Gen 6 Ch 2

"Please stay with me tonight. Please."

Emerald's more rational side knew she was begging, but emotionally she couldn't bear to think of spending the night alone so soon after her parents' deaths.

She collapsed on William's shoulder again, wrapping her arms around him. He didn't say a word, and regarded her pensively, as if deep in thought.

Slowly he disentangled her arms from around himself and held her at arms length.

"I... would like to, Miss Emerald, but.. I shouldn't." His voice was low and hesitant, as if he was trying to convince himself.

"Why not?" She felt tears begin to form again at the corners of her eyes.

When he didn't answer, she began again."Please? I don't want to be alone tonight."

He held her face gently in his hands.

"I shouldn't..." he whispered almost inaudibly.

But the passion in his eyes belied his words. As her gaze met his, she felt it again, just as she had the night they had met. Her grief turned to overwhelming passion in an instant.

As she leaned in for their first real kiss, Emerald briefly wondered what secret he was hiding. But all rational thought fled as her lips met his....

 and she was filled with desire from her head down to her toes as he gently pulled her down on top of him as they fell together into the soft down of her antique comforter.

"I love you.." Emerald murmured sometime later, as she drifted off to sleep.

She didn't hear William's whispered reply.

"I am so sorry.."

She definitely heard it the next morning when he repeated the words.

"I am so sorry. Last night should not have happened."

"Don't be sorry. I wanted it as much as you did."

"That is why I am sorry. What happened last night...can never happen again."

"But... I don't understand. Why not? Is.. is there someone else?"

"No, no one else. Not now. But there was.."

" A long time ago.. I fell in love with a mortal girl. She was a lot like you. We had a son, mortal as she was. We were so happy together. But then, in a blink of an eye, so it seemed, she grew old and died, and our son after her.

"I promised myself then, that I would never fall in love with a mortal girl again. The heartache would be too much to bear all over again."

He brushed her lips lightly one more time before he walked out the door.

"I hear your sister outside, so you will not be alone today. I must go now. Goodbye, Miss Emerald."

Poor Emerald. Her heart was broken, but deep inside she understood. How hard it must have been for William. She loved him enough to let him go, rather then put him through such pain again.

Still depressed almost to tears, she eventually made her way downstairs to see what her sister had been up to.

"Where have you been? I was worried sick."

"If you must know, I had a fight with Emilio. And then I bought a car."

"You bought that pink Vag?? It's gorgeous, but where did you get the money?"

"I used my inheritance money."

"What??" Another day, Emerald might not have cared so much, but with all that had happened, she simply blew up.

"You used that money for a car? Mom and Dad wanted you to use it to buy a house of your own."

"Whoa! Hold on a sec, Emmy. Calm down. What's got into you? You don't really want me to move out, do you?"

"No, I'm sorry Jade.  I'm just ... sniffle.. William broke up with me..." The tears started to fall again.

"Aww, Emmy.  I'm sorry. Emilio broke up with me, too. but and least we have each other. And there are other fish in the sea, you know."

Jade was relaxing on her bed, wondering what she was going to do with herself now that she was no longer rock hunting with Emilio, when her reverie was interrupted by the new maid.

"Excuse me, miss, I need to make the bed."

" Oh, my," Jade murmured to herself under her breath. "Hello there, hot new maid guy..you are definitely worth sticking around home for a while."

"Excuse me, did you say something?"

"Oh, no. Don't mind me. I was just thinking out loud."

Kody never had a chance. Not that he minded.

"Have you ever done it in a hot tub?"

"Um.. where's your clothes?"

"Never mind about that."

"Oh, Kody.."

While Jade spent her time relaxing at home, Emerald was heading off to work, even though for days now, she felt so sick she could hardly make it out the door. But her new class of high school kids needed her.

"You have to tell him, Emmy."

Emerald took her sister with her for moral support when she broke the news to William. She was afraid he would be angry, after what he had revealed to her about his past. She was relieved when he wasn't.

"Don't worry, Miss Emerald, I will make sure you and the baby never lack for anything."

"Ugh, Jade. I'm big as a house. I really don't want to work out today."

"Sorry, sis, I have it set up with our agent. Just for a little while, 'til the photographer comes."

"Not fair! Why do you get to dance and I have to work out? And besides, I thought you guys broke up."

"Oh, we did. Emil's just helping me with some dance moves. Our agent wants me to show my stuff at the Grind tonight."

"Okay, Emmy, smile pretty, then we can go home."

"Good, I'm exhausted. Don't stay too late at the Grind, I think I might need you tonight. The baby's getting close."

Sure enough, later that night, Emerald was awakened by sharp pains.

"Jade! Come on, it's time!"

"Mmm, sorry, Kody. I have to go. My sister needs me to take her to the hospital. Wait here for me, 'kay?"

William sent a limo to take Emerald and baby Coal home from the hospital.

"Take care, Miss Emerald. If you need anything, let me know."

The sadness in his eyes broke her heart all over again, as he turned to walk away once more.