Disclaimer: I do NOT own the Twilight series by SMeyer. This is written for entertainment purposes only and no profit is made from production.

Wow. Okay. You can totally crucify me if you want to. I'm a day late. I feel terrible. Like bad enough to cry for y'all. I'm SO SORRY! This chapter was impossible to write. I wanted to make it long like the others—around 10 pages—without making it boring or redundant. Didn't succeed too much but oh well. I promise the next ones will be more interesting. I'm just kind of building relationships here and showing Kim the way of the wolf pack.

Oh and where the heck did all my reviewers go? SIX? That's the least I've had since like chapter 1. Made me a little sad. :*(

Here y'all go. SO SORRY again.

The Purple Sea Lion

~*~*~

"I am so glad you three are here." I sighed, referring to Jacob, Quil, and Embry. "I'm bored to death and the night has yet to start."

"There's food. Would it make you happier if I got you some, my little rainbow?" Quil asked.

"No. I'd just vomit all over you."

"Oh…okay…" He grimaced. "Well, try to be happy. I mean, you do have me after all."

"Har." I said blandly.

I sat down at one of the logs around the yet-to-be-started fire and looked grim. I would've kept doing so until Jared sat down next to me.

"This isn't considered stalking if we both happen to be in the same place, is it?"

"No."

"Okay, good." He smiled. "Here. You looked terribly bored. Or angry. I couldn't tell."

"Both, I suppose. Thanks." I took the drink he offered me and sipped it. I was more of a water fan, but the fizzy soda gave me a little boost.

"Is Lenora any better?"

"I called her but her dad said she was asleep. That's good. Unless she's dead. Then it's not." I said. "Do they have cookies up there?"

"I think so. Probably, actually."

"Can you get me a few?"

"Sure."

Hehe. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad. As I was waiting for him to return with my cookies a young woman sat down next to me. I didn't recognize her at first, but when she glanced at me and offered a smile that flashed the disfigured side of her face, I knew instantly.

Emily Young wasn't a native of the Quileute Tribe. She was from the Makah reservation up north and had moved her for the sole purpose of moving in Sam Uley. For that reason alone she was considered strange, just like her fiancée. People knew that she was a second cousin to Seth and Leah Clearwater, and used to be a good friend of Leah's until well…the boyfriend-stealing started happening. It was around the time that Sam broke up with Leah that people started suggesting he had gotten into something shady. He had been gone for a couple weeks and suddenly showed up again, not saying a word. Naturally in a small town people had to talk.

Unfortunately for Emily and Sam the gossip didn't stop there. A while after that Emily was taken to the emergency room for a bear attack. At first no one had known it was a bear attack and there was more gossip going on about domestic violence, since Sam's father wasn't known as the…most level-headed of men and there was no telling what type of man Sam would be. It was later on that it turned out to be a bear attack. People got some sort of sick fascination out of staring at her face, but I thought it was just unfortunate. She didn't deserve that, even if she had stolen her own cousin's boyfriend.

"Hi." She greeted me, totally at ease.

"Hey."

"You're Kim, right?"

"Uh…yeah." I said, confused.

"Jared's talked a lot about you lately."

"Oh. That's funny."

"Why is that?" She asked me softly.

"I haven't been very forth-coming. I'd imagine it's nothing but terrible things. 'She curses a lot and says rude things. She won't listen to what I have to say and mocks me.' Something along those lines."

"Oh. Well we never heard any of that. Just great things. That you're beautiful, and funny, and very intelligent, and stubborn, which is one thing he says he likes most."

"Huh."

"Not a big fan of him, are you?" Emily smiled knowingly.

"He's a bit…obnoxious. He's always hovering, and following, and interrupting, and being generally stalker-like."

"Yep! Sounds exactly like an imprint." Emily laughed. Then she frowned. "You know that, right?"

"Eh. I know the general idea. Can't say I believe in it much. I still think he's flown off his rocker. But whatever he wants to believe in he can go for it. Just as long as he eventually leaves me alone."

"I wouldn't count on that anytime soon."

"Oh really?"

"Imprinting is forever, you know."

I was silent.

"Well freaking great." I said sarcastically. "Why don't you just shoot me now?"

"It's not that bad. I mean, he is a free slave." Emily smiled, winking her good eye at me.

"That's about it. I can't handle being constantly followed around. It's annoying to think that days ago he didn't even know I existed. Suddenly he's taking drugs supplied by your fiancé and he realizes that a Kimberly Connweller does exist, even after we've spent all our lives in the same classes. I have a right to be pissed, right?"

"Wait. Drugs?" Emily asked in confusion. "You think Sam is supplying Paul and Jared with drugs?"

"Well what am I supposed to think? Nobody ever said what happened to Sam a while back, and suddenly Paul and Jared disappear too, acting all high and goofy and drooling on the floor like a dumb dog. It seems like drug-like qualities to me."

"I can absolutely guarantee you that there is nothing illegal about what's going on with them." Emily said, looking disgruntled.

"Then what is it?"

"It's not really my—"

"Let me guess. It's not your place to say anything?" I wondered.

"Yeah." She sighed. "This is difficult."

"I'm sure it is. Imagine how I feel." I snorted. "I'm just trying to be normal and let him work out his addictions with whatever this is and myself. I'm thinking I'd prefer he ignore me."

"You want some advice?"

"Uh, sure. I guess." I shrugged.

"He's a teenage boy, right? He knows you don't particularly like him or have any attachment to him and he's worried. He's worried that if he doesn't keep a constant eye on you you'll just up and disappear. If you gave him some kind of reassurance that you won't suddenly kick him out on his ass then he won't be as hovering and over-bearing to you. He'll relax. Believe me, I know."

"Okay." I nodded slowly. "I guess that makes sense. But…I can't do any of that until I know I won't kick him out. I'm still not sure, you know. Two days isn't enough to make a decision to hang around with him."

"Understandably." Emily smiled again.

"So you and Sam are…well, you know." I shrugged.

"I guess…if I know what you're speaking of. We are engaged. We are together. We are an item."

"Noooo! I meant like…are you…well…in like?"

"Ah…I see." Emily smirked. "We're in love, yes."

"Huh. Strange."

"What's strange about that?" Emily wondered, raising an eyebrow.

"Oh nothing. You guys are awfully young."

"What are you, my mother?" Emily teased.

"If I was I'd probably tell you not to date that boy." I said, grinning back.

"I really wish you could just know. That way you could understand Sam's not a bad person. At all. And if it wasn't for him you would be—"

We were interrupted by several shouts that drew the attention of the entire party. Emily and I twisted on her spots on the log to peer back behind us, near the shore, where we spotted Embry and Paul. Oh boy.

"I don't know who the fuck you think you are, but you better sure as hell never go near Lenora again. After what you did to her, you should be fucking skinned alive." Embry shouted.

"Don't you ever fucking tell me what to do when it comes to her. I'll do what I damn well please and a scrawny pussy like yourself isn't going to have any say in that." Paul scoffed.

"Here's what I'm telling you to do—leave her alone. Lenora doesn't need your attitude around her. She certainly isn't interested in going out with you. Not when she has me." Embry glared.

"What?" Paul hissed, his eyes lighting with some kind of fire I'd only seen when he nearly beat the shit out of someone.

"Embry! Stop it!" I shouted, standing up.

"This is between me and him, Kim." Embry said without looking at me. "I said, I'm going out with Lenora. I asked her and she agreed. I guess that means you lose, dick!"

"There's no way she's going out with you, you miserable little fucker. She's not yours!"

"And she's yours? Like I'll believe that in a million years. She hates your guts, I'd like to remind you!"

"I'll bet she's just going out with you because you're a pathetic little pussy and she felt bad for you. But I'd imagine that's all you could be when you hang out with morons like Ateara and Black." Paul motioned to Jacob and Quil who were seated some ways behind Embry. That didn't particularly make them happy campers.

"There's nothing more to discuss, Paul. Lenora's not yours for the choosing. She can choose the guy she wants to go with, and that just so happens to be me. So fuck off before I make you."

Thinking of Embry fighting Paul was really very terrifying, mostly because I knew Paul could fight and had seen him in action too many times. In all reality, he and Embry were matched. Embry had grown so much and put on so much muscle that it was hard to tell who would actually win. Nonetheless, I didn't even want to be witness to one of my good friends fighting my arch enemy.

"Emily, they're going to fight!" I said to her.

"I know." She said grimly.

"Can't we do something?"

"I would not get in the middle of that. Paul has a temper, as you know." She said.

"And Embry's never fought a single time in his life! He's going to be ripe for the killing!"

"Don't be so over-dramatic, Kim." I turned to glare at Jared as he plopped down next to me, holding out cookies on a plate. "They'll survive."

"I'm glad they will! I don't want anyone injured either." I hissed. "Embry's my friend. And Lenora wouldn't want them fighting over her like this."

"It's okay, Kim. You might be surprised at who wins."

"I don't want to be surprised. I don't want to go to a funeral, either." I snorted. "Jared, I'm commanding you to stop them!"

"This isn't like Ella Enchanted." Jared said, taking a giant bite of a brownie. "Just because I say I listen to you at one time doesn't mean I necessarily will at a different time."

"You are an asshole!" I glared, waving obnoxiously at him.

"You're going to make me leave? You're a pussy. You can't do anything to me." Paul chuckled, shoving Embry once in the shoulder.

"Don't touch me you dick! And yes, I will make you leave. Nobody wants you here." Embry gritted out, refraining from striking out.

"Jake! Quil! Can't you do something?" I yelled to them. They jerked, probably just as surprised as everybody else that Embry was…well…freaking out a little bit.

"I don't want to get in the middle of that." Jacob snorted.

"Jake! You idiot! Paul is going to kill your best friend." I glared. Jacob looked between me and the two fighting before sighing heavily and waving Quil up.

"Let's go." He said, walking towards Paul and Embry. "Embry, man, just drop it. It's not worth it."

"I'm not dropping anything until he leaves. All he ever does is cause trouble around here and I'm sick and tired of having to watch him be a dick to everyone he comes across. Maybe for once he should leave and save the rest of us the trouble." Embry glared.

"Embry, just stop it." Jacob said, grabbing Embry's arm and pulling him back. Embry promptly shook it off.

"I'm not going anywhere, Jake."

"That's good. Because neither am I." Paul grimaced, baring his teeth. He grabbed a fistful of Embry's T-shirt in his left hand and yanked him forward. "Let's go, pussy. I want to see if you can fight."

"Paul, no!" I shrieked, running towards them. "Don't be a douche!" Probably not the best thing to say to an angry guy.

"Confound it all." I heard Emily say. "Sam! Where are you!?"

Maybe she was right about the whole lap dog thing, because in less than a second after she had called his name, the intended showed up next to Emily from his spot speaking with the council members in a remote location with a concerned face.

"It's Paul! He's going to break Embry's neck!"

It's about time she realized that Paul really would break someone's neck. It was actually rather funny to see the way Sam visibly relaxed, but then promptly run a hand over his face. He looked like he really didn't give a shit. I was interrupted from my musings by a loud shout and when I glanced back I realized that too late, Paul had already delivered a very nasty-looking right-hook to Embry's jaw. Yet Embry looked hardly confused or unsure and promptly grabbed Paul's shirt back and planted one right in his ribs.

"Hey! Both of you stop it!" I screamed. This was getting so out of control. "Uley! He's your dog, do something!"

"Paul!" Thatta boy, Uley. Get him. "Stop it!"

That, unfortunately, didn't do much and they both crumpled to the floor, literally beating the shit out of each other. It was hard to tell who was who, they were tumbling so fast and sand was flying everywhere. I saw fists and feet and I heard growls and shouts, and finally, when there was a flash of blood in the midst, people took it seriously.

"Paul!" I nearly jumped out of my skin at the obscenely loud command from Sam, twisting to look over my shoulder at him. He was standing tall, looking like some kind of Native American statue at an unbelievable height. His face was contorted into anger and disappointment. His voice had been like a crack of thunder, immediately silencing everything.

Looking back to the fight, I was glad it had done something. Paul had Embry pinned, but his fist was hanging in the air. He wasn't looking at Embry, instead glaring over at Sam with eyes of hate and rage. Finally, he released Embry, stood up, and stalked away without another word.

"Christ, Embry!" I muttered, taking a napkin I had grabbed for my drink and holding it to his nose that was gushing blood. "You're such an idiot!"

"Seriously. Like no joke." Jacob grunted. "Fighting with Paul is like fighting with a hungry, wild wolf. It's not leaving until it has a meal."

"Well, if you really looked at Paul you would see he's going to have some beautiful bruises up on his face." Quil snickered, high-fiving Embry who beneath the red napkin was grinning widely.

"Don't move, idiot. Tip your head back." I commanded. "Jacob, get more napkins."

"Yes, ma'am." He said, disappearing behind me. I followed him and glanced back to see Jared trudging after Paul in the sand, looking very much upset. Emily was wildly using her hands to discuss something with Sam that left her face showing irritation and regret. Embry wouldn't have been injured if she had gotten her lap dog here earlier. God. Teenage boys on the reservation were just sapping all of my energy.

"Are you still bleeding?" I asked Embry.

"I don't think so." He muttered, sounding stuffy.

"Did you break it?"

"Nah." He grunted, sitting up. I used some water from Quil's drink to wipe away the blood staining his face. "Once I get past how stupid you are I will thank you forever for beating the shit out of him."

"Hey, no problem-o. I've been waiting to do that since the third grade and he stole my lunch money." Embry chuckled.

"Do you guys want to get out of here?" I asked. "This is going to be boring and over-dramatic, at any rate."

"Sure. I'm hungry." Jacob said.

"No surprise there, bud." Quil snorted. "I want a burger."

"Oh, yeah, sounds good to me." Jacob and Quil helped Embry stagger to his feet and we trudged back up through the sand to the main road and headed to town. "I saw you hanging out with Jared."

"Hanging out would not be a correct term. Unintentional stalking would be more on target." I grunted.

"So that's what courting comes to nowadays? Stalking? You need to get rid of him, girl." Quil said.

"I'm trying. He's pretty dense most of the time." I explained. "He's playing this 'uncontrollable desire to see me' card that's getting on my nerves. Is there any way to logically explain why one day he has no knowledge of my existence and the next he's like a freaking golden retriever?"

"Not really. Well…" Jacob said.

"What?"

"Maybe he's a metrosexual."

"A what?" I cringed.

"A metrosexual. Basically, a straight guy obsessed with fashion and looks." Jacob shrugged.

"Or he could be gay. You never know." Quil shrugged too.

"I don't even know where this is going." I admitted.

"Maybe he's trying to make you all fashion-obsessed with him. He thinks you need a little makeover so he's going to attempt to lure you into it." Jacob explained.

"A makeover? Seriously?" I chuckled.

"Well wouldn't that explain why he suddenly notices you. He left the day after he insulted you, then came back and suddenly recognized you. Maybe he was at some kind of fashion show."

"The only thing even slightly believable about that was the 'suddenly noticing' thing. You forget that when Jared disappeared Paul did too. I highly doubt Paul Lansing was at a fashion show." I laughed at just the thought. Actually, we all did.

"I think it's about as good an explanation as you're going to get." Embry said around napkins stuffed up his nose. "Frankly there's nothing at all logical about stalking, so just take the metrosexual thing and be done with it."

"Well even if that were true, and geez does it sound like the most incredibly ridiculous thing I've ever heard in my life, what do I do about it? Would I have to suddenly become a diva—which let's face it is impossible for me—for him to go away?"

"Assuming that we were even slightly on the mark, probably yes. He probably has wheels turning in his head and they're going 'oh, she would look so cute in baby blue Mary-Jane pumps from Christian Dior'!" Jacob said, imitating a girly voice.

"That's actually really horrifying thinking of Jared Hopewell thinking that." Quil laughed.

"Dude, how do you even know what Mary-Jane pumps are?" Embry wondered.

"Sisters." Jacob grunted, blushing.

"I guess that's about as good an explanation as I'll ever get." I sighed. "Do you guys think I need a makeover?"

"Kim, we hang around with Quil. We are hardly going to go around judging people when we're friends with him." Embry snorted.

"I find that offensive." Quil said, pouting.

"Of course you did, buddy." Jacob smiled. "You like being center of attention."

"Yeah, I do." Quil agreed quickly and whole-heartedly, puffing out his brawny chest and flexing his arms.

"Thanks for the advice guys. I appreciate it." I admitted.

"Great! Then you're paying!" Jacob slapped me once on the back. I felt something pop and glared at me. Chuckling nervously he smiled. "Guess I don't know my own strength."

"Uh huh." I rolled my eyes. "Yes, I will pay."

"Sweet! Two half-pounds and a basket of fries, bring them on over here!" Quil yelled loudly as he was entering the restaurant, causing several sets of eyes to land on us.

"Nice going, moron." I sighed. "This is going to be really expensive."

"I'll split with you." Embry said. "Since you did give me tips on my date with Lenora."

I laughed just thinking about it.

"Here's another one: she has the grip of an anaconda." I smiled.

"Huh?" Embry asked, looking genuinely confused.

"Don't worry about it, my friend. You'll have tons of fun. Believe me."