I do not own Twilight or any of its associated characters, they belong to Stephanie Meyers. Baby Black is mine, and I only wish Logan was mine too…
Summary: Leah and Jacob had been in love. They had loved each other like they hadn't ever loved before. But like all fairy tales and happy endings, the story must end somewhere. Most people think that it is magic when you find the person you love with all your heart, but for Leah, it was magic that took that love and killed her. Enter: IMPRINTING!
PART I SEVEN
Leah bit her bottom lip as she walked outside. She didn't know what she'd say to Logan with Rachel and Paul setting up this obvious meeting between them, making it feel like a blind date kind of deal. She was nervous and she left like all the air in her lungs was being pushed out when she looked at his bright smile. He seemed like a happy guy and it hurt a little wondering if Jacob too was happy. If he was happy with his imprint, the one made for him, his other half, his soul mate. She wondered if he even remembered the first time they danced on the porch to and old tune on the kitchen radio. She wondered if her remembered the night she told him she was pregnant, how they'd made love, softly and with so much ease that it brought tears to her eyes.
Leah sucked in a long line of breath, letting Rachel take a sleeping Ethan from her arms, and patted down her clothes, pulling at her sweater. The sweater was nice but obviously made for short people. Leah's long lean body made the sweater not fully reach her jeans, leaving a little sneak peak of skin right where the bend of her hips began. She'd thanked her wolf healing for her excellent recovery after Ethan's birth, but she still felt somewhat different than to what she was before.
"Go gettem tiger" Rachel whispered to Leah as she kissed Ethan's cheek and wrapped him tighter in the baby wrap.
Tucking a piece of hair that had fallen from her messy ponytail, Leah walked out down the porch and towards the two cousins. She could already feel the blush creep across her cheeks as she neared Paul, who was leaning against the SUV on one elbow, smirking between the two and a calm looking Logan who was letting the corner of his mouth slide up into a smirk as he watched her approach. Rachel was right when she said that Logan was a good looking man, he was tall, obviously muscled and toned from playing baseball, and his green eyes were like a smooth jade. She wondered how many Quileute men had an eye colour other than brown.
"Logan this is Leah, the very sexy and very single woman I have been telling you about, previously known as 'every guy on the resevations wet dream'. Lee this is my cousin Logan Meraz, the owner of one of the meanest right arms in the whole of California." Paul smirked watching the two. He could totally see Leah and his cousin hooking up. Logan was those kinds of guys that had patience while he did not, he had a knack for being good at everything he did, while also being academically blessed. Paul knew that if Logan didn't get his college scholarship via the sports route, he could definitely get one with the grades he pulled.
Logan held out his large hand in front of him for her to take. Leah wasn't used to these kinds of introductions anymore, opting more for a slap on the back or a right hook to the face. Reaching out her own hand, he took it tightly. She could feel the warmth of his large palms radiating through her hand and shooting up into her arm. It was a strange feeling holding another man's hand in her own.
"Nice to finally meet you Leah. Paul and Rachel have told me so much about you" He smiled, showing even his canines. Leah could smell his scent as the wind picked up. He smelt spicy like cinnamon yet there was an underlying sweetness that engulfed him, like a warm sweetness of a banana cake sitting on the ledge of the window to cool.
Leah gulped and felt her eye lids flutter slightly and her nostrils twitch at the strange mix in scent, while still being highly interesting and even nice. "Really?" She asked giving Paul a side glance. "I hope it wasn't all bad"
"Not at all. Most of it very... lovely actually" He said leaning closer, letting his warm breath wash over her. "But I wont hold that against you" He whispered before drawing back.
Leah stood, still with her hand in his, not quite aware that her his fingertips where still brushing against her skin.
"Well we better get going" Paul growled, his eyes looking over Leah and Logan's hands and into the wooded tree line. He could see the faint outline of a huge wolf, and he knew who it was. There was only one wolf that was that size, bigger than the whole pack, and even Sam.
He could only just see Jacob stalking in the trees, taking in the scene in front of them and watching what he was watching, witnessing the exchange between the two. Black was going to be pissed but Paul didn't care. Leah deserved to have fun even if it was for a little while. She'd been so wrapped up in little Ethan, making sure he was looked after, feed and entertained. Paul knew Leah was doting on Ethan to take her mind away from Jacob. Jacob was still on her mind constantly and he often heard her crying on the porch late at night when she though no one was awake. Rachel often got upset that she couldn't do anything to help her friend, and would cry to Paul at night in the privacy of their bedroom.
Jacob Black had broken Leah. Again. Sam had been like a teenage crush compared to Jacob.
After Paul and Logan organised the bags to fit in the boot and Leah hooking up Ethan's car seat to the car. She placed him in his seat and began buckling in as Paul and Logan hoped in the front and Rachel sat on the otherside of Ethan.
"Ugh I am so excited" Rachel beamed, fumbling with her seat belt before slotting it in the buckle. "I've never been there before. Which lodge are we staying at honey?" She asked leaning over to pass Paul a bottle of water from the small bag she had between her feet, filled with drinks and snacks.
Paul smiled, taking the water and placed it in the console between him and Logan. "We are staying at "White Rock Mountain Lodge". Brings back some memories doesn't it cuz" He smirked shoving at Logan's shoulder as he pulled out of the driveway.
"Yeah" Logan chuckled, angling his rear view mirror noticing Leah was staring out the window and into the woods. A small frown formed on his face as he wondered what she could be thinking about. Her chin was resting on her palm, a small pout on her lips.
Man, she's pretty He thought discreetly to himself. But she looks really sad. Must have something to do with the asshole that left her and her kid. What a fucken jerk. He spat internally letting a small frown grace his own lips. Logan knew that if he ever had a chance with Leah he would make sure she'd never want for anything. He make sure that she had everything and anything her heart desired. He'd make a home with her, not just a house, they'd make a family not just have children. He'd even give up his career in the big leagues if she wanted him to. Wow dude, calm down He thought You don't even know her yet.
"Remember the time Uncle Joey punished us for stealing his 100 year old rum? Your dad was crazy but it was worth it. I was so~o drunk." Paul laughed remembering back on his crazy Uncle Joey.
Logan's Dad was never quite the normal parent. Instead of talking the kids down to the playground, he would strap them into wooden push carts to test how fast the carriage would go down a steep hill. Instead of taking the kids to the shallow end of the beach to paddle in the small rock pools, Uncle Joey would grasp Logan and Paul by the scruff of the shirts and throw them off a crowning in the rocks, straight into the surf below.
It wasn't that he was a bad parent, besides the fact he drank way too much and more often than not didn't show up at parent teacher interviews. Uncle Joey was one of those guys that didn't put an importance on class room education. He was adamant in showing Paul and Logan how to be men. He didn't want them to be afraid so he threw them off the diving rocks in LaPush, even though they were screaming and pleading to be put down. And as he'd anticipated once the boys got over the initial shock, they were jumping on their own.
Uncle Joey let them get into fights, he let them tease the farm dogs until they bit them to frighten the youngsters. He wanted them not to fear the world around them, not to let what anybody else said, deter them from living the way they wanted and without fear.
"Heck yes, we were lucky we were drunk other wise we would have died from hypothermia." Logan laughed slapping his hand against the steering wheel.
"Why what happened?" Rachel asked with her eyes wide and listening intently.
"My dad made me and Paul stand out side in the snow till we were sober"
"What's so bad about that?" Rachel scoffed, leaning back into the chair. "You should have seen what happen when me and Becca, we were spanked until our asses turned red. We were always little shit's" She smiled shaking her head at the vast amounts of fond memories she had with her twin.
Logan snorted "Well at least your weren't naked. My father stole our clothes and kicked our asses out the door. And his mountain boots were huge. He told us that he walked 10 miles in the snow to buy the rum when he was younger, so now we had to suffer the same as he did"
"Rach still likes to be spanked" Paul winked at his cousin earning a slap to the shoulder from Rachel in the back seat.
"Shut up Paul" She smiled. "You know, Dad spanked Jacob even harder when he found out he'd pushed Leah over in the dirt and punched Embry in the chest because Jake thought that Lee and Embry where dating. Bear in mind they were like 8. Remember that Lee, when Jake-" Rachel stopped mid sentence when Paul cleared his throat and gave his girlfriend a warning glance. She couldn't believe she'd been so stupid to talk about Jacob.
Logan's eyes widened as he saw a stray tear fall from Leah's eye in the rear view mirror. She didn't move to wipe it away, instead she let it fall until it dropped from the side of her face to her sweater as she continued the stare out the window watching the trees flash by.
Rachel shut her mouth immediately and glanced at Leah waiting for her to be scolded but nothing came. All she was meet with was silence.
"Are you okay Leah?" Logan quizzed, looking back at her breifly over his shoulder. "You need me to pull over?"
Looking back towards the road, Logan slammed on the brakes seeing a huge figure in the middle of the road. The man was easily 6'5 and looked like a gladiator, his russet coloured skin shinning like amour.
Screeching to a halt, with Leah's hand out stretched and holding on to Ethan's car seat tightly and Rachel's squeal coming to a stop, Logan cursed the stupid idiot in the road.
"What the fuck?" Logan glared rolling down the electric window of his blue SUV, he shouted to the man. "Get off the road you idiot"
The large man merely glared back, and stood, balling his fists, making the rest of his muscles tense and un-tense with what looked like rage.
Jeez, he's gonna murder us all Logan thought as the man cocked his head to the side. I know I put my baseball bat in here somewhere!
Paul gave both Leah and Rachel a sorrowful look. "Stay in the car, you two. Don't you move, especially you" He said pointing a finger at Leah.
"What are you doing cuz? That guy is going to grind your bones into ash" Logan asked glancing from his cousin to the man. Logan knew Paul could hold his own, but against that monster, he wasn't so sure.
Leah glanced around Paul's head and saw him. He was standing in the middle of the road in his cut-offs and Nike sneakers. His short cropped hair and the rest of his body seemed to shimmer from the trickles of sweat all over his body. She could tell he'd been running, looking over his heaving broad chest as it moved up and down, his breathes almost desperate.
He looked exactly how she'd remembered. The two months they been apart seemed to fold in half like origami and it felt like it was only yesterday she was being rocked in his strong embrace. His dark eyes were looking over the car and she could tell he was grinding his teeth by the way his jaw flexed and his nostrils flared.
Getting out of the car, trying to steer the pissed off wolf away from both his imprint and Leah, Paul stood directly in his line of vision to the car, making a low growl emit from the Alpha's chest.
"What the fuck are you doing Black?" Paul snarled, curling his top lip up.
"I need to see them" Was Jacob reply as he stepped around Paul, making his way to the car.
Acting quickly Paul rushed in front of Jacob to cut off his path. "I can't allow that to happen man." Paul hissed.
"Get off me Meraz, before I Alpha command you to never see my sister again" Jacob threaten pushing at Paul's forearm to release the grip the lower ranked wolf had on his shoulder. Walking forward again Jacob suddenly felt the large weight on top of him as he tumbled to the ground.
Paul tackled him quickly and they were both sent rolling down the small embankment just off to the side of the road. Tumbling a few meters down Paul was now pinned under the Alpha's weight.
Jacob growled threateningly at him, grasping the scuff of his shirt and yanking his sister's imprinter closer. Before Jacob had time to threaten Paul with a painful and slow death, he heard a soft cry coming from the road above them, which gave Paul enough time to re-act.
Brother in law to be or not, Paul had to get out of Jacob clutches so will a swift strike, he wriggled his arm free and connected his fist with Jacob's face with a right hook as his attention was diverted to Ethan's crying.
"Shit" Jacob spat, rolling off Paul and wiping his nose to find blood staining his palm. Did Paul just fucken hit me? He thought before he saw Paul scramble to his feet, his hands raised ready for an oncoming fight.
"If I wanted to fight you Paul, it wouldn't be in human form" Jacob snarled, staggering to his feet and pinching his blood filled nose to ease the leak until the wolf healing clotted his blood.
Paul ignore his comment and stood staunchly. "You can't see them Jacob." Paul spat, glaring darkly at the true Alpha who stood in front of him.
"And who the fuck are you to deny me" Jacob growled, balling his fists by his side, to stop from trying to rip Paul in half. Rachel wasn't exactly on Team Jacob at the moment and he didn't want to piss her off anymore after the bashing he'd gotten the other day.
Glancing quickly up at the hill they'd roll down, Paul blew out a long line of air, before filling his lungs again with oxygen. "Your going to hurt her again. Leah can't handle it Jacob. I know you want to make an effort but I won't allow it." Paul growled his anger suddenly building. "You can't build her hopes up Jacob, you can't just see them both and act like it's all sunshine and fucking rainbows when it isn't. She still loves you and it kills her. Your killing her Jacob... you have to let Leah go"
Jacob stood shaking his head at Paul. "I can't let her go. I've tried. Every time I look at Nessie I am happy, like my heart is going to explode because she means everything to me. But Leah... I love her, she's like my air. Sometimes I know she's there, blowing gently, but when the wind stops I know she's gone and I miss her. I need her Paul. I need them both."
As Paul was about to speak he was cut off by Jacob.
"I have a son that I haven't seen. I have a son that looks like me and I can't even hold him. I hate how all I can think about is Bella's daughter. I hate how I love her more than my own son. I just want to see him... them - before the battle. I don't know if I'll make it out alive and to be honest I don't know if I want to..."
"I can't change what happened Paul, but maybe if I see Leah, explain that - explain that no matter what Ethan will have a father that loves him. Tell her how much I miss her - I don't know what the fuck I am doing. I don't know how to make this right"
"You can't make it right Jake. Your the Alpha, you are the strongest member of our pack, and if you can't break an imprint no one can. I'm sorry to tell you this but you can't see her. You will only continue to break her heart and I can't let you do that. You don't know what she has been through. Sam left her, Seth left her, you left her. But I'm not going leave her Jake. Me and Rachel love Leah like family, we are not going to let her hurt over you anymore. She deserves better than we've all given her. Shit, I even gave her a hard time but this is different. She didn't need me then, but she needs me now. So when you ask what right do I have to tell you to stay away from her, I answer you this; I am her family Jacob Black. She needs me and I won't fail her. I will not let you hurt her again."
Hearing the snap of twigs Paul spun around to find Leah standing behind him, with her arms folded against her chest. "Paul, go wait in the car." Leah said calmly without any malice in her voice. "I need to speak with Jacob"
"Leah, you shouldn't-"
"Paul please" She begged looking up at him with saddened eyes.
"Fine. But you have 10 minutes. That's it" He snarled, stalking up the embankment.
"Thank you Paul, for everything" Leah breathed out, making Paul freeze a moment before he continued his climb.
Leah turned her head away from Paul to look back at Jacob who stood a few feet away. She wanted to run into his arms, cry on his shoulder and hold on to him so he'd never leave again. But the harsh reality was that the closer she held onto the dream of Jacob, the further he became. Biting down on her bottom lip, she stood, awaiting the last words she may ever have with Jacob Black, the father of her son, the love of her life and the only man that had the strength to break her.
AN: OMG! An update I did it! I don't know where this angsty shit came from but I like it... I have no idea how I am going to keep updating this and La Luna at the same time. One with happiness, one with sadness, but I'll do it, damn you *shakes fist* And yes I am aware that this chapter was meant to be their holiday in Canada... but my mind decided this was the way to go!
I may only have shorty chaps like this one, but that will ensure I don't lose track and continue to push out chapters... \^_^/ YAY! So anyways, I might update 'Hate Me' tonight but I'll see how it goes. If the brain is willing than so is the body! This is dedicated to all the people who dropped me a line and screamed at me to update this story... Much love goes to you!
Ses xoxo
