A/N: So this is my better written (hopefully) rewrite of Off and Away. A few things:
1. Some of the character's names have changed.
2. The plot and length of the story has changed significantly.
3. I did not edit this so there may be a few mistakes.
4. There will still be different story formats (facebook, news report, radio, emails, phone calls, etc).
Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight or any of the characters.
Leah Clearwater sat in her car, a little red Kia Forte, outside of the Makah Tribal Headstart. She was sure she had been sitting outside of the little school for quite a bit of time. She glanced at the clock at the center of the car.
1:30 pm
An hour. She had been sitting outside of the school for an hour.
The plan was for Leah to arrive at the school around 1:45 and have Claire signed out by 2. She was supposed to casually mention a doctor's appointment to the school's office staff. Laugh a bit, joke, smile at the little girl happily as she received her and then slip out of the school like it was a normal day. Nothing out of the ordinary.
Except Leah had arrived at the school over an hour early.
Stupid, stupid nerves. Leah cursed internally. So much for playing it cool.
And the situation had looked cool, like Leah had had everything under control. Her morning had started like every other morning since she moved into the Other Young's house. The Other Young's being her estranged cousin Emily Young's older brother, John, his wife Lily and their two daughters Sophia and Claire. Leah had woken to the sounds of John and Lily arguing about Leah's presence in their home (an every other day occurrence it seemed). It was the same song and dance since her first night in the house 6 months prior. John's anger about Lily just moving Leah in one day without consulting him (justified) and Lily claiming that what's done is done and that she would not go back on her decision. And on and on. Neither Lily or John wanted to touch the heart of the issue: Quil Ateara and his strange relationship with their child. So again, just as she had been for the pack for the last several years, Leah became their scapegoat.
After listening to the two argue for a good couple of minutes, Leah heard Lily stomp down the hall to the girls' room. She listened to the familiar sounds of dresser drawers being opened and closed, whining from the little girls about the clothes they were being made to wear and then their little feet running down the steps and towards the kitchen after their clothing war was complete. Lily followed them at a slower pace. When the girls finished their breakfast (either cereal or something homemade by Lily), they would grab their lunch boxes and backpacks before being shuffled out of the door by their mother. Several minutes after the girls left, Leah would finally hear John exit the master bedroom.
Every morning he only made one stop before he left the house. He stood quietly outside of Leah's bedroom for a long moment before releasing a sigh and heading down the steps and out of the door. Leah could only deduce that he really hated her presence inside of his home but that he did not even have the courage to confront when his wife was not anywhere in sight.
After John was gone, Leah finally got up and began her morning routine. She quickly brushed her teeth and showered. Slipped into a pair of comfy blue jeans, a pair of black and white Nikes and pulled a light fitting dark purple sweater over her head. She didn't bother with combing her short black hair or applying any make-up. But she did take a moment to fix herself a cup of coffee and eat a banana.
In that moment she had felt like she had everything under control. She was right on schedule. The suitcases were already in the trunk of her car, the first necessary address set up in google maps, a cooler packed with food and a fool proof excuse.
What could wrong?
"I could not check the time and leave out super early and then sit outside of the school like a damn creep." Leah mumbled to herself unhappily.
Or…
And that's when Leah spotted him. Quil Ateara.
Beige cargo shorts, red and white striped polo shirt and black flip flops covering a toned, tan body. Dark brown eyes boring into her own as she looked at him and a head in need of a haircut.
Huh, a shirt? He actually knew what one of those was and how to wear one. Leah almost laughed at the man.
Almost.
Instead, she groaned.
Leah glanced over at the time again.
1:45. Show time.
Leah promptly got out of the car and began walking towards the entrance of the tiny brick preschool. Just as she suspected, Quil came running over. It didn't take him long to fall into step with her.
"What are you doing here?" He questioned as soon as they were walking together.
Leah glanced at him once before focusing her gaze back on the entrance of the preschool.
You knew this could happen. Now play your part.
"Claire has a doctor's appointment in Fork's at 3. Lily asked me to take her since she and John are stuck at work."
What she really wanted to say? "Why is it any of your fucking business? Why are you even here?"
Keep it cool.
Quil followed her wordlessly for a moment before asking the one thing Leah already knew he would.
"Can I take her?"
Leah shook her head.
"You can't take her without a parent's permission. Lily gave that to me."
"Can I come with you guys then?"
Leah stopped, Quil almost walked past her it was so sudden, and waited for Quil to turn to her. When he did, Leah stared directly into his eyes unblinkingly.
"I'm going to go in there, pick up Claire and take her to her doctor's appointment. You are not going to interfere."
"Lea-." Quil started but Leah quickly cut him off.
"You will not interfere." Leah stated again firmly.
Leah did not wait for Quil's response. She hit the call button on the outside of the preschool and seconds after being buzzed in she walked into the school-without Quil Ateara-and headed towards the main office.
At the office she was greeted warmly.
"Ms. Clearwater!" The office secretary, a plump woman with graying black hair and a warm smile, called out. "It's nice to see you again."
They had practiced this. Manipulated familiarity between Leah and the staff from constant pick-ups and drop offs.
Leah smiled back just as warmly. That feeling of control over this crazy situation beginning to return to her.
"It's nice to see you too, Ms. Janet. I hope everything is well with you, your husband and the boys!"
Ms. Janet shrugged. "Eh, boys, what can you do?" Then the woman let out a high pitched laugh, Leah gave a small chuckle in return.
"Looking at the time, I'm going to guess that you've come to pick up Claire?"
Leah smiled again and nodded.
"She's with Mrs. Riverway in Art, I'll give her a ring and have her send Claire down for you."
"Thank you."
"No problem dear."
Leah listened quietly as Ms. Janet phoned the art teacher and orchestrated Claire's delivery to the office.
Orchestrated. You've been planning this way too long.
"Where's the little lady off to?" Ms. Janet asked as she hung up the desk phone.
"Doctor's appointment. She's getting a shot."
Ms. Janet scrunched up her face. "Yuck! I wouldn't tell her that."
"Nah, I'll tell her we're going for ice cream or something."
"Good choice."
Not a minute later, Claire was being handed off to Leah. The little girl was in dressed in a blue jean jumper, a light pink shirt and pink, sparkly sneakers. Her hair in two long pig tails with pink bows at the ends.
"LEAH!" Claire cried out as soon as she made it through the office doors. The small girl launched herself into Leah's arms and was immediately scooped up, book bag and all.
"Hello there, Claire the Bear!"
"Lee the Bee!" Claire called back.
Ms. Janet smiled at the two.
"You guys are so cute!"
"What do we say to that wonderful compliment, Claire?"
"Thank you, Ms. Janet!"
Ms. Janet's smile grew as she looked at the two.
"Welcome dear! Bye, bye now!"
"Bye, bye!" Claire called back.
Leah waved to Ms. Janet as she exited the office carrying Claire. Outside of the preschool, she was not at all surprised to find Quil Ateara learning against her car on the backseat door where Claire's car seat was located.
How bold of him.
Leah did not shrink though. She walked forward confidently as Claire babbled excitedly in her ear. When she made it to the car, as expected, Quil immediately focused all of his attention on Claire.
"Hi Claire Bear, it's Uncle Quil."
Claire looked towards Quil and smiled at him at shyly. It had been months since the child had seen him. 6 months to be exact. A week after Leah had moved into the Young's home.
But that is why Lily had brought Leah there. She was the guard standing in between Quil and this innocent child.
"You want to come play with Uncle Quil for a bit?"
The little girl buried her face in Leah's neck.
For months Claire had not been down to La Push, for months she had not heard Quil's name or seen Quil's face. For months slowly everything Quil had been replaced with Leah.
"Move."
Leah had a strict schedule to keep. Places to be and exact times to get there.
At first, Quil did not listen only staring at the child.
"Move." Leah repeated with a hard glare. That time he complied.
Leah unlocked the car through the passenger door and then proceeded to fix Claire into the black, preschooler sized Graco car seat in the back of the car. Before she shut the back seat door, Leah decided to be merciful. Leah stepped aside and pointed to Quil.
"Say goodbye to Uncle Quil, Claire."
Claire looked up at Quil and offered a small smile and waved. "Bye, bye!" she chirped out happily.
Quil stared down at the little girl, buckled securely in her car seat, his whole body filling with dread.
Leah shut the door, blocking Quil's view of Claire and then walked around the car and hopped in. Soon she was pulling off down the road. Quil watched the car drive off until it was out of sight, then he turned and ran into the woods near the school. Once safely covered by the trees, he shifted into a large chocolate wolf and ran towards La Push. Alarm bells were ringing in his head, everything in his body screaming that something was wrong, that Claire was in danger.
When they were off the Makah reservation and driving towards the interstate, Leah looked in the rearview mirror back at Claire.
"Ready for an adventure, little Bear?"
"Venture, venture, venture!" Claire called back excitedly.
Leah smiled. Today was the start of Claire's new life. One free of werewolves, imprinting and child grooming.
Today was the start of Leah's new life too.
Leah's smile grew.