The days that followed were uneventful with Seth gone for patrol most of the time, Charlie and Sue were always off doing something or working a part time job equally with annual pension. Naomi spent the weekend in her bedroom, she went through all of her old stuff and she was… recovering well. Naomi started to feel more comfortable in her skin when the medicine from the hospital worked for her infection and it was gone by Wednesday. The following Friday, after the longest day she had at work so far and she couldn't stop thinking about many, many things. One of them was the fact that she noticed her shoulder and knee felt completely pain free and her abdomen was clear of bruises, she hadn't noticed being unconsciously depressed even though she unknowingly healing faster than she expected mentally and physically.

Another one of her many spiraling thoughts, she couldn't stop thinking about Seth and how he made everything feel better and it increased her conflict about Jason and made her feel even more… miserable. She thought about the charges and what he did, all of that pain she didn't want to deal with made her chest constrict and more bruises to her ego about the reality that he wasn't going change. The court date and constant gossip at work from the fast-traveling news in this mopey small town. The embarrassment and pity of the situation conflicted her more, the chiefs youngest biological daughter being beaten on by her fiancé, she knew that the talk around the town would be pitiful and mocking. She thought it was typical for Charlie's offspring with Renee would accept such treat, like mother like daughter from things she witnessed over the years during visits. She believed her mind from the years of bullying manipulation that she deserved it, she didn't deserve to be truly loved and that ripped a hole in her chest and she wanted to believe that deserved it all. The injuries, the infection, the beatings, what could she offer?

Her cooking wasn't good enough, she didn't do enough around the house, she worked too much or too less, she was too skinny, too chubby. She was ugly. But it all hurt her ego immensely pulling her into a dark abyss of self-hatred as she pulled her legs up to her chest and wrapped her arm around her legs and crying into her knees. She wanted to go back to Jason and fixed everything, drop the charges and go back to how it was, but she also wanted to be within Seth's warm embrace that held more care than Jason's empty arms. The court case was Thursday morning in another week, and if she had to be honest, she was considering dropping the charges, she was thinking about the current pulse between her legs and she desperately wanted relief but only felt comfortable with one person to do it.

But then she thought about it, everything about giving Jason credit was wrong and he certainly couldn't keep his dick out of anything. She thought about Seth again, just everything about his presence that calmed her. She covered her head with her arms and sighed heavily in frustration, and then she began to cry at the kitchen table with food Sue saved for her from dinner in front of her.

Jason sits at the couch with those photos littered across the tabletop of the coffee table in his two-bedroom house, he stared at the photos on the tabletop with his chin on his fists as his elbow rested on his thighs. His thoughts spiraling as he soaked in the emptiness of the house, the silence of his phone, the three zeroes in his bank account receipt, and the only girl that made sure he was straightened out with everything. He refused to feel the pain right now, but as he walked around the house feeling more of the emptiness of the house, and in this moment he realized this is the first time since he met Naomi that he was alone. He was the only one left in his family, all he had now was his lawyer and what he told him wasn't a lie, he needed to get her back.

He started considering ideas to get her back before the court date, get her to drop the charges. Anything to save his reputation, anything to get out of this town for good with her, and never return and no contact. He didn't sleep, he ate the food that was left over in the fridge, he would never verbally admit that he loved Naomi's cooking. He hated admitting anything about loving that woman and he truly didn't even care that he hurt her physically, he knew what he needed to do to get her back and it always worked. He paced around the house pondering for hours slowly but surely and eventually he will go crazy for a solution.

For the first time in his existence he felt a certain urge to protect his sister in law, a girl just like his own wife with a shielded mind, it made him begin to think about his early years of existence. The overwhelming urge to fed the Earth of minds like Jason's, men just like Jason, the urge to indulge in his god complex to rid the pain that scarred an innocent girl since she was still in high school. A child, a baby, his urge was fueled by the fear of his own daughter being hurt in the same way, not able to comprehend the motives behind the actions. His thoughts mirrored Seth's without the imprint bond, it was highly unlikely his own daughter would be able to be hurt by a human man in such a way. But the mental and emotional trauma maybe and he really wanted to act on this situation but with his stubborn self-control and discipline was like a cocky mind within itself.

Jacob Black was trying to comprehend the same thing Edward and Seth were thinking through the week, he grew up with Naomi and was pensive over Leah's offer to take care of Jason herself. Charlie wouldn't care about Jason's sudden disappearance, and out of coincidence Sam Uley called the Black's residence announcing that the Uley's, his wife Emily Uley and her two year old son, return to La Push after years of college. Sam demanded to be caught up over the years after telling Billy what he's been up to over the years, Billy went onto the long story of everyone over the years all the way up to date. And Sam hoped he had talk with the hurting members of the pack, he hoped he could help in some way. Jacob was conflicted, worried about Naomi. It consumed his mind as he tried to calm himself with the fact that she was in Seth's hand and if anybody could help her, it was Seth. She was mad at her father for how he raised er but he didn't raise her to be stupid if she really had to think about it, it wasn't all of his fault. There have been numerous accounts of her denying for so long about the truth about Jason. She was right, she was at fault for staying for so long and she is going to be 22 in April, she was young and she was educated and she could continue if she wanted to work for a huge corporation like the buildings in Seattle.

The court date is coming up and she had so many possibilities and she could finally have the peace she wanted. She had years to come to think about marriage and kids, everything she had ever wanted., she could have three years of peace. She would think about what would happen after, she knew that three years for him should be enough time to see the error of his ways and choose to move on. Somehow, in some way, either way he would be T'd over the order. There were a lot of things she thought of, but it was the peace and multiple possibilities ahead of her that she wanted and that still seemed so far, while thinking about love and wanting it but the fear of falling in love again was excruciating.

Seth found Naomi sobbing at the kitchen table the moment he opened the backdoor from returning from patrol, her sobs mixing with hard rain pouring down outside he grabbed one of the chairs and made the chair make a little sound for her to know he was around but she was too far in the depths of bullying mind. She jumped startled when Seth put a gentle hand on her upper back. She ducked her head when she realized it was Seth embarrassed he caught her crying.

"I'm sorry I didn't mean to startle you. I thought you heard me," he murmurs quietly rubbing her back soothingly.

"I'm sorry for being a baby." She hiccupped, tears welling and falling from her eyes.

Even though she was in pain, her eyes told him she was glad to see him. "You don't need to apologize to me." Seth reassured as she leaned into him again as he ran his hair through her damp hair.

He soothed her quickly with his warm amber atmosphere of unconditional love for her, and the distance cut between them with the imprint bond, he padded her face gently with a damp paper towel and coaxed her to finish her plate of food he reheated. The TV would be too much to get her to go back to sleep, she would probably watch anything keep from going to sleep he knew that much, so he grabbed his book from his room and by the third page of reading quietly aloud she was out by the smoothness of his quiet voice. Smooth and warm, and light with his voice tone, his scent filling her nose from facing his stomach and the scent of the detergent from his shirt. His heat radiating from his body provided a comfortable and peaceful warmth that helped lure her to sleep.

If Rosalie had to admit anything verbally about helping out humankind when Edward gathered them all together in the early hours of morning dew, she supported Edwards confliction of making Jason disappear when he explained what he was hearing from Jason's mind and the blank future Alice was seeing. For the first time they were dealing with human conflict and not Vampire conflict, it was strange feeling as the coven conversed together over multiple options and discussing the right motives for this situation well into the late morning hours of the new day.

The light cloud cover began to disperse after the light drizzle that ended around 7:40 in the morning, patches of the blue sky peaking through the pale grey clouds, the forest surrounding the town of Forks was brightening to vivid Earthy tones. The streets and side roads filled with weekend employees and family with the intention of taking advantage of the promising sunny Saturday. The weathermen promised shattered clouds and temperatures up to the high 50's, and the calm weather was supposed to last until Wednesday, and the town was all a flutter about the change of climate. Renesmee smiled to herself as she looked up at the sky with naturally parting clouds, her chocolate brown eyes swirling with a gold ring around her pupil. Her father stood nearby crossing his arms as he listened to her mind as she used her powers to ensure a bright week but she knew she couldn't abuse her powers; she didn't want to push her limits. The gold ring ceased around her pupil and she smiled wider as she stared out the wide windows in the living room of the big open family house, she looked over to her right feeling her father's eyes on her smile dropped at his stoic, stern facial expression.

"Renesmee." He started.

It'll help Aunt Naomi recover. She thought as she imagined her aunt seeing the sunshine in her childhood town, the hopeful intention of giving her hope through the brightness of the climate. A big, wholesome heart within the human/hybrid's chest, so kind, so soft, and loving, a person who held the very true hidden hearts of her parents into one. A beautiful, soft wholesome heart full of unconditional and pure love.

Bella zipped into the room and stopped beside her husband linking her arm around his waist and looking up at him with love and happiness in her golden topaz irises.

"Everyone wants to go hiking. Shall we join them?"

Edward sighed as he brushed off Renesmee's actions and decided that maybe it would work, the damage was already done and he couldn't make her fix it. The town was already aflutter along with his own family, a hiking day couldn't hurt, he smiled down at his beautiful wife.

"We shall, my love."

Charlie walked downstairs with Sue next the morning finding both bedrooms empty but then both stopped seeing Seth slouching on the couch with a pillow in his lap and a quilt over him as Naomi snored softly with her head on the pillow with her bad leg hanging off and the couch and her left arm over her head. Naomi's position completely comfortable with her mouth hanging open, Charlie grumbled to himself and walked into the kitchen to start a pot of coffee, Sue followed him. Charlie scowled at the newspaper, he glanced now and then into the living room, he was threatened by Seth's ease with Naomi. Jealous like a loving father wanting to be her hero right now, but no, Seth was her hero right now.

Sue chuckled at his facial expression when he turned back to his newspaper as she set down a plate waffles, eggs, a nice portion of turkey bacon and a fresh cup of black coffee. Sue grabbed the homemade wild berry syrup and placed it on the table as Charlie thanked her verbally and with a short kiss, Sue walked back to the counter with her mood dulling knowing her son imprinted on her husband's daughter and her happiness laid in her hands. She didn't know how long she had with Charlie until Seth told Naomi of his imprint and the reality of living mythical creatures, she didn't know how long she had until the irreversible decision that would change her future she built with Charlie. She understood now how her daughter felt for years after her breakup with Sam, and the reality of knowing that no matter what she tried it wouldn't be good enough to reverse something that was fated by the spirits.

Sue sat down at the table promising to cherish every moment with him, promising to herself to find a way for him to be happy if Naomi chooses to be with Seth romantically, she decided to talk with Billy again on the subject today when Charlie leaves for a short fishing trip at the docks with some of the pack members.

Seth and Naomi woke up to the scent of food just as Sue and Charlie were halfway finished with their plates, Seth walked into the kitchen as Naomi went upstairs to the bathroom. Embry, Quil, and Jacob walked up the path to the white house conversing about the impending day and the Uley's arrival in the next few days. Jacob knocked on the door as Seth was walking back into the living room to straighten up the area. The kitchen was filled with happy conversation when Naomi walked in, her chest and mind easing at the light banter and wholehearted laughter as everyone ate up Sue's breakfast with cups of coffee and light homemade fruity juice. Jacob, Quil and Embry lightly teased Seth by the end of the breakfast making the young man slowly irritated, they stole Charlie's attention and presence with conversation about busy town and their fishing trip. They choose to go down to the lake since they figured the docks would be filled by the time they arrived, Sue packed sandwiches enough for all squad of restless men. Naomi giggled softly at the excited conversation between the squad as she finished her cup of coffee, Seth went upstairs and showered brainstorming ideas for the day, he wanted to be outside and that was all he knew and he wanted to attach Naomi to his side.

The squad was gone with their banter muffling behind the front door as Sue and Naomi giggled together until Sue said her plans for the day and she was gone after opening the curtains and cracking open to windows to circulate the air through the house. Naomi looked out the kitchen window as she sat back down with another fresh up of coffee from the second pot that was brewed, she smiled as she watched Sue drive off as Seth came rushing down the steps. She turned to him as he began to word vomit with suggestions for the day and also trailing off about the weather and back to the possibilities of the day. He felt the lightness of the atmosphere and it was safe to say that the day was going to be a warm winter day, she smiled as they came up with a plan to spend time on the beach until Naomi noted they were both stranded. Seth began to word vomit about walking around town, there were two new shops that opened, a book store and random store with various items of various sections for households. They would only have to walk three blocks to get into town, even though she wanted to curl up in bed and waste the sunny day away, Naomi couldn't deny she wanted to spend the day with him.

Seth snickered madly as he placed sunglasses on her face as they prepared to leave the house, he held out his arm for her to take as if they were in Old English, "Shall we invade the town, and cause controlled mischief, Rosy?"

Naomi chuckled softly, hooking her left arm with his, "We shall, Elliot."

Seth hooted of chortle, "And we're… You're backyard friends the Backyardigans!" He sang-songed with pure enthusiasm.

Naomi cackled with a snort as they descended the porch staircase.

The late morning sun shines rays over the Olympic Peninsula with a dull breeze, the bright green of the foliage and the blue sky elated the darkness creeping around edges of her skull. Seth's presence made everything impossibly brighter as if he was naturally outlined in a bright, warm amber aura that slowly chased away her insulting mental voices that leaked with black fog. Even though her eyes were guarded by the tinted shades, the brown and blue of her eyes were bright with heightened senses, her pale porcelain skin glowing like milk under the sun. Her eyebrows and forehead were smooth and he made a vow to keep the smile on her face even if he couldn't make her snort again today but he made an unconscious vow to make her snort again. He loves her snort; it was music to his ears of her inhale and exhale at once.

She was always safe in his presence.

Jason opened the door to his sedan and ducked down into the vehicle once since and the door closed, he started the ignition and began his search. The risks of the order be damned in his mind, Naomi was going to be his wife even if he to indulge his crazy ideas on making it happen.

Sue opened the door to the little red house with Billy Black sitting at the kitchen table with his second bowl of cereal and coffee, she smiled sadly at him. For the first couple hours of her visit, she busied herself with cleaning the bachelor pad, she made a small lunch since Billy was eating when she first arrived and stayed connected with Seth as she watched a random TV show with Billy. Over the years they didn't need conversation to be comfortable, both relaxed and enjoying the crazy storyline on the screen, and Sue was prepared herself for confining in Billy.

Seth held up a cute sheer multi-colored glass figure of a bunny, "Look how cute." He gushed before setting back down on the shelf as Naomi smiled and picked it back up.

They made it downtown taking longer to get there while they conversed like old ladies about the neighborhoods they were walking through. They looked like two teenagers about to cause some chaos in the store to the salesclerk.

"Adorable…" She looked at the price tag and her eyes widened behind the sunglasses, "Not for that price. Evil." They continued strolling around the store, Seth caught something out of the corner of his eye and grinned like Chesire Cat.

"They have posters!" Seth almost shrieked, geeking over some of the posters as he flipped through the display.

Naomi cackled as she walked over and looked at the current displays, they both looked at each other seeing Star Trek. Seths eyes widened with disgust, she shook her head, and he continued flipping. They strolled for a few minutes after looking through all the posters and headed down the sidewalk to the book store, they looked around the busy street and sidewalks with the high noon sun with the clouds continuing to disperse. Naomi stepped closer to Seth's left side with her as he scanned the street, he caught a glimpse of a familiar car, his left hand rested on the middle of her back and turned them both left and into a tiny pet store. Naomi had been already looking up at the store and was glad he gestured to the store, she noted that his mood changed, and she gushed the moment she stepped foot inside. His eyes met the driver on the right side of the street, passing them and the driver met eyes with Seth, the glares between both Jason and Seth both were deadly and it said enough. Seth blinked at the sound of smaller canines in the tiny store going crazy with happy barks and tails wagging staring at him, they sensed his own canine, he looked down at Naomi who almost combusted with excitement.

"Puppies!" Naomi gushed with excitement, letting go of Seth's arm and disappearing to one of the many enclosed areas of puppies and

What a coincidence. Seth thought to himself as the salesclerk looked up in surprise and chuckled at her. He strolled around as he listened to the puppies respond to Naomi as she cooed, he was at her side looking out the wide windows of the store as one of the puppies bashfully wagged her tail and gave her puppy dog eyes, Seth looked at Naomi as she cooed his name.

Seth looked down at the tan and white merle pit-bull puppy licking Naomi's palm, wagging her tail bashfully.

"Can we keep her, please?" Naomi cooed.

Seth looked down at the puppy looking at him, if he didn't cave by the puppies' brown eyes, he couldn't cave to this, "Charlie will have a fit."

She gazed up at him with a pout on her lips, she sighed in defeat after pensive thought. "You're right," she stood back to her feet, fake sniffling and wiping her eyes of tears.

Seth sighed, a smile spread across his face and wrapped his arm around her shoulders as she stepped back into his side, "Come on, let's go eat."

"Billy," Sue says without looking away from the television screen, "I don't know what to do about… Naomi and Seth, and Charlie… I want to be happy; I want to not worry about my stepdaughter holding my happiness in her hands. But… this morning, I was so happy to see it but the more I think about it, I will be another woman that hurts Charlie…"

"She needs a friend right now, a brother. Someone she can trust… she was beaten, Sue. I can honestly believe that young woman won't be looking for a relationship anytime soon. She's a lot like Charlie, she was lean on him and he help her see her feet again, she will want to live before she makes a serious decision. Especially with Seth, you know out of everybody imprint or not, that she will always love your son and you."

She sighed, it didn't make her feel any better, "What if she does? You seen it for yourself how it is for the imprinters and the imprinted, they are attached to the hip."

Billy sighs, he couldn't say much. It's been clear for years that Seth was crazy in love with Naomi, and there were times that he couldn't deny himself that well… they could only wait for the final decision. Billy didn't know what to say, he didn't have any advice about this.

"Thank you for the talk, Bill." Sue said slightly sourly sarcastic.

Billy heaved a sigh, "I'm sorry, Sue. I don't want to say about this yet. I don't want to you two to be hurt, I don't know what to do about it yet."

Silence fell upon them and their attention going back to the television for the next half hour, Billy truly didn't know what to say, and Sue couldn't deal with any more conversation on that topic. It hurt her too much to talk about it let alone think about it, she didn't want to break down in front of Billy. She was holding onto the subconscious hope for a long future with Charlie and having her family the way it was supposed to be, it was the only thing that kept the light on within her mind and not to slip into a depression over her relationship.

"Bella, Edward, and Renesmee came over last night. The girl is grown, she's beautiful."

"That's good." Billy says with a smile.

He listens to Sue's story about the three and Charlie, even if she got sad at the end, she was trying her best to manage her emotions. She was internally conflicted and broken. She got ready to leave with a goodbye to Billy, she wiped her face as she got onto the highway heading towards Oregon, she didn't answer the calls that came her way as the sky grew dark. She decided to leave instead of waiting for her heart to be broken.

Seth and Naomi sat on the same side of a booth by the windows in the Forks infamous diner, they bickered over who was going to pay to bill when they finished eating. Naomi thought she won when she stuffed her card in the booklet and Seth stood up to bring it over to the host, he took her card out and put his folded money inside. Seth handed Naomi her card between his fingers when he walked back over to collect her, Naomi gave him a look as he smiled at her.

"You paid, didn't you?" She squinted at him.

He smiled wider, "I told you I was paying."

They continued bickering all the way back to the house.

Charlie dropped off the trio of young men at the Black's before he ventured home, he began thinking about Sue and wondered what she was doing with unconscious anxiety swirling around him. He turned the radio and flipped through stations before turning it off and just focused on the sunshine and the view before him. Charlie's attention was taken by the laughter that greeted him when he walked into the house. His mood changed with the scent of his favorite desert baking, peanut butter cookies, and he heard pans so he knew she was making that brown sugar glaze she dips them in.

And the smell of food, he saw Seth and Naomi there at the stove, Seth looked back at Charlie with a smile before looking down at Naomi.

"Dad?" Naomi called turning around.

"Yup," Charlie called, walking into the kitchen empty handed with fish but an empty container.

"No bites at all?" Naomi asked surprised.

"The lake was busy today." Charlie explains, Naomi lets him pick up a hot cookie, he retracts his hand away from the scolding desert. She smiles as he looks over to her, sheepish before his attention drifted, "Maybe we all should go down there tomorrow for a boat ride. It's beautiful down there."

Seth grinned, "A day on the water sounds awesome."

Naomi considered it quickly, "Sounds like a plan… Uh, Sue isn't home yet."

"What you kids making?" Charlie asked as he looked at the stove, "I'll call her."

"Mashed potatoes, gravy, beef cubes." Seth answered.

"And peanut butter cookies." Naomi added.

Charlie walked into the living room while pulling out his phone and dialing Sue's number as he turned on the tv, he sat down in his chair and put the phone to his ear. He looked at his phone in confusion as his call went to voicemail, He called Leah and told her what was going on currently and Leah agreed to call Sue. Sue turned off her phone as she continued driving as Leah looked at her phone in confusion before calling four more times before calling Charlie, he noticed the third ring.

"Anything?" Charlie asked as he adjusted the curtains.

"No. My five calls went to voicemail." Leah says walking to her car from the Blacks' porch, Jacob, Embry and Quil running to the forest to begin a patrol.

"What did Billy say?" Charlie asked staring at the tv screen but really not seeing it.

"Same thing you did." Leah sighed with stress, this was unlike her mother and it was taking everything in her not to lose it. "She left his house hours ago; he assumed she went back home."

Charlie heaves a sigh and turns to Naomi holding up a plate of cookies just for him with a smile, "Okay…" He took the plate with a smile and Naomi walked away to give him privacy, "Hey, Naomi and Seth are making food, you hungry?"

Leah looked at her watch as she drove down the highway to Forks, "Yeah. I was actually heading that way. I'll be there soon." Leah says before Charlie let her go.

Sue turned her phone back on and waited for it to be fully online before picking it up and phoning Charlie. Charlie answered as soon as he seen her name flashing across the square screen.

"Hello, honey? Where are you? Are you okay?" Charlie rushed to set down the plate of cookies on the coffee table.

Sue's eyebrows furrowed with heartbreak as she prepared to do what needed to be done, "I left…"

"What do you mean? Billy's?" Charlie asks while Sue holds onto the confidence that she has left.

"No… Forks. La Push… I'm not coming back, Charlie."

"What?" Charlie breathed in disbelief and shock; Naomi stopped by the armchair hearing the hurt edge in his voice.

"I'm sorry, Charlie… I love you." Sue said with a crack in her voice before hanging up and turning her phone off completely.

Charlie looked at his phone before looking up at Naomi, whose face fell at the expression in her father's eyes.

"She left me." Charlie whispers to himself.

Seth stopped when the call started, and he felt deeply responsible and guilty for this outcome. Charlie's voice thick with emotion before he swallowed and put on a brave face for his daughter.

"Hungry?" Charlie asks, standing from the arm chair.

Naomi's eyebrows furrowed as she searched his eyes, she heard what he said, "Yeah."

Seth plated the food after Charlie announced Leah was going to be joining them, Charlie excused himself upstairs for a moment, Naomi looked back at him walking away as she was grabbing stuff to make a quick salad. Seth grabbed the stuff in her hands which caused them to start bantering again as she closed the refrigerator. Leah arrived a few minutes later and tormented Seth throughout dinner, Charlie came back down and they enjoyed dinner together with solemn edge with Charlie's clear despondence. After dinner and more peanut butter cookies, Leah helped Naomi clean up as Charlie excused himself to the living room, the two shared a look when he grabbed beer cans and turned the TV up louder than before. Leah took that as a sign to leave early, goodbyes were quick and rushed mostly on Leah's part, Seth followed her to talk with her about their mom leaving and Charlie's broken heart. Naomi finished cleaning up the kitchen and went upstairs to shower and get ready for the night, she thought about the present situation with her dad.

She didn't even know where to begin to think of what to do to help him, until she remembered Billy, until she texted Jacob about Sue leaving Charlie and his current mood. Jacob picked up his phone from on the end table in his bedroom in Billy's house, he relayed the message to his father.

"Le-." Seth started but Leah cut him off.

"Go tend to your imprint, Seth." Leah said, rather bitterly as she climbed into her car.

"Leah." Seth's eyebrows furrowed.

"She would be here if you told Naomi the truth." Leah said sharply, her eyes were sharper but he was immune to her glares.

"Mom decided to leave on her own. It has nothing to do with me imprinting." Seth protested, defensive and hurt that she even went that route.

Leah gave him a look that silenced any further conversation. She closed her door and started the ignition. Seth walked back into the house as Leah drove away down the street. Seth observed Charlie in his armchair before heading upstairs, Naomi had beat him to the shower first, as he walked to his room Leah's words began to sink in. She had a point, and maybe she was right. If he had told Naomi sooner than maybe she would still be here, no she would be, but he couldn't tell Naomi. He couldn't bring her into this world, he would rather suffer not being with her than the day that comes where she would have be killed or turned into a vampire.

It was selfish and wrong, he knew that, but she didn't need to be involved in this world. She didn't need to fear for her life because of her knowledge. She was safer being in the dark. She was safer with the decision to be ignorant to everything and she could live. That's what he wanted most and he knew that's exactly what she needed, what she wanted.

She just wanted to live. And he was determined to make it happen. No matter what. He will stop phasing. He will go back to school in the fall, and work a job if Jake let him. But he never knew what was coming to him once Jacob started thinking about the reality of the situation.

…

Charlie backed out on the day to the lake the next morning, he stayed in his room after Naomi checked on him when she woke up early. Naomi went downstairs to catch the phone from waking up the rest of the house, it was Jacob calling for Seth.

"Hello?" Naomi asked.

"Hello, Mi?" Jake asks.

"Hey, Jake. What's up?"

Jacob glances over at his father at the table eating a bowl of cereal, "Is Seth around?"

"He's still sleeping, why?"

"Oh. Can you have him call me when he's up?"

"Of course. Good morning, Jake."

Jacob smiles, "Good morning, Mi."

"How are you?"

"I'm.. I'm okay. How are you?"

"I'm okay. What are your plans today?"

Jacob shrugged but she couldn't see it, he 'uh's' and then answers, "I don't know honestly. Going to see how the morning goes. How about you?"

"I have some homework to do."

"Oh okay. Well, I got to go, Mi… I'll call you later."

"Okay. Talk to you later."

"Bye, Mi."

"Bye, Jake." Jacob hung up the phone and turned back around to his father.

Naomi noticed the unlocked back door and locked it, she began to make breakfast and a pot of coffee. Seth woke up abruptly to the smell of chocolate chip and strawberry pancakes, eggs, the rich scent of coffee beans and the fresh morning air. Naomi's milk and honey scent mixed every other scent and the smell of yogurt also greeted him as he approached the kitchen, Naomi looked over her shoulder from making small individual bowl of yogurt and chopped strawberries, the honey was also out. The last of the batches of pancakes were finishing cooking, along with the unbroken yoke eggs topped with simple seasoning of salt and pepper and pasted fresh garlic in the butter.

"Good morning," Naomi greeted with a soft smile that made Seth's heart miss a beat in his chest.

"Good morning," Seth says groggy and resting his head on his arms. "Are we going to the lake?"

"Dad backed out. Jake called for you." She says taking the last batch of pancakes off the large flat pan. "You want some coffee?"

"Yeah," Seth lifts his head and standing up from the table. "Did Jake say what he wanted?"

"Just to talk to you," Naomi replied, pouring the dark liquid of caffeine into a mug.

Seth dialed the number and put the phone to his ear, he turned slightly to watch Naomi. He noted the way she moved without any discomfort, she grabbed a plate of food with yogurt and went upstairs. Jacob picked up on the second ring.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Jake." Seth greeted, he made his coffee while he talked with Jacob.

"Hey, Seth. Meet me at the beach in 20." Jacob's tone said enough, he meant business.

Seth hung up the phone after Jacob did and ate breakfast with Naomi before leaving to meet Jacob, he told her he had something to do real quick and he'll be back. Naomi cleaned up the kitchen after breakfast and started doing homework at the dining room table, she had another cup of coffee as she went through files and opened up her laptop. Charlie looked at the food Naomi brought up to him on his end table, he rolled away and sighed heavily, trying to go back to sleep but he was getting restless with an unease settling into his stomach. She didn't have to wait long for Seth return, or so she thought when she heard the car pull into driveway, she wasn't expecting him so back when she heard the engine. Charlie came down the staircase as Naomi walked over to the front door, Jason walked up to the door looking over his shoulder to check his surroundings. The one person he was worried about was gone, he had no worry about Charlie since he knew what he currently had on him gave him ridiculous power.

As soon as Seth got onto the highway, he thought back on Jacobs tone over the phone. Jacob sounded angry with him, this worried him, greatly, what has he done for Jacob to be mad? It certainly wasn't because of refusing to tell Naomi about the imprint, she was fine and she was healing, but Charlie wasn't okay. Charlie never backed out of plans, especially plans that dealt with the lake, Charlie never stayed in bed and Seth felt the guilt as the thought crossed. He began to get anxious as he listened to Jacob alpha order him in informing Naomi about his imprint on her, and then he felt the abrupt ripping pull of his chest back to Forks. The imprint bond and Naomi's severe distress, something was wrong. That's all he knew and Jacob noticed the sudden change in Seth and the panic contouring his face and his body shook violently.

Jacob had a couple seconds to reaction and move out of the way before didn't clawed by the younger male, Seth's sandy wolf took off towards the foliage in a haste and distraught. Jacob phased followed and was greeted by Seth's frantic thought train about Naomi, something was wrong and he felt it immediately.

Naomi opened the door to Jason and her face fell as her eyes widened, the movement of Jason's arm was quickly lifting a black object wrapped in his fingers. Charlie's eyes widened seeing the barrel of the handgun facing him as Naomi shrieked and scrambled out of the way falling to the floor against the left side of the hallway (looking at the front door from inside). Her screams were drowned out by the sharp, loud crack of the releasing bullet from the chamber. Naomi never moved so fast kicking into survival mode as Charlie dropped down the rest of the staircase limply. That moment of watching her father drop from the staircase, tore her heart and soul apart but her body kept her alert of the threat of death. She kicked the door closed as fast and as hard as she could knocking Jason out of the doorway, with both of her feet. She knew she had seconds to lock the door and flee before he pulled the trigger again, so that's what she did with her heart pounding against her ribcage and her throat growing dry. She was on her feet and dead bolted the door and ran to the back door, she unlocked it while trembling in fear.

Jason pulled the trigger three times at the door handle. Naomi fled from the back door, and ran into the forest as fast as she could barefoot and still in her pajamas. The gunshots drowned out the sound of the back door slamming closed out of Naomi's fright, it was the first time she ran from him.

The neighboring houses were full of families and all startled at the abrupt loud cracks of gunshots ringing through the air. The older couple across the street had caught of Jason after the first shot, the man's wife spoke hysterically into the phone as her husband stood watch, never missing a thing from the outside of the front lawn and the front door.

I know what you're thinking, where are the Cullen's? Did Alice see this? Why weren't they there? Now you see they're still on their way back from their hiking trip up near the National Park, and Jason's decision was impulsive and there was no way they would've made it back in time. Or get stable cell phone service to call for help or the pack. It truly was up to the police department and the pack, whichever made it there first. Either way, they were on their way as fast as their vampire speed would allow them to travel.

Naomi pulled her phone from her pocket as she ran and tried to search for the correct contact but she was shaking way too much and her phone called Leah's phone. Naomi seen the name displayed across the screen when she looked back down at it quickly as she pushed herself faster, she put the phone to her ear.

Naomi heard Leah pick up the phone and before Leah could even finish greeting her, Naomi began word vomiting about the situation in incoherence.

"Naomi, slow down. Slow down, calm down, what happened?" Leah asked holding the phone to her ear as she turned the volume up, Paul and Rachel looked up at her from at Billy's kitchen table.

"Jason killed Dad!" Naomi shrieked over the phone before she tripped over a fallen tree branch.

Leah pulled the phone away from her ear hearing her shriek and it wasn't incoherent, she heard her loud and clear and so did Paul.

"What? What do you mean Jason killed Charlie? Where are you? Where is Seth? Hello? Naomi? Where are you?" Leah said through the phone that laid on the forest floor before Naomi picked up clumsily and sobbing hysterically.

The phone call ended in her haste to grab it and Naomi continued running as fast as she could. She tripped again over shrubbery and fell flat on her face before her head knocked against a fallen tree branch and she went unconscious. Jason searched the whole house, tearing it apart and trashing it in his search for Naomi until he heard the sirens of the responding Forks Police. Jason barely got out of the street in his car before he seen the flashing red and blue lights halfway down the next block, he made a turn but he was being followed after a description of his car in the driveway of the Swan residence over the call from the man's wife across the street. Leah and Paul phased in as Jacob and Seth were still on their way to Forks, their information panicked and enraged Seth beyond his limits.

After close encounters with the police officers searching around the backyard and the Swan house, Jacob caught Naomi's scent as Seth observed the scene in front of the house.

She got out. She into the woods. Jacob reports to Seth before sending out an order. Jacob sniffed the rich soil with Naomi's lingering scent and her footprints, Seth ran deeper into the forest to meet up with Jacob as he tested the air for the wind carrying scents.

Leah and Paul phased out to snatch hidden clothes in crevices of trees before phasing back in and chasing after Jacob and Seth

A police cruiser clipped the back bumper of Jason's vehicle before the car flipped along the pavement on the highway.

The search for Naomi took minutes following her footprints and her scent, they slowed down hearing her heartbeat and breathing in the quiet, dense area of foliage. Seth melted in relief seeing her but his panic rose again when he realized she was hurt, Seth sniffed her head as Jacob stood on lookout.

She's bleeding. She's bleeding. She's bleeding. She's bleeding. Seth's mind replayed in panic as he continued sniffing her body for any other blood coming out of wounds. She was fine expect for the gash on her forehead.

Once Paul and Leah arrived with clothes, Seth wasted no time on dressing and getting his imprint into his arms and to the hospital. It hit him then as he ran through the foliage, it hit him hard as the terror of this event ending up worse than it had. He should've told her sooner, maybe if he had Charlie would be alive. He seen the body bag and that heavy weighted blanket guilt and shame making him cry as he realized the course of his actions. His mother run away because of his imprint, his imprint ran for her life to escape her ex-fiancé, his second father was dead because of that very same man. He doesn't know how Naomi survived but she did, and she was right here in his arms stirring awake, he realized the severity of the course of his decisions mostly over the grief and guilt of Sue and Charlie and Naomi being without a father.

Jacob lead Leah and Paul out of the search of the police officers and sense of the Cullen's returning into their territory.

Seth got her to hospital still unconsciously crying and anxious, Carlisle, Edward, and Bella walked into the lobby as Naomi was taken out of Seth's sight. Just before he fell into a panic attack and getting him to relax without Jasper or Jacob was going to be difficult until Seth was sure Naomi was okay. Edward and Bella managed to get Seth outside to calm him down and inform him of the current events, Carlisle stayed and took over Naomi's treatment since she woke up while they were taking her to get tests done.

Jason was shot while trying to escape from his vehicle after he shot another officer after ignoring their yells of warnings, and he died instantly from his wounds.

"Hello, Naomi," Carlisle says in a calm, polite tone.

Holding up a flash light to check the dilation of her pupils, Naomi looked up at Carlisle standing in front of her as she sat perched on a hospital bed with gauze on her forehead.

"Hi." She blinking rapidly at the white light flashing in her eyes.

Her eyes brimming with tears and she wiped her face frustrated with herself for the tears falling for Carlisle to see. Carlisle knew right away she had a concussion, and the heaviness of her aura indicated grief as her mind answered her mental questions on why she was in the hospital. She cooperates with Carlisle as he examines her, she asked about Seth after she answered his questions and he reassured her he was around. After a few tests and a few stitches, Carlisle discharged her.

Edward handed a shirt and a pair of sneakers to Seth who was still anxious about getting back to Naomi, the weight of Jason was gone but more stress was impending. Charlie's body claim, his funeral, the will and the healing. He had an imprint to get to, he still had to obey Jacobs alpha order, and he didn't know what to expect next.