The idea of taking a trip with Calum excited me. We would finally have some actual alone time together, and the possibility (or more like probability) of us hooking up on the trip was high.

The rest of the week was busy with me sending out all of the packets for the new officers, and ordering their uniforms and equipment.

Calum had been busy as well since he and Luke had set up different speed traps around town and were catching people left and right.

I had also noticed he had been using the gym at the station every morning.

Kate came over on Thursday night and helped me pick out what to wear on my little trip with Calum, and the next day was Friday, the day we left.

Calum was going to pick me up after work from my house once his mom picked up Eli and Cade.

I waited in my house, my bag packed and ready to go, and at 3:30 Calum texted me saying he was on his way.

There was a knock not soon after and I opened the door to reveal my boyfriend standing outside my door.

"Hi." I smiled up at him, already blushing.

"Hey." He copied my expression and leaned in to kiss my cheek. "You ready to go?"

"Yeah." I said and went to get my bag.

As I went to lock my front door Calum took my bag from me and quickly took it to the car so he had enough time to open my door for me.

"So I know you're a guy and you don't care about these kind of things, but I bought the cutest dress for when we go out that when you see me in I think you might pass out. It's so cute." I said as he began to drive away from my house.

"Oh yeah?" He chuckled.

"Mhmm. It's like black and tight and sexy and-"

"Don't give it all away, leave a little to my imagination." He smirked.

"Trust me, this dress will leave nothing to your imagination." I leaned over to speak in his ear before kissing his cheek.

"You're being very flirty today." He commented.

"Yeah, and you love it so shut up." I winked back at him.

I sat back in my seat and when we reached the red light Calum looked over in my direction.

"You know, I haven't kissed you on the lips all day." He spoke with a small smirk on his lips.

"Then what are you waiting for?"

"I...don't know honestly." He laughed and then leaned over for a kiss on the lips, leaving me breathless when he pulled back.

When we reached the highway he turned up the radio.

"You can pick a station." He said and I began to push the different buttons until I found the pop music station.

"So what are our plans for this weekend?" I asked him.

"I thought tonight we could have dinner at a nice restaurant tonight, then tomorrow we could walk around and do whatever."

"Sounds fun." I smiled.

The drive to Atlanta was short and when we got there he wove through the downtown streets until he found the Marriott hotel where we were staying.

"I wanted to get us somewhere nicer than this but every hotel I found was $500 a night." He apologised to me.

"This is great Calum. I don't care where we stay I'm just happy i'm with you." I placed my hand on his arm as I talked to him.

"Okay." He smiled.

He gave the car keys to the valet and we walked in with our bags and went to the check in desk.

He got our keys and then he and I headed up to the 9th floor. He passed me a key and I unlocked the door before we walked in our room.

The first thing I noticed was that there was only one bed.

I set my bag on it and Calum did the same, and when I looked up I saw the blush on his cheeks.

"So, what do you want to do until dinner?" I asked him as I sat down by the pillows.

"I don't know, what do you want to do?" I smiled as I leaned back and he smirked before coming to lay down next to me.

"I'm really glad we're doing this." I heard Calum say.

"Me too."

I closed my eyes and then leaned my head on his chest.

"So I think this is a good way to celebrate our week and a half anniversary." Calum said and I laughed.

"It's the best way." I sighed happily.

He and I laid there for a long while until I needed to start getting ready so I could look drop dead gorgeous for Calum.

I started by curling my hair and when I was done Calum and I switched places.

As I walked to my bag so I could get my makeup bag I noticed his bag was open and a red box caught my attention. I stopped and saw the word condoms on the box and my heart leapt in my chest.

We were really going to do it.

He then walked out of the bathroom and I rushed to get to my bag so I could get my makeup.

I redid and touched up my face before I then went to get my dress.

I went back to the bathroom so I could change into the skin tight black mini dress. It had two little straps to hold it up and as I looked at myself in the mirror I knew how hot I looked.

Once I had zipped up the dress I went out into the room so I could get my shoes when I heard Calum whistle at me.

I slipped on my heels and looked up at Calum who had put on a white button down with a brown jacket over it.

"So what do you think?" I asked him as I twirled in a circle.

"You look absolutely beautiful." He said and I smiled and I playfully tripped so I could fall into him, letting him catch me.

"And you were right too." He whispered very huskily to me.

"About what?" I asked.

"This dress really doesn't leave much to my imagination."

As he spoke his hand slid down my side and stopped at my bottom.

"Ah ah ah. Not yet." I tutted and I moved his hand back up before kissing him very sensually.

He groaned at this but I just laughed.

"You ready to go?" He then asked.

"Yeah."

We decided to walk and when we got there it was 8:00 but packed.

The restaurant was called Bones and apparently Calum had gotten us a last minute reservation because someone had cancelled.

The restaurant was very vibey, almost like a club atmosphere.

We were taken to our table and soon a waiter came to ask for our drinks.

"I'll take a glass of red." I said.

"Give me the same as her." Calum smiled at me as he spoke and then we began to look at the menu.

"I think i'll get the filet mignon." I said aloud as I read over the menu. "What about you?"

"I am going to get the ribeye." He set down his menu.

The waiter came back with our wine and then took our order.

"I'm going to go wash my hands before dinner gets here." I reached over to pat Calum's hand and excused myself to the bathroom.

When I got there I washed my hands and then pulled out my compact, just to touch up.

As I did this a girl came out of one of the stalls and I glanced back for a second before whipping around to see none other than my best friend Jess.

"Jess." I gasped and she looked up before her eyes went wide and she gasped as well.

"Abby. Oh my God!" She then rushed forward to hug me. "Oh my God!"

Tears came to my eyes as I hugged Jess and I hugged her tighter.

"I've missed you so much." I began to cry.

"I've missed you too." She said, sounding like she was crying as well.

I pulled away so I could see her.

"What are you doing here?" I asked her.

"I came with Jake." She said and then her eyes went wide. "Oh my God, Abby there's black wolves everywhere you have to leave!"

"I can't! I'm on a date!" I exclaimed. "Is Seth here?"

"Yes but he's at a separate meeting. But everyone else is here."

"I didn't even see them." I breathed. "But I can't just leave!"

"If it's a date just blow them off and sneak out the back door!" She looked panicked.

"I can't, i'm on a date with my boyfriend."

Jess's eyes went even wider.

"You have a boyfriend? Are you living in Atlanta?"

"No. No. I'm in a small town called Dahlonega, it's about an hour away, we just came to the city for a weekend alone."

"Oh Abby, that's wonderful." She broke into a smile.

"Yeah, i'm really happy." I nodded, tucking some hair behind my ear.

"Tell me about him." She shook my arms, now giddy with excitement.

"His name is Calum, he's a police officer. Um he was married but his wife died and he has two kids. We just became official like a week ago."

"A police officer?" She asked. "Are you sure that's a good idea?"

"He makes me feel safe, and i'm his first relationship after his wife and so I don't think he's taking chances on this."

"That's amazing Abby. I'm so happy for you."

"Oh, and my names not Abby anymore, it's Nessa."

"Nessa?" She asked. "Dawson?"

"Yeah." I laughed and she joined in. "So what are they doing for business in Atlanta, they've never come here before."

"Looking for you." She said, becoming more serious. "They're talking about partnering with a gang down here to cover the south while they get the north."

"Do they have any leads on me?" I shifted nervously.

"They think you went to either here, Florida or North Carolina. But they haven't been able to really locate you. For all they know you could still be in New York."

"This is such a mess." I let my head fall into my hands.

"It's going to be okay." She hugged me again.

"Are you here all weekend?"

"We leave Sunday." She said.

"I want to see you tomorrow."

"I don't know if i'll be able to get away, and you need to get out of here before they find you and kill you on the spot." She warned.

"Then just, call me. Let me know?"

"I'll try my best. I promise." She whispered.

"Calum's probably wondering where I am."

"Then you should go. Where are you sitting? I want to see him."

"To the left of the front entrance."

"Okay." She said. "I love you Abby, or Nessa, or whatever the hell your name is."

I laughed.

"I love you too, Jess."

"I'll see you soon. I promise."

"Yeah." I said, the tears coming again.

"Okay, go before we start to cry." She said and I laughed before she practically pushed me from the bathroom.

As I walked I tried to dry my eyes, keeping my head down, but I noticed the men at the bar with the W tattoos on their wrists.

This made me walk faster until I got to my table with Calum.

As I sat down I kept my head lowered and I could feel the concern radiating off of Calum.

"Are you okay?" He asked.

"Yeah, i'm fine." I said as I looked up and the creases of his forehead deepened.

"Do you not feel well?"

"No, i'm okay. Really." I said and he reached across the table for my hand.

"Nessa you're crying." He said softer. "What's going on, baby?"

I was going to respond with a partial lie about being homesick, but then realised what he had called me and lightly smiled.

"I ran into an old friend in the bathroom. That's all." I said and he squeezed my hand.

"You gonna be okay?"

"Yeah." I smiled.

He then lifted my hand to kiss it and I found that absolutely adorable.

When he set my hand down I looked to the side and saw Jess walking over to the bar and quickly looking my direction.

Her eyes landed on me and then Calum, and she smiled before looking away and continuing to the bar.

"So who was the friend you ran into?" Calum asked and I looked back over to him.

"Oh, a girl I went to high school with." I said.

"Do you miss your friends in New York?"

"A lot, actually." I admitted.

"Well you can still visit." He said.

"Maybe one day." I sighed, and was then given a break by our food arriving.

Calum and I ate our dinner in mostly silence.

I saw him keep looking at me and when I met his gaze he just smiled.

Once we had eaten he paid the bill and then we began to leave, I kept looking back at the bar where the black wolves were crowded.

Calum had a hand on my back and as I looked away from the bar I bumped into someone. My shoulder went back and I gasped before looking up to see Jake Hale standing there.

Of course I had to run into one of the secondary leaders of the black wolves.

"Oh, sorry man." Calum said and moved me out of the way. "I think she's a bit tipsy."

"It's fine." Jake replied, and he looked away, and in that moment I realised he didn't recognise me.

Jake continued to walk and Calum did the same, pulling me along.

As we walked back to our hotel we held hands but didn't speak.

Well I didn't.

He tried to talk to me but I had no words left in my mouth.

Running into Jake had terrified me.

If he had known who I was he wouldn't have wasted a second in murdering me on the spot, and the fact that Calum had been with me scared me too.

Now I really knew what my father had been saying, I was putting Calum in danger.

When we got to the hotel room he closed the door behind us, the air a bit thick with Calum's anxiety and my hesitance.

He came up to me and placed his hands on the sides of my cheeks before moving in to kiss me. His kisses were soft and sweet yet urgent, and I knew where this could head but after tonight I wasn't ready to go there with Calum.

My heart was aching right now, and unlike the time before, Calum's kisses weren't enough to make it stop hurting.

I slowly pulled my lips away from his and then took a step back.

"Im going to take a shower." I whispered to him.

"Okay." He said just as quietly back.

I grabbed my bag and took it to the bathroom with me, shutting the door behind me.

Turning on the shower I tried to relax and calm myself down.

Jake hadn't realised it was me, I would be okay.

I got in the shower and washed my body but not my hair, and then dried off and changed into my NYU tee shirt and some black spandex shorts.

After brushing my teeth and taking off my makeup I walked back into the bedroom where Calum was sitting on the bed with his bare back to me. He turned around when he heard me and I let out a breath at his half naked state. I had never seen him shirtless before, and if the front was anything compared to the back, then Calum was ripped.

I set my bag on the floor and then lifted up my side of the blankets, getting under the covers.

Calum then laid back, getting underneath the sheets and I heard him sigh.

He turned over to look at me after a few minutes and I felt his hand reach over to touch my arm.

"You're being very quiet."

"Sorry." I apologised, my voice almost mute.

"Tell me what you're thinking."

"I'm just thinking about home, I guess."

"You're home in New York or your home in Dahlonega?"

"I don't know anymore." I sighed.

"Come here." He sat up a bit and opened up his arms, letting me move into them.

I sighed and closed my eyes as he held me and after a few minutes I felt his lips land on my cheek.

I turned my head to the side and let our lips connect, kissing him gently.

Calum kept trying to go further but I held my own and after about ten minutes I pulled away, laying my head back down.

At this point I just wanted to be alone so I could wallow and cry, but I couldn't. So instead I closed my eyes and tried to sleep, feeling Calum watching me all the while.

After twenty minutes he moved to lay on his back and I turned to face him, keeping my eyes closed.

I didn't remember falling asleep, but I awoke to movement in the middle of the night, feeling one of Calum's arms go around my body as he moved closer to me.

I let him and then went back to sleep, and the next time awoke there was light coming in the window.

Calum wasn't holding me anymore and I was facing him, so I creaked my eyes open to see him sitting there, twisting something around in his fingers.

And when I looked closer I could see what it was.

His wedding ring.

I watched him as he stared at the ring, twisting and turning it around.

He missed her, I could tell.

And I was officially the first woman he had slept in a bed with after his wife's' passing.

What had happened last night had made me realise how difficult it would be to be in a relationship with Calum.

Or with anyone for that fact.

I knew I had a second chance, but I still couldn't let go of everything. I wanted to be in New York with Jess and Dawson and my father; but yet the other part of me wanted to be with Calum and Eli and Cade and Kate and all of the other new friends I had made.

I needed someone's perspective on this, but I had no one to talk to, and that's what hurt the most.

No matter how many friends I had or boys I dated or people I met, I would forever be utterly alone.

Tears leaked from my eyes and I turned around so Calum wouldn't see me as I cried.

This was a big mistake, getting together with him, I knew it, and I needed to end it.

I sniffled and then tucked some hair behind my ear before I went to dry my cheeks.

"Are you awake?" His soft voice floated across the room.

I nodded my head in response and heard him sigh.

"Can we go back today?" I asked him, still not facing him.

"Do you want to go back today?" He asked, sounding disappointed.

I nodded.

"Okay then." He sighed again.

I forced myself to stand up so I could go to my bag to find clothes for today, my anxious, heart broken, and terrified self dug through the bag before suddenly two hands were placed on my own.

"Nessa." Calum said in a very calm voice, but I couldn't look up at him. "Look at me."

Daringly I looked up and saw him staring down at me with concern like i'd never seen.

"What happened last night?" He spoke in that same calm voice. "It's like we did a whole 180 from where we were when I picked you up yesterday. Talk to me."

I didn't know how to reply.

"Are we taking this too fast? Are you having second thoughts? I mean tell me what you're thinking so I can do something, because right now it's like you're a brick wall."

"I don't think this is going to work." I forced out of me.

"Why do you think that?"

"Because I can't be what you need."

"Nessa, we've had this conversation, let me decide that for myself." His voice became stronger.

"I don't want to hurt you. There's things you don't know about me and I can't do that to you."

He was silent for a moment before speaking.

"I need you to listen to me. I don't give a damn about what happened in your past. It's your past. It's before I met you, and you've grown and learned since then. I'm not with the Nessa from five years ago, one year ago, or even two months ago, I'm with the Nessa i'm with right now, because she's the person I want to be with. If you don't want to be in a relationship with me then don't be in one, but if you do then do it."

"You deserve so much better than me." The tears were falling now.

"Who cares. I want you." He said and my head dropped.

Calum pulled me into his embrace and I let him, wanting to get any amount of comfort from him I could.

"We both have a second chance Nessa, and we should take it. And if in a month you still feel this way we can re-evaluate, but let yourself be happy."

"I'm trying but it's so hard." I cried into his neck, his arm around my back.

"That's what makes it worth it." He said back.

Calum let me cry and get everything out.

Maybe it was a mistake being with him, and maybe it wasn't, but I guess one way or another, I would find out.

When I was able to stop crying the guilt took over me.

"I'm sorry I ruined our trip." I apologised.

"You didn't ruin it." He shook his head. "Do you still want to go back today?"

"No." I squeaked, causing him to laugh.

And before I knew it, he had picked me up, my legs going around his waist as he backed me up to the wall, his soft lips coming down on mine.

I let my fingers tangle in his hair as we kissed, not even caring that we both had morning breath, and just allowed myself to live in the moment for once in my life.

His hands were steady underneath me as he held me up, and after about five minutes he moved me from the wall to the bed.

I fell back on the mattress and Calum moved over me, his hand gripping my thigh as he kissed me again.

The room was getting hot and I was feeling the blood pump more quickly through my veins. I could even hear Calum's heart beating loudly in his chest.

My hands began to roam across his bare chest, feeling his skin beneath my palms. He lowered himself a bit more, and from what I felt against my leg he was very into this.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" I asked him when we broke for air.

"Yes." He said and I kissed him once more before grabbing the end of my tee shirt so I could slide it off my head.

I had slept in a bra since it was my first night with Calum, and he let his gaze fall on my chest.

He then moved to kiss my chest a few times before standing up and going to his bag, grabbing the red box that held our protection and suddenly a thought came to my mind.

"I'm not on birth control." I said and he looked up.

"What?" He asked.

"I haven't taken birth control pills since I moved here. I completely forgot."

"Well we have these." He held up the box.

"I know but women in my family are very fertile, if one of those guys gets through then you and I might be having a totally different conversation about our relationship."

"We can buy you a morning after pill when we go out." He said. "Now is that it or are you going to keep stalling because you're nervous?"

"How are you not nervous? I'm the first woman after your wife."

"I'm nervous, but I want this." He said and then I watched as he took off his wedding ring and set in on the night stand.

I bit my lip and watched as he tugged down the basket ball shorts he had slept in and then tossed the box on the bed before taking the end of my shorts and sliding them off my legs.

I felt so exposed, but the way Calum looked at me made me feel like he liked what he saw and wanted me.

I reached behind me to unhook my bra, Calum staring at me until we were both broken from the trance by the sound of Calum's phone ringing.

"Just ignore it." He kissed me.

"It could be about the boys, you need to answer it." I pulled my mouth away and he sighed loudly before going to answer the phone.

"Hello?" He asked.

I propped myself on my elbows as I watched him.

"Oh, um the boys are at my parents house right now. I'm not home." He said. "I'm in Atlanta."

The person said something and then Calum looked back at me.

"Um, actually can we meet later this week? I have something to talk to you guys about."

I furrowed my eyebrows and he looked away before speaking again.

"Yeah. I'll let you know. Okay, bye."

Calum hung up the phone and then sighed.

"Who was that?" I asked him.

"Uh, Meredith's parents."

"Oh." I said and drew my knees closer to my body.

"I have to tell them i'm seeing someone, but I don't know how they're going to take it."

"Do you think they'll be mad?"

"Maybe not mad, but at least a little upset. It must be hard for them to see me moving on."

I nodded.

"I'm sorry."

"It's okay." He gave me a brief smile. "Now shall we continue what we started?"

"I mean, if you're still in the mood."

"Well you're half naked in front of me and I am a man." He said

I laughed before finishing taking off my bra, tossing it to the side.

"I guess you want these to go as well?" I snapped the side of my panties against my skin.

"Well, only if you want to have sex."

I laughed and went to slide them down when I was stopped by a knock at the door.

Calum walked over and looked through the peep hole.

"Who is it?" I asked him in a whisper.

"Some girl." He said.

I stood up and walked over, looking through to see Jess on the other side.

"Oh my God. It's Jess."

"Jess?"

"Yes, my friend I ran into last night." I said. "Just a second!" I called out to her then turned back to Calum. "Get dressed."

"You owe me." He huffed as he went to grab his shorts.

"I know." I said, rushing to redress and make sure Calum was dressed as well before answering the door.

"Jess!" I pulled her into a hug.

"I managed to get away this morning. Thank God."

"How did you know where I was?"

"You're not the only one who is friends with Dawson." She laughed.

"Come inside." I pulled away and let her walk in.

"This is Calum." I introduced her.

"Hi, i'm Jess." She extended her hand for him to shake.

"Calum, nice to meet you." He smiled back. "So you're friends with Nessa."

"Yeah, we're practically sisters. We grew up together." Jess said.

"Hey, why don't we all go out for breakfast." I suggested.

"Yeah, but lets get dressed first." Calum said and so he went into the bathroom to get ready while I stayed in the room with Jess, putting on jean shorts and a black tee shirt to tuck in, throwing on a baseball cap for good measure.

"I like your hair brown, it looks good on you." Jess commented as she looked at me.

"I like the brown too, but I miss it being long. It's easy to maintain but I can't do as much."

"How does Calum like your hair?"

"I haven't asked him." I laughed. "He doesn't know I used to be blonde haired and blue eyed."

"Right." She laughed.

"Hey, am I good to come in?" Calum called.

"Yeah." I said and he walked in.

"Ready?" He asked.

"Yeah, lets go." I smiled and he followed me and Jess from the hotel.

I led the way to a little breakfast place I had seen when Calum and I were walking to the restaurant last night and when we arrived I asked for a table in the back, so we wouldn't be seen from the window.

"So how long have you two known each other?" Calum asked after we had all ordered coffee.

"Since middle school." I replied. "I can't remember a time we weren't together."

"Except for now." Jess said and I gave a small smile.

"Yeah, except for now."

"And you didn't know you'd both be in Atlanta at the same time?" Calum asked.

"No." I laughed.

"I guess it was fate." Jess said and I continued to laugh.

"So tell me about Nessa as a kid, what was she like?" Calum asked and I smiled at him. He wanted to get to know me through my friends' eyes, and that was really sweet.

"Well, middle school Nessa," She carefully said my new name, "was very active and social. Kind of a social butterfly. But then she got to high school and became a nerd."

"I did not!"

"Yes you did." She looked at me and then at Calum. "She was a total bookworm. But anyways, then she got to college and mellowed out, well as much as this one can mellow, and yeah. That's that." She smiled. "So Nessa told me you're a police officer."

"Yeah." Calum smiled.

"How long have you done that?"

"About five years."

"And you have kids?"

"Yeah, two boys."

"Oh my gosh, Jess, you would love them. They are just the sweetest things." I gushed over them.

"What are their names?"

"Eli and Cade." I answered for Calum. "Eli is six and Cade is two, and they are just so cute. They're like mini Calum's."

Calum chuckled at this.

"It's true." I giggled up at Calum.

"Yeah, well they love Nessa. I believe Eli wants her to be his girlfriend."

"Well I hate to disappoint him but he's a little young for me." I laughed.

"So how did you two meet?" Jess asked us.

"Well, there's a corner store in town where my friends and I go to for lunch everyday, and one day I walked in and she was standing behind the counter and we hit it off." Calum explained.

"Ooo, that's the first time you've told the story of how we met." I playfully touched his arm as I looked up at him.

"It is." He chuckled.

"Keep it in your pants, Abby." Jess began to laugh but my eyes went wide and I looked at her and she then seemed to realize what she had called me.

"Abby?" Calum asked.

"It's a nickname." I said through my teeth.

"That's she hates and I totally forgot. Sorry, Ness."

I nodded and then looked down at the menu to find something for breakfast.

I felt Calum's hand that was in his lap move over so he could touch my leg, and I peeked up at him before kissing his cheek, causing him to smile.

When I looked back at Jess she was smiling as well and mouthed to me "He's a keeper."

And maybe he was.

--

Nessa was so close to getting caught so many times in that one chapter.

Do you think she overreacted by wanting to break up with Claim after bumping into one of the men who is trying kill her, or did she make a mistake by not breaking up with him?

More to come!

Much love xx-M