Please Note: So.. I wasn't expecting this chapter to come out. And I'd been wondering just how in the depths of seven blue hells that I was going to pull off writing in the segments that S. Meyers only saw fit to write the month name of in the actual book. But then this came and I went with it. This takes place one month after the last chapter, so it'd be October. Close to the end of it, actually. Halloween almost.

Another little intense run in between imprinter and imprintee. Enjoy, hopefully?

05

"Bells? I'm heading out." I peeked into the semi darkened room and hissed my sister's name in an attempt to get her attention. She didn't make a sound. She didn't even seem to acknowledge that I'd said anything.

I shut the door behind me and leaned against it, waiting a second or two. Hesitant to go off yet again and leave her home alone like this. But even if she were to have responded, she'd have told me no. I found myself repeating what my father told me at breakfast while she was still sleeping.

You're trying, shortcake. She's the one who keeps shutting us out. There's nothing you can do.

And deep down, I know he's right. I know that none of this is on me. That she's the one with the problem right now. I just wish knowing the truth in my father's words offered some kind of comfort and made it less hard to see her in the shape she was currently in.

Jasmine called my name from the bottom of the stairs. "Well? Is the zombie coming?"

"Jas, knock it off. That's my sister."

"Sister or not. This pity party of hers has lasted how long now? It's not right. Getting all fucked in the head over some weirdo who left her in the middle of the forest." Jasmine, as usual, was blunt. And also correct.

It's just so much harder to see it like that when it's your sister who's going through it and you're stuck to watch, powerless.

"I see you have a new favorite jacket." Jasmine teased, nodding at Embry's jacket. I hugged it against me and laughed softly, shaking my head. "It's warm, okay?"

"Uh-huh, tell that to someone who didn't witness what I did on First Beach between you two last month. Girl, if stare-downs made babies, you'd be royally fucked right now."

I rolled my eyes and laughed at her as I jogged down the stairs, sliding down the bannister closer to the bottom three. Skidding to a halt in the doorway of the den and peering in. Clearing my throat so that my dad knew I was about to leave.

The football game was up so loud that if not for Billy Black and Harry Clearwater nudging at him and pointing to where I stood, I'm pretty damn sure my father never would've known I was even trying to get his attention.

I stepped into the noisy den and Jasmine stopped behind me. Leaning against the door frame.

"Hi Jasmine."

"Hey, sir. Catch any crooks today?"

"I might've seen one or two, yeah. What time is this movie ending, girls?"

"We're stuck seeing the last showing. So it'll be around 12.. If that's okay, Daddy?" I asked, shuffling my feet. Toying with the oversized sleeve ends on Embry's jacket as I waited.

My dad smiled, nodding. "I guess it won't hurt this once. This isn't becoming a habit." my father informed me, chuckling a little. I threw my arms around his neck and hugged him.

This led to Billy and Harry asking for hugs, which I gladly gave.

"Hey, maybe next time we watch a game here, you can show your old man how to make more chicken wings, yeah?"

I nodded, smiling. "That's fine with me."

"Maybe even some of that chocolate cake too." Billy asked. I shook my head. "Sir, you realize you're not allowed to have that."

"One slice isn't gonna kill my old ass."

"I'd really rather not risk it." I teased gently, hugging the old man.

"You two be careful out, yeah? Port Angeles is a big city. Keep your eyes open and know your surroundings, shortcake. If anything feels off to either of you, call me."

"Yes sir." Jasmine and I chorused. Jasmine grabbed my hand and practically drug me out of the living room, down the front walkway and down to her Eclipse. Once we were inside and heading to the movie theater with Led Zepplin playing, she lowered the radio.

"Are we still on for Halloween? I've got this killer costume I'm dying to wear."

" I thought you were babysitting." I raised a brow. Jasmine smirked. "I'm actually going to take the little guy around for candy. Dressing him as Michael Myers."

"Oh dear god." I laughed out, smiling as I shook my head. "What's your costume?"

"Lorie Strode." Jasmine responded without missing a beat. She gave me that pleading look and I sighed. "Okay, alright. Fiiine. I'll come by after I get off work at the diner. Gus has me working close. Why, I don't know. It's not as if anyone's coming in, they're all going to be at the carnival thing in the town square." I flipped through radio stations, grimacing when all I found was static for a good ten minutes.

"We really are in the middle of nowhere, huh? Can't pick up a decent station."

"Uh, we were listening to a decent station until your music quirk kicked in." Jasmine poked her tongue out at me.

"C'mon, stop being a downer."

"Sorry. I'm just thinking."

"No, you're worrying. About your sister. Stop that shit." Jasmine scolded.

"Considering how close we were before that Cullen prick came along, it's kinda hard. Besides, she did the same to me. All the time. It's my turn to worry about her now." I shrugged.

Jasmine sped up and passed a car moving so slow it was borderline going backwards and as soon as we were merged in the proper lane again, she lowered the volume. "I know this is going to sound selfish as hell. For the love of fuck, woman… Let whatever your sister is going through fall on her. It's not your place to take on! Live your life, girl."

"I'm trying." I answered.

Jasmine sensed my aggravation at the subject in it's entirety and thankfully, she let it go.

Choosing instead to focus on Embry Call.

"Have you seen Jacket Hottie since that day at the beach last month?"

I shook my head. Frowning a little because believe me when I say this, it was not for lack of effort on my part. It was almost as if Embry Call was elusive. Like smoke scattered by wind. No matter how hard I tried to hope to bump into him again, it never seemed to happen.

"You know I haven't. It's not for lack of trying though. I swear, I've pretty much given up on running into the guy again. At least I have his jacket, I guess?"

"The fact that he gave you his jacket, girl. Whew. You don't find many like that around anymore."

I smiled softly, nodding in agreement. Jasmine pulled into a parking spot outside of the theater and when she saw me gazing at Spirit Halloween, she laughed. Nodding to the building.

"We're actually here an hour early. Let's go in. See if we can't find you a costume."

" No kinky shit." I laughed as I got out of the passenger side, shutting the door after locking it. Hurrying across the parking lot to even attempt catching Jasmine.

I caught up to her just as we stepped inside the crowded store. "I have to get a few final touches for me and little dude's costume. Go! Find yourself something to wear too, woman. We'll meet over there by the Ouija board rugs."

I nodded, setting off for the costume display that caught my eye. I wandered the aisles, picking out a few costumes to duck into a dressing room and try on and as I turned the aisle, I found myself body to body with Embry Call.

"They have got to stop meeting like this." Paul chuckled as he said it in a playful tone. "Embry? We're gonna go grab the stuff we came in for."

Embry nodded. I found myself doing it again, the whole heavy and quiet staring thing. Embry's gaze settled to the costumes piled high in my arms. The Little Red Riding Hood costume on top of the pile.

He chuckled. Snickering a little, nodding to it. "Little Red, huh?"

"It's either that, Lydia Deetz from Beetlejuice, a hippie or a fawn."

Embry raised a hand. Dragging it through his hair. I spent entirely too much time following the movement with my eyes; dazed. He cleared his throat. "You still dress up for Halloween?"

"Jasmine roped me into it. She's babysitting, so she's taking the little kid she's watching to the carnival and they're both dressing up? And I'm meeting up with them after I get off work at the diner." I rambled. Tangling my fingers in my hair as I shuffled my feet.

"Jacket's warm, huh?"

"Very. If you want it back.." I started to offer, putting down my pile of costumes to take it off. Embry shook his head firmly. "No, no. It's fine."

"Embry, it's October. In Washington. I know you claim you 'don't get cold' but I happen to think that's bullcrap."

"It's not." Embry shrugged. Glancing over my shoulder. Stepping closer to me as he did. When his hand just barely grazed against my side, I swallowed hard. Now I was doing it too, stepping closer to him as if I were magnetized.

"It's totally fine. Keep it. I have another."

I eyed him, unsure.

"I'm being serious. You're tiny. You probably get way colder than I do."

"Okay, if you insist."

He chuckled, nodding to a dressing room. "I think if you were wanting to try all those on, you'd better go now. Line is pretty long."

I nodded, but I couldn't pull myself out of his eyes. Or bring myself to step away.

"I'll hang around if you want me to."

"Would you?" I asked quietly.

He nodded, smiling. "Go on already."

Except for some reason, I didn't want to move. And that feeling of the air being sucked out of the space between us was back and if I thought it was heavy when I ran into him at First Beach? It was ten times that now.

Reluctantly, I headed over to the dressing room. Ducking inside. Trying on the Little Red Riding Hood costume first. And that was all well and good until naturally, I couldn't reach the damn zipper at the back. I stepped outside, glancing around.

Embry glanced up, locking eyes with me. Since I didn't see Jasmine anywhere, I motioned him over.

"Do you think you could uh… Zip me? I have these short arms, it's a bitch." I asked, just hoping to God that as hot as my cheeks felt at present, that did not equal how red my face may or may not be in asking.

Embry cleared his throat. A hint of color in his cheeks darkening them. He nodded after a second or two and I turned facing away from him. As he tugged the zipper on the costume up, I could feel his fingers shaking a little.

"I, ah… I got it."

"Thanks."

I stepped over to the mirrored wall and spun around. Wrinkling my nose at it and shaking my head. "I think I'm gonna try the others."

"That one looks good though."

"It does, but if the neck were any lower…" I trailed off, wanting to kick myself.

I turned away so that Embry could unzip me. He stepped closer to me, tugging at the zipper. And tugging again, swearing under his breath. His fingers were definitely shaking and the thought made me smile just a little.

It also didn't do anything to dampen any hopes I may or may not have entertained about him recently, either.

"I got it." Embry muttered quietly, his breath warm against my ear. My breath caught in my throat and I swallowed hard, giving him a thumbs up as I stepped into the dressing room again.

I ruled out Lydia because nobody would get it unless they happened to also like Beetlejuice as much as I did. Next came the fawn costume and I set it to the side as a maybe, because call me lazy, but the fact that it was cutesy and far less revealing than Riding Hood but ten times less itchy than Lydia Deetz's lace areas on the red dress had been, it seemed like that was going to be a good possible costume.

Last was the hippie costume. And honestly, the dress was a dress I'd totally try to get by with wearing on a regular normal basis.

I tied on the headband that came with it and stepped back out, twirling around. Embry chuckled. His eyes wandered but he was quick to divert them, fixing his gaze on me intently.

"Honestly? I'm going to go with the fawn. I mean, if it were me."

"Yeah.. I might just buy this one too and wear the dress as an actual dress."

Embry raised a brow and I laughed softly, shrugging. "I happen to like it. It's cute. And the sleeves cover my hands. Gotta love that."

" Yeah, what is your thing about sleeves going over your hands?"

I shrugged. "I dunno."

His friends appeared behind him and Paul nudged him, whispering something in his ear.

He grumbled and rolled his eyes but nodded. Whatever Paul had told him didn't make him too happy. He wandered over to where I was standing, over by a Jessica Rabbit costume that maybe I'd wear if I had actual boobs to hold the damn thing up, a father who wasn't a big baby if I came down wearing just the slightest hint of makeup and one hell of a lot more nerve than I actually have.

"If that slit were any higher." I muttered mostly to myself, jumping a little when Embry tapped my shoulder. I turned to face him but I did it so quickly that I wound up bumping against him a little. He steadied me. His hands lingering at my hips.

"I hate to.."

I pouted because I knew where this was heading. I nodded and smiled at him. "I'm glad I ran into you tonight. I was starting to think you were a ghost or something. I never see you around."

"Yeah, I know. It sucks. But maybe you will soon."

"Hopefully." I answered before I could stop the word from coming. And there I went, promptly reminding myself that the goal here was to try not to get attached.

Because my sister had done that and look at her now.

I didn't want to hurt like that. I hate seeing her hurt like that.

I know exactly why she's hurting like that and it's something I'm afraid I'll do too. Especially with Embry because there's this magnetism there. I haven't ever felt this way before. I love the rush it gives me, but at the same time, it scares me to death.