Walker held her close.

He couldn't lose her—he couldn't lose another child.

He hadn't told her that he'd felt the loss of their son, too. She was such a caregiver to everyone around her, especially him. She'd cater to him more than she should and lose herself in the process.

He was already lost in her—completely.

"I'm really glad we ended up at the temple now," Roxie said as they walked back to the kitchen, "Can you imagine what might have happened to us by now if we hadn't gone there or been picked up by the Ragers? I can't believe I'm even saying that."

"I can't believe I'm agreeing with you," Walker smiled, "I wash, you dry?"

"Sounds good to me," Roxie said, "Does this feel natural to you, Walker?"

"Washing dishes? No, I hate washing dishes," Walker laughed, "I'd rather just use paper,-"

"No, silly..us...do we feel natural?"

"I know you're all natural."

"I'm being serious," Roxie smiled, "That first time on the track is when I felt something."

"You remember that?"

"Of course I do," she said, "You carried me to the nurse."

"Well, I had to, mouse. You were wallowing.."

"Lies," Roxie giggled, "I could have made it..maybe.."

"I didn't want you to hurt your ankle any more," Walker said, finishing up the last plate, "None of us were healers yet.."

"Would you have healed me?"

"Yes..." Walker didn't hesitate. He would have, "I think you're the healer, though."

"Does it hurt? The awakening?"

"I haven't been through it, but I've heard some stories," Walker said as they tidied up and settled on the couch in their living room, "Like hallucinations, pain—lots of pain. I've had binding since I was 17 which is normal and you've had the teleportation for a while... Did that hurt?"

"Eh, a little," Roxie admitted, "I felt like I was sick for a few days and then I was able to speed jump from here to there. I'm not very good at it, though. I can't go far."

"I'm sure that'll change with practice," Walker assured her, "Fucking storm is rolling in again."

"How do you..?"

Lightening flashed in the distance and thunder rolled over them, "Sight?"

"I think I'm getting it," Walker said, "What a wild ride that'll be."

"Are you excited for work?" Roxie teased, "I'm sure Evans won't toss you off any cliffs with Jenny as his wife and your sister."

Walker sighed, "I'm not so sure about that. He hates me."

"I don't think he hates you," Roxie said, "I think he's just used to messing with you."

"He likes you," Walker mumbled, "More than I want him to."

"Walker, are you jealous?" Roxie giggled, "Of Evans? Come on now."

"I'm not jealous...I'm..."

Another boom.

"I hope Jadis and them have made it to some sort of shelter by now," Roxie said, curling up into the couch even more, "What a day."

"What a day indeed—wanna join me in the shower?"

"You read my mind."

With the warm water running over them, their bodies meshed together, hands roaming as if they'd never felt each other in their lives. Lifting her into his arms, Walker pushed Roxie up against the wet tile, impaling her core with one thrust. She was on her tiptoes now, gasping in delight.

"Walker.." She held on to him, knowing that if she let go he'd catch her—he'd always catch her.

"I want this...this is what we are now..connected.." Walker glanced down at his cock thrusting in and out of his mate as Roxie followed his gaze, "You're so beautiful..this is beautiful..."

Roxie blushed. Watching their actions caused her to be so shy all of a sudden so she placed her head on Walker's shoulder as he lifted her up.

"Wrap your legs around me and hold on tight," Walker said before plowing into her, their grunts overpowering the sound of the shower. He thought about her having his child—thought about her warming his bed every night—thought about every single amazing thing about her, "Do you...are you..."

"I'm so close," Roxie moaned, "I'm so close and I love you so much."

"I am going to enjoy hearing that for the rest of my life.." Walker plunged in one more time and both of them dove off the cliff together, just as thundered crackled overhead and a howl was heard in the distance.

"I could stay like this for the rest of my life.."Roxie said, her mind and body so spent that she barely noticed Walker rinsing them off, drying them both and placing her underneath the covers in their bed.

"Sleep, mouse..." Walker whispered, "But only if you have the sweetest of dreams..."

"Wake up, ass chap!"

Roxie was already awake when Evans came tapping on their bedroom window.

"I am going to kill this fucker..." Walker yawned, "What time is it? Roxie?"

He watched her dress, clasping her bra and smiling down at him, his bare chest and abs tempting her—the morning wood pitching a tent in the covers as they both admired each other.

"No killing—not yet..." Roxie leaned in and kissed him as Walker pulled her down on top of him.

"We've got no time for this, Walker!"Evans said, his voice sounding amused, "I don't need to hear you two bopping again, do I?"

"Why are you even listening?!"Walker yelled, not caring if anyone saw him nude. He rushed to the window and flung it open, Evans and Corey standing there in shock, "I'm up!"

Evans chuckled, "We see that, blood sucker."

Corey turned away, "Blood's gone straight to his,-"

Walker's eyes turned and his fangs cut through until Roxie joined him at the open window with his clothes for the day.

"Good morning, guys," Roxie smiled as Walker huffed off to dress, "Do we have to start this so early?"

Evans and Corey shrugged as if they'd been reprimanded by their mothers.

"He'll be out in a minute, OK? Do you want any breakfast?"

"Don't feed them a damn thing!" Walker called from within the bathroom.

Roxie rolled her eyes, "He'll be out soon."

"Thanks, Rox..." Evans nodded as the two walked off to wait for Walker.

"You don't have to be so nice to them," Walker said as he pulled on his boots.

"And you don't have to be an exhibitionist this morning," Roxie told him, "What if a woman had been standing there? What if Jenny had been with them?"

Walker frowned. Was she mad at how he treated the wolves or was she mad because he had shown his body to whomever was outside the window?

"And before you say it, sure I'm jealous. What if I'd done that? What if I'd opened the window and shown my body to them?"

"But they instigate it, Roxie.."

"You're letting them get to you," Roxie said as she handed him a lunch pail and a thermos of hot coffee, "Here. I hope you have a good day."

"What's this?"

"Your lunch and " Roxie smiled, "I know you'll be out in the woods a lot today hunting and gathering lumber so I made you a peanut butter and,-"

"Banana and honey sandwich," Walker said, not looking in the bag.

"It's my favorite," Roxie told him.

"Mine, too.."

"I know," Roxie kissed him on the cheek and ushered him out the door.

Walker turned around and grabbed her, pulling her into him and holding her—not caring that Corey and Evans were waiting for him. They could just wait.

"Shouldn't I walk you to work or something? I should have made you lunch," Walker whispered.

"Tomorrow," Roxie told him, "Now go. You've got a long day ahead of you."

"I'll..."

"I'll miss you more.."

They waved at Jenny who'd found her way over to their home along with Marlena.

"I've got another little helper today," Jenny said as Marlena looked up at Walker.

"Hi, Walker!"

"Hi, Marlena," Walker smiled, crouching in front of her, "Are you doing OK?"

"I am, thank you," Marlena smiled, "I...am sorry about Elijah..."

Roxie knelt down next to her, "Who's that, sweetheart?"

"Your baby," Marlena said.

"Marlena!" Jenny coughed, "No, honey, we don't,-"

Walker shooed Jenny away, "It's OK, Marlena. You can tell us anything you want to."

"He'll come back. I just know it," Marlena smiled, "He looks like you, Walker."

Roxie choked back a sob, "He does?"

"Yep!" Marlena nodded, "I talked to Jadis. You have...you have so many babies!"

Evans and Corey chuckled from a distance.

"I only see four," Roxie said.

Marlena rolled her eyes, "Walker wants a lot more than that, don't you, Walker?"

Jenny laughed, "Alrighty then..let's go, ladies! Evans, please behave, honey!"

Walker looked at Roxie who shook her head.

"Can't stay off of me, huh?"

"Well, it's gonna be so much fun making them."

"Let's go!" Evans hollered as a bunch of other Ragers came closer.

Walker and Roxie said their goodbyes, both heading in the opposite direction.

"Don't linger too far behind, Walker!" Evans called from the front of the pack, "We just might leave your ass."

"Oh no whatever will I do?" Walker rolled his eyes, only thinking about how unnecessary it was to go to work when he had money to give them for whatever he and Roxie needed.

"Does it ever occur to you that maybe we're doing this to get you into the family?"

"What family?" Walker scoffed, "Jenny?"

"All of us," Evans said, "We're not the enemy, Walker."

"Everyone is an enemy, Durant," Walker said, "You know it, I know it. Don't act like you don't."

The group came across some buggies and their pickup trucks, piling in as Corey led the way. He was the foreman for the lumber job that day.

"We have to cut through the field where Marlena's pack was found," Evans said as he and Walker drove in one truck by themselves, "I didn't want to, but there's no way around it."

"For what it's worth, I am so sorry about that," Walker said, feeling his chest tighten as he thought about Marlena, "You're..."

"Nah, I'm not good, Walker, I just know that little girl needs a home," Evans said, "I'm like you. I hide it all—all the pain, the hurt, the fuckery..Jenny knows me, Roxie knows you. We can't hide ourselves from them."

"It's hard to do that when you're mated," Walker mused, "She can read me."

Evans laughed, "Must suck if you're checking out another chick."

Walker snickered, "I haven't been caught yet."

"Yet..." Evans grinned as they talked a little more about their women and what they needed to do to survive the next few months, "I think you'll be OK with us for a while. Jaleesa and Metgar will send people to check on Myrtle. What about Celeste? The chick from the diner?"

"What about her?"

"She's Felicity's cousin..though you'd want to check her out."

"You've thought a lot about this."

"You're my brother, Walker. Like it or not—I am married to your sister."

"Sister..."

"She really likes.." Evans slowed the truck as the buggies and another truck came to a halt, "Wonder why they've stopped."

Walker used his vision as did Evans to look at their surroundings.

"Fuck!" Evans shouted as he and Walker saw the rogue vamps come out of nowhere, "They knew we were coming!"

Walker looked at the group—Niles was coming right for their truck.

"No they didn't," Walker snarled jumping out of the truck before Niles could attack, "They've been waiting it out, though. Thought your trackers were on this!"

Evans didn't get a chance to answer when two of Niles' men clobbered him and Niles rushed Walker, knocking him back into the side of the truck.

"You're not going to take this from me, Walker!" Niles growled, his fangs out, "I've worked for this..."

"You were my friend!" Walker struck back, causing Niles to tumble, "What the fuck is this all about? Profit?"

"She's supposed to mine! I was promised her..." Niles wailed, "I was promised Roxie..."

"The fuck?" Walker continued to pummel him, noticing that most of the rogues were being beaten down by Evans' pack, "What does Roxie have to do with this?"

Evans rushed over, "He's crazed. He's crazed...look! Your father probably promised her for profit—for the job. Remember what Jadis and Jaleesa said. You two are incredibly powerful together!"

"I only see a power hungry asshole who was my friend,"Walker croaked, everything blurring, "We've been friends since birth, Niles...."

Walker didn't see the craze—he only saw the enemy.

"Walker! Stop you're killing him!" Evans said as he and Corey pulled Walker off of Niles.

"Don't you dare take her from me!" Walker screamed.

"I will fucking kill you if you ever try to take her from me!"

Corey watched as the others pinned Niles to the ground and then back to Walker who was sweating profusely.

"What..." Corey took his hand away from Walker's chest, "Walker...you're...he stabbed you, man..."

Evans' eyes widened as they lay Walker in the field, "Oh shit! Oh shit! Apply pressure! Swear to the gods if you used a witch's dagger..." he glanced at Niles who wasn't looking at him anymore.

"Roxie..." Walker said as his whole world went dark.