Lost
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Twilight characters nor any of the recognizable names mentioned.
Leah wonders frantically tearing up her room. She looks under her bed. Not there. She looks in her closet. Fuck! She empties out her drawers, boxes, bags – anything and everything is literally turned upside down. Shit! "He's gone." Leah whispers sadly holding a fist full of her hair as she surveys the damage and disarray of her room. What could Leah Michelle Clearwater be searching for you ask? What or who could be of such importance to her?
No, no, nonononono. NO! This can't be happening to me. Where could he be? He didn't leave. He couldn't have. Not him he promised he wouldn't leave me!
"Ty? Where the hell are you?" Leah mumbles to herself now nervously biting on her fingernails. With a panicked huff Leah bolts out her room and quickly jumps down the entire flight of stairs earning strange looks from her pack mates. Leah quickly surveys the room taking stock of the usual suspects. Embry shifts uncomfortably under her dark stare and looks away – obvious sign of guilt. Quil snorts and looks up at her through heavy lids – He just got in from patrol. But he could still have time to commit the crime. Then her eyes drift over to Seth whose attention is fully focused on the videogame – He knows that taking Ty is suicide.
"Everything alright, Leah?" Embry asks anxiously.
"Seth, can I talk to you for a second?" Leah asks glaring darkly down at Embry.
"Can it wait? I'm set to have the max kills." Seth says over his shoulder never taking his eyes off the screen. Leah rolls her eyes silently cursing Emmett for buying Seth Modern Warfare 2 for his 360.
"No, it can't. This, this is important." Leah says trying to remain calm while meticulously retracing Ty's last steps.
"Fine." Seth sighs not bothering to hide his annoyance. "What is it?" Seth asks as he follows Leah into the kitchen and out the back door. Seth starts to feel his annoyance fade as concern starts to build. Whatever it is must be something serious because he is still following her to the tree line. Leah quickly spins around startling Seth as she looks around to making sure that no one has followed them.
"Seth, I can't find him." Leah whispers desperately leaning in close to Seth.
"Can't find who?" Seth queries his panic mounting with his sister's distress.
"Ty! I can't find Ty." Seth's eyes widen in shock. Seth Clearwater is one of very few people who knows that Leah has a red stuffed dog – the only remaining stuffed animal after her wolf phasing. Tiberius was a gift to Leah from their Dad when she was 8-yrs old. She had started begging Harry for a dog and had even incorporated Seth into the request. In the end, the Clearwaters couldn't afford a dog and instead Harry bought Leah Tiberius who she loving called 'Ty' for short. Leah had loved the dog from day one and for years carried him around with her until she felt that she was too old to do so. However, she had kept him tucked away out of sight from the guys to avoid being teased and tormented. Seth, too, had to hide away his Mr. Tibbles, a stuffed black cat that Leah had made for him with her own two hands back when Gran-Gran was alive.
"What do you mean you can't find him?" Seth asks feeling panicked as well. If the guys knows about Ty then they gotta know about Mr. Tibbles.
"I mean that I. Can't. Find. Him." Leah hisses blinking back tears.
"Okay, okay. There's no need to panic. It's not like he got up and left." Seth chuckles nervously as Leah shoots him a dark 'duh' glare. "Well you don't think that one of the guys took him, do you?" Seth asks looking over his shoulder back at the house.
"I don't know." Leah says growling. "But I'm going to find out." Seth watches as Leah stomps off towards the house and he follows closely behind. There are only 2 suspects. Embry and Quil. Jake is out since he's been gone since yesterday on a camping trip with the Cullens. Why her Alpha insisted on still following Bella Cullen around like a love sick puppy she'll never know but after many arguments, scuffles, staring contests and failed silence treatments she learned to just drop it.
Leah storms into the living room where Embry is now playing Seth's game and Quil is coaching. Leah is vaguely aware of Seth bounding up the stairs undoubtedly checking on the safety of his precious Mr. Tibbles. Quil lazily watches Seth run up the stairs and watches as Leah sits down in between him and Embry. Quil raises an eyebrow noting how tense Leah is and her bottom lip sticking out in a little pout. Quil looks over Leah's head at Embry whose eyes say, 'I don't know'. Quil groans internally not liking the mood that Leah is in.
'Is, is she pouting? Weird. Cute but definitely weird.' Quil opens his mouth preparing to say something – hell, somebody has to work this out in Jacob's absence.
"So, Quil," Leah starts sounding too nonchalant. "How's Claire doing?"
"Uh…good." Quil answers narrowing his eyes. 'This is weird. Too weird.'
"Is, she, uh, still going through the 'mine' phase?" Leah asks looking Quil deep in his eyes – searching for the slightest glint of mischief.
"Uh…yea, but she's getting better…at…it." Quil says nervously finding his eyes locked onto Leah's. He wants to look away but something is telling him not to.
"Has she picked up any new toys since, oh, uh…yesterday?" Leah throws out earning a confused glance from Quil.
"Wha, what?" Quil questions but breaks eye contact as Seth comes down the stairs looking very relieved.
"Answer me. Don't look at Seth!" Leah snaps angrily her patience and fear for Ty's safety growing with each passing minute. Quil prior to his imprinting had a notorious record of mishandling, mistreating and destroying adorable stuffed animals. Leah recalls Quil and Embry both playing doctor with Rachel's favorite teddy bear leaving poor Bernard with one eye, half a ear and his chest ribbed open. Jacob mysteriously and conveniently nowhere around when Rachel happened upon the open heart surgery.
"No, no not that I know of." Quil answers quickly shaking his head. "Why?"
"Embry!" Leah growls turning around and is surprised to see Embry trying to quietly sneak away. The guilty culprit is trying to escape! "WHERE THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU'RE GOING?" Leah yells jumping up preparing to pounce on Embry. Embry quickly turns around to face Leah smiling shyly.
"To the kitchen?" Embry questions rather than stating a fact.
"Why you being so sneaky?" Seth asks joining in the interrogation. If Ty was first no telling when Mr. Tibbles would be next.
"I'm, I'm not being sneaky." Embry says looking away.
"LIAR!" Leah yells her anger and outrage getting the better of her. Embry was supposed to be the actual 'good one' outside of Seth. He was always quiet. Only speaking up when he felt like it. Embry wasn't supposed to be the one causing her pain – not like this. "GIVE HIM BACK!" Leah snarls her body starting to tremble with anger.
"What?" Embry questions looking confused.
"Don't play dumb with me, Embry Call." Leah snaps her nostrils flare as she crouches down. "You know DAMN WELL WHO I'M TALKING ABOUT!" Seth and Quil jump back as Leah's bones begin to break and slowly realign themselves only to go back into their humanly designated spot. She doesn't want to phase. Doesn't want to lose control. She can forgive him just so long as he hands over Ty without a piece of hair harmed on his head.
"Lee, calm down." Quil coaxes weakly as Seth looks in between Leah and Embry.
"Did you take him?" Seth asks trying to defuse the situation before someone gets hurt – mainly Embry.
"Who? What the hell are you two talking about?" Embry asks slowly backing away.
"I WANT TY BACK! YOU TOOK HIM! THAT'S WHY YOU WERE TRYING TO SNEAK AWAY!" Leah shouts accusingly pointing a finger at Embry.
"WHO THE FUCK IS TY?" Embry yells back his voice cracking. With Jake gone Leah is the Alpha and you can't fight the Alpha.
"PLEASE GIVE HIM BACK!" Leah pleads as tears start to slowly fall down her cheeks and Embry freezes. His mouth falls open in shock and his shoulders that had been squared preparing for her attack slump.
"Lee, I don't have him." Embry whispers. "You gotta believe me. Look! Phase and I'll show you." Embry pleads pulling Leah into a tight hug. Looking back Embry sees a highly confused Quil staring at them and a worried Seth.
"Well...if, if, you don't have," Leah begins hiccuping out while furiously wiping at her eyes. "then, then who- who does? I, I - I did - didn't lose him...did I?" Leah asks more so to herself then to the boys around her.
"WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON?" Leah stiffens as she hears a deep, angry, booming voice and suddenly Embry is no longer in front of her. Blinking through the tears Leah looks up to see Jacob pinning Embry against the wall growling at him. "What the fuck did you do?" Jacob demands his hand gripped tightly around Embry's neck.
"NOTHING!" Embry yells back looking around to his pack mates for help. Leah's still crying, Seth looks terrified and Quil...Quil looks highly confused and unsure of who to help? Leah? Or Embry? 'Help me you jackass!' Embry mentally screams.
"Well that certainly doesn't look like nothing!" Jacob growls back releasing Embry and pointing at Leah. Jacob frowns looking at Leah and walks towards her smiling weakly. "Lee, what's wrong? What'd they do?"
"Why does it have to be our fault?" Quil mumbles crossing his arms and looking away.
"She's looking for someone." Embry explains rubbing his now sore neck.
"Who, Lee?" Jacob asks pulling Leah into his arms and hugging her tightly.
"This is all probably about Sam." Quil whispers to Embry earning a quick punch from Seth and a dark glare from Jacob. Leah tenses at the mention of their former Alpha and ex-fiance.
'Sam? Sam! Sam? Why do they always think everything involves Sam?' Leah thinks angrily before she pushes Jacob away and narrows her eyes at Quil. "THIS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH SAM, JACKASS!" Leah yells feeling her body start to tremble from her rage. Taking a couple of deep breathes Leah tries to calm herself down - she's been doing so well in not randomly phasing since joining Jacob's pack. 4-months and 16-days since her last outburst and she was not going to let Quil Ateara, Jr. push her back to square one. Without another word she storms up to her room, slamming the door shut and throwing herself on her bed.
Why was she letting something so small as a missing stuffed animal get to her? So what if Ty had been there for her most of her life. But, the truth was when her parents were sleeping at night she clung to Ty desperately muffling her cries when Sam broke up with her. She hugged him even more tightly when she phased and her father died. Ty was the only wolf she could actually talk to, confide in and just be herself. Ty was, in a sense, her one and only friend that she knew would never betray her, mock her and most importantly never imprint and forget about her. Leah broke down crying burying her face in her pillows - she felt so lost, like she was floundering out in the ocean without a life perserver.
Hearing a knock at her door she climbs underneath her sheets not wanting anyone to see her. "Lee?" Jacob calls opening her door. Jacob looks around surprised at the mess in Leah's room especially considering how she is without a doubt the neatest within the pack...both packs actually. "Leah." Jacob calls carefully stepping over clothes, shoes, books, papers...a gun? Shaking his head he sits on the edge of Leah's bed calling her name again. "C'mon, Lee, look at me."
"Go away." Leah barks out from underneath her covers - her voice muffled by the pillow and sheets.
"The guys are gone." Jacob continues explaining ignoring her request. "And Seth told me about Ty." Jacob places a hand on Leah's hip feeling her tense under his touch. "Ty's your stuffed animal, right?"
"He's not just a stuffed animal." Leah says sitting up frowning at Jacob. "He's a red dog,"
"Wolf, actually." Jacob corrects smiling at her. "Short for Tiberius. Named after James Tiberius Kirk from Star Trek." Leah looks at Jacob in surprise as his smiles only grows bigger. "But, his full name is Tiberius Logan Clearwater. Logan after Wolverine your favorite mutant."
"Yea." Leah breathes out nodding her head. Needless to say she's surprised that Jacob knows so much...or rather even remembers it.
"You used to carry him around with you everywhere when we were little." Jacob says. "It's hard to forget such a thing...well...for some of us anyway." Jacob says winking at Leah causing her to blush. "So did you do all of this for him?" Jacob asks waving at the mess and chaos that was once Leah's room. She nods her head and answers with a weak 'yes'. "Damn...well, I hope that if I ever go missing you search for me this desparately."
"And why would you go missing?" Leah asks with a snort of laughter.
"You never know. There are rumors out there of girls and women who want to kidnap me and have their way with me." Leah starts laughing shoving Jacob as he shrugs his shoulders.
"Well...they'll have to get past me first." Leah says with just a tiny hint of sarcasm in her voice. "But, seriously? I don't know where he is or," Leah begins but is cut off as Jacob as sighs heavily looking at her with a frown.
"Yea, about that." Jacob says and Leah watches as he bends down unzipping his backpack and pulls out...Ty!
"TY!" Leah cries snatching the wolf from Jacob and hugging him tightly. "You? You took him from me? Why?" Leah demands and punches Jacob in the arm. "WHY THE HELL WOULD YOU DO THAT?" She punches him again. "YOU'RE SUCH A JERK, JACOB BLACK!" Another punch.
"Ow, OW!" Jacob says wincing with each punch. "I, I'm sorry. But, I didn't do it to be mean or nothing." Jacob explains in his defense. He rubs his sore arm as Leah sits back hugging the red wolf tightly before pulling him away to get a good look at him. "I came in your room yesterday looking for you." Jacob says trying to hide his smile. "I was coming to tell you that I wasn't going camping with the Cullens and instead I found Ty sitting on your bed. He looked so old and worn,"
"From love." Leah throws out in a matter-of-fact tone as she unconsciously scratches him under the chin.
"And thought he could use a bit of fixing up. So I took him and went to...to the buildabearworkshop to have him re-stuffed." Jacob suddenly rattles of so quickly that Leah doesn't catch it.
"Wait, what? You did what?"
"I, I took Ty to the Build-A-Bear Workshop." Jacob admits blushing. "To get him re-stuffed." Leah looks from her Alpha to Ty and back again.
"You did this? For me? Why?" Leah asks smiling sweetly at Jacob.
"Well...uh, just because." Jacob answers shrugging his shoulders. "But don't tell anyone because it's bad enough I got weird looks for being in there in the first place." Leah can't help but giggle picturing Jake standing in the Build-A-Bear Workshop standing in line for the stuffing machine surrounded by a bunch of little girls and teens squealing and discussing their stuffed animals.
"I promise." Leah says leaning over and giving Jacob a tight hug. Jacob returns the hug and frowns slightly as Leah lays down smiling at Ty.
"You really do love that wolf, doncha?" Jacob asks looking for something, anything to keep Leah talking to him. It's not often the dynamic duo has such a cordial conversation.
"Yea, the coolest wolf I know."
"Not cooler than me." Jacob says knowingly while shaking his head.
"You definitely have better jokes." Leah says laughing and Jacob lays down beside her. "But he's the better listener."
"You should give me a shot. You might actually be surprised." Jacob says.
"Maybe I will." Leah says after a couple of minutes thinking over Jacob's words. Jacob can't help but smile as Leah snuggles into him. "There's a lot of bullshit to listen to."
"Well...I'm not doing anything or going anywhere for a while." Jacob answers wrapping an arm around Leah.
Taking a deep breath Leah begins telling both red wolves her woes for the day. She can't help but feel a sense of warmth knowing that at least she'll always have someone to listen to her and maybe it'll be nice to have someone talk and discuss the matters with her too.
A/N: Alright, this started off so much better this morning when I was at home. But once I got to work the dull, dry, boring, mundane spirit of the place just made me lose it. But this was based on my own personal experience when my fave teddybear, Pookie, mysteriously went missing. I literally tore my room up looking for him. Turned out my boyfriend took him to get him re-stuffed, stitched up and everything while I was at work. It was the sweetest thing anyone had ever done for me without me having to ask for it. ^-^ But, I literally accused my entire family of kidnapping him and cried (I don't like to cry because (1) thugs don't cry *beats chest* (2) crying isn't cute on everyone especially not me and (3) crying only gives me sinus problems). So him missing was like fo' really serial - like man-bear-pig serial. But, I hope I didn't lose any of the emotions along the way because seriously I just want yell at this woman in the next cube village over to STOP TALKING SO GODDAMN, FUCKING LOUD! NOBODY CARES THAT YOUR SON'S NEPHEW'S DOG GOT PREGNANT BY A COYOTE OR A WOLF OR SOME OTHER STRANGE ANIMAL LIKE A GRYFFON! SHUT U~UP!
But, if I don't update anything else before Friday or chat with you all have a Merry Christmahannakwanzakah! And may you have a wonderful Fesitvus miracle. Hehehe, I think I covered all of the major holidays and if you don't celebrate any of the holidays for some reason or other...than...uh, ...enjoy...your...weekend? *nods head* Yea, that will do and MAY WE ALL FIND OUR FAVE WOLF UNDER THE TREE WEARING A CUTE RED BOW...and if you live alone NOTHING ELSE...but those of us who live with a family that wouldn't appreciate it. Some breakaway pants! Because it cuts down on the undressing time. LOLOL.