I don not own Twilight or any of the characters. That is all property of Mrs. Stephanie Meyers. This is just what I do with my free time. See you at the bottom.

[She] who fights with monsters might take care lest [she] thereby become a monster. Is not life a hundred times too short for us to bore ourselves? - Friedrich Nietzsche

I hadn't always felt this way about her. In fact, I didn't even like her at first.

It took me a while to see Ren- like, really see her.

She was crying. Subconsciously, I think that's what made the difference.

It had to have been around two in the morning and I was just finishing my run of the perimeter. I was about to make one more pass over the cliffs when I spotted her perched over the rocky shore, knees drawn up to her chest and her head down. The wind was blowing hard, making her curls twist in a shiny, copper tornado, but it didn't seem to bother her. I knew that she'd heard me when I approached, then phased and dressed, but she never turned around.

Maybe she was giving me privacy, but more than likely, she was just ignoring me. Wouldn't surprise me if that was the case. I was used to it.

"Hey, Cullen," I pretty much accused her. She may have gotten around the treaty on a technicality, but she was still one of them. And to think Jacob had imprinted on her. I ignored the urge to push her. It wouldn't do any damage, which meant it wasn't worth the reaming I'd get from Jacob.

Her existence probably wouldn't have bothered me so much if I hadn't been forced to live in Jake's head. But I did, and it was sickening. I had to listen to his every thought and fantasy, then I had to listen to him dissect every single one of those thoughts and chastise himself. The only thing worse than having to listen to someone being happy was having to listen to someone bitch about being happy. It made me wish for the days of his Bella torment, and that's really saying something.

"Bat got your tongue," I added when she hadn't spoken.

"I don't need your shit. Not tonight, Leah."

I laughed. I'd never heard Renesmee curse before and she wasn't very good at it. Her words were harsh, but her voice remained too soft.

"What are you gonna do," I goaded. "Bite me?"

"I'm not in the mood, Leah, and so help me, I just might drain you if you just don't leave me the hell alone."

She clearly didn't know me. Telling me to go away was like putting candy in front of a kid and telling him not to eat it. Besides, I would have loved an excuse for a fight with Jake's golden girl. Maybe if I pushed her buttons…

"What's wrong? Someone steal your coffin?"

That seemed to piss her off a little more. She stood to face me and that's when I realized she was crying. I was kinda surprised 'cause, to be honest, I didn't even know that was possible. I was more surprised to realize that I felt bad.

"Is everything okay," I hedged. I wanted to slap my hand over my mouth. Actually, I wanted to just plain slap Jake. He was the only reason I felt remotely concerned for her wellbeing. Damn pack brain.

"As if you care. It's not like you don't already know, anyway." She sat down on the other side of the cliff and went back to sulking. "Now he's stuck with me and the whole pack gets to listen to this soap opera play out in his head. You probably hear all about how repulsed he is by me."

"Are you talking about Jake?" Not that I really cared to make her feel better, but every part of my being knew that wasn't true. Part of this whole pack thing meant defending your brother and the words flew out of my mouth before I could bite my tongue. "The boy is certifiably obsessed with you. He won't stop thinking about you, and trust me: none of those thoughts are ones of disgust- unless you count my protests to witnessing his mental porn," I muttered. I doubt if she heard that part though, because she was already snapping her response at me.

"You don't have to cover for him. Whatever alpha command he's given you, you don't have to feed the story to me."

"I'm not under a fucking alpha command," I snarled. Softening my tone, I grudgingly explained myself. "I do have a brain, and I don't need anyone to tell me the obvious. Jake loves you."

"Then why does he act like he wants nothing to do with me? I know he has responsibilities, but he's always making excuses to leave and he never lets me come with him, and then, when he is around, he seems so distant. He won't touch me and he only wants to talk about music, or what's on the television. I don't think he's even listening when I talk to him." Her voice cracked, but returned in a whisper. She looked at me with watery eyes. "Does that sound like love to you?"

"You do realize who you're talking to, right? Love is lost on me." She rolled her eyes, but I was being completely honest. I was the last person you wanted to get relationship advice from. "Look, I know he's got a weird way of showing it, but he's crazy about you. He's trying to sort things out."

"Like what? And why can't he at least talk to me about it?" she huffed.

It was my turn to roll my eyes. I sat down, leaving a good three feet of space. At this rate, I figured I'd better get comfortable. "This aspect of your relationship is really new. He practically raised you. Even though he's known for a while that this would happen, the whole thing is kinda awkward."

"Awkward," she shrieked, as if I'd told her he thought she was repulsive.

"Would you calm the hell down? Didn't you ever wonder what was happening when you started to notice him? I mean, didn't it feel odd to see him as something more than just your friend?"

"Well, of course, but he imprinted on me. I figured I should just accept it."

"Easier said then done for Jake. He's always been the same guy to you. In all your memories, he's buff, sexy, happy Jake." I paused, realizing what had just come out my mouth. I didn't want her to get the wrong idea. I'd seen the guy naked more times then I could count, and while I could certainly appreciate the equipment, I have no interest in testing it out. "Don't ever tell him I said that. The point is, he's always looked the same to you, but in his mind, he has memories of watching you grow up." I could tell that she was about to interrupt me, so I beat her to the punch. "Accelerated as that may have been, he feels bad wanting to do dirty things to the girl he used to bathe."

She looked out at the choppy waters and sighed. I felt more comfortable looking at her in profile and I recognized the look on her face immediately. She understood what I was trying to tell her. Logically, she understood, but understanding didn't change her predicament, and it didn't make it hurt any less. You can't force someone to love you.

It was then, in that moment, that I got it. Even her tearstains and slightly reddened eyes couldn't cloud this new understanding. She wasn't a vampire or some freaky hybrid thing. Yeah, she was too pale, and so what if she occasionally tracked down animals and tore them apart with her bare hands. This is Forks. Most of my friends do. When it came down to it, she was just as confused about this supernatural life as the rest of us, hoping that someone besides her own family cared about her existence, and I got that.

"Are you sure," she finally pleaded.

I nodded as she wiped away the last evidence of tears. "Give him some time to reconcile his memories with his reality. He's got a lot going on in his head. "

She looked up at me and let a hint of a smile come through. "Well, I guess you would know."

I stood, and without thinking, offered her my hands. She looked a little surprised, and I probably would have retracted the offer if she hadn't accepted right then. I ignored the initial instinct to pull away and found that she wasn't as cold as I'd expected.

Emboldened by the contact, she hugged me. I didn't pull back, but I didn't reciprocate the gesture either. I just let her wrap an arm around me and stood in shock. She could have gone for my jugular and I probably woulda had trouble moving.

"Thanks," she said as she relinquished her hold.

I just shrugged. "No problem. It's been a long time since anyone has actually thanked me for my company," I mumbled. It was supposed to be a joke, but once it was out, I realized it was true.

"I mean it. And Leah?" She caught my hand so I was forced to look at her. I hadn't realized I'd been avoiding her gaze most of the night. "Someday you'll find the person for you. Maybe it'll be an imprint or just old-fashioned love, but you will. I know you're supposed to be the bitch of the pack and all, but, Leah, you really are beautiful." And she placed a kiss on my cheek.

She was gone in a blur, making her way back to Transylvania or whatever.

It was simple- completely innocent, but I guess that was part of the appeal. Not saying that I wanted her or anything, but I got why Jake was so in love with her.

Please let me know what you think. As I've mentioned before, I don't think this would ever happen in the world of Twilight, but it popped into my head and Leah just won't leave me alone. Do you like Leah? Still hate her? Get where she's coming from? Or do you just wanna hear more from her? Good or bad, I'd like to get some feedback and hear your thoughts.