Author Note: WOW!!!!! I'm loving all the feedback. You guys are so amazing. Seriously. =) I really hope you like this. I'm so nervous every time a post a chapter because I'm still so new at BLACKWATER. But it's so fun writing this, and I hate SM for ending the series the way she did. I swore Leah and Jacob were going to get together, and I think they are perfect for one another. However, since imprinting exists, it's just not going to be that easy.

Anyways, I hope you all enjoy!!!! Thanks again so much. :) Much love.

When Jacob's with Nessie it's hard to function. His mind is hazy and all he can think about is Renesmee Cullen. All he can think about is if she's cold, or hungry, or happy, and what he can do to make her perfectly content at every moment. When Jacob's with Nessie, he is detached from reality.

Detached from himself.

As they sit in the meadow beyond the Cullen's mansion, just south of where Bella and Edward and Nessie's cottage is situated, Jacob finds it hard to focus on anything other than the half-breed in front of him. She looks like she is about twelve, but really how old is she? Eight? Four? It's hard to think about and Jacob realizes he doesn't really care because Nessie is here, right now, and he can't stop focusing on her.

She is talking to him about some book she's currently reading, some novel Jacob conveniently forgot to read in high school, and Jacob finds himself hanging on her every word, because everything she says is absolutely perfect. It's as if her words were molded for his ears to hear, as if he could listen to her day in and day out for the rest of his life.

If it were any other situation aside from imprinting, Jacob would gladly throw himself in jail. Because really, no matter from what angle you look at it, a twenty year old man should not be spending almost every waking moment with what appears to be a twelve year old girl. But it's Nessie and it's different because she is a part of Jacob and without her he'd simply be incomplete.

Oh, and he does not think of her that way.

Because while he hangs on her every word, while he notices the way the sun captures the glistening of her chestnut curls, while her eyes are sparkling and her laugh is musical and rhythmic (how is it she laughs in sync with his heart? He's glad Leah's not around because she'd probably just pretend to vomit…or really vomit, he's not sure) while Nessie is all of these things to Jacob, he somehow can't understand her ever being anything more than a light in his life, a sister to him.

Jacob's heart begins to hurt when it strays away from Nessie, but he can't help it. And as he thinks of Leah pretending to vomit at his shackles of imprinting, Jacob is reminded of that white dress she wore last week and suddenly he feels shame. Why is he thinking of Leah when he is with Nessie, the only person he should ever be with?

"My Jacob, what is bothering you?"

Nessie's question catches Jake off guard and he lets out a shaky breath he realizes he has been holding in.

"What do you mean Ness?" He can't help but look into her eyes and everything else doesn't matter. Suddenly Leah doesn't matter.

His heart lurches and Jacob feels sick.

"Your mind hurts," Nessie says thoughtfully, stringing together a crown of daffodils. "What is bothering you Jacob Black?"

How can Jacob tell Nessie that sometimes when he's with Leah he finds himself not thinking of Nessie? How can he tell Nessie that he feels good when he hangs out with Leah but also wrong at the same time?

And then he can't say any of these things because he barely thinks them and it hurts his head. He feels like he's about to explode.

So instead he looks at Nessie and tells her the sun is too bright, and she seems for the moment just fine with that answer but something in her eyes makes him worried.

"You know you're everything to me, right Nessie?" Jacob asks her. She looks up at him and offers him a brilliant smile, one that captivates him. Suddenly he feels stupid for thinking of Leah in the first place.

But then he just feels nauseous again, because damn, how does a twelve year old who's really like, eight, or whatever she is, have this much hold on him?

As he lies in the grass with Nessie, he knows he is absorbed completely by her and yet…yet… he finds himself unable to rid himself of the image of a white dress and caramel legs.

* * *

Leah skips rocks on the beach and thinks about Sam and Emily's wedding.

It's three weeks away and Leah has a pit of dread firmly ingrained in her belly. She agreed to be one of Emily's bridesmaids, and now as she watches the sun set and skips her rocks she wonders what the hell she was thinking.

She thought she was being a good cousin, she thought she was making her mom proud, thought she was showing everyone, Look! I'm over it, it's ancient history, I'm mature now, I'm completely over the great Sam Uley! Suck it everyone.

But really she feels so hollow it physically hurts her and she can't believe she agreed to actually be in their wedding. That means tomorrow she has to get fitted for a dress, and she has to go to the bachelorette party, and has to take tons and tons of pictures, and Leah can't help but let out a shrill growl as she tosses with all her might a rock into the depths of the water.

"You've got one hell of an arm Clearwater."

Leah turns her head and sees Jacob sauntering up, fastening his shorts and she wishes he wouldn't do that, because then her eyes just flick to his tight abdomen, and really, she feels rather creepy checking out her Alpha.

"Go away," she resigns to muttering lamely. She doesn't want to be bothered by Jacob now, because lately, ever since that stupid dress comment, she's been feeling weird every time she thinks of Jacob. Now when she thinks of him all she notices are his broad shoulders, that stupid line on his hips leading to his pelvis, and his messy hair and his eyes and…yes, creepy Leah, she reminds herself. Knock it off.

She was really more sex deprived than she thought. Honestly, Jacob? Come on now, she thinks, get a grip woman. You're not that desperate.

Like hell you aren't a rather annoying voice whispers in the back of her mind. Leah growls in aggravation at her own thoughts and Jacob takes it as she's growling at him.

"Hey, I'm being nice," he almost pouts, but then just smirks and picks up a rock and effortlessly lunges it farther than she did when she tried with all her might and Leah shoots him a glare.

"Show off," she spits. She remembers he was fastening his shorts. "Did you phase here?"

"It was faster," Jacob justifies himself. "And I saw your weak attempts at throwing rocks and figured I'd come over here and show you how it was done."

In the dying sun Leah thinks Jacob looks kind of like a god. He is perfection and she hates him, wants to break his nose or something because who the hell did he think he was looking that beautiful? She hates her thoughts, hates the fact that even though he's teasing her, and even though he's got that arrogant crooked smile on his face as he lunges another rock, even though he muscles and bare chest glean in the dying sun, Leah can't help but feel herself drawn into him. She feels naked, and exposed, and it's a dangerous feeling. It happens every time Jacob's around her and she just can't take it.

So Leah does what she knows best. She is mean, she glares at him, and as he turns around to face her she sticks out her tongue like a four year old.

"Hm, how old are you Leah?" Jacob tries to look serious but his eyes betray him. Leah just rolls her own eyes and kicks the sand around with her bare feet. She ignores Jacob's presence and watches the gold glow bathe the water before her and she feels sadness and anger ebb into her heart because she knows tomorrow is coming and tomorrow means a dress is to be fitted. And tomorrow means once again she must be reminded that it's not her that will be walking down the aisle to Sam Uley. It's not Leah who is going to marry the love of her life.

No.

It's never Leah.

"What's the matter kid?"

Jacob's voice is deep to her right and she thinks she would have shivered if her temperature ever changed. She can't help it. She is attracted to Jacob and there is just no denying it. And yet it's sick for so many reasons, it's sick because he's younger, it's sick because he's her Alpha, it's sick because he's imprinted…Leah feels sick her self, she's certain something is just not right in her head because fate hates her so much that it makes sure Leah can only fall for guys with soul mates.

She feels equivalent to a malignant tumor or something.

Fuck.

She turns to look at Jacob who's just standing there in the now dark night, and she can see him smirking or something and it's really quite aggravating.

"I'm not a kid," she says, lamely, and once she realizes how silly that sounds she decides to push Jacob. He barely stumbles, and laughs.

"Nice try."

"Ugh, why are you so annoying?" Leah asks him, putting her hands on her hips. The night wind blows her loose hair all about, and for once it's free of its braid but Leah doesn't care. She wraps her arms around herself, not because she's cold (She's a freak, remember?) but because she feels suddenly exposed in her tank top and shorts. With Jacob she always feels exposed.

Jacob's face falls for a moment and Leah realizes how different she and Jacob truly are. Jacob never tries to hide his emotions, his heart is in his eyes, and even though he's so tough and strong and masculine and sexy (Stop it Leah) he really is such fucking sweet guy that it's just not fair. Leah, however, doesn't even really have a heart, so that is a pretty big difference.

"I'm trying to ask you something serious Leah," he says, and that playful light in his eyes is gone, but that could just be the moon playing tricks on Leah. He takes hold of her shoulders, and the contact is surprising. She breathes sharply before she can stop herself.

"I know something is bothering you," he says firmly. It's not soft, and it's not comforting or reassuring. It's almost snappy, and it makes Leah bristle.

"Why is it any of your damn business?" She bites out, freeing herself from his shoulders and starting to walk away. She can hear his heavy footsteps behind her. "And don't fucking follow me."

"I can follow you if I damn well want to," Jacob snaps back at her, and she can feel his temper rising. Great. Now she not only has to deal with Jacob himself, but a pissed off Jacob as well.

"Leave me alone," she hisses through her teeth, refusing to turn around. She feels a strong hand grab her waist and turn her around and before she can punch Jacob for handling her so roughly, she just catches one look of his eyes and she feels herself melting.

"Leah, please," he says softly, and in his deep voice she hears concern and goddammit it is intoxicating. It's been so long since Leah heard that, heard someone care if she was okay, and dammit her thirst for love is just expanding and she feels herself reaching out to hold on to the care in Jacob's voice, she drinks it in, guzzles it down like it's a lifeline and she hates herself for it. But dammit it's been so long.

And as she looks in Jacob's eyes and as she sees that he is truly curious she is bombarded by the image of another man. Sam's face is alight in her eyes and it's blinding her because suddenly she remembers his touch, and his sweet whispers, and she remembers the notes he'd leave her and the promises he surrendered to her, and everything he fucking gave her. And then he took it back and she wants it, she misses it, and Leah knows she's alone, alone, alone forever.

"Leah," Jake says, dropping his hands from her waist and backing up a few steps. He realizes his mistake, Leah thinks. How can any man touch her for more than a few seconds without being disgusted?

She had never felt more ugly in her life.

"Leah," he repeats, and his eyes are guarded and he looks uncomfortable but Leah can't figure out why. Not with so many emotions taking her hostage. "Don't worry about the wedding. You're over him, remember?"

"What the fucking hell," Leah growls. She thinks she's finally frightened him because he actually stepped back a few paces. "I'm fine about his stupid fucking wedding, okay?" She's lying, lying straight through her teeth but she just wants Jacob to get the hell out of here.

"Leah, I know it's about the wedding." Now he sounds kind of annoyed. "I'm not a moron."

Leah turns around and yanks at her hair, wanting to scream into the night. But Jacob already thinks she's enough of a psycho to begin with, why feed anymore into it? Instead she just crouches over, hugging her knees and trying to will herself into the ground.

"Leah, it's okay," he says but something inside her snaps. She gets up, livid.

"No, it's not okay Jake!" Her teeth ache from the force of her speech. "It's not fucking okay." She's silent because she doesn't even know what she's really talking about. She is just so exhausted, so tired, and she wants this pain to end. When will it end?

"I hate them," she whispers. Her eyes meet Jake's in the night, and she has to turn her chin up to meet his gaze. He looks guarded and she notices his clenched jaw. His fists are balled.

"What they did was wrong Leah," Jacob says in a dangerously low voice. "They hurt you and that is wrong. Sam doesn't deserve you. He never did. That's why he never fought for you—he knows you're worth more than what he could ever give you."

The words are sweet but Leah can't understand them. No one is nice to Leah, and even Jake who is sometimes her friend, no he's not really nice. Because sure, it's okay to say these things, but to mean them? That's different.

"Just shut up," Leah growls, tucking hair behind her ear. "Just shut the fuck up."

"Why?" Jacob asks angrily. "Why should I shut up? What? Because I'm being your friend? Leah you are my friend."

"I don't care what the hell I am to you," Leah spits angrily. She is numb and this is all she knows, because it feels good to bring people down with her. "I don't have friends, and no one cares. I know that Jake. I understand that."

"Leah, I care," Jacob says softly, and his eyes are big. Even in the dark Leah can see the offense she's caused him and that just pisses her off more because she so does not need a guilty conscious right now.

"Ugh, can you please just go away?" She knows she's treading on thin water, because one more push and he'll be gone, back to Nessie, back to his perfect little snow globe life.

"Whatever Leah," Jacob finally snaps. "One of these days, being such a bitch is gonna come back and bite you even harder in the ass than Sam did."

Leah can see the regret of his words in Jacob's eyes for only a second before she hauls off and punches him square in the jaw with all her might. She might be the tiniest wolf, but she's still stronger than the average human, and her right hook causes Jacob to yell out in pain and hunch over, cradling his bleeding jaw.

She is breathing fast and heavy and trembling with anger and knows she's dead. There has to be a rule somewhere that says physically assaulting your alpha results in death.

As he stands back up Leah's sees the fury in his eyes and she can't help but bite her lip. But she stands her ground, bracing herself for a fight. Instead, Jacob just shakes his head and turns toward the water, beginning to wade deeper and deeper.

"What the hell are you doing?" Leah calls. Jacob doesn't turn around as he calls out,

"Cleaning up you damn crazy woman." She tries not to laugh, because actually, it's pretty funny seeing Jacob annoyed and bleeding from her punch. She knows he's not that hurt at all. She watches the moonlight caress his rippling back and she frowns. What the hell. How can she be checking out Jacob when she just hated him enough two seconds ago to punch him with all her might?

She was more fucked up than she even realized.

"You coming in?"

His question makes Leah furrow her eyebrows. He is about waist deep and his voice sounds muffled. Probably from the blood Leah notes, oddly satisfied. Jake turns to look at her, a challenge in his eyes.

Leah never backs down from a challenge.

Glancing down at her tank top and shorts, she hesitates. She hates the way the water makes her clothes stick to her, but did she really feel like stripping in front of Jacob? He'd probably cower in revulsion. Leah decide that would actually be pretty funny, and rips off her tank top and jean shorts, letting them fall to her feet.

The wind feels funny on her skin as she stands at the edge of the water in her bra and panties. Jacob hasn't turned around yet, and Leah begins to tread into the dark waters slowly. The water is oddly warm and makes her feel sensuous—its licking her thighs as she wades deeper in, and it cools her skin in ways she wasn't aware water could accomplish.

She is only a few feet behind Jacob, the water reaching just below her crotch, when Jacob turns around. She braces herself for the look of disgust she is sure she will get, but it never happens. In fact Jacob's mouth kind of goes slack, and his eyebrows rise high on his forehead. If it was a bit lighter Leah swears she sees him blush. Feeling a little uncomfortable she covers her sudden embarrassment with rolling her eyes.

"What? Am I that deformed you have to look like a fucking retard at me?" Her voice comes out not nearly as confident as she hopes and suddenly she wishes she kept her clothes on. Oh fuck it. It's just Jake for Christ' sake. It's not like he hasn't ever seen her naked before. Why is it suddenly feeling so awkward?

"Leah," Jake says, his voice oddly low. For a minute he just stands there, and then he shakes his head.

"If you can waltz around half naked every day, then I can certainly do the same," Leah justifies crankily. There was nothing like an incredibly attractive man to stare at you like you had three heads to make a girl feel self-conscious.

"Why are you so ridiculous?" Jacob asks, quirking one eyebrow up. Instead of replying Leah charges at Jacob, pushing him under water and laughing when he comes back up sputtering.

"Oh, it's on Clearwater," Jacob growls, then lunges at Leah's waist. The contact takes Leah by surprise, and despite the shock of the water as it sweeps over her head, Leah can only think about the feeling of Jake's tight body against hers. It makes her kind of light headed how she can feel his huge, ripped arms cradle her, his broad chest pressed against her own. Was it possible to die from being flustered?

She emerges from the water trying not to laugh but is unsuccessful. In the back of her mind she wonders if this is okay, this laughing and touching each other. It's all so very innocent, and she knows this as Jacob dunks her underwater and she shrieks in protest. But is it allowed? Because for some reason Leah can't picture Quil doing this with another girl, or Jared, or Seth for that matter.

How can it be so much fun with Jacob and yet feel so wrong?

Leah decides it's just best to ignore these questions as she pounces on Jacob. She doesn't care. Because when she's with Jacob she doesn't think about Sam so much, and it just feels nice.

Whatever that means…well, Leah's just not exactly sure.

* * *