So the soothing movement of the waves were doing nothing to calm his nerves. Seth was still freaking out over this meeting. He was terrified to introduce his best friend to his sort of girlfriend. Would they get along? Would they hate each other? He didn't think he could handle it if they hated each other. But they were both so nice! There's no way they would hate each other. Right?
"Would you relax?" Jae asked as they walked towards the family picnic going on near the water. "I'm not going to cause a scene, Seth."
"That's not what I'm worried about, Jae. I know you're not. I never even considered that. I'm just nervous about whether you two will get along."
"Oh, we'll be fine. Don't worry about it. I'm sure she's awesome, and you know I like awesome people. We'll get along great!"
"Don't get along too well," he warned. "I can't have you two ganging up on me, okay?"
"Someone's gotta do it, Seth. Otherwise you'll continue to do dumb stuff."
"What dumb stuff do I do?" Jae shrugged and continued to walk on ahead of him as he stood there in shock. "Wait, Jae! What dumb stuff do I do?"
"Don't worry about it!" she called back over her shoulder. "Now come on! Introduce me to your sweetheart!"
He hurried to catch up to her and took a deep breath. Everything would be fine. Just two of his good friends meeting each other. No big deal. Unless they didn't get along and then everything would just be awkward. He didn't want that. No one wanted that. But that wouldn't happen. They were both likeable people, just different when it came to socializing. Jae was more introverted and quiet in conversation while Samantha was more extroverted and talkative in conversation. But maybe that combination would work out better? Only one way to find out.
"Seth?" Samantha looked up in surprise. "Oh my god, hey! Mom, look! Seth's here!"
Her mother smiled up at him and stood to properly greet him. And then her eyes fell upon Jae. She was obviously not very pleased to see her daughter's boyfriend walking around with another girl their age. Jae let out a nervous laugh and offered an awkward wave.
"Oh, Mrs. Vera, I'd like you to meet Jae Moon," Seth introduced politely. "She's my best friend and wanted to meet Samantha."
"It's nice to meet you, Mrs. Vera," Jae greeted as she extended her hand. "I've heard many wonderful things about your daughter from Seth and wanted to get to know her. She sounds absolutely amazing."
"Yes, well it's nice to meet you as well."
Seth grinned when Samantha stood up and motioned for the other two to follow her a few feet from where her parents were sitting. The girls looked at one another, sizing each other up, before shaking hands.
"I'm Samantha Vera, Seth's girlfriend. Sort of. Ish."
"Jae Moon, and I have the unfortunate role of being his best friend. It's actually really great to finally meet you. I've been bugging him for weeks to let me see you."
"Oh my god, same!" Samantha said loudly, grabbing Jae's wrist excitedly. "I've been dying to meet you! But apparently the trope of girl best friends hating the girlfriend and vice versa is law."
"That's ridiculous. You seem like a perfectly awesome person."
"Thank you! And you as well. Obviously anyone who puts up with Seth for that long is special." They both ignored the offended huff Seth created. "You know, I have the feeling we're going to be great friends, Jae."
"It's funny. I was just thinking the same thing."
"Oh my god, what have I done?" Seth groaned to himself. "I've created a monster. They're never going to let me live."
"It's okay, sweetheart," Jae told him mockingly as she patted his shoulder. "You wanted us to get along right?"
"Oh my god, Jae, we have already discussed..."
Fate had once again put Jamie at the bus stop, except this time he was waiting for courage to come to him instead of a police cruiser. Sarina stood beside him and held his hand in an effort to ground him. She knew how emotional this trip was going to be for him, knew how hard it was going to be, but she also knew that this was the only way he could truly get over what had happened. He actually didn't even know what happened. They'd returned Jae to her bed in the Cullen house and skipped town. He didn't want to be there if she died. He didn't want to be there if she woke up. And Sarina, in a moment of weakness, had allowed him. She'd let him run away from the consequences of his actions when she should've been pushing him to face everyone affected by what he'd done.
"What do you want to do?" she asked quietly.
"Go home. But I guess I need to do this. I've already put it off for far too long. Might as well go see the pack first. Get that over with."
"Okay, that's good. Want me to come with you?"
"No, they wouldn't like that. Find us a place to stay? I'll meet up with you after I've talked with them, alright? This is something I've got to do alone."
"You've got this."
He smiled down at her and pressed a kiss to her forehead. He really was lucky to have Sarina in his life, especially now. They had history together, and right now that's what he needed. Someone who knew who he was and what he required to get better. She knew that better than almost anyone, coming second to only Jaeyeon. In fact, she'd been the one to introduce him to Sarina, and when Jaeyeon had died that time, Sarina was the one there for him just like now. She was like his guardian angel, and that's what he needed more than anything right now.
"I'll see you later," he promised before starting to head towards La Push.
It seemed like ages since he'd last been down this road. It was haunting, like the spirits of those he left behind were crowding around him to choke him with their feelings of betrayal. He knew they wouldn't be happy to see him. He'd left without a word or trace. Even the vampires couldn't track him thanks to Sarina. He wouldn't be surprised if they banned him from seeing Embry. He felt bad about leaving Embry behind without saying goodbye, but he also didn't in a way. He was just that screwed up at this point. He couldn't really feel anything anymore except maybe some satisfaction from the things he did with Sarina. The most tender emotion he'd experienced since Jaeyeon's death was slight fondness for his Charmed, but that was mostly carried over from his previous life with her. But, despite that, he knew he should apologize to Embry. He'd kind of been a dick to the poor guy.
He could hear the waves as he approached the path that would lead him to Emily's house. It had been a long time since he'd heard that sound. Exactly how long had it been since he'd left? He couldn't even remember. He decided it was a long ass time as he slowly ascended the steps to Emily's front door. It didn't even seem familiar really. How sad was that? Pretty fucking sad. He stelled his nerves and knocked on the door, already regretting this decision. Why the hell had he let Sarina talk him into this?
"Hi!" Minah greeted him with that bright smile of hers. "I missed you!"
"I missed you too, squirt," he told her as he knelt in front of her. "How is everyone?"
"Mm, okay."
"Minah, who are you-" Emily appeared behind the little girl and quickly scooped her up in her arms before glaring at Jamie. "What are you doing here?"
"I, um, I wanted to see everyone and, uh, apologize."
"You really think a simple apology is going to make up for everything you've done? You broke Embry, and I won't ever forgive that. And, not to mention, you abandoned us when Jae was drifting on the edge of death! How could you just leave her behind in that state?"
"You're right. I did some really awful things, but I'm here to try to atone for them. May I come in?"
"Absolutely n-"
"Let him in, Emily," Sam called tiredly from the living room. "Might as well get this over with."
And so Emily reluctantly stepped aside to let Jamie in, watching him closely as he crossed the threshold and offered her a small smile. She couldn't believe they were just letting him back into their lives after all he'd done. He'd left Jae in her dying state and left Embry is in vulnerable state. How could they forgive all he'd done? Imprint or not, he still had a lot of things to apologize for, things that could not easily be forgiven.
Embry froze at the edge of the woods when a smell assaulted his nostrils from inside Emily's house. Birch and redwood, something he hadn't smelled since Jae recovered and Jamie left. Suddenly he felt as though he was going to be sick as part of him rejoiced. Jamie was back. The boy who had broken his heart and ditched him with no word had finally come back. What did this mean? Should he go in? Could he really face him again?
"Hey." Quil came over to place a comforting hand on his shoulder. "I've got your back."
He let his friend guide him into the house as he secretly recoiled with each step closer to his imprint. Why had he come back? Was he going to stay? Had he seen Jae yet? All these questions raced around his brain as they finally stepped foot in the kitchen. He couldn't focus on anything else but the sound of Jamie's heartbeat coming from the next room. He really was back. He wasn't imaginging this. He wasn't dreaming. It was reality.
"So you're back," he stated once he had crossed into the living room. Jamie immediately looked up at him and stood from the couch. "I'd say it's good to see you, but I don't like lying to you."
"Oh, Embry, I'm so sorry."
"Save it," he snapped angrily as he stepped away from Jamie's touch. "I don't want your worthless apologies. I want to know why. Why'd you leave?"
"Look, Em, we're friends, but we weren't exactly in a relationship."
"I'm not asking for myself. I'm asking for Jae." Jamie's eyes widened in surprise. He always thought Embry hated Jaeyeon. "I thought you were her best friend, but then when she's on the brink of death, you suddenly skip town. What the fuck was that about?"
"I don't have to explain myself to you."
"Oh you don't? Because while you were off who knows where, we had to watch Jae flatline. Again. And again. Her best friend should've been there with her."
"You don't know what it's like for me in that position," Jamie told him shakily.
"Really? Because I've been in Seth's head, you know her actual best friend, and it's not pretty! He still thinks about that all the time. Brady and Collin can't even patrol with him anymore because of his thoughts. So don't say we don't know what it's like."
"You don't! If you had even an inkling, you would understand why I did what I did!"
"Then make me understand, Jamie!"
"I can't! There's no way you could ever understand!"
"Embry, is everything okay?"
And then suddenly it all made sense. It was suddenly obvious to all of them watching. Jamie's entire body tensed up, and they could actually hear all the air leave his body. His heart rate picked up exponentially. Slowly, ever so slowly, he turned to face Jae. They watched his gaze soften as he saw her standing there, alive and well. He knew it wasn't his Sukja, but apparently his body hadn't gotten the memo because he felt it swell with unbridled love for the human standing before him.
"Who are you?" she asked suspiciously.
Right. She wouldn't remember him. "Oh, I'm Jamie Jung, Embry's friend."
"Jamie?" She'd heard of him. Despite all the things she'd heard, she still extended her hand to shake his. "Jae Moon, Seth's friend."
He felt a sob tug at his throat when he felt her cool fingers wrap around his warm ones. She really was alive. Part of her lived in this version. Why had he left her? If he'd just stayed, he could've been there when she woke up. He could've taken care of this sliver of his Sukja. He could've lived with at least an echo of her. Why had he left her? He had promised he'd never leave her. And yet he did. He'd believed her gone, and yet she was right there in front of him. He was holding her hand, feeling the vibrant life pulse beneath her skin. Why had he left her? He himself didn't know why. He just knew he regretted it immensely.
"Jamie, are you okay?" Her voice shook him from his reverie.
"Huh? Oh, yeah, sorry about that." He dropped her hand and stepped back, willing the tears not to fall. Not in front of her. "I, um, I should really get going. It was nice meeting you, Jae. I hope to see you again."
And he booked it out of there. How could he continue to face the eyes of the one he loved? The eyes that held him as a stranger? He could deal with her being gone. Being dead. But he couldn't deal with her not knowing who he was. She was the greatest love of his existence, and yet she couldn't remember any of it. She was just another human populating the blue planet. She was no longer of Nature but of man. Was she really Sukja or another soul inhabitating her last body? How could he know for sure? Sarina. He needed Sarina. She would know how to help. She always knew how to help. He needed to find Sarina. Where was Sarina?