I thought I should give you one last update before the exam season begins. So here it is. The awaited chapter. It's been typed very VERY quickly and is therefore probably FULL of mistakes and typos so I apologise in advance. But I really wanted to post something for all you wonderful and loyal reviewers who are SO incredibly patient! I don't deserve you :) Although, you may not be so loyal once you've read this chapter. Eeek!

Disclaimer: I own nothing. Except Kris. For now.

Krista Hughes

Have I mentioned before that I hate Mondays? Because I really, truly do. With a passion. Hate. Absolutely despise. This Monday in particular. Why? Take one guess.

I pondered my existence as I lay in the spare room bed once more, staring up at the ceiling.

Fact number one: My parents are divorced, forcing myself to live with one and never see the other. Fact number two: I live in a shithole of a place called Forks where the sun never shines. Fact number three: I have zero friends, as all my would-be friends turn into furry little monsters when the mood suits them and run around with no clothes on. Fact number four: I was single.

Bugger.

The other night's incident with Seth had left me shaken to say the least. I have to say, I didn't expect him to turn up. I didn't know what exactly I did expect, but having him standing in my kitchen was definitely on the 'unexpected' list.

Maybe I should have forgiven him. Gotten over the whole imprinting thing and just accepted the whole situation. Sure, I would never have been truly happy, knowing that the person I loved only loved me out of necessity, but at least I would be with him, and not alone in a lumpy bed with puffy eyes and a snotty nose.

I just needed to know that he truly loved me. Him saying it over and over again didn't make it any more real… if anything it just made it worse, made him sound like a stupid broken record "I love you, I love you, I love you…" I needed to hear something real, something that proved to me that he really knew what he was talking about, something…

Oh to hell with it. Truth be told, I had no idea what I wanted him to say. I had no idea what on earth he possibly could say to make anything better.

We. Had. Broken. Up. I was just going to have to man up and deal with it.

…

Easier said than done.

At around midday I got up, thanking the lord it was the school holidays and mum was at work. I checked the calender. December 18th. Nearly Christmas. Somehow I couldn't muster up the same excitement I had felt the previous sixteen Christmases of my life. This would be my first Christmas in the States… my first one without Dad…

I boiled the kettle and made myself a cup of tea, adding liberal amounts of milk, no sugar. Then I sat at the kitchen table, trying to think of what to get Mum for Christmas. Being the super organised daughter I was, I had already bought, wrapped and posted my Dad's Christmas present: a CD of a band I knew he liked, a memento 'La Push' baseball cap and the traditional pair of socks. Mum was harder to buy for. I knew she'd probably be happy with a box of bath salts or something, but for some reason I wanted to get her something a little nicer this year. Although she didn't seem to be stressing out about the move, I could tell she sometimes missed England. Or maybe that was just her missing Dad…

A shuffle from the front door followed by a soft THUD broke me from my reverie. I made for the source of the noise. There was no one at the door, but on the doormat was a brown paper package with 'Krista Hughes' written on it, in Seth's unmistakeable scrawl. With a shaking hand I picked it up.

Impatient as always, I immediately opened the package, too nervous and excited to pay attention to the hundreds of other emotions flying around my body. Inside was another package - rectangular shaped and light - and a note. I read it:

My Dearest Krista

It is strange to think I have not seen you since yesterday. I have seen the new moon. But not you. I have seen sunsets and sunrises but nothing of your beautiful face.

Krissy, open the package.

That was all it said. Seth's handwriting was even more illegible than usual. He must have been writing very, very quickly, or maybe his hand had been shaking, just like mine were now. I turned my attention to the package.

"Seth Clearwater, if this is your idea of a game…" I hissed through my teeth to the empty room, carefully ripping the paper from the object. Inside was a DVD. A Knight's Tale. One of my favourite films ever. I was confused, terribly so, but a little touched all the same. On the front of the box was a post-it note. More writing.

Surprise!

Merry Christmas Kris. I know it's a bit early but I couldn't wait until Christmas Day to make amends. You know how impatient I get.

Anyway, I'm sure you've already seen this movie. But go, put the disc in your dvd player and flick to chapter 11. Watch it. You'll know when to stop watching. After that, you can open the final envelope. It's in the DVD case.

I couldn't surpress the little chuckle as I read the 'impatient' bit. He was as impatient as I was. Affection for my lonely wolf boy swelled inside me like the waves at La Push beach. I made for the dvd player, following the instructions.

As soon as the dulcet tones of Heath Ledger hit my ears, I knew exactly which scene I was watching.

"It is strange to think, I haven't seen you since a month… I have seen the new moon. But not you. I have seen sunsets and sunrises but nothing of your beautiful face." "It's very good William"

I couldn't help the tears that spilled from my eyelids as the scene unfolded. I cried at the best of times during this film… the way William loved Jocelyn… and how his friend's helped him… it was so romantic. While I watched my eyes kept flitting to the unopened final envelope, resting temptingly in my lap. What could he possibly have to say? What was I expecting him to say?

I was expecting a bloody miracle, that was to say the least.

"With all the love that I possess…"

The scene ended and I immediately grabbed the envelope, tearing it open, not bothering to even pause the dvd but rather letting the film continue in the background. I wasn't paying attention. I read Seth's words with a hungry eagerness I'd never felt before. I didn't think it was possible to want anything as badly as I wanted this letter to make me feel better.

Kris.

I hope you watched the scene and that you didn't drool over Heath too much. I know he's pretty, but the last thing I need is competition from a dead actor (r.i.p Mr Ledger)

I chuckled. Paying our respects to the late Heath Ledger had been an inside joke between us before… I shook my head and read on.

Anyway, you're probably wondering why I did all this. I mean, it's a cute letter and all, but I couldn't exactly copy it out and send it to you. You'd spot that it wasn't original in an instant and probably hate me even more… man I'm waffling so badly. And I just wrote 'man' down in a letter! You can probably tell I've never written a letter in my entire life before. I even got mum to write my thank-you cards for me when I was little. There I go again… waffling. Isn't the point of letters so that you can express yourself clearly? I wish you were here to help me write it. You'd correct my spelling and everything, and I would be able to express myself better too. You always bring out the best in me.

The point of this letter was to try and explain how much you mean to me, without me fumbling on my words and mucking things up somehow. Unfortunately, that darn William Thatcher stole the words right out of my mouth…

All joking aside, Kris, it's true. It sounds all fancy and romantic when they say things in movies, but truthfully, everything that was said in that letter could be applied to you… well apart from the bit about me competing in Paris. I'm not doing that. Though, if by jousting in a tournament in Paris would win your love back Krista I'd do it in a heartbeat. You know I would.

The thing is. The pieces of my broken heart could be passed through a needle. I'm lost without you. I feel like I've been torn into tiny pieces, I've fallen apart. Without you, nothing makes sense. It is as though you have died. Because I truly and completely believed that death would be the only thing that would ever separate us. And now here we are… apart.

I miss you Kris. I miss you like the sun misses the flower in the depths of winter. More than Romeo missed Juliet after being banished from Verona. More than Hermia missed Lysander after waking to find him gone. More, oh so much more than any Shakespearian character could ever miss their lover. You – oh worshipper of Shakespeare - of all people should understand just how much that means.

So, as ended in the film, I too will end this letter: with hope. Love should end with hope. I live in hope, dear Krista, that yesterday was not the last time I will look upon you. The hope that you will one day find a way to forgive me and love me back. I know I don't deserve it. But I'm lost without you. Please, please, please forgive me. I will wait for you. I belong to you.

With all the love that I possess.

Seth.

I wiped my eyes. Lost for words. Here it was. Exactly what I had been waiting for. The little glimmer of hope that all was not lost between us. My saving grace. My miracle.

Without a second thought I shoved the letter into the back pocket of my jeans and raced for the door, pulling on my boots but not bothering with a coat. It was raining, but I didn't care. There was someone I needed to talk to.

In my hurry, I fumbled with the keys to my van, rain casing my hair to stick to my face and neck. I slid into the front seat of Vera, ramming the key into the ignition and twisting. The engine coughed and spluttered and fell silent.

"Shit!" I cursed, twisting the key a second time. A third time. A forth time. "Shit, shit, shit!" Of all the days for my van to give up the ghost. But she wasn't starting. I looked up at the sky, the clouds were thick and grey, almost black and virtually bursting at the seams. I calculated how long it would take me to get to where I wanted to be by foot. I estimated a long time.

But I couldn't wait. I needed to sort this whole mess out and Seth's letter had stirred me into pulling myself together, getting up off my arse and doing something about it! I slid out of the front seat and slammed the door shut, setting off at a sprint in the direction of La Push.

It took me more than an hour to get to Emily's. Soaked through and shivering, with aching legs, I raised an icy hand to knock on the front door, wishing more than anything that I had had the common sense to pick up a coat before I left. Going on an hours run in the middle of December was possibly the craziest thing I had ever thought of.

But people do crazy things when they're in love.

It took Emily a few minutes before she opened the door. The look on her face was nothing less than I expected.

"Holy crow…!" Her mouth hung open, as if she was trying to register what exactly was this wet, bedraggled creature on her doorstep. "Kris?"

"H-h-hey Em-mily." I chattered, teeth knocking together. "C-c-could I c-c-ome i-" I didn't even finish my sentence before Emily whisked me inside and shoved me in front of the fire.

"What on earth were you thinking?!" She chided, instantly bustling and busying herself around the house, boiling kettles, filling hot water bottles and pulling out blankets. I stood dripping on the carpet. "You've probably caught pneamonia, or worse. Honestly Krista those boys may be able to withstand everything but us imprints aren't as…" She stopped short, realising what she had said. My stomach twisted uncomfortably as the one word I was trying to forget was mentioned: imprinting.

"Kris…" Her voice was softer now. She came over and peeled the wet tshirt off of me, quickly wrapping me up in a warm, fluffy towel. "I'd forgotten… sorry." She made a sympathetic face and sat me down on the sofa. I remained silent. "Just sit here and I'll get you a hot drink so we can stop you shivering. Seth's not here you know…"

"I know." I finally managed to squeak out. "I came here to see you actually."

Emily looked surprised, but pleased as she walked back over to me, a cup of hot, milky tea in each hand. I gratefully accepted the mug. It burned my hands but I didn't care. The warmth was like heaven… like Seth…

"So, what's up, hun?" Emily sipped her tea, patiently waiting for me to explain my unexpected appearance. I didn't know where to start.

"Me and Seth broke up." I stated unhelpfully. Emily chuckled.

"Yes sweetheart I know that. Seth's been insufferable ever since."

"Sorry." Somehow my pitiful apology didn't seem nearly enough. Emily said nothing, but smiled kindly. I couldn't bring myself to look her in the eye. Instead I sipped my tea. Silence fell upon the pair of us. I gazed into the fire, finding comfort in the familiar crackle and blaze of the flames.

Eventually I broke the silence with a question I had been burning to ask.

"Do you think I reacted stupidly?" I still couldn't meet Emily's eye. "Do you think this whole mess is my fault?"

Emily was silent for a moment before. "No. I don't think it's your fault. I think you reacted in the most human way, considering Seth explained it so badly."

"It's not his fault either though." I was eager for Seth not to get the blame, I felt like I owed him at least that much. "I don't… I don't think he understands the whole imprinting thing any better than I do."

"Exactly." Emily's torn face broke into a smile, the most genuine I'd seen all afternoon. "And that's what I was hoping you'd realise."

I scrunched up my nose. "What do you mean?"

Emily set down her cup and clasped her hands on her lap before looking me in the face.

"My personal opinion…" she began. "Considering I only know what Seth has told me and what I overheard on the beach. My personal opinion is that you didn't really hear Seth."

Her words stung. I felt like I had been slapped across the face. So this was my entire fault? So I could have saved myself all this pain? All because I didn't listen to Seth? My unanswered questions must have been written in my expression because Emily carried on hastily.

"I don't mean that in a bad way, Sweetheart. I just mean that… Seth explained himself atrociously. For heaven's sake, if Sam had explained imprinting to me that way I would have probably reacted the same way too. However what was perfectly clear to me, and to everyone else who knows the pair of you, was that behind the stupid, clumsy explanations Seth was trying to offer, was genuine adoring love. It couldn't be clearer how much he loves you if he had been wearing a neon sign on his chest saying 'I love Krista Hughes'!"

I managed a watery smile, sipping on my tea. Emily smiled back.

"The thing is, your own insecurities: about yourself and about your relationship with him, they stopped you seeing all that; seeing the obvious that everyone else could see: that Seth is one hundred and one percent head over heels for you. Imprint or no imprint."

I nodded miserably. It made sense. Complete sense. Even now, though I knew what Emily said was all true, a tiny voice was still saying 'don't be stupid Kris. You know you're not meant for all this. He's too good for you. Way too good for you. What would an amazing Quileute sex-God want with a small-town British girl?' I tried my hardest to repress that voice.

"I just… It was all too good to be true. I thought I was the luckiest girl alive. I knew that someone like him could never really want someone like-" Emily cut me off.

"Don't you even think about finishing that sentence Miss Hughes!" She chided, pushing my wet hair from my face. "You are every bit worth that boy. It's him who's lucky to have a girl like you! If you'd known him as long as I have you'd understand." She chuckled, obviously envisioning a past memory.

"But the imprinting…" I sniffed. "It's not like love is it? There's a difference between falling in love and imprinting on someone. He loves me because he has to, because he has no choice."

"Actually, imprinting exactly the same as falling in love." Emily raised an eyebrow, as though stating something entirely obvious. "Has Seth ever used the phrase 'soul mates' to you?"

I wracked my brains. "I don't think so."

Emily rolled her eyes and tutted. "That boy!" She sighed. "Kris. I believe everyone in this world has a soul mate: someone they are destined to be with. A human being can go for years and years before they find their soul mate. They meet other people, can marry other people, they can fall in love and fall out of love, but they can never truly be happy until they find the one they're meant to be with. Some meet when they are young, and some can go their whole lives searching with no success.

"Imprinting is like a homing beacon. It's a gift really. It's like a sixth sense known only by shapeshifters that points them in the direction of their soul mate. It sort of cuts to the chase, allows you to know exactly who you're meant to be with, without the hassle of finding them first. Take Sam for example. He loved Leah and she loved him back. They could have got married and had a life together, but neither of them would have been truly happy. I love Leah with all my heart, but she was not meant for Sam. Him and I were soul mates, but if it weren't for the imprinting, we would have never discovered it, because neither would have got the chance to know each other properly because of Leah and Sam's relationship at the time. Do you see?"

I nodded. I did see. It was as if a fog was being lifted from my vision and everything made more sense. My parents… they weren't soul mates. If they had had the ability to imprint, things might have been a lot easier for them. But then again, I wouldn't have been born.

"The right person is out there for Leah too, her soul mate is out there, she just needs to find him." Emily smiled at me. "Take away the imprinting, and there's just plain fact. Some people are made for each other, and some aren't. Imprinting is just a short cut. In some way's it strengthens the bond of love. Take it away, and the feelings are still there. Take imprinting away and you and Seth would still be meant for each other, but it may have taken longer for you both to realise that."

I set my cup down with a triumphant thud. "Oh Emily." I threw my arms around her. "Thank you." I could have kissed her I really could have. Suddenly everything was clear. It was as if an enormous weight had been lifted and I could breathe again.

I loved him! I was in love with Seth Clearwater and he loved me back.

Imprint shmimprint.

Emily hugged me back. "Hey. Us imprints have to stick together." She ruffled my almost dry hair. "I'm glad you came and found me."

"Me too." I was grinning so hard my cheeks ached. I had to find Seth. Right now, I had to find him.

"Do you know where Seth is?" I asked, almost bouncing up and down in my seat. Emily chuckled.

"As a matter of fact I do. Sam told me he went to the cliffs to get some air about an hour ago. He'll still be there. But I don't think you should go searching for him dressed like that." She laughed again. I looked down at myself. My jeans were still damp and I wasn't wearing a t-shirt. Emily went and got me a jumper of hers.

"Put this coat on too." She handed me a large rain jacket. "I'm afraid it'll be much too big… it's Quil's. He left it here." She helped me to shrug it on and roll up the sleeves so they were wrist length. "There. Do you want to borrow some pants as well?"

"No ta! I could hardly contain my eagerness to get outside and find Seth. I didn't care that the rain didn't seemed to have ceased. If anything, it looked heavier. Emily eyed the dark sky from the window.

"Actually Kris, maybe you should wait a while. It looks like there might be a storm-"

But I was already gone; out the front door and into the torrential rain. It was difficult to see but every part of me was yearning… burning to see Seth. I couldn't get to him fast enough. The cliffs were a good ten-minute walk from here. Frustration bubbled over in me. I had to see him now! To explain everything! I needed to see him smile again!

Suddenly a flash of steel caught my eye. Leaning against the side of the house was Jacob's motorcycle. A wicked thought struck my mind. Riding would get me to Seth in no time at all. And surely Jake wouldn't mind if I borrowed it… I ran over to the machine, pushing it upright.

"Ooof!" I grunted as I heaved it up, struggling at the effort to keep it standing. I'd forgotten how heavy it was. "OK, what first?" I tried to think back to the lessons I'd had with Jacob and Seth, my mind whizzing and whirring with the excitement and frustration.

Clutch. Ride. Break. Steady. Jacob's words came back to me as easily as if he'd said them yesterday. With a whoop of success, I kick started the bike. It took three attempts but at last it roared into life. I released the clutch and immediately the bike raced forward. I held on for dear life, trying to keep my eyes open as rain pummelled against my face in icy pins. I twisted the throttle gently, causing my monster to gain speed.

"Whooooooo!" I felt so free, zooming through the trees, relishing in the wind on my face and the thought of getting closer to Seth. The scenery went by in a blur, as I tried to hold the bike as straight as I could. Luckily for me, the path to the cliffs was fairly wide, though puddle ridden. Mud splashed against my sodden jeans.

"Nearly there, now." I muttered to myself, well aware of how crazy I must have looked to any unfortunate soul who might have happened to catch a glimpse of me: a wild woman with tangled windswept hair and a mad expression. No doubt my mascara would have run half way down my face by now too, but I didn't care. All that mattered is that I was getting closer and closer to my wonderful wolf boy. My Seth.

I could smell the salty sea air before I saw the cliffs. The trees around me began to thin and eventually I could see the place where the land dropped, and the sea began. The wind was stronger here, and I struggled to keep the monstrous beast beneath me in control. My eyes, barely open from the force of the wind and rain, searched desperately for any sign of Seth.

There! On the cliff's edge, he stood throwing stones off the edge into the stormy waves below. I called out but my voice was lost in the wind.

"Seth!" Unconsciously my hand tightened on the throttle and the bike picked up speed. I was dimly aware of the implications of this, but I couldn't care. I couldn't care about anything except seeing Seth. My whole body burned with excitement and anticipation. I called again. "Seth!"

Finally he turned round to face me, his beautiful face contorted in confusion. My own face broke out into a smile. Here he was. As wonderful as ever, glorious with his bare chest and wet hair, emitting heat so powerful I could feel it from where I was, a hundred metres away. I stretched my foot down to reach for the break…

…

I suppose I should have seen this coming.

A rock, half concealed in a puddle, was jutting out from the ground. The front tire of Jacob's bike hit it at the same moment I tried to slam down the break. The entire machine shuddered violently, then flew sideways with me attached.

"KRISTA!"

I vaguely saw Seth lunge for me as the bike fell on its side with me half underneath, crushing my leg. It span on its side, sliding treacherously near to the cliffs edge. The sleeve of Quil's jacket caught on some part of its machinery and it pulled me harder. A sharp pain exploded as my head hit the rock that I had initially collided with. I could taste blood.

Suddenly, the world seemed to give way beneath me. I was falling, falling down, dragged by the roaring beast I was somehow welded to. I grasped and grabbed at my failing vision but finally, everything went black.

AHH! I warned you! Feel free to get angry at the oh so unexpected cliche of a cliffhanger. Especially since I can't promise you another update until after my exams. But the next chapter will be better, I promise. And it WILL be posted. I promise promise promise to finish this story if it's the last thing I do!

Please review :) I love you all.