Ruthie
I woke up sore. And also in Embry's room which confused me.
"Em?" I murmured, unable to say anything else. Embry came back from wherever he had zoned out to and looked at me.
"Oh my gosh Ruthie. How do you feel?" He seemed relieved.
"Sore." I said.
"Yep. You have cuts all over you, and a broken wrist. Not to worry though. Carlisle patched you up nicely." He said as my eyes widened.
"You hungry or anything?" He asked again. How one person could worry about me so much was lost to me. I shook my head slightly.
"What happened to me?" I asked. Embry laughed.
"I could ask you the same thing. Leah found you in the woods all beat up. So we brought you here. Then doc came and fixed you up. What we don't know is how you ended up in the woods." He said kindly.
"I ran away." I said, thinking back to last nights events. I wasn't sure how to put words to it.
"Well, good for you for finally leaving, but you couldn't have cut yourself up like this. Carlisle said there was glass in your cuts and stuff." Embry prompted.
"My dad was angry that I had brought you home. He was colorful last night. He smashed some bottle on the floor in his rage, and while he was... You know... He threw me onto the floor a couple times." I said, flinching at the memory. Embry gently brushed a lock of hair out of my face.
"After he fell asleep I left. But I didn't want anyone to see me hurt, so I went into the woods. The weather just got to be too much." I finished. Embry sighed.
"I don't have to go back do I?" I asked quietly. Embry chuckled.
"No sweetheart. You can stay right here. I don't want you going back anyways." He said. I closed my eyes briefly, then looked up at his ceiling.
"Did I ever tell you the story about when Scarlett beat up Paul?" He asked.
"No." I laughed, even though it hurt. Knowing Scarlett, it wasn't a surprise, but I still found it funny.
"When he first told her that he loved her, she had been on the Rez for two days. They were alone on the beach, and he let it slip. She was so surprised that she hit him with her lacrosse stick." Embry laughed, recalling the story. I liked seeing him happy.
"I like that. What about your other friends. How did they tell their girls they loved them?" I asked.
"Seth took Ri to the beach. It was really cheesy romantic. She got a kick out of that. Sam told Emily because Emily wanted to know why Leah was angry with her. Jake and Nessie have known each other since she was a baby, so he had been saying it forever. Jared confessed it at school one day. Scarlett and Paul's story is my favorite though. He deserved it."
"Why?" I asked.
"Because that's not something you just drop on somebody. Especially if you've known them for two days. Imprint or not it's just not fair to the other person." He said. It was obvious he had done some thinking on this.
"They're definitely perfect for each other though." I said.
"Yep. We're all waiting for him to propose now." Embry laughed again.
"What's so funny?" I was confused.
"Quil and I have a bet. Quil thinks they'll get married before they have a kid, but I think they'll have a kid first. Paul doesn't have enough self control. Jared's on my side, Sam's on Quil's." He said. I laughed, because I could see their logic. Our conversation was interrupted by a knock at the door.
"Come on in Doc." Embry said.
"How are you feeling Ruthie?" Carlisle asked. I shrugged. As the doctor changed my bandages, I realized I wasn't wearing my clothes. I waited until Carlisle left to address it.
"Embry?" I asked, trying to keep calm.
"Yes Hun?" He said, not looking up from the book he had begun reading during my examination.
"Where are my clothes?" Embry's head snapped up.
"Well, uh, yours were all wet and gross, so my mom washed them. But I know how you are about that, so I just found an old tshirt and sweatpants?" His explanation turned into a question at the end. I knew he was lying considering he had worn this shirt last week, but I didn't argue.
"I didn't let anyone see you I swear." He said, drawing an X over his heart with his finger. That relaxed me more. I began drifting of into sleep, but waking up every now and then to make sure Embry was still there. About an hour later, I opened my eyes to find Embry's chair empty. I felt my pulse quicken, and I started getting nervous. What if my dad came to find me? What if something happened to Embry?
"Ruthie, shhhh. It's ok. I'm here." Embry said, coming back into the room.
"You were shaking, so I get you another blanket. I was only gone for a minute." He said, draping the quilt over me. As soon as he pointed it out, I realized how cold I really was. I felt like I had been stuck in a freezer.
"I don't have the body heat to warm this up." I said, reaching for Embry's hand. Having known him so long, I knew that his temperature was always abnormally high. I painfully slid to one side of the bed and tugged at Embry's hand. He sat next to me as I pressed myself into his side. Not only was I warmer, I felt safer too.
The next time I woke up I didn't open my eyes right away. Embry was talking to someone and I didn't want to interrupt.
"I don't know how Quil. I don't want to assume anything. I don't want to assume she's ready." He said, keeping his voice low.
"Have you talked about it with her?" Quil asked.
"She asked me if I would ever get a girlfriend. I was too busy concentrating on not telling her that I wanted her to be my girlfriend to ask if she ever wanted a boyfriend." Embry said, his arms tightening around me. I thought about that as I laid there. I had never considered a boyfriend before, but Embry was the logical choice. And as I thought about it more, I realized that I didn't want anybody but Embry to be my boyfriend. I decided that now would be a good time to wake up, and maybe talk about it. I moved slightly, opening my eyes to the dim afternoon light.
"I'll let you guys be. Glad to see you're doing better." Quil said, touching the top of my head briefly before leaving. I looked up at Embry and he smiled down at me.
"Do you want something to eat?" He asked.
"No. I think I'm ok. Maybe later?" I said. Embry nodded. I propped myself up on my good arm and kissed Embry lightly on the cheek.
"That's for saving me." I said. It was a broad statement, and I meant it that way. Embry had been saving me since preschool. I watched the color rise in his cheeks. He wrapped his arms tighter around me, still grinning.
"Ruthie," he started slowly.
"I want to go out to dinner with you. On a proper date." He said. Before I could answer, his mom came through the door.
"You have to eat something Ruthie. I don't want you starving in this house. I brought you some soup." She said, placing a tray on the bed. She gave Embry a stern look, then disappeared.
"I love your mom." I said, laughing.
"She's still mad at me for last night. The fact that I stayed out, then came home close to midnight with the pack, and didn't let her take care of you made her angry. And the fact that we're alone together like this isn't helpful either." He said, taking the bowl of soup in one hand and giving me a spoon. He held the bowl as I slowly ate from it.
"We've been alone together for years. Why is it such a big deal?" I asked.
"I think she thinks we're like... Together. And that's why I've been sneaking out." He said, trying to pick the right words.
"Theoretically, what would happen if we did end up together?" I asked.
"I'd be the happiest guy alive." Embry said with a smirk.
"You know what I mean." I retorted.
"I'd be able to tell her that you weren't the reason I sneak out." He said.
"Em, why do you sneak out? And don't say for work because I'm positive that's not true." I said. I had been thinking about Embry's job. He never told me what it was, just that he had really flexible hours. He only worked late at night, so it couldn't be anything too rigorous, but he always slept like a rock and ate like a yeti when he came back. 'Work' was just a cover up for whatever he was doing.
"You're not well enough for me to show you. I promise when you're better I will. For now, I just work. That's all." He said calmly. I nodded sleepily, then snuggled into his chest and closed my eyes, sleeping once more.
hello again! This is my third update today... Definitely making up for my absence. Enjoy and review please! :)
