She sleeps so soundly.

I find myself admiring how different she looks when she's dreaming - innocent, carefree, soft. All the things she doesn't allow herself to project when she's awake.

Shame.

We were only a half hour away from thr cabin. Throughout stressful days, packing, meetings, and her fluctuating attitude, I was just glad we were here together. In my heart I only hoped it would be okay, but I couldn't ignore the facts. I was trying to be different, but it was hard when Anastasia was like a human hand grenade.

"Yes?" I answer my phone quickly, not wanting to interrupt Anastasia from the sleep she desperately needed.

"I found her," Amy said, her voice unusually flat. "It's not looking too good."

I frown, "What do you mean by that? Where is she?"

Amy sighs deeply, "Took me a while because of her name changes... But she's in California, with her... New family."

My heart drops. That means Anastasia's father had told me the truth about her affairs and her double life. Did Ana know? What would she say if I told her? Would she still want to see her or would she play it off like it wasn't important? It really couldn't end well. Even if she didn't admit it to me, or herself, or anyone, Anastasia wanted, and needed, her mother.

"Please email me her information. I'll handle it. Thanks for helping me out, you can take the rest of the day off."

"Really? Uhm, okay, wow. I just forwarded her information to you. Thanks, Z."

Anastasia's eyes flutter open and I hang up immediately, the thought of her being disappointed by her mother gnawed at me.

I smiled at her as she sat up, rubbing her sleepy eyes. "How long did I sleep?"

"Not too long. I know you needed it."

She rested her head on my shoulder. "Is the cabin different too?"

"Yes."

"I'm scared," she said, wrapping her arm around my torso.

"Of what, angel?"

"Of things going back to how they were. I get so scared sometimes, I don't know how to control my emotions."

I rub her back soothingly. "We're just a work in progress, it'll take some time."

"You're all I have," she says softly, her voice full of sadness.

Part of me just wants to tell her everything. Deep down I hoped that reuniting her with her mother was the right thing to do, but another part of me kept telling me to not dl it. It wasn't because I wanted to shelter her and keep her mother from her. I was afraid, afraid that it could go extremely wrong. Much like everything in her life did, all thanks to me. I couldn't keep making decisions for her though, and after this week together in the cabin, I'll tell her. I'll explain and stand by whatever choice she makes.

I kissed the top of her head, my fingers finding her chin and making her tilt her head up to look at me.

Anastasia was so sad. Even as she smiled at me, I could tell she wanted to cry. Her eyes still held a dying spark, the fading reminder of my once wild girl.

I pressed my lips to hers softly, the gesture was brief was I felt better when she leaned into me further, her soft breathing comforting to me for some reason.

"You're all I have, too."

Ana shakes her head, pulling her long hair back. "That's not true."

"Tell me, baby, what else do I have if I don't have you? I don't have anything."

She appears thoughtful for a second. She plays with my fingers, occasionally running her fingertips over my tattoos. I place her legs on top of my lap. "You have a lot of different options, you know?"

"What do you mean?"

"A lot of women want you."

I chuckle. "That's silly."

She frowns, but places her hand on my cheek. The way she looks at me is incredible, like I'm the only person in her world that matters. My heart caves in. And I realize once again that I would do anything to protect her. Anything she desired, I would get for her, anything.

"It's true, Zayn, you know it."

I feel her thumb tracing my jawline. "Even if it was, I don't care about them. They're not you."

I kiss her nose, earning a grin from her. She looks so young without all the makeup, but I notice she also looks tired. Her lack of sleep was making her once pristine complexion worn.

"When we get to the cabin, I'm gonna give you a bath, okay?"

She nudged me. "That's a new one."

I wiggled my eyebrows. "I'll wrap you in a blanket afterwards like a burrito and put you to sleep."

She raised a brow. "And where will you be? Since you've got this all planned out."

"I'm the adult, I don't have a bedtime."

Ana giggles. "Whatever, old man."