I slept fitfully that night, tossing and turning. When I woke up, I stood in my kitchen waiting for the toast to pop and I knew that something was very off. I would bet all of the money that had been left to me by the Cullens that somewhere in La Push there was a very scared and very new werewolf running wild and terrified, his pleasant but ordinary world shattered by the realization that there was something bigger out there and he was part of it. I grabbed the toast as it popped and went to get dressed. I shrugged my jacket on and locked the apartment before I left for school.

That week went by like the first two months of my family's absence. Though I knew it was useless, I called Embry's home four times. His mother never answered and neither did he. Even with all my knowledge of the wolves, all I knew about the transformation was that it was painful and terrifying. The pain was it be expected since your whole body had to shift and change to form the new body but the panic sounded worse. The body of the wolf couldn't calm down enough to change back for a long time and even if it could, it didn't know how. I was worried for him. On Saturday night, Quil called my apartment. He was frantic, Embry had been avoiding him all week. I sympathized with him quietly.

"I don't know Quil, I haven't talked to him either." I said sadly.

"But...but you're his girlfriend now, aren't you?"

"No." I laughed, thinking of the shy exchange between Embry and I only a week before. "I'm not ready for anything like that."

"Well anyways, even if you're not, you're his friend. He hasn't called you?" Quil was too impatient today. His friend was avoiding him and he wanted to know why.

"No he hasn't. I don't think he...I saw him hanging out with Sam Uley today." I lied.

"Sam? But...but Embry doesn't even like him!"

"I'm just telling you what I saw."

"Yeah. Well, if he calls you, tell me, okay?" Quil answered glumly. "Me and Jacob are worried about him."

"Sure. Bye Quil."

I hung up the phone and bundled myself in the blanket that hung on the back of the couch, shivering. I brought it with me into the bedroom as I flung myself onto the bed. I hated lying to Quil, but I reminded myself that it wouldn't last long. Letting out a growl of frustration, I buried my face in the pillows and tried to force myself to sleep.

The next day I went to school again, as normal. I focused on small things to cheer myself up; a yellow flower, a butterfly, a gasoline rainbow in the parking lot. I was so busy trying to act normal that I almost didn't hear the phone when it rang shortly after I got home. I picked it up, thinking it was Quil again.

"No, he hasn't called yet Quil."

"Who hasn't called?" the voice was smooth and clear, ringing like a familiar bell.

"Alice!" I cried. I jumped up and down in the kitchen. "Is it really you?"

"Of course it is, silly. Now, who are you waiting for to call?" Her laugh warmed my stomach.

"A friend."

"Katherine." Her tone was knowing.

"His name is Embry Call."

"Jacob Black's friend." It was not a question, and a strange tone entered her voice.

"Yes." I tried to make my voice as steady as hers.

"Katherine..."

"Alice, it's fine, everything is under control. Now let's not talk about it right now. How's everyone doing?"

"Quite well." I immediately heard the strain in her voice as she fought to not ask questions about Embry or Jacob. "Esme and Carlisle are out in the garden, Rosalie is playing piano, Emmett and Jasper went hunting..."

Though I would've asked in any case, I caught that she failed to mention one member of the family,her voice almost betraying the hesitation she felt before speaking about him.

"And Edward?" I prodded.

"He's not well. He's left. The last time I saw him, he went into the attic and didn't come out for two weeks. The next time we went to check on him he was gone. I'm worried Katherine." I could hear her pain, and when I spoke, it was the one element that was similar in both of our tones.

"I know Alice, I am too. I wish I had the comfort of seeing him and knowing he's okay on the outside at least. I'm stuck here in good ol' Forks...I miss you all so much...but you can't come back yet, Jacob hasn't even phased." I could hear my voice become more formal, as it usually did around my older-sounding family members. I heard the creak of a door over the connection and then Alice's quickly whispered words, too fast for me to hear. And then a soft voice was in my ear, familiar and warm and beautiful.

"Hello sweetheart."

"Esme." I breathed. The sound of her voice almost made tears well in my eyes. I wished for the feel of her cool, sturdy embrace, so comforting. She was so good at mothering and she fit the role so well. I missed her.

"We all miss you, we miss our daughter and sister and friend."

"Really?" I asked, feeling the lump in my throat.

"Of course. Now stop that crying sweetheart, we'll all be together again soon."

I cleared my throat loudly and shook my head, chasing away the feelings of loneliness.

"Alice tells me you've made new friends." The question was so bizarrely normal that I laughed through my tears. It was something a human mother would ask of her human daughter, rather than a vampire adopted mother asking of her half-human daughter.

"Yes. And Esme, don't fuss, I do know what I'm doing, I promise."

"I know. I don't like it, but I trust you. Now, what are their names?"

"Quil Ateara and...and Embry Call." I said quietly.

"Embry is not a friend." she stated.

"Huh?"

"He is not your friend. He is more, isn't he?"

"Honestly, I'm not sure. In another time and place I think he could be." I admitted. "I have to face reality though. He's a member of the pack now. Nothing can happen."

"I'm sorry."

"I'll be fine."

"You're a resilient little thing." She commended, her voice proud. Then another set of whispered words interrupted our conversation for barely a second.

"Katherine, sweetheart, we have to go. Emmett and Jasper found Edward up in the mountains. We have to go get him and bring him home."

"Go then, go. Give everyone my love. Especially Edward."

"I will." The phone clicked and then went dead before I hung it up. The call had lifted my spirits. They were all doing fine, even Edward was doing as well as I could've expected. Still, thinking of his him, running away to the mountains to try to escape the pain, made my chest feel tight. Esme had said they missed me. Just the thought made me a little less lonely. At that thought, I sighed and went to watch a movie. Ironically, I wanted to live in someone else's story for a while.

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