Chapter 4: Paging Dr. Cullen

"So we're friends now?" Leah burst in a fit of laughter. "I thought you were my therapist?" She was laying on our couch. The whole family had gone out hunting. I had intentionally got off of their rotation so that Leah and I could have the house to ourselves. I think they thought Bella was here and a few times I did hang out with Bella before Leah would come over but Leah was who I was thinking about. She amused me so much and our conversations changed went from a their original dark places and have become something so much more … I don't know I can't really put into words.

"Is that why you lay down every time you come here?" I asked seriously.

"Yeah, isn't that what I'm supposed to do in a session?"

"Some people do," I answered. "I told you before I don't think you need therapy. You just need someone to hang out with … I am more a friend than a therapist," I explained. I watched as she wiggled her bare toes at me.

"Oh, well I guess I should stop calling you Dr. Cullen," she teased and I laughed. She sat upright and balled her feet up underneath her.

"Actually, I kind of like it. It makes me feel important," I chuckled.

"You're important," she said seriously. "So many people care about you and depend on you. I wish more people felt that way about me. I constantly feel like I'm trying to prove myself you know?" I nodded and sat beside her.

"Yeah, I went through a phase like that in my life. I felt pretty invisible in my coven/family. I was the fifth wheel and I hated it so much so that I moved away for about fifteen years," I explained and she gasped. She twisted towards me so she could get a good look at my face.

"Really? How was living alone?" I frowned at her question. "I've always wondered what it would be like to have my own space. However as a Quileute it's kind of frowned upon. They want me married off quick. Well, they used to until this whole wolf thing and now I'm barren so no man wants me. It's all about keeping our tribe and our heritage alive. If I can't bear children I am pretty much undesired," Leah explained dryly with a sigh.

"That's horrible," I said without thinking.

"Yeah well, it gets worse. My mother's bought me all of these yoga and relaxation DVDs to help me learn to control my anger so that I won't phase anymore. Every single time I phase I get looked at with distain but if one of the guys do it they are cheered as the protectors. Everyone considers me an accident. So life on the reservation is pretty shitty. That's why I wonder about living alone. It would nice not being looked at that way every day." I nodded in agreement and gave the past some thought.

"I enjoyed the solitude at first but then I got lonely, but I think that's unavoidable."

"I thought vampires are solitary monsters," Leah asked honestly and I arched my eyebrows.

"You only know that because I told you!" I smirked and she grinned. "Yeah for the most part we do travel in small covens. Our coven is considered quite large but once you get used to being with a group of people then … you miss them. Human nature."

"Monster nature," Leah corrected.

"I think more human nature than anything to do with being a monster," I challenged.

"Well, then you'd have to amend your thought that you don't have a soul because to miss someone, to love them, and to care all comes from the heart … or the soul of a person." She reached out and placed her hand over where my heart should beat. "You can't be soulless Edward, because you do all of those things." Her voice had dropped and the seriousness there was unlike anything I'd ever seen. Leah's eyes I didn't realize the depth in them before. They had to be the warmest caring eyes I've ever looked into. Oh my goodness they should be illegal to look into for but so long. Even with an imprint I couldn't see how someone could walk away from such a face. I looked down at her hand on my chest and I felt anxious and eager for what I don't know.

"Thank you Leah," I said quietly.

"No problem," she smirked a little. She went to move her hand and I grabbed in a reflex move. I liked her touch I could feel her pulse radiating through her fingertips causing my body to vibrate.

"This feels nice," I muttered.

"Yeah," she agreed and then we both heard car doors open. "I gotta bail before my sinuses get attacked. See ya tomorrow?"

"Of course," I replied. She flew through the back door just as Emmett came through the front. I saw her and I heard the millions of question go through his mind. I had a lot of explaining to do.