Well it's been building up inside of me
For, oh, I don't know how long.
I don't know why
But I keep thinking
Something's bound to go wrong.

—Don't Worry Baby by the Beach Boys

Gosh. You'd think she'd be over it already.

Leah Clearwater was curled up on her bedroom window ledge with her favorite book of fairy tales in her lap. Nothing was more soothing than listening to the rain gently tap on the window while reading a book. However, she couldn't concentrate; she was too scared of what the next day would bring: the anniversary of her heartbreak.

It's been almost three years—three years since Sam saw Emily and broke her heart. And Leah still feels the pain. What hurt even more was the knowledge that Sam and Emily's wedding was tomorrow. They decided to commemorate the day that "their eyes met for the first time" with their marriage. However romantic that was, Sam and Emily didn't realize that it was also the day that they hurt Leah.

She looked down in her lap and smiled sadly. Leah knew she was too old for fairy tales, but living vicariously through other's happy endings was better than living her own miserable one. She flipped the heavy book open to the bookmarked page. The Little Mermaid. How fitting.

Leah was extremely familiar with this particular tale. How could she not be? Her story was much like the unnamed mermaid's: falling in love with the handsome prince, who dumps her for the other beautiful princess. She was convinced that she would not get a happy ending, just like the little mermaid. Leah could only hope that she wouldn't end up like the poor girl, however. She didn't exactly want die by romanticide.

It felt like it was only yesterday when Sam told her that he couldn't love her anymore.

Flashback

Leah ran home that day and, being the brave and strong soul she was, curled into a little ball and refused to see anyone. She needed the time to be miserable.

Harry came up to her room that night to see Leah sitting on that window ledge, staring out into the rain. The sobbing had stopped only to be replaced by the silent tears cascading down her beautiful face. Harry looked around the room and found what he was looking for, grabbing that heavy book of fairy tales.

Harry hesitated. "Lee, honey? You want to talk about it?"

"No," Leah answered. "I'd rather not."

He thought for a moment. "Why don't you come sit here with me for a little bit, Leah?" He sat down on her big bed and patted the spot next to him. "I can read you a story, just like when you were a little girl. How 'bout it? For old time's sake?"

Leah sighed and gave a small smile. She slowly got up and climbed under her sheets on her bed.

Harry put his arm around Leah as they both leaned back into her pillows. Leah took to her old position of curling up in her father's arms and sighed. "Okay, let's do this."

Thus, Leah listened to her father read the story of the little mermaid who gave up everything—family, friends, and life—to be with her "love."

"That was kind of depressing," Leah remarked as her father put a bookmark in its place. "And way too relevant."

Harry gave his daughter a sympathetic look. "Honey, one day you'll realize that it's not the end of the world. It might not be today, it might not be tomorrow, but one day you'll look back and see that it was for the best in the end."

Leah barked a harsh laugh. "Yeah, right. Unless I end up like the mermaid and off myself. That might be the best for everyone, to not let them all endure my pain."

"Lee, darling, don't even think about it," Harry gasped. "Sam is just one boy. One boy out of the many that my amazing kid is going to have."

The tears started to build up again in Leah's eyes. "But, Dad, I loved him. I still love him. I thought he was the one." Leah's shoulders shook as the tears tumbled down. "He promised to love me forever. That we'd get married. That we would have our happy ending…"

Harry sighed. "I know, honey. I know." He rubbed her back as he said, "I'm not going to pretend that everything is alright right now. But don't forget that Sam is just one fish in a sea of people. Your family is always there for you: Mom, Seth, and I will always be there to support you, no matter what."

End of Flashback.

Leah touched the bookmark that marked The Little Mermaid. She missed her father so much. And on the day that she needed him the most, he wasn't there. He was the only one that really related to her, was the only one that didn't pretend with her. Leah really needed that right now.

But at that moment, someone else needed her attention. Leah heard her phone begin to ring, interrupting the peaceful silence.

Without even checking the caller I.D., Leah answered. "Yeah?"

"Leah?" Jacob. Of course. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, why?"

Jacob hesitated. "You sound kind of odd. Quiet, really."

"What else did you expect, oh almighty Alpha?" she teased. "It's my day off, and I'm enjoying the silence that I don't often get around the pack."

She heard him laugh. "Okay, just wanted to check up on you. Do you need a ride for tomorrow?"

It was Leah's turn to hesitate. "Um, I have to be there early, remember? Bridesmaid duties, and stuff." The thought of the event, as she preferred to call it, brought her out of her happy reverie.

"It's okay, I have to be there too, remember? Sam's recruited me as part of his wedding party," Jacob said. "Oh, and according to him, I'm walking you down the aisle. You all right with that?"

"Like I have any choice in the matter," Leah said. Then she realized how rude she sounded. "Sorry. But yeah, I could use the ride. Thanks."

"Sure, sure, no problem," Jake said, eagerly.

Leah had to laugh at his eagerness and excitement at the thought. The kid was eighteen—and a gigantic Alpha wolf, for that matter—and yet he still maintained his childish antics.

"Nine o'clock all right with you?" Leah asked.

"Sure, sure," Jake repeated. "It's a date!"

After Leah flipped her phone shut, she changed into her pajamas and climbed into her bed. If she wanted to survive tomorrow, she would need a lot of sleep (along with a lot of coffee in the morning).

Leah closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep, thinking about what could have been if Sam had not met Emily. Yes, it was a daily torture method of hers, but Leah couldn't help but wonder what would have happened in a world without vampires, werewolves, and other ways that Fate had decided to mess with her.

A few minutes later…

"Leah… get up, Leah. LEAH!"

Leah's eyes flew wide open as she rapidly sat up straight. She looked in front of her at the young girl that stood at the foot of her bed.

"Who are you?" Leah asked. The young dark-skinned girl with long black hair looked familiar, but she couldn't quite place her. "Emily?"

The girl giggled unabashedly with the sound of bells. "I am the ghost of your past, Leah Clearwater. I'm the first of three ghosts that will visit you tonight in order to prepare you for what tomorrow will bring you.

"I'm going to show you happier times, times that will remind you of how you were once happy. At the end of the night, you'll see why this was all meant to be. You'll see what fate has in store for you," the little girl said.

When Little Emily grasped her wrist, Leah gasped as she felt like she was being pulled into a whirlwind.

A/N: What do you think? Please review! If things are a bit confusing, just know that everything should fall into place in the end.

P.S. I own nothing.