Don't forget to check out my new site, happyeverafterproject(.)ning(.)com there are exclusive chapters for most of my stories that are only posted over there – link is on my profile page.

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Title: Stupid Shoes & Silly Hats.

Pairing: Bella / Seth

Rating: M

TheMightyRen

~*PROPS*~ to LadyofSpain for inspiration she never even realised she gave me.

Also before you all think... 'Urgh... BooBoo!' Think again, personally I think Tay is much too short to be Jacob, I mean seriously Jake would have been twice as built as he is. I mean, pre-phase Jake, Tay has it hands down for me but seriously no-one could have altered themselves to stay in line with that character so you can just be substituting a 'post-phase' Tay in here for Seth, it just makes more sense.

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All publicly recognisable characters belong to their respective owners and no copyright infringement is intended.

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Summary: It's Seth's 18th Birthday and Leah has organized a party. Can the little Spanish dancer that no one's seen for almost three years help or hinder the relationship he has with his alpha.

Leah walked through the living room collecting up all the discarded bottles that had been strewn around. Her mom and Charlie had gone over to the Black's house so that she and Seth could host a combined Birthday and Halloween party for his eighteenth birthday sometimes she just didn't know where the years had gone. Her little brother, whom she helped her mom teach to read, was eighteen years old.

Despite his protests within the pack-mind Seth loved fancy dress, so Leah being the sister she was, she took the flack and pressed the matter, even Paul had turned out, although that was mostly because Rachel had told him she thought he would look good in a toga. He didn't look too bad, she supposed – totally not her type though. Really, reallynot her type.

The last two years had been tough but they were getting better. Slowly but surely and Leah was sure her life was about as normal as it was going to get. The whole wolf thing was still completely messed up and still made no real sense as to why she was the only girl but at least she did have the pack. She had a job, her family, her brother's imprint included. Right now that was enough.

Tonight wasn't just about letting loose, tonight had a purpose. She'd been chattering away, poking and prodding at her almost-sister to come home, since the moment she had left virtually. She had told her over and over that no one blamed her for leaving, that Seth and Jake really were ok about everything. Leah could sympathise with the mind-fuck that imprinting was, she thought she had been fucked over! The whole Jake runs because Bella's marrying a vamp, who's a mind reader, who doesn't know the puppy of the pack is imprinted on his fiancé, who's gone running after Jake, who's running from her. Only to find out that the puppy imprinted on her but she thinks of him as a baby brother and is in love with the true alpha. Yeah, that's a mind-fuck.

There was no comparison to her fucked up experience. In truth she hated the deception that Emily had partook in. The Sam, at the end of the day, Leah didn't blame him. He had enough on his plate at the time. You can walk away from a relationship, no matter how much the person meant to you; but Emily, Leah had treated her like a sister. Leah always believed she should have done something, said something. The apologetic glances and wringing hands just didn't cut it, not at the time and it still didn't now.

Thankfully no-one else had imprinted after Seth, but then again four out of the ten of them was more than enough.

It wasn't just the pack that were there tonight. Leah had a damn good reason for that too, things were either going to go very well or very bad... She was using the townies as a distraction, a buffer. Charlie and Billy would no doubt be popping by soon enough. Everything had been planned.

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Quil, and the puppies, which included her brother and Colin were all in the kitchen, head to waist (virtually) in a barrel of water bobbing for apples, Leah didn't quite understand why they had to be so extreme with everything they did, but that was what they were doing.

Sam, Jared where with their imprints outside by the bonfire... doing whatever the hell it was that imprinted couples did, Leah still wasn't sure what the hell that was, even after all this time.

Paul and Rachel, who had, had far too much to drink was pinned to the back of the bathroom door and she was giggling uncontrollably.

Embry and Jacob were chatting up random Fork's girl's that were far too young for them, they always said it was just for a laugh and to their credit they never took it any further than a kiss and simple flirting, still Jacob was going to be kicking himself in about forty-five minutes time.

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She didn't see the point of it but she was trying non-the-less to 'sneak' up to the house, just like Leah had asked her to. The music was blaring but still, she knew there was no point, not really. They could smell a vampire from goodness knows how far away and she was expecting to manage all the way up the path, up the steps and to the door. Hell she was going to need medical attention before the car door was locked at this rate and she had literally only just put the damn stupid heels on. She felt stupid and she was pretty sure she looked stupid. Werewolf or not, Bella was planning to kick Leah's ass five-way's till Sunday if she was the only one dressed up because there sure as hell was no way Bella Swan could pull this off as anything but fancy dress. Bella thought she should have known better than to leave Leah in control. Stupid ruffles! Stupid split. Stupid fan. Stupid, stupid, s-t-u-p-i-d!

One, two, three, fourfivesixseven, slip – WHOA! Holy fuckin' shit! You owe me Leah! Bella thought as she made her way from the car to the house. She thanked heaven not many people seemed to have driven so she could park relatively close.

Made it!She thought as she straightened her dress on her hips, now... Inhale: In through the nose. Exhale: Out through the mouth. You can do this! It's actually not such a big thing... It's really not...You're just wishing your imprint happy birthday and most likely seeing the guy you love fawn all over some random girl... Easy... Right?

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Leah heard her pull up, it must have been her from the way she was cursing under her breath so she made sure she was elbow deep in washing up water so Seth had to get the door. Leah might be many things but stupid wasn't one of them.

"Hey, Seth? Go get the door for me?" He picked up that damn stupid guitar and his montera before making his way through the crowd. Leah thought he had gone a little overboard with the Spanish theme, he was kinda a jumbled mess between a bull fighter and a dancer, Seth said he would be good at either so he was leaving it up for interpretation... fool.

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Seth opened the door to find a tiny girl standing with her back to him, all he could really see was a toned thigh and a tiny knee leading down to a tiny ankle in a red shoe. He might be a virgin but he wasn't stupid, the girl was looking for some action, hell most of the girls only came to La Push for "action", she was showing off that leg, no doubt about it. Seth rolled his eyes, yea, you got the wrong wolf come to the door tonight honey. He thought for half a second turning round and calling Quil out, not that she wasn't pretty but – said, tiny Spanish dancer turned to look at him, her fan virtually covering her face, only her eyes visible, batting her thick eyelashes as she waved the fan infront of her face. That was all he needed to see though. Those eyes he would know anywhere. He'd have died to give those eyes the golden hue she once longed for.

"You're home." Seth launched himself at her, dropping the guitar behind him and carried her away from the house, cradling her body to him, "I didn't think." He sighed, he wasn't going to finish that sentence just in case it tempted fate. Honestly he thought she would never come back, not even for Jake. Putting her down she stood infront of him and he felt his chest constrict, "When do you have to leave again?" She sobbed, reaching her hand's up to touch his jaw.

Bella hadn't felt the dull ache in her chest until it wasn't there any longer and Seth, with tears running down his cheeks, it only made it worse for her. She just couldn't hold it in any longer, his arms wrapped around her and they just stood looking at one another. It was such a tense atmosphere. Neither of them could believe how much they had missed the other, how much those weekly phone calls just hadn't been enough.

The tension in the air crackled until it set ablaze and clothes were tearing, off both of them, left shredded on the forest floor, how they made it into the forest they'll never be totally clear on. The only thing she'd remember was holding, scratching, rubbing, licking and the only thing he'd remember was her kissing him, he'd never felt like this about her, he loved her he knew that but it had never been anything close to this. He remembered tight, slick warmth as he gave the girl he'd crushed on for years his virginity. He remembered her telling him she was home to stay and his mind chanting over and over again: imprint, imprint, imprint.

It was over two quickly thankfully she didn't seem to mind and he lay his head back against the tree behind him, his eyes closed and let out a contented sigh. Bella lay panting on his chest. She let out a long breath laced with giggle, her hand resting on his bare chest, fingers trailing unconsciously along his collar bone and up his neck absentmindedly.

"Hi Seth." She said as if the last fifteen minutes hadn't happened, he barked a laugh, kissing her on her forehead. For once he was thankful he wasn't as tall as the others. There were definite perks, like not towering over Bella from a ridiculous height. They both laughed together for a little while until Seth heard voices and froze, cursing under his breath and stood with Bella still in his lap, she wrapped her legs around his middle.

"What?"

"They're coming. Shit." Seth began looking round franticly panicking.

"What?" Bella just couldn't understand his frantic eyes.

"Your dress. Damn! Jake and Embry are looking for us."

"Oh." She just giggled uncontrollably. It broke the tension a little. Seth couldn't believe how laid back she was being. Jake – her ex-boyfriend – Jake, the Alpha, who was still hoping , presuming Bella would come back for him was about to find her bare ass naked in Seth's lap.

"Don't giggle. It's not funny." She was still giggling at him as he gathered up all the scraps he could, placing his hat on her head and ran through the forest with her toward Forks.

Seth slowed before stopping, it was cold and no matter how much of him was covering Bella she was still freezing, she looked up from his chest.

"Seth – what are we doing here? You know tuning up butt naked at my dad's house is not going to do us any favours, no matter how much he likes you."

"Your dads not here, were good." Bella scratched her forehead.

"Well that's great but my clothes are in La Push Seth, I drove straight to your house." He groaned.

"You have nothing here? Nothing at all." She did but she really wasn't that interested in clothes at the present time so she just shrugged. Seth thought for a minute,

"Let's just get you in the house, you're cold."

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Seth was convinced that Jacob at the very least would be turning up any minute, he was trying to participate in the quickest shower ever, jaw clenched, eyes shut, barely breathing. Bella was under the jet infront of him, her arms wrapped around his waist, temple resting on his shoulder.

"Come on honey. I at least need to be dressed when Jake gets here." Bella really wasn't being helpful, she shook her head and snuggled closer, each hand holding one of his ass cheeks.

"Stop worrying about Jake, he had a date anyway tonight." Bella didn't seem to realise, she was still submerged in some kind of post coital bubble while he thought they had every reason to panic, the last time he had seen his imprint he had given her a friendly hug and waved her off while his now alpha, thrust his tongue into her mouth and gripped that fine ass of hers.

Things had changed quite significantly in the last hour and Jake didn't have the faintest idea.

"Bella," he trailed his hands down her arms and she leaned back so she could see him. He hadn't stopped touching her and he hadn't even realised it.

She kissed his cheek, "You should wear the hat. You looked good in the hat."

He blushed, instinctively turning his face away from her. "Thank you." He muttered. "I could, I suppose. I think my clothes got away with being pretty much unscathed." Bella giggled, scratching her nails through the few hairs that were scattered across his chest.

She had been nervous about coming home and she certainly hadn't expected such a powerful reaction and quick change in their relationship, she was relieved she had set Jake free, he hadn't wanted her too. Knowing Jacob the way she did though she had known exactly what to say to him. She asked Leah about him often, she felt a little guilty that maybe he thought they would get back together when she came home but Bella, knowing that there was no real chance of them seeing one another for the next three years had told him that it wasn't like they were breaking up, their relationship was just changing again. He seemed ok with that.

How free Jake had really been she didn't know, she spoke with him on the phone but no more than she spoke to her dad and Leah had never mentioned. She and Seth had been in contact virtually every day and endured a long expensive phone call that her dad footed the bill for weekly.

Everything had shifted between her and Seth, she wondered what it had been like for him. It was just so powerful, she was in awe of it, overwhelmed. Imprinting was scary.

"Right, Bella. I really have to get out of the shower now because if your hand drifts any further south Jake is going to get here and I don't know how he is going to react but I'm pretty sure he won't like what he see's.

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Jake walked into the kitchen as Leah was placing the last of the washing up on the drainer. "Hey, where'd Seth go?" She turned and looked at the clock above the backdoor.

"Umm, door. About fifteen minutes ago." She shrugged. Her little brother deserved some time with her before the rest of the wolves pounced.

"Right, well I'm going to go find him, he should be trading off with Brady." Leah spun around, she had already spoken to Jake about this – it may have been his regular shift but it was his birthday for God's sakes. "Don't start that shit Leah, he asked to patrol."

"Well I'm 'un-asking' on his behalf, you know he doesn't like to displease you." Jake just shook his head and proceeded to rescue Embry from the handsy barely seventeen year old with too much make-up on.

He hated how sisters would do that – stick up for baby brothers when they didn't need it. Usually the way it worked out was that they actually left them too it when they really needed their input.

"Come on, Em. We got the thing on the beach, remember?" Embry frowned at him before following his alpha out the door.

"Right, what are we really doing?" Jake rolled his eyes, as if Embry was really that clueless.

"Looking for Seth... and Bella."

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When Jake got to the Swan house in Forks he already knew what had happened, like he wouldn't have been able to tell. He was devastated, Embry spoke to him, reminding him how he always knew it was a possibility. Jake hated imprinting, loathed it with a passion he'd only felt for one other being before – Edward Cullen.

"Come on Jake, it's not like you've been a saint either is it?" Jake had punched the tree in his frustration, some of the bark splintering off.

"Damn it!" He sank to the floor at the base of the tree where Seth had sat. "This is fucking different though Em, you know that!" His brother squeezed his shoulder.

Embry waited in the trees while Jake dragged himself to the front door. He rarely used the front door. They were talking in the kitchen, she was making food, sandwiches by the sound of it. He tapped on the door gently. He couldn't help but smile back at her when she saw him through the window pane even though his heart clenched.

"Jake!" She threw the door open and grabbed him by the wrist, catching him off guard and yanking him toward her. He breathed her in, she was warm from the shower and he could smell the fresh suds. To his surprise she planted her lips firmly on his cheek.

"I missed you Jake." Jake wasn't quite sure what to think until he saw Seth's sheepish grin over Bella's shoulder.

"Umm, Bells?" He felt a little awkward. She looked a little flustered like she wasn't entirely sure what was going on.

"Come on, damn, you should have seen the STUPID shoes Leah got for me to wear! I'm telling you. Oh, I made sandwiches, do you want some." She was chattering away. She decided it was best to ignore the change all together right now.

"Is there room for one more?" Embry asked from the kitchen door, Bella yelped, her hand covering her heart. Jake and Seth growled at the same time. She gave them both a playful shove.

"One of you couldn't tell me he was there? Yeish!" She hugged Embry too and sat him down at the table and no, she hadn't got the foggiest idea what was going to happen or how she was going to handle it but she was home and it was a start and she knew that she would look after both of them to the best of her ability.

o~*The End*~o