Authors Note: All things Twilight belong to Stephenie Meyer, the rest is all me.
I am now doing what I said I'd never do again, I am posting a un-beta'd chapter. This is because both my beta's are swamped beyond belief and don't have the time, and I hate the "beta searching process" since I have never found anyone good that way. So if you can bare with me going solo, I'll try to get this story done, it has a chapter or two more to it, and the the teaser for the sequel to "Doing..." that I have no idea when will be written =)

All in all, I hope you'll enjoy this un-beta'd chapter!

Chapter 11

Seth

I was shell-shocked. I couldn't really absorb what she was telling me. Pregnant? How? I looked at her closely, I could see no trace of her tummy pouting, and hadn't she said she didn't have a boyfriend when I first met her?

"How?" I knew the word was wrong as soon as I blurted it out. Her eyes shifted and she straightened her back.

"Well" she gave me a pointed look, using my usual starting line "it sure wasn't the holy spirit, if that's what you're asking. And if your school didn't teach basic biology, it's not my problem. I think you should leave. Now." Her face was stone cold, just like her voice. I whimpered as I obeyed.

I hated leaving, I didn't want to leave. I was pretty sure she was just reacting and wanted nothing more than for me to stay, but she had given a direct order, and I could disobey her no more than I would be able to disobey my Alpha.

Granted, right now I had no Alpha since Jacob had released me from his pack, and I had took of as he laid the command on Leah to join Sam. I refused to spend time around her if she had to be around Sam.

As I reached the end of the lawn I turned around, she was looking at me through the open window. When I sat down she closed it with a slam. She kept looking at me though, and I kept looking at her.

Phin

I kept looking at him, for as long as I didn't look away he was still there. I could not believe I had driven him away, because even as I had uttered those words all I wanted was for him to stay. I wanted him to understand without me having to tell him.

How I was so happy, but also so scared. How I already loved my baby, even though it wasn't more than a big cluster of cells yet. It didn't even have a heart that could beat. The doctor said I wasn't very far along, a few weeks, a month and a half tops, while I was laughing myself silly. I could not believe what he was saying. Me, pregnant? He asked me about protection, and all I could do was nod. He said he wanted to run some tests since said protection had obviously failed, but he could do that from what he had left of my blood samples, and would call me when the results were ready. He kept smiling as he finished my chart. He gave me a hug as I left. He also gave me a parcel full of doctors he recommended, because I was his last patient, and his arthritis was getting so bad he could hardly move his fingers at all any more. I cried as I drove home. I took it extremely slowly, because I knew my reactions could not be trusted, and I didn't wanna risk my baby's life. I cried because the only Doctor I could trust would not be at my side if anything went wrong. I cried because I didn't know what to do.

Before I saw the lights of Silverthorne in the distance, I had calmed down and made up my mind. I wasn't going home to SLC, not like this. Not pregnant. I couldn't drop that on Mike and Sanna. I started crying again as I thought of them. I had all but banned them from my mind when I moved here, or I would have gone mental longing for them. Now I was moving anyway, maybe if I could find somewhere like Silverthorne, it was the closest I had ever had to a hometown. Of course, home would never really be home without Sanna and Mike, but if I could not have it all, maybe I could have a little. When I pulled into the alley beside the post office and parked I had already decided to request a transfer the next morning. It would of course take a few weeks before I could move, so the sooner the better. I wasn't sure how Fluff would react, but he had said something about Washington State, and I was going to ask for a placement there. It might not be close to his home, but at least it would be in the same state. And far away from my family.

Now that he was outside, I was doubting my decision. What if he'd hate me for making him a father? And what about his family. No. I couldn't leave it like this. I stretched out my hand to open the window again. In the blink of an eye he was there, prying it open as soon as I had removed the hatch. He offered me his arms, and I eased myself out into them. It was easier to breathe, easier to think, outside in the chill air.

Seth

As I sat down against the wall with her in my arms, I felt right again. I waited until she spoke, a bit wiser from my earlier mistake.

"Fluff?" Her voice was small and shaky.

"Yes, Red?" I murmured into her tussled hair.

"What will your family think of this, of me?"

Ugh, that was a question I would prefer not to answer. But I had to.

"Eh, I'm not sure, everyone I know who's got pregnant was already married. Or... there was rumors about one of the seniors when I was in elementary school, but she moved away from the rez straight after graduation. We were told she went to Makah but I've been up there quite a bit, my mom's from there, and I never saw her. I even looked that summer, because I was pesky enough to wanna find out if the rumors of her pregnancy was true."

She shuttered in my arms, her breath catching as she struggled to keep it steady.

"I'm sorry, they're all quite traditional, and won't like it one bit if I come home, pulling along a pregnant girl. But I don't care, Red. I love you!"

Soft sobs were erupting from her, but she tried to quench them. Then she spoke, very quietly.

"Would it be better if I was already pregnant when we met?"

"Huh? Were you?" I was confused. I wasn't sure what she meant, and I didn't want to upset her by asking, but I had to know.

"I mean, if you went back home, say tomorrow, and started living your old life. And then, a while later, a new girl moves to town. She's pregnant, and refuses to speak about it, but then at least it isn't your shame, or your family's."

"No, Red, I could never be ashamed of you! Never!" But that would make it a heck of a lot easier. Mom and Leah would get the chance to know her. Maybe she could confide in them, stuff like that. Heck if I know how women bonded.

"I didn't mean you were. I meant, do you think the people in your rez would have easier accepting you falling in love with a girl you meet around town, than they would if you brought home a pregnant white girl when you've been gone for quite some time?"

"Ugh, you're talking about two bad things here. But I think they would do better with me meeting you when I'm already there."

"OK, so that's settled then. You'll go ahead back home, and I'll see if there is any place needing me up North."

What had I just promised to do? How would I be able to leave her? Even if it was to set up our new life?

Phin

I was relieved after talking to him. He wasn't mad, just shocked and confused.

The next morning I called my superior first thing, and asked if he had any small towns in the Washington area. He was a bit surprised, to say the least. He tried to convince me that I was needed in SLC, but I told him that was not even an option. After some more talking, we decided he'd e-mail the available positions and offices as soon as he'd sorted them out.

By lunchtime I had 3 pages of offices in need of training up north. I brought it with me when my shift ended, and took to Google maps to check them out. Some I could cross out immediately, being big cities I knew of, but some of the smaller ones looked really nice.

Especially one called Forks. It was much smaller than Silverthorne, but the population was about the same, and there was a lot of green trees. I liked green. Some more research showed it was fairly close to some bigger cities, and had a uncommonly well reputed hospital. Not that I intended to go near it, but still. The house market seemed slow, but there were some houses for sale that looked really nice. Most of them looked like they came from the same manufacturer, small two story houses with two or three bedrooms. It was suburbia of a town smaller than most suburbs I had seen. It looked calm and peaceful. And not that pictures is the best way to tell, but the people looked friendly.

I e-mailed my superior back my wishes, Forks and two other small towns not too different from it. Then all I could do was wait for them to assign me. I could not control where they would assign me, of course I could refuse the placement, but then I wouldn't have much of a job anywhere else either.

I stayed inside all night, not even taking my bedtime walk. I didn't really feel secure outside now, with the baby to protect. The big bearlike creature didn't scare me before, when it was just me, but now I was terrified it would hurt my baby.

I tried to nap as I waited for Fluff to come home, but couldn't get any rest. When he finally tapped my window I was still awake, though really, really tired.

I let him in, and we went straight to bed when he saw how exhausted I was.

Seth

"Red, I talked to Hugh tonight. So now I'm unemployed." It stung a bit to say, I had liked having a job.

"Oh, that fast? Something wrong?"

"Not really, just one of the new bartenders being really pesky about the paperwork" No need to tell her it was her bartender who was causing the fuss. It didn't matter anyway.

"Oh, right. How old are you, really?" no way I was telling her that

"How old are you?" I directed the question right back at her.

"Twenty four, I'll turn 25 the fifth of May." Yikes, wasn't age supposed to be a touchy thing for women?

"Well, then I'm younger than you." Easy now Seth. Don't lie to her. Not that I was sure I could.

"How much younger?" She had to ask, didn't she? "You're at least over 20 though, aren't you?"

I ransacked my mind to find a loophole, and suddenly I saw it.

"Well, do I look like I'm closer to 15 than 25 to you?" I smirked as I said it, and swiftly snuggled my nose down her collarbone, where I knew she was ticklish. Sure enough she started to giggle and didn't press the matter further.

The next morning was awful. I went back to the B&B when she started her shift. I showered, packed up my stuff ad cleaned out the room. None of which took very long. Then I went down to settle my debt, and check out. The manager was awfully curious as to where I would go from there, and looked not just a little disappointed when I told her I was going back home.

I hauled up my backpack and walked over the backyard, to the backside of the post office and Red's window. She had asked me not to leave before she got a chance to say goodbye. The window was opened, and I left my bag outside when I climbed in.

On the table before me was a stack of letters, all addressed to me.

She came in from the kitchen after lunch, and I wondered if she really was that beautiful, or if my mind was playing tricks on me to keep me from leaving.

"I wish we didn't need to play this game." She sounded genuinely sad

"We don't. I can handle my family, they won't like it, but in the end they will accept it." It would take them a while, just as it had when Sam all of a sudden left Leah for Emily, but they would never dispute the imprint.

"No, Seth" The way she used my real name with a sad, tired tone made my heart break. "I don't want to meet them like that. I want to have the chance to know them. I don't want my baby growing up, being called a bastard. It's better this way. The baby's father left when I got pregnant. That is something we both can say, without lying." she sounded so sad saying that, and sobbed a little when I wrapped her in my arms.

"Oh Red, I really wish you didn't find this so complicated." Still, I didn't really know some other way to make it smooth.

"Will you call me when you get there?" She asked, sounding unsure.

"Of course! Will you write your number down for me, please?" I had ratted out her number weeks ago, but she didn't know that.

"Yeah, it's already in the first envelope" she pointed at the stack of letters, only now did I notice that beside my name on it, they also had numbers. "You don't have to like open one each day or anything, I don't care if you open them all tomorrow or just the first and not the rest, but if you open them, I wish you'd do it in order.

"OK, sure."

"And my cell number will only be valid until I move, I got it when I came here, only fitting to end it now. I don't like cellphones that much anyway." She shrugged, and I looked over at her beat up phone. It was a cheap model, with bumps and scratches all over, she dropped it frequently.

"Eh, Red, if you don't mind me asking..." I trailed of, not sure how to continue.

"Go on, you can always ask, I just don't guarantee I'll answer" She smiled sweetly at me.

"Why are you so eager to leave no traces behind you?" It felt off, the whole canceling phone thing.

"It's nothing really, I just feel more secure that way. I don't really like my family, and don't want them to try and contact me."

"Fair enough. Do they know you're here?"

"Yep. Big mistake. Mom keeps calling when I work, because she knows we don't have caller id and I have to pick up in case it's important. So now I'm correcting that." I could hear in her voice, that this was not up for discussion, her mind was already set.

There was a knock on the door, and Red turned to the clock.

"Oh, I got to go back inside and work. I'm sorry. Will you still be here when I get of work for the day?" I pondered it, but knew that if I stayed, I would not be able to leave.

"No, I think I'll get going while the sun's still up." I wrapped her in my arms, as tight as I dared and then kissed her forehead.

"Oh, OK." She sounded disappointed, but then shook her head a bit and looked my in the eyes.

"I love you Fluff. I will see you soon!" She emphasized the will " And I better not come up there finding you entertaining a horde of girls." she winked at the last word, to make sure I knew she was kidding.

"No risk sweetie, I'm branded for life!" I winked back at her, and then I gave into my craving and kissed her on the lips. Slowly at first, then nibbling a bit, and a bit more, until it was more of making out and less of a kiss. We jumped apart at a sharp rap on the door.

"So, I guess this is goodbye." I said as I turned to the window.

"Yeah... I guess so..." I could see she was just seconds away from crying, and I was in no better state.

"Red, let's just say "see ya" and then wave and turn around, like we do every night!"

"Yeah, OK. See ya" Her hand was shaking as she waved.

"See ya" I did my best to keep tears out of my voice, and my hand from quivering too much. I failed. We both smiled one last time at each other, as I climbed out the window and slowly turned around, dragging out that last moment. When I had my back completely against her, I picked up my backpack and started walking.

I went straight into the woods, and when I was well out of sight from any road or trail, I stripped down, stuffed the clothes into the backpack and donned it. The straps fitted weirdly, every loop too big. When I had phased it fitted perfectly. It had took me weeks of trial and error before I found the right concept of straps, and then some to learn to sew good enough for the seams to hold when I ran. While my human mind cried for every step I took away from my imprint, my wolf self was eager to get home, to make a den for my imprint and the little cub to come.

AN: Let me know what you think, and if you find any errors, please, please, tell me so I can fix them.