Recovery
AN: I hate this chapter. Just a disclaimer... I re-wrote it about 15 times trying to make it more interesting, but it's not happening. Sorry if this is boring to anyone. Just felt like I needed to stick all this stuff in before it goes back to more stuff happening. Fluff and feel-good crap alert! And boringness. Oh well, every chap can't be stellar, can it? Here goes:
I don't own anything Twilight.
I woke up slowly, aware of aching, stabbing pains mostly in the left side of my body and chest, but even more aware of the warmth covering my right hand. The feeling gradually translated itself into fingers tangled up with my own, and the sawing noise rumbling away by my ear turned into the recognizable sound of loud snores. Cautiously, I opened my eyes and blinked in the dim light before turning my head inch by inch until I could get a look at who was snoring in my ear.
A small grin pulled at the corners of my mouth at the sight of Embry's sleeping face, despite the fact that his mouth was open and he was drooling onto my pillow. He was leaning onto the bed from his chair with my hand in a death grip, and the drugged part of my brain wondered why he hadn't just climbed into bed next to me. It would've been a whole lot more comfortable than the crooked angle he was sleeping in at the moment. I flexed my fingers experimentally under his hand, and his eyes snapped open.
"Hi," I croaked out from a horrifically dry, sore throat, and watched his eyes light up like stars on a clear night.
"Hey, B," he replied in a half-whisper as he sat up half-way and grinned at me. The hand that wasn't entwined with mine ran through my hair and down my cheek, giving me the strangest feeling that I something precious and wonderful. I moved in an attempt to sit up slightly and grimaced at the renewed sharp, aching pains of my healing bones. Embry saw it, and his brown eyes instantly looked worried and concerned.
"Are you hurting? Should I get Carlisle? You need more morphine- I'll go get him."
He started to stand, but I gripped his hand harder, gave a minuscule tug and shook my head. Obediently, he sat back down and leaned over so his face was inches from mine. I could feel his calloused hand cupping my cheek, the thumb gently stroking my skin, and I stared into his eyes sleepily. He put his chin down next to me, and I turned my head towards him so I wouldn't loose sight of his sweet, soft, chocolate eyes.
"You drooled on my pillow," I complained hoarsely with a pout as my cheek touched a damp spot. He chuckled very softly and squeezed my hand.
"It's good to have you back, baby."
I frowned at him, still too drugged and groggy to think much. "Did I go somewhere?"
"Near enough. You scared the shit out of me- er, everyone."
"Oh," I replied, then thought hard. "I wasn't gonna die."
He laughed out loud at that, and suddenly there were four more people in the room with us. And just my luck, Doctor Vamp with the freezing hands was back, and he looked like he was just itching to start poking and prodding me again. Rosalie got to me first, though. She pushed Embry out of the way and grabbed my hand, and I wasn't sure if she was going to kiss me or murder me.
"Do you have any idea how worried I've been? I thought you were dead at first. You can't do things like that to me!" she exclaimed sternly, glaring and grinning at me at the same time.
"Sorry. Next time I'll warn you before I get attacked," I mumbled back with a lopsided smile. She opened her mouth to reply, but a strangled sob interrupted her.
"I'm so sorry, Leah! I should've been paying more attention. I should've been keeping better watch on Cyrus," Alice wailed, half hiding behind Esme. "It's my fault. I wasn't thinking about him much with everything going on, and I just... I just..."
"Alice, nobody's blaming you," Esme murmured. She turned to wrap a comforting arm around the pixie's shoulders, who was as close to crying as a vamp could get. Embry and Rose gave identical sighs, and I got the feeling that this wasn't the first time they'd heard this. I squinted at Alice, but my attempt at a smile turned into a grimace because Carlisle had somehow snuck around the other side of the bed and was poking at the enormous tube sticking out of my chest.
"It's not- ouch, dammit!- your fault, Alice," I told her, but she failed to look convinced. I hissed in pain when Carlisle probed a particularly tender spot, and Embry grabbed my hand from Rose. She narrowed her eyes at him before turning to look at her diminutive sister.
"See? I told you nobody blames you but you, so stop being a drama queen. The only one who gets to cry around here today is Leah," she stated firmly in her typical fashion, but I knew her quirks well enough by now to know that she was genuinely trying to help Alice.
"I'm not gonna cry," I protested as vehemently as my parched throat would let me.
Carlisle gave a low chuckle. "No. You're more likely to cuss someone out than cry. Embry, perhaps you should go let the rest of your Pack know that Leah's awake. I'll allow them a quick visit, provided you feel up to it, Leah."
I gave a small nod, and Embry squeezed my hand as he stood up. I felt something warm press the top of my head, but it was gone so quickly I couldn't register what it was.
"Be right back, B," he told me, and was out of the room before I could figure out if he'd just kissed the top of my head or not. Esme excused herself to get a pitcher of water for me now that Carlisle had given the okay- bless her heart- and Rose took my hand and sat down in the chair Embry had vacated, smiling just a little bit.
"Lee, would you mind if Bella brought Nessie to see you just for a minute or two? She's scared to death that her Aunt Leah is dying."
"Sure, sure... Cripes. A few broken bones and everybody gets dramatic," I mumbled sleepily. Judging by the decreasing pain and increasing numbness in my brain, Carlisle had just drugged me again.
Why, hello, Morphine, my very bestest friend! I've missed you!
"I'll go get them," Alice piped up from the doorway, and I opened my eyes again with an effort.
"Alice-" I croaked, and she turned to look at me. "Don't blame yourself. Okay?"
She nodded once, her face crumpled up like she was trying not to cry again, before she darted through the doorway and was gone. I closed my eyes and drifted off in a drug-induced fog until I felt two little arms hesitantly try to wrap around my neck in a gentle hug.
"Hey, there, Ness," I mumbled, forcing myself to wake up and give her a bit of a smile. She pulled back to look at me with her bottom lip quivering and her eyes shining with unshed tears.
"Auntie Leah, are you really going to be okay?"
"Of course I am. Us Wolves are tough, and Clearwaters are even tougher," I replied lightly.
Her bright, intelligent eyes looked me over critically. "That's what Mama said... but you got hurt really badly."
"Naw. It looks worse than it is," I lied and ignored the skeptical look she gave me. "'Sides, your grandpa fixed me up, and he's the best there is, right? So there's nothing to worry about."
For answer, she frowned and pressed her small hand to my cheek to flood my fuzzy, drugged mind with her vivid memories. Suddenly, I was feeling her shock and confusion as Embry suddenly dropped his video game controller to bolt out of the Cullen's front door and phase in mid-jump off the porch, Seth and Jacob following him after a short, stunned second. I winced when the memories abruptly changed to scenes of my battered body being carried into the house, my bloody and twisted limbs wrapped up in an expensive-looking blanket. If her memories hadn't been so full of fear and horror, I would've laughed at the way Embry had tried to squeeze his massive shoulders through the front door in Wolf form, and how Carlisle hadn't even bothered to try to get him to move out of the way. There was something incredibly comical about how the dignified Dr. Cullen had just jumped over him to get to me. Then Nessie switched memories again to show me fleeting glimpses of her family and the Pack waiting anxiously for Carlisle to finish patching me back together, and I no longer had the remotest inkling to laugh. My insides twisted up in a knot as I watched them all in her memories: Emmett hugging Rosalie, Esme with her arms around a lost-looking Seth, Alice twisting her pixie-face up into a knot of concentration as she tried to find Cyrus, Jacob and Quil looking tense, angry, and worried even in their massive Wolf forms, and Embry... poor Embry, running circles around the Cullen property until Nessie had felt dizzy watching him, and then she lingered on her memory of him sitting slouched on their front steps, his face hidden in his hands. Finally, she pulled her hand away to pout at me, and I did my best to give her a one-armed hug and swallow the scratchy lump in my throat.
"Guess I scared you a bit, huh, pretty baby?"
Our conversation was interrupted by what sounded like a large herd of water buffaloes charging towards us, and the half-open door crashed hard against the wall as Seth bounded in, Jacob less than a step behind him. My idiotic, sweet, baby brother almost knocked over Rosalie's chair in his wild rush to my side. It was a good thing Nessie had some super-human reflexes and speed, because she narrowly missed being caught in his over-enthusiastic hug. I wished I had been able to move out of the way, when his big arms caught me and almost lifted me clear off the bed.
"Ow," I wheezed out emphatically, but he was too busy hugging the stuffing out of me to hear it.
Carlisle tapped him on the arm, his lips pressed together to keep from chuckling. "Seth, I think you might be re-breaking the bones I spent several hours putting back together."
"Oh, crap!" He let me go immediately with a concerned grimace. "Sorry, sorry! I didn't hurt you, did I, Leah?"
"I'll live," I told him after catching my breath for a second, then mock-glared at him. "You over-grown puppy."
He gave me his trademark grin, though it was still tinged with worry. "But you're going to be okay, right? You're really going to be fine in a few days?"
"Absolutely," Carlisle answered for me in his most reassuring, doctorly voice. "Provided, of course, that nobody re-breaks anything."
The worry left Seth's face then, and his smile could've blinded me with it's relief. "Thank god. Mom's still gonna flip about this though, Leah."
Oh, crap! I'd forgotten all about the fact that Mom and Charlie were on their honeymoon during all of the drama. Stupid drugs! Panicked, I tried to push up into a sitting position, and was immediately restrained by Carlisle and Rosalie's unbelievably strong, cold hands.
"Seth! You didn't call Mom about this, did you? She's on her honeymoon, for god's sake!"
"Of course I've been trying to call her," Seth answered honestly. "I haven't been able to reach her, though... I think her cell's off or something."
"Really? Why in the world would she turn her phone off during her honeymoon?" I growled at him, thoroughly disgusted by his bone-headed idiocity. Behind him, Jacob rolled his eyes as he plucked Nessie off of the bed and swung her up into his arms, and Rosalie snickered a little into her perfectly manicured hand.
Realization suddenly dawned across Seth's face. "Oh. Oh. Ugh, Leah! Thanks a lot. Now I've got to scrub my brain with bleach!"
"Jeez, Seth. What'd you think they were doing? Fishing?" asked Jacob with a resigned shake of his head.
"I... try not to think about it," he muttered back, his ears bright red, and I saw Bella nod her head vigorously in agreement from her place by the doorway. Rosalie snickered again, but Jake merely sighed.
"Doesn't matter, though. We've gotta tell her about all this, Leah."
"No, you don't," I replied sternly."At least not until she and Charlie get back home."
Jake started to protest, but I cut him off. "What good would it do to tell them now, besides make them rush home for no reason and ruin their honeymoon?"
"Leah's right, Jake," Carlisle pointed out when it looked like he was going to keep arguing. "She's going to be fine in a few more days, and there's no reason to worry her mother unnecessarily."
Frowning, Jake nodded curtly. "Fine. It can wait until they get home."
"Or never," I muttered stubbornly, and scowled as effectively as I could through the drugs at him.
"Uh, she's gonna wonder what happened to your car. It's kind of... totally destroyed," Seth put in quietly, and I slumped against my pillows in defeat.
"I think it's time Leah rested again," Carlisle murmured gently when Esme slid unobtrusively back into the room with a pitcher of water in one hand. Seth and Jake nodded as Bella took Nessie back into her arms and slid out of the room. The little girl blew me a kiss over her mother's shoulder as she disappeared, and Seth and Jake moved to follow her. Once again, I struggled to sit up only to be restrained instantaneously.
"Wait- you've gotta tell me what's happening first," I demanded, glaring at Jake. I was still the damn Beta, wasn't I? Just because Carlisle had me immobilized by a combination of drugs, splints, and tubes (okay, the broken bones might have been keeping me down, too) didn't mean I had no right to know what was going on.
"What happened with Cyrus? Where's Embry? And Quil? Nobody else got hurt, did they? And what about-"
Jake exchanged a lightening quick look with Carlisle before interrupting my slew of questions. "Everybody's fine, Leah. I sent Embry out to patrol with Quil for a bit. But Cyrus is, well..." he blew out a frustrated breath and ran a hand roughly over his face. "We lost him. Somehow, he got into the river, and none of us have been able to pick up his scent since."
What? Did he just tell me that slimy bastard was still running around somewhere out there? A sickening knot twisted up and settled into the pit of my stomach, and I heard Cyrus' voice as loud as a shout inside my head.
Next time you won't be so lucky...
"We're gonna find him, Leah," Jake went on swiftly. "I told you we were going to tear him apart, and we will. Between Sam's Pack and ours, and the Cullen's, we're going to find him. I swear."
"I better be there when you do. I'm going to rip off the other side of his face," I snarled, and Jake gave a short laugh.
"You know, even half-dead, you're still scary as hell," he told me, then obediently ducked out of the room with Seth trailing reluctantly behind him.
"I don't want to sleep anymore," I told Carlisle as firmly as I was able to, despite the fact that my eyes had been wanting to glue themselves shut for the last ten minutes. The doctor merely raised an eyebrow and went on drawing up a giant syringe of something I could only guess would be strong enough to knock out a grizzly bear.
"You'd like to be awake when I remove your chest tube?"
Whoa, hell no. That was a completely different situation right there. I didn't utter one more word of protest- not that it really would've made a difference, anyway- and was back into the world of dreams before I could count to fifteen.
When I came back to consciousness again, I was mercifully minus several tubes and splints and in noticeably less pain. Rosalie and Esme sat like marble statues on either side of my bed, but sprang to life the moment I stirred.
"Hey, Lee. How are you feeling?" Rose asked immediately, and I saw her tawny eyes quickly scan me for signs of pain.
"Better," I croaked back, and my voice sounded horrific after her bell-like tones. "Except for the steel wool in my throat..."
Esme laughed quietly as she helped me sit up slightly to sip some water from a straw. "Carlisle had to go in to the hospital for a few hours, but Rose and I know what to do to keep you comfortable. And there's always Edward if something changes."
"What time is it?" I asked, my voice sounding slightly more human now.
"Two thirty-six in the morning. Wednesday morning."
Two-thirty. Ah, well, that explained why the house was so dark and quiet, and- wait. Did she say Wednesday? But I'd left work on Monday afternoon, so shouldn't this be.... Dammit. I was going to torture Cyrus with every scary medical instrument Carlisle had available, and then I was going to turn him over to my Pack. And sit back with popcorn and a camera to enjoy the show.
My eyes suddenly fixed on Rosalie. "Shouldn't you be in Paris buying me some new couture?"
"Please," she snorted, sounding genuinely offended. "Do you really think I'm going to run off to some stupid fashion shows with you laying here like this? And before I get my hands on the bastard who did it?"
"Rose. You've been excited about going on this trip with Emmett for weeks! I'm fine. You could still have part of the week- get on a plane and get your perfect butt over there! We'll save you a piece or two of Cyrus for when you get home."
One perfect eyebrow rose haughtily. "If it were me, would you go?"
I opened my mouth, hesitated, then snapped it shut in a scowl because I didn't have an answer for that. Well, I did have an answer, and it was hell, no, I wouldn't!, but I couldn't tell her that. That'd just be giving in to easily. She smirked at me, obviously aware that she'd won the argument, and Esme decided to change the subject.
"Are you hungry, Leah? Carlisle said you could start eating again. Lightly," she emphasized. I wondered if she meant lightly for a Wolf, or lightly for a human. Now that she'd mentioned food, I realized I felt hungry enough to hunt down a herd of deer and pick the bones clean.
"I'll make you something. Anything you want," Rose threw in, and it was sort of funny how eager she sounded. "Waffles? Stir fry? Brownies?" When I just gaped at her, trying not to laugh (seriously? Waffles and stir fry? Who even put those two in the same sentence?), she jumped to her feet, grinning, and headed out the door. "You know what? It doesn't matter. I'll just go whip up whatever we've got, and anything you don't want, I'm sure your garbage disposal Packmates will eat."
I rolled my eyes but didn't disagree with her. I think those boys would eat a tire if it was covered with enough ketchup. Esme followed Rose swiftly out the door to reappear moments later at my bedside with several steaming hot washcloths and a few towels in her hands.
"There now, I'm just going to help you get freshened up a little," she told me soothingly as she started wash my face and hands in a motherly fashion. "By morning, Carlisle thinks you'll be healed enough to be able to get up and take a short shower. That'll make you feel worlds better."
I didn't answer her. I couldn't. There was too big of a lump constricting my throat, because I suddenly had an intense longing for my own mother. I felt so stupid as a lone tear escaped down the side of my face onto my pillow, but isn't it natural for anyone to want their mom when they're hurt? Esme, with her sweet, motherly air, seemed to make my longing both better and worse at the same time. I was deeply grateful that she swiped away the tear track matter-of-factly and didn't say a word about it. For shit's sake, what happened to Bitter Harpy Leah who never, ever cried? I sure could've used her right then.
"I'm sorry," I muttered hoarsely, so quiet a human would never have heard me. "Sorry for being so much trouble all the time-"
"Don't, Leah. Don't you ever think that," Esme suddenly broke in fiercely, taking my face in her hands and looking straight into my eyes. "You are not trouble. I am so, so grateful to you. You have no idea what you've done for me, for all of us."
I frowned slightly. If she was talking about joining Jake's Pack against Sam's while Bella was pregnant, well, I did that (mostly) out of selfish reasons. And if she meant how the Pack had risked their lives against the Volturi, once again, that hadn't really been my decision, either. Her mouth twisted up into a wry grin, and I wondered if she could secretly read minds and just hadn't let on about it.
"Rosalie was my first daughter. My beautiful, angry, bitter daughter. Oh, she had reasons to be that way- very good reasons despite what Edward may have thought," she chuckled a little as she shook her head. "He may think he knows all about someone because he can read their thoughts, but that doesn't mean he understands them. Rosalie's story is a painful one. I know she'll tell you all about it herself one day, probably in more detail than she's ever told anyone else, too. But, Leah, my Rose has never been truly happy. I thought at first, when she brought Emmett to us, that he would heal her, but she needed more. She needed you." Esme beamed all over her kind, honest face, her cold hands on my cheek. "For the first time, my Rose is happy. You helped her heal, and I can never, never thank you enough."
I squirmed, embarrassed. "I didn't do anything..."
Esme laughed, but let go of me and quickly picked up the used washcloths and towels when Embry stuck his head around the door.
"Hey, B! You're looking less like a mummy!"
I scowled at him, even though my stomach did a funny, happy flip-flop. "Shouldn't you be at home? Sleeping?"
"Naw. Just got off of patrol and smelled food," he replied, and came the rest of the way into the room carrying an enormous, fully loaded tray. "Rose sent me down here with this to see if you wanted any of it- you can eat something, right?" Esme and I nodded, and his grin widened. "Awesome. Anyway, she said I could have whatever you didn't want, so..."
"So, you're hoping I don't have much of an appetite, right?"
He helped Esme set up the tray beside my bed and tried to look wounded. "The things you accuse me of! I would never try to steal your food! Besides, I think Rose is going to try to feed you everything in the kitchen."
Esme laughed as she helped me get comfortable in a semi-seated position. "I'd better go see if she needs any help, then! Embry, just put the tray outside the door when you're finished with it. And if you need anything, just say so."
"Thanks, Esme!" he replied through a mouthful of blueberry muffin, and she smiled indulgently at him before shutting the door behind herself.
"Hey- what if I wanted that muffin?" I demanded with an attempt at a glare. I had to get a shred of my dignity back after that show of weakness with Esme, after all. Unfazed, Embry looked down at the half left in his hand, then held it out to me with an innocent grin. "Thanks for sharing, but no thanks," I laughed, then grimaced when he shoved it all into his mouth at once. "Jeez, Tank. Your mother would be horrified. Which reminds me, have you even been home since Monday?"
"Nope, but Billy's covering for me. She thinks I'm camping with Jake. Getting in touch with nature and all that."
I poked at the enormous pile of eggs in front of me distractedly. "Tank, what's been happening out there? Jake gave me about two sentences worth of information. I want details."
"There's not much to tell," he sighed, sounding frustrated. "We lost the leech's scent right away- before you'd even shifted back... Whatever kind of twisted shit he is, he's good. Even with all the Cullen's and Sam's Pack, we can't find a trace of him. Alice can't see anything about him, though, so we're pretty sure he's not gone for good."
He paused to scowl at his plate of buttered toast like it was Cyrus himself, and I sternly repressed a shudder. Leah Clearwater did not shudder. Not even at the thought of her worst enemy biding his time somewhere out in the dark, waiting for another golden opportunity.
Embry was talking again, saying something about the two Packs working together to patrol larger areas around La Push and Forks, and I interrupted him abruptly.
"Wait- the Packs are working together? Effectively, or spending most of the time trying to tear each other's throats out?"
He grinned. "More or less effectively. I did kick the shit out of Paul once, though." He flexed his muscles smugly. "Cocky bastard deserved it. Other than that, Jasper's been doing double duty keeping everybody in a friendly-type mood."
"Hmph. Maybe we should ask him to come to all the Pack get-togethers. Less drama," I replied absently, then scrunched up my face into a grimace. "Or not, 'cause then some of us would never learn to control our tempers. We'd just get addicted to the Jasper Crack."
"Jasper Junkies?"
"Exactly. We'd all end up in support groups," I giggled, then made my face serious. "Hi, I'm Leah, and I'm addicted to Jasper."
"Better not let Alice hear you say that," Embry teased as he took the empty tray and set it outside the door. He flopped himself back into the chair next to my bed, and I noticed how terribly worn out he looked.
"You should go home and sleep. Or at least go find a couch or something here," I told him, and I did my best to sound firm and not concerned. He shrugged me off.
"Naw- I'm good. I'll just crash here."
"Tank, you're not sleeping on that chair. Not after running patrol for god knows how long."
Ignoring me, he settled deeper into the chair. "It's fine, B. Really. I'd rather sleep here."
"You'd rather sleep on a chair?" I demanded skeptically. He leaned his head back, closed his eyes and nodded. I waited, and it didn't take long for him to move, and then move again in an attempt to find a more comfortable position.
"You're not going to get any decent sleep like that," I stated, but he just ignored me and tried to hold still. Stubborn ass. He really wasn't going to leave, no matter what I said. Huffing a sigh, I worked to shuffle my still-splinted and semi-immobile self to the far edge of my bed. Hearing my muffled curses, Embry cracked one eye open and frowned at me.
"What're you doing? Carlisle said you shouldn't move around much yet. Your pelvic bone was shattered, you know."
"Ouch, no shit. That happens when you get chucked into a tree by a crazy bloodsucker," I muttered crossly. "Are you going to get in here, or did I just hurt myself for no reason?"
"Um..."
"Look, either you sleep on the bed or you leave. It's up to you."
"Carlisle will feed me my liver for dinner if I mess up any of your... attachments," he waved a hand vaguely at the few tubes and splints still connected to me, but he slid cautiously onto the bed next to me.
"Easy solution: just don't move around in your sleep."
He snorted and rolled over onto his side, facing me. His face looked so tired; I had the craziest urge to pull him close and run my fingers through his hair while he slept. That would not be good, not the least because Seth would have an absolute conniption if he walked in on that cuddlefest, and Rose would never let me live it down. I settled for resting my hand on his cheek instead.
"You need to sleep," I told him sternly, but my thumb brushed gently at the dark circles under his eyes. He gave me a half-grin, and I could've sworn he moved his head just the tiniest bit to keep contact with my hand.
"So do you, B."
I snorted. "That's all I've been doing. As soon as these bones heal, I'm taking double patrols to make up for it."
"Hopefully by then, we won't need to be patrolling anymore. The sooner we kill that piece of shit, the better I'll sleep."
"Me, too," I told him in a small voice, then reached down to grip his hand. "But don't you dare tell anyone I said that. I'm still the scariest Beta around."
"Yes, ma'am," he agreed with a laughing smirk.
"Shut up, Tank," I growled, then yawned widely. "It's after four... You've gotta get some sleep before our darling Alpha has you running patrol again."
"Freakin' slave-driver," Embry agreed sleepily. It was a lame joke that made me sigh with frustration instead of smile. Judging by how absolutely haggard Jake had looked in the few minutes I'd seen him, he was probably running himself to death, taking on way more patrols than he should have, all because he felt like this mess had been his fault. Like somehow he should've stopped Cyrus from coming after me because he was the Alpha. Stupid idiot.
I started to say something about it to Embry, but the sudden, loud snore beside my ear stopped me. Still, his hand was warm in mine, and I fell asleep with a tiny grin on my face.