Six Months Later

"Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday dear, Rose. Happy birthday to you." I sang softly through a smile walking towards her with a cake in my hands. Our dark kitchen was only illuminated by the candles and the warm glow of the sun as it started to rise. Rose smiled wide giggling before she blew out her candles.

I kissed her forehead as I cut her a small piece of her favorite cherry and chocolate cake, I've been making every year for her. "What did you wish for?" I asked curiosity after she thought intensely before blowing out the candles. "I can't tell you! Then it won't come true." She said in a duh tone with her mouth full. I chuckled as I cut myself a small slice.

"When will we see Uncle Nick again?" Rose asked looking up at me as we ate making me look away from her beautiful brown eyes. "Soon, honey. Everyone misses you." I smiled making her giggle excited. "Even Nathan?" She asked after a moment of silence.

Applying a smile pushing through the hurt I felt. "I'm sure." Was all I said making her smile as she continued to eat with chocolate cake crumbs and frosting on her face.

"How does it feel to be six now?" I asked amused as she thought hard for a moment. "I don't feel different. But I hope I start growing fast soon." Rose huffed making me chuckle softly. I looked down at her adoringly hoping she could we could stay in this moment forever.

Just the two of us by candlelight eating our favorite desert. Finally feeling calm and content. I had finally hoped that I had finally found a place where we were safe somewhere where we can call home. But as time grew apart from Nathan, I couldn't deny the ache I felt unable to spend a day thinking about him and how he was doing.

I started to remember the type of person I was when I was Rose's age. Learning to pick pocket and find any change on the ground, stealing tips at diners just to buy us food. Going to school in over worn clothes. I didn't know how poor we were then until I grew up and looked back at those days. It made me wonder the things Rose would realize as she got older.

I hated the idea of her realizing how much of a horrible mother I've been for her. Not being able to take care of her when I needed to even though I desperately wanted to. I never want her to remember anything of this life I had to lead.

"Well, you should feel a little different. Not every kid has birthday cake for breakfast." I smiled wiping away the frosting from her face making her giggle as she closed her eyes as I cleaned her up. "Go wash up and get dressed. We have an exciting day ahead of us!" I smiled through the pain as she got up out of her seat making me kneel to her height.

She squealed full of excitement before running off to her bedroom. I stood up to clean off the kitchen counter and get ready.

After we left Nathan that day, I drove us out of town and just continued to drive until we came to a small town with only a few people living here. Lying when I told him I had bought Rose and I plane tickets in case he tried looking for us at the airport. I've been renting a small apartment above a bookstore that an older woman owned.

She was kind enough to rent it to us for almost nothing even though I insisted I could afford the rent. The old woman assumed I couldn't afford much as a single mom without many belongings.

For the first few weeks of living here I couldn't get out of bed. Devastated for leaving Nathan like I did. Feeling empty without him. Rose had noticed something was obviously wrong and slept with me most nights and during the day. I knew she felt confused and lost for what was happening around her and she could easily see through my sorrow.

But I had to be strong for her. I had to pull myself together and hold on.

Her comfort slowly mended my heartache. It felt amazing to finally be in each other's arms after everything that had happened. To finally be able to relax and be with her without fear. Sleeping with Rose's head in my chest feeling her soft breathing against me. Memorizing every feature and dimple on her face. Her love and care helped me prioritize everything else over my heartbreak with Nathan. To keep my mind off of him.

But for the first time in my life, I felt lonely. I still felt frightened for the future and my past creeping up on me. And more than anything I felt frightened that I would feel like this forever.

And even though I should be grateful that we are finally living a calm normal life I still felt a piece of me was left in New York with Nathan. I didn't realize how much that man would have an effect on me. But I had to get over it. I knew needed to start over without any attachments to my past life. Overcompensating by being involved in Rose's school and making friends and getting a job. Being the normal, innocent single mother in a new town.

My only priority now was keeping Rose and I safe. Especially knowing it was stupid of me to keep thinking about him after all this time. It only made it more difficult for me to get over him.

For all I knew Nathan has gotten over us forgetting me completely and started dating and living his perfect life as a successful lawyer.

Nathan's POV

I sat on my sofa chair drinking and over thinking. For the past few months all I have spent my time doing was trying to find her. I needed to find her and explain everything. Explain that my job wasn't more important than us and I couldn't give a damn what my family thought of me. I was more than willing to leaving it to be with her. I just wished she stayed long enough to discuss her concerns with me.

That day she left I drove after her to the airport trying to find her everywhere. But there wasn't anything I could do. Yelling and arguing with everyone who worked there demanding to find them. Long after it was dark, I finally decided to give up and left feeling hopeless.

My living room was dark, the only light around me was the fireplace beside me. I sat staring out the window in deep thought drinking, unable to sleep. There were papers sprawled out everywhere around me and on the coffee table from my efforts of trying to find her. Lee was tracking everyone with the same name, but I knew she was smart enough to use an alias. Her specialty was disappearing and creating a whole new life for herself.

A while ago I had called her brother, Nickolas to make sure he told me if Genevieve ever contacted him or tried to visit him again but still nothing. She disappeared as if she were a ghost.

Standing abruptly throwing my glass into the fireplace with an angry grunt. Running my fingers through my hair picking up a cigarette and placing it between my lips looking for a lighter under the messy papers and pillows.

"I hope that's not what I think it is." Valerie said behind me. "Not now." I said through an exhausted sigh picking up a lighter. "I thought you were asleep." I said exhaling smoke slowing filling with ease. Desperate to unwind and calm my nerves.

"Yeah, I was." She said making me look over to the broken glass. "We will find her." Valerie took the cigarette from me as I took another drag. She took an inhale before putting it out in the ashtray. "Hey-" I protested making her interrupt.

"You need to stop staying up every night feeling sorry for yourself." Valerie demanded making me scoff. "Cut me some slack." I replied annoyed turning around bending down to grab another cigarette. "I think I'm allowed to be upset." I stated exhaling smoke again making her tense her eyebrows.

"Of course, you can be upset! But it's been months, Nathan." She sighed. "Do you really think this is what you should be doing with your time? There's more you could be doing than sulking in the dark every night. You need to-" She started making me cut her off. "Spare me."

I turned away to watch the fireplace as I lit another cigarette. "I've done everything I can think of. There's nothing I can do without something to track her with." I expressed knowing it was a needle in a huge haystack.

"She doesn't want to be found. Don't you think you should just let her go?" Valerie asked hesitantly. I turned my head to her in disbelief scoffing as I stood back up towering over her. "No. I-I refuse to let go. I refuse to throw away everything we've been through! I need to make things right!" I beamed full of frustration making her eyes soften.

"I can't let go of the only woman I've ever loved." I breathed with tears in my eyes making her stand up stepping closer to me. "Okay." She breathed placing her hand on my arm making me flinch unable to calm down.

"But how? I've done everything and it's been months. Where could she be?" I breathed. Her hands firmly placed on my shoulders.

"How was Genevieve able to track down all those people across the country? God, across the world?" She exclaimed. "She worked with people and had a boss who told her." I answered pulling away not looking at her. Wishing we weren't talking about this.

"For every single one?" Valerie "In this day and age there's information on everyone. With all of the social media and photos people take of themselves. There's got to be something out there for Lee to find with her information. We just have to find the breadcrumbs." Valerie expressed optimistic with a weak smile.

I turned to her with a glint of hope remembering everything Genevieve said about her boss. Sighing continuing to avoid Valerie looking at me. "Are you sure you even want to find her?" She asked again hesitantly. "She's dangerous, Nate. Genevieve has people after her who also want you dead. She was sent here to kill you why do you want to be with someone like that?" Valerie scoffed.

"S-She's killed people. She wanted to kill you. Genevieve had a gun pointed at her head without showing any emotion." Valerie listed quickly remembering that night at the party making me frown knowing how much it scared her to see that.

I stayed silent too exhausted to explain myself and get into an argument with her. "Not to mention she has a child."

"What does that have to do with anything?" I asked quickly. "You've never wanted to date anyone, Nathan. And now all of a sudden you do, and you found out she has a daughter only a few years old. I just don't think-" Valerie began making me interrupt her stepping closer towering over her.

"Don't think what? That I'm capable of caring for someone other than myself. Or someone else's child?" I asked as my voice grew making her sigh not wanting to offend me. "It's just so unlike you, Nathan. Do you really want to date someone and take care of their child? It seems like a lot for you all at once." Valerie said genuinely not trying to upset me anymore than I was. I just scoffed in reply looking away from her.

"I don't want you to be looking for danger just as some kind of thrill for you. Or some kind of conquest for you. Or because she happens to be attractive." She continued honestly making me look away raking my fingers through my hair roughly.

"She wasn't a conquest. You're right I've never wanted to date anyone or settle down at all but that changed when I started to get to know her. I've never felt this way about anyone, Val." I pressed looking at her as she studied me. "I'm in love with her." I confessed making her lips part. "Nate-"

"Genevieve isn't like all of the other women I've dated. And the fact that she has a daughter doesn't change anything." I interrupted her sternly. She thought for a moment never looking away from me.

"Alright." Valerie said finally never tearing her blue eyes away from mine. "I trust you. But you can understand why I'm hesitant." Valerie said full of frustration making me frown.

"You've never wanted to be tied down my anyone let alone two people. You looked down on Lee for getting married and having children now look at you. You're chasing a woman who doesn't want to be found." She said implying I was only looking for her because of a bruised ego.

"You're right. But this time it's different. She's different. I love her. And Rose." I confessed sadly making her look up at me sympathetically. "I believe you." Valerie smiled weakly looking at me with sadness in her eyes.

"Besides, I can always tell when you are lying." She continued making me scoff. "Now that I know you feel genuinely for Genevieve, I think I have an idea."

Genevieve's POV

This was finally the normal, fresh start Rose and I were finally going to have. There wasn't much traffic in this town, Baybirch, if any at all. Only a few hundred people lived here and so far, everyone I have met has been more than friendly towards us. But I can only assume it's because it's obvious I'm on the run being a single mother working at a coffee shop in the middle of nowhere.

"Hey, Allison." Kacey, a woman I worked with said. "How are you doing?" She asked putting apron on making me smile weakly. "I'm good. I'm doing good." I said mostly to convince more myself than her.

"Just the regulars?" Kacey motioned to Carl reading his usual newspaper drinking the same black coffee and bagel he had every morning. And a few teenagers in a study group did homework with a couple in the corner laughing softly holding hands over the table.

"I shouldn't be surprised. There doesn't seem to be very many visitors here." I smiled making Kacey chuckle as she put a few Danishes in the small oven. "No," she laughed. "hardly ever. A few years ago, a couple happened to drive through when they were lost. It was nice to see new faces before they were on their way. And now we have two more faces in our town!" She smiled before small bell rang telling us someone opened the door.

"Good morning." Kacey said to her boyfriend walking towards us with a small smile. "Hey, Joe." I smiled softly before I grabbed a plate for his usual Danish. As I placed the plate on the counter as they talked, I smelt burnt coffee. I quickly turned off the coffee pot and dumped it down the sink in disgust. "I can't believe I forgot about it. What is wrong with me lately?" I breathed to myself making a new pot of coffee.

"It's alright. I do it all the time." Kacey replied. I smiled over at her trying not to show my obvious anxiety. "I'll see you later." Her boyfriend said kissing her cheek before leaving with his breakfast. "Can I ask you something?" She said hesitantly making me look over at her again taking the rest of the Danishes out.

"Yeah?" I smiled nervously as I turned around leaning back onto the counter to face her. "Why are you and Rose alone. Here of all places?" Kacey asked with a small smile obviously worried for how I would reply. "And you totally don't have to answer. I'm just curious."

My lips parted to come up with some sort of explanation making me look away from her. "I-I just happened to drive through it. I was already looking for a place to live and this place seemed nice enough." I answered trying to tell the truth making her hum in reply.

"I'd like to think I've gotten to know you well enough to see when you are hiding something." Kacey said making me laugh knowing how wrong she was. Though it was plain as day how on edge I was which prevented me from being confident and on top of my game.

"Yeah. I guess you caught me. I broke up with someone and needed a fresh start." I explained suddenly getting the craving for banana bread. "Ah." She dragged out. I grabbed a warm piece from the glass tray and took a large bite.

"Just add it to my tab." I said with my mouth full making her laugh knowing how often I eat here. "What was his name?" She asked making me stop mid bite I looked away quickly finishing the bread. "Nathan. His name was Nathan." I answered pushing away the heartache. Walking away from her to wipe down a table.

"Well, I'm glad you found yourself here in out small little town." Kacey chirped making me smile before another customer walked in taking her attention away from me.

"How was school today, munchkin?" I asked driving home making her smile. "It was fun." She exclaimed brightly looking out the window making me smile. The day continued just like every other day for the past few months. Our new normal.

Putting Rose to bed after dinner getting out of the shower and got into my usual baggy clothes. I melted into my bed as the black night sky looked down at me from my bedroom window. My bedroom had a small patio that overlooked the street of the small shops. I struggled to forget the memories of the night's Nathan and I would spend in bed.

How I would sometimes wake up and spend a few minutes just looking at him, memorizing him before falling back asleep. Feeling comfort in his embrace as he breathed steadily. Loving his smile and the smirks and winks he would give me. The smell of his shampoo and cologne he sometimes wore when he dressed up for work and events. Now all I wished for was to forget about him.

But it was harder said than done. I haven't been able to go more than a few hours without thinking about him and what he might be doing. I wanted to know if he found somebody else and just continued his life. If so, how long did it take him to forget about me? The thought made me even more annoyed with myself for not being able to stop thinking about him.

It has always been easy for me to detach myself from people and leave relationships but for him it was harder. I didn't even recognize myself anymore. He's changed me in so many ways so effortlessly and in just a small amount of time. I didn't think it would be this hard to leave him. To try and forget about him. The imprint he left on Rose, and I was enormous, and I didn't know how to continue on without him. But I owed it to Nathan and me to try. He deserved better life than what he would've had with me.

Tossing and turning unable to sleep my alarm went off making me turn to quickly turn it off. I sighed heavily reluctantly getting out of my warm bed leaving my room to wake up Rose for school. After we both got ready and ate breakfast, we left our apartment above the town's convenient store.

Rose got into her seat as I noticed a piece of paper on my car window making me frown looking around. I picked it up looking down at it curiously. 'Meet me at Maple street.' Was all it read making my lips part looking up from the paper.

Frantically looking around for anyone who could have put this here. I quickly got into my car and drove away to drop Rose off at school. "I love you, honey. Don't talk to strangers." I pressed through a weary smile trying not to show her my anxiety. I kissed her cheek making her smile before she nodded and ran over to her teacher and classmates.

I sighed heavily standing tall rushing back into my car. Looking down at the note on my passenger seat as I drove away making me debate on going even though I had work to go to. It could've just been some kind of sick joke on the new single mother in the town. But I knew better than that with the past I had. I needed to get to the bottom of whatever this note meant.

Realizing the street was away from the busy homes and shops as I drove through the town square in a somewhat secluded area. There were large fields of grassy land with the occasional homes spread far apart. I was now driving on a dirt road when I saw the sign Maple Street in the distance. My GPS told me I had arrived at my destination.

There wasn't anything for miles except a rundown home far in the distance. I stepped out of my car grabbing my gun from my glove compartment hiding it against my back in the waistband of my jeans not knowing what to expect.

The rocks and dirt road crunched