Disclaimer: Not mine.

A/N: I'm so so so sorry for the delay—busy couple of weeks…far too many late nights and homework assignments. I'm not sure if the next few weeks will get any better but hopefully I'll be able to update sooner. Thanks for being so patient with me. Hopefully these updates will end up being longer than usual to make up for it! Hope you enjoy this chapter—there's a bit of Jared/Kim interaction.

Thanks for reading and please do review! I love hearing what you guys think.

TTFN.

-S

Model Imprint

Chapter 14: Fly like an R8

Ladies love my style, at my table gettin wild

Get them bottles poppin, we get that drip and that drop

Now give me 2 more bottles cuz you know it don't stop

-Like a G6, Far East Movement

I saw Billy again today. Well at least I thought I saw him—it wasn't clear if it was him or not. I'd been sitting out back against the lower ring of trees. Our backyard is unfenced and if you follow the pathway around the great oak then you can walk right into the woods at the bottom of our street. It's kind of like having your own private entrance.

I was working on my geometry assignment when I saw him. He was just a shadow maybe fifty feet away from me but his rustle was familiar. He looked almost bigger than last and I could have sworn his fur flashed silver. But it must have been the sunlight—I don't think I'd ever really seen him at high noon. The day was brilliant as well—the clouds had forsaken us for the present and I was enjoyed every last ray of sunshine. There was no snow on the ground—just tons and tons of auburn and tangerine colored leaves that were stacked around me in great piles just waiting to be jumped in.

I couldn't imagine a more perfect place to do my homework. But after that first sighting I couldn't seem to focus. I kept looking up, hoping for a second glimpse. But Billy was being skittish today—it had been almost fifteen minutes before I saw a tail out of the corner of my eye.

He was a bit closer this time and I could see his form between the trees as he ran—as silent and nebulous as a shadow. It was almost like he wasn't there—a cloud dipping too low made audible by the rush of wind it left in its wake.

And then there he was again—and this time I knew I saw silver. It was a dark—almost gun metal gray but in the sun light it flashed iridescent. It was enchanting—almost like seeing a cobra sway and as I followed the flickers of light off of his back I realized two things simultaneously. He wasn't just circling—he was drawing closer with each pass and two—his coat proved this was most definitely not Billy.

Apparently, Billy wasn't as alone as I thought in the world. And as saw the creature take another swatch around me, this time to my left, I started to panic.

He was drawing closer but because he was moving in a series of ever-shrinking concentric circles, I had no way of escaping him. He was moving too fast—if it was even a he.

The breaths came next—loud and panting but I knew that Billy was silent when he ran—so this wolf must have wanted me to hear it.

It wanted to intimidate me.

Crap.

I pulled my books into my backpack slowly, wincing as the zipper echoed loud and obnoxious in the quiet wood.

The breaths were being punctuated by stiff beats of its paws now. They sounded large and I could feel the floor shaking as it circled even faster.

And then it all stopped.

I watched—my nerve endings on fire and my heart racing and a hundred miles an hour, as it stepped out in front of me, its large regal head raised in pointed disdain.

Whatever it was, it was haughty and indignant and I felt so scared that I couldn't breathe.

I took painstakingly slow breaths to stall my respiration—the sound of it was unbearably loud to me.

It stepped closer and then suddenly—before I could realize it, its searing breath was pulsing against my form. I froze as hard as I could; petrified as the razor sharp incisors neared my naked arms. Its breath was carnivorous—smelling of fresh meat. It stepped closer.

I couldn't move—every part of me was screaming to move back but my feet were stuck in the mossy floor. And then it made contact.

I almost leap out of my skin as its heated, wet snout traced a line across me, shoulder to shoulder. And then it rammed me, hard across the chest and I felt myself fall backwards suddenly, my arms shooting out to brace myself. I felt a warm pulse of liquid across my palm—I must have cut myself but I couldn't even feel the pain—all I could focus on was the relief that thudded through me when the great silver form vanished into the murky woods.

It was gone and I wasn't sticking around until it came back.

I ran indoors, not stopping, not looking back just focused on getting inside before it came back. As I leaned against the closed door, my heart still pounding furiously, I felt myself start to tremble as the shock wore off and I realized how close I was to—well to something.

It hadn't hurt me—not really, but that was unacceptably irresponsible of me, and I couldn't let it happen again. Billy would have to come find me—I couldn't risk going out there again, not after what had happened, at least not unprepared.

It seemed that I'd have to pay the Cullen's another little visit.

I had a feeling they knew about these giant wolves that roamed the woods behind me. I couldn't imagine they'd let something like that go past their notice.

I dropped my stuff by the door and headed into the kitchen, pulling a first aid kit out of the hallway closet on my way. I held my hands up under the soft yellow light of the kitchen, wincing as I traced the striking gash that went across one palm from base to point where it connected to my fingers. My other hand wasn't bad—it just looked like I'd burned it across a carpet but the gash I'd have to tend to before it got infected.

I held them under the faucet, and then poured antiseptic across it. A bandage wouldn't fit so I placed a gauze pad over it and then wrapped it before heading to the garage.

This was going to require stitches.

As I pulled out of the garage and up to the top of the street above my house, I paused. This would be a great opportunity to talk to Dr. Cullen. I could ask him about the wolves. The freeway was barren today but I took relish in it—my gauzy hand preventing me from driving with both and I had to be more careful using my left hand.

I shifted against the pain as I stretched my hand in my lap—I tried not to move it but the it was beginning to ache around the cut and I had not way of relieving the pain.

I pulled into the parking lot which was surprisingly empty and walked down the corridor I'd followed only twice before. Wanda, the receptionist beckoned me forward with a welcoming smile.

"Hi dear, how can I help you today?" She shuffled some papers before her in an attempt to look busy.

"I cut my hand—I think it needs stitches." I pressed the hand forward, leaning it on the table so that she would be able to see it.

"Alright, we'll get that looked at. Take a seat there and fill out this form for me."

"Is it possible for me to see Dr. Cullen? I can wait—" But she cut me off.

"Oh honey, didn't you hear? He's gone."

I felt my heart still for a moment—gone? How could he be gone—just like that' it wasn't possible.

"What do you mean?"

"Dr. Cullen got an offer from a practice in LA—couldn't turn it down apparently. We'll miss him—or at least I know I will." I heard her words fade away as her eyes turned dreamy. But I wasn't the least bit amused. If anything I was horrified.

If they were gone—what did that mean for my parents? For the wolves? I had to find him.

"When did he resign?" She tossed me an odd look.

"I'm not sure but the last we heard from him was this morning—he came by to pick up some papers before he left."

"Thanks" I muttered as I raced out ignoring her protests about getting my hand looked out and I ran out of the room.

I was in my car sooner than I could think and I ignored the pulsing pain in my hand as I drove to the Cullens'.

I spent the ride drifting between disbelief and rationalization. There was no way they were gone. There was no way.

But when I got there, the house was the same. I felt the relief flood through me. It didn't look like anything had changed, at least not from here.

I ran inside—certain and thankful that one of the Cullen clan would open the door.

I rang the doorbell maybe fourteen times before I gave up and set on the doorstep waiting. I waited until the sun started to sink beneath the horizon and then long past the sky's casual descent from cyan to turquoise to purple to indigo. And then when the winter breezes wracked my frame, piercing through my thin cotton cardigan, I relented.

They were gone. And they weren't coming back.

School was bleak the next day and my hand was sore beyond belief. I decided to go back to the hospital after school and see if I could dig up the name of the hospital he transferred to but considering their situation, I had a feeling that the forwarding address he left at the hospital would be no where near the one he was actually at.

It wasn't until after my last class that I saw Jared by my locker. Nina wasn't around but he was leaning there, in the way that he did.

He looked surly—his arched brows drawn tight together and his mouth was small and angry. I stalled maybe twenty feet away from him when he looked up. The sheer relief that passed over his face was unmistakable and for some reason I thought about the silver wolf. But that would be ridiculous—there was not way that Jared could know about that—let alone my hand.

He walked up to me as I walked towards him.

"Hey Jared." I smiled as he neared and watched as he ran his eyes up and down my frame. I pulled my arms across my chest—suddenly self conscious and unsure.

"Hey." He replied, distracted.

"Is there something I can—"

"Are you okay?" He cut me off, frazzled.

"I'm fine." I smiled, tightly, watching as he nodded once and then twice before finally smiling at me.

"Was there something else-?"

"No, no that was it." He ran a hand through his hair and I watched as his long, lean fingers ran through the buzz. Even short, his hair looked inky black.

"I'll see you then." I said, softly, trying to ignore the disappointment that I no longer had reason to see him.

"Yeah."

"Jared!" It was Nina, she appeared behind him, one hand over his shoulder, staking her claim.

A brief flash of annoyance passed over his face and I smirked in amusement and then it happened. A hand; manicured and firm; grabbed my hand roughly twisting it behind me. Ordinarily that would have worked quite efficiently in getting my attention and pulling me away but Tracey Russet didn't know about the gash across my palm.

I heard the keening, whimper that expelled from my mouth with surprise—the sound was odd and foreign to me. But the fierce burning that tugged at the hand she had in her grasp overcame everything else. I felt my vision start to firecracker with pain as her manicured tips reopened the wound on my palm that had slowly been clotting.

I tried to pull away from her—desperate to get it to stop but she hadn't noticed the blood.

But Jared had.

"Let her go." His voice was low and serious and I watched as he stood to his full height, Nina's hand falling away from its perch. He stepped towards Tracey and she dropped my hand immediately.

"Tracey, let's go." Nina pulled her aside, and I could tell from the forbidding exchange that was about to take place, that Nina wasn't happy. I thought briefly of the time that she stood up for me and reminded myself that I would thank her one day. Whenever I least expected it, Nina Russet came through with shinning colors.

"Kim?" He was close suddenly and I felt the pain dim—but it couldn't have been his proximity. Whatever it was, I was grateful.

His touch was searing and decadent and I felt the pain numb as he ran careful fingers around the wound.

"It's okay—you don't have to, I'll just go to the nurse." I supplied but he just ignored me.

"How'd this happen?" He looked up at me then, his eyes hooded with fury.

"I fell." The words were out before I could rethink them and I wanted to hit myself for how cliché they sounded.

He narrowed his eyes in suspicion.

"Where?"

"I was in my backyard and then tripped backwards. I just haven't had time to get stitches—ow!"I cried as he pressed too hard.

"Sorry, sorry." He rubbed a hand across the back of mine before placing a hand against the small of my back and leading me out of the hallway.

"Where are we going?" I asked as we headed out towards the parking lot and he set his course for my Audi. He didn't answer me until we had gotten to my car and he was starting usher me in.

"To the doctor." He replied, opening the door to the passenger seat.

"I can drive."

"I can drive better—"noticing my look of protest, he amended," I have two functioning hands."

"Jared—really, its—"

"Look this is one of the only times I'll even be in an R8—so just let me enjoy this." He tossed a wink at me and then sped off down the road towards the Fork s General Hospital.

The hospital looked whiter than usual in the wintry sunlight that filtered through the clouds. I traced the flickering path of the sunlight through the trees outside the window in the room I was in.

Dr. Edmunds, a tall man with neatly parted brown hair and perfectly average brown eyes, entered the room.

"What have we done to ourselves?" He asked a twinkle in his eye as he pulled my hand towards him. He ran a cool finger over the gauze and then carefully removed it.

"Just fell over." I shrugged, sheepishly and he seemed to buy it.

"I would have preferred you come in as soon as it happened but I think we'll be able to keep the hand." He winked and I couldn't help but laugh.

I turned away as he started stitching, and he encouraged me to talk to keep my attention away from the small, flashing needle that passed in and out of my skin as if it were nothing but cotton.

"So, Kim, do you go to school here in Forks?"

"Up at the reservation, Dr. Edmunds."

"Oh, I know the art teacher up there—"

"She's one of my favorites." I smiled. He nodded, politely. "Dr. Edmunds, I usually see Dr. Cullen—not that you're not great but I was wondering if you knew where he transferred?"

"Sure, he went down to Cedar-Sinai. We were sorry to lose him."

"It seems like an abrupt decision—I didn't know until I came in." He nodded, a grave look on his face.

"Well the rain gets to the best of us—I hear southern California is a great deal sunnier. Perhaps it was just the weather." I smiled at him—detecting the finality in his voice—I suppose it wasn't routine for doctors to discuss their colleagues with patients. But I knew there wasn't a chance it was just the weather. A sleepy little town like Forks was the perfect cover—in metropolitan LA their chances of secrecy were less likely—they had probably headed north to the seclusion of Alaska if I had to guess or maybe to the open ranches of Idaho. It wouldn't have been south. Of that much I was certain.

Which meant I had no chance of finding them—at least not until they found me.

"All done, Kim. Now, no stress on that palm for the next week—try to avoid driving and keep it as dry as possible. I'd like to see you next Monday to check your progress—Angela will make the appointment for you." He ran a finger over his handiwork and I couldn't help but admire it. The stitches were neat and precise—each exactly the same distance from the one before it and after it.

"I'll add a prescription for Ibuprofen for the pain but I don't think you'll have any trouble."

"Thanks Dr. Edmunds." He offered a quiet goodbye before baking out of the room. I met Jared in the waiting room after grabbing my prescription.

"All better." I lifted the guaze over my hand lightly and offered him a peak of the stitching. He smirked.

"How many did you get?"

"Six!"

"Let's hope there aren't anymore." He pushed me out and then walked me to the passenger seat before I could protest.

"No driving—remember?" I looked at him curiously. How could he have known about that?

"How'd you know—"

"I've had stitches before." He supplied before I could finish and then whistled low and seductive as the quiet hum of my car started up. He revved the engine and I saw the appreciation mirrored in his eyes.

"Fuck, this car is amazing." He muttered, turning to me.

"Yeah." I smiled at him—and then thought for a moment about whether or not this would be a good idea.

"Jared?"

"Yeah?"

"I have something I'd like to show you." He looked at me curiously, but I just smiled at him as placidly as I could. "When we get to my house."

"Okay." He sped home—careening around the curves but I could feel the control he had over the car—his gaze was focused solidly forward as he maneuvered the gears with his right hand and expertly wielded the steering wheel with his left. I tried to avert my gaze as the visual of him—so powerful and precise behind the wheel of my sports car started to do funny things to my stomach. I clenched my legs together when he took a particularly had turn, his bicep tensing as he tightened his grip.

We got home in half the time it would normally have taken and when Jared turned to me after the ride his face was alight. His eyes were burning with excitement and I could see his glistening white smile was practically etched onto his face.

"That was—shit, Kim, I can't believe you get to drive this all the time." He thought for a second and then tilted his head at me.

"But you don't—I don't think I've seen you in this car more than a few times…?"

"Oh." I felt my cheeks heat up. There was no way to say this without sounding arrogant and presumptuous.

"I thought it might draw attention." I said quietly—trying to avoid his gaze. I knew this was going to make me sound like I was ashamed of my family—and I wasn't…it was just practical.

"Besides—I like to walk." I rushed to add, but he just watched me a peculiar sort of look on his face. Like he was trying to decide if I was being honest.

"So let me get this straight—you've got this sweet car all to yourself and you walk to school so that people you don't know don't know talk about you?"

"It sounds stupid when you say it like that—but yes." I rolled my eyes at him, a sheepish smile starting to spread across my face.

"Hey you're the one actually doing it." He paused before continuing. "So why now? What made you start driving so recently?"

"I don't know." I avoided, carefully. It wasn't like I could tell him that I was too scared to walk after my run-ins with Paul and especially now after seeing that great silvery wolf. So I lied. "I guess I thought I'd treat myself."

He laughed at that. "Whatever, Kim. So what're you going to show me?"

"Well, my dad is sort of into cars." He perked up at this.

"Does this mean you have more than one Audi?" I laughed at that.

"No, this is the only Audi." I replied, patting the leather of the console. He nodded, and I could see him trying to stop the disappointment from flooding his gaze.

"But we do have a few other cars lying around." And then giggling at the hopeful expression on his face, I pulled him out of the car with my good hand and let him to the enclosed garage that held my father's prize cars.

Jared's grip went slack as he passed his eyes over the indigo Lamborghini and the silver Bugatti.

"Kim?"

"Yes, Jared."

"I think I'm in love."

I let him go and watched him, leaning against the door frame as he passed his hand lovingly over the polished metal. And for a moment, I let myself pretend that he was speaking to me.

Me too, Jared, me too.