Acts of Fear and Selflessness

Viciousness has never been characteristic I would use to define myself. However, my hunting had increased and my kill has not as "kind" as it normally was in the past. I sat in the forest after burying my prey and looked toward my house I was a ways off but I could still see into the house perfectly. I could see Leah tooling around in the kitchen fixing herself something to eat. I lingered in the forest because the only time she came out of the guest room was when I wasn't in the house. I watched as she danced around a little bit in my shirt that she'd claimed as a nightgown as she fixed her dinner. I enjoyed to look at her like this when she was at peace. It only took a moment for me to realize I wasn't alone in the forest anymore.

"Jasper," I murmured and after a minute he was at my side.

"I see your obsession is still going strong," he observed as he followed my line of vision. He sat down beside me. "You have a little right here." He pointed to the corner of his mouth. I wiped my mouth and then looked back up to the window.

"What is it Jasper?" I asked quietly.

"I talked to the girl's family and explained the situation like you requested. It went about as well as I expected. Her mother was pretty put off by my presence. Her brother seemed to have some conflicting emotions but both agreed Leah should spare herself the pain of coming back home. It sad. There's supposed to be a pack. I didn't realize members were that expendable?" I could tell Jasper was disgusted by the emotions and actions he'd witnessed.

"I talked to Carlisle and Esme. They agree with the rest of the family we all feel bad for Leah but you will never repair your relationship with her living here with you. We could help her start her life over somewhere else," he explained and I jumped up.

"She shouldn't have to leave her home!" I protested and he glared at me.

"Is this really still her home? Her family wants her gone and her "friends" want her dead. She's a nice enough … thing … she deserves the chance to start over and so do you." I paced back and forth and Jasper shook his head. "Oh God, you're can't let her go can you?"

"I don't trust the others to let her leave peacefully," I stated honestly and avoided his question at the same time. I knew Jasper was smart enough to realize what I was doing.

"So you've made your decision without having the balls to say it," he scoffed and sighed. "I will remind you that you fell in love with Bella, you just fell into bed with this one." I hissed under breath against my will. I turned him.

"It's more. At first it was something very primal between us … carnal. Now it's different I need to figure it out and I need to protect her while I do it. I … I feel badly for how I wronged Bella. I don't know what I can do to make it better. I feel that I could apologize for eternity and it would not be enough." I watched as Leah traveled up the stair and to her room. "I guess it's time to head back."

"Esme, Carlisle, and the whole family are wanting you to reconcile with Bella. I hope you're aware of that. Carlisle still thinks it's an obsession and you aren't going to get over it with her wandering around your house … in your lair." Jasper chuckled and I smirked at bit.

"I've heard you Jasper. Leah and I don't even talk. She wants no parts of me and I've respected that. I just want to keep her safe. She's aware of what I feel and what I think she feels but she still refuses to speak to me. So maybe you're all right and I'm crazy. Just let me figure it out on my own." I walked away from my brother. He was smart enough to know that was beginning to become frustrated by our conversation and it was best to leave me alone. He did send a wave of calm over me before turning to head back home. As I opened the back door I was surprised to see Leah sitting at the counter in the kitchen. I studied her cautiously.

"Hi," she said firmly yet she studied me with a wary gaze.

"Hello," I replied as I moved out of the kitchen and into the living room. I sat at my piano and shifted some papers around. She picked up her bowl and followed me into my space.

"Are you going to play?" She asked and I just looked at her. I didn't know what had prompted this sudden need within her to talk to me. I searched her mind and all it was doing was searching for things to talk to me about. "I like when you play. It uh … it relaxes me."

"Are you tense?" I asked.

"Most of the time yeah," she chuckled and then silence hit us. I pressed a couple of keys on my piano. "I heard part of your conversation with your brother. Edward I have to agree with him. You are having a hard time discerning between obsession and whatever it is you think you feel for me. If there is a deal on the table that would give me the opportunity to start a new life I'd like to take it. I don't want to be here knowing … knowing that my family wants me gone." I looked into her thoughts and she was trying to be nice to me so that I'd agree with her and let her go.

"Leah you don't have to be nice to make me see reason. You're not my prisoner if you want to leave you can go. I will let my parents know where you stand and I'm sure we can work out something." I shrugged my shoulders and started to play something sad.

"It would be for the best. You could fall in love with Bella again and give your little girl the home she deserves. Ness' childhood is going to be extremely short don't ruin it with this bull shit." I nodded now everything was becoming clear. She saw this as a way to right all of her wrongs. All of the people she loved would be happy except for one … me.

"You've seemed to have figured everything out Miss Clearwater. Everyone will get their happily ever after except me." Leah snorted and shook her head.

"You have one you just seem determined to mess it up. Enough this Edward. For the record, that night when we were together the second time I thought I could love you and if you had wanted to leave your wife and do it the right way with me I might have caved but you didn't. I took it as a clear sign you were still in love with Bella. You just need to realize it too Edward. There's no reason for Bella to hurt unnecessarily." Leah looked at me with watery eyes. I smoothed my hand over her cheek and when she closed her eyes tears trailed down her cheeks.

"You are the most selfless woman I know Leah," I whispered.

"You're wrong, but I'm trying to be better that I've been in the past. That being said call your folks I already know where I want to go." She patted my shoulder before leaving alone with my thoughts. I grabbed my phone off the top of the piano and stared at it. Leah was selfless, I didn't know if I had in it in myself to be.

Author's Note: Next chapter Esme and Carlisle come back into the picture. Can't wait to come back to this one. I had to do something to give it a different flare than my other Leaward stories. So this should provide an interesting twist. I hope you all enjoyed the chapter.