Chapter Nine : Waiting

Previous :"Sam Uley?" I asked.

Sam set his lips, making a face that clearly showed he was upset with something.

"I'm sorry, Bella. I didn't know what these two idiots –" he shot a venomous glance at the two tall, copper skinned men behind him "- were up to. I only found out an hour or two ago. By the time I was able to stop them, they'd already carried out their plan."

"How long was I out for?" I asked, thinking of how Edward would worry.

"Only about twenty minutes. I was in northern Canada and it took a while to get back here."

"Why were you so far?" I asked. "Was Victoria –"

"Not quite." His response made me think there was something he wasn't telling me.

"What –"

"I have something to tend to, Bella," Sam said, looking preoccupied with the woods behind me. "I hope these asses will take perfect care of you while I'm gone."

"But-"

"Bye, Bella." He stood up and stalked into the forest. I heard a rip, imagining him transforming and his clothes ripping into little shreds.

"Oh crap," the taller, skinny man said. "Sam is going to kill us when he gets back."

"Fine. I'll tell him it was your idea, Em," the other decided. Em punched him.

"Embry?" I asked, confused. They stopped play fighting and looked at me, their fists still raised.

"H-hey, B-bella," he greeted me guiltily, stroking the back of his neck with one of his hands. Both of them had sheepish grins on.'

"What the hell happened?" I demanded, sitting up in the dirt.

"Want to go to Emily's? It'd be better to explain it … just once."

I debated for a second. Going to Emily's meant possibly seeing Jake. Could I handle that? I should just go home now. But I was kidnapped by two werewolves, very poorly might I add. Sam had his mind on something important and wasn't telling me what; I knew it concerned me in some way.

"Fine," I said through gritted teeth. The squat one held out his hand and I grabbed it. He pulled me up with virtually no effort.

I realized I was in a dirt yard next to a shabby green house. I guessed it was Embry's because he ran in quick and came out with a set of keys that he then put into an old Camaro he entered.

"I don't think you'll fit, Quil," Embry said, measuring his puny back seat. He clearly intended to make up for beating and kidnapping me by letting me ride shotgun.

"Whatever," Quil grumbled, walking towards the woods.

"Get in, Bella," Embry said, revving the car and lowering the loud music.

I got in warily and pulled the door shut, an effort on my part.

He revved the engine a couple more times before backing out and speeding down the street in a swift movement. In minutes we were pulling into the dirt patch next to Emily's house. I didn't see a black Volkswagen rabbit, but that didn't mean anything. Jake could have ran here.

Embry turned off the car and put his wallet in the glove compartment. For the first time I've ever seen someone do so, he locked it. He unbuckled his seat belt and got out of the car.

"Don't be so hesitant," he laughed. "Jake's not here."

I felt a bit better than I didn't have to see him. But I wanted to, so badly. I slowly got out of the car and walked over to the house. Embry held the door open for me and I walked in.

Emily was busy cooking while Quil, Jared, Paul, and a girl I didn't recognize sat at the kitchen table.

"Got her," Embry declared.

Jared and Paul grinned broadly, acting triumphant.

"Told you she would come willingly, even after you clubbed her," Jared said. Embry ignored him. "Hey, Em, I'm talking to you! You owe me and Paul twenty bucks each, pay up!"

"I don't know where my wallet is, must have lost it," Embry said, not meeting their eyes. It made sense now.

I was slightly hurt that they were betting on me, but not by much. I loved my Quileute friends, even though they were often harsh or blatant – it was very different than being around the Cullens, one in particular.

Emily served tacos and Quil, Jared, Embry, and Paul pounced on them before they hit the table. The girl who was leaning on the back two legs of her chair, picking at her nails, looked disgusted and scooted back – Jared had leaned over her to get food. Emily laughed.

"Get used to it, Leah," Emily warned her. Leah … Clearwater? But that must mean she knows. Did one of the guys imprint on her or something? It's not like any of them showed the affection Sam shows Emily to her. Could Jake …? No. I just knew that wasn't the reason.

"Whatever," Leah said, rolling her eyes. The guys just then finished eating, having scarfed it all down. I could have sworn there were at least sixty or so tacos … split between only four guys.

"So when's Sam coming back?" Embry asked, still chewing.

"Dunno," Quil said. "Does anyone?"

"He was determined to get Ja- him back," Emily said, trying to spare my feelings. I looked down, sad.

"Where did he go?" I asked quietly, my head still down. I feared the answer. What if he ran away because he didn't want to have to ever see me again?

"We're not one hundred percent sure …" Emily admitted.

"Sam mentioned running back from Canada when we just saw him," Embry said.

Canada? I moaned. Emily walked over and put her arm around me, hugging me. I wanted the pain to go away but it wouldn't. I was empty without Jake, just like those dreadful months during which I was completely alone.

Everyone seemed relatively upset, not knowing what to do. Finally, Leah stood up, having had enough.

"I'm going," she declared.

"Where?" Jared asked, amazed.

"To find them!" she shouted, walking out the door.

"Pssh. 'Cause that's gonna happen," Jared said, leaning back in his chair.

"She does have the best sense of direction out of all of us," Embry admitted.

Wait. "Leah's a w- … a were-" I began, trying to choke out the word.

Everyone nodded.

"Paul, would you go with her, please? I would hate for her to have to go alone," Emily said.

He nodded and got up. However, all the others followed him.

"We might as well help, with nothing else to do," Quil explained.

I was left alone with Emily. I helped her clean up the kitchen. She began to make some homemade bread. I sat on a kitchen chair, curled up with my arms around me knees, watching her knead the dough.

"Leah doesn't seem too happy," I finally said, breaking the long silence. "Is she mad about being a wolf?"

"No," Emily sighed. "She doesn't mind. Well, I mean she does. But she takes what comes. Leah is such a good person, accepting every obstacle life throws at her. It's just –"

"You don't have to tell me, if it's something private. I wouldn't want her to not like me," I offered.

Emily laughed. "Leah already doesn't like you. Nothing against you personally – or well, actually part of it might be the Cullens – but she hates everyone. Since …"

"Since what?" I asked, eager to know why Leah was so misanthropic.

"Since … Sam." I was confused – what did Sam have to do with it? Emily turned around from the counter, having talked to me over her shoulder before, to face me. She sighed and I could have sworn a tear had slid town her face.

"Sam and Leah were dating, high school sweethearts. Everyone in town was anticipation the day they announced their engagement. Leah and I were as close as cousins could ever be. We loved each other. Many people thought we were twins."

I became absorbed in the story, still perplexed how it all unfolded. Sam and Leah? I couldn't imagine them being in love. Sam and Emily were in love. Though I thought what they had was much stronger than something as simple as love.

"I hadn't been down in a while, having been working hard in school – my parents could never afford college, so I worked my butt off. The last time we had really hung out was in sophomore year, we were sixteen. She was spilling with happiness, having been crushing on Sam at the time. I always thought he sounded too into duty and honor, absorbed in the older aspects of our culture.

"After that, we only talked on the phone – though for hours on end. She and Sam started dating half way through junior year. Every time I talked to her after that, she would go on for hours about him. I grew sick of him, to tell you the truth, and I'd never even met the guy.

"Finally, after we'd graduated high school, I had come down to visit, having had the time. It was the first time I met Sam. He left Leah for a while – I later learned that was when he first transformed – and I had a grudge against him. However, that all changed.

"Leah and I were catching up. She made cookies and we were talking when he walked in. It was all very awkward – the entire moment. I mean I've never been happier, but Leah was my best friend. She still won't forgive me, even though she understands everything now." Emily sighed.

"I'm so sorry," I said, getting up to console her. I hugged her and she buried her face into my shoulder, crying softly.

"I just wish she'd forgive me. She'd already forgave Sam," she cried. I stood there, holding Emily for a few minutes.

I heard the door open behind me. Emily's head snapped up and her mouth was open. I turned slowly, afraid of what I'd find.

Having expected Sam, Jake, or both, I was surprised to see Embry and Jared pulling Paul forcibly up the front steps. Paul finally gave in and he sunk into a kitchen chair. Quil and Seth entered the house shorty after, looking forlorn.

"What happened?" Emily asked, in a calm voice. I looked up and her eyes were completely dry, no mark of her ever crying.

"We were just about to go north when we caught a trail from the east. We followed it and it was the red head. We were contemplating crossing the border to chase her down when we met up with the coven. We almost had her but those – things got in our way. Paul overreacted," Jared explained.

"Overreacted," Emily said, in an undertone.

"Yeah, him and the biggest one almost went at it but we managed to pull Paul back," Embry said.

"Yeah, and my butt's not yet healed," Paul complained, rubbing his behind.

"You would've attack them if we didn't get out of there," Embry reasoned.

"But you could have grabbed anything but." Quil and Jared started giggling at the pun. Embry rolled his eyes, along with Emily.

"But … where's Leah?" Emily asked. I realized that Leah hadn't come back, too.

"After we lost the 'bad' bloodsucker, she ran off to find Sam and Jake. Was thinking something along the lines of 'getting the moping baby back'," Embry said.

The afternoon went by slowly as we waited and waited. It was around five when I realized that no one knew where I was.

I asked Emily for her phone and I called Charlie.

"Where the hell have you been?" he demanded. "I thought you were kidnapped by Alice!"

I laughed nervously. "Not by Alice –"

"What!?" he roared. "You were kidnapped!?"

"No, Char-Dad, no! Well, kinda. You see Jake and I broke- got in a fight. He wouldn't talk to me and so his friend, Embry and Quil, they 'kidnapped' me." I heard the talking in the other room die down a bit and two voices mumbled guiltily. Two chairs scraped against the floor and the front door opened. I guessed Embry and Quil heard, and they left.

"Oh, well that's fine, if you're in La Push. Are you and Jake ok?" Charlie asked, so oblivious to everything.

"Well, he kinda-" what do I say? "-went on a walk. He hasn't come back since I got here. Sam's out, trying to find him and talk some sense into him, I think."

I got off the phone with Charlie and sighed. What was I going to do? I walked back into the kitchen and found that Embry and Quil had gone. As well as everyone else.

Emily was cleaning up the mess from the bread she had made earlier.

I sighed. "I should go."

"No one said you have to," Emily protested. "I don't mind having you here, not at all."

"You might not …" I trailed off, leaving the person who was mutually understood to mind unnamed.

"He'll come back sooner or later, he's such a pushover. Don't worry Bella," she reassured me. "He might be sulking now, but when he comes back, he'll be vying to win you back."

"I doubt it," I mumbled, looking down.

"Well, that's it then," Emily said, brandishing a wooden spoon. "Either you get a better attitude or get out!" She smiled, laughing; however, I turned and sloped towards the door.

"Please don't leave, Bella," she begged.

"No, really, Emily," I said without turning around, grabbing for the door handle. "They will be wondering where I am." I imagined, behind me, Emily's shoulders dropping, realizing who I meant. "Sorry," I said, walking out.

Disclaimer : I do not own the Twilight Saga or any of the characters present in it.

AN : Ok I lied, this one was only 2.307, but I was close! Also, I want to let you know that this is the chapter where I started typing everything – every chapter before this I had written down. Before I finished this story, I wrote the other one I have posted. I started writing this one again, having picked up right where Bella feinted. I can obviously see the difference in writing, but don't know if you can.

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