"Mom, talk to me please." Andrew pleads knocking on the bathroom door. He woke up to her puking, but she won't let him in.

"I'm ok, honey." He hears his Mother's raspy voice.

"Mom, just let me in." He pleads with her again and then the door opens slowly. He looks at his weak mother with concern. He wraps his arm around her and carefully helps her back to her bed. "Mom, did you puke up blood again?" He asks covering her up with blankets as she shivers.

"I'll be fine, go to school." She says and Andrew kisses her forehead.

"I love you." He says with a smile.

"And I love you." She says back with a soft smile. He gets his things and with one last glance at his mother walks out the door. He meets up with Andra and Max.

"How is she today?" Max asks and Andrew shakes his head. "I'm sorry, man." He pats his back. Andrew shakes his head and wipes his eyes.

"It's fine, she'll pull through. She's the strongest person I know." He says trying to reassure himself. The other two nod their heads but know she doesn't have much more than a month to live. Nether are goin gto say anything. 

**~**

"George, are you ok?" Nicole asks walking into his room. She sees him on the floor crying. She bends down and puts her hand on his back. He jumps up and shakes his head. "George, it's ok." She says, but then he's shoved her into the wall. She feels her head smash into the wall and then his hand is holding her throat. "George, George, stop." She begs pushing against his hands, but not beginning stronger than his wolf it doesn't do much. She looks up into his eyes and sees they're black. "Give me George." She states and then she's not being choked anymore.

She takes in gasps of air and George pushes himself against the wall staring at her. "I..I'm sorry Nicole." He says staring at his hands shaking. She gets up and takes a step towards him, but he shakes his head. "No, I d-don't wanna hurt ya again." He says still shaking.

"George, it wasn't ya. Ya wouldn' ever 'urt me." She says, but he continues to shake his head.

"Please, jus' leave." He says. He crumbles to the floor and she slowly gets up. She nods her head and walks out of his room closing his door. She brings her hand up to her head and feels blood. She walks to the bathroom and carefully cleans the cut. She sees bruising forming around her neck and grumbles knowing she's going to have to wear a scarf in the warm weather.

After taking a shower she finds a white tank top, jeans shorts, and then finds her blue scarf. After making sure she's covered she walks back to her room to wake up Maddie. "Maddie, rise an shine." She says opening the windows.

"No, I wanna sleep." She argues and Nicole smiles. She gets onto the bed and starts tickling her. "Nikki stop, stop Nikki, please." She says trying to push her away. "I'm up, I'm up." She yells and Nicole smiles.

"Good, now go get dressed." She says lightly hitting her butt. She yells before running to the closet. Nicole then walks over to the crib on the left side of her bed and sees that Maggie's already awake. "Who's already up?" She asks picking her up. "Ya ahr, yes ya ahr." She says lightly tickling her belly. Maggie giggles and then Nicole grabs some clothes she thinks are clean and begins dressing her.

"Maddie, make sure ya brush yowr teeth after breakfast." She says as she hears her feet running around.

"I remember." She yells back and Nicole smiles. She picks up Maggie and grabs her diaper bag before walking to the living room.

"You should get more apples from your school. I wonder why they jus' give 'em out for free?" She questions and Nicole shrugs her shoulders.

"Yowr accent is startin' t' fade." She says and Maddie smiles.

"Yeah, but people still say I sound a wee bit different." She says and Nicole smiles.

"That's ok, I like yowr little accent." She says messing her hair up.

"Hey, I jus' brushed that." She says patting her hair down. Nicole laughs and grabs her backpack.

"Come awn, let's git a move awn." She says holding the door open with her elbow. Maddie comes running out with her little backpack. Nicole moves Maggie on her other hip as she tries to find her keys. Once she does she locks the door and quickly gets the two buckled in before driving to the daycare.

When both are dropped off she rushes to school just making it to her first hour on time. "What took you so long?" Andra asks as Nicole slides into a seat next to her.

"Slept in late." She lies getting out her textbook. She looks at the teacher, but can't seem to focus. She feels something's off, but when she asks her wolf about it she just says that she's got a bad feeling. Nicole realizes that Andra is talking to her. She looks over at her nodding her head.

"And, I just wanted to beat the living daylights out of him. He can be such an ass sometimes." She says finishing her story. Nicole nods her head not knowing who's she talking about, but not wanting to make her feel like she wasn't paying attention if she asks. "The bell rang, you plan on staying here?" She asks. Nicole looks around the room seeing the next hours class walking in. She grabs her backpack not closing it and rushing out of the room with Andra. The two rush into class just before the bell rings. Their teacher glares at them as they take their seats.

"What were two guys doing?" Mason asks under his breath.

"Lost track of time," Andra says before taking her book out. Nicole does the same and lets her eyes rest. She hasn't gotten much sleep with George having issues and Maggie was just sick causing her to stay up crying throughout the nights meaning she was up with her.

"Nicole, care to tell me what I just explained?" Mr.MiIller asks. Nicole opens her eyes and looks up at him.

"Ya were tawlking about what caused ww2 ta start. About how thuh Black Hand had assassinated thuh Archduke Ferdinand." She lazily replies and he nods his head.

"That's right." He grumbles slightly. She feels a smile come to her face because he thought he'd catch her sleeping in his class, but she doesn't really sleep. She goes back to resting her eyes and he doesn't bother her the rest of the class.

When she walks into her writing class she notices Andrew right behind her. They are back on speaking terms, but it's not good speaking terms after he'd asked why she doesn't eat lunch. "How did you do that?" He asks right in her ear. Her stomach stirs lightly and she moves away from him confused.

"Do what?" She questions a yawn escaping her mouth.

"You were asleep, but when he asked what he said he was talking about you new. How?" He asks again as they take their seats.

"Secret." She smiles and he gives her a look.

"Can I be let in on that secret?" He asks and she looks up at him before shaking her head. He slouches in his seat grumbling. She smiles at him pulling out her notebook.

"Ok, tell me why ya seem ta be distracted todee." She says and he looks over at her.

"I'm not distracted today, just a normal day." He lies and she rolls her eyes.

"Ok, faahn. What done ya do yesterdee whe-yn ya went home?" She asks and he smiles at her. He writes something down and she leans over to read his scribble scratch. "Maah accent isn't stronger wheyn i'm tarred." She argues and he laughs.

"It really is, but when I got home I cooked my Mom and I some dinner, helped out with some pack stuff, when for a run, and then came back home to do homework." He says and she writes a few things down quickly.

"I got a question. Wheyn someone loses their mate is it normal for their wolf to take control of their body and be aggressive?" She asks trying to figure out how to help George.

"It can happen, anything really can. Losing your mate is the worse thing that can happen to you, why do you ask? That question was very specific." He asks notices her straighten her back.

"Jus' thought about it earlier." She lies. He nods his head but knows she's lying. He doesn't understand why she would, but he knows they're not close enough for him to ask more questions about it. 

"What did you do after school yesterday?" He asks but notices her not paying attention. He waves his hand in front of her face. She jumps and looks back towards him.

"What?"

"What did you do yesterday?" He asks looking at her concerned, she seems more than just tired.

"Oh, I done went home, done some homework, theyn went t' work, after work went home, played with maah siblings, an theyn went t' sleep." She says when a yawn escapes her mouth again. He nods his head not really believing her but writing it down anyway. As he's about to ask another question when he sees her itch her neck pulling her scarf down slightly. He sees a deep bruise and feels his wolf biol with anger. He stands up, grabs her wrist, and pulls her out of the class. He mindlinks his uncle he needs to talk to her without everyone in the room. "What ahr ya doin'?" She asks trying to pull her wrist from his hand, he lets go once they're out of the room completely.

"How'd you get that bruise on your neck?" He asks and her head snaps up at him. She moves her scarf and he leans in close to her. "Who did that to you?" He asks and she pushes him away from her.

"I hurt myself wheyn I was sleeping, jus' didn't want everyone askin' me about it." She says getting ready to walk back to class, but he grabs her arm again. He backs her into a wall and she lightly bumps her head against the wall causing it to hurt. "Oww, backuhp." She says trying to push his chest. He moves back seeing her in pain and watches as she touches her head. When she pulls her hand back there's blood on it.

Andrew grabs her hand, but she pulls it out of his grasp. She walks down to the girl's bathroom, but Andrew doesn't care. He walks in after her. "Ya can't be in here." She says, but he doesn't acknowledge her. He grabs paper toweling, gets it wet, and then goes up to her. She watches as he walks behind her and then starts dapping her cut. She winces every once and awhile as he cleans her head. She watches as Avery comes in and groans. She doesn't want to deal with her.

"Shut it, I'm here to stitch the cut." She growls and Andrew sends her a look. She holds up a needle and thread and then grabs Nicole's head. She winces as she feels the first stitch go in. She hears a growl and looks over at Andrew, but he's looking his sister. "Oh, you shut it to. I'm helping her." Avery says and Andrew looks at Nicole. She closes her eyes feeling another stitch go in.

Once she's done she washes her hands and gets ready to leave, but Nicole stops her. "I know you only did this because he asked, but thank you." She says. Avery looks at her and then nods her head. She walks out the door leaving Andrew and Nicole.

"Who did that to you?" He asks, his voice quieter, but every ounce of anger still raging in his body.

"I done told ya I hurt myself wheyn I was sleepin' yesterdee. I fell off maah bed and gawt hit in thuh neck with maah laptop and theyn slammed maah head onto thuh ground." She says making up the lie.

"Ok, remove the scarf." He says. She looks up at him confused.

"What, Why?" She asks and he walks up to her, but she backs away.

"If you hit your neck on your laptop it will be one bruise, there won't be any handprints." He says knowing what he saw, but she shakes her head.

"I don't have to show ya anything. I'm faahn, we need t' be getting back to class. It's going ta end soon." She says and goes to walk past him, but he grabs her waist pulling her back.

"Either you show me or I go can get Mr. Night." He gives her the ultimatum and she looks up at him. She huffs and carefully takes her scarf off. He looks at her neck and brings his hand up, but she back away. "Who did this? You need to tell me, Nicole." He urges and she shakes her head. She puts her scarf back on and checks in the mirror to make sure she's covered.

"I showed ya, ya can't say anything, ahm faahn an if ya don't let me leave ah will scream." She states and begins walking. He puts out his arm and she takes a breath. He covers her mouth.

"Fine, but this isn't the end of this." He says and then the bell rings. Nicole walks out of the bathroom and quickly grabs her bag, brushing past Andrew as he comes into the room.

She keeps her head down until she gets to her math class. She smiles up at Mason and he motions her over. "We have a pop quiz today." He all but passes out telling her. She laughs shaking her head at his overreaction.

"An ya got no idea what we're doing, do ya?" He shakes his head. She laughs grabbing her notebook and handing it over to him. "Study uhp." She replies.

"Thank you thank you thank you." He says before starting to read her notes. She laughs as the teacher begins to hand out the test and he's only halfway down the first page. When the teacher gets to his desk she sends him a look. He picks up the notebook and hands it back to Nicole. She smiles and puts it in her bag. She first writes her name on the test and then begins reading the questions.

The bell rings right as she brings up the test. She walks back and grabs her backpack before walking down to the cafeteria. She drops her bag off at the table and goes into the lunch line. "I'm not going to leave you alone. You shouldn't have to go through this, it isn't right." She hears Andrew say by her ear. She ignores him and grabs a few apples remembering what Maddie had said this morning. When she gets up to put her pin in, she quickly does it and then walks away.

"Young lady, oh could you tell her she needs to fill her account. She only has ten cents left." The lunch lady says.

"I'll pay for it. Just put fifty dollars in." He says. She looks at him confused but nods her head.

"You have ten dollars left." She says and he nods.

"I'll put more in later." He says going back to the table. Max and Nicole are in a deep conversation about something and he feels jealousy seep in. Nicole nods her head and he wonders what they could be talking about. Max turns back to the table along with Nicole. Andrew looks at him and nods to Nicole.

"Music." He says and Andrew nods. He watches as she puts her food into her bag and laughs along with Andra and Rose.

"Hey, after class, try and keep her behind," Andrew says. Max looks at him confused. "I need to talk to her about our writing project." He says and Max nods his head but knows his friend is lying. He's up to something.

"Since when did you start lying to me?" He asks and Andrew looks up at him before sighing.

"I found out something about her that I feel could be a threat, I just want to follow her and see if I can stop it before it happens again." He says and Max's looks at him and back at Nicole concerned. What threats could she have? She's just moved here and is human? He questions through the mind link just to him. First, she's not human, and second, she's hiding a lot of things. She has hand marks on her neck and Avery had to stitch her head this morning. I think she's being hurt by someone at home. He says and Max stares at him trying to register all the information. I'm coming with. He states and Andrew shakes his head. If both of us are there it's more likely we'll get caught, I'll tell you what I find out and if I need your help.

Max nods his head and Nicole jabs him in the side. He looks over at her. "Ya ok?" She asks. He nods his head and puts a smile on his face. She looks at him strangely but doesn't push it.

**-**

"Hey, can we go over this last little bit?" He asks pointing to a little part of the song. "Please." He begs noticing her not wanting to. She nods her head sitting back down on the bench.

Andrew rushes down to the music room almost running into other people. When he gets to the door he sees her sitting behind a piano and singing as she moves her hands along the keys. Max looks up and nods his head. He walks back not wanting Nicole to see him as she comes out. He hears them say goodbye and then sees her jogging out of the room.

"Thanks," Andrew says. Max nods his head taking Andrews backpack from him before Andrew goes running down after her. He sees her run into the forest. He watches as she takes her clothes off. His wolf starts making him want to do things and he shakes his head. Would you focus? He states and hears his wolf whimper. They watch as her very large yellow wolf picks up her backpack and clothes before running off. "Shit." Andrew curses taking his pants off and quickly shifting. He has to run at full speed for a while before he sees her.

He watches her change back and has to keep his head down before his wolf does something inappropriate. He changes back pulling his pants on. He watches her enter the house. All of her windows are open which he finds a little off. He watches as she runs back and forth. She runs outside calling for someone named George. He watches her in confusion but doesn't move from behind the tree.