This was an easy chapter to write. It took me a minute to decide whether or not it would be too off course, but it felt right. I hope you guys like it. I would also like to say thank you for all that are still reading and especially those of you who review. Reading your thoughts and how much you like the story gives me motivation and happiness to write more. Can't wait to give you guys another update!

One thing I didn't anticipate in our grand escape from Pennsylvania was what our lives would become once we made it to La Push. At least not past finding a home and working to support us. Friends, a resentful grandparent, and making out with my boss certainly never crossed my mind on our cross-country trek. I spent those days crossing the United States thinking of how I'd feed us and where we'd sleep. Maybe even how to furnish our home, once I found one. Never once did I think about our social standing or how to proceed past our survival. After Saturday night, it seems it's all I can think about. Sighing, I let my eyes trace over the wood pattern of the ceiling again. Anna's soft snores sound from the pack and play. She wouldn't be awake. Not with the sunlight just starting to light up the sky outside.

Closing my eyes, I try to drift back to sleep, but flashes of the night before keep tumbling through my mind. I feel my flush as I think about the sound of him panting my name. The way it left his lips like a prayer…or maybe a prayer answered. The feeling of his fingers over my clothes as they gripped my waist. The taste of him, I swear, still lingers on my tongue. My heart stutters in my chest and I give up on trying to sleep. Pushing back my blankets, I stand up and quietly make my bed. I feel like I'm on auto pilot as I go about my morning routine, only coming out of my haze to notice the lack of hot water again. My heart leaps in my chest at the thought of calling Jake to come fix it. I let Anna continue to sleep as I start my coffee for the morning, my heart leaping for a different reason. The memory of Anna curled up in Jake's arms as he told her a story of a wolf man and his love. Her eyes closed and body relaxing slowly as she drifted off to sleep. He stayed for an hour rocking Anna to sleep as he told her his drawn-out story.

"Is she asleep?" I ask him as I sip the cup of tea I made.

Jake's eyes find me sitting at the table and he nods, his demeanor calmer than I felt. He doesn't make a move to sit down when he walks over. Instead, he stands next to me at the end of the table and meets my eyes.

"She fought it for a while, but no one can withstand my amazing story telling skills." He jokes with a bright smile.

"Like father like son." I smile back.

We both lapse into silence, and I feel awkwardness start to fill the space between us. Or maybe not so much awkwardness, but a sense of something bigger waiting to be uncovered. It sits like an ocean between us and I force myself to look at him again. He must see something on my face, because he sits down, reaching forward and taking a sip of my tea before sliding the mug back to me. I feel my face flush when I think of the last time we drank from the same cup.

"I meant what I said." He tells me after more silence.

His words from earlier filter through my mind. The pure sincerity pouring from him. The concern for Anna and I. The same things coming from him in spades at this very moment. Could I do it though? Could I trust him? Could I trust myself to open up to someone other than my mother? I look down at the table and bite my lip as anxiety seeps through me.

"It was my mom's boyfriend." My voice is strained.

I stop talking, instead I take a long drink of tea. Taking my time to compose my thoughts. Still not sure how much I want to share and hide. Jake doesn't say anything, letting me have my moment. He's patient.

"He was charming, looking back he was too charming. He didn't even mind that mom was pregnant with Anna. He seemed so great." I laugh without humor. "Once Anna was born, all those sleepless nights uncovered who he really was. By that time, we were to deep and there wasn't a way out."

"Charlie…" I don't let him continue.

"We shared the abuse. Then mama got sick and I took the brunt of it, but when she ended up in the hospital I took it all." I don't go deep. I don't tell him everything. I can't, not now. "That's why I'm here. How much longer before he turned on Anna? She's just two. She's too little for that. It would've killed her."

"Does he know you're here?" He asks, his hands shaking before he puts them in his lap and out of my sight.

"No. If he did, I wouldn't be here." I tell him with a shake of my head. I meet his eyes with utter seriousness. "That doesn't mean he couldn't find us."

"How?" His tone is stone.

His eyes flashing with something dark. I don't respond. So many things tumble through my head. Something whispers in my mind to stop. Not to tell him anything else. To glide over it. I take a deep breath and sigh, exhaustion battering into me.

"Where there's a will there's a way."

Truck tires on gravel pull me from my thoughts and I glance up from my spot on the porch I wandered out to. I tug the flannel from last night tighter around me as I watch Jake get out of his truck. Surprise fills me as I look to the sky, the light telling me it couldn't be more than 7am. Two cups of coffee are in his hands as he comes up the walkway.

"Are you here about the hot water?" I ask jokingly. He smiles brightly at me, making my heart skip a beat.

"Thought you would want some coffee." He shrugs as he hands me a cup, replacing my empty mug. "I wanted to measure the yard for fencing. Didn't know you have no hot water."

"It went out yesterday, but I forgot to tell you." I tell him, sipping on the coffee he brought. "That's better than what I brewed this morning. Did you make this?"

"No, my dad's friend brings some from the coffee shop in Forks. I stayed the night with my dad last night so I got to place an order too." He laughs. "I'll go take a look and see if I can get to the bottom of the problem."

He heads inside and I follow him as I sip on the piece of art he brought me. I watch as he tests the water and fiddles under the sink, before sighing defeatedly.

"Should I be worried?" I ask lightly, attempting to fill the silence.

"I need to check the water heater, make sure the pilot light isn't out." He explains as he heads into the hallway and opens one of the doors. He messes with it for a while before shaking his head. "Busted water heater seems to be the issue. I'll need to get a replacement."

"How long will it take?" I ask, trying to work out things in my head. "Anna didn't get a bath last night, but she'll need one tonight."

"It's Sunday, are you going to Emily's and Sam's for dinner?" He asks as he closes up the door. I nod as I hold out his cup he had me hold. He takes it with a thankful smile. I try to ignore how close he is to me. "Emily won't have an issue letting her take her bath before you go home. You should also feel free to use my shower after work."

"I don't want to put you out." I feel guilt flooding me at the thought of using up his hot water. "If anything I could pay you a portion of your water bill."

"Don't worry about it. I don't take long showers so there's plenty of hot water left afterwards." He brushes away my worry effortlessly. We both lapse into silence as we sip on our coffee.

"We should talk." I finally say, shifting from one foot to the other.

"You don't waste time." He teases, lightening the moment.

"Jake." My tone is light, but blunt.

"I think after last night, you know where I stand." His voice is husky and now it feels almost impossible to ignore the lack of space between the two of us.

"I…I don't know what to think." I tell him honestly. "I didn't anticipate…I never thought that…You're my boss."

"I'm not here as your boss Charlie." He teases gently.

"You're right. You're my boss AND my landlord." I snort.

"I'm also your friend." He says softly.

"I've never had a friend's tongue in my mouth before." I retort ruefully.

His eyes darken and he clears his throat. My heart skips a beat when I feel my face flush in response. Looking down, I take a deep breath to steady myself.

"You have to understand. I never thought about what would come after we got here." I tell him softly, getting serious. "I never took time to think about what would happen once I got past finding a place to stay and a job to pay bills."

I turn and walk to the kitchen, Jake following me. I pull out the bag of bagels and some cream cheese.

"I don't want to get in the way of you taking care of Anna. That's not my intent." His tone is serious and I give him a small smile as I slide two bagels into the oven on a cookie sheet.

"I know. That's not what I'm saying." I reassure him. "I'm saying that I didn't consider what would happen once we got past just surviving. The only friend I had, I left behind when I came here. The only family I have is either laying in a hospital bed, sleeping, or pretending I don't exist. My only thought when I came out here was Anna. To provide her with a life she was safe in. It just never occurred to me that I had to do that too."

"Living just pay bills isn't a life." His voice is gentle, but firm. "It's not just Anna that deserves to have a life, it's you too. If not, then he's won."

"I know." I reply. Sighing, I meet his eyes. "I'm trying, I just don't know how to."

He moves around the island to stand in front of me. Beside him, I feel tiny. Like a flower next to a giant. A giant who has my heart skipping beats, and not because I'm afraid. He begins to lean down and I feel my face flush again. Feel anticipation race through my body, but it crashes down around me when he smiles as he opens the oven, pulling out the bagels. Setting the tray on the stove, he straightens up and stares down at me. I watch him contemplate something, before he slowly reaches out. His fingers brush my cheek and my breath hitches as his hand cups my face.

"I want to be honest with you. You deserve honesty." He tells me lowly. "I am your friend. No matter what I will always be your friend…but I care for you more than a friend should."

"I can't rush into anything…even if I'm starting to feel the same." I respond honestly. "I have Anna to think about. She comes first. ALWAYS. I can't afford to make mistakes. I can't risk anything, not with her. What is she supposed to think seeing us in a way other than friends?"

"That she's seeing the natural progression of a relationship between two people. Something she would have seen even if nothing bad had happened before you came here. I understand what you are saying though, and I think that means we take this at your pace. You're in control." His tone is bleeding the sincerity I'm starting to become used to. I take a moment to process everything, before nodding.

"I'm not ready for a complete relationship. Not yet." I tell him slowly, thinking through my words carefully. "I wouldn't object to us hanging out more though. No PDA in front of Anna though. I don't want her getting confused if…if it doesn't work out."

His hand strokes my face. Before he moves closer.

"And not in front of Anna?" He asks, his voice deepening slightly.

I feel my heart begin to beat fast. Leaning forward I feel my breath mix with his when I tilt my head back. Something about the way his eyes darken as they move over my face. As if he's unable to decide between looking at my eyes or my lips. It brings my attention back to how easy it is with him. How much I've opened up with him and how quickly its happened compared to everyone else. The strange attraction I've felt around him. I can feel myself wanting to give into it. Throw caution to the wind. Go against everything I just said. The thoughts are like a bell ringing in my ears. Clearing my throat, I pull together my focus.

"I have to get Anna up soon. I promised I'd take her costume shopping today." I murmur as I force myself to take a step back. His hand falls from my face and he nods and takes a deep breath as if pulling himself together. I take a moment to contemplate our talk as I put cream cheese on my bagel, watching him do the same to the other. "You know…you could come with us if you want."

"Are you sure?" He asks lightly, not looking up from his bagel. I almost snort at how casual he's trying to be, but my appreciation for his attempt to respect my boundaries keeps from it.

Before I can respond, the sound of little footsteps draws my attention. Glancing over I find Anna walking into the kitchen. Her little rabbit dangling from her hand as she rubs at her eyes with her free hand. The sight of her fills me with warmth and amusement. One of her pajama legs is up to her knee and she's missing a sock. She never wakes with two socks and the sight always makes me want to laugh. Glancing up, her eyes run over the kitchen, flitting between Jacob and I. Reaching out, I'm denied my morning kiss and cuddle when she goes straight to Jacob with her arms outstretched.

"Good morning beautiful." He says as he lifts her up with a bright smile. She smiles back at him before laying her head on his shoulder.

"You want some cereal baby?" I ask, already reaching for the cabinet that held her bowl. She shakes her head against Jacob's neck.

"I have an idea." Jake says as he pulls a juice box out of the fridge. Anna sits up and takes it from him, her eyes trained on his face raptly as she waits for his idea. "What if I take you and Charlie out for some breakfast to go and we can pick out your costume?"

"Yes." Her little voice is filled with excitement and her juice box is abandoned as she practically jumps from his arms. I laugh as she shoots off the minute her feet hit the floor. "We go!"

Her little cry to leave echoes throughout the house as she runs back to the room. I raise a brow at Jake when he turns to look at me. He has the grace to look sheepish.

"I guess I better go get her ready." I throw out with a small laugh. Before I leave his sight, I turn to him. "I suggest you pull her sippy cup out of the dishwasher unless you want hot chocolate all over your back seat. She's as messy as she is cute."

I laugh quietly when I hear him rush to the dishwasher once I turn the corner.

Jacob's POV –

"So tell me again why Anna has on both an astronaut and princess costume on right now?" Emily sounds as if she's going to burst into laughter as we watch Anna serve Dean some fake tea.

"Because Jacob folded like a deck of cards when she was told she had to pick one or the other." Charlie snorts as she sips takes a swig from her coke bottle.

"I did not fold." I object immediately. Everyone in the room laughs at me and Jared makes a whipping noise. "I didn't! There was only one princess dress left and I didn't want the other mothers eyeing it to make her nervous."

"They were not eyeing it!" Charlie exclaims, rolling her eyes at me.

"Yes, they were. I was just trying to save her from having it snatched out of her hands before she had time to decide between astronaut and princess." I explain as I take a long drink of my beer.

"What a hero!" Quil calls out in a breathy imitation of a woman.

"More like a sucker and a pushover." Paul scoffs.

"She didn't even try to pick." Charlie laughs.

"She looked upset that she was being rushed." I defend myself, but it's just a front and Charlie sees right through it.

"She scrunched her face for barely a second and you folded!" She shoots at me.

"I was helping her out!" I shoot back.

"You got scammed by a two-year-old." She chuckles before looking at me with utter amusement. "She knew she could get away with it after you got her two different types of muffins for breakfast when she couldn't make up her mind."

"Well, she looks cute when she's scamming me." I retort weakly. "Maybe I like it."

"Careful Black or you'll create a monster." She teases as the whole kitchen erupts into whipping noises and laughter.

We'd been like this since we got her over an hour ago. Anna had taken off with Dean the moment her feet touched the ground and Charlie was spirited away by Emily and Kim as soon as she walked through the door. The three got to work prepping dinner while the pack slowly filtered into the house over time. Each choosing to hang in the kitchen to joke around. Each making sure to keep at least two to three feet between them and Charlie. Not even giving her a chance to tense up. The result was perfect.

Leaning against the kitchen entryway, I can't tear my eyes away from Charlie. I'd never seen her this way. Laughing and joking freely with everyone. No traces of the caution or shadows of her abuse in her eyes. Her cheeks are flushed prettily, and her eyes are bright and glowing with happiness. So carefree as she relaxes, helping Emily husk corn. I take another swig of my beer as I bask in the moment. Charlie joking with the pack in front of me and Anna laughing as she serves another round of "tea" behind me. Both of them safe. Both of them so at home.

"It's a beautiful sight, isn't it?" Sam says as he comes to stand next to me. I don't glance away from the scene in front of me as I hum in agreement. "To see them like this after everything they've been through."

"It's like witnessing a fucking miracle." I agree lowly. "It's easy to forget about it all seeing them like this. Like it never happened. Like they've always been here."

As if sensing my attention, Charlie looks up and smiles brightly at me before throwing a husk at Jared when he tugs at one of her braids. Kim and Emily erupt into laughter when it hits his face with a loud smack.

"Never thought after Bella, I'd ever see you look like that again." Sam says lightly.

"Look like what?" I ask, finally pulling my gaze away from Charlie. Sam meets my eyes and the laughter fades to something firm.

"You'll know soon if this keeps up." He walks away to kiss Emily and grab another beer, leaving me alone to try to decipher his words.

Charlie's POV –

"Thank you, again, for letting me use your bathtub." I tell Emily and Sam as I bundle Anna up in her jacket over her pajamas.

"I don't want to hear another thank you." Emily says as she puts some leftovers in a bag. "You are welcome to it anytime you need it."

"Jake says he'll place the order for a new water heater tomorrow. Should be delivered in a week or two." I explain with a smile. "Bright side is that I bet the hot water will be fantastic with a brand-new water heater."

We both laugh as I scoop Anna up and make my way outside. Jacob is already at the truck, having gone out earlier to warm it up for us. Most of the guys are still inside, but some are out on the porch drinking and laughing.

"It was so great to see you." Kim says with a wide smile. "We needed more estrogen to balance all this testosterone around here."

"It's nice to relax and have a good time with everyone." I tell her as Jake takes Anna from me and starts loading her into her car seat. "Plus, the food is amazing."

"Flattery…will get you everywhere." Emily teases with a prideful look. She hands me the bag of the leftovers she packed. "Take that home. Eat it, freeze it for later, or take it to work."

"The day I turn down free food is the day you take me out back and put me down." I laugh, accepting it with a thankful smile. "Thank you again for tonight. I had fun."

"Every Sunday, but I'll see you Friday night for the party." She reminds me. "I'll also see Anna tomorrow. Princess Nasa is going to help me start picking out the spread for Friday."

"She'll love that." I tell her in earnest. I wave goodbye to the two of them and hop into the truck. Jake waves goodbye as well before getting into the driver's seat.

Leaning back, I let myself relax as we start to back out of the driveway. The sound of Anna's snores already sounding out before we hit the road. The sound of ACDC plays quietly over the speakers and we drive in comfortable silence. I let my eyes close as I soak up the moment the way I soaked up the whole night. Storing it away to get me through the future. Committing every detail to memory for the next time I feel the void come knocking. Everything about today felt like a dream. Everything.

"Look at me baby. Tell me which one you want more. The astronaut or the princess?" I ask Anna, handing her the two costumes.

She stares at me quietly. Probably the only quiet thing in the entire store. I should've gone to pick up her costume earlier than the week before Halloween. Everywhere parents were frantically snatching costumes off hooks. Kid's screaming, laughing, and crying fill the air. I'm almost positive the only reason we'd gotten to the last princess costume is because Jake looked so damn intimidating as he towered over the masses. The only thing that brought it down from scary was the look of Anna's tiny body in his arms as she excitedly directed him to an array of different outfits.

The man in question was currently fixated on said little girl with a suspiciously weak willed look on his face. I sigh inwardly already knowing how this is going to end, especially after our stop at the bakery this morning. Anna continues to stare at me, and I smile at her before gesturing between the two costumes.

"Pick one so we can go buy it." I encourage her gently as I ignore a stage five meltdown five feet away.

"This place has to be hell." Jake says under his breath. I can't help but agree with him silently.

Anna looks down at the costumes in her hand. Her little face fills with concentration as she considers her options. I hear Jacob's foot begin to tap next to me and fight to keep the smile off my face. It's almost impossible when I see Anna sneak a glance at Jacob, her eyes lighting up with an idea.

"Anna." I call her attention to me and raise a brow.

Her face looks absolutely innocent, but I'm not fooled. She looks up at Jacob with her big clear eyes, before looking back down at her options. I watch her face do just the tiniest scrunch. Just the smallest cue of distress. I can practically hear the straw land on the camel's back before the break. Jacob lets out a huff and squats down to be at level with Anna the best he can.

"I have an idea." He says reaching forward to take the costumes from her. "Why don't we get them both. Then you can have all week to decide which on you want to wear on Friday."

I cough to cover up my laugh as she beams up at him and nods. He drapes the costumes over one arm and picks her up with the other before he pushes past the crowds of families towards the registers. Anna catches my gaze over his shoulder. The look in her eyes full of mischief, completely opposite of her innocent expression. Shaking my head, I move to follow them.

"Such a sucker." I mumble under my breath.

I'm pulled from my thoughts as we pull up to the house. It doesn't take me long to unload Anna, waving away Jacob when he offers to take her.

"I've got it." I tell him with a smile. "Thanks for today. It was a good day. Even if you were a total sucker."

"I didn't fold." He insists. I raise a brow at him and watch his smile start to fade. "No. No way. I didn't get played by a two-year-old."

"And I'm a big burly lumberjack from Canada." I tell snort. I watch the realization spread across his face and laugh quietly at the horrified look he pins on the sleeping toddler in my arms.

"She's dangerous." He practically squeaks.

"One look at her and Dean playing could've told you that." I tell him.

Turning I walk up the walkway. He follows behind me and waits as I unlock the door. He waits by the door as I lay Anna down. She doesn't even budge as I pull her coat off and tuck the blankets around her. Making sure the night light is on, I kick off my boots and crack the door as I leave the room.

"I really need to get some furniture." I mumble under my breath as I walk down the hallway, the sound of my footsteps echoing slightly.

"Thank you for letting me join you today." Jacob says when I reach him.

"Thank you for coming." I tell him. I grab the leftovers from the dining room table and hand it to him. "Give that to Billy for me, will you?"

"He'll love these. Emily's cooking is always appreciated." He chuckles. His eyes run over my face, but I don't move forward thought. Understanding lights up in his eyes and he opens the door, no signs of negativity. "I'll see you at work tomorrow."

"I'll see you tomorrow." I agree. "Goodnight Jake."

"Goodnight Charlie." He says, pausing to smile softly at me before closing the door behind him.

Locking the door, I turn and lean against the door. My eyes scan over the empty house in front of me. The dark takes over almost every inch, the lack of furniture leaving nowhere to fill it. I stare at it, waiting for the usual thoughts and feelings to fill me. I wait for a while, but for the first time in months the only thing that fills me is the feeling of a good day ending.

I hope it's not too much of a detour from how they've normally been doing, but I felt strongly they needed a win. A day to help lighten the load on their shoulders. Plus a small amount of bonding between Jacob and Charlie and a little more solidification between her and the pack. Hope you liked it and I can't wait to read your thoughts and opinions!