Author's Note: So, I know it's no excuse but between school, moch trial and musical I just haven't had any time to type. But somehow, I was able to get into a grove and crank out this chapter plus about half of the next one all in one day. I have to admit that I am very proud of myself. I also actually proofread and edited this chapter. Impressive, I know. So, I hope you like it.
Also, I don't know if I mentioned this before, but this story takes place after Eclipse and Breaking Dawn never happened.
Disclaimer: I own no characters or ideas even remotely similar to Stephanie Meyer's.
He took a deep, shuddered breath. This was it. The moment of truth. Whatever was to happen once he knocked on that door would decide the rest of his life, for better or for worse. On the other side of that door was his whole life. His very reason for living. The thought that she might not want him in return was too much for him to even consider. It wasn't an option. He was going to make her see that they belonged together, no matter what her strengths and weaknesses were. He was determined to make her see that he was always going to be there for her and there was nothing that she could say or do that could change his mind. He chuckled lightly under his breath. He knew that if the others could hear his thoughts they would no doubt taunt him mercilessly. They had all done the same with Jared and Quil. It wasn't until then that he realized how they really felt.
He took another deep breath and brought his knuckles down repeatedly on the door. After a few seconds, he wasn't sure if she heard him or not. He raised his hand to knock again when the door swung open and Alma glanced him over. "Vrael told me you might preform." She said nonchalantly, apparently not surprised. "Open seseme." She nodded towards the room and walked back inside, leaving the door open. He followed quietly, taking in the new surroundings.
The room was large for a hotel room. The two twin beds sat at the opposite end. Accross from his spot at the door sat a small couch. The couch faced a large dresser on which a medium sized TV sat. On one bed, clothes were scattered everywhere along with a few open suitcases. The bed wasn't made, and the pillows were falling off the mattress. It looked like his room. The other bed however was spotless and amazingly well organized. It reminded him of an ad out of a Sears catalog.
Alma had already settled onto the couch, and had her attention focused on the TV. He didn't recognize the program, but it looked to be some kind of reality crime show. The room was silent for a second, other than the drone of the TV until she turned to look at him. "Well, pop a squat." She said, scooting over from her spot, making room for him. "And fill the hole while you're at it." She nodded towards the door. He looked from her to the door for a second before he realized that she meant for him to close the door. Understanding her was going to be harder than he thought.
He walked to the couch and sat down, feeling stiff and awkward sitting so close to her. "Did, uh-" He cleared his throat and swallowed hard. "Did Vrael tell you anything about why I came to see you?"
Alma appeared thoughtful for a second then shrugged. "Why I came to see you. He did happen to mention something about an apology and and explination, but I wasn't really listening."
Embry nodded and swallowed again. His hands suddenly felt very clamy and the room got a little hotter. He leaned back into the couch and looked at her. "Listen, about what I said in the diner. I didn't realize that-" Alma raised her hand, signaling him to stop, a small smile on her face.
"You're not that first, and I doubt you'll be the last. I did not react to the situation as well as I should have; there have been too many things that I have been pondering over the last day or so." She said, her voice confident.
Embry couldn't help but smile. "Yeah, I can imagine so. Vrael told me about....." He paused, unsure how to address it in front of her. She looked at him, slightly amused and expextant. "You." He finished slowly.
She laughed and turned her attention back to the television. "You. Yes, legally I'm mentally insane. There's no avoiding that fact. I have been for quite some time now, and you tend to get used to all the different ways in which people react." He looked her over curiously. She noticed. "What?"
"I can understand you a lot better than I could eariler. You're making more sense." He spoke quietly, his expression soft. "Or at least what I find sensible." He added quickly, eyes growing wide momentarily out of panic.
She scrunched up her nose as if she was in pain. "Relax. There are very little things that offend me nowadays." She ran and had over her face and looked back at the TV, her expression stoic once again. "I took my medication a little while ago."
He noticed her finalizing matter-of-fact tone and simply nodded in response. He turned his attention to the TV, but didn't retain anything that was being said. All he could think about were Vrael's words that her had heard less than an hour before. I'll give you my job and see how well you can handle that. The task seemed overwhelming at the moment, but his determination to be with her wouldn't let his doubts stay for long. He would learn to take take care of her, no matter how much work he would have to put in or how long it took. He would show her that he would do anything to make her see just how much he loved her, and how much he would give just to see her happy. Then a previois question jumped into his mind. The question that had brought him there to begin with. "Why don't you want to be married?" He kept his eyes on the screen.
He could sense her studying him for a moment before also returning her eyes to the show. "I see no point in it. It's only a license from the state saying you're forced to stay with one person for the rest of your life."
"You don't want to be stuck with me for the rest of your life?" The question slipped out before he had time to think about it. The hurt was obvious in his tone.
"For the rest of your life. I never said I wasn't willing to spend the rest of my life with one person. I just don't need the state telling me that I have to." She paused, and looked at him. "I've only known you for less than I day, day, day. You can't expect me to confess my undying love for you already." She turned her attention back to the show. "We're practically strangers."
He couldn't help but feeling hurt, not only at the words but her indifferent attitude. He had to remind himself that she didn't always emotionally respond the way that she should. He studied her features for a few moments more before a smile formed on his face. "Well, then why don't we start getting to know each other better?" She raised an eyebrow, silently urging him to continue. "Twenty questions?"
She sighed, clearly not eager about the idea. She rolled her eyes. "Fine. Sure. Why not? But you have to go first." He couldn't hold back a smile even if she didn't seem so enthusiastic.
Hours quickly passed by and the light outside slowly faded away. Program after program aired on the television, but no attempts were made to focus on what they were. The room's two occupants were only focused on their conversation. On the deep need to know the other that they had unknowingly committed themselves to. But as time went on however, Embry found it harder and harder to understand what she meant. He guessed it meant that her medicine was wearing off, but that sense of empathy was overshadowed with frustration. He wanted to know all he could, but he wasn't always sure about what she meant, and he didn't want to ask her about it. That's what had started their last fight. So, he had to stay content with his guessed assumptions and hope they were right.
He began to open his mouth to ask her what her favorite Star Wars movie was when the door swung open. Vrael was the first to walk in, spinning the card in his hand. Following closely behind him was another tall man. There were multiple piercings in his face, and tattoos along his neck. His hair was an electric blue and shaped into a small mohawk. Before the man had time to close the door behind him, a short blonde rushed in. Her facial features looked like Alma's, and he assumed that she was Lycan, Alma's twin. Despite their likeness, Embry couldn't help but notice that Alma radiated so much more beauty and grace than her sister ever could. He knew he was biased, but deep down he knew it was true.
Vrael was the first to notice that Embry was in the room and he smiled. "Well, we weren't expecting you to still be here, but who doesn't like a suprise?" He held his arms out wide as if to embrace someone before sitting on the couch next to Alma, placing her in the middle.
"You are so stupid sometimes." Lycan mummbled under her breath while rolling her eyes. Then suddenly her face shifted into a smile and she held her hand out to Embry. "Hello. I'm Lycan, Alma's sister. It's nice to finally meet you." Embry took her hand a shook it slightly.
"Embry." He replied as he released her hand. He made a mental note to find out if Alma's skin was softer or not. He had a feeling that it was, but he still wanted to see for himself. Or at least find out when we was aware of what he was sensing. Pushing the thought out of his head, he said the first thing he could think of. "You have a different hair color." He didn't realize how stupid it sounded until he said it aloud.
Lycan giggled. "We're ferternal, not identical. Kind of wish I had her brown hair though." She mummbled a bit to herself before walking accross the room.
Vrael cleared his throat. "So.....how was your afternoon?" No one missed the incinuation.
Alma simply rolled her eyes and laughed. "I was surrounded by invisable flying potatoes."
Vrael raised an eyebrow. "That good, huh?"
Alma sighed and stood up, before walking over to her sister. Lycan was busy picking up clothes off the dishevled bed and placing them inside a suitcase. The mohawked man chuckled at something as he walked over to the couch and sat down in Alma's previous spot. He looked at the TV, his eyebrows furrowed with concentration. "What the hell are you guys watching?" He finally said, while reaching for the remote. Apparently it had fallen on the floor. Alma shurgged, although she knew he couldn't see her.
"Oh, by the way, this is my brother Ultan. Ultan, Embry. Embry, Ultan." Vrael said casually, motioning with his hands to each person respectively.
Ultan nodded his head in a greeting before turning his attention back to the TV. Embry muttered a quiet "What's up," before his attention turned to Alma. She simply stood there watching as Lycan packed up her clothes. She had a slight look of curiosity as Lycan mummbled something about being disorganized. Embry couldn't help but smirk at the irony. Then he felt the couch shift as Vrael stood up.
He ran and hand through his hair as he walked over to the other bed. He began to dig into the suitcase. "So, we were finally able to get those airplane tickets. The plane leaves at seven tomorrow night."
The casual tone in his voice paniced Embry a bit. It almost felt as if he were taunting him. Panic whelled up inside him. He felt like kicking himself for not even considering that fact that they didn't live in California. Much less the fact that he didn't either. And he highly doubted that they lived in either Forks or La Push. Ultan seemed to notice his distress.
"Dude, relax. Where do you live?" His voice was calm as well, but it held an edge of comfort.
It took Embry a minute to register the question. "Uh, La Push. La Push, Washington. It's sort of near Seattle."
Ultan raised an eyebrow, still flipping through the channels. "Well, shit dude. We live in Georgia."
Embry felt like his eyes were going to fall out of his head. He finally meets her. The girl that every werewolf yearns to meet. The one girl that will finally complete him. The one who could make him live up to his full potential, and she had to leave. She had to go all the way to the other side of the country, where he had no chance of reaching her. It all seemed like some kind of cruel joke.
Vrael looked at Alma, smiling then walked back to the couch and to take his previous spot. Then Vrael spoke, the smirk and mysterious intent dripping from his voice. "Don't you worry. I'm sure we can work something out."
Author's Note: Please tell me what you think!
