Chapter 12: Moving Forward
The next morning Leah woke up holding Alice to her tightly with her head on her chest, and her leg thrown over Alice's much shorter ones, "Did you sleep well?" Alice asked looking down at Leah, who had in fact slept more soundly than she had since since she imprinted. For one she wasn't extremely overheated because of her wolf physiology. She also felt the coolness of Jasper on her other side, "Yup," Leah sat up and stretched her arms over her head. Alice and Jasper were watching her carefully.
"What are your plans for today?" Jasper asked as he watched her pull down her shirt.
"I was thinking about calling my cousin and hanging out with her for a while, we haven't really talked since we were best friends until Sam imprinted on her it would be nice to see her, now that my rage at her is pretty much gone."
"That sounds like a good idea," this came from Alice who looked uncomfortable, her eyes were dark, and she knew she would have to hunt today if she wanted to be around Leah at all today and tomorrow. Her eyes met Jasper, and knew the same applied to him. She was relieved they could hunt together, and maybe get some other ….frustrations out as well. Leah looked over atg them.
"Thank you. Last night I needed you, and you were both very generous."
"Of course," Alice said reaching over and lacing her fingers together.
"You can ask again, it was nice being warm for a little while," Jasper said.
"Um thanks I might. I'm going to go call Emily." She got up, and walked away trying to remain casual.
Both the vampires watched the shifter as she walked away. Her hips sauntered slightly as she ran her fingers through her hair. Her scent hung in the air. It was like sunshine and soap.
"We should go for a hunt," Jasper grunted out. For the first time in their long relationship they both wanted someone else. Alice nodded, and held out her hand for him to take.
Leah arrived at Emily's place at around ten. It was one of the rare sunny days in Forks. She thought of Alice and Jasper hunting in glorious sparkliness. She smirked as she entered Emily's kitchen. "Hey sweetie," Emily said, pulling her cousin into a tight hug. The familiarity of it brought a wave of nostalgia right to Leah's heart. "So how have you been really?"
Leah shrugged, and took the time to look over her cousin, "I'm alright, how bout you Sam behaving himself."
"Oh he treats me fine, but what about you, your mom said you had a date?"
"Yeah, didn't go well."
"What happened?"
"Didn't click no big deal," Leah lied. She didn't want to burden Emily with her shit.
"And Alice, what are they like, the leeches."
"Please don't call them that."
"My bad. What are the in-laws like?" She teased.
"She doesn't want me, and it's killing me," it was a relief to admit that outloud.
"Oh honey," Emily said, pulling her into a hug Leah pulled her closer, and simply let herself be comforted for a moment. What Emily pulled back she sniffled a little, just realizing she had been crying a little, "Let me get you some tea, and I just made muffins if you're hungry."
"Are you sure she isn't interested?" Emily asked, setting down her ginormous muffins, and a tea kettle.
"Pretty sure she's into her husband," She knew a part of Alice was interested, but she was not about to break up a marriage.
"Sam pursued me, I didn't want to date him at first because I knew it would have hurt you, but I felt so drawn to him, that when I tried to stay away from him I did feel….sad almost. I don't know it's hard to explain, but I just knew I had to give him a shot. Maybe you should talk to her.
"Now enough about our love lives, what have you been up to?"
"I've been doing online courses to finish my degree, I want to teach at the school, kindergarten."
"That's awesome, maybe I could do that, I really don't have a lot of hobbies."
"You liked to draw you used to do that all the time."
"Yeah, but I was never very serious."
"Shame you were good, you were always doodling me or Sam, or that one girl in our math class...what was her name?"
"Lena Matheson," Leah grumbled her cheeks turning pink.
"That's it," Emily said with a cackle, and a twinkle in her eyes. "You deserve something that's just yours Leah you give too much, you always have. Sam was your everything, please don't let Alice be the same."
"I will, besides I start my job tomorrow, so that should be fun, and I'm going to look for a place in town, though that might be a moot point because the Cullens are going to be leaving when Bella and Edward get back, so i'm probably going to go with them."
As she said that Sam walked in from the outside, "What are you doing here?" he growled.
"Talking to my cousin," Leah said like it was the most obvious thing in the world.
"Up til a week ago you hated your cousin," he pointed out snottily.
"Things change dipshit."
He snapped his teeth at her then said, "Yea apparently you think you're leaving Washington."
"I don't have an option, I have to go where Alice goes."
"She is never going to love you, Leah," he said with a low rumble, and despite not wanting to show any emotions in front of Sam she couldn't help but let out a soft whine. He looked smug at the sound.
"Enough, Sam if you have nothing nice to say please leave."
"It's my house," he said, turning to Emily as if noticing her for the first time.
"Mine too, and I want her here."
"Well I don't," he shouted.
Leah stood up, "Emily I'm going to go, do you want to come with me?" she wanted to give her cousin an out if she needed one, "Maybe you could teach Esme the concept of a spice."
Emily snorted, and Sam looked as red as a tomato at being ignored, "Emily you shouldn't be around the leeches."
"Thanks Leah, maybe some other time though, the boys will be by soon for lunch. Tell Seth to stop by I miss him."
"Will do," She eyed Sam warily as she left the house.
Alice and Jasper were lying in the woods, naked, and just a tad blood covered, they'd eaten a deer a piece, "You said her name," Jasper said, his tone gentle, turning onto his side, and propped his head on his hand. He threw his other arm over his wife, mindlessly tracing patterns onto her hip.
"I know, I said yours too,"
"Alice, I'm not worried about my ego, I'm worried about you. I'm worried that fighting whatever you feel for Leah is going to crush you. Please if you want her go after here, I'll still be here, maybe we could all sit and discuss it draw out some rules. You always did like everything neat and tidy."
"Think she would go for that. I can't live without you, but I don't think living without her is an option anymore, I….ache when she isn't there, like I do with you, but it's also different."
"I know what you mean, I love you so much it's painful, but I've had quite a few fantasies featuring you and her if i'm being honest."
Alice laughed, "Of course you have, you scoundrel," then she pressed her lips to his. She felt herself wanting him again with a fervor, as he parted her legs, and began to kiss his way down her body. Something had settled between them, and she could enjoy him even more.
Alice had wanted to have that talk with Leah ever since her and Jasper's chat in the woods. She was just a little nervous about it. So she was determined to have the conversation the minute she got home she had Jasper there at the table. The others had left, Rosalie and Emmett had taken Seth to the movies. Carlisle and Esme were staying the night in the city. She did a quick vision of Bella and Edward. It was a little blurry, but they seemed happy, so she let it go. Jasper was holding her hand. It was steady, and calm. He was letting a calm vibe wash over her, and she was grateful. However all her plans crashed and burned when Leah stormed into the room pissed off, "We live in the north west of the good ole US of A, and I right we're supposedly progressive compared to say the more southern states."
"I suppose darlin'," Jasper said, looking highly amused.
"Then tell me I dealt with no less than three 'well meaning' racists," she snarled then felt a calm vibe wash over her, "Cut it out Jaz," she growled, and he immediately backed off. Though he felt a bit of warm affection at the nickname.
"What do you mean 'well meaning'," Alice asked.
"A bunch of old men came in today to buy some snow boots, like winter isn't for like two more months I need you to chill. They said Pocahantas was their granddaughter's favorite disney princess. One had the nerve to wink at me, ugh, so here," she took a fifty and slammed it on the table, invest it please, so I can quit."
Jasper bit his lip to keep from laughing, and Alice just kept looking at her with absolute awe, she reached over, brushing her fingers against Leah's as she took the bill, "I'll get it to my accountant first thing in the morning."
"Thank you, she sighed, and tossed herself into the chair she was in front of, "Where is everyone, and why are you two sitting here like you're about to give me bad news."
"No, not bad news, just news that I hope is good for all three of us."
"Alright lay it on me," Leah said with only a small amount of caution.
"I'd like us all three to date," Alice blurted, in what was probably the only time she was ever ungraceful. Both objects of her affection were looking at her with a mix of affection and confusion.
Then she cleared her throat, "I want you Leah, desperately, but I'm still very much in love with Jasper, so perhaps the three of us could lay down some rules, and maybe all three of us could work something out."
Leah took a deep breath, and said, "Okay Alice what did you have in mind."
The relieved smile of her face made Leah's heart stutter in her chest. Maybe Emily was right after all.
"Okay, so I want to go out with you. I want to be with you, and I think denying the feelings I have for you will just drive all three of us crazy."
"I agree, dates would be good, but what about you tall, dark, and silent."
"I simply want Alice to be happy, and I like you Leah if you'll have me as well I'd be honored, but I will understand if you do not."
"I'm not sure about you yet, but I would like to maybe try, I do like you Jasper, I've never been with more than one person at a time. You have your own life, I can simply be secondary to that."
"I do want to know how your relationship progresses, if that's alright with you if you choose not to be with me," this came from Jasper, and Leah nodded.
"Same goes for me," this comes from Alice, "If you guys ever want to do anything without me, I want to know about it after. I think honesty is going to be the most important part of this….adventure."
"I agree," Leah and Jasper said at the same time.
A/N: Alright I hope you enjoy this chapter, things are once again going forward with their glacial relationship. Again this is my first slowburn, and its frustration writing them as much as reading them. Anyhoo. I hope you enjoy please read and review.