AN: Pretty much all the vampires and a bit of the wolf-pack belong to SM.

I don't even own Trisha, Ethan, or David. They belong to yay4shanghai. She's just letting me borrow them for a little while because she rocks and doesn't mind sharing!

I do own Tiffany, well part of her anyway. And what I don't own of her, belongs to KupKakes09!

Big shout out and thanks to my very amazingly awesome, totally rockin' friends, yay4shanghai for being a freakin' fantastic beta, and creating such amazing characters, as well as motivating me to try harder; and KupKakes09, who gives me some kickass ideas and helps to keep me motivated and boosts my ego! Don't forget to check out their stories and show them some love!

If for some reason you reviewed the last few chapters and didn't get a reply, I apologize. Please don't stop reviewing! I'm trying to catch up!

WARNING: LEMON AHEAD! Bet you can't guess who its between?

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Chapter 3: Black

Ethan's POV

I had been dreading the thought of having to face La Push since the day we set off for Mexico. It hadn't been particular easy, leaving my home, well, what was once my home. Not seeing my family, missing out on the growth of my sisters, not being there to support my little brother, my best friend. Even now, after two years, I knew the wounds would not have healed. There would be no way in hell I would be welcomed back. Trisha, maybe, especially with the grief her family was feeling right now, anyway.

All my feelings, everything melted as I carried the luggage into Billy Black's house. Right in front of me, hugging Trisha and stroking her hair, was my purpose in life, my angel. The person I was sent to protect, to love, the only thing that mattered. Her deep green eyes stared back at mine and I instantly smiled. Trisha pulled away but I didn't see her. Not like I did, not like before. Now this girl, this child, was what kept me breathing and what kept my heart beating. And for a moment, for a very brief moment, I forgot what I had been so afraid of. I had imprinted…It was euphoric…

Until I saw Trisha's face, a look of total betrayal.

"Well, I see you've all met Elena," Jacob said, walking into a situation I'm sure he had been dreading since the day of his daughter's birth. "Oh, shit…" His eyes didn't stay on his daughter or me for long, but turned to his niece, who was now backing up trying to find an escape. She found her way to Jake's room, slamming the door behind her, shaking pictures on the wall.

As soon as Trisha was out of the room, my little angel moved in front of me, smiling warmly, my heart melting. "I'm Elena. You must be my imprint."

I nodded to her. "I'm Ethan." She nodded. I noticed the room now, full of people, Paul and Rachel, Nessie and Jake, Emily and Sam, Embry and Leticia, Carlisle and Jasper. All staring at me.

Suddenly my little princess's eyes were filled with worry and concern. She pinched the bridge of her nose, and looked down before looking back up at me. She put her arms up towards me and I lifted her. She hugged me.

"Elena, chipmunk, what's wrong?" I asked her.

She whispered. "I just met her and she's already going to hate me."

"Who?" I asked.

"My cousin, Trisha," Elena's sweet voice said.

Trisha. I could hear her now, in the bedroom, crying. I started to go to her, but Jake stopped me.

"We have some things we need to work out before you see her," he said.

I nodded, placing Elena back on the ground reluctantly as he pulled me to the front porch. "I'm sorry, Jake, I…"

Jake chuckled. "You think I'm mad? I'm not mad, far from it actually. Hell, I've seen the dedication you've had to Trisha over the years and you think I wouldn't want that for me daughter?"

"But, Trisha…"I started, as Jake interrupted again.

"I know how the imprint works, Ethan," he eyed me. "I know right now, you won't be more than her big brother or best friend, but that won't last forever. So, here's the deal, I want you to come back with us, to the Cullens' in Italy. Now, before I say this next part, you have to understand that my niece is one of about five women I adore, and it kills me to do anything that might hurt her. But there are options. If you decide to come back with us to Italy, Trisha is always welcomed to come with you. I don't know what the situation will be like here for you two. However, I think I should warn you that bringing her might just be stringing her along. Carlisle says Elena will be fully matured in less than 5 years. You'll have five more years with Trisha but I'm pretty sure she'll just end up back here in La Push."

Jake had mentioned the one thing I had been fearing about the imprint, losing Trisha. I hated the thought of losing her because I didn't want to think that we'd wasted the last two years, that what we had wasn't strong enough to outlast magic. Then another part of me was excited with the chances that lie in Italy, education, museums, and so much more than I could ever expect from a life on the run or a life stuck here in La Push, where I was clearly not welcomed. I had to talk this out with Trisha.

"I'll give Trisha the option. If she wants to go with us, she will. If not, well, we'll just see what Trisha says."

I found Trisha curled on what had been Jacob's bed long ago, crying into the pillow with no one else around.

"Trisha?" I asked, walking in the room. She sat up and looked at me with her large, beautiful doe eyes.

"What's the verdict?" she asked.

I wasn't confused by the question. I knew what she was asking, wanting to know if I had already given up on us.

"Trisha, I won't make any decision without you, you know that. What did I tell you our first day in Mexico? I'm here until you tell me to go," I said. "Your uncle invited us both to Italy to stay with them. We can leave as soon as the funeral's over. Or, we can always run again." I took her face in my hands. "I will fight for you, you know that. We can go some place different this time, see somewhere we haven't been. I don't know, maybe China or Australia. I'll let you pick, but I will fight for you, you have to know that."

I could see her thinking, examining my face for clues. "But, no matter how hard you fight, Elena will always be your imprint," she whispered.

"Right now, though, I don't think of her in a romantic way. I just want to protect her and be there for her," I said, watching her closely.

"But you will one day, Ethan. You will, you'll love her, more than you ever thought possible. And the time will come when you want to be with her romantically, and I don't want to be the burden you carry, stopping you from being happy," she brought my face eye level with her, stopping to take a deep breath, while tears rolled down her cheeks. "I won't do that to you or to Elena. We've hurt too many people already, Ethan. I've hurt too many people, and I can't do it anymore."

She sobbed for a minute, as I sat silently, listening to every breath she took. "I want you to be happy. You can't do that without Elena, now. And I don't want to tag along, waiting for the day to come when it's over between us. I d-don't want to w-w-watch you fall in l-l-love with her." There was a pregnant pause. "This is n-n-not easy for m-me, Ethan. But, I'm telling you its t-t-t-time. You should go to Italy with them. You deserve that. Think about all the p-p-possibilities."

I couldn't help the tears that were falling. "And what about you, Ray? You just gonna stay here, marry some idiot, have his babies, and spend the rest of your life serving him? That's not you, either, Trisha."

Trisha looked at me. "My place, whether I wanted to admit it or not, has always been here in La Push. I need my family right now, Ethan."

What was happening was hurtful, but I suddenly realized the gravity of the situation. "I'm not ever gonna see you again, am I?" I almost whispered. In our previous separations, most of the time, I had been able to follow her around, see here when she didn't notice me. I knew, if I was in Italy, and she was here, that wasn't going to happen. And leaving her wasn't just leaving my first love. It was more than that. I would never see my very best friend again. The person that I had shared almost everything with since we were little. The girl that I made s'mores with and watched Superman movies with. My first love, my first kiss, the first person to make me jealous of another boy. The one that I loved completely and knew all my secrets. The first and really only person that I made love with. Up until this point, I hadn't really 'seen' another girl but my Trisha. And I was going to lose her, this time, not just for a little bit, but for good.

"You'll see me tomorrow, at the funeral, but that'll be it," Trisha was trying very hard not to completely crumble in front of me, and my chest ached, knowing this was it.

My heart hurt, watching her basically cut me loose. "I'll always love you, Ray."

She took another deep breath and kissed me softly. "And I'll always love you, Ethan. Bu-t-t-t, it's time. Please go, make something of yourself, so I can say, 'Back in the day, I was loved by Ethan Wahalla.'" I nodded, feeling heavy and lightened at the same time. I was worried about Trisha, leaving her here. But I also knew that she'd have more support here than I ever would.

I gave her one hard kiss on the lips, putting years of love and admiration in it, trying to tell her in one kiss how much she had meant to me. She returned it, then pulled away to lay back down. I whispered, "I love you" as I walked out of the room.

I didn't see Trisha again until the funeral the next day. No one did, really. We could hear her crying and I knew it was hurting her, but it was time.

"When we get to Italy, will you tell me about Mexico?" Elena asked.

I smiled at her. "Definitely," I replied, as I took her tiny little hand in mine. She was it now, my reason for existing, little Elena Black.

DAVID'S POV

"David, bro, you out here?" Mark asked as I slid out from under Mom's station wagon, covered in oil. "What are you doing anyways?"

I wiped my hands on a towel. "Well, you know how I pace when I'm nervous? I fix things when I'm sad. Mom's oil needed to be changed, so I did it. Next, I'm hanging that light fixture that's been in a box for three years, waiting for Dad."

Mark chuckled. "Yeah, well, you probably want to get to pacing now."

I stopped and looked at him. "What's that mean?"

"I have news, about your imprint," Mark said, a little bit of solemnity in his voice.

"She's coming home, isn't she?" I didn't want to have hope in that, or to want that so bad. I should hate her and part of me is really, really mad at her. But I've come to find you can't just turn off the emotions that come with imprinting.

"Oh, she's already here, bro," Mark scoffed.

"What'd you mean she's already here?"

"Just that. She's at Billy's as we speak."

I started to the house as Mark called after me.

"There's more, David!" He screamed, I turned around to look at him.

"Is that piece of shit with her?" I hadn't said his name in two years, and I wasn't starting today. I worried what the news might be. Did she show up married with a baby? With his kid? That's not how it was supposed to be. And I didn't know if I could control myself. I won't lie. Two years ago, I wanted to rip him apart, and I don't think anything or anyone could've stopped me once I got started. But a lot happens in two years, including working to control my anger. Now, I can't say I wouldn't kill him, I'd just think about it a little longer before I did it.

"Yeah, see, the news that I have, is actually about Ethan," Mark's vague answers were starting to annoy me.

"Just spit it out, Mark!" I yelled turning to face him.

"Ethan imprinted," Mark smirked.

Whoa! Did not see that coming! "When? While they were gone?" I asked, doing just as Mark had predicted and started pacing.

He chuckled. "This morning. As soon as they arrived. Trisha was hugging his imprint, and in Ethan walked."

"So then who is it? Who's the unlucky lady?" I asked, this time with a smirk of my own.

"You might want to sit down."

"Mark, cut the shit and just tell me."

"Elena Black."

"No fuckin' way?! Man, I bet Jake's about to fuck him up," I laughed.

"And you thought you had it bad with Paul," Mark chuckled. I started to laugh, too, but I couldn't.

I looked at Mark. "Have you seen her? Is she okay?"

He scrunched his eyes and rubbed his face. "Well, I saw her very briefly. She didn't see me, though. I was wolfed out and just happen to run by her window."

"And?" I was getting impatient.

"Well, I can tell you that Ethan and Trisha came to an agreement regarding what's going to happen now that he's imprinted," Mark's voice sounded uncertain, not something common for the wolf being groomed to be Alpha. "Ethan's leaving for Italy with the Cullens tomorrow night after the funeral."

"And what about Trisha?" I asked, anxious to hear about the girl who captured my heart more than two years ago and has held it ever since.

Mark stopped and looked at me. "I thought you had Tiffany now?"

"Ugh!" I said. "I do, but it's not the same. You know what? Nevermind. You can't understand, you haven't imprinted." I started walking off, but my brother the philosopher stopped me.

"Just because I haven't imprinted, doesn't mean I don't know what it's like to love someone, David. You know that," Mark said, shaking his head.

"Is that why you don't think it's weird that I still love, Trisha? After she left me like that?"

"I understand the concept of love and not being able to turn it off and on. That said, don't expect me to jump on the Trisha bandwagon anytime soon. I watched what she did to you, and I won't let her do it again."

"Yeah, but with Ethan gone, do you really think that's an issue? She is staying, isn't she?"

"I'm pretty sure she's staying," there was a pause in Mark's words and then he continued. "Let me tell you what I saw, David. Trisha isn't the same girl that left here two years ago, physically, and what I gathered from the Cullens, mentally, either. You aren't either, bro. If this is what you want, to pursue Trisha, I won't stand in your way, but I also won't go out of my way to make it happen," Mark sighed, as I sat down on the porch.

"You're just saying that because she hurt you too, Mark."

"Let's not talk about that right now," Mark said, quickly changing the subject. "Mom said they need our help setting up chairs at the community center. Wanna give me a ride?"

I laughed, looking at my little brother, who clearly wasn't that little anymore. "You're too good at this, Mark." I slapped on the back. "I love you, little bro." We both chuckled.

"I love you, too." Mark said with a grin. "Can I give you a piece of advice, though?" I nodded. "Don't just go back to her on your knees. She's to blame for the distance between the two of you. You can't just let her back in that easy."

I grinned at him. "So, you're sayin' I play hard to get?"

"Not exactly, David. This is actually as much for her, as it is for you. You can't just beg her to take you back. Remember how you felt when Trisha left? Like you'd been abandoned?"

"Yeah, but what's that got to do…"

"Ethan gave her the option of going to Italy. She turned him down," Mark was trying to look at my face but I hid it. "For once in her life, Trisha seemed to think about someone else's well-being first. It's still hurting her though. Couple that with the fact that her grandfather just died, and no one really knows what to say, she's just…Remember how she was when Ethan left the first time, before you two started doing whatever it was you did."

"Yeah, it was bad," I said, trying not to remember Trisha curled into a ball, feeling every bit of life in her draining.

"This is about ten times worse than that. It has the potential to become a dangerous situation. I know you want to comfort her. I'm pissed at her, and I can't help but feel sorry for her. I need you to promise me, though, that you'll stay away from her…until she's ready."

I started to shake my head, but Mark held his hand up. "I'm not telling you to stay away forever. Just give her a few days. Let her settle back in."

"Mark, she's really gonna need a friend, maybe you could…"

"No, I can't. Your magical connection to her might make you able to forgive her, but I can't… not for a while," Mark sighed.

I watched my brother, my strong, compassionate, philosophical brother. "You're better than that, though, Mark. You'll forgive her someday."

Mark huffed and raised an eyebrow. "Maybe…Maybe…"

We sat in silence for a bit. We were both thinking, my head was starting to ache. I spoke first. "I know this is probably gonna sound weird to you. But—I can't help but want to forgive her, Mark."

"But David, don't you ever doubt everytime she said 'I love you?' Or everytime you had sex, that she was wishing it was Ethan?" Mark had pulled out the big guns on me. Things I had secretly thought but pushed to the back of my head.

"Hmm…" I was thinking again. "I can't say that I didn't worry about those things. But, now, I guess I really don't know." I laughed and gave my brother a one armed hug. "Don't worry, though. I'll do what I can, but I won't play second fiddle. And I won't follow her around like a lost puppy waiting for her to accept me."

"You shouldn't have to. If, a big if, she comes back to you, you have to be it for her. No more whining about Ethan, no more running away when a problem comes, no blaming you for life's problems," Mark said with a smirk.

"She did that?"

He laughed. "Probably, at some point, I'm sure."

"Thanks Mark," I said, flashing him a smile.

"Anytime, bro, anytime."

The next day, at ten o'clock in the morning, I wandered into the community center. I was glad Tiffany was beside me. Yeah, I loved Trisha, but I felt strongly for Tiffany, too. I couldn't love her, no, that word belonged to one person.

I saw the place fill up quickly, the pack, people from the tribe, people from Forks, a few white visitors I didn't recognize. Then there were the Cullens and Billy's family. From the moment I walked in, I was looking for her. Looking over the heads of seven-foot tall men, anxious little old ladies, gossiping about Trisha's sudden reappearance, and then I saw her. She was alone, looking down to the ground, following Rachel and Rebecca. She was dressed in a beautiful black dress, her hair up in a loose bun. I could see that she'd aged some, but she was as the same amazing creature I'd loved.

Ethan sat with the Cullens and Jake, Elena by his side. Behind him, on the opposite side of the aisle, Trisha sat holding Rachel's hand, comforting her, herself about to lose it. I didn't realize how upset the funeral would make me. I hadn't realized the awesomeness that was Billy Black until I heard Jake, Dad, Charlie Swan, and Dr. Fangtastic (Cullen) give such tear-jerking speeches at the funeral. Hell, even Paul freakin' Wise was crying, and that man never cried. For most of us younger wolves, Billy was the grandfather figure who helped us become what we were. But the people whose real grandfather he was…that was not an easy position to be in.

The funeral was long but no one seemed to notice. It was appropriate for Billy. Chief Swan sat a can of beer on the coffin and shared fishing stories, Dad talked about his guidance through difficult times, choking back tears, Dr. Cullen spoke of Billy's leadership and joy at seeing his family grow like they did. When Dr. Cullen was finished speaking, Jake got up to thank everyone for coming, and say a few words about his dad. I couldn't help but look towards Trisha. She was gone. My wolf hearing picked up on the sobs coming from outside the packed Community Center. I could hear her begging Billy to come back. She was apologizing to him through her tears, telling him she was sorry for leaving and that she needed him now more than ever. I instinctively pulled Tiffany closer to me, needing to feel her warmth. She smiled at me, and I was glad only the wolves could hear Trisha. Paul eventually got up and walked out to check on her. They didn't come back in.

After the funeral, after we had said our goodbyes and placed Billy next to his beloved Sarah, the pack gathered at the Wise house for a dinner, intended both to remember Billy and allow the pack to lean on each other and heal.

I saw her sitting in the corner, alone, looking out the window, a picture in her hand. I was trying to inconspicuously make my way to sad figure that sat in the corner. I didn't make it before Tiffany slipped her arm around my waist.

"She looks miserable," Tiffany whispered to me. "She always seemed happy in school."

Tiffany pulled away from me, walking up to Trisha, with a small smile. "I'm so sorry, Trisha," Tiff said. Trisha looked at her, with a sweet smile. "Thanks," she replied and watched Tiffany walk back to me. Trisha's eyes widened as Tiff stood on her tiptoes to kiss me. I took a little satisfaction in the fact that I could almost see Trisha's jealousy.

Trisha got up from her seat by the window, practically running outside. Against Mark's advice, I followed her. Tiffany started my way but I put my hand up. "Give me a sec to talk to her, okay?" I said. She nodded, as I made my way out the door. I didn't see her, but I caught her scent almost instantly. It led me to her, sitting in the hot grass, behind the Wise house, tears in her eyes.

"Trisha?" I half-whispered.

She turned and looked at me with pain in her face. "No, I can't see you right now. I have to think about what I'm going to say to you. I can't… not yet."

I felt a little anger rise in my chest. "No offense, Trisha, but you've had two fucking years to figure out what to say to me. Two years gallivanting around Mexico, while I sat here wondering what I did to fuck up my imprint? "

Her eyes continued to well with tears, as she shook her head. "I'm sorry…I...was just…I wanted…"

I instantly felt bad, treating her like that at her grandfather's funeral. I started to apologize, when I was interrupted by Trisha who stood up, slipped out of her high-heels and ran. I stood watching her, trying to decide if I should go after her. I shouldn't have let her go, I should have run after her. But I didn't.

I needed to get out of here, I needed a release, something to put the look on Trisha's face out of my mind. I found Tiffany, standing with a few women I didn't recognize. "Wanna go back to my house? My parents won't be home for awhile," I asked Tiffany, grabbing her hand.

"Sure," Tiff said, as I carried her to the truck.

I scooped her out of the truck and ran up the stairs to the second floor. I kissed her hard and passionately, tossing her on the bed.

"I love you, David," she said, as I took my place between her legs.

I lied. "I love you too," and continued the kiss.

I remember the sense of release and calm that came with sex, and, now, dealing with everything going on, that's what I wanted, what I needed. I knew there would be no foreplay and no deep loving involved in this.

I kissed her hard, moving my hands to quickly undo the buttons from the back of her black dress, feeling her moan into my mouth at the sensation of my hot hands on her cold skin. I slid her dress off, not being as gentle as I should have been, then ripped at her underwear and then stripped myself. Tiff went back to kissing my lips, and as much as I knew she wanted this to be slow and loving, I needed it quick and hard.

She immediately pushed her hips to me, begging me to enter her, and I was more than happy to oblige. I rolled on my back and roughly pulled her on me, impaling her and groaning at the fiction. She rocked her hips back and forth, nibbling on my ear. "David," Tiffany moaned. She continued rocking. Slow at first, then speeding up her movements.

"Oh…God…David…OH!" She groaned.

I didn't say anything. I closed my eyes tightly, just trying to enjoy the feeling.

"David…David…David!" she kept moaning. She stopped moving for a second. "Why aren't you touching me?" She asked frustrated. I hadn't noticed that my hands were still flat on the bed.

"Oh, sorry," I said, grabbing her boob pretty roughly. She seemed to like it though and gasped. I pulled her breast to my mouth, sucking on her nipple and getting quite the reaction.

"Oh…David…David…DAVID!" I could feel that she was getting really close to her orgasm and that she really liked my name.

I pushed my finger between us, finding her bundle of nerves and rubbing it faster than I'd ever imagined possible. I wiggled my hips a little, keeping my eyes closed but now licking my lips. I grunted and pushed my pelvis up, still rubbing.

"UGH! DAVID!! D-AVID!" She let go and her walls clenching around me set me off. I felt myself letting go, shortly thereafter, smiling at her as she leaned down and kissed me. She was smiling back.

"That was…Whoa," Tiff said, laughing.

"Yeah. I didn't hurt you, did I?" I asked her, feeling my thoughts drifting.

"Not at all," she said as she caught her breath.

I had done a good job of not thinking about her until now. I made the mistake of glancing over at Mark's bed and I was flooded with the memories of the last time I'd had sex in this room. My body tensed and I felt guilt and frustration. Why did I feel like I had cheated on Trisha? For fucks sake, she'd been off running around Mexico for the last two years, probably fucking Ethan like no one's business and never giving me a second thought. So why did I care? Oh, that's right, because I still loved her. Too much for my own good. Seeing her today at the funeral, all I wanted to do was scoop her up in my arms, hold her, and make it better.

But for now, I had Tiffany. She snuggled into me and I kept holding her. But as I drifted off to sleep, only one name and one face was present in my mind…Trisha…

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***NEXT CHAPTER: A Firm Foundation