V

"It's not Emily I'm worried about, though..."

March 5, 2005

Leah really didn't want to be here.

She glared at the ocean, eyes observing the horizon as the sound of laughter drifted over from behind her. She ignored them and the presence of her ex-boyfriend. She'd had an inkling that Sam would be here and if she had known, she wouldn't have come. However, it's been a while since she last saw Teddy and when Teddy specifically called her to let her know that she was coming down to First Beach with Bella, she'd been unable deny the sudden surge of joy.

Even so, she'd purposely come later to avoid the wave of La Push kids that came to socialize. It was just her luck that when she arrived with Seth, Teddy and Bella were part of the group that had gone hiking. Her little brother left a little while ago to hang with a group of boys around the driftwood circle, leaving her to where she was currently. She sighed, eyes closing as she took in a deep breath of the sea air.

She wasn't sure how long time passed until the sound of someone shuffling behind her, pulled her out from the moment of peace. She stiffened, though, when a familiar voice called her name.

"Leah." Sam's gruff and husky voice reached her, pain flashing across her chest. She wrapped her arms around her torso, holding herself tightly. She didn't turn around to which he sighed. "I didn't think... it's good to see you, Lee."

It wasn't good. She was fine not seeing him. In fact, they'd not seen each other since the breakup. The few times she went to see him afterward, he'd not been home. Then after the call from Emily, she'd ignored and avoided him entirely. She continued staring out at the sea, willing him to disappear even as her heart pounded against her chest.

"Leah," Sam's voice gave a deep pause before he continued, "can we talk?"

Sam's body heat radiated from him in heavy waves, almost seeming to physically touch her as he moved closer. Leah's arms tightened around herself. She clenched her jaw, eyes squeezing shut. Sharp breaths in, sharper breaths out. The world tilted as her head pounded to the beat of her heart.

Why didn't he just go away? Why was he talking to her? Why? She wasn't going to answer him. She wasn't. She wasn't.

She wasn't.

She wa-

"Leah!"

Her eyes snapped open as the familiar voice broke through the sound of her heart pounding and suddenly, the world fell back into place. Her heart returned to a steady tattoo as her body breathed in relief. Leah turned around and looked past Sam's hulking form to catch umber ringlets in a messy bun running towards them. Without a glance at Sam, Leah stepped away from him and a smile broke across her face at the sight of Teddy's bright yellow sweater and annoying orange neon sneakers.

Leah opened her arms when Teddy neared and without any hesitance, the younger girl threw herself into the embrace with a laugh, the sound filled with sunlight and warmth. Leah wrapped her limbs tightly around Teddy, sucking in the familiar scent. Mouth parted in an open smile, Leah took in Teddy's laughter as the younger girl pulled away, blue eyes shining with a brightness that Leah didn't realize she had missed.

"You made it!" Teddy's excitement emitted from her in waves as she let out a breathless laugh. "I was sooo sure you weren't going to come! Is Seth here too? Jakey? Did you guys come together? Oh, if you're here," Teddy's hands, moist and cool, wrapped around her warmer ones and pulled them backwards to the driftwood circle, "maybe you can take Bella and I home if it's not a bother?" Her eyes smiled with mischief as she lowered her voice, "we grabbed a ride with one of the guys Bella rejected. It was sooo awkward. Please, please, please, say you can give us a ride home!"

Teddy's lips pouted at her even as she continued to lead Leah to the flames. Leah wasn't sure why, but suddenly, her heart was speeding erratically at the sight of Teddy.

Maybe it was the way Teddy's umber ringlets shined in the sun or how her eyes were the bluest she's ever seen them, but Leah's mouth grew drier the more she looked at the younger girl. Teddy's words flew over and through her, though, before she realized that her gaze had settled on the other girl's lips.

"Oh god!" Teddy's lips frowned, Leah mimicking the frown. "Did I take you away from someone? Who were you just..." Teddy's voice fell away and Leah finally looked up, catching the sudden spark that flashed across Teddy's eyes. "It's you."

"Teddy," Sam responded tersely as he came up behind Leah.

Leah stiffened, fingers curling into Teddy's. Teddy squeezed her fingers back and Leah followed the sudden tugging and blinked in surprise, then amusement, as the younger girl placed herself in between Leah and Sam.

"What do you want," Teddy asked, voice rising as she tightened her fingers around Leah's. Sam's eyes narrowed, glancing down at their intertwined hands before shrugging.

"I just wanted to say hi to Leah," he spoke slowly, eyes moving up to meet Teddy's.

"Well, you said it." Teddy lifted her chin. "Now goodbye."

Not giving him a chance to respond, Teddy turned around and led Leah away. Leah smiled, eyes studying Teddy as the girl cursed underneath her breath.

"That bastard. Who does he think he is? Slobbering all over Emily and coming to say hi to you. God, he's so, urgh!" Teddy whirled to her, eyes still shining with her anger. "Why are you smiling? I didn't even punch him. I wanted to - god, I want to - but I think your logic is getting to me because being charged with assault really wouldn't look good on my resume and I-"

"Teddy!"

Seth's voice broke through Teddy's rant and Leah watched as Teddy did a full 180 at the mere sound of her brother's voice. The younger girl whirled around, letting go of Leah's hand. Leah's arm fell back to her side and she ignored how empty her palm felt at the absence. Instead, she followed behind as Teddy and Seth hugged/wrestled with Teddy jumping onto Seth's back.

"What the heck, kid!" Teddy laughed as she clung to Seth's neck, the boy pretending to ply off Teddy's arm. "What are your parents feeding you? You're growing like a weed!"

Seth 'choked' as he stood up, lifting Teddy into the air. The two twirled around, Teddy's laugh filling the air. Leah's body melted at the sight, but she quickly shook her head and frowned.

"Okay, okay," Leah tugged Teddy away from Seth, helping her off of him even as her brother grinned at them, rubbing his neck with a huge, silly grin on his face. "I'm starting to remember why I didn't want you two in the same room."

"But we're not in a room," came the unison voice of Seth and Teddy, the two grinning at each other before throwing their grins at Leah.

Leah fought the smile and instead glowered at them.

"You're making it worse."

"You're just jealous of how much better we get along," Teddy quipped, sticking her tongue out at Leah before she threw an arm around Seth's shoulder. "Anyways, Seth come meet my twin! It's been years since you last saw Bella!"

Leah sighed and followed as Teddy dragged Seth towards the direction Bella Swan who was next to a dark brown haired girl with glasses. The two were seated on a log, not talking, but looking comfortable in their silence. Bella and the girl both looked up, though, at the sound of Teddy's voice. Bella smiled, Leah observing how similar her smile was to her twin. The glasses girl also smiled as Teddy dragged Seth over.

"Seth, my twin and our friend, Angela Weber," she pointed to the two girls. Bella stood up, hand outstretched towards Seth with a smile.

"I'm Bella," she said before nodding back at the glasses girl. "That's Angela."

Teddy let Seth go so he could shake hands with both girls and as this was happening, Leah felt someone nudge her. Looking behind, she pursed her lips at Jacob Black. The two have never hung out nor have they do they really talk, but they shared a mutual friendship with Teddy so they acknowledged each other whenever they crossed paths. Plus their fathers were good friends.

"Hey Jake," Leah greeted as she nodded at him.

Jake smiled at her, nodding back before he moved past her to ruffle Teddy's hair.

"And where's my introduction, Teddy Bear?"

"Argh, Jake!"

She threw his hand off. With a scowl, Teddy reached up and let loose her hair. Leah's eyes followed the way the umber waves fell around the other girl's shoulders before Teddy gathered it back up to re-tie into a bun.

"This butthead here, Bella and Angela, is Jakety Jakey Jacob Black. Actually, dad bought your car from his dad, Bella." Leah's eyes traced the slender slope of Teddy's neck, watching the way Teddy's throat moved as the younger girl spoke. It was only when Teddy turned to her did Leah finally move her eyes up. "How long are you guys staying, Leah?"

"Ah," Leah stuffed her hands into her pockets as she tried not to flush at almost being caught. Caught? Swallowing, Leah shrugged. "Whenever you are ready to leave."

"Awesome!" Teddy turned back to Bella, looping her arm into Bella's. "Let's grab lunch then!"

As lunch commenced, the clouds started to slink across the sky, casting shadows across the beach. When people finished up eating, they began to split up. Sam, thankfully, hadn't approached her again and instead, was off with another group.

The group Leah had eaten with (consisting of Jake, Seth, Teddy, Bella, and Angela) dropped down to just Teddy and Leah when Angela went with the hikers followed by Seth leaving to hang out with his friends. Not long after that, Bella and Jake stood up and began walking down the beach. As Jake and Bella left, Leah watched as Teddy looked after them. She took in the sudden tension in Teddy's stature.

"What's wrong," Leah asked after a few moments as the two sat next to each other in front of the driftwood fire. Huh, Leah thought as she looked into the dying blue flames, the driftwood reminded her of Teddy's blue.

She focused back on Teddy, though, when the girl spoke.

"Is it just me or was Bella flirting with Jake just now?" Teddy frowned deeply, turning to Leah. The older girl looked over her shoulder to observe Jake and Bella's fading forms. She shrugged to which Teddy frowned even more, pale fingers tracing circles on the bone-colored bench they sat on. "It's just that, I thought Bella was interested - and I mean really interested - in Edward Cullen."

At the name Cullen, Leah frowned. "Cullen? As in the doctor Cullen, Cullen?"

"Well, what other Cullen is there around here," Teddy mused as she tilted her head, eyes glancing sideways at Leah. "Yes, that Cullen, Leah."

"Huh. Okay."

Leah looked after Jake and Bella again, lingering on Jake. She wondered when Billy will start using Jake to warn Bella away from the Cullens. It was part of what the elders and older generation did with children in La Push. Even her dad warned her away and asked her to warn others. Not that she did.

"It's nothing. And I'm sure you're just seeing things, Teddy. Bella doesn't seem interested in Jake like that."

"I guess," Teddy trailed off before turning back to the flames. "Heard anything from Emily yet?"

Leah shook her head, leaning back as she scooted a little closer to Teddy, their hips touching. Her heart sped up, eyes looking down at the flames. "No. But I've heard from people that he's been down to the Makah reservation a lot."

"That bastard!" Teddy turned to Leah, hands fisted at the sides. "How dare he! I really should just go and punch him."

Leah shrugged, hand reaching out to Teddy's closest fisted palm. Her fingers encircled warmth, throat suddenly dry before she swallowed.

"Again, not worth it, Teddy." She watched as Teddy moved away from her, taking her palm and warmth. Leah's hand fell back to her side. She tried not to frown and instead, continued with, "I think Emily can handle him just fine."

Teddy suddenly stood up, head turned towards the sea.

"It's not Emily I'm worried about though."

A pause and Teddy tilted her head down as she stared into the flames. Leah wondered if she knew that the flames were the same color as her eyes.

"How are you?"

Leah blinked at the question before getting up to stand beside Teddy, careful to keep some distance between them. She thought about the question. She remembered Teddy's words from before, the last time they were at the beach. Sighing, Leah rubbed her hands together before crossing her arms as she tilted her head up to watch the long shadows across the beach, the sun slinking behind clouds.

"I'm not okay." She breathed out slowly before breathing in deeply. "But I will be."

Teddy turned to her and their eyes met.

"Yea... you will be okay again, Leah. Sam," Leah's heart twisted at the sound of Sam's name even as Teddy paused, gaze turning towards the sea, "let something amazing go so it's his loss. Emily and I are here for you. Always, yea?"

Eyes watching Teddy, Leah let out a deep breath to reply back with a soft, "yea."

She studied the sudden tension on Teddy's face, the younger girl's throat constricting as she swallowed. Leah blinked. She looked down at the ground. While a part of her wanted to believe Teddy, the other part... she wasn't sure if it'll be alright.

She was afraid. Leah was afraid. Of what, she couldn't really tell.

Sam and her, it had all been planned out. They were going to get out of La Push together. Go to college and move somewhere far away from the reservation. As much as she loved her family and her people, it was suffocating. It was stifling.

There was nothing here. Nothing but being another Native girl from La Push. And Leah wanted more. So much more. More to her life. More for her family.

Just more. So much more than what her tribe and the res can offer. Her people had never felt so heavy, the weight of their burdens pressing forever down on her. Suffocating her.

The future felt bleak.

It felt... empty.

Leah couldn't stay. Not now. Especially now, the wounds of Sam's betrayal so fresh and bleeding. She saw him everywhere on the res, memories and ghosts of their time together, dreaming dreams that couldn't be anymore. She couldn't stay. But there were two people who made her hesitate about leaving and one of them stood in front of her.

Shaking her head, she turned her gaze back to Teddy. Studying the girl, Leah blinked. An ache bloomed in her chest.

Even as the world beckoned her, the thought of leaving this girl next to her, has always left Leah wheeling and breathless. That to leave meant leaving Teddy. It meant no longer hearing Teddy's laugh or idiotic plans and jokes. It meant no more Teddy coming to bother Leah to go running with her or cool hands tugging on hers as Teddy led her to wherever Teddy led her.

Leaving Teddy hadn't been an easy decision. It was as hard as it was to leave Seth. In fact, she'd avoided telling them. She didn't want to see the betrayal. The hurt. Seth would understand. But Teddy? She-

Something cool touched her fingers. Tearing her eyes away, she looked down at the hand that was suddenly holding hers. She looked up at Teddy again, their eyes meeting.

"Hey, it'll be alright, Lee-lee. I promise."

Without responding, Leah only tightened her hand in Teddy's.

A/N - And it was blue.

Thanks for all the follows, favorites, and reviews!Let me know what you think is gonna happen next! Or just comment in general lol ~NkG