Disclaimer: If you recognize it, I don't own it..

A/N: This one goes out to my lovely reviewers, not as long I know, but it was one of those chapters that you need to lead up to another one. More informational than anything else I would think. Still reviews are highly important.

Chapter 2-In which friends are of the essence

Holly's POV:

"Long time no see," he choked out nervously in a small voice. I just shrugged one of my shoulders and smiled in reply. To be completely honest I shouldn't have been smiling at all. After all he had left me, told me he never wanted to see me again and I had finally convinced myself that I was going to be alright with that. But staring at him now, looking so small and yet so big and tall, it was a rather endearing sight, I must say.

He started to open his mouth to say something only he closed it right away and averted his eyes to his feet that were now turned inward to each other. I wanted to laugh. Not only to just ease up the obvious and awkward tension but because it wasn't every day that you saw a guy this tall and strong looking all shy and subdued, but that was Embry for you.

"How are you?" He finally decided on asking me, he looked up at my eyes again and tried a fleeting smile. He wanted to know if he was forgiven I could tell. But I didn't know if I was ready to forgive him or not. At least not just then. I hadn't seen him in about 2 years and here he was, good old Embry Call staring at me with these big, pleading and forlorn looking puppy dogs eyes.

"Good…you?"

"Alright.."

I just smiled and stepped forward to take his huge hand in mine and shake it.

"Nice to see you again."

And it was. Not only had I missed him more than I would ever let him know, but standing there next to him made me feel whole again. Like the piece of me that had gone missing was back and I could finally start being a whole person again. Of course if he ever left again then I would have to start the whole process of making myself happy all over again. But as he grinned at me I knew that it was worth the risk. He had stumbled back into my life carelessly and clumsily out of nowhere. He was back again, and that's all that mattered. Our friendship was worth the risk.

Embry's POV:

She just stood there nodding and smiling. I grinned back at her uneasily and we broke our hands apart. She let go. I didn't want to, a shock from her hand like an electric current shot up and down my spine causing me to momentarily shiver, in the good way. I could tell she was about to leave only I didn't want her to. It was absolutely ridiculous how I had no idea where I was going with this. Why I had chosen to come see her in the first place. Sure I missed her, but what was I going to do about that now?

"Well…I guess I'll see you around Emb-"

"Wait!" I called out stupidly even though she was just a few inches away from me. She snorted and raised an eyebrow questioningly, the grin still plastered to her lips.

"I, I mean, would you, want to go do something tomorrow morning…or later?" I didn't know what on Earth I was doing, the words that were coming out of my mouth didn't even feel like they belonged to me. I had no intention of doing this before and I had no idea why I didn't just make a break for it just then but I didn't.

"Sure, tomorrow morning would be good." She said slowly still staring at me skeptically. I just nodded and grinned while backing up and shoving my hands in my pockets. Of course, what with the smooth guy I am, I ended up tripping over my own feet and landing in the sopping wet sand, only to have the low tide water come rushing up to soak my shorts even more. I flinched at the cold and felt my cheeks flush to a bright crimson color. Great Embry, great first impression, I thought, that's just fantastic.

She didn't laugh though, she just grinned wider and waved condescendingly.

"Same place, same time only A.M. got it? Byyye Embry." She called as she kicked off her sandals and started running off towards the direction of her house. I just waved once and lifted myself out of the water and patted my thighs twice. So I'd see her in less than 24 hours, 7 in the morning too. Yeah, she remembered me. She remembered me enough to know that I was definitely not a morning person at all.

Holly's POV:

"Oh my god what the hell am I suppose to do!" I wailed throwing my hands in he air and pacing the narrow floor space in my best friend Leslie Minnelli's bedroom. She just chuckled and shook her head knowingly at me.

"I knew it girl! I knew you weren't over that boy, I told you, it's impossibly easy to read you."

Leslie was training to be a psychologist, so naturally, she knew exactly what you were trying to say all the time, or in my case, exactly what I was trying not to say saying.

"There's nothing to get over. We were friends and that was it."

"It's just after so long you're afraid it might be awkward right?" She asked crawling over to the side of her bed and lying down on her stomach. She was longer and taller than I was so her feet were still touching the wall but she was still really skinny.

"No that's not even it so much, I mean I don't even know."

"So why'd you say you'd see him tomorrow if the whole idea bugs you so much?"

"Ugh! So you get this really weird guy who's gawky and sweet with this wild hair that hangs in his eyes and then all of a sudden the same guy comes walking up to you only he's morphed into this incredible half-naked god with this crazy endearing smile as he looks at you like you're heaven on Earth. Then tell me what you would do ok?" I said this all so fast the words ran together and I had to take a big breath at the end. I had not expected him to come ever again. I had persuaded myself that it was alright and here he was, jumping back into my life again. I should be mad, I mean the nerve of that boy making me question my own sanity!

Leslie burst into laughter at my little speech, she was laughing so hard she was shaking and her dark red ponytail was coming loose. She wiped away tears from her eyes and tried to stop laughing at me because of the excruciating death glare I was giving her.

"Maybe it's a good thing you're going to see him then, I'm mean if all it takes is an old friend to finally get you going."

"I told you, men are useless." I snapped throwing a pillow a her face.

"You and your crazy standards, personally I think a relationship would be good for you, but that's just me talking."

"Yeah that is just you." I agreed and sat down next to her on her fluffy mauve bed.

We sat in silence for a little while, regaining our thoughts, both lost in our reveries. Why had he come back to me after so long? What prompted something like this, and why didn't I just walk away when I saw him sitting there by the beach?

"Does he know that you know what he is?" She asked quietly, suddenly pulling me out of my reverie.

"No…I don't think so." I replied in wonder. If he hadn't known that that was why I accepted his request to never see me again, he must honestly think that I was ok with that. That I was some sort of heartless cretin that wouldn't miss him at all. In fact, I don't know why I never told him, why I didn't say something right then and there, telling him that I already knew that he was a werewolf and could possibly be dangerous. But I didn't say anything.

I saw him about 3 days before he came up to me and told me we couldn't be friends anymore. I was just lying in the hammock in front of my old white house. The paint was peeling and the doors and floors all creaked but I lived in it since as long as I can remember and it was cozy. Anyways I was just lying there pondering why he wouldn't answer the phone anymore. Even when I left faulty messages, making like it was an emergency and I had something really important to tell him. And then a pack of wolves came trotting through the trees, mere feet from where I was. My house was located on the real outskirts of the reservation and was pretty deep back into the woods so it wasn't unusual to find animals wondering by, but I had never seen wolves like these before. They had too of big ears and paws and looked to be the size of a regular grizzly bear. I sunk myself deeper into the hammock and counted, one, two, three, four…The fourth one made me catch my breath. His eyes belonged to Embry.

There was no doubt in my mind that that was who this was. Especially after the longing look it gave to my house, it was terribly sadden and incredibly desperate looking. As if it might actually start bawling on the spot. Of course, these were human emotions, wolves didn't feel the same way we did. I knew something was up the second he called and said he didn't feel good. And then later I overheard my mother talking to his mother about scary complications and him needing help. And then there was something about Sam and his little pack. After a while I began to piece things together. It was Leslie who had told me about werewolves and who's words had convinced me that this is what had happened to my best friend as I stared at the desolate wolf who was trailing behind the others. He was also avoiding his other friends as well. So I was not alone. That is until his other friends starting disappearing too.

I gasped loudly and smiled.

"Hello…you still in there?" Leslie called, she'd been trying to wake me from my little day dream sequence for the past few minutes now. But I knew now what I had to do to get my best friend back. No more being on stand by mode. I wouldn't just let things go, I wasn't suppose to. Him meeting me tonight had been like a sign of some sorts.

"I'm gonna tell him tomorrow."

"You do that." She said smirking at me and stuffing a handful of stale extra-butter popcorn in her mouth, "but just so we're on the same page, what is it that you're telling this boy?"

I laughed and knew that she hadn't the faintest idea what my epiphany was.

"I figured I'm suppose to fix things by telling him I understand why he had to leave, only I can take care of myself and I don't care if he's dangerous."

"Plus all the really hot guys have a danger edge to them, where would the world be if there weren't any like your own little Embry-board."

"If you say so." I agreed and smiled at the nickname she'd given him.

Embry's POV:

"Embry….man, why are you spazzing out, just cool it for it second." Quil demanded from the couch to my left in Emily's tiny living room. His eyebrows knit together in confusion as he watched me stare at my hands in disbelief. I still couldn't believe that I had just done that. I mean, I barely know her anymore, it was as if I had been possessed by some evil demon that was out to get me or something.

"Yeah, I've never seen you so worked up before, you need to quit twitching." Jake added, looking a bit concerned for my sanity as he popped another grape in his mouth. I hadn't even realized my leg was bouncing up and down. I hadn't been able to think about anything much since I got back her.

"I saw Holly again." I sighed. I figured they'd guess sooner or later anyway, if not they'd find out by getting in my head.

Jake's mouth formed an O and Quil's eyebrows shot up and he just reached for another grape. I knew he'd be the one to forget., but at least he was pretty good at pretending to remember.

"It's not even just that, I kind of, sort of promised to take her somewhere tomorrow."

Quil burst into laughter at my comment and nearly choked on the many grapes he had just practically swallowed whole. Jacob chuckled some at this but he covered his mouth like he was just coughing. At least he had the decency to realize that this was no laughing matter.

I was beyond nervous and full of nothing but grief. She's going to want an explanation as to why I left her before, why I hurt her. If I even did. And I'm going to end up either miserably lying or miserably telling the truth. And I guarantee you I wouldn't be able to do either. And not just cause of Sam's injunction either, but because I simply wouldn't be able to bring myself to lie to her again. And on top of all that I know that I'm probably going to make a complete and utter fool of myself in just a matter of hours. I sighed exasperatedly snapping out of my reverie.

"What am I suppose to do!?" I cried dramatically staring up at the ceiling as if the answer might magically come out of hiding and appear written in fine calligraphy.

"I don't even know where I'm taking her." I moaned pressing the bottom of the palms of my hands into my eyes again.

Jacob patted me on the shoulder before leaving with a small, "Eh good luck with that, hope everything turns out alright." I didn't expect much out of him though. Ever since he came back from wherever he was after he had that episode of his after getting invited to Bella's wedding, he tended to shy away from anything that remotely involved romance in anyway. Even if she was just my friend. And Quil was just a lost case. You'd think meeting Claire would soften him up a bit, but he still the same guy. He laughed some more and agreed, patting my shoulder halfheartedly.

"Yep buddy, good luck with that. From the sounds of it, you'll need a whole lot of it. Give her my regards."

I just waved and smirked back at him. Yeah a lot of help they are. I doubt I would be able to sleep but I still got up too and went to look for Emily. If she was awake, I always liked to say goodbye. It was the courteous thing to do even if she loved having us here and it was no problem for her.

"You should take her to see the sunrise, off that one cliff you're always hanging out at, the one that looks down at all the trees." Emily said quietly. I turned around to see her holding the door open, but it looked more as if the door was holding her up. She looked beyond exhausted. I smiled at her for being the only one to help me.

"Thanks Emily, that sounds like a good idea…oh and thank you again for letting us stay for a while."

"It's my pleasure having you guys here you know that, and I hope all goes well with you and Holly…goodnight Embry." She smiled and waved goodbye as she slowly shut the door behind me.

A/N: I know it was a bit short but it's leading up to a great third chapter, I suspect you all will love it. Now just out of curiosity, could you review and tell me how I'm doing? Also maybe you'd like to give me your predictions as to what will happen next? Maybe? Thank you thank you