When you love someone, truly love them, you lay your heart open to them. You give them a part of yourself that you give to no one else, you let them inside a part of you that they can hurt-you literally hand them a razor with a map of where to cut the  most painfully on your heart and soul. When they do strike, it's crippling- your heart is carved out. Now imagine giving the Devil that power.
-Sherrilyn Kenyon

Xavier and Cal have football practice after school, and tonight is game night.

This is perfect.

I already told the Angel what I'm going to do, he gave me his address so I can talk to their parents. Cal warned me that me not telling him I'm going to leave is a bad idea, especially two days after we officially got together -and as his girlfriend I'm suppose to be wearing his jersey to support him like I promised I always would.

But that's not happening.

I didn't tell Jessamine, but I did tell Aunt Faye -she gave me permission for missing school and even called the school to arrange how my absence would affect my grades.

Now it won't.

When I get back I'll have two weeks of school left.

Uncle James is helping me with my case, with him as mine and Xavier's lawyer nothing can go wrong. JJ's too good for that.

We are going to get Xavier as Olivia Wolf's guardian, get him to adopt her with me as the secondary guardian. 

And we're going to protect her from Mike Lanton.

Uncle JJ already got the papers from the attorney Xavier has, he signed all he needs to. All we need is it to go through the legal system, convince social services and get the foster parents to sign off on her -which they are more than happy to do.

I don't like them.

First time I hear his last name I'm glad he made his children take their mother's, that he didn't pass down his brown eyes and hair.

Two weeks until his birthday.

That's enough time.

My hands are shaking on my steering wheel when I pull up to the Hilton residence. Calum told his mom I'd be coming and I can already see the tall woman peeking through her window.

She throws the door open and I step out, the whole thing seeming unreal to me.

"Mrs. Hilton," I say, sticking a hand out to her. 

She moves straight past it, squishing me in a hug. 

I recognize the tight arm around my waist and the loose one around my shoulders. The Devil's face flashes in my mind. 

"You taught Xavier how to hug." I blurt.

She lets out a silvery laugh, pulling away and holding me at arms length. "I love that conversation starter! I like you already," Mrs. Hilton winks. "How'd you figure that out?"

At this point I'm blushing from embarrassment. "Your hands," I admit. "They're exactly where his go and your bottom arm is always so tight. He must have learned from you. It's unique."

"Aw, why thank you. I did teach him, I'm surprised he's hugged you," She chuckles lightly, confusing me. "Boy is so squeamish about touchy feely things."

"What?" I sputter. "No he's not."

"And that's why he's your boyfriend." She pulls a Jessie by grabbing her cheeks and preceding to gush. "You're such a good one, I can tell. Oh I'm so proud of him. I swore that boy would be a bachelor for life when he started being a player -he's too good at it." His mother says, her voice turning scolding. "Your wedding would be so cute-"

Excuse me?

Wedding?

What?

"-you're so small and he's such a tall boy, oh but you're so beautiful. You'd look lovely in a white dress, you look like a real like Disney princess."

I swear this woman...wait is that why he calls me Princess.

We are going to have words later.

"Oh! Just imagine how beautiful your kids would look! Those haunting grey eyes with black curls, or baby blue eyes with that brown hair. So many possibilities! I would be the proudest grandmother ever. And isn't that beautiful girl Cal got on his arm your best friend, oh they'd make such cute babies too."

"Babies?" I mutter, shell shocked.

For how she goes on I might as well not have said anything.

"I can just imagine it now, you four raising kids together. What are the chances of two best friends falling in love together. I think that's magical, don't you dear?" She asks, but doesn't let me answer. "At one point Zay swore he'd never fall in love. I think that you proved that wrong quite nicely, I've never heard him talk about someone like he's talked about you. He does it so much I think he's infected us all with a little bit of love for you."

I turn red at this. "L-love?" I choke out, eyes wide. "Babies? Marriage? What are you -I don't...he doesn't want to marry me! He doesn't love me...why would you say that?" I stammer, my heart going on a rampage. 

Mrs. Hilton gives me a weird look, sizing me up once again. "You are the girlfriend -yes?"

I simply nod in reply.

She exhales in relief, warmth flooding her concerned features once again. "Then of course he does. That boy is fanatic about you, the love is deep with that one -can't you tell?" I bit my lip, shaking my head. "Oh. Well, I'm sorry then. He's a good actor, that one."

"Y-yeah." I agree. 

"Well, let's get you inside dear." She pulls me along, her brown eyes observing me in a very familiar way. I can recognize the way she open the door, practically flicking the handle open before pushing it open while her hand moves up it. Just like Xavier her nose almost makes contact with it before it swings open.

It's clear where the Devil learned his manners from, how to move and act in a home where he doesn't have to be on his toes. She taught him how to be loved, how to act like a normal son, a person who isn't abused.

She's the one who gave him a real life.

He obviously learned how to act from her.

I can only imagine how a scared, abused twelve year old would act.

Gratification fills me as I stare at her, following her to what looks like the living room. "Thank you," I say randomly. "For loving him like you do." I clarify after I see her confused look.

His mom smiles at me, and it's so real I have to blink due to the intensity. "You don't have to thank me dear, I wouldn't love him any other way. Now," Mrs. Hilton claps her hands. "What are you here for?"

After quickly telling her my plan, answering her question, telling her with a few tears what he told me- -she already knew- -but I added in what I've been through, why I'm doing all this when no one else would try.

The brown haired woman in front of me stares, and it's a hard one. 

Suddenly a sad smile pops onto her face, I lift a eyebrow at her.

"Zay just decided to trust you...leaving like this -he might thing, well he might think he pushed you away. Freaked you out with the information. Are you sure you won't tell him?" She asks, brown eyes digging into me. "He might not look at you the same when you get back. Leaving right now, while he's fighting for his sister, dealing with his dad, school, football. It's all stressful. Xavier is a very sensitive person, you leaving...it could ruin what you have. Even if you're doing it for the right reasons, and what if this plan fails?"

"It's worth it." I declare, seeing surprise flicker through her eyes. "I'd lose him to let her have him, if not for Xavier I'm doing this for Olivia. It's worth it, I believe that. And it won't fail, this plan is pre-successful."

She laughs but shakes her head. "That's not how that works."

I give her a small smile, "Yeah but it made you laugh."

"Thank you dear, for all you're doing for him." She throws my words back at me.

I look away, concealing the fear behind my eyes. "You don't have to thank me Mrs. Hilton, I wouldn't..." I pause, not going to admit my love out loud. "I wouldn't do it any other way."

A grin graces her features, unlike Xavier it's not feral -it's motherly. "I know what you meant. And call me Macy please, I'll only be Mrs. Hilton when I'm old a wrinkly." I giggle at this, not willing to point out she already is wrinkly but beautiful all the same. "Just do me a favor for him. Please?"

Nodding at her I stand, making her follow suit as the conversation comes to a close. "Anything for him."

"Just leave him a note. You don't have to tell him you're leaving, or for how long, where your going or even that you love him. Just tell him something. Don't let him think you gave up, or got scared." She pauses, her voice wavering. "He's got enough to be scared of in his life, don't add losing you to that list.

My heart clenches at this, but I am able to respond confidently anyway. "Macy," I test out the name. "I know you don't know this, but nothing could make me give up on him. He won't lose me unless he wants to."

"And he doesn't want to?" She asks, wanting to know if after all Xavier has told her- -I'm surprised he's talked about me- -I feel the same.

I shake my head, a small grin on my face while I reply. "Hell no." 

As the Devil would say, anyway.

Let's hope it stays that way.

"Okay," A week later I face Uncle JJ, nervousness running through me. Three days, we have three days left. "This is the last step?"

"Yes." He says, a small smile on his face. "This is the last thing you have to do, get the child's consent in front of the social services worker and explain how you and Mr. Wolf can be responsible. Then you can take her to her new home, they'd already have the paper work ready. The foster parent's have her packed. It all depends on your answer and how the child has taken to you."

I glare slightly at him before I can stop myself, already protective over her. "That child's name is Olivia, Uncle, you'd do well to remember it."

He's obviously startled by this, but quickly composes himself. "Olivia, yes. Sorry Emma, good luck. Call me if you're having any trouble with the questioning."

"I will." I agree.

Xavier has tried to call me so many times, each one got ignored and I muted his texts. I haven't talked to Jessamine since I left, I told Cameron I'd be gone but nothing else. The only person I've kept in touch with is Cal.

To say the Devil was mad was an understatement and my note, it didn't help at all.

It said, 'I'm winning a battle.' and he didn't take to it. I don't think he remembers calling the legal argument for Olivia, the situation with his father, a losing battle.

I think by doing this I really fucked up.

Cal says he's doing bad about it, his anger coming out more and more and he's dominating the football field. He punched Cal once, I don't know what the Angel did but it really pissed him off.

I had to full on block Jessamine, and even Julian tried to call me but once I told him to fuck off he practically waved the whole me randomly disappearing thing off. 

Aunt Fairy won't tell them anything either, they don't even know I'm working with their dad.

I'm afraid when I get back, I won't be welcomed with opened arms. I know I made them all made them all mad, that only Cal and Macy understand -hell she even is converting her and her husband's extra storage/lounge room into Olivia's bedroom while they're at school. Even then, they're not the most important people to me.

They're not my family yet.

My hands are shaking as I start to walk to my car, I will them to stop before I arrive.

Great.

So the fate of Olivia and Xavier's relationship rests in how well I can control my motor mouth.

Fuck.

My.

Life.

Honestly though, what word is stronger than that?

"So, how do you want to surprise your brother?" I ask the giggling eight year old as she plays with my curly brown hair.

I'm so happy that everything worked out, that everything was perfect besides how they'd react to me when I got back, I'm practically smiling non-stop.

And Liv's cuteness just doesn't help.

After everything was set on Wednesday, we stayed another day to pack up everything in Uncle James's car and make sure the paper work was good. Then another night to get Olivia's room ready for the move when he got back, secretly setting it up with Macy while Xavier and Cal were at school and practice.

Yesterday I spent the entire day getting to know her and I took her to get ice cream and let her say goodbye to her classmates -thankfully she's not close to any. I also set up her school work, it was short notice but they let her into the elementary that's down the road from our high school. She's excited to meet the new people there.

And she's so excited to live with her brother, and she's all for me being a secondary guardian.

I excelled at questioning, and the social workers didn't have to think twice -I think they were scared by Xavier's looks. He's a 6'5 wall of muscle, slightly violent with constant glares.

They don't know how well he treats the people he cares about.

I showed them the picture of him smiling at me with Demon, and the video I took of his reaction while I gave him the drawing Carter made. (His girlfriend started crying at the one he gave her, and they got promise rings!)

That made the decision final for some reason.

Xavier Wolf is to be trusted with the life and care of Olivia Wolf, while I offer support, money, emergency help and love when needed.

"I wanna be a birthday surprise!" She squeals, failing her small arms around. "I wanna hide in a big box that has a hundred layers that takes him forever to open like the ones he gives me." I laugh at this. That is such an annoying thing to do to someone, such an Xavier thing. "I wanna give him a big hug and I wanna throw chocolate at him."

I pause at this, giving her a small look. "You can't throw chocolate at him, you can get him chocolate but you can't throw it."

Liv pouts, and I will myself to stay strong. "Please Emmie?" She asks, eyes widening.

Fake tears, fake tears! I tell myself, looking away.

"No," I hesitantly say. "You can't throw chocolate at him...just enjoy the day okay? Let him relax."

"Why wouldn't he be relaxed?" She asks innocently, dropping my hair. My hands move up and put it in a pony tail, thankful it doesn't tangle easily.

"Because he's mad at me right now, and I don't know if I'm going to be at the party yet. I stress your brother out." I explain, seeing her face twist into confusion. "I wasn't suppose to leave."

"You weren't suppose to get me?" She asks, blue eyes identical to the Devil's filling with tears.

"That's not what I said Liv," I tell her gently, cupping her cheek gently as I lean forward to peck her forehead. "I mean I wasn't suppose to leave him. I didn't even tell him I was getting you, it's like hide and seek without the seek."

Olivia nods, her mood instantly brightening. "Then you can be his surprise too." She chirps.

I cringe slightly. "I don't think he wants to see me right now...I'm just going to let him enjoy the night with you."

"But you're his girlfriend." Liv giggles at this, giving me a toothy smile. "Aren't boyfriends suppose to love their girlfriends, that's what Zay told me."

"They are," I assure her. "But right now...it's complicated. He might not want to have a girlfriend who disappeared like I did."

"Why not?" She tilts her head.

"Because, well because I broke his trust. I left him alone...you don't leave the people you love alone like that."

After I say this Liv hugs me tightly, making me smile through the fear. "I think my brother loves you." She giggles. "I love you Emmie."

"I love you too Liv."

And I mean it.