A/N: I do not own the rights to Twilight. I do not wish to make money from this story. This is just a fun "What if."
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Grand allegro - A combination of large jumps that has the dancer travel across the entire studio or stage - or, in this case, a country.
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Sophie
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My leg was cramped from sitting so long on the plane. Even the extra space that flying first class gave wasn't enough for my legs to stretch to their most comfortable position, and so my knee had ached by the end of the first hour, burned by the end of the third and had gone numb by the time the plane had landed.
At least, I thought, It will only be Caleb picking me up, and he knows better than to laugh at my limp. It was not pleasant walking down the length of the terminal with my knee forcing my leg to move in unnatural positions. I just want to get my luggage, get his promised ice pack, get in his car and start this grueling four-hour trek to La Push.
Who could have foreseen that Caleb would fracture his arm in the beginning of May, right before the start of our Spring Season? Or that I would soon follow him, the mild ache in my left knee turning into patellar tendonitis?
Otherwise known as Jumper's knee. I still mentally laughed at that one, thinking of the many leaps the choreographer threw in for me in Sleeping Beauty. The company told me to take the summer months off to heal and take whatever physical therapy I needed. They still wanted me to dance as Cinderella in the Fall, and were willing to work around what I needed to do to get well.
When I called Caleb to bemoan the stupidity of having to wear a knee brace and the hassle of trying to find the best physical therapist, not to mention how lonely I was with out him in Boston, he suggested I spend the summer with him.
Caleb had traveled back to his roots in La Push, Washington when he was told to do the same – rest and get well. The fracture had been a mistake of the company's behind stage, though they would rather have teeth pulled than admit to it. The best they could do was offer him paid time off, and a promise that he would still dance as a Principal in the fall. His mother and father lived and worked in Seattle, heard of a specialist Doctor residing in Forks, and had Caleb signed up for sessions before he could say whether or not he wanted to come home.
However, the four-hour ride one way from Seattle to Forks was absurd, so Caleb ended up living with his grandmother in La Push, and was very excited for me to come spend the rest of the summer healing with him.
That doctor had better be worth all the pain my knee is going to be in, by the time we finally reach Caleb's home. I grimaced, as I hobbled forward to grab my first bag from the belt. But where was Caleb? I kept one eye on the conveyer belt and took darting glances around with the other. By the time my second bag came out I was torn between being worried and annoyed. Caleb knew it was today. I thought as I limped over to where there was a larger crowd of receivers. I spoke to him only six hours ago. He cannot have forgotten.
There, a little ways away, were two young men who stood at least a head and shoulder above the rest of the crowd. One of them held a sign on it that read Ms. Sophie Weaver and had a little picture of point shoes on the side. Sighing, and hoping this was some prank Caleb was playing, I shuffled towards them.
"Are you a Ms. Sophie Weaver?" The one with the sign asked.
"Guilty as charged." I admitted.
"Oh, good!" The other said. "We were worried you hadn't seen our sign and walked out. We're friends of Caleb. I'm Quil," he shook my hand and I almost jumped at how hot his hand felt.
"And I'm Jacob," the one with the sign added, also giving me an abnormally hot handshake. Those names rang a bell. I was sure Caleb had mentioned them before while talking about the friends he made, but I couldn't remember much about them. "Caleb says that there is a message on your phone that explains everything, but he was stuck between having strangers pick you up and having a surprise for you when you get to his house, and the surprise won."
"That would be Caleb." I shook my head, not surprised. "What ever he's planning had better be good. Not that I mind being picked up by you!" I hastily added incase they took offence. "I was just looking forward to seeing him."
"Understandable." Jacob said smoothly. "If you're all set we could head out and make it to La Push by dinner. Are you hungry?"
"A little," I admitted. "I also will need an ice pack – did Caleb send you with one?"
"He did, actually." Quil said. "It's in a cooler in Jacob's car along with some of your favorite foods I understand."
"Then I will gladly follow you anywhere." I replied fervently.
They were really nice about my limp. Quil took control of the bags and my backpack, and Jacob actually gave me his arm after watching me limp became too painful for him to bear. While I held on, I listened to Caleb's voice message about how he promised to make it up to me. The excitement in his voice made me believe that it might be worth it to be in the car with strangers for four hours so that he could get his project done.
That was until I saw the car Jacob drove. Although I had nothing against small cars, I had been dreaming of Caleb's granny's van to stretch out in.
Jacob saw the look on my face and assured me it was bigger on the inside than it looked.
"Unless there is an extra dimension in your car, I rather doubt it." I sighed. "No, I'll take the back," I told Quil who was opening the backdoor to get in.
"Are you sure?" He asked confused.
"Yes. Because then I can stretch my leg over the seat at least."
Quil graciously moved the cooler to the front of the car, and Jacob helped me get settled in the back. "Just don't kill me." I told him as I buckled and then turned my body so the seat belt would cause more damage than help if we were stopped fast.
"I promise not to." Jacob responded somberly, and as he started the car Quil handed me an ice pack, which I gratefully took.
The car ride was long, but I enjoyed listening to Jacob – or Jake as he told me to call him – and Quil share stories of growing up in La Push. From what I could understand both of them were dating girls from the area, Quil's was about to graduate high school and Jacob was unspecific about his girl's age. They both had jobs in the area, Jacob was a well-known mechanic and Quil worked for a data entry company at his house. They also sounded like they were part time policemen, for La Push and the surrounding areas.
Soon I found myself telling them all about how Caleb and I met, which they seemed to know from Caleb's side. We were thrown together in the University of Michigan's orientation program, being the only two dancers who were also going for literary degrees. There we had become unofficial dance partners, as we had similar work ethics. Then we bonded one late night when the crazy family stories came out and to our amazement we both had great-grandparents who came from La Push. While my family had moved away from the area, Caleb's had stayed for another couple generations, but the common ancestral haunting ground was enough for us to declare blood relation.
The result was an indulgent tolerance from our classmates, and wonderful awkward moments from professors until they realized our joke. Jake and Quil laughed as I explained the utter lack of family resemblance, and the willingness to dance intimately made the faculty uncertain about our relationship.
"It was horrible to do," I sighed. "But so much fun when it lasted. Then I was signed for a ballet company in California, and Caleb went to Boston. A year later, I happened to audition for Boston and I was admitted. Since then, we've been fortunate enough to dance at least once a season with each other. I've progressed faster than Caleb, which confuses me because he is just as good."
"According to him, you are the truly amazing dancer." Quil pointed out.
"I think it is because he does not put him self out enough. I am bolder than he is, but then I have been working at this longer and if my knee doesn't completely recover, I might be done with dance sooner. Dr. Cullen has worked a miracle for Caleb's arm, or so says Caleb. I'm hoping he'll be able to conjure up another for my knee."
"Dr. Cullen's great." Quil reassured. "He's a super doctor – he fixed Jake's ribs years ago when it looked like they wouldn't heal correctly, and since then he's been helping out with both Forks and La Push. Mostly he just takes specialty cases now."
"I was lucky to get him." I admitted. "Being a known ballerina has some perks. He and his wife apparently came and saw our production of Carmen. I guess they were interested to see the new adaptation, and were able to fly out to Boston for it." I shoot my head at the extravagance of wealthy Doctors. "Apparently we even spoke briefly after the performance, but for the life of me I cannot remember either of them. Caleb said they recognized him instantly too and asked about me before I called." I sighed. "Tendonitis isn't a life threatening injury, it's just concerning that I have it so intensely so early in my career. But I suppose, even if I were to stop now, I've had a good run of it, and I have no intention of letting this beat me yet."
"How long do dancers dance for?" Jake asked. "Do you want to look at Forks or head straight to La Push?" He added.
"Honestly, as nice as your car is, I would rather be in a place where I can stretch and not be in pain anymore. I'll see Forks later." I shifted a little; my ice pack had long since become useless. "Dancers – ballet dancers – usually last until their early to late thirties until our bodies give up on us. If you're dancing ballet when you're forty you are remarkably lucky. Personally, I'd like to dance for another four years, maybe five and then settle down and have a family. I'd still dance a little, but I'd love to teach it, and possibly put my B.A. in English Lit to good use. The trick is going to be getting my company to let me go – they don't like to let go of good dancers. They would rather run us like horses until we can't dance anymore. I'd rather have a family before I'm forty, so I can see some potential disagreements between us in the future. Maybe this injury will help me to get out when I want to."
"You seem very optimistic," Quil said.
"You've caught me on a good day," I laughed. "Ask me again tomorrow and I'll probably wail and rage about my knee taking me away from the one thing that I have loved and worked for during the past twenty-one years of my life. But I always knew it would come to an end, especially because I refuse to be one of those ballerina moms who's never around for her kids." Through the trees I could glimpse patches of blue, and then the entire left side opened up to show the ocean. "Oh, wow." I gasped. "That's a view."
"It never gets old," Quil smiled.
"I would imagine not!" I exclaimed. Too soon the ocean disappeared behind the trees, but I was reassured that I would see it again soon.
We pulled up to a small brown house that had surprising number of people playing games, and eating food around it. "Shoot." Jake muttered. "I forgot to tell you about the welcoming committee." The people stopped what they were doing when Jake's car pulled up, and one ran inside.
"The welcoming committee?" I asked, confused.
Quil nodded. "Caleb thought you'd like to meet some of the people he's been talking about, so Kim and Claire pulled together a small welcoming party. We were supposed to tell you, but we forgot."
"A small welcoming party?" I repeated looking at the group that was gathered. "Is every guy in La Push a giant?"
Jake laughed. "Hardly." He looked back at me as two girls approached the car. "Shall we?" He asked.
"Sure," I swung my leg over and unbuckled. "I can show off my limp in front of strangers just as easily as I can by myself."
Quil laughed and got out of the car. He walked over to one of the girls and gave her a kiss. The girl laughed and swatted at him. Jake had come over to my side of the car and helped me out, and I gingerly tested my weight.
"Kim, Claire, come meet Sophie." Jake invited, politely giving me time to adjust my balance. The two girls came up and welcomed me with hugs. Claire was the one who Quil kissed, and Kim beckoned over to another boy who introduced himself as Jared. This seemed to be the cue for the rest of the party to come over. The number of names and hot handshakes I was given were overwhelming. After a few names I gave up trying to remember everyone, and hoped that Caleb would help me with them later on.
Finally when I started to feel a little too overwhelmed, a familiar voice called out, "I asked you to welcome her, not smother her." There on the porch was Caleb, and a girl and boy. The crowd that had formed around me dissipated, and I walked as quickly as I could to give Caleb a hug. But that was not enough to show his joy of having me here, so he lifted me up and spun me. Laughing I begged to be put down, and at last he did. "I am so sorry I wasn't there to pick you up." He said earnestly.
"Ah, well, this surprise had better be worth it." I replied.
"Oh, trust me it is." He promised and laughed. "Come inside and see."
"My bags," I remembered, and turned to see Jake with my backpack and two bags, and Quil with the cooler. "Your limo service is amazing." I told him in a stage whisper. "I think I prefer them to you – especially since you would make me carry my own bags."
"Not with your limp," He replied gently, watching me wince up the stairs. "How bad is it?"
"Well, I've been sitting for about nine hours today, so not great." I said, making it to the top of the porch. "I'm sure it will loosen up soon. As soon as I eat I'll be able to take more pain meds." As if my words magically summoned it, the smell of hamburgers on the grill wafted over.
"The guys are really good at cookouts," Caleb explained, interpreting my look. "This is Brady, and this is Leah," He introduced the people who came out on the porch with him.
"Your Leah?" I asked him sharply, and when she blushed and he nodded, I pulled her in for a hug. "I'm sorry," I told her as I felt her stiffen. "I've heard so much about you – all good things – that I feel like I already know you. Caleb has gone on and on about how wonderful and beautiful you are, and I was hoping he exaggerated, but unfortunately for me it looks like he was spot on."
"He's told me a lot about you too." She said, but relaxed marginally and gave me a smile. She too was burning up. I vaguely wondered if Caleb was aware that everyone here seemed to have a fever, but chose not to say anything and instead turned to great Brady.
Brady shook my hand, greeting me warmly, before he opened the door and helped me up the last few steps. "Thank you," I smiled, causing him to blush and look away. I looked back at Caleb for directions.
"Your room is on the split level. Granny insisted you take the best guest room, so reassigned me to the top floor." Caleb sighed.
"She also wanted to give the girl with the leg injury the fewest stairs to climb," Leah mercilessly pointed out.
"I suppose," Caleb sighed again dramatically, and he, Leah, Jake and Quil followed me inside. Brady muttered about wanting to go check on the hamburgers closed the door behind us.
I loved my room. It was beautiful, with the wooden beams across the ceiling and bright blue paint on the walls. My view faced the forest, and my window was just a little ways up from the ground. "You can see more from the upper windows," Caleb explained, a little embarrassed. "But with your leg and all we thought-"
"I love it." I cut him off. "This is a truly magical place. I'll have to thank your Granny, since I'm sure you didn't pick out the matching curtains and bed spread. Is she here?"
Caleb shook his head. "She's in Seattle this week visiting my parents. She'll be back Sunday, and is looking forward to meeting you."
"I'll have to prepare supper for her that night at least to show my thanks," I thought out loud.
Caleb laughed. "You don't have to cook, even if you are much better at it than I. Come on – let me show you the surprise. It's in the basement." Still followed by Jake and Quil, who declared they wanted to see the finished product and my reaction to it, Caleb gently helped me down the stairs. When we reached the bottom, Caleb put his hands over my eyes, I heard some one open a door, and Caleb guided me through. He led me into an open space and then took his hands off my eyes.
I gasped and almost started crying. I couldn't believe it. The setting sun shown through open windows on my left, and on my right was more of the same. In front of me were big full wall mirrors, and in their reflection I saw two mobile barres and a sound system.
"Everything was installed today and yesterday," Caleb was explaining. "Everyone helped out, but Embry did a lot of the work on the floor and for the barres to make them smooth."
I looked down at the wood floor and kicked off my shoes to feel its smoothness through my socks.
"It's beautiful," I pirouetted to my right, away from Caleb, ignoring the sting in my left knee as I pushed off. The one thing that had me so concerned about coming to stay with Caleb was how he had no space to really practice. I lost sleep with worry about where I would do my exercises and start to learn the routines I needed to know.
"The sun will rise through those windows," Caleb pointed to the wall on the right.
I stopped spinning and smiled. "We can do our warm ups in here."
"I'm working on us being able to use the Port Angeles ballet studio when we really need to practice, but for what we need now this should be fine. Is the surprise worth it?" He asked anxiously.
"Maybe," I replied mischievously. "There's just one test to make." I went en point, my right leg supporting almost all of my body weight and my left just keeping me balanced. To my delight Caleb came up and led me through a promenade and into a couple of pirouettes. I laughed when he lifted me up over his head, and I moved into a poisson. He felt the shift and slowly walked me around in a circle. I felt him shift and I dropped into a fish dive, safely in his arms, where we stayed for a second before we became aware of the applause. Leah, Jacob, Quil, Claire and yet another tall man were standing in the doorway watching us.
"That was beautiful!" Claire exclaimed.
"I'm just glad that the ceiling isn't a few inches lower, and that my partner isn't a few inches taller," I said ruefully. "Otherwise you wouldn't have been able to toss me the little that you did."
"I'm glad that my arms are getting back to their strength. I felt your body tense while in the lift and I assumed your knee was hurting." Caleb added.
"It was, but it was worth it to be lifted by you again!" I replied, hugging Caleb. He helped me walk over to the group as I explained. "The guy they pared me with in Caleb's absence was…"
"Abysmal?" Caleb suggested.
"I was going to say full of himself, but that works too." I looked around the room as the light faded. "I love this gift Caleb. Thank you so much."
"Don't thank me – you should thank Embry." He stopped in front the one whose name I didn't know. "He did most of the work."
"Well then," I took Embry's hand, and his eyes drifted, embarrassed, to the floor. "Thank you Embry. This is beyond anything I could have dreamed."
He opened his mouth to speak, and then he looked directly into my eyes. His jaw dropped.
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A/N: For awhile I've thought a lot about the "Imprinting" situation from Twilight. Stephanie Myers has really weird ideas about love, to my mind, and Imprinting is certainly up there. It seems that most imprinting goes with out a hitch - it's like Disney love at first sight, except stronger. While we can imagine some drama, the guy gets the girl with out a hitch at the end. I wanted to play around with that, and to see what would happen if an Imprintee was some one who had an established career, was incredibly dedicated to that career, and lived on the other side of the country. With in these parameters, there are no easy decisions.
I will be posting once a month, on the first of every month, at least.
Please let me know what you think so far. Thanks for reading!
