The heavens were open.

Quil wondered if the sheer force of the rain could actually make a dent in the roof of Emily's house. He glanced up compulsively to make sure that it wouldn't collapse on all of them. Every single member of the pack was sprawled across the living room and kitchen, waiting for the downpour to cease so they could go in their respective directions. Emily, the worrier that she was, refused to let anyone drive in this weather. Secretly Quil agreed. It would be an act of stupidity to drive on the winding, uneven roads of La Push, especially the one that led into the area from Forks and the high school…

Quil shot up from his position at the table. So in tune were they with each other, that all the men turned their heads immediately to him.

"Claire," was all he said.

"What about her?" demanded Sam from his position on the couch.

"She's supposed to be driving down here after school. I fucking forgot!"

Emily's eyes widened. "But the weather"-

"I know! Shit shit shit." He looked around futilely for his keys. Why couldn't he ever them in a place that he remembered?

"Quil you can't leave. You'll probably miss her and then we'll have two out on the road."

"I can't just stay here she could be dead on the side of the road or something. She could be"-

He jumped when his phone vibrated in his pocket. He whipped it open. "Claire?"

"Calm down. I'm outside the house."

Quil sunk back into his chair. He hadn't even heard the car's engine over the rain. "She's here," he said to Emily, who sighed in relief before hoisting baby Rose up into her arms.

Claire was still talking. "I'm sorry I didn't call earlier I knew you'd be freaking. I didn't think you would have come out to find me. Though you're probably still looking for your keys no doubt."

He laughed. "Are you going to come inside?"

"Thinking about it. I'm just in the car. I'll have to make a run for it."

"I'll come out with an umbrella."

"Don't be dumb. I'm literally 20 meters away. Getting out now."

She hung up on him.

He heard a door slam and footsteps running up the path to the house. Emily grabbed a couple of blankets off the back of the couch in preparation, running her hand tenderly over Sam's head as she moved passed him to the door. Both she and Quil watched out the window as Claire's hooded figure ran up the stairs to the porch, hands outstretched ready to push open the fly screen door like she usually did and then-

"Oh my God I locked the front door!"

CRASH.

Quil would never ever forget that moment. The image of his girl running promptly into the door before rebounding of it would remain ingrained in his mind for the rest of his life. He would bring it up at incredibly inappropriate moments; when they were in bed, at their wedding, in conversations that he felt were getting too serious. It would be partly for his own enjoyment, but mostly to see Claire's equally as amused face watching him cry with laughter beside her.

The present Quil was already bounding out the door when delighted, gurgled laughter from little Rose Uley awakened the rest of the pack from their shock. Emily and Sam moved quickly after him.

"Oh my God, Claire are you OK?"

"Did you hurt yourself, sweetheart?"

Their concern was quickly replaced with amusement when they saw that Claire was doubled over, sinking down against the porch railings. She was clutching her stomach as the animated laughter that Quil adored bubbled over her lips. It was the kind that seemed to form a shape in the air, bringing all his senses alive. A smile spread across his face as he bent down to inspect her.

"Claire bear? Are you alright?" he asked.

She crawled into his arms and he murmured "hopeless" against her hair, which just made her laugh harder.