm not going back, daddy," Scarlet said in a firmer tone. "I don't want to do this anymore. We've done our traveling. You said as soon as we reached the rainforest, we'd come back. We didn't do that. Then you said once it was time to return, you'd bring Ada María and we'd stay home for good. You haven't done that."

"Scarlet, things have changed a little and I'm doing the best I can," Nathan said.

"It's not enough, daddy," Scarlet said bluntly. "I'm not going back. I'm staying here."

"Scarlet, I can't just leave you here," Nathan said.

"Then stay here," Scarlet said. Nathan was silent again as Scarlet looked at him.

"Scarlet, please, I can't not go back to Salvador. Ada's still there. I can't come back here for good without her."

"Can't or won't?" Scarlet asked.

"Won't," Nathan said. Another moment of silence passed. "Scarlet, I don't mind staying another month, but we have to go back."

"No, daddy, you have to go back," Scarlet said. "I'm tired of being second to her."

"Scarlet," Nathan started, but he couldn't finish. She was determined. Unmoving in her resolve. Scarlet was hoping that maybe Nathan would promise to stay, wire Ada María to tell her 'if you want to be with me, you come to Washington' and if she didn't, then to hell with her. But he didn't. He wouldn't. Couldn't, really. It didn't change her mind though.

"We had our fun," Scarlet finally said. "It was the trip of a lifetime and I'll always remember it. But I want to be home now. I'm tired of traveling. I'm tired of Salvador. I'm tired of her. I don't want to be there anymore. I'd rather be home."

"Scarlet," Nathan pleaded, "please don't put me in this position. You can't expect me to leave for Salvador without you."

"If you intend to go to Salvador, then you're going without me," Scarlet said. "I'm staying home."

No one was much happier with Nathan when it was found out that he would be leaving at the end of July. He attempted to convince Scarlet to come with him, but she wouldn't agree. She wanted to stay home. Renesmee did her best to beg Nathan to stay, if only a little longer, but he also would not be convinced against leaving. When he did leave and went to board the train that would take him to Nevada, no one was in a good mood. He reluctantly said his goodbyes to everyone, especially his now 14 year old daughter. He made one last plea for her to come with him. Even with tears in her eyes, though, she refused to go. So Nathan boarded the train and waved goodbye as it left port. Having sent a letter in advance to Tamara letting her know he'd be coming back to Nevada for a bit before leaving for South America, she greeted him with open arms when he arrived at her door.

"Nathan!" Tamara smiled and hugged him, welcoming him into the house. "It's so good to see you again. How is everything back home? Was it nice to see everyone again?"

"It was," Nathan smiled. "I hated to leave."

"Hold on," she said. "Where's Scarlet?"

"She didn't want to come back," Nathan said. "I tried to convince her to come back with me, but she wouldn't."

"And you left Washington without her?" Tamara asked, shocked to hear that. "If she didn't want to go back, why didn't you just stay in Washington?"

"I have some unfinished business in Salvador," Nathan said. "I've told you about Ada, right?"

"Yeah, you've written of her," Tamara said. "I'd thought you said Scarlet and Ada were starting to get along."

"I'd thought they were," Nathan said solemnly. "But Scarlet just isn't warming up to her and I'm not sure what else to do."

"I don't know if this is out of line," Tamara said as she started to make some coffee, "but is Ada really worth all this? Is she really worth your relationship with your daughter?"

"It won't come to that," Nathan said determinedly. "They'll grow to like one another eventually."

"Are you sure about that? Or is it wishful thinking?" Tamara asked. Nathan didn't answer. "Look, Nathan, it's not my place to tell you what to do or how to live your life, but I'm wondering if this is really worth it. I mean, what's so special about Ada that makes her worth all this trouble? You could have anyone in the world."

"I don't want anyone else," Nathan said honestly but almost as a whisper. "I can't really explain why, Tamara. It's just….she makes me happy. I haven't been happy in a long time. Not really. I know it doesn't make sense to a lot of people, but I love her. I don't know what else to tell you."

Tamara looked at him sincerely and sighed a little, "If she makes you happy, then that's what matters."

"Thanks, Tamara," Nathan said. The two of them smiled at each other a little for a moment.

"I guess this means we aren't going much more than listening to the radio or playing cards while you're here?" Tamara asked lightheartedly.

"I'm afraid so," Nathan chuckled.

"That's a shame," Tamara smiled. "Meg was really hoping to 'catch up with you' if you know what I mean." Nathan and Tamara started laughing.

"Sorry to disappoint," Nathan finally managed.

"Well," Tamara said after they'd stopped laughing and had caught their breath. "Ada's a lucky woman. I hope she knows that."

"I like to think I'm the lucky one," Nathan said.

Tamara smiled a little more, "You prove my point." She walked over with their newly poured mugs of coffee and stole a kiss from Nathan's cheek. "It had been nice while it lasted."

"It had," Nathan smiled. "Don't tell Meg, but you were my favorite."

Tamara giggled, "I know." She bolded and stole one kiss from his lips. He returned it, but it was brief. "You're secret safe with me."

Nathan spent about a week in Las Vegas catching up with Tamara, Meg and Dan. He told them all about his travels and even playing the guitar for them most nights, showing off how good he'd gotten over the years. When it was time to leave, Dan, Meg and Tamara saw Nathan off and he waved goodbye to them as the train pulled out of Las Vegas for Mexico. He went as far as the train would take him and then started running until he reached a port that would have a boat going to Salvador. Truly, it had been a very long trip, but he was relieved when he finally reached Salvador. It was late evening when he did on a Tuesday and when he disembarked, he went straight to his little blue house and went right to bed. He fell asleep with Ada María's scent surrounding him and it gave him pleasant dreams. He woke up when he felt gentle, slender fingers with long nails trailing down his still clothed back. He opened his eyes and saw Ada María laying beside him smiling.

"Welcome home," she said. "I missed you."

"Did you really?" Nathan asked.

"Absolutely," Ada María answered and pushed Nathan onto his back so she could straddle his hips.

"How'd you know I was back?"

"I didn't," Ada María said while she started pulling his shirt over his head. "I've been staying at your place since you left. I just got back from the bar."

"I thought the bed smelled suspiciously like you," Nathan smiled and leaned up a little so his shirt could be pulled off. After that, Ada María moved her attention to undoing Nathan's belt. "Did you really miss me or did you just sleeping with me?" Nathan joked.

"Both," Ada María answered and forced his belt through the loops of his pants and tossed it off to the side. He grabbed his belt and tossed Ada María off him, grabbing a hold of her wrists and using his belt to restrain her to the metal bed frame.

"I should probably make it worth the wait then, shouldn't I?" Nathan teased and secured the belt so Ada María couldn't move. She squirmed with excitement as Nathan gave her a kiss before beginning a heated trail down her body.

He kissed her check, then kissed and sucked her ear. Then he moved on to her neck, offering it similar attention. He kissed her breasts through the cover of the sundress she wore but soon reached down to the hem and lifted it up over her head, leaving it bunched around her wrists along with his belt. Now that her breasts were naked to his view as was the rest of her body, Nathan kissed each breast before taking each nipple in his mouth one at a time, giving it love and attention. Ada María moaned as she squirmed and writhed, desperate to touch him put locked into place. Nathan grinned at her before kissing his way down her slender midriff, to her hips, her inner thighs until he finally reached her core where she longed for him most. Nathan teased her feminine core and sensitive clitoris with his tongue and teeth, bringing her into the abyss and forcing her body to contract and contort with pleasure. She wanted to touch him. Desperately longed for it.

"Undo your belt," Ada María ordered weakly through a desperate moan. Nathan ignored her and kept up his teasing until he brought her over the edge to her orgasm. She moaned towards the ceiling, tears coming to her eyes. It had been far too long. Afterwards, Nathan started coming back up, licking his lips and undoing the remaining fastenings of his pants.

"I didn't hear you say please," Nathan smiled cruelly and slipped inside her, warranting another moan from Ada María. Just as Ada María was about to protest and demand once again he untie her, Nathan began to move. Violently so one might say and it made her mind go blank in a daze of desire.

Ada María lifted her hips to meet Nathan's with vigor, moving with him as best as her confines would allow. He felt Ada María coming closer and closer to her next release, so he did something he'd not done since they met. Resting his weight on his left hand, he brought his right hand to her throat and clamped down loose enough that she could still breath but tight enough that it made breathing harder. When he did, Ada María lifted her legs up so she could grip his waist with her thighs, locking down tight like a vice. He had to thrust with greater force when she gripped his hips with her thighs. It caused her to be unable to hold her grip for too long and her thighs relaxed while he continued, hand on her throat being the only thing keeping her planted in one spot. She started to whimper and cry and she crept closer and closer to her climax until she cried out his name, her inner walls crushing around his erection. Moments later, Nathan reached his own climax and finally released his hold on her throat and fell atop her, his face cradling in her breasts.

"Nathan," Ada María forced through a pleasured moan. "The belt."

"Oh, right," he said and reached up to undo the buckle of his belt. Once he undid it, the belt fell away and Ada María's wrists were freed and bruised. She reached her arms up around him and kissed his head.

"That was definitely worth the wait," Ada María smiled, her lips pressing against his hair.

"I missed you while I was away," Nathan said. Then he hugged her and lifted his head a little so he was looking up at her. "Everyone asked about you."

"About me?" Ada María asked. "Why?"

"Well, they've heard a lot about you. I've told you the pack can read one another's minds when we're wolves right?"

"If you did, I don't remember," Ada María said. "What did they want to know about me for?"

"They just know we've been together a while and they were hoping to have met you," Nathan smiled kindly. "I told them another time."

"Another time," Ada María answered a little awkwardly and hugged Nathan close hoping to drop the subject. Taking the hint, Nathan closed his eyes and fell asleep in her arms. She managed to fall asleep shortly thereafter. The following morning, she rose from bed with Nathan not being there, but she heard commotion in the kitchen downstairs. She went down in one of his shirts and saw him making coffee.

"Morning," Nathan smiled. "How'd you sleep?"

"Fantastically," she smiled. "You?"

"Same," Nathan said. Ada María glanced around, suddenly noticing something.

"Where's Scarlet?"

"Back home," Nathan said, losing his smile a little and turning his attention back to the beans he'd been grinding.

"You mean back in Washington?" Ada María asked and Nathan nodded in response. "Why'd you leave her back home?"

"She didn't want to come back," Nathan said. She noticed his tone was less than chipper. It made her feel bad seeing as her reaction to the news that it would be just them was perhaps a little too pleased. She kept that to herself, though.

"Why not?"

"She was tired of all the traveling and just wanted to stay home," Nathan said. "I tried convincing her to come with, but she insisted."

"Are you alright?" Ada María asked nervously.

"I'll be alright," Nathan finally said after a brief silence. "I think it'll be good for her to be home with everyone. Besides, I'm the one that needs to be here a little longer."

"A little?" Ada María asked with a hint of suspicion. Nathan didn't say anything else and continued making the coffee. Ada María didn't make him elaborate. She had a feeling she knew what he was talking about and she preferred to not argue with him.

Back home, Scarlet reincorporated herself into day to day life. She started helping her grandma with a few things and helping some of the other women around the tribe when it was needed. A few people scoffed at Nathan having left for Brazil without Scarlet, but those in the family knew the reason. They knew Nathan's reasons for leaving and Kyle explained a little more to the family in private why Scarlet wouldn't go back. She'd begun to feel like a third wheel and she still didn't like Ada María. She was sick of it and when they'd gotten back home, it was a relief for her to finally be away from it. So when it was time to go back, she refused to go. Plain and simple. Of course, several among the tribe, family included, though they'd not voice this, were upset with Nathan for leaving after something so traumatic as Amber and her family being refused admittance into the US had occurred. He was being labeled as selfish by a few, but Jacob was always the first to defend Nathan when the situation arose.

Kevin was, of course, far more preoccupied with Amber and her parents. More importantly, he was concerned with their whereabouts. He'd finally received a letter from them. They'd been staying in a small hotel in Cherbourg, but when Carlisle notified a good friend of his in England, Alistair, to look for them, they'd already left. Amber's letter he'd received wasn't especially helpful. She didn't know where they were going. Only that Levi was trying to find alternate means into the United States. When Kevin had tried to write back, the letter was sent back to him labeled that the receivers of the letter were no longer at the address listed. He'd called Gabriella trying to find out what they could do, but she was at a loss. Neither she nor Mr. Lockley could believe the immigrants had been turned away when they'd had the required visas. Gabriella tried calling the Embassy is Paris herself trying to find out if the Dymeks might have returned, but they didn't know anything and weren't really interested in looking into the matter. They had other things they needed to contend with. The whole world did so it seemed.

Germany and Russia had joined forces to attack Poland, Germany going against the Munich Agreement in the process. Then, in September, Britain and France declared war on Germany. When Kevin heard the news, his heart plummeted to the pit of his stomach. Just days later, the United States had declared themselves neutral to the conflict in Europe. With little more word to Alphonse than a brief statement that he was going to France, Kevin ran to the other side of the country and tried to get onto a boat to France. That turned out to be harder than he expected and he had to sneak onto a cargo ship. He was determined to look for Amber himself. He arrived in Le Havre in October and ran north-west for Cherbourg where Amber and her family had last been seen. He spoke with anyone he could, showing them the picture he had of Amber and her parents in front of their candle ship back in Berlin. A few recognized them but did not know where they had gone to. They only knew the immigrants that had returned were relocated through Europe. One woman knew some had been sent to Paris. So that's where Kevin went next.

Kevin searched Paris high and low, asking anyone he could if they had seen Amber and her parents in recent weeks. He found a few people that recognized the family, but only from months ago before they'd left. They didn't recall the Dymeks returning to Paris. Of course, with the war and with French soldiers mobilized at the French border between them and Germany, Paris was far more concerned with keeping the Germans at bay. He heard that some refugees had retreated to Poland, but he couldn't imagine they would have gone there. They didn't speak Polish and there was no way they were in Germany. He couldn't imagine how they might have even gotten into Germany even if they'd wanted to. However, Kevin wired Carlisle and asked if there was a friend of his that might be able to sneak into Germany and could even check Poland just in case. Carlisle confirmed he'd have Alice find out where Alistair was and ask him to look there. Kevin also asked Carlisle to advise if he'd heard from his friends in Egypt about checking Jerusalem, but they'd not found them. He begged Carlisle to have them look again just to be sure. Kevin didn't finally leave Europe until February 1940 and it was only because he'd searched everywhere he could think of. When he did leave, it was with a heavy heart and sense of overwhelming guilt.

Then, in June 14th of 1940, Nazi forces marched onto Paris. Kevin begged for more information from Carlisle, but Alistair hadn't been able to find anymore than Kevin had. When Kevin, his temper and desperation getting the better of him, wired Alistair back telling him to look harder, Alistair replied with an a message of, 'Perhaps you may have more luck using a tracker,' and that was the last they'd heard back from Alistair, no matter how much Carlisle attempted to wire him. And Carlisle's friends in Egypt, after combing through the middle east with a fine tooth comb, more so on the part Benjamin who's heart hurt for Kevin and what his fiancée had gone through, they couldn't find Amber or her parents. Ignoring Amon's request, Benjamin went into Europe to continue the search, going into the heart of the beast so to speak. He searched all of Munich fist since Carlisle has said that's where the Dymeks had previously lived, but they weren't there. Then he checked Berlin. They weren't there. By the time France had surrendered and written a peace treaty with Germany the 22nd of June 1940, Benjamin had still not found Amber or her parents and sent a wire that Carlisle almost didn't give to Carlisle.

I can't find her STOP I've looked everywhere in Germany STOP I think they may be dead STOP

"What is it?" Esme asked Carlisle when he'd received that wire.

"Benjamin searched Germany and he can't find her. He said he thinks they may be dead," Carlisle said.

"She can't be," Jacob spoke up.

"How do you know?" Bella asked.

"Because he'd know. We'd all know. An imprint is a special bond. If the imprint is happy, the wolf knows. If the imprint is sad, the wolf knows. If the imprint is hurt or in danger, the wolf knows. If the imprint dies, the wolf knows. Kevin knows Amber's in danger, but that's all he knows. If Amber were dead, Kevin would know and so would we."

"But where else could she be?" Esme asked. "We've checked Poland right?" Carlisle nodded. "Well, what about other countries? Maybe she's somewhere neutral. Norway's neutral now aren't they? Isn't Switzerland neutral too? Maybe they're there. Or maybe they're in Italy. There are thousands of places our friends haven't looked. We've looked everywhere plausible. Now we need to search everywhere impossible."

"Who among our friends would go to Italy?" Carlisle asked solemnly. "Anyone we can reach out to was on our side when the Volturi came after us over Renesmee. We may have won the day peacefully, but Aro is one to hold a grudge. If one of our friends goes to Italy, we may never hear back from them."

"We have to at least try," Emmett said. "What about that one woman you know in England that didn't stand by us? Gretchen was it? Surely Aro would think nothing of her being in Italy."

"Perhaps," Carlisle said. "Alice, find out where Gretchen is and we'll wire her and see if she'll look."

Alice found out where in England Gretchen was and they did everything they could to wire her. It was no easy task, but they managed to get in touch with her and pleaded for her to start a search. So she started in the neutral nations like Esme had suggested, sure that if Amber and her family were anywhere, surely they would have gone somewhere safe. Kevin, in the meantime, felt like he was falling apart along with the world. He started having nightmares, but they were blurry. All he could tell from them was sorry and fear. He could see people, he could see grey skies, German soldiers, and in one dream, he saw flashes of stars. He decided he would return to Europe to look for Amber again, but he was talked down from it with reassurance from Carlisle that his friend Gretchen was continuing the search and that Europe was too dangerous for Kevin to search on his own. He explained all the dreams he'd been having and, with a shudder going up his spine, insisted Amber must somehow be in Germany. He just didn't know where. But then, if he was seeing German soldiers, she could be in Poland or elsewhere in occupied Europe. She could be anywhere that Germany had occupied. With that information and only Kevin's painful dreams offering any form of information, Carlisle wired Gretchen once Alice found out where she was and told her to search where German soldiers were occupied.

When it came time for Election Day that year, Kevin went into the voting booth furious and left furious. President Roosevelt had run for an unprecedented 3rd term and by that point, given what happened with the St. Louis among other things, something Kevin angrily put squarely on Roosevelt's shoulders, he wasn't about to give the man the satisfaction. His furry mounted, however, when Roosevelt won that third term. Kevin hadn't even been really certain that the other candidate would have been much better, but he'd not been responsible for his fiancé going missing and that had been good enough for him.

Later that month, there was news that Germany was shipping Jewish refugees to France to be shipped to Madagascar of all places. Then another story came that Britain was sending them to Palestine. With that news, Gretchen searched France again when wired by Carlisle and Benjamin, again, returned to Palestine and promised he'd not leave until he found Amber and her family. Then in December, after the month prior the President had spoken over radio before the American people, 'We must become the great arsenal of democracy,' a statement that when Kevin heard it had him laughing in a state of fury he'd started to see red, the Roosevelt administration had refused to assist France with their request regarding Jewish refugees. He'd found out about it through a former Yale pier that worked in D.C. When Kevin had returned home that day, Embry was about to speak, the look of fury followed by Kevin picking up his radio, another President Roosevelt broadcast playing, and throwing it so hard against the wall that the radio shattered into pieces and the wall now sported a huge hole. Kevin promptly went to his office, closed the door, locked it, and didn't come out the remainder of the night.

That same month, Germany bombed London and, in a hope to provoke the United States to join the war, censorships for US reporters were lifted. While the United States didn't join, they did start putting a lot of their money and effort into military spending and jobs in the defense industry. It seemed like America was finally on its way to putting the Depression behind them. Then 1941 came. News of more Jewish refugees fleeing to Palestine from Romania reached Benjamin, so he wired Kevin and Carlisle letting them know he'd continue keeping an eye out for the Dymeks, now equipped with a copy of a picture of them that Kevin had mailed to him. Gretchen was continuing to search Poland also now equipped with a picture of Amber and her family that Kevin sent her.

When she received the picture, she realized she'd seem them somewhere in a tiny town in France several months before, but when she returned, Amber and her parents were nowhere to be found and she returned her search in Poland. She found several little Ghettos all over Poland and would spend days hiding away. She even reprimanded a German soldier and demanded he tell her if he'd seen the Dymeks, showing the picture. He recognized them, but not as prisoners. The young man swore he remembered Amber from childhood. He remembered her face as a young woman from when he was a school boy. Gretchen begged the soldier to tell her if they would be in Poland but he explained that most prisoners in the Ghettos were Polish Jews with a few exceptions. She couldn't get much more out of the boy, though. He was just following orders.

Her search was compromised when she'd attempted to return to Germany in February and the British started bombing Germany. The Germans returned the favor, bombing Britain and leaving their own death toll. While America was still not officially part of the war, as the year progressed, President Roosevelt signed the Lend Lease Act which allowed him to send their allies military materials and he permitted British vassals to repair and refuel in American territory. In the meantime, Europe was in constant disarray and strife. Gretchen fled Germany given that her search wasn't baring any fruit. She returned to Poland where she'd seen the Ghettos before and started searching them, all the while sending updates to Kevin and Carlisle when she could. News soon reached them that Britain had lost Greece during the month of April and it showed no signs of stopping. Then when it came to be June and Germany began to move forward with a plan to invade Russia, the United States promised support, but that was all the President offered.

That same month, Nathan and Ada María, all of South America not involved really, received news that Peru had invaded Ecuador. While Nathan would hear about the conflict in Europe and was aware of the desperate search, being in Brazil managed to ensure they saw very little of the turmoil. Their own untouched paradise. Now, with the invasion of Ecuador, it was feeling far too close to home.

"It feels like the world really is falling apart," Nathan said to Ada María while they lay in bed together. "And I'm here going nothing about it."

"Nathan, what could you do?" Ada María asked in an attempt to comfort him. "You said yourself a family friend is looking for the girl. Besides, our world isn't falling apart."

"You think so?" Nathan asked.

"Of course," Ada María said. Perhaps it wasn't the right time, but when Ada María looked into Nathan's eyes, her chin resting on his pectoral muscle, she a look of nervousness and guilt. She needed to reassure him that his place was here with her. Besides, it was something she had been working up the courage to say. "I've been thinking."

"About?" Nathan asked.

"In all the time we've been together, I've never one told you I love you," she said. Nathan's expression changed to something more satisfactory. A look of hopefulness. "I admit I've felt that way for a while. I've just never been able to tell you."

"Why now?" Nathan asked curiously.

"I don't know," Ada María said. "I just think it's something I needed to finally say."

"Do you mean it?" Nathan dared to ask.

"I never say anything I don't mean, Nathan," Ada María said with a seductive grin. "You should know that." Nathan finally smiled genuinely.

"I love you too," Nathan said. "It feels good to finally say it." Nathan brought Ada María's hand to his lips and placed a kiss on that hand. "I could be like this with you forever."

"Likewise," Ada María smiled.

"Can I ask you something?" Nathan asked.

"What's that?" Ada María asked back. She saw that Nathan looked a little nervous, but he soldiered through.

"Has it only been me?"

Ada María blinked, a little confused by his question. "I'm not sure what you mean."

"I know when we first met, I'd put a new way of approaching a relationship on your shoulders. I was always scared to ask this because I knew I wouldn't like the answer, but given how long it's been and that we've acknowledged we love each other…..am I the only one?" Ada María finally realized what he was asking and the question made bile form in her throat. Since Ada María and Nathan had become lovers, her partner count and dwindled to nothing but him. Except one.

"You're the only man I love, Nathan," Ada María finally said. "The only one I want. I don't know when I realized it, but you got under my skin really quick. No one was you and when I realized that, you were the only man that I felt pleasure from. It took some time to realize why that was, but when I did, I found I was happy with it being that way. Just us."

"Really?" Nathan asked and Ada María smiled genuinely.

"Really," she said. Nathan smiled at her and pulled her up so he could kiss her then proceed to make love to her.

She didn't have the heart to tell him the truth. The whole truth anyway. She feared that if she told Nathan about the officer, it would break his heart. She'd not have Nathan fretting over a man that meant nothing to her. And those were truly her feelings. She felt nothing for the man. Only Nathan. Nathan and Ada María eventually had to part ways the following day. He needed to go to work on the fish docks where he was currently working following his return to Brazil and Ada María eventually went to the bar. Unbeknownst to her however, Nathan urgently wired Marcelo in Colombia. He didn't express his plans, only that he needed raw materials. He asked Marcelo to send him some raw materials that would be appropriate for jewelry 'worthy of a woman of Incan decent'. What he finally received weeks later was strings of gold and blocks of jade. It was perfect and whenever Ada María and he were apart, he would work tirelessly on his new project.

In this time, Gretchen began to happen upon camps in Poland that were armed with German soldiers. She asked around the towns if she was able to find something that spoke English, but she seemed to only extract information from one careless German soldier that had wandered into town. When she demanded he tell her what was going on, he said it was a place where they kept prisoners of war and enemies of the Third Reich. He even made mention of plans to test gas chambers that Soviet prisoners of war would fall prey to. She then showed him a picture of Amber and her parents demanding he tell whether or not he recognized them, but he swore he didn't. Gretchen killed the man in sheer frustration. 'It shouldn't be this hard to find three people!' she reasoned to herself. She personally wired Benjamin where he'd been staying in Palatine, still hoping that perhaps Amber and her family had fled to the middle east, but he'd had to tell Gretchen he still had found nothing. She returned to Germany again by that September and was shocked to find out that Jews were now mandated to wear stars, something Kevin had seen in one of his dreams. Then by October, it was determined in Germany that Jews were no longer allowed to emigrate, so Gretchen remained in Germany praying that, perhaps, the restriction as well as the input right violation might have a silver lining and make Amber and her parents easier to find. However, it would be in vain and Kevin's dreams kept getting worse to a point where he'd wake at night hearing Amber screaming in his head. But screams were now all he could hear. And then it was December.

It was morning and Aidetzi was outside with Marcus Jr., Naevia, Robby and Ruth. The two watched the children play together on the playground of the apartment complex with the shipyards in the distance. It was about 7:30 and Ruth and Aidetzi were enjoying coffee together while talking about the upcoming holidays, hoping to avoid any talk of the war in Europe. Courtesy of letters and the few calls Aidetzi could get with her family, she was painfully aware of Kevin's current state and fears. Her heart ached for him. She'd confided in Marcus as much as she could without revealing things she should not and her heart sank when he'd said, "he may just have to accept he'll never see her again". Aidetzi didn't want to believe that. Refused to in fact. It would be an act of fate too cruel to endure.

"Have you by chance talked to Didi and Lawrence?" Aidetzi asked. "Lawrence said he was going to ask for a transfer back to Washington."

"He said that," Ruth said, less than pleased, "he hasn't done it, though. I think he wants to stay in Hawaii. Can't say I blame to dumb boy, though. It is beautiful."

"It is," Aidetzi sighed, though she still frowned a little. "I want to go home, though. I miss my family."

"I know, baby," Ruth said, taking Aidetzi's hand reassuringly. "I know I've been partially to blame. I insisted on being part of my grandbabies' lives and never stopped to think that your parents would have wanted the same. Don't you worry, child. I light a fire under that worthless boy's bottom and get him to request that transfer back to Washington. We'll all be close again."

Aidetzi smiled, "Thank you, Ruth. You really are the best mother-in-law a girl could ask for."

"And I'm glad Marcus married you, baby," Ruth smiled back. "You've been a good woman to him and a great mother to my grandbabies. If I'd-a known I'd love ya' so much, I'd-a been nicer to you when we first met," Ruth continued and Aidetzi giggled.

"It's alright, Ruth," she said. She glanced at her watch that Marcus had saved up for to give to her for their anniversary. It was 7:45 now.

She looked back at the children. Robby was almost ten while Naevia was about 5 and Marcus was 3. Robby was a good big cousin. He was patient with the kids and was always quick to say he was in charge because he was the 'big kid'. Naevia was always happy to correct his logic of course. Such a moment played out on the playground. Robby took one of the swings with Marcus in his lap and told Naevia to push. She, instead, went to one of the other swings, grabbed her own and told him he needed to push her. The two bickered briefly until one of the other apartment residences, an elementary school teacher whose husband was a Captain, came over to calm them down. She waved at Aidetzi, who then waved back. After the momentary squabble, she looked at her watch again: 7:50.

"When did we have to be at the church, Ruth?" Aidetzi asked.

"Not until 9," she said. "You remembered to make that potato salad?"

"I'd never forget, Ruth," she smiled. "I'd be cast away and not allowed to return until I had it if I forgot."

"You know it, baby," Ruth laughed. "Why I know a few brothers at the congregation that wish with all their hearts you weren't married to my son. They'd marry you themselves just for that potato salad."

"They can wait until there's a church event just like everyone else," Aidetzi giggled. "Including Marcus," she smiled and the two laughed a little more. As the two of them continued to watch the children play, they both started to hear the sound of planes. Initially, they'd not thought of it. They certainly did, though, when a loud explosion followed the sounds of the planes.

"What in God's name was that?" Ruth asked, the two of them jerking their heads in the direction of the sound. It was beginning to be followed by several more and they saw the fighter planes with the bright red suns on the side.

"Marcus! Naevia!" Aidetzi screamed as well as the other parents who'd seen the explosions. She leaped from the bench she sat on and ran to Naevia, Marcus and Robby. All of whom were staring in the direction they'd heard the explosions, confused as to what was happening.

Aidetzi screamed their names again and Ruth was close behind doing the same thing. Aidetzi grabbed Marcus out of Robby's arms, pressed her hand to his back to go to his grandma and then grabbed Naevia's hand and yelled for her to run. The sirens began to sound and Aidetzi followed the other residents into the complex and they were instructed to flee into the basement area where they kept the communal clothe washing quarters and were told by the land lord's wife to stay away from the windows. Everyone was trembling and huddling together while they continued to hear bombs go off outside. When they got downstairs, Aidetzi immediately thought of Marcus. Her husband. He was supposed to be working on the docks that day. She held Marcus Jr. and Naevia close while they also trembled and asked her what was going on. She couldn't answer. She kept looking around at the other people, mostly African American women, who were wondering much the same thing she was: would she ever see her husband again after this?

Just before the attack, Marcus was up bright and early, needing to reach Ford Island for an assignment. He'd woken up at 5 in the morning, gave Aidetzi a kiss before leaving for work and reached the island by 6. Since arriving, he'd gone straight to headquarters for his assignment and was sent to work on a part for one of the submarines. By 7:30, he was already working on the piece in question. Some of the navy men were still in bed while other Seamen were on the submarines addressing their own assignments for the day or relaxing. There were one or two other service men with him in the bay as they worked, talking pleasantly about life, their kids, etc. They were interrupted, however, when they overheard the sound of planes.

Confused, they stopped what they were doing and looked in the direction of the sound, seeing the jets, knowing right away they weren't American. But by the time they ran from the bay to try and warn someone, the bombs and torpedoes were already dropping. One of those bombs hit the island where Marcus and his two fellow service men had been and were running from. As he ran, he suddenly lost his footing from the explosion followed by a rush of air that burned his left side from his upper neck down to his foot. Only after that rush of pain did he finally land on the ground, hitting his head and feeling the blood gush from his head, his nose and his mouth. He stayed conscious only for a moment as he heard the sirens go off and heard the men start to yell. He feared the worst, thinking he'd die any moment, yet all he could think about was Aidetzi and their two children. He wasn't sure if a tear or blood fell down his cheek over his nose and to the ground when the thought of them passed through his mind. Then the world slowly faded before him and he said a little prayer.

He wasn't ready to die. He didn't want to die.