Numero Dos!

The screams of my sister finally die down at around three PM. Emily made food, and I forced some down, feeling wary eyes on me the entire time. Two chocolate brown ones were practically drilling holes into the bruises on my neck from my position on the floor by Dani's head. Her fingers played with my hair for the majority of my six hours on the floor by her head. And occasionally feeding her bits of my food whenever Embry wasn't looking like she was my dog or something. She's starving, but she feels kind of queasy from the blood she swallowed in her sleep.

"You need to get out of here." Dani murmurs another hour later.

"Nope." I muse watching the game on the TV. Embry is lying on the floor near my feet and Jake is sitting in the recliner near Dani's head.

"How are you watching this?" She whimpers. "I can't stand basketball anymore."

I frown. "You know you used to kick ass at that." I mutter quietly, distracted as the 6'10 point guard brings the ball down the court.

"You still do. You still play. I don't."

I laugh quietly. "I can kick ass at volleyball and softball too."

"You're just athletic." Dani mutters.

I tilt my head back and look at Dani's amber eyes, smirking with satisfaction. She flicks my forehead almost roughly.

"Ow." I mutter scrubbing at my forehead with my bandaged hand. "Damn that hurt. Jackass."

Dani sighs. "Kensi please?" She begs. "Just go."

"Go where?" I mutter watching the game. I don't even root for either of these teams, and from the pre-game conversation, neither do Jake or Embry, it was just something to watch. Despite both of them agreeing that they should be sleeping before their night shift. Dumbasses.

"Don't be fucking stupid." Dani hisses so violently I turn around. "I can't see my bruises but I can see yours. And it's driving me inside. You need to get rid of them." Dani snarls.

I narrow my eyes. "Dani, I'm fine. I'm not in any urgent need to get rid of them. When I go home to grab clothes for us in a little while, I'll swing First Beach and go for a swim."

"Why don't you go now? Besides, you need to clean your weapons anyways."

I narrow my eyes. "Are you trying to get rid of me?" I ask.

Dani immediately shakes her head. "Of course not, Kensi!" She blurts with too much conviction. "I'm glad you're here with me and all. I don't know what I'd do without you here, I'd be so bored with watching this game and I-"

I clam a hand over her mouth unamused. She bites my wrapped hand and I wince. "Stop. Talking. You're lying, first of all. Leave the lying to me, I'm better at it."

"Yeah you lie like a damn rug." She mutters as I stand up. I watch the team I was obviously very much against score another point, putting them in the lead.

"Aw damn." Embry mutters.

"Pay up." Jacob orders from behind Embry.

I laugh quietly. "I'm out like your mom in a beauty pageant, Dani."

The room bursts into laughter as Dani does this strange whimper, laugh, groan thing. "I hate when you make me laugh when I'm hurting."

I smirk at her. "I know. But you still love me." I wink at her before grabbing the sword and the dagger I pushed under the couch earlier.

"Mind if I come with you?" Embry asks biting his lip from the floor. He's rolled over onto his back now.

"Why?" I ask puzzled.

Jacob laughs as Embry sighs. "Your car… it's like super cool." Embry admits with a slight blush.

"Going to have to do more groveling if you want to drive but I'd be more than willing to give you a ride." More than willing? What the fuck!? And to give you a ride? That is so fucking dirty!

Dani agreed with a fit of giggles she poorly hid behind her fist.

Embry noticed but he didn't seem to take it Dani's direction. "Shut up you dirt-minded jackass."

She laughs harder while whining in pain.

"I'm going home to clean these too. And stopping at the beach for a while. You sure you're up for my errands?" I ask Embry as I walk out of Emily's house.

"I like the beach." Embry admits.

I shiver at the thought of going swimming. So excited.

I jog down to my car, flicking my key ring around my fingers. There's thousands of keys on here. To the house, to safes, to safety deposit boxes, to other vehicles, to padlocks, and to about a dozen other things I can think of off the top of my head. On it is also a keychain that Dani made for me when we were younger. It's literally a ball of string, but it's got my favorite colors, plum purple, aqua and gray, in it. I stuff the keys into the ignition and start it up.

"2016 Chevrolet Camaro." Embry muses. "Painted yellow."

I blush red back to the roots of my hair. "Bumblebee." I mutter quietly.

"As in Transformers?" He asks

I nod. "I have all the movies memorized forwards and backwards. My dad happened to buy a used 2016 Chevy Camaro. Dani let me have this one and even had it modified to look just like Bumblebee, while she took his Porsche."

"Sweet." Embry says. "Personally, I love those movies."

I smirk at him. "Seriously?" I ask. "We're going to have to have a movie marathon sometime. All Dani wants to do is watch freaking Pride and Prejudice. Like come on here, bro."

Embry gazes at me with wonderment in his eyes.

"And then she's just terrible for watching shit like The Bold and the Beautiful or The Young and the Restless."

Embry's gaze doesn't waver. "So what do you like to watch then?"

"Chicago Fire." I answer. "Definitely my favorite, but I like Med and PD too."

"My mom is obsessed with Chicago Med, despite… everything."

I smile. "Sounds like your mom and I would get along decently."

"She might not like the entire you know… hero routine you seem to have."

I glance at Embry. "Does your mom know?"

Embry sighs. "No. She doesn't. I… Haven't been brave enough to tell her. She never told me who my father is, and there's a chance that it could be the father of anyone who's already phased and I really don't want to know if I'm related to one of the pack through blood. It's just scary."

I nod understanding that.

"That and it's so dangerous." Embry whispers. "Paul had the problem with Rachel when she found out he was a werewolf. She would call the minute he got off patrol, which was fine, but she was definitely freaking out every time for like a month until she was finally content with the realization that Paul isn't going to get hurt. Too badly."

I shake my head as I stop as first Beach. The sun is sinking into the water already, and it is magnificent.

I stare at the horizon for a few seconds.

"You're more of a dusk person than dawn aren't you?"

"Oh God yes." I answer Embry immediately. "I can't get out of bed for the life of me in the morning. But can stay up all night. Dani's the opposite. Early riser unless she's been working a lot, then she will sleep like the dead."

Embry nods slowly.

"Are you sure the water isn't going to be too cold, Kensi? It is supposed to be like forty degrees."

I shake my head getting out. "No. I… I can get cold in an air conditioned room. Processed air will freeze Dani and I out. However cold temperatures outside have no effect on us. Cold water does nothing. And seeing as how we can literally burst into flames, heat has nothing on us either."

Embry smirks. "Guess that's why you didn't notice how warm werewolves are."

I laugh. "We did, we just didn't care." I unzip my boots and toss them into the back seat on the floor, tossing my mix-matched socks back there too. "You aren't the strangest thing I've seen."

"Really?" Embry says disappointed. "I was hoping I was memorable like that.

Sweetheart, you are definitely memorable.

"You're a 6'8 incredible hulk that has a fursona as a werewolf. How much more memorable do you get."

Embry shrugs with a slight smile as I walk down the damp beach. The sand is saturated with water, and smooth and soft under my feet. There's not even any evidence of a fight earlier.

I walk down the beach, and walk into the ocean up to my knees, feeling my jeans wick up the moisture.

Embry gives me a puzzled look.

"I wasn't going to skinny dip with an audience stupid." I say with a smirk. "Despite how much I'm sure that would've been appreciated scenery."

Embry blushes bright red and my smirk widens. The dusky surf rolls in and splashes against my legs, soaking my butt.

I turn around and watch the sun sink into the water, admiring the reflection on the water, and the beautiful colors it's creating. Embry joins me in the water, and I study his own reflection in the water, an indirect way of staring I suppose. Watching the golden sunset turn his skin a radiant bronze.

The rough surf grows more aggressive as the moon rises behind us. The sky is split between moon and the sun. And it's oddly peaceful. Unique. I don't think this has ever happened before in La Push. I'm thinking it's got to be something about magical sacred lands.

I sigh as the sun sinks down even further. I turn around abruptly and flop backwards into the water, sending water droplets all over Embry. I can see perfectly through the salty water his clearly surprised look.

I resurface, blowing water out of my nose.

I hold out my hand for Embry. "Unwrap it."

Embry furrows his eyebrows. Hesitantly he reaches down and bites the gauze off. I can tell that action is what he was hesitant about by the way his heart pounded. I barely managed to control my own heartbeat when I felt his warm breath brush the inside of my wrist.

Embry unwraps my hands dropping the bandage into the water, which I immediately throw out and carry off in the wind. That surprises him.

But what surprises him more is when I drag my fingertips through the water, palm up to show Embry. The salt water climbs up my hand and fills the cut, and slowly seals it closed.

"Holy shit." Embry whispers. "It's gone."

I tip my head back and he looks at my neck. He steps forward in the water, and his fingers graze my skin where dark discoloration was moments ago. But since his touch didn't hurt it was fine. Kinky, but I almost liked the way his hand felt on my neck like that.

Get a fucking GRIP. There's no denying he heard my heartbeat this time, hell, he probably felt it from my pulse. Why do I suddenly have no control over my body! When this boy comes into the equation!

"I'm going home to clean my weapons. Want me to drop you off somewhere?" I ask dropping into the water and wading around in the water.

Embry slinks under and shakes his head. "I want to see this process."

I smirk. "Pretty boring. Just polishing it."

Embry shrugs.

"Or maybe you're hoping to get food out of the deal?" I tease.

"You have food?" Embry asks.

"Dani made pork chops last night but I wasn't in the mood to eat. They're in the fridge at home if you're interested." I offer.

Why did I just invite him over for dinner? Why?

It hits me. I shouldn't be getting close to a werewolf. Dani is going to struggle to get away from Jacob as it is, and they're imprinted. One of us has to be able to leave easily, without strings attached, at a moment's notice. Besides, fooling around with a werewolf is risky; what if they imprint?

I don't let this deter me. I'm sure Embry and I can be just friends right? Besides, we have so much in common. It feels stupid not to at least be friends. And he isn't bad to look at either.

Oh Kensi. You just told yourself you didn't like to live on the edge. And here you are. Embry Call is pulling you to the edge.

You know what brain? YOLO.

"So what other movies do you like?" Embry asks.

I laugh. "What is that important?"

"Curiosity?" Embry offers.

I laugh again. I haven't laughed this hard in a long time. "I like action and adventure movies. Not all about soap operas and romance movies."

"But you do enjoy the occasional romance novel?" Embry asks.

I narrow my eyes. "As long as it isn't just romance." I allow.

He laughs. "Tell the guys and I'll have to figure out some way to get back at you but I'm inclined to agree with you. Those are pretty good books."

I'm surprised yet again. "So not only do you read, but you read fifty shades?"

"Oh hell no." Embry shakes his head wildly. "More like Shadowhunters. Obviously not since high school, but things of that general likeness."

I flick my hair backwards into the water, feeling it weight down my hair.

"Of all the four elements, water is my favorite." I admit. "Dani personally likes fire. But I like water."

"Dani? Fire? I pegged you for the fire type." Embry scoffs.

"Well… Ice is an extension of water. So I guess that tracks right? Ice is that dangerous thing you were looking for there."

Embry smiles. "Guess so."

I float on my back in the water before flipping over and diving down. I can see perfectly under here. Sure, its dark and it isn't nearly as beautiful as other places. I inhale the water, feeling it fill my lungs is like a refreshing glass of lemonade on a hot summer day. Or turning the garden hose while holding it over your head.

I swim down to a crevice between a few of the rocks and deftly slide in between them easily, and stand on dry land inhaling the water. I spit some out and look around. Bioluminescent algae float around in tidal pools around me, but these pools have seen new water in decades. The walls are smooth from erosion and bioluminescent bagworms grow in the corners and crevices of the underwater cavern. Glowing green and turquoise crystals sprout out of the sides of the walls and glowing gemstones encrust the hard-packed clay soil of the floor.

I smile softly to myself as I walk back into the wall of water and resurface. Embry is out in deeper water clearly confused.

"How did you- ten minutes- What the fuck- Kensi?" He questions.

I spit out a lung capacity's worth of water and smirk. "I can breathe underwater Embry. However I do find it endearing you care so much."

He blushes slightly and I jerk my head. "Come on. There's no way in hell we're getting back in my car dripping wet."

"But you- ten minutes." Embry can't form full sentences yet.

I smile. "I'm not a human, Embry. I'm an elemental. Breathing underwater is my specialty. Water and Ice are my domains."

"Where did you spend 10 minutes at anyways?" Embry asks as I swim back to shore.

I smile. "I'll show you. Sometime. But seeing as how Dani doesn't even know where it is, or what's down there…"

"She doesn't?" Embry asks.

"I made it." I answer willing myself to be dry. And Embry too. "Of course she doesn't know."

The bewildered look on Embry's face melts into something warmer and friendlier. Satisfaction, admiration, and adoration. Maybe. I might be imaging things.