I laughed at the little hands that reached out for me. A year had gone by. Edward was always here in the evenings to spend time with his daughter. He would want me there spending time with them. At first it didnt start out that way but as the year progressed he wanted me there more and more. He had gotten use to me having dinner on the table when he got home so he stopped eating on the way home. Alora was a very smart girl. Her bright green eyes watched everything. She was crawling around now and had two teeth. She was healthy. Her early life having no effect on her. She had started babbling saying Dada and Mama to the both of us. Even though she didn’t understand that I wasn’t her mother. I let it go. Nothing was ever going to change. I could live my life here in this house. Until one evening I placed Alora to bed and went to do up the dishes.

"Jaq." I heard Edwards deep voice. "Before you go into the kitchen could you come in here." I followed his voice to the den. The fireplace was lit, his hand on the mantle, his green eyes on the fire lit. I walked in my hands in front of me. I was wearing one of the dresses in the closet. By then I had managed to get some that fit me better. "I don't know if I have expressed my gratitude for you being here the past year or not. I don't think I would have survived long with out your help."

"Your welcome." I said taken a little by surprise.

"However, I can’t keep you here for long." I looked at him with my eye brows arched, my hands tightening in front of me.

"Whats wrong?"

"Alora needs a proper mother. Even though you have been here for her and been doing a hell of a job teaching her, cleaning her and taking care of my house while I am at work and hell even putting dinner on the table when you don't have to, it would be selfish of me to hold you here."

"What makes a proper mother to you?"

"Marriage." He stood up and walked over to the desk passing it and going to the full wall window there. "I am looking for a wife and I have someone in mind. I'm going to bring her here tomorrow so that she can meet Alora." I gave him a blank look not knowing what to tell him.

"Do you love her?" He turned half towards me but still looked out the window.

"No." Was all I got. Nothing more but the tone of his voice was low and thinking.

"Then, why marry some one your not into yourself?"

"Its for my daughter."

"What makes you think she'll want that. I mean, I haven't known this woman or even met her but she could be the worse person out there. Who is it?"

"Her name is Hillary Gimins. Her father is a manager of one of my establishments. I've known her for over 3 years."

"Well, if that is what you want.. then I can't stop you. Now if you'll excuse me I have things to get done before I turn in for the night." I turned and left the room hearing the familiar sound of the wine cabinet open, glass and ice being combined, and the chair moving. I closed the door lightly and went into the kitchen to clean up from dinner. I placed the last dish in the washer. If he found a wife would he want her to take care of Alora? Would he ask me to leave? Does he really think marriage makes a perfect or ‘proper’ mother? What was I then? Just here, I guess. I felt the start of tears and I slammed the dish washer closed. What was I doing wrong to make him think he needed to get someone else? I turned to leave the kitchen when a pair of strong arms were wrapped around my middle, a chin on my shoulder, breath in my ear that smelled like whiskey. I breathed in deep, my heart skipping beats as the only person it could be was Edward however, why?

“Oh, Jaq.” His voice was husky and filled with the whiskey smell. He had never done this before and it took me totally by surprise. I, kinda think of it had never had anyone get affectionate on me. “Did I ever tell you, you smell so sweet. All the time. No matter what you do. So… sweet.”

“E-Edward?”

“Shh… it feels good to finally hold you.”

“Your drunk!” I exclaimed as his nose found a sensitive part of my neck. I gasped closing my eyes wondering what he was thinking and what I had to do to get his logic thinking back. Figero would drink all the time but he was never like this. Always still pleasant but never touchy.

“Maybe.”

“Its not good to drink like that with Alora around.” He purred like a lion in my ear.

“She’s sleeping. She’s not even around.”

“You’ll regret drinking in the morning you know. You’ll end up with a headach and throwing up.”

“The porcelain goddess won’t mind. I visit her often enough we are on first name basis.” I really had to try not to laugh at that. He was being rather funny and I had never seen him drunk so I didn’t want to give me any reason to try anything.

“You have work in the morning.” I said removing his hands from my waist and leaning against the counter. My ankles folded at my feet,my arms over my chest as I looked up at him. He was a mess. His jet black hair witch would normally be slicked back over his head was now in his bright green eyes longer then what I had thought it was. His shirt was unbuttoned something else I had never experienced. His chest looked smooth, his tie un done hanging from his neck. I shook my head slightly as his attention was on something else for a moment. He ran his hands through his hair then stood straight but didn’t get far. I stood, placed his arm over my shoulder and helped him up the steps to his room. He leaned against me. I drew strength from my powers to get him safely in his room. The lighting was soft from the small lamp he had at his bed side table. Other then a dresser, desk, and couch the room was just about empty. I had never ventured into his room cause it really wasn’t any of my business what it looked like. I sat him down on his bed looking around as his hand went to his head. I shook mine and went into the bathroom. I opened the cabinet for some pain pills and got a glass letting the water run before filling it. I found his tooth brush, squeezing some paste on it setting it on the sink. I leaned against the sink waiting. Waiting. Waiting…..

It took him ten minutes to lean against the door frame, look at me, drop to the porcine goddess and start praying. I knelt next to him rubbing his back, running my fingers through his hair. This was new but I knew he was going to do it. Sometimes I loved having the abilities I had like this moment and others like having a mad man after that I loathed them. I grabbed a wash cloth, moistened  it and wiped it across his for head and his mouth after he was done.

“Now what is the point of me making dinner then you drinking and giving it to your goddess?” He chuckled, lightly grasping my wrist and flattened my hand on his cheek. “Are you done?” He nodded and stood keeping a light hold of my wrist. I handed him his tooth brush and he let me go. He brushed his teeth as I leaned on the door frame. He gulped down two glasses of water and wiped his face. He placed his hands on the edge of the sink and leaned into the sink looking down into it. His black hair falling to his eyes as he closed them to gain reality.

“Jaq, I’m sorry.”

“For?”

“Loosing control.” I shrugged.

“People do weird things when they are under the influence.” He looked over at me between his pieces of hair. I moved the pieces behind his ear and smiled at him. Even at his worse points he was attractive. I turned to leave the room and he pulled me gently back. I looked over at him as he had suddenly sobered up.

“How did you know I was going to throw up?”

“You were drinking so… I just… guessed.”

“But you knew the exact timing.” I looked at him. My clear violet eyes looking up at his bright green ones. His stance was straight and he definitely knew what was going on, where we were. I swollowed hard and tried to back up when he pulled me towards him. Not exactly against him but inches from his face. “So tell me, did you grow up around drunks? Is that why I found you with out a home?”

“No, I mean. I don’t know my parents.”

“Orphanage.” He let me go and I backed up hitting the wall. “I assume there had to be enough drunks in your orphanage for you to guess that right.” He picked up the pain pills and goned another glass of water fast. “I’ve kept you up long enough Jaq. Check on Alora and get some rest.” I watched him close his eyes again and sit on the toilet seat. I turned and walked out of the room. I checked on Alora who was still fast a sleep and jumped in the shower myself letting the water run on my face, making the feelings and memory slip down the drain with the rest of the water. But soon as I laid in bed, they all found their way back into my confused mind.