The cold, formal words rang in his mind. Over and over. His body shook as he brushed past his beta and best friend, heading for the back door as a tremor of heat passed through him. We regret to inform you… By some small force of luck he managed to make it out to the back yard before the burning sensation overtook him and his wolf form burst out. …Private Embry Call was honorably discharged from the US Military… He shook out his fur, a whine leaving his throat before he paced around in Jacob's backyard. His mind was a rush of emotion and thoughts, all jumbled together in a mess, but the one that rang out clearly was the words of that cold, formal letter. …due to a severe head injury… He stopped suddenly and let out a loud, bone chilling howl to the nearly full moon.

"Quil?" Jacob called from the porch, but he didn't acknowledge his friend, he just let out a soft whine before turning towards the woods. "Quil!" He ignored the other shifter before darting off into the darkness that was the forest that surrounded their reservation. He ran and ran, no destination in mind, nothing really on his mind. Just running. Running away from the cold harsh reality. Embry was shipped off to a war. Embry was suddenly hurt and because of it he was coming home. It was a bittersweet happiness. Happy that he was coming home, but bitter because he was hurt and it was Quil's fault that he had left in the first place. His heart ached.

He remembered, just vaguely, like a cruel voice in the back of his head, the sweet words Embry had written him just a week earlier. A letter sending his love, a letter telling him how much he wanted to be home…with him.

I miss you…

I miss you half of the time and think about you the rest. It's hard being so far away from you, missing you like I am. Do you miss me too? I hope you do. I'm hoping my request for a two week leave will get approved. But until then I guess I'll keep you in my thoughts.

Love Always,

Embry

He had been so happy when he got that letter and now, barely a week later, Embry's mother received another telling of an accident. A horrible accident. Quil didn't know the details and he wasn't sure he wanted to know, but Jacob called him over to tell him the news and let him read the letter he had gotten from Embry's mother.

"At least he isn't dead…"

He shouldn't have been hurt in the first place. He shouldn't have been there in the first place. But he had ignored him. He was blinded to Embry's feelings and now his best friend, someone he loved so much, was suffering. Because of him.

xxx

The silence was stifling and very strange to the six year old. She frowned at looked up at her playmate, her crayon pressed against her chin and her lips curved into a thoughtful frown. She may be young, but her mother had always said she was observant…whatever that meant. "Quil?" She said softly.

His eyes flickered to her before looking back down at the picture he was coloring, but she had his attention, she knew. "Something wrong?" She asked, her frown deepening as her big brown eyes glanced at his picture…he hadn't even picked a new color. The entire picture was a dull grey color. It was sad, almost as sad as Quil.

"It's…nothing," her elder playmate answered softly, not looking back up at her as he sighed heavily, setting it crayon down. "You know I don't feel much like coloring anymore."

The little girl heaved a great, annoyed sigh. "It's not nothing. I know it's not," she replied, throwing her crayon down before crossing her arms over her chest, glaring at the teenager across from her. "You're sad!"

She watched as the elder boy pushed a hand through his short, curly hair. "Claire…" he started, his voice bordering on pleading, but she narrowed her eyes and stuck out her bottom lip. "It's just…it's Embry, alright? You remember Embry?"

Claire blinked and then she softened almost immediately. "Your friend? Embry, your best friend? Like Jacob?" She asked, remembering the other boy, but just barely. He 'hung out' with her Uncle Sam and his group of friends. He was a part of her family, that's what her Aunt Emily had said once. They were all a family.

Quil chewed on his bottom lip and a thoughtful expression came over his features, he shook his head, but said, "Yeah…something like that, I guess…" he replied before sighing again. "Well…he's coming home…"

The six year old brightened immediately. "Really? That's good!" Claire replied excitedly, clapping her hands together. That would mean another bonfire and a bonfire meant stories, stories and s'mores! She looked back at the elder boy and noticed that he was sad, even sadder than he was before. "That is good…right, Quilly?"

"I hope so, Claire-bear…" Quil mumbled in reply and the little girl frowned again, but this time she was confused. Confused as to why Quil wasn't happy that his friend was coming home. It…wasn't like Quil. There was something she was missing, something her young mind couldn't catch.

xxx

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Jacob asked softly, giving his best friend a meaningful look. "I can go with his mom, no problem, man. You don't have to put yourself through this."

Quil shook his head. He wouldn't be talked out of it, but he was grateful that Jacob was offering him a way out even though he wouldn't be taking it. "I'll be fine, dude, I promise."

But Jacob didn't look convinced. "Quil…you don't know how he's going to come off of that plane…" he said softly, giving his friend a stern look. "What if you can't handle it?"

"I can and I will handle it!" Quil said forcefully, shaking his head as he side stepped Jacob and headed for the door. He had to get over to Embry's house, he was suppose to pick up his mom in a half an hour. "You just…don't understand, Jake, I have to do this."

"Why? Why is it so important to you?" Jacob asked, frowning. "I don't understand…you can't…" he stepped closer to Quil and grabbed his forearm. "You can't blame yourself for this."

The other man snatched his arm out of his friend's grip. "So what if I do? It is my fault that he joined up in the first place…" Quil snapped harshly, the burn of tears behind his eyes. "If I hadn't imprinted…and if I hadn't been so wrapped up in Claire then I would've seen how much I was hurting him! I caused this, Jake! Me!"

"You know that's not true," Jacob said, pulling his friend into his arms, hugging him as he felt Quil's hot tears soak through his shirt. "And you know he wouldn't want you to think that either."

Quil was quiet and allowed the embrace for a moment, but he did not find comfort in it. After a moment he pushed out of Jacob's arms and shook his head. "I got to go…gotta get over to Ms. Call's house…can't be late."

"Yeah, man, planes don't wait," Jacob replied softly, stepping back from Quil, letting him go. "Just…good luck, man, okay?" He called after him.

xxx

The drive was long, tense, and painfully quiet. The pair-Quil and -pulled into the airport parking lot with an hour to spare before Embry's flight was due to land. The sun had set while they were driving to Seattle and now it was dark, the stars twinkling brightly overhead as they walked to the main entrance.

Unable to help himself Quil gazed into the night sky, letting its vast expanse fill him and remind him that he was a small part of something bigger and more pronounced than just he. It was a humbling sight, but it did little to alleviate the nerves he felt.

"Look at the airplanes…they looking like stars…" Embry's mother said softly, pointing off into the night sky, stopping just short of crossing the final road that led to the entrance.

"Shooting stars…" Quil agreed softly, watching one across the sky at the slow pace. "I wonder if you made a wish on one if that wish would count."

The woman reached for his hand, giving it a comforting squeeze. "It doesn't hurt to try…I think…we both could use a wish right now…"

Quil could only nod in agreement before the pair crossed the street and entered the airport. It was easy to find the arrival gate, the one Embry would be coming out of in just a few short minutes. His flight's arrival had been called out over the intercom just moments before the clock struck nine.

This was it. The time was here. Quil closed his eyes and heaved a sigh before he looked out of the glass window before him…wishing…pretending those planes really were shooting stars. He needed a wish, he needed everything to be alright. He needed Embry to be alright. He needed Embry to still…love him.

"Embry!"

Quil's eyes left the window just in enough time to see the woman he was with rush to her son, kneeling down next to the smiling man in a wheel chair. "Hi mom…" he said softly, his voice barely above a whispered as the woman wrapped her arms around him.

He felt his heart in his throat as he stepped closer to the pair. His whole body shaking as he took in his best friend's, his lover's appearance. He was dressed in army garb and his green satchel was slung over the back of his chair. But the thing that caught his eye was the bright white bandage that was wrapped around his head.

"H-hi Em…" he managed to get out, kneeling down on the opposite side of Embry's mother, the man turned to him and instead of seeing love and adoration in those eyes, he saw confusion.

"…Who are you?"

This is the sequel to Blinded by Seylin and she'll be writing the sequel to this.