Disclaimer: Characters belong to Stephenie Meyer. I am not making any money off this.
A/N: Right, I'm off to bed now, so that's all you're getting for the night.
Chapter One
It's after ten o'clock when Leah leads him into her bedroom. They have only recently started sleeping together again and it's just as awkward as it was the first time. They've moved beyond fumbled kisses and long silences but it's still not as comfortable as it used to be.
"So, when they ask you if you like ice cream, what are you going to say?"
He sighs and pulls her closer to him. "I'm going to say yes, I love ice cream. Especially when it's smothered all over my girlfriend." She giggles as he slurps at her neck and pushes her back onto the bed. The mood changes as she wraps her legs around his waist. He's wearing his usual attire consisting of nothing but shorts and her skimpy vest top is on the floor within seconds.
It's not the same but in some ways, it's better. She's a lot more vocal about what she wants now and she has a few tricks up her sleeve that he knows weren't learned from their time together. He swallows against the envy and revulsion that engulfs him. He's heard the rumours and he hates the thought of some slobbering drunk touching his girl.
Leah doesn't register the turn in his mood. She is writhing beneath him, stirring up all kinds of feelings in him that have nothing to with her past conquests. It's just her and him right now and he plans to make sure that she never ever has to think of anyone else to get her satisfaction. He takes her in a deep kiss, his tongue clashing wildly with hers.
She's blazing heat beneath him but it's not uncomfortable given his own temperature. He reaches down, discarding her shorts and his own, before pulling the sheet she uses for a cover over the both of them. She worries that her mom or Seth might walk in on them, and he obliges despite the fact that Sue and Seth are most likely aware of what goes on behind this closed door.
"Sam," she moans his name as he slides into her, slowly, almost languidly. Her breathy whimper makes him pause for a moment. He usually lets her set the pace, telling him when, where and how, but tonight, without any intention of doing so, he's simply taken his markers from her, taking her when he thinks she's ready. Like they used to. He's about to apologise when she lets out a soft moan and moves her hips up to meet his.
Soft muscle yields under the force of his need and he has to stop himself from crying out with each movement. This is all new, yet it's all familiar but it's so much better because he never appreciated every single second of it like he does right now.
With a long shudder and her muffled sigh, it's over. He collapses on top of her and shifts slightly to the side, so she's not taking his all of his weight. He buries his face in her neck, inhaling a scent so uniquely her that it makes his head spin.
"That was—better." She sighs and he smiles against her skin. He's glad she noticed. She is breathing heavily and her body is trembling slightly under his.
He turns his face and kisses a path up from her neck to her lips. Her arms wrap around his shoulders and he pulls back slightly to look at her. Her eyes are heavy lidded and shining brightly, making her look a little dazed and drunk, and a film of sweat coats her face. She looks radiant and so beautiful.
"I love you," he mumbles, knowing that she won't say it back to him. She'll smile and nod and he's learnt not to let that bother him. He grabs her calf and hitches her thigh around his hip. Burying his face in her hair, he closes his eyes to sleep. Just as he's dozing off, he hears a soft voice whisper "I love you, too."
They're getting there. Slowly, but surely.
He wakes before her and he spends a few minutes watching her sleep before he drags himself off to the kitchen. Sue is already up, cooking enough bacon and eggs to feed an army, or three werewolves.
"Morning, Sam. Is Leah up yet?"
He stifles a yawn. "No, I was gonna take her some breakfast." Sue used to have a rule about not eating in bedrooms but since her children began phasing, that rule has gone right out the window.
"When is your interview?"
"Tomorrow," And perhaps because she can notice the hint of nervousness in his voice, she smiles softly, or as softly as Sue Clearwater can manage, and says "Don't worry about it, you'll do fine."
He snorts "I should do. Leah's grilled me on every possible question they could ask. I think she's even drawing up plans on what to do if the fire alarm goes off."
She laughs and goes back to frying bacon. "Maybe you can get Leah a job once your foots in the door. It's not healthy for her to be sitting around here all day. She needs to mix and mingle. A girl her age should have friends."
"It's not that easy for us, Sue. There's a lot we can't tell people."
She sighs and moves the pan onto the worktop. "I know. I just worry about her sometimes. She seems to struggle to express...things."
He knows his face is wracked with guilt. He can feel the emotion worming it's way through his gut. Sue seems to notice, too. "It's not just about you, Sam. She's been like that since Harry died... but maybe things will work out okay, now."
They both know the unspoken finisher. Things will work out okay now that he's back, now that he loves her again. They both know it's not completely true. It's wishful thinking at best. Leah Clearwater stopped needing both of them a long time ago, but now, she seems happier...and that is all they really care about.