Illusion never changed
Into something real
I'm wide awake and I can see
The perfect sky is torn.
--Torn by Natalie Imbruglia
Seth grabbed her hand and said, "Lee, I've got to go now." He grinned and put on a dramatic voice as he continued, "It's time for you to face your future."
He let go and grinned widely. Leah's vision became blurry as Seth waved at her, and she was pulled into the whirlwind a moment later.
Leah blinked once. Twice. Three times.
She was back in her boring bedroom. Okay… what was this about?
A voice spoke behind her, making Leah jump. "Hey, honey."
Her jaw dropped, and she was too stunned to move. It couldn't be. Could it?
After a few moments, Leah slowly made a 180-degree turn. She had turned to face someone that she never thought she would ever see again.
"Daddy?" she whispered.
Harry Clearwater crookedly smiled his trademark smile at her from his comfortable position in Leah's desk chair. He got up and strutted over to his daughter, enveloping her in a tight hug.
"My little Lee. My, my. What has happened to you?"
"What do you mean?" she asked defensively.
He gave her a knowing look. "You've been…different. You're not my same sweet little Lee. What happened?"
Leah's face hardened. "You know what happened," she practically spit. "Stupid freaking werewolf genes. Shapeshifting. It has ruined my life." She looked up at him and stepped back. "It took the most important things in my life away from me. It took my femininity, my ability to have kids! I'm freaking menopausal! It took Sam away from me with imprinting." Leah didn't bother holding back the tears as she quietly whispered, "It took you away from me."
"Leah, I will always be with you," he replied. "Always. But what isn't always going to be with you is the choice of what life you want. There are different paths that you can take, but only one of them will be your future. You need to decide."
And on that note, Harry Clearwater grabbed his daughter's hand, and they were both enveloped in another belly-button gripping whirlwind.
The sound of giggles filled the air around Leah. The disorientation made her dizzy, but she could still place herself.
Apparently, she was on First Beach with Jacob Black and her baby brother. And she was giggling. This was odd.
Leah saw herself laughing and being chased around by her alpha as Seth just sat on a log, laughing at all the ridiculousness.
"JACOB!" Leah heard herself shout. "Leave me alone!"
Jacob just laughed uproariously and then sped up. Within a matter of seconds, he launched himself at Leah, and the two of them were on the ground laughing.
"You guys," Seth began. "Are we ever going to get this pack picnic started?"
"Sure thing," Leah laughed. "As soon as Jacob lets me up, we can finally eat the awesome sandwiches that Mom made."
Immediately, Jacob got to his feet and was opening the picnic basket in a matter of seconds. Stupid wolf boys and their insatiable appetites, Leah thought.
She continued to watch the happy scene with Harry right by her side. As she saw herself laughing at all the stupid things that Seth said and did, Leah failed to see the small shy smiles that Jacob would give her when he looked at her and his blushes whenever she looked to talk to him.
Leah could only concentrate on how happy she was, how happy she could be. Her heart fluttered at the thought that she could be happy.
"Leah, honey," Harry said softly. Leah turned around. "This is your way out. You don't have to spend the rest of your life as the…how do they say it? Oh yes, the "bitter harpy." You can be happy."
"So this is only one option? What happens if I can't be happy?" Leah asked. She had to know.
Harry took her hand, and the happy scene faded away.
The chapel looked oddly familiar. The flowers and wreaths that decorated the church sharply contrasted with the mood that filled the room. Leah was confused until she saw—front and center—the long oak box and an enlarged picture of herself. Everyone was dressed in black. Tears filled the women's eyes and the men quietly stood with grave expressions on their faces.
Seth had his arms around Sue, who was sobbing hysterically. Leah felt pride surge through her as she saw that Seth hadn't shed a single tear. There was no doubt that they were related in her mind.
Jacob was standing next to the coffin, his great shoulders shaking. Was Jacob Black actually crying?
"Damn it, Leah. What the hell were you thinking? How could you leave them like this? Leave me?" he whispered. "You just had to be so goddamn selfish. You just couldn't get over Sam and finally move on with your life."
His words tore at Leah as she realized the truth behind them. She had been selfish by letting her problems eat at her.
Hearing low voices behind her, Leah turned around to find Quil, Embry, Jared, and Paul huddled together guiltily.
"Damn. I can't wrap it around my head. Leah's…dead," Quil said. "I thought she was invincible."
Paul snorted. "We're werewolves. We are invincible."
"So then how did this happen?" Jared retorted.
There was silence for a moment. They all knew what happened. Leah didn't.
Embry looked up and solemnly said, "Maybe…maybe it's a good thing that she took those pills. She's been so damn miserable for the longest time. Maybe it's better this way."
"Yeah," Paul replied. "She'll be happy without having to deal with Sam, and we'll be happy without having to deal with her."
Leah wanted to feel angry and rip out Paul's throat, but all she felt was doubt and an overwhelming sadness. She couldn't have committed suicide over Sam. That was completely impossible. She was stronger than that. She wasn't that miserable and bitter. Was she?
"She was such a bitch," Paul continued. "I'm kind of glad she's gone."
The other three nodded in agreement. Guess Leah wasn't loved so much for her attitude.
Harry held her back with a hand on her shoulder, which calmed the tremors immediately.
"Leah."
That one word triggered the tears to fall. Leah turned her tear-stained face into her father's shoulder and just cried.
"Daddy, I don't want this. This can't be it. This can't be what happens to me," Leah cried.
Harry sighed. "Leah, honey. This doesn't have to happen. You can go down another path. A better one. You just have to choose how to live.
"If you keep going the way you have been—unhappy, bitter…This is how it will be. But if you change and accept things the way they are, you have a chance, Kid. That could lead to endless possibilities. All I know is, by going down this depressed path of yours, you've got only one destiny that ends with you losing.
"You've always been the girl that won't accept losing without a fight. I hate seeing you easily defeated. I want you to be happy."
Leah looked up into her father's eyes. "You really think that I can do this."
"I believe that you can do anything."
Back in her room, Leah and Harry stood for what seemed a long while, with Leah staring at the floor and Harry biting his bottom lip.
"So," Leah awkwardly began. "Is this it?"
Leah didn't want it to be over. She didn't want to give up this precious time with her dad.
Harry reached out and put his hand to her cheek, memorizing her face. "Oh, honey. Never. It is never the end. This is just the beginning."
"But, Dad…I—I need you," Leah stuttered.
"There are two things I know for sure, Lee. You are a gift to your mother and me, an incredible gift, my little girl. I've always asked myself what is it that I have done to deserve you. With all that I've done wrong, I must have done something right in order to have someone as special as you. But then, you don't need me. You've always been a little independent soul that never needed anyone to hold her hand. Not a boyfriend, not your friends, not even me."
Leah's eyes filled with tears as she said, "But I want you here. I want you to be a part of my future. I wanted you to see me get married, have a family, be happy. But you're not."
"I'll always be there, Leah, honey. No matter what decision you make, whatever path you choose, I will always be there. But everything that happens in your life is ultimately your decision. You have a long life ahead of you. I'm glad I was at least part of it for a while.
"'All the precious time, like the wind, the years go by. My precious butterfly, spread your wings and fly,'" Harry Clearwater quoted.
And with that, Leah's father disappeared.
All that was left for Leah to do was to make the most important decision of her life.
A/N: I thought I should just say everyone should listen to Bob Carlisle's song
I know that some of you might be confused by Harry being the ghost of the future and not the past. Personally, I thought that he should be a significant character and that, despite that he is of Leah's past, he has an enormous impact on her future. He has been and always will be a huge part of her life.
And I should also apologize for not having updated in, like, forever. I'm sorry. One, only 12 people responded to my last demand of 15 reviews. Plus, I've been suffering from the worst—a combination of writer's block and ADOS. But now that school is finally done, I'm going to try really hard on finishing this story and starting up my new one. So if you guys are interested, put me on Author Alert and you should be notified of my new story.
Please review. I don't know if I did this chapter the justice it deserves. And I would really love to hear back from ya'll as to what you think about the story.
I'll try to update soon. It would probably be the last chapter of this story :'( But I'm considering an epilogue if enough people ask for it.
Yours,
innocent romantic