(A/N): Hey Guys! So, this is a really short chapter, but it's from Shari's PoV. Since this chapter is here, the plot twist will be in not the next chapter, but the one after it.

Disclaimer: I own nothing but Leo, Elaine, Nicholai and Shari.

Shari

What the hell was that?

In every other sparring match I had had with Leo, I had kicked his butt, as I should have, but this time...

"He's developing faster than I thought he would." Nicholai said aloud, sounding worried, but I slapped him on the arm.

"You didn't tell me about this." He glanced at me before shrugging.

"I thought I'd have more time." He looked to the ground before giving a bitter chuckle. "All I wanted was a son. Instead, I ruined his life, and jumped into something we are all wholly unprepared for." I stared at him before slapping him again.

"You didn't ruin anything. Excuse my opinion, but I don't think Leo would've been very happy as a pureblood with a prejudice. Besides, if you hadn't had him, he wouldn't have a life for you to have ruined anyway." He glanced at me before staring into woods Leo had taken off into.

"I didn't take any of this into account when I... I just wanted a child of my own. I didn't know that he would be like... me." I knew what he meant, so I nodded, resting a hand on his shoulder.

"He's not like you." Nicholai, my old friend, lifted his head to stare at me. "Leo is a very independent person, he's different from anyone I've ever seen. And what happened earlier proves that." He moved to sit on the ground, his knees pulled to his chest with his arms resting upon them.

"From what I know about other half-vampires, he's different from them also." Nick muttered, and I kneeled next to him, my hand still on his shoulder.

"I told you, didn't I? He's unique." I stared into the woods also. "He's smart enough to know not to make a mistake, Cole, so you shouldn't be worrying about him so much." He glanced at me, his eyes wide.

"He's my son! I will worry about him to the day I die!" I smiled at his persistence.

"I know you will, that's the way you Ellwood's are. All fiercely protective, stubborn, secretive arseholes." He grinned at me, sniffing back the tears that he refused to shed.

"I thought you said Leo was different?" I shrugged with a small smile.

"Not in that respect he's not."

(A/N): What do you think?

So, I was going to put 'secretive bastards' but then I realised that she would seem too much like Lily, so I put Secretive assholes.

Please review and/or check out my other stories!

This chapter had has small edits made to it on 29/12/22 - Nicholai's speech has been modified to better reflect things that are explained much later in the story. They don't really change the meaning of what he says here, but with the context I bring in later, it now makes sense that he (and Shari) phrased things they way that they did.