A week.

A whole week had gone by since Miranda left Braydon and it was this he thought over as he sat eating breakfast with his new best friend, Amber. Was Miranda happy he was gone? Was she sad, hurting? With Jason? He didn't like that one, and chewed a little harder on his piece of toast. He had checked his phone, eager to call her, text her even - all while anxiously wondering if she would contact him.

He was too scared of further rejection from her to be the first to make a move and didn't dare talk to her parents for the same reasons. The few times he had thought he heard his phone ringing, he found it void of missed calls or any evidence of it and Carolina kept telling him that he was hearing things. She also told him to get a new number, but that wasn't going to happen.

Since the festival, Braydon had been thinking a lot. That really wasn't anything new or unusual, but the deepness to his thoughts was. He watched Carolina going about her day with an almost morbid fascination, trying to learn as much as he could about her, without her actually knowing what he was doing. That could only be a good thing as he compared her to Miranda and that wasn't something he thought she'd like to know. He couldn't help it. If he wasn't pondering the meaning of life or what his purpose could be, he was thinking about Miranda.

After speaking with Bianca that Sunday he knew she had point. What did he want? He had felt so lost, and her words seemed to help him find some kind of order with the millions of questions, thoughts and feelings he had. He might not be completely sorted out yet, but he was starting to understand what he didn't want and that was a start.

Bianca had told him to trust his gut too, but that wasn't as simple for him as it was for her. His gut told him staying away from Miranda was a smart thing to do, yet it wasn't a hundred percent convinced being here was the right place for him either.

It made him think even more.

He definetely loved Miranda, different to any kind of feelings he had or that he knew deep down that could have for Carolina. While it should have made things easier, it actually only made it worse and one of the reasons why joined him in the kitchen.

"Morning." Carolina's father walked in and looked at the duo with fake interest before making a coffee. 

This man was the part of the reason why Braydon hadn't gone back to Miranda. He trusted Carolina and  he definetely trusted Chad to know about her, but not him. He didn't like humans. He didn't like much of anything from what Braydon could tell and he was also pretty sure that included him. And the pups.

Especially Chad.

It had been a week since Miranda left him and in that time, something Braydon learnt about himself that he didn't doubt was that he liked the pups; even Oliver.

Especially Chad.

And Amber, who had introduced him to some of her favourite books that she also helped him read when ever he got confused or stuck. The world of wizards with scars in the shape of lightning bolts was nearly as hard to understand Braydon's own. He liked them though, even if Carolina asked when he was going to take an interest in something more adult. Braydon had also discovered Carolina didn't like his t-shirts with Transformers or Spiderman on.

She didn't think that the 'hipster' term Miranda told him was appropriate. He didn't care enough to try and work all that stuff out, often choosing to watch the movies about the boy wizard with Amber than listen to what Carolina thought about what he should be doing.  None of it sounded like something he'd like or was interested in anyway and when it got too much he'd drift off into his thoughts again, wondering if Miranda liked those movies and books.

"Morning Mr. Corbani." Amber replied obediantly, and feeling her smaller form touch his side, Braydon looked down to see she had inched closer to him. Braydon hated how scared they actually were of their rescuer. The more he was around, the more Braydon saw it. The happy family act that he had been subjected to before was just that; an act. Worst of all, Carolina seemed oblivious to it all.

"Braydon." He was addressed directly, which meant he was after a response Braydon wasn't willing to give him.

"Yes?"

"I said, morning." The power struggle had been felt since he arrived home on Tuesday. Carolina had told her father Braydon was with them, and at first he had been happy for his daughter until he realised what that really meant. His territory was being invaded by a younger, dominant male.

"Yes, it is." Braydon took another bite of his toast, not bothered by the glare sent his way.

With a snort, he left them and Amber tried to hold back her giggle. "You're brave doing that!"

"Maybe," Braydon wondered if standing up to him made him brave or was he just stupid?

"Hey you two!" Carolina appeared next, making herself a coffee. She had to go into work after taking a few days off and couldn't believe how well things were going for them so far. The fact she had finally made it to some kind of level of friendly conversation with Braydon gave her hope for the future, despite her instincts telling her otherwise.

"Morning." Braydon answered, making Amber giggle again and leaving the duo she headed outside to see her father.

Watching her go, Braydon had become pretty good at guessing her moods, her thoughts. He had worked out what his wolf was doing - which was acting on instinct and he knew what feelings were his own. He couldn't trust his wolf, not like before. The animal only knew mate. It was him that sought to keep close to Carolina, and it was him that had Braydon laying beside Carolina at night, in wolf form since Braydon refused.

While Carolina said nothing, Braydon knew she wanted to. Miranda had never questioned those things about him. He didn't know why; she had always just seemed to accept it all. Accept him. It didn't matter if he wanted to watch Iron Man three times in a row so he could find new things he had missed the first time or that one of his favourite shirts had a faded print of a S on the front. Just like she seemed to understand, sometimes he just needed to hide in his wolf form and that the animal had feelings and issues of his own. He shivered thinking about how her fingers ran through his fur, massaging his back and getting that spot behind his ear. 

While Miranda identified his wolf as Wolfy, treating them almost like two separate individuals - it was still known to her, Braydon was in there too. Carolina, who was also a shifter, seemed to draw a line between animal and human. For someone like him, who said they could accept who he really was - he didn't feel that was the case.

Maybe humans had soul mates and that explained what went on with him and Miranda. Maybe each part of him was meant to have someone. If that was the case, he really was a freak and his wolf didn't seem too pleased about his latest theory; especially when Braydon told him that meant Miranda would only be allowed to touch him as a human, and she wouldn't be allowed to give him cuddles or tell him what a handsome wolf he was.

He had definitely learned a lot this week; about himself like who he was and what he wanted.

Getting up he went to the sink to wash his plate, yet just outside the window he could hear Carolina and her father talking. Yesterday the mention of his uncle had got his attention and so now he took what ever opportunity he could to eavesdrop. He wasn't worried about himself, but Miranda. He didn't want these shifters to know about her. They weren't like Bianca and her pack, who sounded so accepting of Jays fate. Braydon had said he would always protect Miranda and keep her safe, so by staying away from her was the best way to do it. 

Even if he didn't want to.

"Did you get a chance to find out what we talked about yesterday?" Carolina sounded excited.

"I did. He wants to meet with both of you." Came the rough reply.

"He does? I wonder why?"

Braydon didn't get to hear anymore as Chad came in. "So what's the plan for today?"

"Care said we had to get those math workbooks done, but Braydon said once we've finished we can watch the Half Blood Prince movie!" Amber answered, their chatter definitely putting an end to his eavesdropping.

So the rest of the day went with Braydon supervising the pups as they did schoolwork, a little of which he knew in the easier workbooks of Amber and Alicia and avoiding Manuel who hovered nearby like unwanted houseguest. The only one who wasn't bothered by his presence was Oliver, but Braydon had learnt earlier the first pup that had been rescued was the favourite. 

Braydon knew something was being hidden from him, and he was determined to find out what.

-x-

After taking a week of sick leave, Miranda ended up returning home Friday night. The main reason wasn't because she was ready to return to reality, but because her mother was driving her insane. She fussed over her like she'd lost a limb and all the mothering abilities she had were in overdrive.

Walking inside her apartment, it was dark and silent; the air heavy in the room from lack of activity and the first thing she did was go to the balcony and open up the sliding door. Putting on a load of washing, she went into the kitchen to find her fridge in as bad of shape as she was. The stink of the older vegetables starting to rot wasn't pleasant and it soon occurred to her there wasn't much in there to eat. Even the week old bread had started to grow some green fuzz, so Miranda went about the task of cleaning it all out. That then led her starting to clean the whole kitchen, including her oven, the few stray marks on the wall and she even started to scrub at the old red wine stain on the carpet than had been there since her housewarming party years earlier.

It still wouldn't come out, but that didn't stop her from trying and she was still scrubbing at it when Abby walked in after getting a call from her mother saying she was going back home.

"I like this cleaning chic you've got going on!" She greeted lightly, looking at the gloves and face mask Miranda had on. The assortment of brushes and cleaning products beside her didn't really do much to ease her worries about the current state of mind Miranda was in. Abby knew her friend normally had a cleaner, as she hated using the chemicals that currently surrounded her.

"Abby! Hi!" Miranda pushed up the mask so it was more headband than safety gear. With her hands being held away from her friend as if they were on fire, Miranda managed to half hug Abby. "How are you? I'd offer you coffee or tea, but everything is mouldy and so I had to clean out the fridge before I figured I should clean the oven oh and since I was cleaning I had to get this stain out because it's already been here for too long so I haven't had a chance to get out to the shops for milk, but-"

"Woah! Take a breath!" Abby interrupted Miranda's ramblings. "That stain can stay. Wh-"

"No, it cant!" Miranda snapped back, dropping to her knees she started to scrub the patch again.

"Miranda, it can." 

Forcing her friend to stop cleaning, Abby managed to get her to sit at the dining table. The smell of the various cleaners and disinfectants added a toxic scent to the air, making Abby open a couple of windows too to make sure they didn't end up passing out or causing some kind of internal damage.

"So, how are you?" She finally asked.

Miranda shrugged. "Fine."

"Fine?"

"Fine."

Silence.

"Come over for dinner. Emmy will be excited to see you." Abby finally offered.

"Oh thanks, but I have a lot to do here." Miranda sighed, suddenly feeling exhausted after a couple hours of her manic cleaning.

"No you don't. You keep this place cleaner than a hospital. I'll finish this, while you go have a shower and get ready to come home with me!" It was an order and rolling her eyes, Miranda obliged.

She'd just got dressed when she spied the emerald lump by the dresser; the ball gown still in the place she had abandoned it a week ago. Reluctantly she went to pick it up and closing her eyes, a few new tears ran down her cheeks. 

'Get over it!' She scolded herself, before going to hang up the gown.

"Are you decent? If not, I'm coming in anyway!" Abby called, and going in Miranda reappeared from the wardrobe and put a few other bits that had been left lying around the place in the wash basket. Abby said nothing as Miranda brushed her hair, and found shoes. Sitting on the bed, she noticed the dog hair on the cover. "Did you have one of your Dads dogs in here? There is hair everywhere!"

"What? No?" Looking over Miranda froze. "Um, no, the neighbours had us look after their dog when they went away."

"Oh. I was thinking of getting Emma a dog, but maybe one that doesn't shed." Abby thought out loud.

"Good idea!" Miranda agreed. Internally she actually considering burning her bedding and the look that crossed her face had Abby getting up and going over to her.

"You okay? You look like you could kill!"

"Why do you think he went with her?" Miranda mumbled, not meaning to say it out loud.

"What? Who?"

"Never mind." Miranda started to strip the bedding, not to burn, but to wash and as she picked up a pillow, it still smelt like Braydon. 

'It's been a week. Get over it.' Again she argued with herself, yet she didn't move. Instead she held the pillow tighter, and before she knew it Abby was trying to console her as she fell onto the bed and tears she thought she was done with returned with a vengeance.

They never did go to Abby's for dinner.

Instead, Abby went into Miranda's wine collection that was worth more than her first car and once Miranda got herself together, put on a soppy romance and made sure they drank a lot of wine. They camped out in the living room using spare blankets from the cupboard and once the house was quiet and dark, with sleep approaching both of the drunken women, Miranda let the truth about her, Braydon and Carolina out; including their secret.

"I really don't believe you."

"You don't have to. It's better if you don't!" Like Braydon talking to Bianca, Miranda finally felt herself breathing easier now she had told someone. She'd really been dealing with everything on her own so releasing the secrets and lies was cleansing for her soul. At least that's what she told herself.

"Holy shit," Abby needed more wine and stumbling through the darkness, found the nearly empty bottle on the table. "He really is, well a wild man then isn't he?"

"Yup!"

Then Abby burst out laughing.

"What's so funny?" Miranda demanded, snatching the bottle from her once she was done.

"Emmy drew him as a wolf. What are the odds of that?" Even Miranda giggled, nodding. "Oh did, oh nope!"

"What now?" Miranda demanded.

"Did you two, ah, have you two had sex?" She blurted out. Thankfully in the dark Miranda couldn't see her blushing.

"No, we didn't." She answered reluctantly.

"I was going to ask if you did it doggy style!" 

Just like that Miranda found something that actually made her laugh, really, truly, deeply laugh; so much that she had to hold her side and this time her tears weren't from being sad. From there their girl talk went down memory lane of all their dating disasters and heartbreaks, until they finally asleep.

Abby left mid-morning after promising on Emma's life that she wouldn't repeat a single word about what Miranda had foolishly shared with her. If anything, it had only bought them closer together and while Miranda was still far from okay, she did feel better. Better enough to get herself out of bed on Monday morning and go back to work. More than that, to go and face Jason.

Making the most of her makeup, Miranda put a bit of life back on her face and managed to cover some of the dark circles around her puffy eyes. The slight hangover from consuming what was left of her cellar wasn't really helping, but after a week of 'sickness' she really did look like she survived a trip through hell. Then again, after word got out about her boyfriend hitting her boss at the gala, the rumours  that would have been going around probably made any doctors note she could produce look illegitimate. 

Despite her plans of getting in early, Miranda arrived late so the majority of workers were already in when she made the all too familiar trip towards Jasons office. Miranda ignored the looks from her co-workers as she passed the cubicles, she hadnt even picked Melissa up for still having on the sneakers she wore into work on and not more professional attire.

Knocking once on Jason's door, Miranda went in and as he ended his call, she pulled out the envelope and handed it to him.

"This is two week notice of resignation. HR has already been informed and I will make sourcing a replacement a priority." She spoke firmly, yet completely detached from what was happening.

"Resignation? Your replacement? Miranda, what-" Jason stuttered, opening the letter and sure enough it was all there. "You can't go! I forbid it!"

"Mr. Carpe you can not forbid me from resigning. I will be in my office should you require anything further."

Turning to leave, Jason sprung up from his chair and ran to shut his door. "What is this? Miranda, you can't be serious?"

"I've been offered placement elsewhere and accepted the position," her resolve finally weakened. "It's for the best Jason."

"Is it because of the other night?" He finally demanded.

Looking up at him, Miranda saw the still swollen, discoloured lump on his jaw and knew Braydon must have got in a great shot. "No."

"Don't lie to me! If you're going to throw this bullshit at me, at least tell me the truth!" He yelled, as bit by bit he felt his once steady and organised world starting to crumble.

"The other night, has nothing to do with this. If you really want to bring up telling the truth, would you like to start?" Miranda challenged.

"Don't leave me. Miranda. Please. We can work this out!" He instantly switched to begging, taking her hands in his he would drop to his knees if he had to. In fact he did.

"Maybe we can work it out, and maybe we can be friends again, but not now. I need some time Jason, I meant it when I said I was done. I'm so done with all of this!" She sighed, freeing her hand she gently touched his face as he stared up at her helplessly. "I owed you a lot, but I think I paid my dues. I need this. I think we both need this."

"But, but I love you. I can't loose you!"

"No, you love the idea of me. The me you have in your head, that I stopped actually being about five years ago! Nearly loosing me scared you because I'm the last link you have left to her and if it wasn't that accident that got you going, if it wasn't Braydon, some other event would have got you going the same way. Look at how you were when I did that contract for Tyson!" Miranda hadn't even thought of that until now.

When she got back, it had been what really started her daydream about the pair of them ending up together because not only had he told her he saw her as something more as a friend or assistant, but as someone he could see himself settling down with one day. Miranda had just been stupid enough to believe it until she got a wake up call and new perspective.

"Thats different! Everything is-"

"No. It's really not Jason and right now I just pity you for not being able to see it." Leaning over Miranda kissed his forehead. "Two weeks notice Jason. I've made up my mind."

Miranda barely made it past Rory's desk before he pounced. "Gillian from HR just phoned me to ask if your resignation is for real. Resignation?"

"I was going to tell you once I got to put my bag down." Miranda answered calmly. Shock took control of her system as she went through the motions of the morning routine. "Between us," she looked at him sternly, "I'm actually going with Gray!"

"What? No way! Jason is going to flip!"

"We're adults Rory, he isn't going to flip."

"You didn't tell him that part did you?" His eyes lit up like a christmas tree, and Miranda's silence only confirmed it. "Oh shit!"

"I also have permission to hire who ever I want to get started," Miranda looked at him expectantly and as the words were understood, Rory's mouth dropped.

"Me?"

"If you want to. It's going to be based back home, so you'll have travel and-"

"I'll take it. I'm not going to risk your replacement being someone worse than you!" Rory quickly answered.

"You don't even know pay or anything yet!" Miranda laughed, "besides, I have Finn coming over here. I spoke to him last week and he already has a replacement in training with him today."

"Finn? Really? Damn girl, you're on fire! Have you figured out the key to world peace yet? Taking Tyson's right hand man, that you went there to train, and leaving Jason without you, is well, I have to tell Jane in finance!" The gossip was already eating away at Rory.

"I swear you're really a sixteen year old schoolgirl inside a mans body." With a wave of her hand, he was dismissed and with the hardest part of the morning done Miranda got to work, which didn't leave much time to think of other things. Or people.

It took Rory until lunch to bring up the most obvious subject of all; Braydon.

He hadn't commented on the fact Miranda was looking thinner than when he saw her on that Friday. He also didn't ask her why she was wearing so much makeup or what horrible illness kept her MIA all week. Sitting in the sun at the cafe next door to their building, Abby was talking about how she wanted to quit and go with them too, only it would look weird if she did that considering she only worked in the mail room and if she did quit without a job to go to, her husband would probably kill her.

"So hows Braydon? Thought you two must be sick together?" He asked casually. 

Abby tensed, while Miranda stopped picking at her salad; not that she had been eating it anyway.

"Well, we broke up. Got his memories back and bam, off he goes." She lied.

Rory looked between the two women, knowing they were lying and tried to touch on what would undoubtedly be a sore spot. "Punching Jason trigger something?"

"No, he did that because Jason is an asshole." Miranda sighed, making her companions laugh.

The fact Rory dropped it after that only made Miranda paranoid and just as they were nearly done with lunch, Jason joined them and put down the folder Miranda had seen in his draw. Case 2.4.

"It's all there. I want you to trust me and for us to still be friends; if nothing else."

"Did you do it?" Miranda instantly demanded. "Did you make sure she was there?"

Now Rory was interested, while Abby pretended her phone was ringing and moved from the table to take a non-existent call.

It didn't matter to Miranda too much if he did, because she kind of knew it already. It also wasn't Jason's fault because Braydon wasn't controlled by him and his actions where his own. And Carolina's. If Miranda hadn't known about that mate crap, she could have dealt with their friendship. Instead she was always left wondering when. When Braydon would leave her. When the mate bond would win. When even he would only see her as the stupid human girl she actually is. If she hadn't known about the mate crap and saw Carolina kiss Braydon, she could have been more forgiving or understanding, knowing the she-wolf had set her sights on him from day one.

"I did." Jason admitted, and Rory wasn't going to drop the topic once this was over even if he had to go through Abby for the answers.

"Well what ever you hoped would happen, did. If you talk to Tyson, tell him thats why Finn is coming here. As part of my own thanks." Miranda knew the theories she came up with last week were more fact than fiction. A scandal like catching a staff member giving a personal favour in the hallway wouldn't haven't been grounds enough for him to fire someone. It was all part of the plan to get them all together and ultimately, to test her and Braydon.

And they failed.

Miranda picked up the folder and went over to the rubbish bin in the street, dumping it through the slot on the top. "I don't need this Jason. The gesture is just a little too late! Please don't make this any harder than it's already been!"

"Miranda-" Jason started.

"Save it Jason, because I really don't care anymore."

Leaving lunch, she didn't go back to the office and instead went home. What was he going to do, fire her? 

While Miranda was walking home, Braydon couldn't resist the need that had haunted him every second of the weekend to go and see her. Carolina was acting, different, seeming to resign herself to the fact his feelings towards her weren't advancing much further than a friendship. There last discussion about it had happened the night before and while she tried assuring Braydon, the more time they spent together the more it would develop. They just had to give it time.

It wouldn't matter how much time Braydon gave her. The restlessness of his wolf came with one message that Braydon was reading loud and clear. It missed his mate. He was pining for her. He slept by the box of his clothes that still had traces of her scent and perfume on and if not for the feeling of having to keep her safe, and keep away, he would gone home much sooner. 

The final push to get Braydon checking on Miranda, if nothing more than that; especially if that's all she wanted or allowed was the fact Braydon lost his phone. He saw it as his final lifeline to Miranda, so to loose it was driving him crazy. What if now was when she called him? What if Donald called to see if he would still be going to work? Did Helen still want to see him for a chat and hot chocolate or did Miranda's pack follow her orders or chasing him out into an exile?

"Braydon? Hey Braydon!" Hearing his name, he stopped and turned to see Abby and Rory rushing over.

His first thought was why hadn't Rory returned his calls, when really Braydon should have been paying more attention as Abby's slap sent his head snapping side wards. Holding his cheek, Braydon dared to look at her in mixture of shock and admiration, until the sting kicked in making him wince.

"You two timing asshole! What are you doing here?" Abby roared.

"Miranda?" Braydon answered, flinching as Abby raised her hand to slap him again until Rory saved him the humiliation and pain by stopping her.

"Settle down Abs! Can you all please tell me what the hell is going on?"

"Later. How do I get to Miranda?" Braydon asked, looking back over to the building.

"You don't, jerk!" Abby snapped, "do you have any idea what the poor girl has gone through? We've just got her home, you're not chasing her away, again!"

What she was doing finally dawned on Abby as her anger was replaced by fear. Could he hurt her? Would he hurt her? All those stories of the big bad wolf couldn't be for nothing and the slightly logical and completely normal way Miranda had made shifters and that world sound, really didn't seem that way now she was face to face with him. How the hell had she let Emma be around him? How did Miranda ever trust a fairytale monster?

"I'm not, I just, I need to see her!" Braydon argued. He paused, confused at Abby's sudden change.

"She's not here Braydon and she won't even be in this city for much longer." Rory answered this time as Abby lost the ability to speak. "Abby's right. She's a mess and I think you should stay away."

To hear that from his friend, Braydon felt the numbing ache return. "But-"

"No. Leave her alone. She deserves that after what you did." Rory was ony guessing on a few things based around what he heard. As he went to walk away, there was no fist bump or slap on the back or anything and Braydon found his answer as to whether or not he could hope to hear from Donald and Helen. It was a no, because he wasn't part of their pack anymore.

-x-

Miranda got off the phone to moving company and the realtor. She'd only registered that morning and now she had a tenant lined up for her apartment and her dad was going to be checking out a house for her when he finished work. The majority of her furniture would stay here as she was leasing it out semi-furnished and as she sat on the sofa, idly twirling her phone around, Miranda found herself hitting call on Braydon's number.

Despite everything, she didn't expect Carolina to answer. "Hello?"

"Is Braydon there?"

"No Miranda, he isn't." Came the flat reply.

"Oh. Um, when will he be back?"

"Never. He's happy here, with me. You said it yourself it would be better if he moved here and honestly, he's never been happier." Carolina lied. Her tone lost the cold edge, happy to fake it her domestic bliss. 

"I wouldn't want to interrupt anything with you two. I'm just going to be moving soon and after, everything, I was just going to say goodbye." Miranda bit her lip and wiped her eye as it started leaking again all while praying the other woman couldn't detect how close she was to loosing control. Again.

"I'll pass the message on. If he wants to see you before you go, he'll call." Guilt hit Carolina then and hating herself for this, she was quick to end the call. "Well good luck. Bye."

While Miranda curled up on the sofa in defeat, Carolina wiped the call log from the phone's history and put it back in her bag in case the human got any other ideas to send a text or try calling again later. Regaining her composure, she left the college and caught a taxi down town to her fathers office. Walking inside, she went by the reception desk and into the meeting room to find she was the last to arrive.

"Ah Carolina, was starting to wonder where you got to?" Her father greeted, rising up from the table to kiss her cheek and show her to her seat.

"Sorry to keep you both waiting, I just had a minor issue to deal with. Mr. Winters, it's a pleasure to finally meet you!" Extending her hand, the pair shook. All Carolina could think was how alike he was to his nephew. The photographs she had seen hadn't done him any justice.

"I believe the pleasure is all mine." He sat back in his chair, and looked at the duo curiously. "Now, shall we go straight to business?"

------

I know I'm not very popular at the moment due to recent chapters, but I will tell you all, I can see a light over there at the end of that tunnel! ;)