For the first time in only God knew how long, Leah Clearwater woke up in her own bed. While the wolf in her didn't mind sleeping in the forest, the bigger part of her – the human part – was relieved to wake up and the feel the softness of the sheets. She stretched out her toes, relishing the feel of the cool cotton and rolled over, half ready to go back to bed. It wasn't until she smelled the bacon wafting up to her room that she decided against it.
"Mom, she's just so great! She's very smart, and she's gifted, did I tell you?" Seth's voice carried through the hallway as Leah crept downstairs. The eight hours of sleep she got – the most since she had split away from Sam's controlling grasps – did little for her tiredness.
"You told me, Seth." Sue's voice was patient, if not slightly strained.
"Good morning, Leah!" Seth called out brightly, speaking before Leah had fully reached the kitchen.
"Morning, kid." Leah shuffled into the Clearwater's small kitchen, please to find that Sue had anticipated her children's hunger. A large pile of food was on the kitchen island, neatly arranged. Everything from biscuits (the frozen type from Pillsbury, but biscuits all the same), to bacon, eggs, and toast, all prepared by Sue.
"Good morning, Leah. How did you sleep?" Sue looked genuinely happy to see Leah and Leah suddenly felt a pang of guilt. She and Seth had abandoned their newly widowed mother for several days without any word of warning. It didn't matter that Sue Clearwater was strong. She was still their mother.
"Great, thanks," Leah muttered as she grabbed a piece of toast with one hand and a spoonful of peanut butter with another. Perpetually hungry, Leah barely spread the peanut butter on the toast before shoving it in her mouth. It wasn't the first human food she had eaten since returning to the reservation, as she'd raided the fridge as soon as she arrived home last night. It was eat, shower, and then eat some more, before finally drifting off to sleep in the comfort of her own bed as a human. Leah loved being human.
The family ate in silence for several minutes. Sue, who had never been the overbearing type, fussed at the two of them, asking them various questions about their life in the woods, and at times struggling to hide her horror when Leah admitted she hadn't eaten anything but raw meat for the entire time they were away. Mostly, it was Seth who spoke and answered their mother's questions. Leah sat silently, helping herself to all the food she wanted.
After several minutes of Seth's overly detailed explanations of every day in their renegade pack and the new center of his life, Seth suddenly perked up, and, after pausing between bites, Leah could hear footsteps approaching the house, too.
"It's Jake!" he exclaimed happily, always glad to see his favorite person. Or maybe second favorite person now. Everyone had gotten knocked down a rung for a half-vampire. Disgusting.
From the kitchen window, Leah could see Jacob walking up to the back door. Jacob appeared at the door and knocked twice loudly before letting himself in, not even pretending to wait for one of the Clearwaters to let him in.
"We don't have any fucking food," he complained as he pushed his way in, "Paul ate it all."
"Good morning to you, too, Jacob," Sue responded, in her usual no-nonsense way. She wasn't the type to get offended by Jacob's lack of manners or care about his language.
"Good morning, everyone." Jake sang out sarcastically before grabbing a biscuit from the counter.
"Hi, Jake!" Seth called out, "We have plenty of food! You can eat here!"
"Thanks. All the fucking food is gone at home," Jacob repeated before turning to face Sue, "But I did go home."
Leah was genuinely surprised. When they both went back to fetch Seth, as wolves, his mind wasn't made up. He had seemed ready to head for Canada again and leave Leah and her brother behind. His indecision carried them all the way back to the res, where he left Leah and Seth at their doorstep.
Sue gestured for him to sit down beside Seth. He obeyed, smearing some peanut butter on a piece of toast as he did, "I'm sure it means a lot to Rachel and Billy that you went home, Jacob."
"Yeah, they were just thrilled to see me. So happy," Sarcasm dripped from Jacob's voice, but Leah knew that Jacob's sister and father must have relieved to have him spend the night, "Didn't even save me any fucking food."
"I'll remind Billy to go shopping," Sue offered, before seeing his unimpressed face and adding, "Or maybe I'll just pick you all up some stuff from the store myself."
"I didn't see Paul eat all the food." Jacob admitted as he snatched another piece of toast from the pile, having already swallowed the first, "I think Rachel told him to stay away, at least for the time being. But there's no food. So I know he ate it all."
"I'm sure he didn't mean to," Sue said diplomatically. Her voice left no room for argument, "What are the three of you doing today?"
"We have lots to do," Jake grumbled.
"Like what?" There was something other than curiosity in Seth's voice. Nervousness maybe? Leah wasn't sure.
"I'm supposed to meet with Sam to iron out details or something of the new treaty. I don't know. It's all part of Billy's ploy for peace."
"It's not a ploy." Sue spoke with authority, although Leah could tell she was slightly exasperated with Jacob, "He's being realistic. There can't be infighting within the packs, especially now that Bella has given birth."
"So now the demon spawn can attack us herself," Leah mumbled under her breath.
"She wouldn't, Leah!" Seth eagerly piped in, "Nessie's very smart, she's talented. She knows so much already."
"And," Sue continued, ignoring their exchange, "We have to figure out a way to get you all back on track in school and in your lives. So you need to figure out a patrol schedule that utilizes both packs."
"School?" Jacob's mouth had about hit the floor. Even Seth groaned at the mention of school.
"Yes, Jacob, school. You are sixteen years old and there is not much in this world you can do with a tenth-grade education. Billy might be content to let you run amuck in the forest, but I am not. That's not what your mother would have wanted for you," Sue spoke with such authority that it was easy to forget that she was speaking to the technical chief of the tribe. "And you, Seth, absolutely cannot miss your entire high school education. You will go back to school on Monday, on time, and sit through all of your classes, and take notes, and learn something. "
Leah wasn't surprised that her mother turned to her next, but that didn't mean she was looking forward to Sue's words, "Leah, you have a semester and a half of college under your belt. You might have missed the deadline to register for classes for this fall, but that doesn't mean you can't get a job or do something productive with your life. This wolf thing is a part of your life. Not all of it."
Sue's words stung like a slap in the face. The derailment of Leah's life was not something that she took lightly. So worried about Sam's disappearance, Leah had delayed college applications until her only option was the community college in Port Angeles. Not that she really had the grades to get a scholarship to go elsewhere, and it wasn't like the Clearwaters had some huge sum of money to send her anywhere. But still. It would have been nice to have had options.
Of course, the college thing was only half the problem. Leah had dropped out of her community college classes after her father's death and the whole I suddenly change into a giant wolf any type I'm slightly irritated problem. Sam had (rightfully) deemed her too big of a threat to spend any extended amount of time among the general populace. But she had better control now than a few months ago. And Jacob was absolutely not the type to forbid her from going to school. Hell, Jacob would probably think it was hilarious if she turned into a wolf in the middle of anatomy class.
"I'm working on it," Leah hissed. Despite her attempts to calm herself, she could feel the slight trembles running through her body. She willed herself to breathe, focusing on each breath, and not at her mother's skeptical glare. She wouldn't prove Sam right by losing control right here.
Suddenly, the phone rang, and Sue jumped up. Saved by the bell, Leah thought bitterly.
"Hello?" Sue grabbed it before anyone else could, "Hello, Billy. No, he's here." She made a meaningful glance at Jacob.
With werewolf hearing, it was possible to make out everything that Billy was saying on the other side of the line. He was speaking quickly, talking about Charlie's latest call, and wondering how to keep his friend from hunting down his daughter. Jacob's face was unreadable, although Seth was looking down at his food, pushing it around in a manner so unlike him that Leah could almost feel the guilt radiating off her brother.
"We'll go to him. Tell him we'll go to his house and we'll figure it out. I'll come get you," Sue was already grabbing the keys to the Clearwater's van, "I'll see you in a few, Billy."
"This will be good," Jake muttered beneath his breath, too low for human ears to hear.
"Billy and I are going to go talk to Charlie. Talk him out of flying to Atlanta." Sue sounded tired as she turned her kids, "You three behave. Don't burn down the house. Don't antagonize Sam."
"Sure, sure," Jacob agreed. Leah rolled her eyes. Her mere existence antagonized Sam, although she was confident in her abilities to keep the house from burning down.
"I mean it!" Sue warned. With that, she snatched her purse off the hook and pushed her way out the back door.
The three sat in silence for a while, as they continued feasting on all the food Sue had made for them. Leah was glad her mother knew better than to expect any leftovers. Despite making enough for a good-sized crowd, the three of them had managed to demolish the entire feast.
"Jake?" Seth asked tentatively after he'd eaten at least three biscuits and probably half a dozen eggs.
"What's up, kid?"
"Do you think we'll have time for me to stop by and see Nessie?" Seth looked up at the older boy hopefully.
For a half-second, Leah and Jacob made eye contact. Jake frowned slightly at the mention of Seth's imprint.
"Yeah, we'll have time for that," Jacob's voice was tense and he paused for a second, "Actually, Seth, why don't you just head over there now?"
"You don't mind?" Seth asked happily.
"Nah, kid, just go."
Seth obeyed without even thinking about it, slipping off his shoes before he left the house, running barefoot towards the forest.
"Put your plate away, loser!" Leah called after him. But it was too late. He was halfway to the forest and didn't glance back.
"Oh, to be newly imprinted," Jake's voice was laced with acrimony. Leah saw that his hands were trembling, just slightly, but it was certainly there.
"Breathe, Jake. Don't destroy my mother's kitchen."
"Don't tell me what to do," he grumbled, though Leah did notice that he took several deep breaths in and out until he was calm enough to let his human side take over.
Much to Leah's surprise, Jacob remained calm enough to help her clean up. Silently, they did the dishes, Jake washing and Leah drying, and put away the few leftovers (a few pieces of turkey sausage and two biscuits). Of course, the second they were done, he was out the door, barely muttering a goodbye.
And then Leah was alone. She had the whole house to herself. The Clearwater house wasn't big - no homes on the res were – but it was home. She flipped on the small TV and threw herself on the couch. Like all the other wolves, she had shot up a few inches since joining the pack and her feet now hung off the edge of the couch when she laid down. But it was still comfortable. It was still home. And in the safety of her home, Leah let herself relax.
When Leah phased a few hours later, she wasn't terribly surprised to be greeted by Jacob's moody thoughts. What she was surprised, though, to find that it wasn't Bella's death that was making him so grumpy.
Instead, as the lush green forest blurred through his vision, he was mulling over Sam's request to meet with him in an hour.
You can talk to Sam? She couldn't help but interrupt, as the horrifying possibility that she could somehow still be connected to Sam dawned on her.
The intrusion didn't seem to bother Jacob, Yeah. It turns out that if we're both phased I can think thoughts that I want him to hear and he'll hear them. It only seems to work with him though. Couldn't do it with Jared when I tried.
Thank God, Leah thought to herself, although she knew Jacob could hear her, too.
Yeah, he can't hear you. Don't worry. Jacob was still grouchy, but he seemed to genuinely want to comfort her.
At least you never have to hear Paul's thoughts again.
Just have to accept him into my family as my brother-in-law, Jake Jacob's words, Leah sensed a tiny hint of happiness at the thought of never having Paul in his head again.
Better Paul than a half-vamp. I just hope she doesn't stink like the rest of her family. I'll never get the stench out now.
Jacob shuddered internally at the memory of Seth's secondhand stink permeating through the halls of the Clearwater's house when they had arrived home last night. Although it was gone by morning, Leah feared it would be back again tonight, setting up an inevitable cycle where her entire life stank.
At least there's that, he allowed.
The grass is always greener, Leah mused.
Jake let out a noise of agreement. For several moments, Leah let her thoughts wander, and Jake did the same. There was no real conversation, no real flow to the thoughts. They just were.
Well, should we go? Jake broke the silence with the four words that left Leah confused.
Go where?
Leah saw a picture of some unnamed clearing in the middle of the woods and understood suddenly that that was the place where Sam had asked to speak with Jacob.
You want me to go with you? What about Seth? The problem with the bond was that Leah was unable to hide anything. Jacob could feel her surprise, and even worse, her wish to hide it.
He's at the Cullen's.
Both Jacob and Leah had spent enough time with newly imprinted people to understand that recent imprints spent a lot of time together. Too much time together. And even when imprints weren't recent, the imprint would cloud the wolf's thoughts, hanging over like a constant shadow, impossible to escape.
The journey back to La Push after collecting Seth the prior day was bad enough. They both had been treated to a never-ending monologue about some freaky vampire talent that the demon spawn had inherited and how wonderful and adorable she was. Neither Leah nor Jacob was eager for a repeat.
But after experiencing several Sam-free days, Leah wasn't exactly in a hurry to get in the habit of seeing her ex again. She had, after all, seen him just yesterday. That was quite enough for her. And yet, Leah was torn. Not showing up was basically the same as backing down. It felt like letting Sam win, and Leah needed him to know that he hadn't won, just because he was rid of her.
So you're coming then? Jacob had seen her entire internal dilemma, felt every conflicting emotion. The lack of privacy was always grating.
I guess so, Leah relented, I'll race you there!
She took off, challenged by the fact that Jacob was significantly closer to the clearing spot than she was. Not only could she beat Sam, but she could beat Jacob, too.
Leah strolled down the main street of Port Angeles, window shopping, and simply enjoying being out of La Push and away from the drama of the vamps and the two packs and everything else she wished she could leave behind. Secretly, she wanted to go much further than just Port Angeles – maybe Seattle or Portland – but her familiarity with Port Angeles lent itself to the fact that her mode of transportation was quite conspicuous. For now, Port Angeles would do.
The meeting with Sam and Jared had gone off without a hitch. They agreed to a rough new patrol schedule, where each pack would take some shifts, but there would be no more constant patrolling. Jake seethed over the fact that Sam still thought he owned La Push, even though they agreed it was shared land, but he had been mostly amenable to the other Alpha. It was all surprisingly diplomatic. Truthfully, when Leah had become a werewolf she had pictured more fights and fewer meetings.
Even before this, there had been stupid council meetings that she was now expected to attend, and even stupider meetings that Sam insisted on with the whole pack, always at Emily's house and always torture. But based on Jake's reaction to the two meetings he'd had as Alpha so far, Leah guessed that in Jacob's pack, the meetings would be rarer. And that was something to be grateful for.
And then, after the meeting, she'd done it, the task she was dreading most of all. She'd met Nessie. It was quick – the leeches were not about to let their precious little freak of nature out of their sight – but Leah had fulfilled her promise to meet the little mini-vamp. She didn't touch the demon spawn or anything like that (of course not), but she had stood there and smiled at her while Seth showed her off and cooed over her.
Jacob had not. He had taken off as soon as their little meeting was done, although it seemed like he had plans to return at some point. Maybe. Leah could never tell with him and was half expecting him to just disappear one day without any word of warning.
Werewolf life had its problems, but there was no denying the freedom that came with being able to run to Port Angeles faster than any car could possibly go (not that she had a car to use, anyway). And now that she'd done two horrible, awful chores, she deserved some alone time, away from the drama that came with being a stupid, supernatural creature.
Leah had learned some time ago that if she tied strung flip-flops or sandals through her rope that held her clothes, she could have almost a whole outfit. Her t-shirt was wrinkled, her jean shorts a little tight, and her flip-flops looked out of place in the cool September weather, but she was put together enough where she felt like she could wander the streets of Port Angeles without attracting stares. And so, despite the rainy weather, Leah found herself in a good mood. She didn't mind the water running across her toes, nor did she mind the cool air and the slight breeze. One of the perks of running at 109 degrees.
Leah knew the streets of Port Angeles well, but she hadn't been in a few weeks and new businesses seemed to be popping up all the time. It was a yoga studio that caught her eye, across the street from the bookstore that she had once gone to with Sam, back when they were still together and still thought they might go away to college. A lifetime ago, really.
She crossed the street eagerly, dodging the few cars that were waiting for the light to change, and pushed her way into the airy studio. The walls were painted a calming baby blue and Tibetan prayer flags hung on the walls. Other than her, the front room was empty, though she could hear the noises from a class on the other side of the closed door.
"Can I help you?" The receptionist had long blonde hair and a smile that didn't seem quite genuine.
"I'm just interested in getting some information." Leah willed her voice to sound more bored than anything else.
"Have you done yoga before?" the woman eyed Leah, seemingly judging both her height and her physique. Leah was in great shape, thanks to the werewolf genes currently ruling her DNA. Not that she'd been out of shape before, but it turns out there was no way to tone up quite like being a werewolf.
"No, I haven't," Leah admitted without shame. She had never been the type to back away from new things or be shy about any type of inexperience, "But they teach you relaxation techniques, right? Like breathing and all that?"
"Oh yeah, it's great for that," the woman said, grabbing a couple of fliers from the front desk. She smiled again in a way that felt more judgmental than anything else, "Here's some information on our beginner level classes. But you can easily skip up to more advanced classes if they're not challenging enough for you."
Once again, Leah felt the woman eyeing her. But Leah grabbed the flier from the woman as she pushed it towards her, ignoring her jealous eyes. If only she knew the truth. Leah would trade her body for a normal life in a heartbeat.
"And here's some information on the pricing and how the studio works. The phone number is at the top if you have any questions!" The woman shoved another piece of paper at her.
Leah caught a glimpse at the number on the page - $75 per month - as the woman handed her the flier. She took it and tried to keep her expression even. In her current unemployed status, Leah couldn't spare $75 a month. She didn't know anyone – other than the bloodsuckers – who could.
"Right, thanks," Leah said as she turned towards the exit. Even yoga, one of her goals, seemed unattainable.
Once back on the streets, Leah folded two fliers into little squares, like she used to do when passing notes in school so that she could shove them in her jean pockets. She may have figured out how to get outfits acceptable for walking around, but the outfits didn't have all the comforts, like a purse or an appropriate place to put things. It was still a compromise.
Continuing her stroll, Leah took a turn down a familiar street. On King Street, there was a small ice cream store, Port Angeles Creamery, which was barely more than the two cases of ice cream and the two cappuccino machines that kept the store in business during the cold season. When she was younger, it was the only place in Port Angeles that Leah consistently begged her parents to take her to. Sue never gave in, but any trip to Port Angeles with Harry nearly always included a stop at the store.
As she debated going in, she considered her life circumstances. Leah's boss was a sixteen-year-old kid, who while an improvement over her old boss, aka her ex-boyfriend, was still a kid four years younger than her. Her future sister-in-law was almost certainly going to be a half-vampire. Her father was dead, and it was her fault. One of her plans to get her life on track – yoga – seemed like it might be out of reach. Leah deserved some ice cream, goddamnit.
The door jingled as Leah pushed open the door, but the shop was empty.
"I'll be out in a second!" A songlike voice called out from the back room, "Take a look around and let me know if you have any questions!"
Leah didn't have any questions, nor did she need to look around. The triple chocolate fudge had always been her favorite at Port Angeles Creamery, and Leah had no intention of deviating from what she knew was good.
"Leah Clearwater?" the songlike voice called her name, and a short, tanned girl stepped out from the back room. Leah had never been one to flee from her problems, but in that instant, she fought every instinct in her body to run away, "Wow, I almost didn't recognize you! You cut your hair."
Amy Conweller – Kim's older sister – was staring at her. Amy was a year older than Leah, in Rachel and Rebecca's year at school, and Leah hadn't seen her since their graduation.
"Hey, Amy," Leah greeted her, a tense smile on her face, "It's good to see you."
"You too!" Amy smiled back warmly, "What can I get you?"
"I'll have a large triple chocolate fudge in a cup, please." It didn't matter that she'd had a big breakfast. That was hours ago, and she hadn't had lunch thanks to the stupid meeting.
"Coming right up!" Amy reached for the largest cup size and began scooping the ice cream.
"What are you doing here? Last I heard you were at Oregon State." Leah couldn't help herself; the curiosity was eating her away. Amy, like Rachel, had managed to get scholarships from the council and get away from La Push and the res.
"Oh yeah, that didn't work out," Amy avoid eye contact as she scoped the ice cream, "I'm taking a semester off. Figuring it out. Working here and at the resort on the res. What about you? Are you going to school? Or working? Or what?"
"I'm taking a semester off, too." It wasn't technically a lie. Leah had completed a semester of community college last fall and she had half of one done when her entire life had imploded on itself. This semester she was also taking off because her life was continuing to implode. Maybe she'd make it back once the dust settled. Or maybe not.
"Oh really? Doing what?" Amy looked at her, but the question didn't feel nosy. She seemed genuinely curious.
"I- I haven't quite figured that out yet," Leah admitted.
"Kim told me your dad died in March. I'm really sorry for your loss." Like her sister, Amy had a way of making everything seem sincere.
"Thank you," Leah replied uncomfortably, "It means a lot."
"He was a good man. I mean, I didn't know him really or anything but he was on the scholarship committee and he was nice to me when I met with them for that," Amy spoke awkwardly.
"Uh, yeah, he was a good man." Good man didn't even begin to cover it. Leah's father had been the best type of man, a great father, a great man all around.
"Here," Amy placed Leah's ice cream on the top of the counter and reached for a napkin and a spoon to give her.
"How much do I owe you?" Leah shoved her hands into her pockets, reaching for the five-dollar she always kept stuffed in her jean pocket. She hadn't thought to look at the prices and this encounter was only going to get more awkward if the five didn't cover it.
"Don't worry about it," Amy waved her hand, "Us res kids gotta stick together."
"Thanks," Leah muttered, torn between shame at the charity and gratefulness that she wouldn't have to admit that she might not have enough to cover it. She took the spoon and the napkin, and turned to leave, "It was nice to see you, Amy."
"Wait, Leah! You know the resort on the res?" As if anyone who had ever been to the Quileute reservation could miss the imposing resort that was the main source of income for the tribe. But Leah managed to avert her eye roll and let Amy finish, "I'm working there part-time, too, at the front desk. I know they're looking for more help since the two other girls working there went off to school. So if you're looking for something, I could give them your info."
"That would be… great, actually." Leah hadn't meant to agree. But Amy's sincerity made it hard to turn her down. And just that morning Sue had bagged on her for not having a job.
"Really? Great! What's your number? I'll pass it on," Amy promised.
Leah rattled off her number as Amy jotted it down, with assurances that the manager was just looking for anyone who could fog a mirror. Adding that to the fact that Leah was Quileute, not even an outsider, and Amy assured her that she'd be a surefire bet for the job.
So Leah left the store with free ice cream and a job. She had the whole afternoon to herself, free of vampires and werewolves and anything else supernatural. She'd get to go to sleep in an actual bed, and would quite possibly never have to sleep in the forest again. So all in all, even with Seth's new imprint, it wasn't the worst day. If this was her new life, maybe Leah could live with this, after all.
A/N: So as I mentioned previously, I'm trying to right some of the wrongs/plot holes in Breaking Dawn. Included in that is the fact that a bunch of 16 year old boys appear to just completely abandon their studies? Seems unrealistic to me. So yeah, we're going to see Jake in high school (or more so hear about him in high school. We'll see him there but only a little bit).
Also, I never saw the Twilight movies and I'm going off a mix of what I see in the Twilight Wiki and my own informal research into the greater Forks area (according to Google Maps, there's definitely a resort on the Quileute reservation. I have no idea if it was there in 2005 or not, but we're going to assume it was). So this whole story might be a mix of canon and not canon but I'm trying my best to stick with canon as much as possible (minus the whole imprinting change that's the basis for this whole thing). I think in the books Leah is supposed to be in the same grade as Bella but as a fellow September birthday, I know that Bella would have been old for her grade and so Leah, at 20, which she is stated to be in Breaking Dawn, would have been really old. So I tried to go with what made sense more so than what was necessarily canon. If you see anything glaringly inaccurate, let a girl know and I'll look into it and fix it if it doesn't interfere terribly with the story.
But anyways, I'd love to hear your thoughts! I promise that the time will speed up in the coming chapters; this is just to build the background. Also while there will be some OCs, they won't play a major part in the story. Also, I promise to try to make my author's note shorter next time. Thanks for reading!
