I know it's been a bit since the last update. I'm sorry, but I had no internet! I'm posting this and the last chapter tonight, then I'll but up the next story, Loving, later tonight or in the morning. I don't own anything recognizable.

I woke up the next morning laying on Embry's chest. His arms were around me protectively, and one of my arms was thrown across his waist. I could tell by his breathing patterns that he was awake, and when I looked up, his eyes were open.

"Morning, beautiful," he murmured, running a hand down my spine. "Did you sleep okay?"

"No," I admitted, making a bit of a face. "Sorry."

"Leah," he said softly, "it's okay. You don't have to apologize."

I nodded slowly, then shifted closer to him, my forehead against his. "Thank you for being here for me yesterday."

He smiled gently, running his hand up my spine to the back of my neck, massaging it gently. "I love you."

"It's weird," I said with a sigh. "I barely knew him and I still…" I choked up a bit, unable to finish my sentence. I miss him.

I know, beautiful. He was special to you, I get it. I'm here for you. Embry was being so kind to me.

"Thank you," I whispered, tilting my head up for a kiss.

Embry made me breakfast when we finally dragged ourselves out of bed. It was kind of cute, watching him run around trying to cook. I tried to help him, but he refused, insisting that he could do it himself. In the end, it wasn't too bad, and for what it lacked in flavor it made up for in thought. Embry was being a sweetheart, and all day he was extra attentive to me.

We went to our cliff, to the natural room under it. We packed a picnic and sat in the little room, watching the steady rain outside. Embry kept an arm around me then entire time, and we said very little. It was a comfortable silence, much welcomed by me, because for the last day I'd been trying to figure out why the death of Thomas had hurt me so badly.

"What are you thinking about?" Embry asked after a long time of silence.

I showed him images of Thomas talking to him, whispering his questions.

"Oh."

Then it hit me. The reason why Thomas was so important to me. The reason I was in pain.

"Bry, I think I'm going to go for a run, to clear my head, okay?" I said suddenly, getting up and walking to the back entrance.

"Okay, do you want me to come?" he asked, starting to get up.

"No," I said, holding up a hand. "I'll be back in a little while. Okay? Just give me a bit. I'll leave my clothes here."

Embry nodded in understanding. "Okay."

He turned back around and kept his eyes trained on the rain out front. I stripped down to nothing, then brought out the heat, transforming into my grey wolf. I stepped up to Embry, butting his shoulder with my snout. He turned to me and smiled, stroking my nose and kissing the fur between my eyes. I touched his face with my nose, then nuzzled my head against his, relaying a silent message.

"I love you, too, Lee."

I gave a slight jerk of my head, then darted out the front of the cave and around the cliff, into the trees. I ran towards Forks, and to the outskirts of Forks. I found myself in the trees behind the small Lutheran church, where a funeral was being held, where a coffin that was far too small was being lowered into the ground. Thomas.

As the rain drizzled down on the normal Forks day, the weather chilling with the changing season, people filed out of the cemetery. In the end, only those covering the coffin in dirt remained, and then there was no one. No one to be there with Thomas. Except…

I checked for bystanders, so as to not be seen, and then crept out into the cemetery, up to his freshly covered grave.

Christina May Lamont and Thomas Clay Lamont were etched into the headstone. His older sister was seventeen, he was only five. At least in the end he got his wish, to see Christina. It calmed me, in a strange -some would say sick- way, that they buried him with her. He loved her, and she could forever be with him.

Against my will, from the sheer power of the wolf inside of me, I threw my head back and howled for all I was worth, then ran into the woods. I ran as fast as I could away, back to the cliffs. I slipped into the cave, giving Embry a look that made him know to turn his back for me to phase down, then slip into my clothing. When I was dressed, I walked up behind him, dropping to my knees and wrapping my arms around his broad shoulders. He was warm, and for the first time in a long time, I felt cold.

When I shivered, Embry turned around and wrapped me into his warm embrace, sheltering me from the chill of the air around us. "Are you okay?"

"I don't know," I whispered, shivering still. "I'm cold."

"I can see that," he said, giving the lightest of chuckles, then my body jerked hard as another chill wracked my body. "Damn it, Lee! You're freezing! Let's get you somewhere warm."

Before I could say anything, Embry was standing up, carrying me out through the rain to his car. He buckled me in, then drove us to my home. Mom was home, and looked shocked when Embry showed up, holding me as my body wracked with chills. She set to work making soup, while Seth -also home- called Carlisle and Jacob. Embry tucked me into my bed and threw several blankets over me, but still I shivered.

Carlisle made a trip down to my house, as well as Jacob, because it had been very, very rare for a wolf to get sick. Carlisle took my temperature, which was normal for a wolf, and my blood pressure, which was also normal for a wolf. In the end, he sent everyone out of my room, strictly for my feelings, and talked to me for a few minutes.

"Leah, at the hospital, the child Thomas was one of your patients, correct?" he asked me quietly.

I flinched at his name, then nodded. "Yes."

"It was the first time one of your patients has died," he said gently. "It's normal that this is hard for you. Everyone copes differently with the death of a patient, especially a child."

"Thomas was more than a patient," I said defiantly, as if trying to justify my sadness.

Carlisle nodded solemnly. "He knew our secrets."

I was shocked. "How did you-"

"The night he passed, before it was time for him to go to sleep, he was talking to me while I dressed his wounds. He told me he knew I was different. He said I smelled like candy, and I looked like a sculpture. He was very perceptive."

"Did you tell him?"

Carlisle nodded. "I had to. I felt the need, so I told him, just as you did. He didn't seem surprised, or scared of me."

I shook my head. "No. He thought we were all superheroes."

He chuckled, nodding. "Thomas was a very special child."

"More than you know," I murmured, rolling over because I couldn't look at the doctor anymore. I didn't want anyone to see me anymore.

"You do know, though. I'm very sorry that you've had to go through this pain, and I'm sorry I can't reassure you that it will never happen again."

"I don't think I'll ever meet another patient that made me feel that way. I really loved that little boy."

Carlisle was silent. "I know. I think that's why you're sick. You're heartsick, and it's making you physically ill. Rest, talk to someone, let everyone love on you. And take a few days off. Everyone always does after their first patient death."

"Okay," I whispered, not turning over as he left. I laid on my side, wishing there was someone else with me. Please come back.

In a few minutes, after everyone talked to Carlisle, Embry came back. He laid on top of my covers, trapping me under by throwing an arm over me. "Go to sleep."

I shook my head. "No."

"Then rest until Sue's done with the soup."

"What did Jacob want? Why did he come here?" I pressed, fighting him unnecessarily.

"Jake and Seth are in the living room. They'll be there when you eat. Rest, Lee," Embry said firmly, but tenderly.

I did as he said, until Mom was done with the soup. She'd made potato soup, my favorite, and even baked bread bowls, which was why it had taken her so long cooking. She gave me an extra large helping, and the boys ate with us. As we ate, Jacob questioned me and made sure I was okay.

"I don't want you patrolling for a few days, not until you're back to normal. That's an order," Jacob said, brandishing his spoon at me.

I made a face at him. "Whatever. I'm fine."

Embry, Jacob, Seth, and Mom all gave me looks.

"Okay, I'll be fine."

"No patrolling," Jacob repeated, giving me a significant look. "And Embry, make sure she doesn't patrol. I need my beta better."

"Got it, bro," Embry said through a mouthful.

Seth piped in, feeling left out, "And no sleeping together. That's so wrong."

"Seth!" Mom said. "We're supposed to be supporting Leah, and if sleeping in the same bed as Embry helps, you should leave them alone. Assuming all you're doing is sleeping." She gave us a mock accusatory look.

Jacob snickered into his bowl and I turned pink.

"Only sleeping," Embry said, obviously unperturbed. "Pack mind should remind you of that, kid."

Seth looked irritated. "Whatever."

After we finished, Jacob and Seth went to play video games at Jacob's house, and Mom cleaned the kitchen and started on the rest of the house.

Everyone agreed that I needed to stay in bed, so Embry made me get into my bed, then he laid on top of the covers again. We stayed silent for a long time. It wasn't uncomfortable, but I didn't like it.

"Talk to me."

He chuckled softly, kissing the back of my head. "Normally you tell me to shut up."

"Well, I want you to talk to me," I said defiantly. "Just-just say something. I don't like the silence anymore."

"Okay."

Embry filled the silence with stories of his childhood. He explained some of the pictures we'd looked at together only a week before. He showed me memories in his mind, some of me. He told me about his crush on me before the imprint. He told me about our future. "And our kids can be brought up the right way, with a mother and a father."

"Kids?"

"We can adopt if it turns out you really can't have kids," was his explanation.

"But if we adopt, the kids won't be wolves. I kind of like the idea of being inhuman, you know. The idea of traveling with the Cullens or on our own forever is…appealing. But I don't want to lose a child, so if we adopt, we'll have to stop phasing."

Embry rubbed my back a bit. "I personally am not a hundred percent sure you can't have kids. I think maybe you could."

I rolled over to look at him. "You're optimistic, and I love you for that."

"But?"

"But nothing," I said, chuckling a bit. "I like that. You make me feel…normal."

"What do you mean?"

"I feel young. Like a normal teenage girl goofing off with her boyfriend. I don't feel the pressure to be mature and serious anymore. I like that I have forever with you." I had thought that for so long without telling him, it made me happy to see his reaction.

Embry had a look of total happiness. "I love you, Leah."

"Prove it," I challenged jokingly, not really meaning anything by it.

His mouth sealing over mine sure proved it anyway.

A/N: Reviews, please?

~Sidney