A/N: Hi all, sorry for the long wait, but I start my new job on Monday and may not be able to update so often anymore. Maybe once a week at the most?

Sorry about that, but never fear, this will see the finish line, and as one of my comments on the blog requested, there will DEFINITELY be sequels. More than two in fact, because I love them all so much.

Don't forget to review !

Saturday

It was another foggy morning in La Push. The red-head walking in front of him turned her head slightly and smiled; continuing down the path she seemed to know intimately. He didn't care where exactly he was being led to, just as long as she was holding his hand. As long as he could feel the softness of her grip, all would be well with his world. He could see the opening in the trees ahead which meant they were at the beach already, and this puzzled him just a little; he could have sworn they needed to walk at least another 5 minutes before the beach hit them. Something was wrong here. Her gentle leading had turned into an urgent tugging on his hand. Towards the strange opening.

This was wrong.

Something was horrifically wrong with this picture. He knew it. Could feel it deep in his bones. A twig snapped, but her normal human hearing hadn't picked up on it. And then he smelled it. That sickly sweet burning, like bleach, that seared his nose and his throat. Terrified now, he grabbed her hand to take her back to the others. To safety. He needed to phase, get his brothers, hunt down the abomination that was hunting them now. But she kept tugging; he couldn't explain to her, with such little time to do it, and he couldn't just phase in front of her with no warning, who knew what the shock would do? In desperation, he tried to stop her, knowing that whichever one of his brothers on patrol would pick up the scent soon enough, and he could defend her until then – shock be damned. Letting go of her hand for a second, he pulled off his shirt, ignoring the quizzical look she shot him, preparing to phase at a moment's notice. As she opened her mouth to ask him what he was doing, he noticed a rustling in the bushes. Immediately stepping in front of her, in a protective crouch, he spotted the blood red eyes of his worst enemy.

The owner of the eyes stepped into the pathway then, grinning like a maniac. He reached for the girl, ignoring the shape-shifter's presence. A terrified look on her face, she called out her companion's name, screaming it when the cold one's hand crushed her upper arm. The shape-shifter in question was frozen. Not with shock, not with fear, but just frozen. Horror and fear for his imprint crashed over him in waves, powerful enough to drown even the strongest shape-shifter the tribe had known. But he could do nothing. He wondered if this was the vampire's power; he knew some of them were gifted. But if he could at least phase, then someone would know what was happening. He tried with all his might to call on that core within himself that would trigger the transformation.
But nothing happened. All he could do was watch in impotent rage and terror, as the evil red eyes got closer to his now whimpering imprint. Her screams were muted now, her throat hoarse, clutching her arm in pain. Red met black for a second, then stony ice cold white lips descended to the exposed throat of the helpless girl in the marble like arms. She went back to screaming his name, over and over and over again. In her fear, her voice even sounded different, much hoarser, much deeper. He started to shake, but not the kind that led to phasing, this was different, like an outside force was holding him and heaving.

"Ryan… Ryan dude, come on man. RYAN !," and with that he jumped up, ready to phase and attack immediately. Only to see the inside of his messy room and a worried Seth, flanked by a set of identical and identically disturbed faces. "What… what are you guys doing here? Whats going on? Where's Michelle? Is she ok? For Christ's sake, will someone tell me what the fuck that was?" He was practically screaming the last sentence, and Seth could only thank the spirits that Ryan's mother had already left for work.
"Dude, calm down. She's fine. I swear. She really is." Brady soothed, while Collin just looked on, wide-eyed. Ryan sat on the edge of his bed, head in his hands and tried to breathe. The realization that his terror was only the result of a nightmare, was slowly allowing the tension to ease out of his limbs.
"Bad dream?," Seth asked, tentatively. Ryan shook his head in response. "More than just a nightmare man, it was like…. It was like it was so real. I could feel it. The helplessness. The smell of them, how scared she was. God! She was terrified and I was frozen. I couldn't save her... I couldn't even save her." He ran his hands over his face, and the fear was still in his eyes.
"The most important thing in my universe and I couldn't get her away from the ONE thing I am sworn to protect her from." The others said nothing, allowing their brother to shake off the dream in silence. They didn't ask him what the dream was about, knowing that he would tell them when he was ready, or if he decided to show it to them when he phased.

Collin decided that snapping him out of it was going to take a change of environment, if nothing else. "Ok boys, move it, Wakeh, you have 5 minutes to get your ass dressed. We are getting out of here. It's a Saturday morning, and we have plans."
The other 3 looked at him quizzically, so he just rolled his eyes and looked at Seth pointedly, "Didn't your imprint slash girlfriend tell you to come by Rachel's soon?" to which that worthy only nodded, with a silly smile on his face. When Ryan showed no signs of even moving, Collin rolled his eyes and then said, "It's ok if you don't want to come Ryan, I mean the only reason Kai asked us to come hang out is she wanted us to get to know Michelle a little better."
Ryan's head snapped up at her name and he narrowed his eyes at Collin. He squatted down next to Ryan, so their heads were on the same level. "Her parents are staying at the hotel in Forks, but Michelle is spending the weekend with Kaia at Rachel's place. Kai wanted the morning to themselves, apparently they had girl stuff to talk about, but she wanted Michelle to get to know her friends here. So I suggest you get your ass out of bed, get dressed and let's get going."
Both Brady and Seth laughed at Collin's undiplomatic strategy, although 30 seconds later, it was Collin laughing at them, when Ryan shot out of the room to the bathroom to start getting ready. He would have phased and run straight to Rachel Black's house the way he was, if it hadn't been for Collin coming to the rescue again. He convinced Ryan that showing up half naked and panting, was NOT going to win over his imprint. She had no idea of mystical connections and it was time to play it slightly cool. Stalking into the house and proclaiming eternal devotion was not going to work.
Not right then anyway.

While Kaia had been expecting only Seth and the twins to tag along on the tour she had planned to take Michelle on, she was pleasantly surprised to find that Ryan showed up with them. Her surprise faded almost immediately as she caught the blush that lit Michelle's face when he walked in. Turning to Seth, she winked and indicated Ryan who had mumbled a hello at Kaia, before smiling broadly at Michelle and taking up residence on the floor next to the couch where she was sitting. Seth attempted to look like he had no idea what she meant, when she narrowed her eyes at him and raised an eyebrow. Knowing she had her mind set on some match-making, he simply grinned, knowing something she didn't.
The spirits had beaten her to it, in this instance.
Smirking a little, Kaia dragged them all outside to start showing Michelle around, somehow making sure that Ryan was close at hand. Remembering her talk with Michelle earlier that morning, she had a feeling this birthday visit was going to have some long lasting effects. And from what she could see in the dark eyes of the boy who was gazing at her best friend, they would be worth it.

Ryan, Collin, Brady, Seth, Kaia and Michelle were inseparable for the entire weekend, much to everyone else's amusement. While the twins welcomed her with open arms, recognizing a fellow trouble-maker when they saw one, Seth and Ryan seemed slightly more body-guardish to an outsider. Mr. and Mrs. Morgan had come to the reservation on Saturday evening to have dinner with Rachel and Billy and were pleased to see Kaia so adjusted. Watching from the porch where they were sitting, while the youngsters were gathered around a makeshift bonfire in the front yard, Mrs. Morgan couldn't help the tears that came to her eyes. She missed having Kaia around, and as much as Michelle tried to manage, she knew her daughter missed her terribly as well.
Seeing how Kaia barely left her friend's side, made her feel some sort of vindication that what she and her husband were planning, was the right thing to do.

Talking with Billy and Rachel, as well as the others who seemed to drift and out of the house like they lived there, gave Mr. Morgan a feeling of deep peace. He knew how much Kaia valued family and the close-ness they had shared. The people he had met so far all treated her like a much loved younger sister, and from what he could see, she was safer here than anywhere else on the planet. Rachel had taken the senior Morgans into confidence to explain her decision not to let Kaia move back to Seattle with them. While he was concerned, he didn't voice his offer to hire a bodyguard. Taking one look at Paul's massive form and the way he carefully watched Rachel, he couldn't help but notice that this protective stance seemed to include Kaia as well. At least as far as Seth Clearwater was concerned. His wife seemed to be oblivious to this new development, but he knew that it was all an act so she could see how the teenager treated the girl she considered her second daughter. She seemed to be pleased because she impulsively hugged the surprised boy when he helped her serve dessert.

Sitting on the porch and chatting, the hours simply sped by, so they were surprised at the time, when Collin came up the few stairs to make an amusing announcement. "The fair maidens yonder have both succumbed to sweet slumber," he proclaimed imperiously.
"Also, they snore pretty bad. Now what are we supposed to do with them? Car, Cliff, or Bed?" he asked a laughing Rachel.
"I think we could let Michelle stay here again tonight, if you don't mind Rachel, since we are going back tomorrow evening." Mrs. Morgan missed the suddenly stricken look of the boy whose shoulder Michelle was using for a pillow.
Rachel didn't.
"Sure Mrs. Morgan," she murmured. "Don't wake them," she added, "the boys will carry them in, they do that for Kaia sometimes, she seems to do this falling asleep thing pretty often."

Taking that as their cue, Seth gently lifted Kaia into what was fast becoming a familiar position, carrying her bridal style into the house, and depositing her on her bed, slipping off her converse shoes while he did so. Ryan looked warily at Mr. Morgan before moving his shoulder from under Michelle's head, and pulling her into his arms. He was momentarily stunned at the feeling of rightness that crashed over him as she snuggled closer to him. Holding her like this was the closest he had come to any physical contact with her, apart from a few electrically charged brushes of their hands during the day.
Clutching her to his chest, he followed in the same direction as Seth, missing the knowing smile that Mrs. Morgan sent at her husband. Placing her on the spare mattress that Rachel had put out, he tenderly moved a lock of hair that had fallen over her face, before realizing what he had done, and then he hurried out of the room, stopping only to gently place a soft blanket over her sleeping form.

The next day, Ryan was at Seth's house at dawn, shaking his pack-brother awake in a daze. "Dude, I know you imprinted, but seriously, its 5 o clock in the freaking morning…. And why are you wearing yesterday's clothes?" questioned a sleepy Seth. "I…. I spent the night under their window. After that dream I had… I just.. . I couldn't just leave her unprotected," he muttered defensively. Seth just grinned at him, and replied, "She's your imprint man, I get it. Now why the hell am I awake this early?" At this question Ryan looked stricken. "She leaves today Seth. She is going back to Seattle and I have no idea when I'm going to be able to see her again." Now grim, Seth looked at his brother's anguished expression and clapped him on the back. "Go take a shower, Leah will be back from patrol soon, so get out of the bathroom before she gets back. Then you can wear some of my clothes and we can go wake them up. Ok?"
"Deal," mumbled Ryan, stumbling off down the hallway. Getting together some clothes, Seth wrote a quick note to his mother, before ducking into the shower the second Ryan was done. Barely 15 minutes later, Seth was knocking softly on Kaia's window. A sleepy, "Wha ?" made him smile. Apparently his imprint was part of the sane crowd who despised waking up this early.
A few seconds later, the window was opened and Kaia's sleepy face peeked out. "What are you guys doing ? Its so freaking early, and damn if its not chilly out there. Come on in… but shhh… I think Rachel and Billy are definitely asleep." Both boys make quick work of slipping through the window and Seth caught a distinctive male chuckle from Rachel's room. Apparently Paul hadn't missed their entrance, and Kaia was oblivious to the fact that he usually stayed over. After hugging Kaia, Seth turned to Ryan and whatever it was that he wanted to say remained unsaid as he caught sight of Ryan's face.
Puzzled and concerned.
Only then did he notice what he was looking at. The empty spare mattress next to Kaia's bed.
No Michelle.
Just blankets, neatly folded, and the pillow placed on top of them.

Before anyone could say a word, the door opened and a figure garbed in an oversized sweatshirt, and not much more, tip-toed in. "Oopsie?" came her surprised half question. Ryan was struck absolutely speechless. He had been outside the window all night and the half an hour he was away, she had woken up, snuck out of the room, taken a shower and was currently standing in front of him wearing his sweatshirt, which she had borrowed the previous night, and a towel around her head.
He was ready to swear that his head was about to explode from sensory overload. A nervous giggle interrupted his staring and he flushed. "We knew you were leaving today, so we thought we would make the most of it today," he heard Seth explain to Kaia. "How does breakfast at the diner sound?"
"Seth, I can see my clock from her… if its really 5:42 in the morning; you are going to feel some pain."
"Do I look like I want to be awake this early? Blame the morning person here," he replied, pointing to Ryan. He barely had a chance to get in a retort of his own, before Michelle swung to face him and exclaimed, "Oh yaaaaay… I always get stuck with Grumpy here, she hates early mornings." She linked arms with him, ignoring the fact that her bare legs were giving him thought processes he didn't want to have, at least at this point. "So what's the plan boys?"
Ryan didn't really care what the plan might be, but he had a strange feeling he was going to turn into someone who loved mornings.

That evening, Kaia and Michelle hugged for what seemed like hours, before Mr. and Mrs. Morgan took their turn. They all piled into the truck, for the long drive back to Seattle. Ryan had stuck around for the farewell as well, and neither of the senior Morgans seemed surprised. As they pulled out of the driveway, Ryan strained to watch them until they were out of the sight, then quietly snuck to the back of the house, where he phased and raced towards the highway. The others still standing in the driveway, heard an agonized howl in the distance, and the pack knew that their brother was going to be spending the night in Seattle. Brady nodded at Seth and hugged Kaia before going straight to Sam and Emily's. Sam was still on patrol but Emily was home. "Hey Emi?" he called. "Can you please tell Sam that I'm covering Ryan's patrols tonight?"

She said nothing. Just smiled and nodded. He gave her a grim smile and left, knowing he would need a couple of hours sleep before patrol. This was not going to be easy for Ryan to manage, but they were brothers, not just pack-mates. And they would do anything they could to help him.

2 weeks later

They had finally figured out a routine, where Ryan would cover some of the twin's patrols and they would cover for him whenever he had to go to Seattle. He did this at least once or twice a week, and with the speed they reached as wolves, it was a journey of barely 15 minutes. Thankfully, Kaia had gotten it into her head that Ryan's sudden interest in anything Michelle related, was all thanks to her awesome skills as matchmaker. Seth simply indulged her with this theory, and smiled to himself, knowing she was going to be miffed when she learned the truth.

Speaking of which, he was currently sitting on Rachel's couch, surrounded by Paul, Jake, Sam, Jared, Emily, Kim and Rachel herself. He needed to know how he was going to tell her about it, and he had asked Brady and Collin to keep her occupied after school for the evening so he could talk to them without the possibility of her interrupting. His decision to ask the other imprinted couples for help, however, looked like it was going to backfire on him. When he had asked for advice, what he hadn't expected was the way the others would tease him, throw useless hints his way, and spend more time laughing at his predicament than actually helping. The most help he got was from the imprints themselves, who knew that he was nervous about this, because of his feelings for Kaia, apart from the imprinting.

While Kim was explaining to him, that taking her for a walk in the woods and then phasing, was not the way to do it, amidst Jared's complaints that he didn't have much to work with, the phone rang. Rachel rolled her eyes at all of them and left the room to answer it. She came back in with a bemused expression on her face. "Hey Seth? Can you give me a lift into town?" she asked. "Err.. sure Rach," he replied, slightly puzzled at why she was asking him and not Paul. "Where to?"
"The Police Station…" she deadpanned.
The room went silent, all joking halted.
"What?" exclaimed Jake. "Yeah, I have bail money to put up apparently," she went on. By now every single one of them was staring at her like she had suddenly announced that she was a Martian and decided to run for President.
"Wait," interrupted Jake, a light dawning, "Who got arrested?"

"Kaia, Brady and Collin"

A/N: REVIEW !

What on EARTH could they have gotten upto?

And congratulations to everyone who guessed Ryan, when I asked who they thought imprinted on Michelle Morgan.

Next chapter will be next week, but only if I see lots of reviews People !