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.

96. Chapter 96

Chapter 96

Kevin and the others were unaware of the goings on back home. Kevin, at the very least, had one thing on his mind and one thing only: getting to Dachau. The problem arose in that he wasn't sure how he would do it. Their orders were to head for Berlin to take the city and win the war, but Dachau was in the Bavarian region of Germany. Decidedly south of Berlin. None of them had shifted since Kevin did so in order to let the family know that Nathan had knocked up a French woman and they were sending her there. If they'd attempted to write, they'd received no letters.

"How do you think Ada reacted when she found out about Eloise and you sent her to Washington?" Travis asked Nathan one night when they'd finally had a moment's rest.

"I don't know," Nathan said. "Somehow I suspect she wasn't upset, but maybe that's just based on her letter back to me after I'd explained everything. I didn't know Eloise was pregnant at the time."

"Do you think it'll be a boy or girl?" Travis asked.

"Doesn't matter," Nathan said. "Kid's name is Jaedynn."

"Thanks for that, Nathan," Embry said. "For naming the baby after Jae. It would have meant a lot to him I know." They were all silent, the sting of Jae's death still fresh on their hearts. That wound was nowhere near healing. None of them imagined they'd ever get over it.

"I wanted him to live on somehow," Nathan said.

"JJ's doing a bang up job of it thus far," Kevin said. "I saw that boy in dad's head and…..shit I can't believe it's not Jae. He looks just like his dad. Even fucking sounds like him."

Nathan was quiet a moment before saying, "I wonder how Natalie's handling this."

"Not well from what dad relayed last we spoke," Kevin said bluntly. "She's not been eating properly. When I saw her in dad's mind, she was getting willowy."

"She's already skinny," Peta said. "How much skinnier could she possibly get?"

"You'd be surprised," Kevin muttered. "JJ's doing better, but he's not been eating properly either by the looks of it. He kept refusing the money we were sending Natalie."

"Why?" Peta asked.

"He doesn't want charity," Kevin relayed what Jacob had told him. "He took full responsibility for Natalie and the others and he wants to take care of him himself just as Jae had."

"He's too young for that shit," Embry muttered. "He's 13 for shit's sake."

"15," Kevin said and Embry gawked.

"No he's not," Embry said.

"He is," Kevin said. "Hard to believe, but that boy grew up on us while we've been away."

"Jesus," Embry said and rubbed his face.

"This needs to be over," Peta muttered. "Germany needs to suck it the fuck up and surrender so we can go home."

"Remember there's still Japan to contend with," Oscar said. "We're at war with them too."

"Fuck Japan," Peta said. "We in this group aren't fighting them, the Navy is. Far as I'm concerned, Japan's the Navy's fucking problem and the rest of us need to go home."

"Calm down, Peta," Embry said trying to calm his brother. "We'll go home once Germany surrenders. If they make it to the end of the year, I'll be shocked."

"If they do, I'll run to Berlin and burn the whole fucking city down if it means we can go home," Peta said.

"Once we find Amber," Kevin said mostly to himself. "I need to find a way to get to Dachau."

"You sent me to Paris for a few hours," Nathan said. "Just go to Dachau, look for her and once you've found her bring her back."

"And how exactly am I going to explain to our superiors that there's a strange woman among the men? They might very well accuse her of being a spy or something for all I know." Kevin rubbed his face again. "I'll think of something. Even if we have to keep pushing through to Berlin to hurry this along, I'll think of something."

"Have you had any dreams?" Embry asked and Kevin was momentarily silent.

"Only one that was slightly different," Kevin said. "She was still feral, but there was a woman in the room with her. She was trying to get her out and Amber attacked her. Some guards entered the room, shot her and that's when I woke up."

"She's still alive, right?" Peta asked.

"She's still alive," Kevin said but it did nothing to calm his nerves. "Whatever these fucks are doing to her, I'll make them pay for it."

"Worry about finding her first, Kevin," Embry said. "We'll kill some more Nazis for an offense against her once we do."

Kevin nodded hesitantly and they all eventually fell asleep, but it wasn't long before they had to start marching again. But then, news that Kevin couldn't believe his luck for came to them. The regiment received orders from their commander that they were given orders to shift gears away from Berlin and head for Dachau. Their commander was livid, seeing it as a waste and wanting to get to Berlin so the war could be over at last, but Kevin couldn't be happier with his luck. It had been the first time in a while he'd felt hopeful but there was a nagging fear that Amber might not be there and may have been transferred again and he wouldn't find her. He made himself put the fear to the back of his mind and marched with his regiment for Dachau.

That April had proved to be the downfall of the Nazi war effort starting with the Allied offensive in Northern Italy with Kyle treating the men that came in with speed and as much efficiency as he could manage. By that time of the war, he'd grown used to the injuries. They didn't bother him anymore. He wasn't sure how he felt about that fact but he only knew for certain that he did not like that. Then, on the 12th of April, President Roosevelt died and the presidency fell on Harry Truman to see this war brought to an end. Many soldiers were saddened by the President's death, though Kevin was not among them. By the 16th of that month, the Soviet army began their final offensive in Berlin while American forces entered Nuremburg. By the 21st, the Soviets officially breached Berlin. The whirlwind downfall continued with the capture and execution of Mussolini and the taking of Venice by allied forces. Despite Mussolini's death, however, the Nazi forces were still fighting back as hard as they could. It was the day after Mussolini was hanged when Kevin and the company with which he was assigned reached the village of Dachau.

"This is it, Kevin," Embry said when they'd marched into the village. "Dachau."

"Now we need to find Amber," Kevin said.

What they encountered first and foremost were the railroad tracks. Some of the troops, Kevin and his group among them, followed the train tracks while others went around. Kevin and the others smelled the horrific odor long before they reached the box cars in the distance. It was a stench of death and human refuse coupled with the spring weather beginning to form. Eventually they reached the box cars, but the smell had not prepared them for what they saw. The box cars were stopped on the tracks and were filled with emaciated dead bodies piled high atop one another with brain tissue splattered onto the ground from a victim who's head had been crushed. Several of the men stood there motionless from what they were looking at or began crying or vomiting or any manner of horrified reaction while Kevin pushed the horror to the back of his mind and listed and smelled for Amber just in case she was in one of those cars. He went up and down the cars and didn't find her. It was the only time he'd felt an overwhelming relief of not finding her.

"Is she in here?" Embry asked once he'd caught up to Kevin after having searched all the cars.

"No," Kevin said and looked towards the camp in the distance. "She's still in there."

"Kevin," Nathan said as he approached. "They're about to breach the entrance."

The camp would not be so easily breached however. Using a loudspeaker, the SS were ordered to surrender, but they refused and began to open fire on the advancing troops. Kevin and Nathan became vampires to shield themselves and their group from the gunfire but it didn't last long and three men eventually walked out of the camp with a flag of truce, one of whom being a Swiss Red Cross representative and the SS commander and his assistant. The truce was accepted. Supposedly that truce had been the plan all along, but Kevin wasn't concerned with that. He cared only about getting into the camp and finding Amber. As the troops moved in, Kevin passed on of the SS guards and stopped in his tracks. The man appeared timid and young. He approached the man taking his picture of Amber and her family from his coat pocket.

"Sie!" (You) Kevin said and grabbed the man's attention, showing him the picture of Amber. "Erkennst du diese Frau?" (Do you recognize this woman?) When the soldier looked at the picture, he noticed the man shiver before nodding. "Wo ist sie?" (Where is she?")

"Das fünfte Gebäude rechts von der Straße. Es gibt zwei Reihen von Gebäuden, die durch die Lagerstraße getrennt sind. Sie ist im Experimentgebäude fünf," (The fifth building to the right of the road. There are two rows of buildings separated by the camp road. She's in Experiment Building five.) The soldier answered.

"Sie wurde nicht verschoben oder übertragen?" (She hasn't been moved or transferred?) Kevin asked in a hopeful voice.

"Nein," he answered. Kevin finally allowed himself to breathe a sigh of relief and walked away to join the others.

"Did he know where Amber is?" Nathan asked.

"Building 5 to the right of the camp road," Kevin repeated the instructions in English as they approached the entrance of the camp.

They all walked through the iron gates of the camp greeted by what Kevin assumed must be the motto of the camp. Arbeit Macht Frei: Work Sets You Free. Embry asked on behalf of the group what that meant and when Kevin translated, there was a collective chill that went down all their spines. When they entered the gates of Dachau, what they saw inside was a brutal extension of what they saw on the box cars outside. There was one pile of dead bodies being piled up and in the distance Kevin could see another pile being formed. The smell was overwhelming. More so now that they were within the gates. Death, human excrement and other odors filled the air like a hateful blanket and several fell over and vomited from the smell alone. Kevin was nearly one of them. Travis was one that vomited from the smell, but when he finally looked around, he dry heaved from the sight of things.

"Fuck," Embry muttered. What else was there to say?

"What the fuck were they doing to these people?" Peta asked.

"Punishing them for being Jews," Kevin muttered.

He saw the row of buildings before them and could also see another row on the other side of the road. When he had that second row in view, Kevin made a run for it and ignored Nathan calling his name. He reached the road the soldier had talked about and went down the line, trees on either side. Somehow the present trees seemed like cruel irony given what he was looking at. There were inmates that he couldn't believe were standing as he passed them. He largely ignored them, though. There was only one he was concerned with that the moment. The others could help the living inmates and get them to safety. There was a faint burning smell coming from the left north end of the camp, but it was faint and Kevin could barely tell it was there. He knew what it was, though. It was an incinerator. The same one the funeral director had used to cremate Jae.

Kevin heard someone yell his name again, but he ignored it and kept running down the line of buildings until he came across the fifth one in the line. He ran to the building and found the door, but when he tried to open it, it was locked. Kevin pulled out his gun and shot at the knob and broke it, causing the door to swing open from the force of the bullet. Kevin let himself in and the smell hit him like a punch to the face and he nearly vomited right there. The smells from outside where like a concentrate and the smell of dried blood and strange unfamiliar smells filled the air. His eyes burned from the mere atmosphere, but once Kevin recovered, he looked around to his right and left.

"Amber!" Kevin yelled, unsure what else to do.

He went to the left first and searched each room he came across and each one presented a horror. One room had inmates that were alive, but naked and with open woods. He went to another that had dead bodies and several more with the same outcome. Kevin felt his chest tighten with every room he entered that Amber wasn't in. He tried to pick up her scent, but he couldn't breathe in the air without a gag reflex. He continued down the hall of the building searching rooms until he finally reached the last door. It was locked tight. Tighter than any of the others Kevin had forced open. Kevin looked at the door and saw ten different locks. He looked into the window of the door, but he couldn't see anyone.

"Amber!" Kevin yelled again but didn't get an answer.

He pulled out his gun and shot each of the locks but he ran out of bullets before he could finish. He cursed and took a few steps back before turning to a vampire so he could run into and force open the door. He changed back the instant he'd destroyed the door. The smell was too strong in his usual state let alone as a vampire. He looked to his right and then to his left and what he saw immediately sent him to his knees. Amber. Her hair a mess with caked in dirt and blood. She was in a shirt of some sort. A similar shirt to the other inmates that were dressed. Her skin was translucent not holding the glow he remembered and on her left wrist he saw a number messily tattooed into her skin. She was thin. Unrecognizably thin. She appeared little more than a skeleton with skin.

"Amber," Kevin said in a hushed voice that could easily been heard as a whimper. Frankly it was.

She was chained up tight by her neck and her wrists. Kevin went to her and immediately tore the chains apart to release her and when she was free from the wall, she fell into his arms with a thud. Kevin said her name and cradled her in his arms so he could see her. Her cheeks were hollowed and her skin so pale. The flush of her cheeks was gone. But he heard her heartbeat. She was alive! He'd known she was and yet seeing her like that had been enough to put doubt in his mind.

"Amber," Kevin said, this time crying. A tear fell on her cheek and she seemed to finally come to attention.

She took in a breath and her voice came as a raspy growl and when she opened her eyes, those ocean blue eyes he remembered were gone. Her eyes were pitch black like looking into a void. What hurt the most was she didn't seem to recognize him. She started to sniff the air but seemed uninterested and Kevin cried more and lowered his head to her.

"It's me, Amber," Kevin said. "I'm here. It'll be alright now."

That seemed to get Amber's attention, but her eyes remained dim in that empty black. She reached her hand up to his cheek and Kevin took her hand in his and kissed her hand. He held her to him resting his head in her shoulder while he cried and promised her everything was alright now and that he was sorry. While Kevin cried, Amber's head was on Kevin's shoulder and she could see behind him. She saw a man behind him in the doorway of the room with a gun out and raising to point at them. She raised her hand to point at him slowly and it was the sound of the clip being pulled back that grabbed Kevin's attention. A gunshot sounded, but it came from outside the room and shot the SS officer in the shoulder.

The smell of fresh blood filled the confines of the room and Amber's eyes went wide and to attention as a bloodcurdling scream filled the air right in Kevin's ear before Amber jumped out of Kevin's arms and onto the officer that had been shot. The man fell over from the force of Amber landing on him and Kevin quickly got out of the cell and saw that Nathan had been the one to shoot the officer. Kevin heard Amber's growl while the man beneath her tried to fight her off with his one good arm. Kevin stood back and saw a glimmer of awareness pass into Amber's eyes yet again but this time with an unmistakable fury. She screamed at him and, with all the strength he couldn't believe she had, began to slam the man's head against the wall over and over.

The attack made Nathan swear and Kevin step back. He actually felt terror as he watched Amber slam the man's head against the wall over and over again, blood splashing everywhere and the sound of bones cracking mercilessly. He'd lost consciousness with the first blow it seemed, but she'd killed him within just a few good slams against the wall. It hadn't been enough, though, as Amber proceeded in a blind rage until she'd reduced his head to pulp. Another crack filled the air and Amber dropped the corpse and looked at her broken right hand. She even snarled at it and then looked at the man she'd just killed. She lifted him back up with her left hand and drank the man's blood. As she did, she kept tossing her right hand as though she was only shaking blood into a sleeping limb. She kept doing that until she could open and close her fist normally as though nothing happened. When she'd drank her fill, she tossed the body onto the floor violently.

"Amber," Kevin said her name gently and her head jerked in his direction, those black eyes flaring and her nostrils doing to same trying to find any blood.

She hissed and ran to Kevin. Nathan had his gun ready but Kevin came closer and took her into his arms. She'd climbed onto Kevin as though she were a monkey and looked down on him with her eyes wide and alert and her teeth on offensive display. Kevin held her lovingly, though, she shushed her, trying to calm her down.

"It's okay, Amber," Kevin whispered to her. He had to put a hand to her throat to keep her teeth away, but when he'd begun speaking, she'd not continued to fight him. "It's me. Kevin. I'm here. Everything's okay now. I'll get you out of here."

He soothed her and managed to calm down a bit. She no longer screamed but she wasn't speaking. Her eyes softened and seemed to grow aware, but they remained that void black. Kevin kept whispering to her until their noses touched and Kevin realized she'd calmed enough for him to get her out of this place. They'd need to act quickly, though. She was still feral and might attack at the slightest provocation. Kevin turned so they could leave when he heard another set of footsteps coming down the hall and before Kevin could try to grab Nathan's gun to attack, a gun went off and he felt the sharp pain in his right shoulder. Nathan caught Kevin as Amber jumped off Kevin again with that same monstrous scream as she landed on the SS officer that had shot Kevin. Amber bit into the man's neck to drink his blood while Nathan helped Kevin get the bullet out of his shoulder so it could heal.

"Fuck me, this hurts," Kevin growled.

"Thank God it was your right shoulder at least," Nathan said and pulled out the bullet. Blood oozed from the wound but eventually healed and Kevin was able to stand. When he did, Amber had already finished the blood of the man that had shot him, but her eyes flared with thirst when she looked at him.

"Amber," Kevin said, holding out his hand. "Stay calm. It's just me."

The soothing wasn't working however. All she smelled was the blood and it was all she cared about. She screamed and ran for him, leaping onto him like a hunting cat and slamming him to the ground. Kevin managed to keep her at an arm's distance, but she fought as he yelled at her. Nathan, desperate and unsure what else to do, kicked Amber in the stomach, causing her to vomit some of the blood she drank and getting it all over Kevin, then kicked her in the shoulder so she was finally off Kevin. She regained herself and looked at Nathan with a snarl. She began to scream again until Nathan shot her three times in the shoulder. The gunshots caused Amber to fall back and she whimpered yet growled all at once from the pain until she finally lost consciousness. Kevin got to his feet and went right to Amber and then looked at Nathan in rage.

"Don't look at me like that!" Nathan yelled. "What was I supposed to do?! Let her fucking kill you?! Fuck!" Nathan backed away, still processing what had just happened when Embry and Peta ran in. Or, more appropriately, tried to enter until the smell hit them like a ton of bricks. They got a hold of themselves and came inside only to see the two SS officers on the floor.

"Sweet fuck, what happened?" Embry asked, but he had his answer when he saw Amber being lifted into Kevin's arms after he'd pulled the bullets from her skin and saw the blood on her mouth, her face and her clothes. "She's alive?"

"Barely," Kevin muttered as he looked down at her. "I need to get her out of here."

Kevin stepped out and saw there were a few soldiers outside that had come to see what all the commotion had been about. They saw the woman in Kevin's arms and asked what the hell happened, but Kevin didn't answer and just walked away. As he walked through the camp, a few of the inmates that were still out stepped back in terror at the sight of her, some referring to Amber as 'Keller's Toy' as he walked by. Nathan managed to catch up to Kevin and when he did, Kevin looked at Nathan.

"These inmates keep calling Amber someone named Keller's 'toy'. Find out who this is and capture them as a prisoner."

"Alright," Nathan said and started asking around with Embry and Peta's assistance. Travis and Oscar were still in the roll call area of the camp when they saw Kevin approaching with Amber in his arms.

"Holy shit," Oscar said. "You guys sure she's alive?"

"If she's not, everyone here had best say a prayer," Travis answered grimly.

Kevin held Amber close and was relieved when the bullet holes in her shoulder had finally healed. He overheard whispers but he ignored them. Even the whispers from the SS guards asking why he'd let 'it' or 'that thing' out of 'its' cage. Every reference to reducing her made his blood boil but he said nothing. He'd deal with them later. Right now he needed to get Amber somewhere safe. As he approached Travis, he looked right at him.

"Nathan's looking for some shithead named Keller," Kevin said. "I want you to pull aside at least two more guards here and bring them to base. I'm going to bring Amber somewhere where she can be alone."

"What are you going to do?" Travis asked.

"She's thirsty," was all Kevin said before walking away trying to locate one of the cars that they'd brought with.

With Amber remaining in his lap, Kevin drove them back to the base that was currently being set up for their use. He located a building on base that held cells and Kevin got a cruel idea. He parked in front of it and let himself in, going to one of the clean cells and unlocked it from a key he got from someone at the front. That person had not asked any questions about Amber, but then Kevin had given the man a stare that made it clear he didn't need to ask any questions. Once inside the cell, Kevin gently laid her down on the small bed with a thin mattress and a small pillow that all looked dreadfully uncomfortable. He touched her cheek while looking her and felt his chest ache.

"I'm so sorry, Amber," Kevin mumbled as tears began stinging his eyes again. He took her hand in both his and brought it to his lips. Her fingers were so boney and her hand was so cold compared to what it was supposed to be. Her skin seemed to be gaining some color again from the two guards she'd attacked but it wasn't enough. "It'll be okay now, Amber," Kevin mumbled. "I'll make everything okay."

"Kevin," Nathan's voice came from the doorway and Kevin looked up at him. "We found that guy you asked about. Dr. Keller. Evidently he was the doctor assigned to Amber."

"Where is he?" Kevin asked.

"We've got him with a few other prisoners that were collected from the camp. The ones that lived anyway. You should have seen it. A bunch of us just fucking shot the guards. They surrendered, sure, but after everything we just saw…..a bunch of us thought that just wasn't good enough."

"Did at least two other prisoners live?"

"Plenty are still alive," Nathan said. "A little shook up about what they saw. A bunch of them a pulling the 'Please I'm a father' bullshit. Jae was a fucking father and he sure as shit wasn't spared. Humping the wrong leg on that one."

"Their marital and family status are irrelevant," Kevin said bitterly and looked at Amber. He'd not found her parents. He wasn't sure how he'd tell her, but after what he'd seen in that camp, there was no way they'd lived. He'd search to the ends of the earth for them if she asked him to, but he wasn't confident they were alive. "Did you happen to find Amber's parents?"

"Searched every dead body and searched all the inmates. No Levi or Anna," Nathan said. "That sniper had said Amber was the only one transferred. Maybe they were still at Auschwitz when the Russians liberated that camp. That was back in January I think."

"Look into it, please," Kevin said. "In the meantime, show me where those prisoners are. Point out Dr. Keller to me. I have something special planned for them."

Nathan nodded and Kevin closed and locked the cell door behind him before following Nathan to where they'd been putting the prisoners of war. There were several guards that were held up who'd been unarmed and a few looked a little beat up.

"That one's Dr. Keller," Nathan said as he pointed at an older, greasy looking man. "On your feet," Nathan ordered of the doctor. The doctor did as he was told and stood to his feet. Kevin looked at the group to pick two more and found the timid guy from before.

"You," Kevin said and then looked right at one more man, "and you. All three of you follow me." The doctor came forward as did the second man that Kevin picked, but the man from earlier didn't and Kevin looked right at him. "Are you hard of hearing or just stupid?"

"Ich spreche kein Englisch," (I don't speak English) the soldier said.

"Ich sagte auf und folge mir nach," (I said stand up and follow me) Kevin repeated himself in German and the man finally stood nervously. When the last man was standing, Kevin took the gun from Embry who'd been standing off to the side staying out of it. He saw that look on Kevin's face and knew when to stay out of his way. Using that gun, Kevin 'guided' the two guards and doctor down the halls.

"Where are we going?" Dr. Keller asked impatiently. Kevin didn't answer and the doctor looked around to face him. "I asked you where are we going?"

"Did I give you permission to turn? I told you walk!" Kevin yelled and the doctor turned around and didn't speak again as they went down the halls until they reached the door Kevin was looking for. "Nathan, hold this," Kevin said and Nathan walked over to take the gun ensuring it was still firmly aimed at the men they'd collected while Kevin went to the door.

"So you're giving us a room? How generous," the doctor said.

"For the time being," Kevin said and unlocked the door. Then he pulled out his army knife and made sure it was out. "You won't be in here very long."

"What are we doing here to begin with?" Doctor Keller asked.

"Just giving you a glimpse of your handy work," Kevin said. As realization dawned on the doctor's face, Kevin tossed open the door, made a small cut on Dr. Keller's arm and kicked them all into the room. A hiss rang in the room as Amber suddenly came to attention and when they all realized the trouble they were in, the doctor began to plea.

"No! Let us out! She's dangerous! She'll kill us!" the doctor screamed.

"And whose fault is that?" Kevin spat back and locked the door and walked down the hall. Kevin stayed close by, though, and leaned against the wall.

"You coming?" Nathan asked.

"I'll wait for Amber to be done," Kevin said.

Meanwhile in the cell after Kevin had walked away, the doctor and two soldiers backed up against the wall as Amber lifted herself up from the bed she laid in. She made a lung for the doctor since he was the one bleeding, but the doctor grabbed one soldier and tossed him at Amber. She grabbed that soldier and bit into his neck and drank his blood. He fought as best he could, trying to kick and punch her on the floor, but she was stronger than him, even after starving for so long. In fact starving her had made her more lethal. The soldier in her arms was dead from blood loss in minutes and she finished every drop he had. Once that was done, she stood, still thirsty and set her sights on the doctor, a semblance of awareness flashing in her black eyes.

The doctor tried tossing the other soldier, but Amber had enough awareness to know who she wanted and tossed that soldier aside, jumped onto the doctor and bit him. Dr. Keller attempted to slam Amber against a wall and he even heard bone break, but that only served to sharpen her bite on his neck. Her bones healed quickly anyway and the doctor soon fell to the floor from dizziness and he was dead in minutes. After that last drink, Amber released a sigh of relief and her eyes stayed closed a moment. She felt as though she'd just woken from a dream. Her head was clear and the burn in her throat was finally gone. She even smiled with relief until she opened her eyes and saw the two dead men before her. It startled her and she backed away. She heard someone else in the room and looked at him. He appeared shocked.

"Your eyes are blue," the man shivered. Suddenly, memories began to ease into her mind from Auschwitz. After she'd been without blood for too long, everything was a blur. But before that, she remembered everything. Absolutely everything. This man wasn't in any of those memories, but that uniform was. The uniform of the SS guards. When she started crawling over the him, the man backed away until he hit the corner of the wall and the bed and she was on top of him ready to kill him like she'd killed the other two. "Please! Please, I'm begging you," the man cried.

"After everything you people did to me, you have the nerve to ask for mercy?" Amber said.

"Please, miss, I have a son," the man cried. "I have a wife and son. He was born in November. Please. I don't want Wilhelm growing up never knowing me." She stopped then, but it wasn't because he'd tugged at the right heartstring. If anything, he'd made her angrier.

"My father had a wife and daughter," Amber said. "I begged for my parents. I did everything they told me so my mother would live. Now I'll never seen them again. I'll never see my parents again! And it's your fault!"

"Please, I'm sorry," the man begged. "I didn't know this was what we were doing. I thought we were just sending you away. By the time I was stationed at Dachau and realized the truth, it was too late."

"Too late you say?" Amber said. "I suppose it was." She was about to bit him when he begged.

"Please!" he said. "Please, I never knew this was what we were doing. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry! Please, just let me go home. I'll do anything you want, but please just let me go home to my Helga and Wilhelm." He really was crying now but it did nothing for Amber.

"I'm sure my father made the same plea," Amber hissed. "Daddy would have begged to let us go or at least spare me and my mother. We were never spared. Why should I spare you?" The man didn't have a good answer and he held his head down.

"I'm sorry," he said. "It was either you or me and my own. What I've done is awful, but it was either that or put myself and my wife and son in there with you. What would you have done?"

Amber stared at him a moment, baffled by the question. Even angered by it. "What would I have done?" she repeated, tears forming in her eyes.

She stepped away from the man as she felt herself choke up. She thought about everything she'd done while at Auschwitz while she was still in control. She remembered when the guards first realized she was more durable than the others. She remembered them saying they'd proceed with the gassing as planned and begging, crying even that they not hurt her mother. But it had only been her mother. She'd not pleaded for the others. Only her mother. They did so, but it required something she could never undo. Even thinking of Commander Schneider after all this time made her skin crawl. Before this all happened, Kevin had been the only touch she'd ever known. She'd liked it that way. That was long gone and it made her cry. The soldier looked up at her but kept his distance while Amber meandered to the door and put her hands on it. Kevin, having overheard the whole thing, waited in that hallway feeling the weight of the sudden silence. He started to approach to check when the door of the cell flew open with a bang. Back in the cell after Amber broke the door, she looked at the soldier and saw his wide eyes. She glared at him a moment before going to another corner and started crying. The soldier got to his feet in a hurry and ran out of the cell only to feel Kevin's hand slam onto his neck and drag him down the hall.

"Bitte," (please) the man started.

"Ruhig, ficker," (quiet fucker) Kevin growled while he dragged the man down the hall. They reached a sitting area where a couple of soldiers, Nathan and the others among them, and Kevin tossed the man on the floor and made everyone in the room jump from their spot.

"What's all this about?" Nathan asked.

"Amber spared him," Kevin muttered.

"Spared….you mean she's back to normal?" Nathan asked.

"Wait, what's going on?" one of the soldiers asked.

"Nothing," Kevin barked at him and then looked at the man on the floor. "Let this one live," Kevin said reluctantly.

"Wait, what? Why?" one soldier said.

"Because I fucking said so!" Kevin yelled. "Get a cell for him and keep him here until we know what's going to happen." Kevin looked down at the man as he got himself back onto his feet. "Amber spared him. I guess I can too."

Kevin looked at Embry who went to the man, lifted him by the arm and dragged him to another part of the building to get him a cell as Kevin had asked. With that reassurance, Kevin went back to the previous cell block to fix the door and try to check on Amber, but he was stopped by Nathan.

"Did you want some good news?" Nathan asked.

"Longing for it," Kevin muttered.

"Amber's parents are alive," Nathan said and it stopped Kevin in his tracks and he turned to look at Nathan.

"They are?" Kevin asked.

"I shifted so I could let dad know we found Amber. Turns out Kyle's imprint had found Amber's parents alive at Auschwitz, so Carlisle got some friends of his to go and get them. They arrived in Washington earlier this month. They'll be thrilled when they hear Amber's alive."

Kevin breathed a sigh of relief, "That's good news indeed. Anything else we should know about?"

"Nothing else that relates to this," Nathan said. "Dad made sure to mention Eloise is coming along well with her pregnancy. Mom thinks she'll give birth around June." Nathan was a little sad. "Add that to my list of children whose births I was absent for."

"As long as you're present once the war's over and we go home," Kevin said. "I figure once we finish taking Berlin and find Hitler, the war in Europe will be over. The rest will be up to the Navy and their fight with Japan. I hear we've been doing well on that front too."

"Good news all around, today," Nathan patted Kevin's shoulder. "I'll leave you to talk to Amber. How long has it been since you last saw her?" Kevin was about to answer until he realized he didn't remember and Nathan patted Kevin's shoulder again. "Exactly," he said and then walked away.

Kevin smiled a bit while Nathan left before continuing to the cell where Amber was. He could hear her still crying at it tore at him. He picked up the door from the other side of the hall and laid it beside the cell against the wall. The door was mostly in tact still, so he could worry about fixing it later. He looked inside the cell and saw Amber sobbing on the little bed, a pillow in her face as she cried. She'd not even noticed Kevin was there, or it appeared she didn't. He stood in that doorway staring. It had been years since he'd seen her. Looking at her, seeing what they'd put her through and being left to imagine the rest, he could feel the sting of each and every year they'd been apart. A terror gripped him that she might not want to see him at all or worse that she blamed him for all this. He heard his heart pounding in his ears and he was scared to approach her. As he stood there, he felt her tears start to quiet a little, but she wasn't asleep. She turned her head on the pillow likely only so she could breath. Tears streaked her cheeks when she turned her head and her eyes were red and puffy. Then she opened her eyes and finally noticed Kevin was there. She just stared at him and Kevin stared back. Her eyes were blue again. That ocean blue he remembered and loved so much.

"Kevin?" Amber whimpered and Kevin nodded with a weak smile. "I'd thought….." she cried again and ran to Kevin, embracing him in her arms and climbing him like a tree. Kevin held her in return and swayed back at force. "Oh God, Kevin, I thought I'd never see you again," she cried into his shoulder and Kevin continued to hold her close.

"I'm so sorry, Amber," Kevin said. "I'm so sorry for all this." Amber kept crying into Kevin's shoulder while he held her. Kevin walked over to the tiny bed and sat down with Amber in his arms. "It'll be alright, Amber."

"Kevin," Amber whimpered.

"I have some good news," Kevin said. "We got your parents out of Auschwitz and they're back in Washington." Amber's head shot up as she looked at Kevin.

"They're alive?" Amber whimpered hopefully.

"They're alive," Kevin nodded with a smile. "They're back in Washington and they're safe now. You'll see them as soon as I get you to Washington. I'll shift right away and make arrangements for you to be sent to America."

"When are you coming home?"

"I don't know yet," Kevin said. "As soon as Berlin falls and Hitler is captured, then the war will be over in Europe and we'll be sent home. Regardless, I'm sending you to America right away."

"Kevin-"

"Amber, this all happened because I never put my foot down and sent you to America, complaints or reservations be damned. I'm not making that mistake again. I'm going to make arrangements to have someone come for you and I'm sending you to Washington. That's final."

"What happens after that?" Amber asked.

"What do you mean?" Kevin asked. Amber held her head down and rested back into his shoulder and began to cry again. Kevin rocked her back and forth. "It's alright, Amber. Everything's going to be alright. When I return, we'll finally move on. We'll finally get married and do everything we said we'd do. It won't be 'after this' or 'after that'. I'll make good on everything I promised you."

"Kevin," Amber whimpered. "Before they started experimenting on me.."

"Don't try to talk about it now," Kevin said.

"Kevin, I need to," Amber insisted and rubbed tears from her eyes. "I was desperate to spare mom. One day, mom was getting sick and the guards were collecting the sick for execution. I tried taking her place, but they took us both. I forced our way out of this big building when I realized it was a gas chamber. One of the guards shot me several times. He'd taken me away and ordered the prisoners executed as planned but I begged him not to." Amber was quiet a moment. "I did what I had to so they'd leave mom alone."

"Amber," Kevin said soothingly and continued to rock her. "None of this is your fault. You did what you had to. They'll pay for what they did to you, Amber. I swear it. I'm so sorry, Amber. You'll be safe in Washington. I'll never let anything happen to you again."

Kevin held Amber for several minutes, scared to let her go lest she disappear or this all turns out to be a dream. He did eventually have to let her go and he kept her in the cell only long enough for him to find her a dress. When he brought her the dress however, a dress he'd eyeballed for the right size, she put it on the bed saying it was far too small for her. Rather than argue with her, he took the dress back and found one that was the size she used to be before all this happened. As he feared, that dress was too big on her. She was skin and bones with little in between though she'd gained back some color after her several meals of blood. She'd even seemed to fill out just a little then she'd been when he found her. He hoped that with a few more meals, she'd be back to normal. Physically speaking anyway.

After she was dressed and out of that grey stripped rag with the star planted on it, Kevin took her to the medics where other inmates were being treated. He had Embry stay with Amber, a deep paranoia taking over and making him refuse to leave Amber alone for a moment. While Embry looked after her in a private room they'd managed to secure – only secured once every inmate from the camp refused to be in the same room with her, calling her 'dangerous' – Kevin went to the woods and shifted. He caught Jacob while he was still a wolf and told him he needed someone to come get Amber right away. Now that he'd spoken with Kevin, Jacob went home to relay the news. Levi and Anna were awake and enjoying a breakfast Renesmee had made for them with Evalina standing close by to help. She still wanted to learn to cook.

"Levi. Anna," Jacob said. "Amber's safe. Kevin got her out of the camp at Dachau and we're going to send someone to get her." Levi and Anna only understood Amber's name and looked at Renesmee to translate. She told them in French what Jacob had said and Anna started crying tears of joy. Edward, standing from the couch in the family room, came forward.

"I'll get her," Edward said.

"I'll come with you," Bella said.

Bella and Edward left the house to retrieve some money and left right away. Having that update, Jacob turned back to a wolf and told Kevin Edward and Bella were on their way to get Amber and they'd meet him in Dachau. Kevin agreed, changed back, dressed, and returned to the medics to tell Amber. The following day brought yet another whirlwind. Kevin remained with Amber but word eventually reached Kevin and, subsequently the remainder of the Allied forces, that Adolf Hitler – the war all but lost - had committed suicide in his bunker the day after the liberation of Dachau. By the time the news had reached Kevin, Edward and Bella had arrived to retrieve Amber, the Germans had surrendered in Italy, Germany had surrendered unconditionally, and the war in Europe was finally over. Edward and Bella had taken Amber away with them by the time the official win was announced and the men were thrilled with the news. Absolutely thrilled.

"It's over," Peta sighed contentedly that night when several of the men were at a bar together to celebrate the victory. "It's finally over!"

"We can go home," Embry smiled and patted Peta on the back. Travis was, surprisingly, rather indifferent to the victory. In truth, he was happy they weren't fighting anymore. He wasn't happy that he'd be returning to America and Oscar would be remaining with the army with no intentions of contacting him ever again.

"What's the matter?" Oscar asked. "We won. You should be happy."

"I am happy we won,"Travis said. "You're still planning to stay with the army?"

"Yes,"Oscar said. "I know I'll have to go home eventually, but I'd rather put it off."

"What about Genevieve?"

"You mean what about you?"Oscar said, calling Travis out on his bluff. Or whatever one might call the attempt at guilt. "I already explained this, Travis."

"I know you have,"Travis said. "I'm going to miss you. Don't blame me."

"You'll get over me,"Oscar said and swigged down the beer he had. Travis wasn't sure whether to toss his own beer in Oscar's face, yell at him, or walk away. Eventually he decided the latter was the wisest of his options and stepped away from the table and left. The whole table that understood stared at Oscar. He looked between all the stares and downed his beer before saying, "Oh, piss off," and standing from the table and walking away.

"Son of a bitch is lucky Travis imprinted on him or I'd have shot him by now," Embry said.

"He keeps this up, Travis might take care of it himself," Nathan said. Oscar wasn't planning to follow Travis, but when he'd stepped out of the bar and saw Travis walking down the road, he grumbled and went after him.

"Travis, wait,"Oscar said.

"Not now, Oscar,"Travis said.

"Yes now. Wait,"Oscar ordered.

"You know, Oscar, this is getting really old. I get it. You don't love me back. Let's just put an end to it while I'm still mad and might get over you."

"For shit's sake," Oscar muttered and grabbed Travis by the shoulder and dragged him.

He wasn't sure where he was going yet, but he'd figure it out. Any that they passed assumed it was a case of a subordinate being punished by a superior and left well enough alone which served their purpose just fine. Travis asked Oscar what the hell he was doing and tried getting away a few times, but Oscar wouldn't let him go until Oscar eventually brought them back to the base for lack of anywhere else to go and found a cellar where they could talk alone, making sure no one saw them enter. Once he finally had Travis alone, he realized he didn't know what to say and Travis had his arms crossed less than amused with Oscar's little display of aggressiveness.

"Damn it," Oscar finally said.

"Are we done here?"

"Fuck you. Give me a second to think."

"About what exactly?" Travis said.

"I said shut up and give me a second," Oscar said and started pacing in the cellar back and forth while rubbing his head. Travis stayed quiet while he thought out whatever it was he wanted to say. "Look, Travis, I realize that maybe I've led you on a bit. Or maybe I just wasn't clear enough from the beginning."

"No, Oscar, you were plenty clear,"Travis said.

"Then why are you mad?!"

"Why do you think?! I tell you I'll miss you and you tell me 'get over it'? Why do you think I'm mad?"

"Christ almighty, you're impossible," Oscar grumbled. He was about to say out loud that Zakra had never been this much trouble but he stopped himself. Aside from even him knowing that wasn't a good thing to say, he knew it wasn't true. "Why can't you just be happy with this….whatever this way and just look back on it fondly? That's what I intend to do."

"Because I love you,"Travis said. "I already told you that and I'm already dealing with it. I want more than you're willing to give and I'll just have to live with that. I'm sorry I can't exactly 'get over it' so easily as you can." Travis refrained from any mention that Oscar had implied he loved Travis too. He'd said that and followed it with an affirmation that he couldn't/wouldn't be what Travis wanted.

"You act as though I've said I wouldn't miss you. Of course I'll miss you."

"Not enough apparently,"Travis muttered.

"God damn it, what do you want from me?" Oscar said is a muted grumble. "Look, Travis, I never said I didn't have feeling for you. Hell, I love you too if I'm honest. But I told you from the beginning what my intentions were."

"I know,"Travis said.

"Then we understand each other,"Oscar said. The moment he said it, he realized it was a stupid thing to say and groaned. "Look. I love you. But I can be what you want. After what happened with Zakra….I'm not ready. I'm sorry, but I'm not. I loved him. We were together so long. When father killed him…that really hurt me. Scarred me, frankly. I don't know if I'll ever want to be with someone like that again. I'd rather spare you wasting time with me than string you along. I realize I've clearly not done a good job with that, but there's the truth." Travis was silent. "Just tell me we agree so we don't end this badly. When we do part ways, I want it on good terms."

"So you're not even willing to try?" Travis said. "I understand you need time. I can wait for you. I'm willing to. I'll wait an eternity for you."

"Don't waste an eternity on me, Travis,"Oscar said. "I'm not worth an eternity. You deserve someone better than me."

"You're not listening to me, Oscar,"Travis said. "I don't want anyone else. I imprinted on you. This isn't just me loving you and eventually I might find someone I love as much as you. You're my imprint. It means I am what you need me to be and you're the love of my life effectively."

"In that case, what I need is you to get over me,"Oscar said bluntly. More so than he'd wanted. It sounded cruel even to him. "I need you to find happiness with someone that's worth your time. I'm not worth your time."

"I say you are,"Travis said.

"I'm not,"Oscar said. "I love you. Just remember that. Even if after this we never see one another again, just remember you got under my skin and I'll always love you. Even if I can't be the man you want." Travis was silent again as though he was trying not to cry. Oscar took a deep breath and approached Travis to take him in his arms. "When I said you're one in a million, I meant it."

"But I'm not worth trying for?" Travis said.

"I'm not worth trying for," Oscar said.

"You are to me," Travis said. "I can't help it, Oscar. I love you."

"Now stop tugging at my soft heart," Oscar joked and kissed Travis on the head. "Maybe one day I'll be ready. But I don't want you to waste your life waiting for me. Can we just agree that we love each other and we enjoyed our time together while it lasted?"

"It's not enough, Oscar," Travis said.

"I know," Oscar said. "It'll just have to be."

Travis knew it was the best answer he was going to get, whether he liked it or not. He wanted Oscar loving him in return to be enough, but it just wasn't. He'd always thought that being what the imprint wanted was easy. When something seemed supernatural like this, how could 'magic' be hard to comply with? In reality, doing what Oscar wanted would be the hardest thing Travis ever did. He'd comply, but he wouldn't like it. His only choices were to be happy with what they had and look back on him fondly like Oscar suggested or be miserable the whole time trying to slam his head against a brick wall. He'd choose the former even if he didn't much care for it. Of course, unbeknownst to them all, Travis and Oscar would have plenty of time to be together. In the meantime, Edward and Bella wasted no time getting Amber out of Germany and to the French coast to take a boat to America. Amber barely spoke to them the whole time. Edward didn't wonder why. When they'd gotten on a boat for New York, Amber fell asleep in the cabin leaving Bella and Edward a moment to talk.

"How's she now that she's sleeping?" Bella asked.

"Not much better," Edward admitted. "What they did to her I'm not sure I can put into words. She doesn't remember most of it. She remembers getting to Dachau, but after that it all turns into a blur."

"Do you think….will she ever be the same again?"

"After what they put her through? No," Edward said bluntly. "I can try everything I can to help her get through what happened, but the reality is this is going to follow her the rest of her life. That number on her arm certainly won't help either. She and Kevin aren't getting married any time soon if her mental state is an indicator."

"Why do you say that?"

"There was a guard at Auschwitz that took advantage of her. She was desperate to keep her mother out of the line of fire so she agreed to sleep with him. It kept Anna safe, so Amber took it."

"Kevin would never hold that against her," Bella said.

"It's not Kevin holding it against her. It's Amber holding it against herself. This whole thing has left her feeling unclean and unworthy. She's been treated like a toy and a pet for so long she's started to believe it. I don't think Kevin understands the magnitude of what they did to her. She tried to explain and he told her everything would be alright and the Nazis would pay for what they did. He knows the implications, but he doesn't know the full scope."

"Is there anything we can do to rectify this? There has to be a way to help her move on from this," Bella said.

"I'll do everything I can," Edward said. "But at this moment, she's shaken up. She's been through a lot and she needs to come to terms with it. Levi and Anna too."

Bella sighed sadly, "This'll break Kevin's heart."

"He'll understand," Edward said. "Once I've explained this, he'll understand."

"Does…does she not love him anymore?" Bella dared to ask.

"No," Edward was quick to say. "She still loves him. She never stopped. The issue is she thinks she's not good enough anymore."

"Then we need to prove to her she is," Bella said.

Edward agreed and they continued to look after Amber. She'd frequently have nightmares during the trip and Edward and Bella were always there to comfort her and let her know she was safe now and it was only a dream. It had taken a few weeks to finally return to Washington, but even with such a long span of being away from the camp, it did little to improve Amber's mood. Edward and Bella were hoping seeing her parents again would brighten her up and be the first step to recovering. They got off the train in Port Angeles and it was over casted outside. A standard look in the skies for Washington. Deciding it was best to just run, Edward, Bella and Amber ran from Port Angeles and went straight to the tribe and the Renesmee's and Jacob's home where Anna and Levi were. Edward and Bella stepped into the house first and Amber followed behind them. Renesmee saw Amber first and smiled, but went right to her living room to grab Levi and Anna. Once they were in the entryway of the house, Anna was the first to cry.

"Amber," Anna whimpered and went right to her and hugged her. Levi approached as well and held Anna and Amber in his arms. They'd tried speaking, but they kept crying instead and just held one another. Renesmee cried a little, happy to see them reunited.

To Edward's relief, seeing her parents again alive and getting better did lift her spirits. They all avoided any talk of the camps, more than happy to never speak of it again. It was a horrendous, ugly memory for all of them. Were they to have their way, they'd forget it ever happened. Such wasn't an option of course, but they'd revel in the fact that they'd gotten out of this alive. And together no less. Something that, they all knew too well, would likely be largely unheard of for most victims. Many people in the tribe that knew Kevin were eager to finally meet Amber after all these years of having heard of her, but she'd not see very many people. Immediately family naturally, but very few people besides that got to meet her when she arrived.

News of course, had spread that the war was over and Germany had surrendered. It was a glorious day to be sure. People celebrated in the streets, parades were done and chants and cheers railed about their boys comin' home at long last. The plan, per the papers, was the demobilize the army and start sending men home within three months. Mothers, wives and families were ecstatic. Women in Forks that had sons that served and had lived were already making plans for a big welcome home party. One that Renesmee and the whole of the Quileutes were promptly invited to. The mayor's wife suggested that a special memorial service be held for all the young men that died, Jae to be included among the mourned of course. Jacob, Renesmee, Hailey, Leah, Natalie, her children, Embry Sr., Caevia, and all their children attended that service once it was held. All the men's pictures that had died in the war were on display with wild flowers surrounding their pictures and lit candles while the priest helped everyone pay their respects and recognize their fallen sons as heroes.

"That was very kind of them," Renesmee said when they all left the large church together. "Honoring all the young men that died." Renesmee looked at Natalie. She'd remained somber. She'd not cried the whole service, but they suspected it was due to having no more tears to cry. She was certainly heartbroken to be sure. "How are you, Natalie?"

"I'm alright," Natalie answered less than convincingly and, to avoid further questioning, she looked at JJ and the others. "How are you three?"

"I miss daddy," Nesia said in a whimper while rubbing her eyes.

"We all miss him too," Jacob said and rubbed his granddaughter's head. "If you ever feel like you need to, Nesia, you can always talk to us, okay?" Nesia nodded and hugged Jacob by the hip and cried a little while Jacob continued to rub her head. Jacob looked at Natalie again. "I know it hurts, but it'll get easier eventually. Jae always loved you. All of you."

"I know," Natalie said as she choked and walked away while rubbing her eyes. She kept walking without a word and Jacob sighed.

"JJ," Jacob said. "How's your mother doing?"

"Bad," JJ said bluntly. "She keeps having nightmares."

"What of?"

"She won't tell me," JJ said. "When I shifted the first time, he heard those memories of the dreams in the back of her mind, but they're always the same. It's dad. He'll talk to her a moment and then disappear."

"Renesmee, is there anything she can take or breath in while sleeping that would help?" Jacob asked.

"I know a little recipe that Sokajili taught me to fight nightmares. I'll make it when we get back."

"Okay, good," Jacob said. "I'm worried about her. She's getting worse." Jacob looked at JJ again. The boy had gone skinny himself. Becoming a wolf and filling out had done little to alleviate it. "What'd you have for breakfast this morning, JJ?"

"What?" JJ asked.

"What did you have for breakfast?" Jacob asked again.

"I don't remember," JJ said with a shrug. Jacob didn't believe him but didn't push it.

"Renesmee, do you suppose we can have everyone over for a big lunch? I think we all need it."

"I agree," Renesmee nodded and they all returned home and made the said big lunch.

Levi and Anna were already starting to gain back some healthy weight and Amber had started filling back out too. Carlisle made sure she obtained human blood one way or another, even if it meant stealing it somehow. She needed human blood right now. Once she was healthy again, she could return to animal blood like she'd had before. Renesmee made everyone a giant pot of soup with bread, vegetables and even some Elk that had been caught and distributed evenly among the tribe. The soup and bread were okay for Natalie to ate and Renesmee made a point to give Natalie a huge bowl of soup. A bowl of soup she barely touched. Renesmee made the herbal remedy she'd been taught years ago that was meant for alleviating bad dreams and insisted Natalie take it. She instructed Natalie to burn it in her room before bed so the room would fill with the smell and that should help the nightmares. Natalie eventually agreed to take it and use it.

They all stayed at Renesmee's and Jacob's house for most of the day. Eloise would pop in every now and then but kept largely to herself. She was feeling tired all the time and about ready to pop. She didn't believe for a minute she wasn't due until June. She'd been ready to be done with being pregnant months ago and didn't know how much longer she could stand it. Ada María continued to look after Eloise trying to more or less bond with the baby which Eloise was happy to encourage. When Natalie and the children returned home, they all went inside with Natalie following behind. As she neared the door, she heard a bird sing and looked at the railing of the patio to see that little blue bird. Natalie stared at it a moment while the bird hopped around singing. Eventually she ignored the bird and went inside.

That night, as Renesmee had told her, Natalie burned the herbal mixture in a bowl and placed it on her nightstand, letting the fumes fill the room. It was a pleasant, woodsy smell and did help her to relax a little. But she always looked at Jacob's pictures and flag. As had become her habit, she took the picture off the dresser of Jae and her when JJ had been born. JJ had been such a cute little baby and Jae had looked so happy. Even without the pictures, she'd remember that smile until the day she died. A tear fell from her eye and she put the picture back on the dresser. Then she pulled open the draw of her nightstand where she kept all the letters Jae had written her. She pulled one out at random. One of his letter from when he'd still been in England.

Natalie,

I'm so happy to know JJ is taking good care of all of you. I knew I could count on him to keep it together while I was away. JJ's so much like you. I wish I could see our children growing up. I just hope I'll be back home before they're too old. Even with seeing them when we'll shift to talk, I still can't believe how much they're already growing.

It's quiet today. We had a lot of work to do. We spent most of the day taking in shipments of tanks and guns and so on. We're even building a fake harbor. I suspect I'm not technically supposed to tell you that, but I have faith you won't tell the Germans. Honestly, the Germans probably know what the plan is just about as well as the rest of us do. From what I can tell, we're preparing for an invasion, but we don't know what it's happening or even where. Maybe that's for the best.

I never thought I'd see an island wetter than Washington. It's constantly raining here in England. Overcast all the time, plenty of rain and bad food. Although I've complained about the food enough. I've probably bored you to death with that. I'll be waiting for the day when I come home and get to eat proper food again. I've always loved your cooking, but being away has made me appreciate it all the more.

It's nights like this when it's raining out that missing you becomes nearly unbearable. I'll always remember how you loved to make love when it was raining out. How you always loved to cuddle on the patio swing to watch the rain and listen to it hit the house in that comforting thump. I'll remember how we'd all sit in the family room with the fire blazing while the kids played on the floor. I remember one day in particular after Nesia was born. JJ and Salem were playing with those toys our dads carved for them while you were feeding Nesia.

I remember looking at the whole scene and feeling so lucky. I miss that. I miss looking at you on the couch while our children play together and I miss holding you at night when we're not on patrol. It's also nights like this where the rain comes down especially hard that I'll look at those pictures you gave me. I'll find any excuse to look at them, but it's nights like this especially where I love to. I've seen you so many times in so many ways and I've always thought you were beautiful. Those pictures can't compare to holding you, touching you in person, but they're a longing reminder of home and what I'll have to look forward to when I finally come home.

Looking at them before I go to sleep never fails to ensure that I dream of you. Of us. One night I dreamed about the first time we ever made love. You remember that night right? The day Nathan and Tomoeh met We never imagined he'd grow to love her the way he did, but I remember getting angry with her brother. Torou I think his name had been but I actually can't remember now. Or maybe that was another brother? Regardless, I'd gotten really mad at him and we'd gotten into that fight. I'd felt a little stupid afterwards, letting myself get angry like that. But when we went to the shop together to be alone, you thanked me for standing up for you.

I remember that night being overcome with emotion and arousal. I don't think it was raining that night, but it had still been one of the happiest nights of my life. You've always managed to outdo that night every day since, though. When you said you'd marry me, then when we got married, when we had JJ. Then when we had Salem and then Nesia. You've always been able to make me the happiest man alive.

Maybe when I come home, we can have another baby. Maybe another little girl. Or maybe another boy and we can name him after my dad.

Natalie had to stop reading after that line. She started crying harder and put the letter back into her nightstand so her tears wouldn't continue to drop onto the page. She knew too well that she was rubbing salt in her wounds, but she didn't care. She'd read Jae's letters to her every night just so she could imagine hearing his voice. She'd even put one of his pictures on his side of the bed and read a letter so she could feel like he was right beside her talking to her. Though she couldn't read anymore tonight, she did take one of Jae's pictures, the one of him in his uniform before he was deployed, and rested it on his pillow on his side of the bed. The incense still filled her room but after reading Jae's letter and putting him beside her in bed, the healing aroma was rendered completely useless.

She heard tiny feet hopping up and down outside her window and wings flapping periodically, but she ignored it and kept her head on her pillow while staring at Jae's picture. There would be some nights where she'd feel okay and she could go to bed without crying, but most nights, going to bed alone knowing it was permanent was more than she could bare. She'd only been able to go to bed alone before because she knew it was only temporary and soon Jae would come home and things would go back to normal. Now, his empty space in the bed was a fervent reminder of his absence…and that it was forever. She wound up crying herself to sleep as she often times did. She wondered if one day she'd just grow numb to this pain, but she didn't want to. To her, growing numb meant she didn't miss him anymore. That would never happen. Not it a million years.

She wasn't sure how long it took her to fall asleep. For all the sleep she managed to get, it may as well have been hours. When she did finally fall asleep, she felt cold ground from the dream she'd been having. She already knew the outcome of the dream. She'd suffered it so many times. She didn't open her eyes in the dream and remained on the ground in the hopes the nightmare would end just that way. Then she felt a warm hand on her shoulder. Yet she still refused to open her eyes. Even when she felt someone nearing her until she felt someone near her ear.

"Natalie," the voice whispered.

"Just leave me alone," Natalie cried again. "You won't stay with me, so just leave me alone."

"I've been with you Natalie. Longer than you know,"the voice came. "I won't rest until you're happy."

"Then come back," Natalie said. "That'll make me happy."

"I can't do that,"the voice came. "I can only help you find happiness after me."

"I don't want it," Natalie whimpered. There was something that struck her as asinine when it occurred to her that she was dreaming of talking to a ghost. A ghost of her dead husband begging her to be happy.

"I want it for you,"the voice said. "Every day, I see you sit outside staring into the horizon and you look so sad. It hurts to see you that way."

"Then you should have never left me," Natalie cried. The person behind her wrapped his arms around her and she felt warm and secure. She could smell him and it made her cry harder.

"I know,"the voice came. "I'm so sorry. I can't fix what happened to me, but I can help you find happiness again. Please let me do that."

Natalie shook her head and cried harder while the arms around her tightened. She suddenly felt lips against her cheek and it made her cry that much harder. She rubbed her hand up and down the arm around her while the voice whispered to her. She continued to cry as those lips kept pressing comforting kisses into her skin.

"Please," Natalie finally said through her cries. "Please don't leave me."

"I'll never leave you, Natalie,"the voice came, but it wasn't Jae's.

Natalie's eyes flew open from the sudden change and she turned to look into the face of a man she'd never seen before. His skin was the same russet color and his hair the same ebony black, but it was long and back in a braid as was often done by men of the tribe with long hair. As she stared into his black eyes, a strange blonde woman she'd never seen crawled over his shoulder and bit him. In an instant, his skin had paled a little and his eyes went scarlet red. Natalie woke from the dream screaming and her heart pounding. Just as she'd finished that scream, JJ ran into her room.

"Mom? What's wrong!" JJ asked and sat on the bed. Natalie didn't answer and embraced her son as she cried. Since he wasn't going to get an answer from her, JJ sighed and rocked her back and forth while Natalie cried. "It's okay, mom. It was just a bad dream."

"It felt so real," Natalie whimpered.

"I know," JJ said.

"Mom, are you alright?" Salem asked when he came into the room, Nesia following close behind while she rubbed her eyes holding a little doll. It was a doll Jae had sent her when he was in England.

"She's alright," JJ said. "She just had a bad dream." Nesia went over and crawled up onto the bed behind Natalie and hugged her.

"It's okay, mommy," Nesia said. Salem approached and stood beside the bed unsure what to do to comfort his mother. While Natalie cried, they all heard a little bird chirping and Natalie's head shot up looking at the window at the blue bird that was on her window sill. Something irrational came over her and she ran to the window, opened it and as the bird hopped off the sill Natalie began swatting at the bird that flew away to evade her hand.

"Go away!" Natalie yelled at the bird.

"Mommy, stop it!" Nesia said. "Leave Blu alone. It's not his fault you had a bad dream!"

"What?" Natalie asked.

"Blu," Nesia said. "That's what I named him. He's always on our patio and he eats seeds and bread from my hand and lets me pet him so I named him Blu."

"Oh," Natalie muttered and rubbed her forehead.

"Mom, are you alright?" JJ asked.

"I'm fine, JJ, I'm just…..I'm not feeling well."

"I thought grandma gave you something to ward off those nightmares?" Salem asked.

"She did, but it didn't work," Natalie grumbled. Salem looked at the bed and saw Jae's picture on the pillow and sighed.

"Mom, did you read one of dad's letters before you went to bed?" Salem asked.

"Of course," Natalie said. "I always do."

"Maybe you should stop for a while," Salem suggested. "Maybe that's why the herbal remedy didn't work. Maybe we should put dad's pictures back downstairs too. Seeing all his pictures cluttered together like that on your dresser can't be helping you."

"Those pictures stay up here," Natalie said firmly.

"But mom, we miss dad too. It's not fair for you to –,"

"Quiet, Salem," JJ interrupted and went to Natalie. "Mom, just get back to bed and try to sleep. It's been a long day."

Natalie nodded and got to bed. Salem tried to take Jae's picture off the bed but JJ told him to leave it and get back to bed. After Natalie was in bed, JJ, Salem and Nesia went back to their rooms. JJ told Nesia to go to bed and wished her goodnight while he and Salem returned to their room they shared. Once they were in their room and in their beds, Salem looked critically at JJ.

"You're enabling her, you know," Salem said.

"What?"

"You're enabling her," Salem said. "Mom's not the only one who misses dad. We all miss him. But keeping dad's pictures in her room like that isn't healthy and it's not fair to us. What if I want to see dad? Those pictures are the only way any of us can see him and she's keeping them locked away in her room away from us. And you're letting her do it. What's worse is you're babying her like she's the child and you're the dad."

"I'm not doing anything except what dad told me to do. I'm taking care of all of you. Mom's hurting really bad since dad died. I know we all are, but mom's not handling it well at all. It'll probably be a long time before mom's back to her normal self."

"She won't get back to her normal self if you keep letting her act this way," Salem said. "She's not mourning, JJ, she's killing herself! She's not eating unless we force her to, she's usually keeping to herself and she cries herself to sleep every night reading dad's letters and staring at all his pictures."

"If the person you've loved your whole life, married and had children with died suddenly, how would you behave? Would you bounce right back as though nothing happened? No, you wouldn't. You'd mourn their loss."

"Dad's been dead for months, JJ," Salem said. "I'm not saying she can't be sad to lose him but Jesus Christ, JJ, she needs to move on. She needs to move on with her life. If not for her own sake, for ours at least."

"She'll mourn as long as she needs to, Salem," JJ said firmly. "Shame on you for being selfish about this."

"Selfish? I'm concerned about mom's mental health and you call me selfish?"

"You might not like it, but she needs time. Maybe it's more time than anyone else, but mom loved dad."

"So did we," Salem said. "And I know for a fact dad wouldn't have wanted mom like this. He wouldn't want her crying herself to sleep every night for the rest of her life. He'd want her to move on."

"She will when she's ready to," JJ said. "Until then, don't pester her."

"Fine," Salem said and got under his covers. "Excuse me for not wanting to lose my mother too."

JJ said nothing and got under his own covers to fall asleep, but sleep never came. He woke up earlier than everyone, made coffee, left it on the stove to heat up when Natalie came downstairs and left for work as usual. He'd normally just run to work, but today he walked. He needed to clear his head and the night before still weighed heavily on his mind. He knew Salem was right, but what was he supposed to do? Slap his mother across the face and tell her to get over it? He'd not do it. He was no one to talk in any case. He was no better off than Natalie. He was just better at hiding it. He arrived at the General Store and let himself in through the back.

"JJ?" Hailey called from the front and then came back while a customer was perusing the shelves. "Damn it, JJ, you're an hour late."

"I'm sorry," JJ said. "Mom had a nightmare again last night and I didn't get much sleep. I needed a walk to clear my head," JJ said. Hailey softened a little and went up front really quick to let the customers know he'd be right back and then closed the door slightly.

"Sounds like she's not getting better," Hailey said.

"No, she's not," JJ said.

"How are you feeling? I know you were upset at the funeral service. Jae was dearly loved, so everyone had something to say about him. I know that was hard on all of you."

"It's alright," JJ said. Hailey looked JJ up and down and noticed he loved rather skinny. When he'd heard JJ shifted, from what he knew of the pack, he'd hoped this would help him fill out and return to eating properly. He'd not. He filled out and started getting taller, sure, but not enough that Hailey's concerns were relieved.

"So what'd you have for breakfast this morning?" Hailey asked.

"Coffee," JJ said.

"I've got some bread on the counter," Hailey said. "Eat some of that and then get up front and help. You have 20 minutes," Hailey continued firmly and returned to the front of the shop. JJ sighed heavily and ate some of the bread, but not much, before going up front to help.

Like clockwork, someone came to the shop around noon to give JJ some lunch. Several people had noticed he was getting a little too skinny and started bringing him food. He'd always eat it to be polite, but it grinded on his nerves. It was always a different person every day too. JJ continued to refuse any money coming from his uncles. Any money he brought in would be earned or he'd take no money at all. Renesmee and Jacob, on the other hand, continued to put that money aside for him.

By June, American, British and French troops had moved into Berlin and the country was divided for reconstruction of the country. When they arrived in Berlin, Kevin took the opportunity to walk around, hoping he might find the Candle store and old house. What he found in its place was a run down, abandoned house with a sign for a craft store that was erected in the candle shop's place. He saw swastikas painted near the sign. Kevin let himself into the broken door and looked around the front. It was nothing like he remembered. There were dolls on shelves in Nazi uniforms, a few music boxes crafted from wood and a few hand crafted beer steins. There was no aroma of essential oils from Amber's scented, carved candles and there were no intricately decorated candles on display. In fact, it smelled heavily of timber. He walked through the shop and went to the back where the house portion of the building was.

What he found inside was a disheveled mess. Whoever had been here before had left in a hurry. The furniture was abandoned and the drawers were emptied of their contents. There were still dishes in the sink with caked on food that had collected flies and produced an unpleasant smell. He looked in the candle room only to find it had been converted to a sewing and laundry room. There was a smell of soap, but not the oils from the candles. He went up the stairs and found much the same thing. Abandoned furniture nothing like what he remembered with emptied drawers.

"What the fuck happened to this place?" Nathan mumbled, having followed Kevin and walked in shortly after him.

"It was ruined," Kevin muttered. "If Amber and Anna were to see this place, they'd throw a fit."

"God help the culprit then," Nathan said. "Why'd you come here?"

"I'm not sure," Kevin said. "Berlin looks so different than I remember. I guess I was hoping to find something reminiscent of the good times Amber and I had here. The Nazis took even that from us."

"Don't give them more power than they deserve," Nathan said. "Let's get out of here. This place is only depressing you."

Kevin agreed reluctantly and they left the shop and never looked back. He didn't return to the base with Nathan, though. Instead, Kevin went walking along the streets of Berlin until he came upon the church he remembered. He hesitated momentarily before walking into the church. There he was; the priest he'd spoken to several times before. He was lighting candles with pictures of SS soldiers at an altar. Kevin wanted to be angry, but the truth was he couldn't be. Nazi soldiers or not, they'd been men with families and loved ones. That soldier Amber had spared proved that more or less. Perhaps these men the priest honored had felt just as guilty of what was happening or maybe they didn't know the magnitude of what had happened. Civilians had certainly seemed shocked when they'd been forced to see the camps. When Kevin entered the church and the priest realized he was there, the priest expressed a light, yet guilty smile.

"It's been quite a long time, my son," the priest said.

"Indeed," Kevin said. Kevin walked further into the church while the priest continued to light candles. He took a seat at one of the pews and waited for the priest to say something. Anything.

"I'm happy to see you live through this terrible war," the priest finally said. "When the anti-Jewish laws were being implemented, I'd worried about the Dymeks but I'd found out they had fled to Paris. I hoped it was true."

"They did," Kevin said. "All the good it did them, though. I spent years trying to help them gain citizenship only for their boat to be turned away and returned to France. They'd fled after that. I found Amber locked away in the camp at Dachau. Her parents narrowly avoided death at Auschwitz."

"I see," the priest said uncomfortably. "They lived?"

"Yes," Kevin said. "They're in Washington now. Away from all this."

"Thank the Lord," the priest said. He stayed silent a moment before facing Kevin and then looking at the pictures of the SS soldiers for whom he lit candles. "Please do not blame these young men for what happened. The fault lies squarely with the Chancellor. Surely you've heard he committed suicide?"

"Indeed," Kevin said. "He'll never suffer the consequences of what he's done."

"He's sinned beyond repair," the priest said. "There is no place in heaven for such a man. I would see these young men obtain entry however."

"They're guilty for what they've done," Kevin said.

"No," the priest defended. "I watched a number of these young men grow up. I've done the baptism for a number of these men. They were good. It was Hitler that distorted them and forced them to abandon God's love and values. By the time they realized what was going on, it was too late." The priest went to one picture in particular and pointed at the picture and Kevin recognized it instantly. It was the man Amber had spared. "He was stationed at Dachau before its fall. He'd been at Ravensbrück for a brief time before that and he got to come home for his son's birth."

"Why do you light a candle for him when he lives?" Kevin asked and the priest looked shocked.

"I beg pardon?" the priest said. "We were sent word that he was executed."

"He wasn't," Kevin said. "I saw to it he wasn't. I don't know when he'll be able to come home to his wife and son, but I spared him. It's a long story I'd rather not go into, but he lives."

"Oh," the priest smiled. "Thank you Lord," he said. "He would repent given the chance. He confessed all that went on at those camps. He cried, my child. Truly he did. He was ashamed of what he was ordered to do. He begged my forgiveness."

"He received it from Amber," Kevin muttered. "She would have killed him for all he'd done, but he'd said it was either her or him and his family."

"You've no idea how true that was my son," the priest said. "None of these young men would have ever done such vile things were it not for the Chancellor. I watched these young men be warped in the mind into something horrible. Something that I know they weren't proud of." Kevin was silent and the priest sat beside Kevin. "Thank you for telling me about young Brunswick. His wife will be very happy to find out he's alive."

"Good," Kevin muttered again.

"I know you must be so angry," the priest said. "But remember my child that anger and hatred is what led to this mess in the first place." Kevin was silent again. He had no emotion other than anger. "Amber lives, my child. You and she can finally marry. You can start your lives together. Her parents live and can give her to you."

"That doesn't change what happened to her, Father," Kevin said.

"I know," the priest said. "But you cannot move on if you dwell on it. I will tell that to all our troops that come home. They know what they've done and they'll have to repent for it. Perhaps there will be some that won't, but those that do will need to not dwell. Those like yourself and Amber would be the ones to forgive. Always remember to error is human, to forgive divine. The greatest sin lies on the shoulders of the man who lied to those around him and made them do evil deeds." Kevin was quiet again as he stared at the pictures and lit candles. Perhaps one day Kevin could forgive. But it wouldn't be today.

By the time the Allied troops had moved into Berlin, Eloise had gone into labor and had the baby. A little girl who, as per Nathan's orders, was named Jaedynn. Ada María, knowing Nathan, completed the name and on the little girl's birth certificate that Nathan would sign when he returned home, Ada María wrote Jaedynn Rose Black. She then signed her name as the little girl's mother. After Eloise recovered from childbirth, as had been agreed upon, she packed her things and made the trip to Canada never to be seen or heard from again by them. They'd seen Eloise off at the train station same day that they picked up Tamara and Ivory for their yearly visit. Tamara was surprised to find out about Jaedynn but agreed the little girl was beautiful.

And truly she was. Her father's black hair, her mother's pale skin, and she even had blue eyes from her mother. Scarlet nicknamed her Snow White and would even sing the song from the Disney movie though she barely remembered the lyrics. It certainly wasn't easy for her to sing. The original actress for Snow White was a soprano like no other. Ada María would sing Inca lullabies to the little girl that were easier for her to sing. Ada María couldn't believe how much she was growing to love Jaedynn as though she were her very own. After she'd tucked Ariel into bed for the night, Ada María stayed downstairs with Jaedynn with Tamara who'd put Ivory down for the night.

"She's a beauty," Tamara smiled.

"She is," Ada María agreed with a distant smile. "You know….I usually detest kids. I've never had a desire to be a mother. When I had Ariel, I thought he would be the only child I'd ever love. But Jaedynn's changed my mind."

"I wonder why?" Tamara said.

"Nathan used to say that to know Jae was to love him. Jaedynn is named after the man since he'd died in Paris."

"Sounds like little Jaedynn's earning her namesake then," Tamara said. "She has a lot of her mother to be sure. At least in appearance."

"Certainly she does," Ada María agreed. "Alice suggested we all take another picture together."

"That sounds nice," Tamara agreed. "Why did Jaedynn's mother leave so suddenly, though? Isn't she planning to raise the child?"

"She didn't want to be a mother," Ada María said. "I'd never wanted to be either, but when I had Nathan's child, I didn't mind. Nathan wasn't that man for her. Which serves my intent just fine. It's enough he has you and Ivory. I don't know if I could stand sharing him with yet another woman. But then, at least Nathan doesn't love Eloise. You he does."

"Not as much as you," Tamara said. "He'll always love you more. Maybe if he'd never met you, Nathan and I would have been together eventually, but he found you. I'll never be you."

Ada María smiled just a little, "I can take comfort in that. Did I tell you we more or less reconciled?"

"Do tell," Tamara smiled.

"It's not a very happy story. He was depressed after Jae's death and he'd written me. I won't disclose too much of what he said. I know he wouldn't want me to. But he said he was tired of being angry and wanted to put the past behind us. I told him I'd be here when he returned. Then I'd found out about Eloise being pregnant, but he'd already explained what happened with her. So I wasn't upset."

"I'm relieved to know everything will be alright," Tamara said. "I'm happy to see you and Scarlet finally getting along so well too."

"So am I," Ada María smiled and looked down at Jaedynn who was fast asleep in her little pink blanket.

"So Jaedynn Rose," Tamara grinned. "Now Nathan's got a Willow, a Dahlia and a Rose. What flower will you add to that garden when you and he have another daughter?"

"Oh, God, I don't know," Ada María said. "Maybe an Orchid."

"Orchids are nice," Tamara agreed. "What would her first name be?"

"Let's worry about me even being pregnant again before we start thinking about that," Ada María said and made Tamara giggle.

When August came, so did the nuclear bombs that dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. With that devastating attack and Japan's subsequent surrender shortly thereafter, the war was officially, completely over and there was much rejoicing over it. People thought, for sure, that now their boys would be sent home. There'd been a delay in sending them back past that initial three month estimation, but now, surely, they were being sent home once and for all. That's what everyone hoped for. But much to everyone's chagrin, demobilization kept being put off and put off. When Christmas of 1945 came, Kevin and the others were irritable at best and they weren't alone. Men were protesting, demanding to be sent home. October that year was the beginning of Operation Magic Carpet which was intended for sending the men home. The problem came in the form that it was moving with the speed of molasses going down tree bark. Those at home were no happier. When Christmas came, Ariel opened the presents Nathan had sent him and Jaedynn, but he was sad to open them without Nathan being there.

"The war's over isn't it?" Ariel asked. "Why hasn't dad come home yet?"

"I don't know," Ada María said and rubbed Ariel's head. By now, the boy appeared 10 years old, near twice his real age. The longer Nathan was away, the more of Ariel's life he would miss. She knew that weighed heavily on Nathan already. "He and the others will be sent home soon."

"They've been saying that for a while," Ariel protested.

"I know," Ada María agreed. "Believe me, your father and the others are just as frustrated."

"Don't worry, Ariel," Alice smiled. "You'll meet your father soon."

Anna, Levi and Amber got to celebrate Hanukah that year for the first time since they fled Paris. It was just the two of them celebrating, but that was per their request. Levi wanted to spend the holiday with his wife and daughter. Something they'd not done in years. There was also the situation in that the tribe, or the houses available, had simply run out of room for all their visitors. So they helped Levi, Anna, and Amber move into Kevin's house in the suburbs of Seattle. While they'd seen pictures of the house when Kevin had first obtained the house, it was far better to see it in person. There was a spare room and the master bedroom so there were plenty of sleeping options and Edward and Bella moved in with them to help them grow accustomed as well as help them with learning English. In particular, Edward wanted to start helping Amber through what she'd been put through.

"How are you enjoying being in Washington, Amber?" Edward asked her one evening after she and Bella had made dinner for Levi and Anna.

"I've…..enjoyed it," she said, trying to remember how to say it in English.

"You and your parents have come a long way in your English," Edward praised.

Amber had largely returned to her healthy weight. She was still a little thinner than she'd been before, but Edward and Carlisle were confident that with another meal of blood, she'd be back to normal. Her parents were filling out well too. No longer were Anna and Levi unnaturally pale and hollowed in the cheeks. They'd gained a healthy amount of weight and were starting to appear as though nothing happened, save of course for the numbers tattooed on their forearms. Most often, even in warm weather, they would wear long sleeves shirts to hide their numbers, wanting no reminder of them. Amber and Anna had made themselves at home in the candle room Kevin had crafted for them years before. Anna and Amber would spend hours making candles together, sharpening their skills and engrossing themselves in anything they could. By the end of the first week of living in Kevin's house, they'd used up all the wax and candles Kevin had initially stocked in that room and the house was overtaken with more candles than any of them had seen in one space.

They'd had a chance to finally meet the Rabi from the synagogue in Kevin's neighborhood that Kevin had shown to Levi in pictures. They'd told the Rabi of all the candles they'd carved and offered to let them sell them at the Synagogue as part of a fundraiser he was holding for families of soldiers and for survivors of the holocaust. News of what the soldiers had seen spread like wildfire and citizens were mortified. Citizens of Germany had been forced to see the camps and there wasn't a person present in those viewings that felt anything else but intense shame and shock. Fundraisers were popping up to send to survivors as well as the allied troops desperate to come home. Baked goods and carved candles seemed, to the Rabi, like a great way to raise money. Per their request though, the Rabi made no mention to patrons of Anna, Levi and Amber being survivors. The congregants of the synagogue knew of course, but they all knew it was a touchy subject. Amber would even refuse to really talk about Kevin and how he'd rescued her despite several congregants finding the story so romantic. The fact that he was her fiancé made the story all the more romantic. They'd ask when their wedding would be and she'd never answer.

"Do you mind if we talk tonight?" Edward asked Amber after she, Bella and Anna had finished cleaning the dishes.

"I suppose," Amber said. In order to give them some privacy to talk, Amber and Edward went into the candle room together leaving the door slightly ajar. Wanting to occupy herself, Amber grabbed a piece of soap and started to carve it while Edward talked.

"How did you enjoy the fundraiser?" Edward asked despite knowing her answer.

"It's nice to have sold those candles," Amber said, her accent thick and an odd combination of German and French. While her accent was dominantly German, sometimes she'd say something with a French accent instead.

"They're going towards good causes," Edward said. "You've done several fundraisers in your life have you not?"

"Whenever there was a need," Amber nodded. She continued to carve into the soap, making the petals of an orchid.

"Are you making that for anyone in particular?"

"No," Amber said. "I just want to work on something while we talk."

Edward smiled reassuringly, "It'll get easier the more we talk. I promise." Amber sighed and continued with the orchid soap carving. "I think soon your father's English will have improved enough that he can look for work. He's restless."

"Mom says he doesn't like living in Kevin's home," Amber said. "He feels as though he's intruding. Kevin would assure he's not, but you already know daddy."

"There's time," Edward assured. "Do you wish to look for work? Or your mother?"

"I can," said. "I'm not really ready for that though."

And she wasn't. Edward knew. Going to the synagogue was already difficult for her. She hated being in large groups, she shied away from speaking to people, she jumped at any loud noises, with the exception of the candle room she hated tight spaces and got claustrophobic easily. She'd met a few doctors at the synagogue and upon learning they were doctors, she avoided them like lepers. Levi and Anna both would have to face rebuilding their lives. The issue came in the fact that they were already doing so. Levi was determined to find work to support his wife and daughter. He was a hard worker to the core and Edward admired that about Levi. Despite everything he'd been through, he was still most concerned with his wife and daughter. Anna was doing everything in her power to move forward not just for her sake but for Amber's and Levi's sake. She wanted to return to the happy days. She wanted so badly to return to those days when she would make Levi a hearty breakfast, see him off to work with his lunch and a kiss, and then have dinner ready on the table by the time Levi returned home all while selling her candles. She wanted 'the good old days' again. Amber on the other hand seemed to be unwilling to do either.

"Those candles you and your mother made were a hit at the fundraiser," Edward said. "I would be willing to bet you and your mother could keep selling candles. You loved doing that."

"I did," Amber said but it was lamenting. "I miss those days."

"I know," Edward said. "But since you're all here, you can have those days again. All that's left is for you to embrace this new life. Remember that what happened isn't your fault." Having finally gotten to the point as gently as possible Edward continued with his point. "I know this has been hard for you, Amber. For all of you. This is a shock for you to be sure. But you can't let it rule your life anymore."

"That's easy for you to say," Amber muttered.

"Believe it or not, it isn't," Edward said. "Remember I can read your mind. So I've seen everything you've been through in your own eyes. Same with your parents. I know this is hard. You've all been forced to endure so much for so long. I understand it's hard to move on. But if you don't, then they truly have taken everything from you." Amber was quiet. "You know full well Kevin would never hold any of what happened against you. You did what you had to and you were taken advantage of by a man that abused his power."

"I let him," Amber said. "I could have fought him but I didn't. Because I was scared."

"Exactly," Edward said. "You were scared. As were all the inmates. You wanted to spare your mother as much pain as possible and you did what he forced of you in order to save your mother. I think what you did was brave."

"Brave?" Amber said. "Brave would have been sneaking away with my parents and never looking back."

"At the risk of them shooting and killing Anna and Levi," Edward pointed out. "You didn't do that because the risk of getting caught and killed was too great." Amber was quiet. "You're all alive. That's all that matters now, Amber. The best thing to do is to move forward now. I know that's a big ask now but it will get easier."

"When?" Amber asked solemnly.

"Soon," Edward promised. He could hear in her thoughts she was skeptical. She kept thinking about Kevin and what would happen when he returned. On the one hand she missed him desperately. On the other hand, she was scared for when he'd come back. She'd spent all these years being ready to marry him and be with him and start a family. She'd spent all these years longing for his touch, their intimacy. Now, the thought frightened her. "He'll wait for you, Amber," Edward said. "He'll never force anything on you. You know that."

"I know," Amber mumbled. "I Just wish I could go back to those days when he was the only man…" she trialed off and was getting watery eyed. She stopped carving and took a moment to recover. "You know what I mean," she finally said.

"I do," Edward said. "We'll all help you through this, Amber. Especially Kevin."

"I know," Amber said and rubbed her eyes. She took a deep breath and returned her attention to the soap carving. "You must think me ungrateful."

"Not in the least," Edward promised. "It'll be alright in the end, Amber. No matter how long it takes, everything will be alright in the end. You have my word."

This time, Amber finally smiled a little and finished carving the orchid she'd been working on. She turned to painting it and once it was done, she gave it to Bella as a gift. It would take a lot of time, but Edward could tell little by little he was helping Amber come to terms. He was confident once Kevin returned home, he'd help her more than Edward ever could. They were all eager for the men to finally come home and each time it either kept getting put off or they weren't selected to be sent home made the whole thing feel like an eternity. Kevin and the others remained stuck in Europe for another half a year. Travis and Oscar took advantage of the time to be together in any way they could. Travis accepted the fate of their relationship no matter how it hurt and spent as much of his time with Oscar as possible. Then, at long last, May of 1946, Kevin and the others were finally selected to be sent home.

"Finally," Peta smiled at hearing the news. "We're going home."

"I get to meet my children," Nathan smiled and looked at Kevin who'd relayed the news to them. "Have you told dad yet?"

"I'm going to," Kevin said with a smile that had been rare for him in recent years. "I wanted to tell all of you first."

"Make sure he knows to notify Tamara as soon as possible," Nathan said.

"He will," Kevin reassured.

Later, when he was able, Kevin snuck away to the woods and shifted to a wolf, catching Jacob to tell him they were finally coming home. When Jacob told the tribe, there wasn't a moment of rest. Everyone began preparing for their return. Evalina made a point to ensure she'd be able to make anginette cookies for Kyle, but Renesmee convinced her to wait a while until they knew exactly when they'd be home. Jacob agreed to run to Las Vegas as fast as possible so he could inform Tamara. She made the appropriate arrangements with the school she worked at and collected some things and Ivory and returned to Washington by train with Jacob. Later in the week, Kevin turned to a wolf again to let Jacob know exactly when they were leaving and that he'd keep giving them updates as to when to expect them. Kevin also sent a telegram to Alphonse to let him know. It was strange to write to Alphonse. It had been years since he'd spoken to him and it certainly was felt.

It was weeks before it was the day when their train was expected to arrive. Evalina made cookies, Renesmee got a big dinner ready with the help of all members of the tribe and the people in town were hosting a similar event in town, but the tribe wanted to hold their own thing. Amber, Anna and Levi came to Forks to wait for Kevin's arrival and Tamara made it to the tribe just in time. Ivory, a little girl they all couldn't believe was five now, was restless, eager to finally meet her father. Tamara would always show Ivory a picture of Nathan before she went to bed and tell her stories about Nathan. Ivory and Ariel were of the same mindset of their father being better than Superman. At least to them. Alice made sure all the children, Jaedynn included, were dressed their best that early morning when they would be going to Port Angeles to welcome them all home. Ada María had sent word to Marcelo to send her the red dress she'd worn when she and Nathan first met and had her hair up in a tight bun like that night as well. By the time they'd left for the train station, they were all dressed to the nines, prepared for their arrival. While they waited, the saw two men and a young woman approaching. They'd recognized one man to be Alphonse Heidelberg. The other two, they weren't sure.

"Alphonse," Renesmee smiled and approached the man. "It's a pleasure to see you. It's been so long."

"Indeed it has," Alphonse smiled kindly. "I heard Kevin was returning today. I assume since you're all here that is correct?"

"Indeed it is," Renesmee smiled.

"Oh, Harold, wait until you meet Uncle Kevin!" the young woman that Renesmee finally realized must be Anastasia. She'd grown so much in the years it had been since Renesmee had seen the girl.

"I look forward to it, Darling," the man, Harold, said.

"Oh!" Anastasia said. "Where are my manners. First of all, it's so wonderful to see you. You've no idea how eagerly we've all been waiting for Uncle Kevin to come home. I've missed him so much."

"We all have," Renesmee smiled and looked at the young man. "And who is this handsome gentleman?"

"Ah, yes," Anastasia said and blushed just a little. "This is Harold Fitzgerald Foster. Daddy hired him to the law firm to help while Uncle Kevin was away. His family make good money investing in the housing market out east and they even own a vineyard in California! Then we met when I came to the law firm, he wasted no time pursuing me."

"I knew a good young woman when I saw one," Harold smiled.

"He started sending me flowers every day! Then daddy let us invite him over for dinner and we courted for about two years until he proposed last spring."

"Congratulations, Anastasia," Renesmee smiled. "You're a very lucky man Mr. Foster. I admit I didn't get to meet Anastasia very often, but my son speaks glowingly of her."

"I beg pardon?" Harold said, a little surprised. "You're son?"

"She's Uncle Kevin's mother," Anastasia said.

"Oh," Harold said, a little dumbstruck at first. "I must say, Mrs. Black, you have clearly aged….remarkably gracefully."

"Why, I love him already Anastasia. He's very charming," Renesmee smiled.

"He is when he wants to be," Anastasia teased and patted Harold's chest while he continued to stare, remaining dumbfounded. After Alphonse, his daughter and future son-in-law joined the group of family members, they all stood on that platform and waited. It seemed like an eternity. Even when they heard the whistle of the train approaching, it felt as though it took forever. Ariel was shifting from side to side on his feet impatiently. And at long last, when the train approached the station, time continued to feel as though it stood still.