"Seriously! This is your daughter we are talking about Jacob, not one of your military privates." Anger didn't even begin to explain how I was feeling while I spoke words of fire into the phone. Jozy's father refused to come see his daughter and now sees the passing of Aurora as a suicide.

If he only knew.

"So that's just it? You're just not gonna check on her... you are just going to sit in your fort and insist on another deployment?" I was practically screeching into the phone, the audacity this man had to reject any communication with his daughter. Reminded me so much of my own father that it made my blood boil.

There was a series of hateful speech that Jacob spat at me through the phone about Jozy. Each and every one of my words was laced with disgust and loathing, how dare he talk down about his own blood.

I wasn't sure if it was the emotional rollercoaster I've been on in the past twenty-four hours, or the fact that Jacob didn't want his own daughter but I snapped under it all. My words burst from my lips like a damn breaking open.

"You know what, your right Jozy is better off without you. No body deserves a selfish prick like you anyways."

"Excuse me?! Who the fuck do you-"

"Shut up Jake and stop acting like you don't want to hand over the rights to your daughter to someone else. Before you deploy sign the paper work and mail it back to me." I hung up the phone knowing damn well he would try and have the last word, I wasn't going to give him that pleasure. Not after Aurora mentioned how dejected he was with her and Jozy, I could never do anything before but I vowed to never let him get away with his rude remarks.

The phone buzzed again and I groaned knowing it to be Jacob no doubt trying to give me a piece of his mind. Groaning I tossed the phone onto the coffee table, covering my eyes with the back of my arm.

I had placed Jozy up in the loft to anxious with her down stairs alone. Though Caleb was kind enough to put a new padlock and several other security features in the apartment while I was away I still felt uneasy with the possibility of unwanted visitors.

It wasn't enough to change my mind and go running back to Caleb for protection, but it was enough to make the pit of my stomach uneasy.

I sighed finding no comfort in the quite apartment, I would usually have Bastet to comfort me and cuddle with but having to leave in such a short notice I didn't have the time to drive back to Caleb's estate to grab her. A part of me feared that if I had gone back to the estate Caleb would have locked me in our room never to be let out again.

Shaking my head and ridding myself of then negative thoughts and what ifs I turned on the TV. The much needed noise alleviating the tension in my muscles as I let my mind turn to mush as I watched the random scenes on the TV. The soothing feeling however only lasted momentarily as I watched Kevin Hart run around the screen with an over stuffed backpack. It was Jumanji playing on the TV.

The memory of the night I first kissed Caleb played out in my head and the reminder of the fact that it was that day that first started the domino effect of what had ended us up here.

Cursing under my breath I turned off the TV finding the movie playing a sarcastic remark about what I couldn't have and what was stolen from me.

As if someone knew I needed a much needed distraction there was a cry from up stairs, Jozy's sobs echoed within the loft and I quickly dashed to my feet. Flying up the stairs, I swiftly cradled her in the comforter, placing her in my lap as I rested against the head board.

My heart broke at her shuddering form that clutched to my body for consolation. This should be Aurora comforting her not me, this should be her mother brushing her tears away and telling her that everything would be alright. This wasn't my job but it was my place now, someone had to fall into this position for Jozy, she had no one now, not even her father.

"Shhh.. Jozy it's alright I'm right here." I cooed hoping my voice would calm her down. It did a little as she pulled the blanket away from her face and I could see her innocent red and tearful face.

"A-auntie E-evie, th-they took m-mommy away." She hiccupped, tears still falling in endless streams down her face. I was quick to rub them away but it didn't matter as another fell in its place. "I-I want mommy, I want m-mommy!"

I cupped the back of her head as she continued to cry, begging for her mother that she would never see again. I had replied to Taylor's text on the ride home when she asked what I wanted to do about Aurora's body. Burn it I told her, not wanting anyone to come across her body. I didn't need authorities thinking this was a mindless murder case, it was anything but that.

Jozy pulled her head away from my chest her big innocent eyes stared helplessly up at me. How was I supposed to tell her that everything was going to be okay when I didn't know that for myself? I couldn't lie to myself, but I had to lie to her. She didn't need to know how messed up this world really was.

"Are you hungry?" I asked combing her hair out of her face and placing it into a high ponytail. Her little head nodded as she sniffled the last bit of her tears away.

Picking her up and I made my way downstairs making quick of what I had in the fridge to make her something. Cursing under my breath I realized that I hadn't been here in over a month and there was nothing really left to make. Rummaging through the nearly empty cabinets I rejoiced when I found a packet of ramen to make.

Jozy was content feeding herself as she watched tv from the kitchen table.

I would need to go grocery shopping tomorrow, I wondered if I would find some sense of sanity their. Maybe it would bring a sense of normality back.

I visibly scoffed at the oddity of my words, it was absurd, normal would always be a thing of the past.

There was a knock on the door cause Jozy and I both to jump at the intrusive noise. Trying not to show the fear that was growing in the pit of my stomach I forced a soft smile as I placed Jozy on her feet again.

In a quiet whisper I leaned near her ear. "Go upstairs and crawl into bed, stay there until I say you can come down."

Jozy didn't argue or hesitate quickly running to the stair case and disappearing in the loft. The door knocked again this time harder and with more urgency. I swallowed a lump in my throat as I grabbed a knife from the stand.

Memories flood back to me to the night I stabbed Caleb, I had thought Roy had come to finish me off. Silly to think I had literally stabbed a person, I was never the violent type, but as I gripped the knife tightly in my hand it couldn't be further from the truth.

I would kill if I had to, it wasn't just myself I was living for now.

Gripping the knife tightly in my hand I stepped quietly to the door taking a deep breath before pulling it open. I did so cautiously keeping the chain lock secure as I peaked around the door. My once adamant apprehension vanished as I stared at brown eyes.

"Taylor." I muttered stunned to see her standing outside my home.

She beamed a smile at me as she pulled something from the inside of her leather jacket. Bastet.

"I brought a peace offering." She announced holding my pet out in front of her. Bastet turned quickly in Taylor's hands, not enjoying the way she held her, and hissed in her face swatting at her arms for good measure.

Good girl, I thought as Taylor cursed under her breath dropping my pet. She squeezed through the opening of the door a scurried her way inside.

Not wanted to have a conversation I began to close the door but it was abruptly stopped when Taylor wedged her foot in between the door and the frame.

"I did just come to bring your devil cat back. I came to see how you were doing." She paused when I stared blankly at her face. "How are you doing?"

How was I doing? The question sounded foreign and unreal, like it shouldn't be asked. Why ask such a stupid question? You know what they say ask a stupid question get a stupid answer.

"Peachy, now leave." I muttered pushing against her foot with my own to un-wedge the door. It was no use, she was stronger than me. "Move Taylor before I call the cops."

"You wouldn't." She shot back a slight playful smile on her face. I could tell she couldn't imagine her best friend calling the police on her but I wasn't the same person anymore. Things have changed, I have changed. When my face did show any signs of a bluff she frowned. "The Evie I knew wouldn't call the cops on her friends."

"Then maybe we aren't friends anymore." The words fell from my lips quicker than I could suck them back in. My mind froze for a moment knowing damn well I did and didn't mean the words but it was too late they were already said.

Taylor pulled her foot from the door and now that I was free to close it I couldn't bring myself to do it. I was still in a daze from my outburst.

A moment passed before Taylor dug something out of her pocket and reached out, her fingers curled around the object concealing it from view, only the edges of a cloth showed. I gingerly strained my arm around the door to take the object. When it dropped in my hand the cool and hard texture made me furrow my eyebrows together until I recognized the object.

It was the necklace Caleb had given to me as a birthday gift, the one that was meant to protect me from the supernatural world.

"I don't want this." I told her shaking my head.

I didn't want there to be any reminder of the past, of the pack, of vampires or werewolves, or him. I wanted to forget any of this ever happened. I didn't need the necklace if I stayed away from their kind.

"Keep it. You may need it." She explained tucking the clothe back into her pocket.

Taylor turned on her heals and left down the stair case leaving me with more turmoil then I had felt the last couple days. In a mix of my own emotions I tossed the necklace on the desk with a groan. Tears brimming my eyes as the purple flower captive inside reminded me of it's protection.

Sure, I was thought of and protected, but what about Aurora, she had nothing and didn't deserve to die. Not how she did.

All I could feel was the sadness that cling to every cell in my body. It was like a crippling depression that left my knees caving in under the weight of it all. A chocking sob fell from my lips as I begged some kind of force to bring her back, anything.

I didn't know how long I stayed curled up on the floor but small arms wrapped around my neck. I swiftly wiped my tears mad at myself for momentarily forgetting I had Jozy to care for. My own self pity could wait, if I even allowed myself to pity my faults.

Starring at the only thing I felt mattered in the world still, I kissed Jozy's forehead and lifted us both up. With a forced smile I asked her what she wanted to do today to which she admitted she wanted to watch a movie with me.

She picked the movie and we both settled into the sofa curling up together as the movie played out. Bastet had curled up at my feet and was quick to fall asleep. At some point Jozy had fallen fast asleep and I kissed her forehead gently as my phone buzzed on the coffee table.

I hadn't looked at it since my heated phone call with Jacob. Reaching over Jozy I picked it up tapping the screen to life, just as my blood cold.

I heard you're back in town. Hope you don't mind me stopping by.