After a long flight and car ride, Jasper and I were finally home, where we could help Seth. It was already the next day, and we were upset we hadn't gotten there sooner. We both ran into the house, only for Edward to stop us right inside the door.
He grabbed both of our arms, stopping us from entering, and said, "Before you go in there, Seth just woke up, and we think his mom might be on her way here."
"I'll fight her when she gets here," I told him, already upset at the woman for making Seth cry.
"Fine by me," Edward replied, letting go of our arms.
Jasper and I both ran into the living room to see Seth sitting next to Emmet on the couch. Everyone else looked over to us, but Seth hadn't realized we were in the room. The two of us made our way to Seth as Emmet slowly moved away from him. That got Seth to glance around to see why Emmet was moving.
As he finally noticed us, Jasper and I sat down on either side of him and pulled him in for a hug.
"It's going to be okay," I told him gently.
"I'm so fed up with it," he replied, leaning into me. "I just want to stop fighting."
"Would me yelling at her help?" I asked him.
"Emma," Jasper scolded, not wanting to upset Seth more.
"Maybe," he mumbled, surprising all of us.
"Oh my goodness, what happened while we were gone?" I asked him, pulling him and Jasper closer. "Why didn't you call us sooner?"
"She's just been the worst since the wedding," Seth told us. "She's furious about me being in the wedding, and apparently, she didn't know I was spending time over here as much as I was. Then Leah told her how much I look up to you two and she exploded. That's when I ran and called you."
"Well, now we're here to protect you," Jasper told him, looking up at me briefly.
I heard a coughing sound, turning my attention to Edward, who was looking at me with wide eyes. I could tell he wanted to talk, so I let his powers take over my mind and focused on his thoughts.
'She's coming,' he told me, 'and I don't think he's going to take this well.'
I'll deal with her if you help Jasper make sure Seth doesn't hear it, I responded, not wanting him to listen to the thoughts I had toward her.
I turned my attention briefly to Seth and accidentally heard him thinking, but his thoughts warmed my heart. Instead of thinking about his mom, he was thinking about how happy he was to be with Jasper and me, and I could tell he trusted the two of us more than he trusted his mom.
I quickly shook off Edward's powers, embracing Jasper's once again. I looked up at Jasper, only to realize he had been talking to Seth without me realizing. "Why don't we go up to our room for a second," Jasper suggested to Seth.
The younger boy nodded as I shifted his weight over to Jasper. The two of them stood up, Emmet and Edward following. They made their way up to our room just as I heard a car pull into the driveway.
I got up quickly and made my way to the front door, not wanting her to step foot in the house. Rosalie followed behind me, ready for whatever was about to happen. I walked out the front door as Sue got out of her car.
"Where is my son?" She demanded, walking closer to me.
"He doesn't want to see you," I told her, meeting with her at the porch's steps.
"Let me in, you freak." She attempted to sidestep me, but I stepped in front of her with her.
"You are not going into that house," I told her. "He is already upset at you. You don't need to make it worse."
"I am his mother!"
"Then act like it!" I could feel my anger rising as Sue got angrier at me. "I got a call from him sobbing in the middle of the woods alone because of you!"
"He is my son! I demand you let me in to see him, or I'll call the police for kidnapping!"
"You think Charlie is going to arrest me?" I asked her. "He trusts me more than you know, and with a simple conversation, I could probably get him taken out of your care for neglect."
"You wouldn't dare." Her yells turned into angry sentences, somehow making it more intimidating.
"Try me," I threatened.
"You have nothing on me." She stepped closer to me, trying to intimidate me, but it made me smile.
"You have him so scared he ran away into the woods instead of staying at home with you. Obviously, he doesn't feel safe there; that's all I need."
"I am his mother!"
"As you've already stated!" I yelled, stepping closer to her. She stepped back as I continued to speak. "Except you haven't even asked if he's okay when that's the only thing I ever worry about. What does that show you?"
"You're obsessed with my son," she told me. "You cannot love him like that. He is a minor!"
"I love him like a son!" I yelled back. "I care for him because I want him to be safe! All you seem to care about is yourself, and you only started to pay attention to Seth because you stopped spending your time with Charlie."
"How dare you," she mumbled before looking behind me. Her voice shifted to one filled with hope as she saw who was behind me. "Seth?"
I turned around to see Seth standing at the door with tears running down his face. Jasper was standing behind him with a lost look on his face. I sighed before mumbling, "Oh, Seth," hating that he had to see our arguing and was now crying.
"Mom?" His voice broke as he looked at the two of us.
"I'm right here, honey," Sue told him, spreading her arms out for a hug.
Seth left the door frame and walked past me to his mom. I let him go because I knew he needed to do whatever he was about to do. It was ultimately up to him what happened. I did not expect his following words, though.
"How could you," Seth said, looking at Sue.
"I know, honey, but why don't we go home and talk about it," Sue spoke with fake happiness, and I could feel the anger still in her.
"No," he told her, gaining confidence. "I'm staying here."
Her anger quickly grew into outrage as she stepped closer to Seth. "How dare you! I am your mother!"
Seth stepped back, standing equal with me. "Recently, Emma has been way more of a mother to me than you have. I'm staying here."
"They don't want you," she sneered, hoping things could still go her way.
I wrapped my arm around his shoulder as Jasper stepped forward and stood beside him. "Actually," Jasper said, "we do want him."
"You can leave now," I told her, letting her know this conversation was over.
"You'll be arrested for kidnapping," Sue told me, walking back to her car. "Mark my words."
"Can't wait," I replied, turning Seth away to walk back into the house.
As we stepped back inside, Rosalie shut the door behind us, and Seth turned to hug me once again. "Thank you," he mumbled.
"How much of that did you hear?" I asked him, worried about what I had said.
"Do you really think you could get me out of her care?" he asked, not moving from my arms.
"If that's something you would want, I'm sure I could," I replied honestly.
"But where would I go?" He asked. "I don't think Sam wants me."
"We would take you," Jasper told him. "You say the word, and we'll adopt you, Seth."
"Are you sure?" He pulled back as he spoke, wanting to look at both of us to make sure we weren't lying.
"We're sure, Seth," I told him.
"But the others..." he gestured to the living room as he spoke, but he was cut off.
"Already love you." Rosalie's words were kind and possibly the first time she admitted to caring for Seth.
"What do you say?" Jasper asked, looking down at Seth with a smile.
Seth paused, looking up at us, thinking, before finally saying, "I think I would like that a lot."