Laying on Leaves
It's pondered in the season where they all saw an ending of sorts…
The clouds hang over La Push, the air carrying the stench of humidity. The fallen leaves gently touch each other as cautious winds swirl around them. Their dying, dark colors blend together as they fall, creating a painting upon the dirt. A strong wind passes briefly, more leaves and a small tree branch falls with it. A sigh almost echoes in the silence of the woods.
"Leah."
"Leah…Leah…Leah."
"Leah." The consistent calling of a name goes ignored.
Another sigh- this one louder- joins the wind. Jacob shakes his head, his dark eyes focused on her.
"Emily was looking for you." Silence is his response. The wind hugs him, calming the urge to growl at her. He whistles at her, grins when her left hand forms a fist.
"Emily was looking for you," he repeats, his eyes still meeting Leah's back.
"She shouldn't have been." Leah kneels on the floor, her hands cupping leaves. She bunches them together – as much as she can- and creating a crinkly pile. She stands now, her stance calm.
"She wanted to give you cookies before we ate them."
"Whatever." Jacob sighs again before he suddenly tackles her, letting them fall together atop the pile of leaves. He nuzzles her hair.
"Happy birthday Leah," he tells her, laughing when she offers him a small smile and punches his arm.
It starts in the place of endings in which a beginning occurred…
The rain falls, droplets sinking into the dirt. The air remains humid, the sky filling itself with clouds the color of dread. Leah pictures them, hands joined underneath a cream colored tent and isn't sure whether to laugh or sob like a fool. She closes her eyes, the sound of the constant moving winds echoing in her ears. She lays back on the dirt, fully aware of how the dirt will clump into her hair and stain her clothes. She finds that she does not care, doesn't care for much these days. She wipes her cheek with her fingers, unknowingly smudging dirt across it.
The sound of thunder slaps the silence, but she does not falter in her still position. She clasps her hands together atop her middle, her thumb brushing across the necklace. S and L entwined together, she traces their initials with the pads of her thumb; strong enough to have it with her, weak enough to not get rid of the necklace once and for all.
She feels him before she sees or hears him. Her jaw clenches slightly, her own form of greeting. Her leg twitches for a moment, absorbing the heat that always come off of Jacob, even when he's inches away. She settles in deeper in the dirt, creating paths of dark on the light blue sundress her mother had bought her.
"You moping?" he asks but she doesn't look up, does not even attempt to glare. He sighs and she feels a tendril of warmth caress her cheek.
"Leave Jacob," she tells him, demands of him. She hears the rustling of his feet as he goes, surprise filling her when he comes back and sits down next to her, his chin resting on his knees.
"You're gonna get soaked dumbass," she warns and he chuckles in response, shrugging his shoulders.
"Whatever." She opens her eyes, glancing at him. He meets her stare, tension crackling in the space between them. He looks away first and she almost wants him to look back; wants someone to look back.
"They liked the gift you gave them; the rocking chairs," he tells her after long minutes of silence. Once he's done with the statement she looks up at the sky, down at her hands and begins laughing. Her face scrunches up as she releases the laughs, her torso shaking with their power. It only takes Jacob a few seconds of amusement to realize the laughs sound more like sobs. Unsure, he lies down on side back and shifts onto his side. He places his hand over her stomach and soon her supposed laughter dies down but she grips his wrist, taking in its strength and just breathing. He eyes her with something akin to longing; can't figure out whether or not the sight of her drenched and moping is pathetic or beautiful.
"She's pregnant," Leah tells him, the words sounding too soft to have come from her lips. His eyes widen rather comically.
"How do you know that?"
"She …told me." Leah closes her eyes for a brief moment, gathers some strength and sits up. She opens up her palms and Jacob sees the necklace, its chain shinning amidst the rain. She watches the hole she'd dug earlier by her feet and reluctantly drops the necklace. A shudder wracks through her when she hears its small thumb against the firm dirt. Quickly, as if being held at gunpoint she covers the hole; clumps of dirt being thrown hastily atop one another. She continues this until her hands are shaky, the dirt slipping down her hands like melting chocolate. Suddenly his hands are gripping her wrists and her movements are faltering. To his surprise, she leans towards him; her back touching his chest. His hands slide up, transferring some warmth into her. She tilts her head to the side and then upwards. His eyes roam over her trembling lips before his kissing her, his teeth biting humor onto her bottom lip; their tongues laughing as they twirl and fight for dominance. He pulls away, the shock of his own actions still running through his system. Before he can question himself he pulls her into his lap. She buries her face into his neck.
"Jacob."
"Yeah?"
"Marry me one day, okay," she tells him, sadness and amusement laced in her voice. He chuckles and rubs circles on her back.
"Sure, sure; but I'm in charge of the honeymoon details," he warns her and she laughs, the flow of her tears momentarily slowing. Somewhere off into La Push, smiles are thrown at the newlywed couple, Sam and Emily.
It's threatened in the places of beginnings in which an ending may occur…
"Well at least I'm not still hung up over a married man who never loved me anyway!" He yells at her, his arms thrown up in the air and it takes him only two seconds to fully regret it. She freezes on spot, her eyes calm and yet glistening with pain. Jacob opens his mouth but no sound comes out. They do this, have arguments, as if that will keep them wrapped around each other but this time…he's gone to far. He takes a few steps towards her, only to have her step away from him. His eyes sting with emotion.
"Leah…"
"Fuck you!" She yells out, her hands forming fists by her sides. Jacob takes a few more steps closer and she backs away even further. She shakes her head, silently telling him to stop moving.
"I-I didn't mean it." She lets out an airy laugh.
"Liar." He takes a deep breath, runs to her and grabs her waist. She struggles against his hold, hissing at him to let her go.
"I'm sorry Leah." She struggles more, his fist raining blows on his chest.
"You dick!"
"I'm sorry, so sorry Leah. Don't be mad…don't leave me." He says the last three words with a shudder and her struggles stop. A silence washes over them until Jacob's phone is ringing. With a growl he recognizes the ring tone as Bella's and takes the phone out of his pants pocket and throws it as far as he can. Leah bites her lip, her hand slapping against Jacob's cheek. His face stings with the contact as he looks down, feeling shame. Moments of silence pass and he remains with his gaze downwards until she cups his chin, pecking his lips.
"Who said I was ever going to leave you, you idiot."
It ends where it all began…
Two stray leaves get stuck along strands her long hair as Jacob caresses her cheek. She laughs, happily; falling to her knees. Jacob's knees stutter not too long afterwards. They join their hands, foreheads touching one another. Slowly, they move their legs until they are entwined. The falling leaves leave the imprint of their bodies upon the ground. Jacob grins at Leah weakly.
"One last time," he suggests. Leah grins back at him, nodding. Their eyes close, their minds set in concentration. The silence is ruined by the sound of their clothes ripping and their loud barks resembling their glee. They lean towards each other when the usual strength that comes with shifting begins decreasing. Their old form sway and soon enough they're collapsing on the group.
'I love you Leah.'
'I love you too Jacob.'
Their last breaths shake leaves of the fall.
THE END.
