A/N: FF is stupid and, in the first version I posted, the things I had seperated did not appear. Damn you, FF. Anyway, sorry to any early readers who would have had a hard time deciphering some of it. Many apologies! Okay, I have tried five pretty patterns and none seem to work for seperating the sections. I will now try seperating with letters...
XXXXXX
Leah Clearwater was never one for special occasions. She hated all the attention she got on birthdays. Christmas was far too jolly a day. New Year's Eve was just awkward; why did they all have to sit about waiting for some bells to ring and then shake hands? She had a newfound hatred for Halloween, too. Stupid kids dressing up as wolves and vampires, they should be more careful what they wish for. Thanksgiving was bareable. Just. But one occasion Leah happily celebrated without so much as a grumble was Father's Day. Being the Daddy's girl that she was, Leah loved that she could spend a whole day treating her dad. Every year, she made a show about it. Breakfast in bed, presents, the works. Seth was a bit more complacent, sure he would grin – hello, it's Seth – and give Dad a present but other than that it was just a normal day to him; a minor holiday, nothing in comparison to Christmas and birthdays. So I guess that was why he didn't seem particularly bothered that they weren't celebrating it today. Maybe he hadn't even noticed.
The gravel crunched under the thick soles of Leah's wrecked converse. There was a cool breeze, causing strands of raven black hair to tickle at her face. Clouds skittered across the sky, flitting in front of the sun and casting a grey shadow over La Push. Leah hooked her thumbs into the pockets of her dark denim shorts as she walked down the gentle slope. Her satchel was loose and made a thud against her thigh with every step she took. Once at the bottom of the slope Leah followed the winding path a little further before she had to venture out onto the grass to find what she was looking for. It had rained the previous day and the grass was still a little damp, not much light got to this part due to the towering trees all around.
"Hey, Dad," Leah breathed, tracing her finger over the indented letters.
H A R R Y C L E A R W A T E R
She sighed, leaning her cheek against the cool marble of the headstone. "I brought you breakfast," Leah said, opening the flap on her satchel and pulling out a flask with coffee and a croissant. "You always liked this if Father's Day was on a work day."
XXXXXX
"Daddy!" Leah trilled, skipping into the kitchen.
"Leah!" Harry scooped his daughter up into his arms, swinging her around.
"Careful, careful!" Sue laughed, trying to maneouvre round them – not an easy thing to do when eight months pregnant.
Leah giggled as her father set her down on the counter, swinging her legs happily as he set about pouring her a drink.
"Okay, I'm going round to see how Billy's doing," Sue said, kissing Leah on the cheek and recieving a kiss from Harry.
"Be careful, call if you need me," Harry called as he closed the door behind her. "Okay, princess, what am I gonna do with you today?"
"Daddy," Leah said, eyeing the stroller sitting by the door. "Are you going to forget me when my new little sister comes?"
Harry looked over the fridge door before shutting it and coming to stand in front of Leah. He placed a hand on either side of her face, giving her no other choice but to look at him. "Leah, no matter what happens; you will always be my girl, my princess. The day you were born you stole my heart. You come first, Leah, don't forget that."
A perfect smile lit up Leah's face, then faltered, "Won't she be jealous?"
Harry laughed and chucked her under the chin. "You're going to be an amazing big sister, Lee. And don't worry, I think he'll understand."
Leah's eyes widened.
"That's right, Leah Clearwater, you're going to have a little brother."
XXXXXX
Leah trudged into the kitchen in her pyjamas, her legs dragging.
"Mornin' sleepyhead," Harry greeted with a smile, placing aside his newspaper. "Sleep okay?"
"Mhmm," Leah half-smiled, still barely awake.
"I should hope so after the noise you made last night. And you say I snore..." Harry grinned teasingly at his daughter.
"Da-ad!" Leah was awake now and reached out, hitting her father playfully in the chest. "I so don't snore!"
Harry laughed, pulling Leah into a bear hug and ruffling her hair.
"Aw c'mon, let go!" Leah laughed. "I'm gonna be late for school!" She glanced over at the clock and gasped. "Oh my God! Dad, why didn't you wake me earlier!"
The hands on the clock signalled that Leah had ten minutes before she was due to be sitting in homeroom.
"Calm it, kid, you've got the day off."
Leah did a double-take in the doorway, stopping her frantic hurrying. "Why? Is it snowing?"
"In May? Dream on, Princess Leah," Harry said, affectionately using the nickname only he was allowed to use.
"Then what?"
"Can a father not take his beloved little girl out for some fun?"
Leah let the 'little' slide, throwing her arms around Harry. "Dad, I love you! What are we doing?"
"I was thinking I could teach you how to fish," Harry suggested, unsure about how Leah would react.
"Sounds awesome," Leah smiled, knowing how much this meant to her father.
XXXXXX
"Mom? Dad?" Leah called, stepping in the front door. She removed her coat and hung it on one of the hooks, shaking out her long, silky hair.
Sam stood in the doorway looking nervous.
"Sam," Leah rolled her eyes; took his hand and pulled him in the door. "They're gonna love you because I love you."
Sam's mouth turned up at the corners as he leaned down to place a tender kiss on her lips. "Love you more, LeeLee."
"Ah-hem."
Leah seperated from Sam, blushing. "Hey, Dad."
"Hello, Leah," Harry said formally, crossing his arms over his chest as he leaned against the doorframe. "Samuel."
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr Clearwater," Sam extended a hand to the older man.
Harry shook it firmly before finally letting his harsh exterior down and smiling. "I've heard a lot about you, Sam. Let's hope you live up to Leah's praise."
"Dad!" Lee scolded, not making eye-contact with her boyfriend.
Sam chuckled, relaxing, and wrapped an arm around Leah's waist. "You're too good to me, LeeLee."
Harry raised an eyebrow at the nickame but didn't say anything. "Lee, why don't you go help your mother in the kitchen?"
Leah looked between Sam and her dad from a moment before reluctantly leaving them together alone.
"How's it going?" Sue asked, bustling around the stuffy kitchen.
"I'm not sure," Leah bit her lip, a nervous habit. "I think Dad wanted to talk to him."
"If you go into the hall quietly you could listen in?" Sue suggested with a sly smile, nudging her daughter with her hip.
"Genius, mom." Leah was agile on her toes as she crept into the hallway, standing in the shadows next to the living room.
"Okay, Sam, listen up because I'm only saying this once. Leah's clearly fallen for you and maybe that clouds her judgement sometimes but I can still see things the way they are."
From her vantage point Leah saw her father give Sam an 'are we clear' look.
"I understand, sir," Sam said politely. "But with all due respect, I'm not going to hurt Leah."
"So you say. But you're what? Seventeen? I was a teenage boy, too, you know. All I'm saying is that if you dare break my daughter's heart then things are going to be pretty unpleasant for you around here, Samuel."
"Yes, sir," Sam nodded and Leah, sensing the conversation was coming to a close, peeked her head in the living room.
"Dinner's ready," She smiled at the two of the. Sam, being closed to the door, walked out first and winked at Leah.
"So what do you think?" Leah asked her dad once Sam was in the kitchen.
Harry draped an arm over Leah's shoulders and smiled at her. "I think you could have done a whole lot worse, princess."
XXXXXX
"Go away!"
"No."
"I want to be alone!" Leah cried, throwing a pillow at the door. "Just go away!"
Harry opened the door anyway. "Princess," He said softly. "What has he done to you?"
Leah's resolve broke down, unable to speak through her sobs. She curled in on herself, clutching her kness to her chest. Harry sat down on the bed and pulled his little girl into his arms, smoothing down her hair until the sobs slowly subsided.
"What happened, Leah?"
"Everything was fine! We were the perfect couple and then he stopped talking to me. He didn't return my calls, he wasn't home. I couldn't find him anywhere!"
Harry plucked a tissue out of the box and used it to wipe Leah's tears away, silently fuming at the cruel fate that had done this to his Leah. "And then what?"
"Then I finally see him. And he's with her. My Sam. With someone else. And that's where he's been all along. Cheating on me with my own family!" Leah spat, torn apart with her fury and still stinging from the fresh betrayal. "So I go up to him. I pull him up for whatever the hell he's been doing when I was sitting here worried and he just shrugs it off. He says we can't be together and that I'm not the one for him. We were just a stupid mistake."
Leah squeezed her eyes shut, as if willing the pain to go away.
"I warned him..." Harry muttered under his breath, aware that he couldn't blame Sam for what had happened but still angry, nonetheless.
"Well, clearly he didn't get the message because he still broke my heart!"
She was inconsollable then. Loud, heavy, sobs wracking her body. Harry held her in his arms, not attempting to quiet the sobs or stop her violent shivers. He held her until his shirt was wet but the tears had dried up.
"There, there, princess," Harry breathed, turning her so that he could see into her eyes; her puffy, bloodshot, eyes. "You listen to me, Leah Clearwater. That boy? He's not worth it and he couldn't break your heart if he tried. Leah, the day you were born you stole my heart and I gave it to you happily because, as long as you live, I know my heart will be intact. With all the pressure of protecting two hearts I thought I'd give you a break so you know what?" Harry kissed his, confused, daughter on the forehead. "I think I took yours. Just for safekeeping, of course. And one day, when I die, I'll give your heart back to you and you can do as you please with it. But until then it's staying safe and un-broken in my care."
Leah smiled. "Thank you, Dad."
XXXXXX
"Dad? Dad!" Leah shot a panicked look at her brother before rushing to his side. "Dad, what's happening?"
Harry clutched at his chest, his legs buckling below him, and sank to the floor.
"Seth! Omigod. Seth, call an ambulance!"
Seth snapped out of his shock and grabbed the phone, dialling 911.
"Dad, please, no. I need you!" Leah collapsed to her knees and shook her father. "Dad, don't do this to me!"
There was a clatter as Seth threw the phone on the counter and joined his sister. "Dad, c'mon!" He pleaded and, upon seeing no reaction, changed tactics. "MOM!"
Sue was next door at the time but still, she heard her son calling.
Harry's eyes fluttered open and Leah's heart leaped. "Dad?
"Princess Leah," Harry whispered. His eyes closed then.
Leah didn't remember much else about that day. What she did, it all seemed like she hadn't been there, had been watching herself move from above. The ambulance, along with Sue, had burst in the door then. Seth, always closer to their mom than their dad, had went to Sue. Had held her as she crumpled. Leah had stayed on the ground, clutching at her father's shirt until the paramedics prised her fingers away. She remembered screaming at them. He was dead. What else could they do? Just leave him be. They pronounced him dead. They took him away. Sue and Seth went in the ambulance and Leah stayed. There were three Clearwater's left but somehow Leah felt like she was all alone in the world. News spreads fast in a small town like La Push. The news must have been in Forks by lunch. Still, Leah didn't move. Any knocks on the door went unanswered. Anyone who dared enter quickly left again. This was her own, private grief and no-one would share it with her. She was going to be alone for the rest of her life so why start under false pretenses that other people gave a damn? That day, Sam had the audacity to call by. He tried to comfort her but she wouldn't have it. Leah remembered this clearly. It was a bitter-sweet memory.
"YOU DID THIS! This is your fault! Get out of his house! YOU BASTARD!" Leah had to stop then because she changed into the horrible monster Sam had made her. The monster that had caused her father to die.
It was a cruel world.
XXXXXX
"I'm sorry," Leah whispered. "I'm so, so, sorry."
The wind picked up, pushing Leah's hair back from her face. Leah clutched the stone, hoping to get some comfort and finding none.
"Dad, I'm sorry," Leah cried. Leah Clearwater had built walls of steel to protect herself after Sam. She had formed a rock hard exterior that seemed to crumble the day her father died. She had re-built it the next day but still, there were cracks. There will always be cracks in the damaged goods that is Leah Clearwater; broken beyond repair.
"I thought I would find you here."
The voice was soft and gentle; caring. Seth Clearwater. Her kid brother.
Leah wiped at her eyes before turning to Seth. "What're you doing here?"
"It's Fathers Day, isn't it?" Seth cocked an eyebrow, coming to crouch down next to Leah.
She nodded, sadly, absentmindedly tracing her hand across the headstone. "Do you come here much?"
"Only sometimes," Seth shrugged. "Mostly, when I need advice about you."
Leach tilted her head to the side, not fully understanding, but smiling anyway. "Now why would you do that?"
"Because you're the hardest person to read, I know, Leah. Dad was one of those rare people that completely got you, sometimes the rest of us need a little help." Seth sat down on the damp grass, sprawling his legs out in front of him.
"At least you try," Leah said earnestly, placing a hand on his leg.
Seth only nodded in reply as he looked at the headstone. His eyes still on it, he said, "What you two had was special."
"Only the same as what you had with him," Leah said. "We're both his children."
Seth raised an eyebrow at Leah. "We both know that isn't true. My best memory of Dad is the first time I was fully aware that I would never compare to you in his eyes."
"Seth..." Leah frowned, not wanting her brother to feel that way.
"No, it isn't a bad thing. It's what made me realize how honourable and good he was. How I could only hope to be like him one day and, even if I didn't suceed, I would still be privelleged to call him my father," Seth stared off into the distance, his look one of awe.
"Tell me more," Leah prodded, resting her head on the smooth marble.
"I was eleven years old at the time. I remember always trying to get his attention but even when I did, it wasn't the same. I watched you and him together; that was special. I mean, Dad loved me; I don't doubt that for a second. But you, you were his sun. His everything-"
"Seth, I'm sure that isn't true." Leah felt guilty, like she had robbed her brother of her father.
"Let me finish," Seth chastised, a teasing undertone in the stern look he gave her. "One day, I was so confused as to why he never looked at me the way he did you that I asked him. I went up to him and said 'Dad, why do you not love me as much as Leah?' He looked anguished. Then he sat me down and told me," Seth changed his voice to a deeper tone, attempting to sound like their father. "Son, it's not that I love you less, it's just that Leah needs me and I need her. You, Seth Clearwater, are a better son than I could have ever hoped for and don't you dare forget it but Leah, she's like my oxygen. I'm sorry that I can never have with you what I have with her but don't be disheartened. Seth, one day I'm not going to be here for your sister. When that happens I want you to be her rock, because no matter what she says; how strong she claims to be, she needs a rock."
Tears glistened in Leah's eyes, her father was the only man she would ever give her heart to, she knew that for certain now.
"And then he said," Seth laughed at this point. "Besides, Seth Clearwater, you're such a Mommy's boy any more attention from me and your mother would get jealous."
Leah laughed, too, the sound strange and foreign coming from her, but a laugh nonetheless. "Seth, I see more and more of him in you everyday. So you're obviously doing something right."
The praise made Seth light up, his eyes, his smile. "Thanks, Lee."
"No problem, little bro," Leah winked.
Seth jumped up – because when did he ever do something in a boring fashion? – and extended a hand to his sister. "C'mon, I think it's time we got going."
Leah sniffed, taking his hand. "Sure."
Seth pulled his sister into a tight, Clearwater, hug and together – Seth draping an arm over his sister's smaller stature – they walked out of the graveyard, feeling cleansed from their memories.
"You know, Seth," Leah said. "If you keep growing, we're gonna need to get a beanstalk."