Disclaimer: I own nothing of the Twilight Saga, except for Kristian and Dylan.

Author's Note: Yet another one-shot featuring Kristian Slade, and the same thing with the Christmas one-shot is that this may or may not affect the events of Silver Dusk, in fact it may actually not since this is a "what if." It may be a little depressing, but it may just have a happy ending. This also some stuff to help me with my recent writer's block.


Imprinting and Happy Endings

1/1

Just so that we are clear, I am a human, and I know about the world of werewolves and vampires. I know, because I was in love with a werewolf; a she-wolf to be exact. I was certain that somehow I was going to spend the rest of my life with Leah Clearwater. It was funny though - and sad - how fate can always be so fickle and constantly changing like the world around us, even for the supernatural.

I first met Leah during a damsel-in-distress situation where I was the damsel and she was the lady knight in….uh, furry armor….nah, that doesn't work. She saved my life when I was attacked by some vampires, in more ways than one. I was a typical 17-year-old teenager, newly graduated from college and soon to be entering the world of young adulthood. I decided to move to Forks where my family was originally from, attempting to retrace my family's history.

It may have been off to a bad start, but I guess the road to Heaven begins with its obstacles.

It took me time, but I eventually was able to bring myself into Leah's heart. It was rare for me in doing that because one, I was a shy guy who would rather hang my head down than pass out when I'm trying to talk to a girl, and two, I was also becoming used to rejection. I used to blame it on my height until I grew a bit into my 5'8 frame.

The road was tough, and the only person to help me keep going on was Bella, knowing exactly what it was like to be in love with a supernatural being. I wouldn't trade the experience though for anything.

When Leah and I finally revealed our feelings, it was like I was walking on the clouds. I wanted to shout to the whole world that I loved Leah Clearwater. It may give me a ticket to the hospital personally from her, but it would be worth it.

There was one part about being a werewolf, or a shape-shifter that I had forgotten.

A couple of months back, Jacob was coming over to the Clearwater house to introduce the newest member of the pack, Dylan. Apparently, Dylan's grandfather had been a member of the Quileute tribe who married and raised a family with an Irish-American woman. Like my mother, Dylan's parents moved out of Forks when his father had gotten a high-paying job, only years later to return.

He sounded like an interesting guy. Jacob had compared him a bit to Emmett; Dylan wasn't as bad as a joker as the strongest of the Cullen boys, but the guy could make you smile. All I simply thought of that day was that I'd be making friends with another werewolf.

"I don't see why Jake's gotta bring the new guy here." Leah scowled, flopping down on the coach close beside me. My arm instinctively moved around her shoulders. "Why can't he just wait for another pack meeting?"

"I bet those pack meetings are nice."

She gave me a look. "Not happening, pal. Rules are rules."

My eyes went wide, jaw dropped almost to the floor as I let out a funny gasp. "Leah 'the kick-ass she-wolf' Clearwater, following the rules?!"

She made gesture like she was going to punch me, which I quickly flinched from. Even in their human states, werewolves or shape-shifters were incredibly strong. Laughing, she leaned forward, this time with her lips as they pressed against mine.

I could go on kissing this woman forever.

Unfortunately….

I groaned as I hesitantly pulled away the kiss, just when things were starting to get good too.

"You ok?" she asked, concerned.

"Yeah." I smiled sheepishly at her. "My soda just wants out now."

"Sure that's all that wants out?" the sexy she-wolf teased with a mischievous grin.

Leah chuckled when she saw my cheeks turn red as she slowly leaned back up.

"I'll be right back." I sighed, giving her one quick kiss before I strode to the bathroom. The Clearwaters lived in a one floor house, which was a good thing. Have you ever seen a werewolf run downstairs before? Not a pretty sight, especially when you are in harm's way.

Just as soon as I was finished draining, I heard a knock from downstairs. "Jake's here!" Leah shouted to me.

"I'll be out in a sec!" I called right back as I flushed the toilet and moved to the sink.

I could only hear mumbles as I turned the sink on, but halfway through washing my hands, I hadn't realized that everything had gone silent except for the running water. Turning off the sink and drying off my hands, I headed outside to meet with Jake and the new guy.

As soon as I turned the corner of the hallway, my feet immediately stopped.

The first thing I noticed was that Dylan was tall, perhaps as tall and powerful-looking as Sam, but a bit younger. His hair was black and wavy, like that guy from that pre-Superman show I liked. His eyes were blue like mine, but more deeper…..intense. He was actually quite handsome as well.

The second thing I noticed that him and Leah, who had her back to me as she was facing the front door, were staring at each other very oddly. Oddly to me, anyways. I looked to Jake who stood beside the doorway, but his expression didn't mirror mine. A knowing look instead was plastered on his face, mixed with a silent, "uh oh."

That's when I began to realize that the odd staring between the two was not odd. Not at all. Dylan was gazing at her in a way that was twice….ten times more powerful than the way I looked when I first saw Leah Clearwater.

Somehow I could tell that she was looking the same way; a way that makes it seem that nothing around you matters….exists. It's just you and her, and that's all that matters. It's like you have found your reason to live; the shining star in the darkest night; your soul mate.

It all came together.

The new guy had just imprinted on Leah Clearwater, and MY Leah had done the same.

Before anyone could see me, I quickly hurried back inside the bathroom, locking the door. My knees felt weak, my whole body starting to shake. I wasn't sure what was coming over me until I saw down on the toilet seat that I felt something wet against my cheek. I quickly brushed it away with the back of my hand.

This couldn't be happening. It had to be some sick joke. Yeah, a sick fucking werewolf joke!


Imprinting was no joke. After I managed to recollect myself, Dylan was already gone and so was Jake. There was Leah on the couch, facing away from me, but I could clearly tell she was troubled.

I pretended that I had missed out on what happened. Having werewolf senses, I guess she could tell I was lying.

I hardly had gotten any sleep at all since that day. The image of this Dylan imprinting with my girlfriend was haunting me.

I may not be a wolf, but I was sure as hell not going to give up my Leah without a fight.

The next week, I pulled out all of the stops, being romantic as I possibly good in both ways that Leah liked and in others that annoyed her. I was trying to become a male equivalent of Emily, but somehow I knew I was losing.

There was one more attempt to rewriting her imprinting. Dinner and a movie, which turned out to be a double dinner and movie date when Jake and Renesemee decided to join us. I was hoping tonight would be the night that I showed Leah Clearwater how much I loved her.

Tonight - much later tonight - I was ready to give her myself.

Dinner had gone by pretty smoothly, though both Leah and Jake felt a bit embarrassed being in a pricy restaurant, much to Nessie's amusement. Leah wore a dressy purple tank top with black dress pants and shoes. I loved her that way that she was, but just once I would like to see Leah in a dress, or skirt even for that matter. Either way, she was insanely beautiful that I just wanted to stare at her all night.

We decided on some big action movie that got crappy reviews from the critics but had massive explosions and good ol' fashion kung-fu fights; our kind of movie.

I sometimes wish we decided against going to that movie that night.

"Hey, you."

I turned to the beautiful golden brown-skinned woman calling me.

"Me?" I pointed at myself.

"Yeah, you. Come here." she motioned with a nod of her head.

I strolled up to her, only to be grabbed by the collar of my dress shirt and pulled into one mind-numbing kiss. We were outside the theater with her leaning back against the side wall with a movie poster right over her head. Jacob and Nessie had just gone inside when Leah called me over.

I had to keep myself standing when we pulled away.

"What was that for?" I asked.

Leah shrugged as her arms wrapped around behind my neck, pulling me close again. "Maybe for being pathetically the sweetest guy in the world to me."

I was grinning from ear to ear. I was about to say something, until stupid Jake poked his head out the door.

"Dude. Beta. Movie. Five minutes. Popcorn and Soda. Good seats?"

"How'd you like to sit on my foot?" Leah glared playfully at him.

We moved slightly away from each other and followed Jake inside, hand-in-hand. The warmness eradiating from her skin made me feel alive all over again.

I almost died right after when I saw the worst thing that could possibly happen.

Dylan was here, standing in line at the refreshments counter. Clearly this was his first time at the theater as he scanned around at every single detail, until his face was covered with an expression I didn't quite understand when his eyes fell directly on us.

On Leah.

God help me, she was looking the exact same way as he.

This was not happening.

Jake didn't notice at first, but when he did……

"Oh, shit." he muttered under his breath. He quickly turned to me. "Kristian, I didn't know. I swear."

I shook my head. No. This week had been perfect. This night was becoming perfect. I was still not going to bow out.

With strength that surprised me a little, I pulled Leah to me and kissed her. Dylan saw it all. I couldn't tell though if he looked ready to charge at me and rip me apart. I could see from the corner of my eye that he did wince the moment her lips were on mine.

Leah pulled away, staring at me confused as I seemed to pull her out of whatever daze she had been in when she saw Dylan. "What was that for?" she asked.

I shrugged. "I just wanted to kiss my girlfriend."

Jake had decided that now was the best time to escape to Nessie who was already at the register and ordering, at least for Jacob probably.

Thankfully, Dylan was heading down the opposite side of the hallway to see a romantic comedy. Ha! One point for me since Leah could hardly stand anything to do with romance in movies. She did like comedy though.

We sat in the back row in the far left corner with Jacob and Nessie taking the far right. Corners like these were perfect for their darkness they gave. Nobody could hardly see you, see what you were doing.

Nobody noticed Jacob and Nessie playing tongue wars, but me. She had been doing….whatever she had been doing to his neck, making his eyes repeatedly halfway close as he bit his bottom lip, suppressing a moan or a hiss even as she worked her magic before it became too much for him.

Making out at the movies was clearly not dead.

I bit nervously at my thumbnail as I looked away from the so-in-love couple to the movie. I wasn't paying much attention to it either way. Not like Leah was. Or maybe she was pretending, I wasn't sure.

I had decided to hold back any make out sessions for later, just in case she and I were to consummate our relationship. I instead settled for holding her hand, but just as I reached for hers, Leah suddenly moved in her seat.

"Nature calls. Be right back." she smiled at me before she stood up and walked right past me.

I sighed, laying my head back against the chair. What was I doing? Why was I acting like this?

I leaned back up, shaking my head clear. I was doing this because I was not about to lose another girlfriend, especially one that I loved so dearly; especially to this mystical ability of finding one's soul mate.

I started to become worry when ten minutes had passed, and the warmth of her seat next to me was starting to dissipate.

Something was wrong. I could feel it.

I quickly jumped out and hurried out of the screening, rushing towards the restrooms.

Just like how I did back at Leah's house when I first left the bathroom that day, I stopped dead in my tracks again.

Standing right out in the lobby was beautiful Leah Clearwater…..with Dylan close by her, and he seemed to be inching closer into her personal space as they were talking, and laughing.

My heart dropped like the New Year ball as I watched the interaction. I had never seen Leah smile like that. Not with me. She didn't look like the tough-to-the-fang she-wolf like most of the pack, the Cullens, and myself had known her as. She looked more like a shy and excited high school girl on her first date.

Dylan suddenly reached his hand out, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. I could just see Leah stop breathing from the touch, especially as it made Dylan move closer to her.

That's when they just seemed to get lost in each other's eyes. She never looked at me like that.

Now, I knew that she never would. Not like this.

My heart went from being dropped to being broken. I slowly made my way back into the screening, retaking my seat. My eyes for a moment fell on hers that I had a feeling Leah wouldn't take again anytime soon.

I was defeated. Beaten by a magic that was beyond my understanding, and something I swore I felt for Leah Clearwater.

Leah returned just as the movie was coming to its climatic ending. She was smiling, but concern wiped it away when she noticed my eyes seem to glisten a little.

"What's wrong?" she whispered.

I shook my head and smiled at her. "Nothing."

She didn't believe me, but she didn't force me to open up either. Not yet.

The showdown was longer than it should have been. We met up with Jacob and Nessie just outside the screening. Both noticed that I wasn't holding hands with Leah like I always do.

They seemed to notice more when they saw how depressing I looked.

I shook my head again, fighting back the tears as I began pushing past people, ignoring Leah and Jacob calling my name as I was hurrying to get out of the theater. I made it outside before I fell back against the wall, taking a deep breath to regain myself.

"Kristian!" Leah came bolting out the door, running over to me. "What the hell's gotten into you?!"

I couldn't look at her. If I did, I….I wasn't sure what I would do. I didn't want to cry in front of my…..no, I couldn't call her my love. Not anymore.

I had to do this. Deep down inside through this entire week, I knew I had to let her go. Leah Clearwater made me happy, but the one thing I did not want to be was an obstacle to her happiness. The choice was made, if by the wolf before the human side could accept it. Tonight though, from the way of how close they were, of how they gazed at each other so longingly, I knew that she had.

I finally turned to her. It broke my heart to see how worried she looked when she saw the tears run down my cheeks.

"I love you." I told her sincerely. I truly did "But I can't keep pretending."

She shook her head. "K-Kristian…..baby, what are you….?"

"I saw you two together." I looked down, sniffing back more tears threatening to rain down before I looked back up at her. "And that….that wasn't pretending. I look at you, and I see everything I've always wanted. But, when you looked at each other, you both…..Everything you truly need is right there in front of you."

She froze when she realized what I was talking about. A face broke out in a heart wrenching expression. I wanted to reach out and touch her, but I couldn't. It would only make this harder than it has to be.

"You are his, as he is yours. You both belong together."

Her bottom lip trembled, but her eyes weren't glistening with tears. Not like mine.

She knew I was right.

That's when I couldn't take it as I moved towards her, embracing her in a tight hug that she immediately returned. I took in her scent - the sweet desert flower perfume mixed with soap coming from her perfect copper skin - while also taking in a scent that I was sure was Dylan's.

Hesitantly, I pulled away, sharing one small but final kiss with her as I backed away while gazing into her chocolate brown eyes.

She shook her head. "I never wanted it to be like this. It's part of the reason why I hate being a fucking wolf."

All I could do was shrug my shoulders. "It doesn't matter now. I mean, the good side here is that I was given a chance." I would forever be thankful for that, even if it hurt real fucking bad right now.

Leah took my face in her hands and gently kissed me. It was our last one.

"I love you."

That was the last thing she said before she walked away from me, not even acknowledging Jacob and Nessie as she hurried away from the theater.

The couple, just earlier who had been glowing in each other's presence, both now looked sad at me as they walked up to me. Nessie was the one to reach out, her hand resting on my shoulder with tears of her own in her eyes.

"It's going to be ok." she reassured me.

I looked to her, then to Jacob who nodded his head at me with the same reassurance. I smiled as I wiped the tears from my face. Jacob knew above all that sometimes, you just have to give in to destiny.

"I know it will be. Just not tonight. Not tomorrow, even. But it will be."


Surprisingly, it did become easier after seeing Leah happier than she's ever been, with Dylan. It hurt even less when Leah didn't jump into a relationship with Dylan right away. Not exactly, anyways. I know Sam was more accepting of Dylan than he was of me.

At the end of it all, guys like me are always at the losing end. That was what I felt until one day while I was just talking a walk through Forks' small town when I had accidentally bumped into a beautiful brunette with sparkling blue eyes and a gorgeous mischievous smile. If humans could imprint, I would be living proof. When I believed it was not possible, I came to love her more than I ever had loved Leah Clearwater.

As the months came by, Leah and Dylan's wedding was already here. Emily was the maid of honor, and Jacob was Dylan's best man.

I laughed as my own true soul mate fixed my tie properly. I was never good with these things. She tapped the tip of my nose with her finger before she kissed me, and I could just feel myself dancing on the clouds.

Sadly, we had to pull away as the bride prepared to join her groom at the alter. All stood, turning to see Seth Clearwater guide his big sister down the isle. For a brief moment, are eyes met. Gone was the regret of what we….I had lost. I was so happy that she was happy, and I could tell she felt the same with me when her eyes moved to my girlfriend beside me, then back at me as her smile widened.

I couldn't resist though as my gaze lowered at where her feet should be, then back at her. She noticed and scowled at me. I suppressed a laugh.

I finally caught Leah Clearwater in a dress.

As the ceremony passed, it came down to Leah throwing off her bouquet. A group of girls, all but the Cullens, had gathered behind her. My girl included who stood in the back, putting a few inches between herself and the group so probably not to get into the riot.

You can imagine my surprise when the bouquet easily landed in her hand. Everyone cheered for us the moment she caught it. Emmett almost knocked me over with a pat to the back, but luckily he was careful enough.

She looked surprised herself to find it there, its base wrapped around in her fingers, before her blue eyes gazed over at me and she grinned, biting her bottom lip with her teeth and that way I just adored with a raised eyebrow.

I couldn't help but smile so genuinely back. I was happy.

Above all, Leah was happy. Finally

I hope you enjoyed! Reviews are a win!