Amara quite liked Emily's house. She also loved spending time with Emily herself. Part of it was because watching Maximus and Emily interact was like watching Percy and Maximus interact. It was a familiar sibling-like relationship that did well to remind Amy how much Max truly loved the idea of family; even if he never was able to have a real one growing up.

Amy also liked watching the people who turned up at Emily's house. It had only been two weeks since Maximus and Amara had arrived, but most of their days had been spent at the aunt's house. Amy quickly realized she didn't mind as much as she thought she originally would've.

Surprisingly, Amy didn't spend the majority of her time people watching. At first, the men that filtered in and out let her have her own space.

Sam and Maximus were bonding, in their own odd way. Max was the young spirited man and Sam was the father like figure to even his friends, but they were the same age. Their personalities never clashed though. Sometimes Amara would catch them whispering to each other in the corner of the kitchen. She'd catch Emily's name being thrown back and forth multiple times, their faces somber but warm as they talked. Other times they were the center of attention as they cracked jokes with each other.

Eventually though, after three days of Amara silently drinking her coffee or tea on the couch as the others mingled throughout the day, they refused to leave her alone.

"My names Jared." Jared suddenly stated after coming into the quiet house. All the others, as usual, were out front talking, eating, and drinking. Jared stepped inside, right up in front of Amy, who was positioned so she could see out the window at everyone. "Come outside, I want you to meet the others." He said this with a big grin. He was referring to a new girl, along with the guys that she had never been officially introduced to. Behind him Amy had seen many of the guys turn to watch. Obviously, they had sent Jared in to win Amy over.

It only took a couple of words to get the woman outside. After that no one let her be by herself whenever she visited the house. Usually it was Embry or Quil that made her join. Though other times it was Sadie or Claire, the two little sisters of Max, who had started to visit more frequently, that would tug the ginger along with them. The others would talk to her whenever they saw her, but were never the type to force her along.

For instance, many times she'd find herself talking to Seth, a very innocent and sweet boy, about La Push and Forks. He'd tell her everything and anything she wanted to know about without pause. He never seemed bothered by her questions or tired by the long explanations he gave. Usually their conversations would morph into her asking how he was and him relaying any events that had recently happened in the group. She'd let him run off to his friends, even in the middle of talking, if they called. And he'd ask her to join, once, out of politeness, but never twice.

Or she'd curl up on the couch early in the morning, since Max always wanted to drive over as soon as he was awake, with a cup and puzzle book. Jared would, usually, show up an hour after the newcomers arrived, and sit down right next to her. At first he gave his distance, at least the entire couch, and would never say more than 'Good morning'. However, it didn't take long before he began inching a little bit closer each day, talking more and more. 'Have a good morning?', 'Max rush you again?', 'What're you drinking?', 'What're you doing?'. It all ended with him sitting thigh to thigh with her, half of his body strewn across her lap as he laughed and made jokes, poking fun at her, or wanting her to read out loud if she happened to bring a book.

And Amy didn't mind. She didn't mind Jared using her as a pillow as she read in the morning, how sickly sweet Seth naturally was, the way Quil would force her to play with him, Claire, and Sadie if he was the only one inside, how Embry would forcibly sling an arm around her to tug her outside so she could be with everyone, or how Jacob would treat her like a part of his group and berate her when she forgot to talk.

She secretly loved it all.

"You don't have to join them if you don't want." Leah said one day, eyes focused on the group trying to strangle each other before her. It was the first words she had ever spoken to Amara. Amy gave a sideways glance to the copper skinned woman, who stood about five inches shorter than herself.

"And you can join them if you want." This gave a swivel of a head. Amy doesn't drop the brown eyes that suddenly meet her hazel ones.

"What?" Leah asks, bite almost immediately back into her voice. Amara blinks slowly, wondering if she shouldn't have started their conversation in such a deductive fashion.

"You always hang back and watch them instead of joining." The redhead states. "I don't think you're like me, either." Leah narrows her eyes, obviously becoming annoyed.

"What does that mean?"

"I like watching. I don't mind not being apart of things. I don't think you're like that."

"You don't what I'm like period." Leah growls this.

Yet instead of stomping off, as she usually did when she was mad, she stilled herself. She paused at Amara's side, head tilting down towards the ground.

"I...don't." Amy finally says. It's soft. "Sorry. I didn't mean to offend you." Leah gives her a look.

"You didn't. If I was offended that easily I wouldn't have stuck around with all of these idiots." She throws her eyes back to the group, which had turned into a sketchy wrestling matching between Collin and Brady. Leah crosses her arm tightly across her chest.

A silence emits between them, then. A pregnant pause as Collin throws Brady off of him and then pins the other boy quickly under him. Jacob hollers out a winner and Collin jumps up with a hoot of victory, throwing a winner's grin Max's way, who was cheering the loudest out of them all. Amy finds her eyes following Paul, who was shirtless as he cracked his neck, waving for Jared to join him in the ring of people. Paul was smirking ear to ear, confidence rolling off of him as Jacob began a countdown for the wrestling to begin. When their bodies smacked into one another, Amy heard Leah snort.

"Paul is going to win." Amara hums at Leah's remark. "He's the strongest."

"Is he really?" Amara inquires, watching as Paul butts Jared's attempt of a grapple. "All of them look like they could be body builders.

"They do, don't they?" A funny smile curls on Leah's lips. "You're not too far off. Heard you did...weight training?" Amy nodded.

"In high school and college. It was something to do."

"I understand that. Your town as quiet as this?"

"No," Amara crosses her own arms. "But it felt like it. At the time. Now...My memories of Nevada are too loud." Amy found her eyes drifting to the grass, her fingers embedding themselves into her arms as she felt one of her "episodes" slowly creep close.

Her memories of Nevada were loud because they were filled with Percy's voice. Him talking with Max. Him asking how Amy's day went. Him playing with their dog Canis. Him complaining about work but reassuring everyone that he was fine. Percy was always "fine" in Amara's memories of him. Maybe that's why he-

"Let's wrestle." Leah's prompt is so sudden it shakes Amy from her mind's cage. Hazel eyes flickered down to chocolate brown ones. "You were some weight lifter, right? I bet you've lost all that muscle since college."

"Perhaps. But I will inform you I've been wrestling since before I could ride a bike."

Something sparked in both of the women's eyes then. A competitive sparkle that made them both tense up at the challenge. Paul and Jared had just finished their spout and, as they were leaving the circle, Leah quickly called out that she was next.

"Wait, really Leah?" Seth asked, surprised his sister was joining in the horse play.

"If she's in than I-" Jacob began, but was quickly cut off by Amy's hand flying into the air.

"I'll wrestle you, then."

Leah walked into the circle, rolling her arms back in a threatening kind of fashion - to intimidate Amy. However, the red head confidently walked over to the circle. As she went she stripped herself of her sweater, pushing it into Paul's chest as she passed him, revealing her body tight undershirt.

As the woman stretched, muscles were seen moving under her top. She lowered her stance, a curl of a smile lighting her face at the sudden idea of wrestling. Leah appeared just as ready, fighting to try and give a serious look, but failing as she couldn't contain her obvious excitement.

"Twenty bucks on Amara." Max said before Jacob could even start counting down. Jared rose a brow, elbowing the other. Jacob started counting down from three, then.

"I'll take you up on that. Raise you ten, though, 'cause Leah's definitely going to win." Jared retorted.

"Hah. I'm betting on Amara too." Paul stated, nudging his way between the two.

As soon as Jacob said 'go', Amy sprung off of her feet and dove into Leah.

The two girls ended up wrestling a handful of times, four and a half in total. The half being from when they had started, but were stopped by Emily calling everyone for dinner. On the way inside the boys were yelling and bickering over Leah's and Amara's heads, trying to figure out who won over all since the women evenly tied in wins and loses.

"You're pretty strong." Paul admitted once dinner had been finished and most of the guests had left to return home. The only people left were the Uley's, Max, Collin, Amy, and Paul. The Uley's had retired early while Max and Collin had slipped out the back door to chat. Paul had stopped Amy before she could go out front to wait in Max's truck, Blueberry.

"I am." Amara said simply. "I told you." Paul's eye twitched but he sucked in a quick breath.

"You...Did. Guess I should've believed you." He shrugged it off, a grin forming. "But I did bet on you. Didn't I? That counts for something." Amy hummed, leaning against the living room wall with her hands intertwining over her abdomen.

"I suppose it does." She mused. Her eyes trailed over Paul, then. They fluttered across any features that stood out along his copper toned body. He would've liked to assume she was checking him out, but her lips were in the usual straight line and her eyes showed no other ulterior motives than studying.

"So," Paul began slowly. "Why did you and Max move all the way to Washington?" He hated small talk as much as the next person, but it was the only way he could get to know the silent woman. A faint brow lifted into red curly bangs at his question.

"Didn't you hear from the others? I assume information travels fast between you all." It did. Paul had heard the story a handful of times. Each one different and more twisted depending on which wolf explained it. Sam had said it was simply because Emily had invited them both. Yet Collin said that Amara had forced Max to take her with him. And then Quil had mentioned something about Max coming down to see his family so that he could steal Claire away from him and "oh Amy came too".

"Maybe. But I want to hear it from you." Amy avoided answering. This was the one valid piece of information Paul had gotten: Amy hated talking about and divulging things about herself. It was why Paul had started relying on second hand info from the pack. Also why he asked Emily how the hell she was able to talk to the ginger so well. It seemed like literally everyone, other than Collin and Paul, were able to talk to Amy without hitch. Even though she was annoyingly criptive. Like, who the hell liked people-watching and keeping silent? Apparently Amara.

Paul decided to listen to the advice Emily had given.

"I moved here when I was eight." When hazel eyes snapped to him he quickly looked away. He cleared his throat. Wow he..really was not prepared to share information about himself. No wonder Amara hated doing it. "Came up with my dad from Tacoma."

There it was. The spark in her eyes. He tried to push down the sense of achievement welling up in his chest. It was the first time she'd given him that look of interest. Finally. He'd seen her get that look with everyone - even Leah.

"Only your dad?" She asks softly.

"Yeah. It was right after the divorce." Amy silently nodded. Then, after a pregnant pause, shifted in her position on the wall.

"Emily invited Max down to visit her. I…" She slowly breathed in. She took another look over Paul, this time meeting his slate brown eyes. Amy pursed her lips tightly. "Max asked if he could bring me. Because I had nowhere else to go and he wouldn't leave me." The corner of her lips twitched. "You might not have known him for longer than two weeks, but I've known him my entire life. He doesn't leave people."

"What happened?" Amara's brows furrowed and Paul pocketed his hands. "I mean, why didn't you have a place to stay?"

His question is reasonable. Amy knows this. But by giving him a small piece of intel, he would want more. The same way that she wanted to know more about him. She wasn't sure why - well… Amy knew she liked knowing any and all things, especially about strangers. She wanted to get to know the people she was going to be spending time with, for it eased her nerves. She was never a people person. But for some reason she wanted to know more about Paul. At least had more of a want to forwardly seek out information about him more than the others.

"Do you live in Emily's house or do you live else where?" Paul's eyes narrow at the obvious duck around his question, but can't smother a grin. This was the most she'd ever spoken to him.

"Just because I hang around here doesn't mean I'm taking up one of their rooms." Paul shook his head. "Like I said, I'm with my dad." He leaned forward a bit.

Amara is hit with multiple scents washing over her from the man's closeness. There was the smell of pine and something like a wet camp fire. There was also smoke. Different from a put out fire. No, this was a vivid smell of cigarettes. Amy can tell that it's the same brand from her childhood.

"What about your parents?" He asks this with no hesitance. To anyone it would be a simple question. He raises a curious brow, not noticing the way Amy stiffens.

"My parents." She repeats. "My parents...Aren't together anymore either."

"Sorry," He replies gruffly. He hadn't seemed ready to hear that Amy's family wasn't put together. He had expected her to give some acute description of her folks. He isn't sure how to move on, the silence surrounding Amy now, for once, awkward. He glances away, his eyes catching sight of Max and Collin out the back window.

"Don't apologize. It was a long time ago. I think...when I was ten?" She hums to herself, fingers moving to push at her cheek in thought. Her memory was usually crisp and quick, yet when it came to her childhood, which she tried her best to forget, the small facts sometimes became lost to her. "My turn-"

"Your turn?" Paul muses. Amy cutely tilted her head to the side.

"Aren't we taking turns asking questions?" The man blinked slowly, and then started laughing. "I...Did I miss something? Why're you laughing?"

"I just.." He brought a large hand up to try and smother his chuckling. He pushed at his mouth, wiping away his too large smile. "The only way I can get you to talk is by asking you questions. You just like asking them too."

"I…" Amy then nodded. Her pale speckled cheeks faintly colored as she tucked a curl behind her ear. "Sorry. The only way I could get you to talk was by asking you questions." She then flitted her hazel eyes from the ground to meet Paul's head on. He just then realized that they were the same height.

Maximus and Collin comes back inside, covering their laughs as they hushed each other to be quiet, as the new Uley couple was trying to sleep upstairs. They stop in their tracks though when they see the two other adults in front of them. Amy was leaning back against the wall, Paul, to Max, looking as if he was cornering the woman. He was too close in the man's opinion so, before Collin could grab him, he marched closer.

"Sorry," He bit out, large smile pulling sourly up on his cheeks. "Me and Amy have to start heading back." Paul casted a pissed look to Max, for interrupting. However, before he could open his mouth to spit something venomous out, Amara slipped out from him and moved around to grab her sweater hanging on the couch's armrest. She quickly tugged it on over her head and then turned eyes to Max, giving a tiny nod. The man very visibly relaxed. The look he turned onto Paul was half of the intensity from before and Paul wondered if, somehow, the non-shifter had imprinted too.

Maximus was quick to exit the house after he said goodbye to Collin. Amy, however, stopped in the doorway.

"Goodbye, Paul." The man stiffened but gave a terse nod back, large hand flying up to give a clumsy wave. As soon as the door shut he slapped said hand to his face and angrily dragged it down til it fell. Collin walked up to his side. The two men stay silent as they watch the bright blue car pull out and quickly disappear into the trees.

"So." Collin said, glancing to the shorter male.

"Shut up." Paul snapped, turning to start stomping toward the back door.

"I didn't say anything!" Paul whipped around, swiping at Collin, who quickly jumped back and out of reach.

"You were thinking something stupid." The boy glared, but Paul was already through the back door, shifting, and running into the forest.

Probably to go visit Amara, Collin thought grumpily.

"So?" Max asks, pearly white teeth full in his mouth. He was trying his hardest to keep his eyes on the road, but his giddiness kept bringing them to Amara. She too had a goofy smile that she was trying to hide with the back of her freckled hand. Be it from what they both had just been laughing about, or from what Max was prompting. He couldn't tell.

"So what?" She hissed.

"So why've you been watching Paul?"

"I watch everyone." She replied quickly. There's a silence immediately after she realizes her mistake. Max started snickering evilly and the woman's hand slides up to cover her eyes.

"You can't deny it. I can see you smiling!"

"You should only be seeing the road."

"Amyyyyy-" He begins to whine. The noise immediately makes the woman stiffen.

"Look." Max grins when the redhead breaks. She peeks through her fingers and puffs out her cheeks in irritation. It was a rare expression. "He's nothing physically interesting. Well, of course he is as oddly muscular just as the other men in La Push. You have noticed that, right? I mean I noticed that he is shorter than the most of them but he is...thicker. Which by the way, means that he's the oddity of the oddity. What do they all do all day that leads to that kind of build? It's not just in their arms, chest, or legs, it's spread all over. I've been trying to think of ways that they can grow such a build with different activities within the limited area of La Push but I'm unable to think of anything that would suffice. And we have been practically living with all of them for weeks and yet I have never seen one of them work out. And it's also not like he has any particular beauty to him. Of course I'm not saying he doesn't have an excellent appearance. But it was nothing that particularly jumped out at me. Nothing like some of the people who traveled through Henderson, you know the ones I'm mentioning, right? The ones Percy would stop in the middle of the street just for a polaroid of them so he could add them to his photo book? Of course I guess there is something to Paul that's created some kind of… fascination. I thought it could be that he was first introduced to me as the "table breaker" but now it's more than that. I think it's more than that? I'm not really sure myself because it has only been two weeks and I've only started to find my eyes on him more the last couple of days. Plus the only time we spoke before tonight was him belittling me and-"

"So why do you like him?"

"Exactly! Why do I-" Amy stops. Like a video freezing up. Dark hazel eyes snap to Max, who's begun to shake as he swallowed his laughing. He took one look at Amara and he burst with loud, gut trembling laughter that shook him and the truck. "Stop the car, I want to hit you."

"I'm sorry I'm sorry!"

"Seriously, pull over."

"Amy- Amara you're making that scary face again."

"Maximus."

"Ow! Ouch Am- ow! Amy stop! I'm sorry!"