Okay so, this chapter has been reedited only because of several things. I'm sorryyy, I was rereading it on the site and I was appalled by myself. Let's go.
…
Naomi was ridden in personal self-pity and shame as the events fully settled, after all these years, she truly realized how naïve she had been. A silent anger towards her father for raising her this way, a silent anger she couldn't hold back after the doctor and police officers left, a silent anger that broke Charlie's heart in ways he didn't think were possible from her. Her anger words had pierced his soul and he knew she was right, Billy always told him not to coddle her, not to let her move to Phoenix, his mother told him to raise her to be strong and aware during her last days. He knew he had failed in certain ways but the one thing he knew for certain was that those ways were going to make sense to her someday. Someday she will realize why she spoiled with love from him, she will one day realize that the man that she was supposed to marry her would treating her the same way. Helping her learn her strength, help her learn to love again. He knew that one day she would be thanking him for it all.
But right now, she was angry, she had been isolated, she had been beaten, she was broken right now. She just needed to heal. He let her make plans to stay with Renee until she was ready to come back. Charlie just wished she didn't choose to stay away forever. She promised she wouldn't but her tone had hidden emotions, she had no desire to discuss the conversation further. She was irritated, angry, and she was hurt, she took mental, emotional, and physical blows, she just wanted to curl up in her bed and sleep until she could leave.
Sue came home from work for dinnertime and started cooking, Charlie was sitting on the couch watching the Sports Channel, Naomi was upstairs looking at the available bedroom for the time being. She looks from Bella's old room to her old room, Bella's old room was Seth's now, her room was still the same but she didn't know why she was stuck outside his bedroom doorway. She couldn't stop thinking about him since she seen him for the first time in years, but she forced it away and went into her old room. The rooms side by side, the bed in Seth's room was just the way Bella had it, Naomi's room mirrored it. Her room was the only room without a window and the smallest with the design of the house.
She pushed one of the duffel bags further into the room with her left leg, her right arm in a sling, the right side of her forehead was bruised from the collision of the floor and looked around her room. She glanced at the walls without even seeing the posters that were wrapped around the crème-colored walls. She stared at one specific poster, not seeing it, the poster was The Bodyguard with Whitney Houston. She loved that movie, the romance within the story was unlike any other to her, but the movie was still… heartbreaking. They never got to be together.
"You used to watch that movie all the time." The voice was masculine, young, and it was a voice she was surprised to hear at first. The voice was kind, and it was gentle, a tone in his voice he all too well, she knew that voice all too well.
Naomi blinked several times looking over at the doorframe, Seth was standing there watching her as soon as their eyes met Naomi's heart missed a beat. She looked back at the poster she was looking at, and her eyebrows pulled together. He hated seeing her like this, the tension in her back, in her face with her busted bottom lip, her arm in a sling, her knee wrapped in a brace. And the bandages under her shirt were visual through the fabric, it was that moment without delay that he vowed to never allow her to be hurt again, he would never allow anything to hurt her again. He would lay his life down before a single hair on her head was touched.
He would help her see that. He didn't even care if he had limited time until she got onto that plane for Jacksonville. He also knew that he couldn't change her mind, and he didn't want to. If she wished to go, he'd let her ago, even if that decision already caused him pain he couldn't describe.
"Oh," she registered the poster she had been staring at, she didn't want to see that right now, she didn't know if she could tolerate being in her childhood room. She couldn't look at the poster anymore, "Use to. It lost a lot of it significance."
Seth stepped into the room and looked around the room as she sat down on the bed with her eyes on the floor, the pressure in her chest she wasn't aware of until now as he glanced around the walls. He leaned against the dresser and looked at her as he rested his hands on the long dresser top, she looked up at him after a sigh.
"Are you okay?" Seth asks.
She blinked twice and looked away, her eyes brimming with tears, she blinked them away and wiped the moisture from her cheeks. "Yeah," her voice cracked, she glanced back up at him and then shook her head as she watched him sit down next to her on her left.
Seth pushed hair out of her face, "I'm sorry I wasn't there."
She wiped her left cheek free of moisture that escaped from her eye again, "It's okay… Dad finally was able to pull that move he always wanted to do."
Seth chuckles softly, "You know everything he's ever told you is a lie, right? You are worth more than anything he could ever give."
Naomi nodded, "Yeah… I found the photos he sent me or Jessica or Lauren whoever sent them to my phone… I was so stupid…" she looked over at the posters on her wall, she adjusted her grip on his hand when it unconsciously loosened.
"Love makes you stupid. Whether it's right or wrong."
"I don't want to be wrong again."
Seth pushed hair out of her face again, he went to wipe the tears from her face but she put her head on his chest, her hand lightly shaking. He freed his hand to wrap his arms around her, Sue glanced upstairs at the bottom of the staircase walking into the living room hearing soft cries from upstairs. She climbed the stairs quietly, she peaked into the first open bedroom, her eyebrows softened from suspicion to concern and worry seeing the scene before her. With their backs turned to the door, Naomi was leaning against her son who comforted her as she cried, she looked on for a brief moment as he gently rubbed her back and murmured comforting words. Sue smiled softly out of the aura of comfort and protection floating around the room, it was an undeniable calming heaviness and Sue left the doorway. Sue walked back down the staircase quietly and sat down on the couch.
Seth soothed her to sniffles and calm breathing, wiping the straggler tears from her face, a silver Volvo sedan parked on the curb with Charlie's cruiser and Sue's sedan in the driveway.
"I'm sorry," Naomi sniffled.
"For what?" Seth asked, more confused on why she apologized.
"For crying. It's pathetic."
Seth sighed, his demeanor relaxing even more, "It's not pathetic and you're allowed to cry."
Her mind said differently from the amount of bullying from Jason, she shook her head and looked away from him, her mind beginning to board up walls and shortened her social tolerance. The voices downstairs caught him off guard, he looked towards the doorway and back at her.
"You know I would never lie to you, Mi," Seth says and he could sense a change in her mood, he knew better than to push her.
She sighs and the aura around her changed again and her shoulders deflate, "I know. I'm sorry."
"For what?"
"Being difficult."
Seth kissed the crown of her head, "You're the only one I'll accept to stress me out. You have… since we were five." The humor in his voice was undeniable.
She smiled and lightly backhanded his chest, she rolled her eyes, "Whatever." She sighed again.
Seth hummed looking at her walls of posters.
"Can you help me something?"
He glanced back at her at the quietness in her voice, his eyes have her answer.
"Can you help me change?..." her cheeks flares with color, she wasn't used to being compromised.
Seth could hear Paul's irritating ass bouncing around in his head, he could not think about this at all or Paul will rip him for this, his current torture with everyone was 'Step-bro can you help me' lately. He knew it was because of himself personally; Paul was insufferable these days. Seth brought over the duffel bags and she picked out clothes for the house, she really wanted to take a shower and she knew that one task was going to be difficult. As bad as her mental state was currently, nothing would change the fact that Seth was one of the only people that she trusted more than anything. Imprint or not, the knowledge of it or not, it was a connection in this moment she knew she could count on.
Charlie opened the front door with Sue on his side, Charlie about had a brain heart attack of excitement seeing faces he hadn't seen in years. Edward smiled as Charlie forgot about him and gushed in excitement to his oldest daughter and their 'adopted' daughter. Bella and Reneesme smiled at the same time, with both their eyes wide in for a second in surprise, Reneesme grinned widely as she hugged Charlie and he brought the trio into the house. Sue and Edward shared a look as they both shook their heads at Charlie, who went into immediate enthusiastic interrogation on Bella and Renesmee taking Sue with him, leaving Edward at the door to let himself in.
Seth looked twice at the bruise on her abdomen, he clenched his jaw, the subconscious rage beginning to come out, he inhaled slowly through his nose to control his senses.
"Does it hurt?" he asked quietly.
Naomi looked down at the bruise on her stomach from Jason's kick attack, "Some." That was a lie, it was a reason for her changing mood.
"What did they say?" He inquires gently.
"Medication, ice and light eating, I have to go in Wednesday for a checkup." (I honestly don't know how abdomen injuries heal or what it takes, it felt safe. I know that'd most likely depend on the injury. Please don't come for me lolz.)
Seth nodded and he helped her get the shirt sleeve over her right arm, she moved it to fast and he cradled the entirety of her elbow in his hand as she winced at the sharp pain traveling through the joint of her shoulder and through her arm. Seth gently father's her arm in his hand, goosebumps raised all over her body as one of his hands ran up her arm gingerly calming the muscles and the nerves with his scolding body heat. This was a moment he wished he had come into the house with her, this was a moment he should've been there for. He began to fill up with guilt and shame, she was her imprint and he was supposed to protect her at all costs but he wasn't there to protect her from this. How was he supposed to protect her from vampires if he couldn't protect her against a human man?
"I'm sorry."
Naomi was already studying his face and she seen the emotions cross but she didn't expect an apology.
"What for?"
"Not being there." Seth answered quietly, guilty.
Naomi sighed, "Don't feel bad about that, Seth. Dad was there."
Seth sighed this time, he was pensive and then he shook his head, he got her arm through the sleeve of her baggy shirt, "I know. But still you're… my best friend. You know."
"You can't protect me from everything, Seth. Nobody can, that's impossible… it was probably a bad idea to leave my stuff upstairs knowing he was coming back… this is my fault, not yours."
Seth stood up and she noticed the slight quiver of his shoulders before he inhaled deeply, "You being beaten is never your fault. Or could be fully justified." He ran a hand through his hair before he continued, "I can't even fandom the understanding of how someone could even accept that's okay. Or their fault, under any circumstances."
"It is when you ask for too much."
"Too much? What? Basic affection and loyalty to somebody they love? How is asking not to be mistreated too much?"
Naomi deflated, she looked down at her legs clad in yoga pants with the brace, his voice was angry and it was a trauma response she curled away from him, her mind telling her he was mad at her and all the insults Jason drilled into her head.
"I'm sorry," She curled up into the mattress, staring at the comforter, her senses heightened waiting for his angry response, "I know I was wrong. He was right."
Seth looked down at her, his anger dissipated, an quick assess of her body language and he sighed and sat down on the edge of the bed.
"Naomi, sweetheart, please for the love of God don't believe him."
She buried her hand in her thick hair, she sighed heavily, "I don't want to talk about this anymore."
"Okay," he said as an exhale.
It was quiet for a moment between them, he felt the imprint bond pulling at the strings of his soul, he glanced over at her curled up against the pillows and the wall on her bed. She was in pain, she was angry, she was traumatized, this was something he wished he never had to see with her. The girls in his life since he was a teenager experienced a heartbreak that crippled the women they were, deep within their core. Changing those women, these women were stronger, but they were forever damaged with a subconscious fear of that pain returning with an unconscious bitterness, and change of views towards things they use to adore. His own blood sister, when Sam imprinted on their cousin and broke up with Leah in late 2003; his stepsister, when Edward broke up with Bella and she went missing until Sam found her around midnight in 2005; his own mother, when his father had a heart attack witnessing Leah phasing in front of over the news of his health. That pain of their father's death increased Leah's depression she was finally broke out of, and now he was looking at his best friend since birth; huddled in on herself in a sling, injured from a man she was going to marry in May. He knew that he could help her through this, she was after to him anyways but he also knew that whatever was floating around in her mind was going to change her, and he really didn't want her to leave.
There was one thing she was never able to deny from him, he was the only one she had been openly accepting of affection with him, she could never deny cuddling into his side. If Charlie had to ever admit to anything, he definitely agreed to Naomi moving with her mother all those years ago to prevent a fledging relationship between the two that obvious since they were children. Charlie woke up in a sweat one morning what he still tells himself to this day as a nightmare of Naomi being a teenage mom, he wanted to strangle Seth to weeks until she moved away. If she hadn't moved away, Charlie feared that would happen but if he had to honest, he was wishing for that than a broken daughter upstairs in her childhood bedroom.
She looked up to the weight shifting on the twin mattress, she shifted to let him lean against the wall beside her, she hesitated for fleeting moment before she curled into his side.
"We don't have to talk about it," he says she settles into his side with her head on his chest, his arm around her back, cradling her like a glass doll.
Naomi sighed sharply, aggravated with herself, she felt guilty for snapping on him, "I'm sorry for snapping on you."
"I forgive you," Seth says running his left hand through her hair from the crown of her head to the nape of her neck. "I'm sorry for getting aggravated."
"I forgive you." Naomi closed her eyes hearing his heart beating in his chest, just hearing that alone was going to make her asleep if it wasn't for his naturally relaxing embrace.
Or maybe it was just how he made her feel, either way, she was getting uncomfortable. Her anxiety wasn't rising. She has noticed the change in her every time he leaves her presence, sometimes it was hard to focus and she would zone out. An ache in her chest that would pulse sometimes, it was an irritating ache that would increase depending on her mood. But whenever Seth was around, he made everything better, the ache was non-existent now and it was easier to breathe, and she was tired. This past week sleep didn't come too easily already with her mind subconsciously turning gears about all the women Jason slept with over the years. All of the things she had been right about, all of the times she had chances to run away from it all, and sometimes during that week she imagined what her life would be like now if she moved back when Bella did.
She wondered sometimes if she would be getting married, or if she would focused on school, or maybe she had a kid. She wondered about a lot of things, she mostly wondered about what to do with her life now, she graduated from college, she can go back to college. Maybe… she could get married in the spring, but that would include finding a new groom and the short months to May wasn't enough to find the right guy. If she was going to get married, it was going to be the right guy, she wasn't going to settle for another Jason by any means.
A light shock of electricity ran down her spine from his fingers brushing lightly against that certain spot of skin, she angled her head to interrupt that contact to stop the tingles. His fingers ran through the right side of her hair, brushing against the tension of her skull, listening to his breathing and inhaling his scent as the silence became calming with the babble downstairs. Moments passed as they laid there, it was a moment written in time of another shift in events, it was moment like so many others that couldn't be replaced. The first time they were ever attached like this was a movie night when they were 7, Jacob was 9, and the older kids Rachel, Rebecca and Leah were in the twins room talking away about school and boys. Jacob was asleep, as Top Gun played from the VCR, sprawled on the living room floor of the tiny square living room of the faded red house. Seth and Naomi were curled up next to him whispering to each other in their own world of stories of their own concoction.
This particular moment they were imagining looking up at a sky full of stars, innocently pointing to the ceiling with reflected colors and movement from the TV screen, there were imaginary planets they created and galaxies you could see in the atmosphere. Colorful galaxies of different space shapes and shapes from Earth, constellations and meteors and shooting stars. Sometimes they even created civilizations on the planets, and on every world they were always best friends no matter what. Sometimes they brought those planets to life by spending hours in the forest that currently surrounded the house, another reason Charlie let Naomi move.
Seth glanced down at the soft snore from Naomi on his chest, her breathing steadied into slumber and she was already drooling. He continued running his fingers through her hair, in this moment he let a few tears fall from his eyes as he kissed the crown her head. He inhaled her scent, he smelt the hospital mostly but her scent was there, she smelt like jasmine and cream. Naomi melted into him, sighing softly, Seth brought her closer than it seemed possible and he didn't want to let her go. He closed his eyes as she brought herself closer, entangling her leg with his, he found himself caressing her thigh across his lower stomach. At first he thought it was just a continuation of soothing her, but then he felt himself fully relax, he realized it was his wolf being fully satisfied with her presence.
Sue came back upstairs to collect them for dinner when she stopped seeing them both asleep thirty minutes after Naomi had already fell asleep.
"They're not hungry?" Charlie asks when Sue rejoins the group in the dining room.
Sue sat down across from Reneesme who looking at the food laid out on the table, hungrily, Sue shook her head, "They're asleep."
"It's 6 o'clock in the afternoon," Charlie protested, They're asleep my ass he mind growled.
Sue put a hand on his arm, stopping him getting up from the table, "Charlie.." She says and he looks at her with a comforting smile plastered on her lips. "Their asleep. She's okay, she's gonna be okay… especially with him."
Charlie sighed and grumbled to himself, grouchily eating as Bella and Edward listened and entertained themselves through the dinner.
Jacob opened the front door to his childhood home, his father looked up at him from his novel in his hands as he sat in her chair in the living room. Embry Call right behind him, Billy studied Jacobs tense form as he went to the refrigerator to heat up a frozen lasagna for his father in the oven.
"How did it go Jake?" Billy asks cautiously recognizing the discomfort from his son that would only give him the guess that the meeting with the Cullen's and seeing Bella again was… stressing him out.
Jacob sighed heavily and ran a hand through his cropped hair, "The Volturi decided."
"What happened?" Billy asked closing his novel and setting it in his lap.
Jacob turned to him and sighed again trying to compose his losing battle with his anger, "Apparently the Volturi have been watching us… since they left in 2006." Jake scoffed aggravated, "They aren't fully convinced Reneesme won't snap. They know about Naomi, their intrigued with her."
"Intrigued?"
"Just like they were with Bella. They warned us about the same rules with Bella about their existence." Jacob says.
Billy stares at Jacob for a moment, "Please tell me you're not saying what I think you're saying."
Jacob sighed, "If she finds about our existence, she'll find out about the bloodsuckers… she'll have to be turned or she'll have to die."
"She's an imprint." Billy protested.
"Doc Vamp didn't know that when they spoke with Jane."
Billy sighs leaning back into his chair, he wipes his face slowly with his hand as his thoughts go pensive for a silent minute, he looked over at Jacob and Embry again.
"Does Seth know?" Billy asks.
"He does. He's with her now."
"How is she?"
"Dislocated shoulder, knee brace, a busted lip and a bruised abdomen. Charlie said she wanted to move back with Renee."
Billy scoffed, "Right back to where it started?" He sighed, "Maybe if she left for awhile while we cleared this up, maybe it would convince the Volturi otherwise."
Jacob sighed, shaking his head, "They've known about her since they read Edwards mind from Bella and his own memories of Naomi in Jacksonville. They're intrigued that he can't read her mind either, they've been watching her too over the years."
"What?"
"They were never planning on leaving us alone. They managed to get into Alice's blind spots until now." Embry explained.
"Why now?"
"Because now, she's here. Something has changed with her. They noticed it. She has something they want." Jacob answered.
"And what exactly is that?"
"They want to know what power she'd have if she turned."
Billy scoffed.
"Seth doesn't want to tell her. He doesn't want her to find out. He's even willing to stop phasing if it'd help prevent it. Anything to deter the Volturi from her."
"What if she does move away, what if… what if we could get her to stay away from La Push forever?"
Jacob shook his head, "It wouldn't change anything. Alice already seen two outcomes but not detailed enough. A lot of missing gaps."
Billy sighed, "So… a potential war."
Jacob heaved a sigh, speaking sarcastically, "More like an old western showdown."
Embry chuckled at the joke in this serious situation, Billy sighed and shook his head, than Jacob shrugged.
"But," He nodded, "yeah… basically."
"Give it to the Swan girls to stir up trouble," Embry retorted sitting at the kitchen table.
"Natural vampire trouble magnets." Jacob added.
"Only this time one wasn't in love with a leech."
"What is going on with the situation with Jason?" Billy interrupted.
"She's signed a PFA order. The court date is in three weeks, if she doesn't leave after that, she might leave before."
The front door opened to Leah, she scoffed overhearing Jacobs response, "If you're talking about Naomi leaving. I honestly believe that's highly unlikely."
"Why's that?"
"You're kidding right?"
"Deadass."
"Am I the only one who wasn't blind watching Seth and Naomi grow up together or am I delusional?" Leah scoffed, sitting down at the table, "Seth thinks now he'll be able to hide phasing from her but come on, this is Naomi. Aside of the recent events, that girl will always pick out any significances with Seth, I remember when she asked him two questions about that uh... shit, what was it?... Oh! When he broke the window doing God knows what home alone with his ADHD, two questions barely any questions. She just called his name twice and he cracked like an egg."
"And what was the significance of that?" Embry asked had already lost interest in the metaphor.
"Fucking idiot." Leah grumbled, "What I'm trying to say is, I don't think she's going to leave and I think she'll get over Jason quickly. Seth's imprint would help, if it isn't already, and their history."
"Let's not jump to conclusions." Jacob interjected, a bit sour still of the topic of imprinting.
"What? You think by the time that court case comes that she'll be underneath him?" Embry wiggled his eyebrows, unsuccessfully, with sly mirth in his dark eyes.
Leah scoffed in disgust, "Ugh, ew, Embry. Shut up. That's not what I'm saying."
"So,… am I the only one who thinks Paul is correct?" Embry asks.
"Paul is a horn ball and he's never correct. He's a fucking dumbass."
"No, I mean, he's got a point." Embry shrugs.
Billy sighed dropping his head in his hand, pinching the bridge of his nose not understanding how this conversation truly started and really wished this young man wasn't as clueless as he was right now.
"You guys really think Naomi will start sleeping with my baby brother?" Leah demanded glaring at Jacob and Embry
"Oh step bro, please!" Paul chortled from the back door.
"Oh for the love of Christ," Billy heaved a sigh as Paul walked into the room with a wide grin of sly mirth. "Did Seth did Sue about the imprint?"
Leah nodded with another sign, a more stressed sigh than before.
A buzzing sound and the sound of an unlocking metal door echoed throughout the hall of the small area of holding cells and closed off rooms with officers inside. Jason's lawyer, a lawyer that worked specifically for his family, sighed heavily watching his client being escorted to his current position from behind the doors that just opened. Jason cooperated as they went through the discharge process of his approved and paid bail, Jason smirked at the officers who worked closely with Charlie Swan over the years and that morning. Edward glanced over at Bella as he picked up the thoughts of Jason and his lawyer as they walked out of the station.
"Where are you going?" The lawyer asked as he walked around the front of his vehicle to the driver side as Jason just stared at the car and his surroundings.
Jason looked over at him, confused, "What?"
"Are you staying here or are you leaving?"
Jason looked up at the sky for a fleeting moment, he gazed back over at the older man, "I have a woman to reclaim."
The older man rolled his eyes at Jason's choice of words, he was about tried to defending a lineage of cowardly men.
Bella hummed quietly looking up at her husband from the novel in her hands, Edward released an unnecessary short sigh.
"Jason was bailed out. His lawyer is driving him back to that house." Edward replied in a volume only she heard.
"He made bail?"
"His lawyer paid it out."
Bella's beautiful porcelain face twisted into a scowl, Edward grimaced. It wasn't too long after that the house began ringing with news for Charlie. Charlie was pissed all over again. The trio of Cullen's left earlier than planned when Charlie wished to call it a night early, Sue put away plates for Seth and Naomi and cleaned the kitchen before joining Charlie upstairs. Sue walked into Seth's room and cracked open a window, she closed her bedroom door behind her hoping the cool air would circulate to Naomi room knowing Seth's body temperature ran higher than normal. And knowing Naomi has to be sweating from it by now.
Seth woke up around 11 at night with his stomach demanding food, Naomi was still curled into his side with a light sheet of sweat, he felt a chilly draft from the open door. He reluctantly freed himself from Naomi, she didn't stir from her sleep when he laid her back down onto the mattress, he covered form in the comforter and left the room. He warmed up the plate of food Sue put aside and ate at the kitchen table, the house was quiet with soft snores and steady breathing. Seth went back upstairs when he was finished, he checked on Naomi who hadn't moved, and took a shower before going to his respected bedroom.
He laid on the bed for what seemed like years to him as he tried to go back to sleep, even though she was in the next room, he felt he was still too far away. But this was good, this was good it had to be good; there was one thing he knew for sure. Being completely glued to her side wouldn't help her heal too much, she would get dependent, not that he didn't mind it but he didn't want this imprint to overshadow the natural healing process of her trauma. Yes, he knew his presence would help, yes he knew that his presence was already helping, but that didn't mean that he didn't want to help. He just wanted to be right.
If he knew anything was right with an imprint. Every imprint was different because of the different connections, there's was certainly different and he wasn't sure how it would play out. He also wasn't sure how long he had left with her until things really began to hit the fan. He pondered over all the possibilities his mind produced that he could hide his secret from her, all of the possibilities of keeping her human and safe. He pondered for hours until his ears picked out soft crying from the room over, all of those thoughts disappeared hearing her soft cries of heartbreak. Before the imprint could pull at the strings of his soul he heard her footsteps on the wooden floor, he listened to her footsteps pass his room and into the bathroom. He listened to the rain against the roof.
Seth sat up and rubbed his scalp with his fingertips as the shower turned on and he looked out the window facing that tree outside of the window. The infamous tree Edward used to climb into this room, the infamous tree Jacob had used once to get into this room, he listened and couldn't fall asleep feeling her need for him. He glanced over at his door hearing a light creak of the floorboards.
Naomi blinked at the closed door of Seth's room, for one she had been standing there for a half minutes contemplating on knocking but she decided against it. He was most likely asleep and she didn't want to disturb him, even though he never cared if she had before, she would probably curl back into his side and they would both be asleep in no time. But she didn't want to bother him, he was one person she didn't want aggravate with her issues. She certainly didn't want to bother him because she needed help showering and she certainly wasn't going to wake up Sue at this hour. The floorboard outside his door creaked as she knocked on his door, despite all her pride to shower alone she had a gut feeling she was going to hurt her arm. It came as an insight and to prevent extended pain, she knocked lightly and he answered after getting up and walking over.
Seth looked down at her as Naomi blushes with embarrassed confidence, "I need help… again."
"With?"
"Showering."
Seth sighs, "Come on, Pete." He slipped out of the room and into the bathroom.
"Pete?" Naomi did a double take, following him into the bathroom.
Boobs. Boobs. Boobs. Boobs. Boobies. Seth kept his eyes off the multi-colored rag over Naomi's breasts, small but perky under the fabric. He seen more of her curves but before he could indulge in her hormones, his eyes never strayed down lower than the womanly curves of her waist. She moved when he did in that next second when she did, Seth's eyes widened a couple inches away from her chest, as the rag rolled off quitting it's job.
Boobies! He was stuck. Naturally seeing boobs in the flesh, her milky skin and that pink color of those hardened areola's. For the first time in his life, he felt Paul ridden with lust and desire and his wolf was encouraging it. Encouraging his thoughts of closing the distance to her breast and to swept his tongue over the pink nipple, the scent of her body wash was like a drug that mixed with her drying clean skin and his wolf desperately wanted him to give in.
It was one thing to have his imprint right here, naked, but it was also one thing to continue staring absolutely stuck in place. It was also one thing to know other things that he knew for sure she would stab him over, not literally but threaten too. He put the rag back over her chest, he didn't stray down lower than her eyes again helping her finish showering. Once she was dressed she went downstairs to eat, even if it was small because of the time of night, Seth went back to his room and laid back down on his bed on his stomach. He fell asleep while she ate a quarter of her saved food plate, she put the rest away into a Tupperware container for tomorrow because it deserved to be fully consumed.
Naomi laid down on the available space on Seth's bed which he woke to the weight shifting, he shifted on the bed so she could attach herself to him. He was asleep again once she was settled and she listened to his heartbeat and his breathing, closing her eyes and indulging in the sincerity of his presence. She drifted to sleep easily with his scent, his heartbeat, his breathing, and just him… in general. He made her feel at home and she didn't go to sleep afraid, she was perfectly comfortable in ways she couldn't explain.
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."