Disclaimer: I don't own anything from the Twilight Series

8

Conclusively

I moved into the kitchen - the deafeningly quiet kitchen. My eyes searched for Quil, who was not with me when I woke up just moments ago. Instead of Quil, I saw Leah. She was sitting on the couch, cup of coffee in hand, watching TV in a pair of cropped sweatpants.

She turned at the creaking of wood beneath my feet. She looked at me for a long second. "You slept in. It's 12."

That would make sense as to why Quil was nowhere to be found. It didn't make a lot of sense as to why Leah was on the couch in her pyjamas.

I walked closer to her. "Apparently, so did you." I let out a breath, sitting down on the couch, pulling me knees up to my chest, wrapping my arms around myself. We sat in silence for a couple of painful moments. I felt a wave of unsettling emotions wash over me, so I turned to Leah, fully prepared to let her know what was on my mind.

"Before you say anything -" Leah put down her coffee, twisting and placing her elbow on the back of the couch, her head resting in her hand. She let out a breath just as I had. "I just want to apologize for everything. I know it wasn't easy to hear everything Sam said to you - everything I said to you." Her facial expression was still stiff, just how it always was. "I'm sure there was a better way to go about it."

My heart warmed at her words. I pushed myself up and forward, wrapping my arms around her in one quick movement. Leah wrapped her arms around me just as fast. I was relieved and my unsettled feelings wilted away. "Thank you, Leah. I know you were just trying to protect me. You always are there to protect me." I leaned away, getting settled back on the comfy couch. "I'm so lucky to have a cousin like you."

Leah waved a dismissive hand. I guess it was too many sentimental words too early in the day. She reached for her coffee, bringing the mug back to her lips. "Just don't go around getting any more piercings."

I touched my nose briefly, feeling it to be a little sore. I then touched my arm, seeing then in the daylight how sort of gross it looked. "No more piercings. No more skin glue. You have my word."

Before Leah let the TV completely consume her, she made the effort to ask "Did you and Quil kiss and make up?"

I felt the heat rise in my cheeks almost immediately. How was I supposed to tell Leah? Was I supposed to tell Leah? It felt wrong to lie, but I wouldn't really be lying if I just didn't say anything at all.

While I thought about what to say, Leah's head slowly turned to look at me, eyebrows furrowed. "Or maybe more than kiss and make up?" She watched as I just shook my head and failed to come up with anything. She chuckled, though she didn't have a look on her face that made me believe she found it funny. Her eyebrows rose briefly, taking another sip of her coffee. "I'm gonna pretend I don't know anything about that."

"You won't tell anyone, will you?" I had to admit that one of the first thoughts that came to mind when I awoke was the pack. When they found out, I wasn't sure what the reaction was going to be, but I knew Quil and I wouldn't be hearing about it for a long time.

"You know me." Leah put on an over exaggerated smile, holding up her pointer and thumb fingers pressed together to drag them across her lips. "My lips are sealed."

I had to laugh at that.

Seth came down the hallway, a kind smile on his face. He was pulling a loose, self-cut t-shirt over him. His smile faded and his brows furrowed. "Why aren't you guys dressed?"

I was confused. "What?"

Seth laughed, grabbing the car keys off the counter, spinning them around his fingers, letting the jingle fill the room. "I get to drive or I'm telling Emily that you guys forgot."

Emily's baby shower. With everything that had happened in that last week, I had completely forgotten about the Emily's baby shower. It was a party or anything, but I assumed Emily probably decorated the house a little bit. I knew she told people not to get her presents, but I suspected that presents would be apart of the whole thing as well.

"Oh, my god." I looked at Leah, who was casually sipping her coffee. "Did you get a present?"

Leah scoffed. "Of course." She was pretty organized, despite her sitting on the couch in pyjamas. "It's a bib or something."

Seth laughed again. He seemed pretty pleased by Leah's being late. "A bib or something? Nice one, Lee." He moved to the front door, glancing back at the both of us before going outside. "I'll give you guys ten minutes and then I'm leaving."

I got up from the couch, making my way down the hallway. I paused and turned around when I saw Leah still on the couch, drinking coffee, watching TV. I knew that baby showers weren't really her scene, but this was Emily - this was family. "Leah, come on."

Leah sighed heavily, standing slowly, walking to the kitchen and putting her coffee mug into the sink. She walked towards me, sporting an annoyed expression on her face. "You know I don't want to go, right?"

"I know." We walked down the narrow hallway together, shoulders bumping. "You didn't forget. Why weren't you ready to go?"

"I didn't want to go without talking to you."

"Then why didn't you wake me?" I reached my door, my hand resting on the handle as I looked at Leah.

She shook her head, opening the door to her bedroom. "I was too scared I'd find Quil naked in your bed."

"Leah!" My cheeks were burning hot. I reached out to smack her arm or anything I could reach. She slipped away from me, laughing at her own tease before closing the door to her bedroom. I huffed, entering my bedroom and opening my drawer, searching for the pale yellow dress - the only dress - I owned. Emily told me once that she really like it, and the sun was shining today, so I thought why not.

I pulled shirt over my head, leaving me to be bare on top. I stopped for a moment, starting to think about last night. It wasn't just my cheeks that were growing hot, it was my whole body. I reached up at touched my chest, fingers delicately tracing all the places Quil's lips had recently been. My hand traveled across my stomach, feeling all the intense emotions return to me.

"Hurry up!" Leah's sudden yell and harsh knock on the door startled me. "Or we're leaving without you."

I pulled the dress over my head, braided my long hair away from my face, and ran outside to Leah's truck. When I saw that Seth was not in the passenger seat, I tried to stifle a laugh. I got in beside Seth, who was comfortable in the middle. "Couldn't convince her, huh?"

"It's like talking to a wall."

Leah shook her head, putting the truck in reverse and throwing her arm over the seat, looking back to back out of the driveway. I just barely caught Leah pinching the skin of Seth's arm. He pretended to be more hurt than he was and they argued for all of three seconds before we were all laughing.

I was relieved.

The door was open already, allowing easy access as Seth, Emily, as we slipped through the entrance and into the house. It looked almost normal, except for the one pink and blue banner hanging from one wall to the other. The only other unfamiliar sight was a pregnant Emily sitting at a table with about twelve or so boxes on the table in front of her. Everything else was the same. The boys were standing around, all relatively close to one another, talking or laughing or eating. Emily had a box in her lap, already opened, and she was looking up at Quil, who was standing next to her, laughing with her and holding her hand.

I felt Emily and Seth brush past me, further into the house, but I stayed where I was. I had a million and one thoughts in my mind and I couldn't grasp onto a single one long enough to figure out my next move.

Thankfully, I didn't have to nervously stand there much longer.

"Claire!"

My eyes immediately shifted from Quil to Emily, who smiled warmly at me. She held her arms out. I responded by walking over to her and wrapping my arms around her. "I'm so sorry we're late." I stood straight again, putting my hand on her warm shoulder. I looked at her rounded belly, not noticing that I was smiling until I felt the ache in my cheeks. "I can't believe this is finally happening."

Emily put her hand over mine, squeezing a little harder than I expected. She smiled so excitedly, I could see the veins in her neck. "Me either!" Her eyes widened suddenly and she yanked my hand from her shoulder so that I could feel her belly. "He can never stay still for long, Claire. Do you feel that?"

I couldn't quite feel, but I didn't have the heart to tell her I couldn't, so I just asked, "He?"

She nodded softly but surely. "I just know." Her eyes connected with mine in a meaningful glance. In that second or two of stillness, I could tell that she was looking back into the past, just as I was. How did we end up here, doing this? How did we get so lucky?

So lucky.

Emily moved my hand over her belly again. "Do you feel that?" She moved it around again, causing me to laugh. I could feel the warmth from the entire room, but especially from the person a mere foot away from where I was, on the other side of Emily. I didn't dare look up.

"I found it! I got it!" Embry came barreling down the staircase, jogging into the living room. He slowed and came to a stop directly in front of the table with Emily and all her gifts. He shook his hair, letting out a big breath and he looked down, cradling a camera carefully in his hands.

I moved to get out of the frame, but Emily didn't let go of my hand. "Let's get a picture!" She glanced to the other side of her. "The three of us!"

I mindlessly followed Emily's gaze to Quil, without giving it a second thought. I looked at Quil the precise moment his eyes stopped scanning my face. Our eyes met and my heart thumped inside my chest. The warmth radiating off of him balled up inside of me. I thought about the previous night and my glance fell down to his hands, hanging innocently at his sides. I felt them on me all over again. I cleared my throat, looking away. I wanted to see his face - his emotions right now, but I couldn't bear to look back. I was getting too hot.

Embry held up the camera, squinting one eye. I could just barely see his brows furrow and then he lowered that camera for a brief moment to say, "Claire, scoot in a bit more. Why are you so far away?"

I stepped moved behind Emily's chair, stepping closer to Quil. I put my hand on Emily's shoulder just as I felt Quil's hand rest on my lower back. I smiled for the photo, feeling the length of his fingers playing with the fabric of my dress. I felt the heat rise to my cheeks as I struggled to keep a steady breath.

The camera flashed after a couple seconds too long.

I looked down at the table of presents as I quickly stepped away from Quil. I realized then that I forgot Emily's present in the truck. I leaned down to place my face next to hers. "I forgot your present in the truck. I'll be back." I stood straight, weaving around Sam to head for the still open front door. The air seemed less hot outside than inside, despite the harshness of the rare sunlight.

I headed for Leah's truck, reaching into the unrolled window to grab the small, decently wrapped box. I grabbed the present, spinning around to head back inside, only to be greeted by Quil, standing tall in front of me.

My back fell against the truck with a thump as I felt my heart in my chest again. "Jesus." I avoided his eyes, looking at the house. "You scared me."

"Claire."

The firm tone of his voice was impossible to ignore. I hesitated for only a moment before looking up at him. I looked at his curls hanging over his forehead and I remembered what if felt like to tug on them and all the pleasures that followed. I looked away again, taking one step toward the house. "We should get back -"

Fast enough that if I blinked, I would've missed it, Quil was standing in front of me. His pecs were level with my eyes, the tanned colour of his skin looking warm and inviting that it took resisting not to touch. His hand pulled on my chin gently, making me look up at him. "Claire..." His tone was much softer that time and I couldn't look away. His brows furrowed together. He looked worried. "Did I do something?"

"No," I said quickly. I put my hand over his, pulling it away from my face. Now that I was looking him in the eyes, I was locked in. "You did everything right." My eyes widened slightly as I stuttered to come up with a different response than the awfully transparent one I just gave. "I mean - I just mean that you - you -"

Quil's worried face disappeared in an instant. His eyes crinkled at the corners as he started to smile. "Claire -" He teased. "You're blushing." He waited until after I chuckled to start speaking again. "You wouldn't even look at me in there." He took a step closer - too close.

"Don't -" I reached out too quick to stop myself, placing both of my hands on his hips, just above his cut-offs. I stared at his abdomen and I tried to breathe, all of last night running through my mind. I looked back up at him, glancing at his lips before meeting his eyes once again. "I..." I licked my lips watching as Quil's eyes moved down my face, watching my mouth as I said, "I can't stop thinking about last night."

Loud laughter came from the house and Quil's head snapped to the open door. He took one of my hands in his, leading both of us away from the intruding eyes of the baby shower attendees. We made it to the side of the house and Quil yanked me closer to him, my body slamming against his. Before I could bounce off of him, he grabbed my face in both of his hands, placing his lips on mine.

I responded quick, kissing him eagerly. The heat of the sun, him up against me - I didn't notice. I was too distracted, my hands settling on his hard back, pulling us tighter against each other. His hands fell away from my face, one on the back of my neck, the other cupping my butt. I made a noise of surprise and then another when I felt my back hit the side of the house. Quil's kissed the edge of my mouth and then my cheeks and then my neck. I felt his tongue not long after. One of my hands was in his hair, tugging lightly. "Oh, Quil..."

He groaned into my neck, body pressing against me again. "Again," he said, so quietly I almost didn't hear him.

I smiled as the sound of his commanding voice made the hairs on my arm standing straight. I opened my eyes and then my mouth, readying to say those pleasing words once again. My eyes fell onto a tall, slender figure a couple feet from us. "Embry!"

Quil's lips paused against my neck. I could feel his back tense under my touch. He pulled away from me, a look in his eyes I had never seen - something resembling passion or anger or surprise. I felt the heat in me all over again, just by the sexy look on his face. "What?"

My hand fell away from his hair to grip his bicep, yanking it to turn his body. "Embry."

Quil turned around, seeing Embry standing near us. "Oh."

Even though Quil was turned away from me, I could just barely see the redness rising in his cheeks. I might have been seeing Quil in a different light, but he would always be the same person.

Embry was standing with his arms crossed over his chest. He seemed mighty pleased with himself, catching the two of us. He couldn't have been happier to be in the know, especially when no one else was. "Oh is right, Ateara." His always mischievous eyes shifted to me. "And little, innocent, Claire!"

I put my hand over my mouth to stop myself from laughing. I knew Quil was trying to take this seriously.

"You can't tell anyone," Quil said to the least trustworthy friend of the group. "Not yet." Quil looked over his shoulder at me briefly. "This is really new for us. I think we'd like a little time to enjoy it before every starts hassling us."

Embry chuckled, arms coming uncrossed as he shifted casually on his feet. "Then maybe try not to enjoy it at Emily's baby shower, with the rest of us about twenty feet away. The rest of us as in shapeshifters - as in we have incredible hearing." He laughed again. "The two of you are lucky that we're all so distracted in there."

I smiled, hoping to strike a soft spot in Embry. "Come on, Em. You won't tell anyone, will you?"

It must've worked at least a bit because Embry said, "I wont't." He pointed at Quil. "You better not shift at all then. You know what goes through your mind, goes through ours, don't forget. Though I wouldn't mind the visual -"

Quil's neck tightened as he tilted his head at Embry. I imagined Embry was looking at narrowed eyes from Quil.

Embry seemed unfazed. "I don't think that'd be the best way to tell everyone." He watched the two of us simply nod. Embry stood still for a long moment, eyes softening at the two of us that way they only did when he got sentimental - a rare state of Embry. "I'm happy for you guys."

I smiled widely, feeling quite happy for myself as well. I stepped to stand beside Quil, taking his hand in mine.

Quil's smile matched mine as he looked down at me, squeezing my hand lightly. He turned back to Embry as all of us started making our way back to the house. "Thanks, Em," he said, quiet enough not to alert to other boys as we grew closer to the open door.

Embry bounced up the porch steps, throwing his arm over Quil's shoulders. "I do what I can."