A/N: My computer was being stupid and dropped my connection to the internet, which meant no fanficion. ): Sadface. To make up for it, I'm posting TWO chapters! Yay. (:
Anyways, this chapter is pretty intense. You'll find out Embry's problem in it.
Slight reference to underage drinking again, and ANGST. Lots of it.
Again with the disclaimer. Don't own Twilight. I own this fanfic's plotline and any unrecognizable characters from the saga.
Chapter Song: There's a couple this time. Anywhere But Here, by Mayday Parade, and A Thousand Years, by Christina Perri. That's Nessie and Jake's first dance. Anywhere But Here is mostly directed towards the end of the chapter.
"These violent delights have violent ends, and in their triumph die, like fire and powder, which, as they kiss, consume."
~William Shakespeare
Seth POV
Let me tell you, don't get drunk two days before an Alice Cullen wedding. Because nothing is worse that being hung over the day before it.
Alice, I'm positive, is crazy. It's like Hurricane Alice, level five and everything. I felt like I was being controlled by a dictator.
"A little to the left, you guys!" I heard her call to Edward and Emmett, who were setting up the alter. She had moved it five or six times so far. Or rather, she had them move it five or six times.
"And...there! Perfect!" Alice squealed, clapping her hands. Edward rolled his eyes and walked over to Bella, who was unloading the pews. Rosalie walked over and immediately helped her sister string up the flowers.
I sat on the back pew, trying not to pass out. Sera was sitting on my lap, drawing a detailed picture of the ocean, and I focused on that.
I looked down at her very realistic picture in awe, and suddenly, Sera ripped the page out of the way. I cocked my eyebrow as she started to draw at lightning speed on the pad of paper.
"What's wrong, Sera?" I asked, giving her shoulder a little shake. Her eyes were out of focus, not even staring at the page as she began drawing faster and faster.
And faster. Her hand was a blur on the page.
"Sera!" I yelled, shaking her out of her trace. She blinked a couple of times and her hand automatically stopped.
She looked up at me with confusion. "What did I do?"
I pointed at the pad of paper. She looked down and gasped.
It was her. As a baby. But not only that, it was her, crawling out of her first mother's womb. She was drawing a grisly sight to say the least. In the back, a vampire stood, watching with a menacing, sick smile plastered on his face.
Her eyes started to tear.
"Oh, Seth. I...I always wondered...is that me?" she asked, staring at it in horror.
"Alice," I called, and she immediately ran over.
Before she could even ask what the matter was, I handed her the pad. She studied it for a second, and then it fell from her grasp.
"Seraphina," she whispered, looking at her daughter.
"What is it? What did I draw?" she wailed, tears coming fast. I wiped them away as quickly as I could.
"Sera, I have to tell you. You know that I am not your birth mother, right? That woman...that woman is. She gave you to me right before...she..." Alice trailed, off, allowing her daughter to fill in the blanks.
"I know you found me, and I remember I bit someone before you picked me up...oh no!" she gasped, a shaking hand covering her mouth in horror.
Alice's shoulders drooped. "Yes, that was your birth mother."
Her hand dropped, and silent tears were now streaming faster down her cheeks than I could wipe them away. "I killed her."
Alice tore Sera from my grasp and hugged her close. "You didn't mean to. You were a baby. Nessie did the same thing to Bella, but Edward was able to save her. That woman didn't have the same luck. The man, standing behind her, he was sick and twisted and wanted her to die. There was nothing I could do. Edward killed that man luckily, so he can't do that to another woman again."
Seraphina sobbed into her mother's shoulder. My limbs started shaking with the grief and fear I felt through my imprint. I stood up and wrapped my arms around the both of them.
"I-I'm a m-m-monster," she wailed, and I couldn't stand it anymore. I took Sera into my arms and cradled her back and forth, telling her how beautiful she was and how perfect she was, and there was nothing bad about her, and that it was an accident and she couldn't help it. She hugged my neck tightly and sobbed brokenly into my shoulder.
No one of her age should have to know sadness like that. It was an excrutiating sight.
Alice stood there, watching her daughter with grief-filled eyes. She reached over and put a cold, delicate hand on Sera's face.
"Sera, I want you to know that you are our daughter. You came into our lives for a reason. I love you more than I can ever possibly say, and I want you to know that. You are not a monster, no more of one than Seth or Aunt Bella or Grandpa Carlisle. You're my little angel, my little seraphim. I don't know anyone purer than you." Alice bent down and kissed her forhead delicately, and Sera shuddered a little bit.
"Mommy, would you have loved me more if I came from you?" she asked feebily, looking up at her mom.
"Oh, honey, there's nothing you could do that could ever make me love you more. No matter where you came from, you're my daughter," she exclaimed, and pulled Sera up for a tight hug which she returned.
"I love you, Mommy," she whispered.
"I love you too, angel."
Alice set her back down on my lap. "You're magic, darling. You're our little miracle. I never thought I'd love you and your father as much as I do, but I do. You make everything perfect. Always remember that." She ducked down to kiss her forhead again, and lingering for a second, she walked away with less spring in her step than usual.
Sera slumped in my arms. I held her tightly. "You still love me too, Seth? Even though you saw where I came from?"
I chuckled and kissed her hair. "There's nothing you could do that could ever make me leave or hate you. That's a promise. I love you forever and ever, Seraphina."
Tears rolled down her face again. "I love you too, Seth."
"Hey, hey. None of that," I told her, wiping her tears away again. "Stop crying, kiddo. You're too young to feel sadness like this."
She snorted. "I feel old."
Poor kid. I'm going to change that, I thought. I felt a mischevious smile form on my face. "Then we're going to have to change that, now don't we?"
She shrieked with laughter when I picked her up and threw her over my shoulder. She beat on my back uselessly, and then Cullens stopped and stared with amusement as I walked her over to the shoreline. The water lapped at my feet.
"Say the word! Say you don't feel old anymore!" I warned.
"Never!" she screamed, giggling.
Running a few feet in, I tossed her into the ocean. She shrieked and giggled as she hit the water. When her head rose again, she stood in the surf, pushing her hair out of her way.
"I'm soaking wet now!" she giggled.
I grinned and crossed my arms. Rosalie walked over with her eyebrow cocked. "You know, if you wanted to go swimming, you should have brought your swimsuits."
I laughed. "It was a spur-of-the-moment decision."
"You suck!" Sera said, running away down the beach. Looks like she picked up a few words from Claire. "I'm gonna get you!" I called.
She was fast, but I reached her in no time. I swung her up over my shoulder and with her shrieking and giggling, I tossed her back into the ocean.
We played like that for hours on end. Quil and Claire showed up later in their bathing suits, and we played Chicken in the surf. With Sera's strength, we won every time.
All in all, after Sera and I started playing on the surf, it was a good day. We effectively dodged Crazy for most of the day, and Esme showed up with towels and sandwiches for us later. Claire and Sera had one sandwich; Quil and I inhaled five each.
We stayed until the sun started going down on First Beach. We dropped Claire off at her house, and then with contented smiles on our faces, we drove to the Cullen's feeling more fulfilled than we had in awhile.
I was dreaming that I was living on First Beach. I had a house there, right on the surf, and I was a happy man. Sera lived with me, as a little kid, and four or five times in the dream I would take her out to go throw her into the surf. We would grow old like that, living on First Beach, not a care in the world.
But Sera couldn't grow old, and neither could I. The house would probably deteriorate because of the water constantly lapping at it 24/7, and Jasper would never let her live with me anyways until she physically stopped growing. But it was a dream, and it was peaceful, and I wanted it to be real.
"Seth, SETH!" I heard.
That was odd. Everything was so peaceful here.
"SETH CLEARWATER, I WILL RIP A LIMB OFF IF YOU DON'T GET UP!"
I groaned, and my eyes fluttered open. Alice stood there with a hand on her hip, the face of rage.
"Everyone is already getting ready, and you're sleeping in!" she scoffed, and walked out of the room. I groaned again. It was true, I heard lots of commotion throughout the house.
I rolled out of bed. I glanced at the clock- 7:30 in the morning. I rolled my eyes at Alice, and pulling a shirt over my head, I walked downstairs.
Esme and Bella were cooking a mountain of food, buffet style, for the wolves and Sera. Sera's face lit up when she saw me, and she flung herself into my arms. I held her and kissed her cheeks and her bed hed.
"Hey, kiddo, everything taste good?" I ruffled her already poofy hair. She hadn't bothered taming it for breakfast. Personally, I thought it was adorable.
"Yeah, Aunt Bella made chocolate chip pancakes," she said, grinning.
"Boy, did she," Jacob moaned into his plate. His eyes closed at the chocolatey deliciousness. "Bella, it's too bad you can't eat this food now, but I am so happy you learned how to cook before you turned into a vamp. Your pancakes..." He was at a loss for words.
"They're freaking amazing," Quil finished, shoveling food into his mouth.
Embry however was chicken-pecking his food with his fork. He didn't seem to be eating. And he looked miserable, but was trying to hide it as best he could.
"Thanks, guys," Bella said, smiling. Esme walked over to me with a plate-full of chocolate chip pancakes and sausage that smelled like heaven.
"This plate of food is going to last approximately 5 minutes," I told her honestly, taking it and sitting down. I picked up my fork and started shoveling food in my mouth faster than was probably healthy or normal.
The other three were done with their food, and Jacob was bouncing in his seat excitedly with the biggest smile I had ever seen plastered on his face. The minute I put my fork down, Alice was shepherding us upstairs.
"Where's Nessie?" Jacob asked excitedly.
"Well, we did a good job keeping it under wraps, but the minute I'm finished dressing you four up, I'm running to Bella and Edward's cottage. She's getting ready right there now with Rosalie."
"Can I see her?" Jacob asked, already moving towards the door.
Alice stood in front of him and growled fiercely. I never thought it was possible for someone as small as Alice to tower over someone, but she did just that. Jacob shrank back, looking abashed.
"It was just a thought," he grumbled.
"I swear to you, Jacob Black, if you so much as take one step in her direction today before the ceremony, Nessie will have no husband to marry. Understood?" Alice crossed her arms menacingly.
He hung his head. "Yes ma'am."
Alice rolled her eyes, and Edward and Jasper walked in the room with our tuxedos. They were already dressed in their outfits, completely ready.
"Edward, Jasper, make sure they get into them properly. Esme's going to come up here to do your hair. I'm going to go check on the bride now. See you all later," she said, and flitted out of the room.
We all dressed. Jacob was finished first, practically jumping around with happiness. Embry was the slowest, and seemed adamant to take as much time as possible getting ready. I just rolled my eyes at his weird behavior.
We were all shocked to see Collin stumbled in almost an hour late.
"Dude, where were you?" Quil growled.
"You will not believe what I have been through," Collin said, his eyes huge and wide.
Collin took a deep breath and looked out the window. "So, I was driving to pick up something from my house before I came here, and I got the strangest feeling in my gut, and it seemed to be directing me towards the woods. I pulled over and phased to follow the feeling, and I saw a vampire about to kill this woman. I didn't hesitate- I jumped on the thing and tore it to shreds. It wasn't a very good fighter since it was a newborn. I phased to throw a match on it, and I looked down at the girl, and-and..." His face took on a dreamy quality. "Darcy."
"You imprinted?" Quil asked.
He nodded with a smile on his face. "She wasn't hurt, thank God. She was terrified though, and I thought it was partly because of me. I asked her if I scared her after I just tore a leech to shreds in front of her eyes, and she jumped up and kissed me." His face broke out into a grin.
"I told her my name, and she gave me her number. She called me her hero." Collin collapsed into the chair, smiling like a madman.
"Damsel in distress," I said, chuckling.
"Yeah," he said dreamily, staring out the window. Quil laughed at him.
"Well, Romeo, hate to burst your bubble, but if you make Jake wait anymore to marry his imprint, he will rip your nuts off."
And it was true. He was bouncing up and down in the corner, staring at the window, hoping to catch a glimpse of his future wife.
Collin nodded, and dressed in his tuxedo faster than Jacob even did. We all looked presentable enough to get married.
I had to hold Jacob back from running to the limo. When he gave me a confused look, I shook my head at him and said, "Chill out. You'll get married today, I promise."
Jacob settled for a contented grin, and one-by-one we slid into the limo. I looked over at the limo driver and winked at him with my special suprise. He nodded, and pressed the stereo on.
Poppin' bottles on the ice,
Like a blizzard,
When we drink we do it right,
Gettin' slizzarded,
Sippin' scissors in my ride,
Like 3-6,
Now I'm feelin' so fly like a G6.
Everyone in the car laughed, including Embry. We started bouncing around like maniacs, drinking straight from the champagne bottle. By the time we got there, we were full-on raving in the car.
All the sober girls around me, they be actin' like they drunk!
"HELL YEAH!" I screamed with the song, sliding out of the car. Quil laughed at me.
The sky was overcast today, perfect for the vampire attendees. The alter and the pews were all set up. Yellow and purple and white flowers were strung all over both, making the air smell really good. The waves crashed onto the shore, adding to the overall effect. It was a beautiful wedding.
We stood at the alter. I was next to Jake, then it was Embry, and then Quil, and then Collin. On the groom's side of the aisle, I saw my entire family and their imprints. On the bride's side, I saw the Cullens, the Amazons, and the Denalis. I worried because of the vampire's close proximity, they would cause another boost in the werewolf population.
Rosalie began to play on the piano near the alter. Pacbell's Canon.
I saw rustling at the edge of the forest. The bridesmaids emerged, Leah first, and everyone gasped at my sister's apparent beauty. They were all dressed in a knee-length gold dress with a purple sash around it. Leah looked awesome, and this was coming from her younger brother. Rachel and Kim came next, and I saw Jared and Paul's mouthes drop. Last was Emily, and her hair was done in a way that hid her scars. Sam was glowing from where he was sitting.
Then, my imprint showed up. She was so pretty in her white flowergirl dress, that everyone "aww'ed." My eyes started to tear. She threw yellow and purple petals onto the floor, grinning up and all the attendants. The Denali and Amazonian clans' eyes widened in shock. They hadn't realized there would be another hybrid.
I wanted to run to my imprint and hold her. Her hair was done so that it looked wavy, and it was clipped away from her face with several yellow flowers. Her dark-blue eyes sparkled with delight when she saw me. I winked at her, and she giggled before running over to sit on Esme's lap.
Last, was the bride.
Rosalie began to play the familiar fanfare. Jacob stood stock still beside me, waiting for his bride to walk out of the brush. He held his breath.
Edward and Nessie emerged from the edge of the forest, and everyone stood up. When Nessie came into veiw a bit more, a collective gasp sounded from the entire group of guests.
Nessie was beautiful.
I felt a surge of love for the little girl that I considered to be my little sister as she walked out. It was long with satin draping, and crystal stones all over it that glittered brilliantly, even in the low light. She kept her hair natural, knowing how much Jake liked it like that, and it was pinned back with even more yellow and purple flowers than the flowergirl. She was blushing, trying to smile at all the guests in attendance.
Until she looked up.
She met Jacob's stare. Something changed in Nessie then, and her entire body lit up with a glow that made a tear leak out of my eye. I wiped it away. I was so happy for her that I could burst.
Our of the corner of my eye, I saw Embry's eye leak out a tear too, but for an entirely different reason. He looked away, pain filling each and every crevice of his face. I made eye contact with my sister, who was watching Embry with a curious expression. Her shoulder moved a fraction of an inch in a shrug. She didn't know what his issue was either.
Nessie finally made her way up to the alter. Carlisle was acting as the minister of the ceremony, and he was staring at Nessie with pride.
"Who presents this woman for marriage?" Carlisle asked, in a clear, resounding voice.
"I do," Edward said gruffly.
Nessie went to leave his grasp, but Edward couldn't do it. He was holding onto his daughter tightly, seemingly frozen. She turned to look at her father with sad eyes.
"Daddy," she whispered, "You can let me go now."
It took more pain than was probably necessary to let go of his daughter's hand, but he did. This was it. Nessie was ending the chapter of her life as Renesmee Cullen. When she walked away from this, she would be known as Nessie Black. Edward glanced at Jacob with an earnest expression.
"I know you'll love her for the rest of your life, Jacob. I trust you with that," Edward said, even sparing him a small smile. Jacob grinned at him back.
Carlisle started the ceremony like he had done it five hundred times before. Jacob and Nessie said heartfelt vows, and they didn't take their eyes off each other the entire time.
"Do you, Jacob Ephraim Black, take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife?"
His answering grin was blinding. "I do."
"And do you, Renesmee Carlie Cullen, take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband?"
She smiled brightly at her grandfather. "You know I do."
Carlisle smiled. "Then I pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss the bride."
Nessie exuberantly threw her arms around Jacob's neck and kissed him with all she had. He lifted her a little off the ground and swung her around joyously.
Everyone laughed and cheered when he put her down. They both looked breathless and extremely happy.
"I now give you Mr. and Mrs. Jacob Black!"
Jacob and Nessie ran arm-in-arm down the aisle, with seemingly permanent smiles glued to their faces. Next, it was the bridal party's turn. I took Leah's arm, and with everyone else following, we walked down the aisle.
We all loaded up in the limo. That is, everyone except for Embry. Embry was M.I.A. for the time being.
"SETH!" my favorite voice screamed, running headlong down to the limo.
Sera launched herself in my arms, and I snuggled her tightly.
"Can I ride back with you?" she murmured into my chest.
"Do you need to even ask? Of course you can!" I pulled her into my lap and shut the car door.
"HIT IT!" Leah screamed to the driver, laughing her ass off.
Yeah, aha, you know what it is,
Black and yellow, black and yellow black and yellow black and yellow black and yellow,
Yeah, aha, you know what it is,
Black and yellow, black and yellow black and yellow black and yellow black and yellow,
Yeah, aha, you know what it is,
Everything I do, I do it big,
Yeah, aha, screamin' that's nothin',
When I pull out the lot, that's stuntin',
Put it down, when you see me you know everything,
Black and yellow black and yellow black and yellow black and yellow
I put it down from my whip to my diamonds,
I'm in black and yellow black and yellow black and yellow black and yellow
Leah and Kim started rap battling each other with the verses. The sight was so funny that I had tears rolling down my face. Collin cracked open a bottle of Vodka, and we were currently sipping right off of it.
"Can I try some?" Sera asked innocently when I took a swing. I almost coughed it back up.
Her big doe eyes made my insides tremble. "Sorry, Sera. I can't."
"Aw, c'mon Seth! Give the kid a taste," Rachel said, pulling the bottle out of my hands and taking her own swing.
Before I had a chance to stop it, Sera jumped off my lap and was walking over to Rachel.
"Rachel, I don't think-" I started, feeling my anxiety rise.
Rachel plunged her finger in the bottle of Vodka and pulled out a drop of it. She positioned her finger near Sera's mouth. "Don't bite me, okay?"
She nodded and her mouth wrapped around Rachel's finger. I watched on, extremely nervous.
Rachel pulled out her finger in one piece. Sera tasted in for a second, and she closed her eyes.
"It's...good," she said in awe. I groaned and threw my head in my hands.
"Jasper is going to kill me," I moaned.
"Oh, stop being a pansy, Seth," said Leah, watching Sera with amusement, "Every kid has tried their parents' drinks at least once before they turned 21. Don't freak out."
I shook my head when Rachel put another drop of Vodka in Sera's mouth.
"You're going to have a little rebel when you're older," Kim commented happily.
"Okay, Sera. Let's stop before you get me in copious amounts of trouble," I grumbled. Sera skipped back over to me.
"Thanks, Seth," she whispered in my ear as she got resituated.
I rolled my eyes. "Yeah, yeah. Let's just hope we're not getting a preview to your teenage years, Seraphina. Jasper will never let you out of the house again."
"Daddy lets me do whatever I want," she said smugly.
I barked a laugh. "We'll see how well that holds up in a couple of years."
We arrived back at the Cullen's house before everyone else. We all went upstairs to clean up a bit and prepare for the reception.
Almost immediately after we arrived, people started pouring into the Cullen's house. Nessie had requested the reception be as fun as possible, with only slow songs at the beginning and the end. It would be a party. The perfect way to end her childhood, a party in the house she grew up in.
Before the dancing, we all had a meal, and people all took turns talking about the bride and groom. Edward went up, telling Nessie how beautiful she was and if Jacob ever hurt her, he would have a specialty ass-whooping in store. Bella went up, and started sobbing about how her best friend and her daughter were getting married, and her little girl was growing up. Alice had to hop on the stage and cart her away. Emmett made a couple of sexual innuendos during his speech. Quil went up telling Nessie that she looked hot, and that Jacob was going to be the happiest man alive. I went up last, and mine was straight to the point.
"Hey, everyone," I said good-naturedly. A couple people laughed. "I just wanted to say how proud I am of these two. Jacob was my role model growing up. Looking back on it now, I can't see what I ever saw in him," I joked, and everyone laughed. Jacob flipped me off and grinned. "Jacob, you're one of my best friends. You've always had my back, no matter what stupid mistakes I've made. I'm pretty sure you've driven me home a couple of times after I got wasted, or helped me bail myself out of trouble with girls, or anyone really." More laughing. "Nessie, you're my little sister. I watched you grow from a cute little girl to a beautiful woman. You've always been there for me, and I'll always have you and your husband's back, no matter what life throws at the two of you. I wish you all the happiness in the world, because you two definitely deserve it."
I grinned at the both of them, and Nessie's cheeks had tears streaming down them. She shot out of her chair and flung herself at me, hugging me tightly. She kissed my cheek and pulled back.
"I love you, Seth," she said, hugging me tighter around my waist.
I chuckled. "I love you too, kid. Now go raise hell with your husband." She giggled and let me go, returning to her seat with Jacob.
"Now that's over with," I said, feeling my mischevious smile grow on my face, "Let's get this party started!"
Before the real party started, Nessie and Jacob got up for the first dance. They danced to "A Thousand Years" by Christina Perri.
Heartbeats fast,
Colors and promises,
How to be brave,
How can I love when I'm afraid to fall,
But watching you stand alone,
All of my doubt suddenly goes away somehow,
One step closer,
I have died every day waiting for you,
Darling don't be afraid, I have loved you for a thousand years,
I love you for a thousand more..
Time stands still,
Beauty in all she is,
I will be brave,
I will not let anything take away,
From what's standing in front of me,
Every breath,
Every hour has come to this,
One step closer,
I have died everyday waiting for you,
Darling don't be afraid,
I have loved you for a thousand years,
I love you for a thousand more,
And all along I believed I would find you,
Time has brought your heart to me,
I have loved you for a thousand years,
I love you for a thousand more...
One step closer,
One step closer,
I have died every day waiting for you,
Darling don't be afraid, I have loved you for a thousand years,
I love you for a thousand more,
And all along I believed I would find you,
Time has brought your heart to me,
I have loved you for a thousand years,
I love you for a thousand more.
Nessie and Jake clung to each other tightly after the dance was over. With my wolf hearing, I picked up what he said.
"I love you, Nessie Black."
Leah, who was sitting beside me, said, "Awwwww." Lucas was sitting on her lap, and Leah was cooing at him and playing peek-a-boo. I smiled. A movement in the corner caught my eye.
Embry was standing in the shadows with a bottle of tequila in his hand. He was drinking straight out of the bottle.
I shook my head. His behavior was ridiculous. I walked along the edge of the party while Nessie and Edward were having their father-daughter dance, and I reached Embry.
His eyes were red-rimmed. He had been crying. His hair was a mess with leaves potruding out of it, and his pant leg was torn at the bottom.
"Dude, what happened?" I asked incredulously.
"Does it matter?" he grumbled, taking a swing of tequila. He was staring off into space.
"Stop that!" I hissed, "This is your best friend's wedding-"
"He doesn't want me here anyways."
I was taken aback. "What are you talking about?"
"He yelled at me earlier for being such a sorry ass. Not like I can do much about it."
"Well, why don't you take his advice and stop being a sorry ass-"
"Of course, you would take his side," he snapped.
"What the fuck are you talking about?" I growled. Embry was getting on my nerves, and it took a lot to do that.
"I'm talking about this wedding!" he snapped, and he lolled dangerously.
I snatched the bottle of tequila from his hands and went to go put it away. He started complaining.
"Hey, that's mine!"
"Not anymore."
"Dude, do you have any idea how much I need that?" he said, pleading.
"Show me," I simply said.
He stared at me for a second before sighing. "Come outside."
I followed him out into the familiar woods. When we were some ways away, We both started stripping off our clothes.
The minute I phased, I almost regretted it.
Pain. Excrutiating pain was what I was bombarded with. It was so bad that I let out a little whine. Embry just hung his head.
I saw pictures of Nessie. Her growing up, her calling him "Em," which he loved, but then asking him to hold something for her while she went off to go play with Jake.
The way her hair shined in the sun. It was like a halo. The way her brown eyes sparkled when she laughed. How beautiful she looked when she was talking animatedly about things that she loved.
The way she lit up when she was talking about Jake. How much it hurt watching them be so happy.
More pain.
Oh, was all I could say.
Don't you see, Seth? he screamed, I love Renesmee Cullen, but now she's Nessie Black, and she's in there extremely happy. Because of him.
I got bombarded with more images. Jake and Nessie went cliff diving the other day. He was watching from the shadows as she jumped off the top of the cliff with her small bikini. He thought he saw an angel with the way she glowed in the sun on the way down. But then her head broke the water and called Jake down, and he watched in pure pain as he did just that...
Jacob got to the bottom, and Nessie, to Embry's horror, started seducing him. They started making out. They started having sex. The agony that was ricocheting through Embry's body was unreal, being played back.
Embry, I whispered.
I'm so fucked up. I'm in love with an imprint. The worst part about it is knowing thaat as much as I want her to be mine, I don't have a snowball's chance in hell of making her as happy as he does, even if he's a shitty husband. But I know he won't be, because she's his imprint. He had a claim on her to make her ridiculously happy before I even got the chance.
That stirred up memories of before. When he first met Bella, he thought she was extremely attractive. But he watched as she barely glaced at Quil and him, but looked at Jacob like he was her own personal sun. That stirred up feelings of jealousy towards Jacob for the first time in his life.
Jealousy, he snorted, That doesn't even cover it. He has everything I want. How would you feel if you're always coming in second place to your best friend? And he has a claim on the girl I love I could only dream of having. He imprinted on her. That's something that I could not only compete with, but it's also against tribal law if I even try. He laughed sarcastically at the thought.
You'll find her one day, you know, I told him, Your imprint.
Ha, oh yeah, which explains why I've been a wolf for six years now, and I haven't even came close. He shook his head and looked away from me.
I've been a wolf as long as you, you know, and I just recently found my imprint, I reminded him. I thought of how Sera made me so happy. If he could find his other half, he wouldn't be so strung up on Nessie.
Whatever, Seth. You have your happy ending, but I don't. I might never find it. Embry's heart began to hurt.
Embry- I started.
Just go, Seth. I want to be miserable right now. I appreciate you trying to help, but unless Renesmee comes out here right now and tells me how madly in love she is with me, or if my imprint magically comes waltzing out of thin air, I'm not gonna be happy for awhile.
I stared at him closely. Even as a wolf, he had bags under his eyes. His face fur had giant tears streaming down it, and he looked like he hadn't eaten very well for a couple of weeks. His ribs were potruding out from his body.
Done with the inspection? he spat, Just go. I think I'm going to stay out here.
Heaving a weary sigh, I phased back to human. I stood in front of his wolf form. Despite his high body temperature, he was shivering.
I placed a hand on his forehead. "I know you're going through a rough time right now, but for what it's worth- I hope you find your happy ending."
He nodded his head once, and then flinched away. I sighed again.
"Bye, Embry," I told him, and with my shoulders drooping, I walked away.
I took time getting my clothes back on. I felt Embry's burden weigh on me too, since I was his pack brother, and I knew he was in pain.
Embry's broken howl echoed in the forest.*
My feet dragged walking back into the party. I really wasn't in the mood to celebrate anymore.
I watched from a table as everyone who was once sitting down was now dancing to a fast beat in the middle of the dance floor. I saw from afar just how happy Nessie and Jake were. She was grinding up on him, and things were becoming hot and heavy fast. It would be like a slap in the face if Embry was here.
"Seth!" said a voice from the dance floor. I looked up and saw the one face that could make it all better. Sera was standing at the edge of the moving bodies that were huddled close together, watching me with confused eyes. I gave her a sad smile.
Sera walked gracefully over to me, and automatically helped herself onto my lap. I breathed in her comforting lavendar and musk scent.
"Hey, kiddo-"
"Don't 'hey kiddo' me. Tell me what's wrong." Well, gotta hand it to her. Kid got straight to the point.
I chuckled. "You know, sometimes you act freakishly old for your age."
"I thought I told you that I feel old," she said, smirking.
I raised my eyebrow. "Didn't I throw you in the ocean for that one?"
She smacked my arm. "Enough of that. You look sad. I can feel it too."
I was shocked to find out that she could already feel my emotions. Knowing I couldn't outright lie to my imprint and that she was smarter than most adults, I decided to just lay it on her."It's just...it's Embry."
"Embry?" she asked, her eyebrows furrowing together, "He's been acting differently."
"Yeah, and I found out why," I said, and my voice dropped low, "Embry's in love with Nessie."
Sera gasped and she covered her mouth with her hand. "No!"
"Yeah. He's in a lot of pain right now, Sera, and I don't know how to help him." I hung my head.
She kissed my cheek. "You're a good friend, Seth. I would know because you're my best friend. I think all Embry needs is someone to listen to him, and to be on his side."
"But look at how happy Jake and Nessie are. I can't be on his side if he's trying to tamper with soul mates," I reminded her.
Her lips pursed. "Not on his side like that, but to stick up for him. You know, if Jacob finds out. He's going to need someone to say that it's not his fault that he fell in love with her, and that he's trying to deal with it."
I stared at my imprint in awe. How someone who had the body of a four-and-a-half year old and the life experience of ten months could have so much depth was beyond me.
"...Thank you, Sera. Really, that actually helps a lot," I told her earnestly. Her face lit up.
A slow song started playing. Sera grinned at me.
"Dance with me!" she commanded. I laughed.
"Of course, anything for my best lady," I told her, and I picked her up and walked to the dance floor where all the couples were.
I began to sway with her in my arms, holding my imprint close.
"Seth, can I tell you something?" she whispered.
"Of course, kiddo."
"...I saw something. Remember that day in the plane? It was about Nessie and Jake."
"What did you see?" I asked, pulling back to look at her face. Her eyebrows furrowed.
Sera began to say something, but the DJ started saying something at the exact moment.
"I can't hear you," I told her. She must have been talking very quietly.
"Ladies and gentlemen..." the DJ was saying.
"NESSIE IS PREGNANT!" Sera yelled.
The DJ stopped what he was saying. The room got so quiet that you could hear a pin drop. Sera's face blushed crimson and she hid her face in my chest. I glanced around the dancefloor. Everyone's faces were that of shock.
I lingered on Nessie and Jake. Jake looked so incredibly happy that he could burst, and Nessie's eyes filled with tears.
"WE'RE HAVING A BABY!" Jacob screamed with joy, and swung Nessie around in his arms. She threw her head back and laughed.
The room thawed out, and everyone burst into applause and congratulations. Sera glanced up at me with apologetic eyes. Only she knew that this was going to mean pain for a certain wolf.
"Oh Seth, I'm sorry..." She trailed off when her eyes settled on a certain corner of the room.
I followed her gaze. Embry was standing in the corner of the room with devestated tears in his eyes. He was shaking.
I put Sera down and ran across the room to Embry. Leah followed me.
I pushed Embry outside into the yard. He stumbled backwards, and he ripped through his clothes to become a wolf.
Embry shot off into the trees.
"Shit!" I cursed, and Leah and I chased after him, stripping our clothes off as we went.
We phased at the same time, and Leah used her Alpha connection to communicate with me.
Where did he go? I thought, but as I said that, I caught his scent.
Leah and I burst through the trees. Embry lay crumpled on the forest floor, human, in a feeble position, sobbing earnestly. We phased back to human and held him.
"It keeps getting worse," Embry sobbed into Leah's shoulder where she was holding him. She pretty much figured everything out for herself in that moment.
"I'm really sorry, Embry. I can empathize," Leah said honestly.
"Your boyfriend imprinted and then dumped you. I was just enough of a fool to fall in love with an imprint," he said bitterly.
Leah ran her fingers through his hair. "It sucks either way. In the end, you end up heartbroken and alone. But there's a happy ending for everyone. For a long time I thought I never would get one, but this is coming from me, Embry. Bitter Leah, bitchy Leah, the-one-nobody-wants Leah. You will find your happy ending."
Embry didn't respond, and instead settled for sobbing with earnest. I had never seen someone so broken since Sam dumped Leah.
"Seth, go inside and make sure everything is okay, and that no one is wondering where we are," Leah requested.
I felt my burden get just a bit heavier. "'Kay," I responded, and got off to run back to the party. On my way, I started picking up my strewn clothes. I just put on my slacks and my button-down shirt this time.
Sera greeted me at the door with sad eyes. "I messed up, Seth."
I picked her up and held her tightly. "You didn't mess up. You didn't know he was there, and Embry would have found out anyways."
She sighed. "I guess so."
I kissed the top of her hair, and then surveyed the room. Edward gave me a knowing look before continuing his talk with Sam and Emily. Jacob and Nessie were seated in the corner. Jacob was on his knees touching Nessie's belly with wonder, and Nessie was sitting back with a happy smile on her face. I decided to start there.
"Hey guys," I greeted, walking up to them.
"Hi," Sera said.
"Sera, Seth- hey," Jacob said happily, "Thank you for telling us Sera. This is amazing news!"
"I agree," Nessie said, beaming at her cousin, "I'm so happy you told us."
"Of course," Sera responded, but didn't comment further. I kissed her forehead.
"Congrats, man," I said, giving Jake a one-armed hug.
"Thanks. And I have to say, what made you want to scream it out, Sera?" Jake asked, chuckling.
"Seth couldn't hear me over the DJ," she said, and gave me a pinch. I flinched under her strong fingers. That would leave a mark.
"Congrats to you too, Mama Black," I joked, ducking down to kiss the top of Nessie's hair.
She laughed. "Let's just work with one new title at a time," she said, but looked immensely happy. Jacob's face was identical to hers.
"Look, I'm going to go talk to your father," I told Nessie, and I waved them bye.
When they were out of hearing distance, I said, "Ouch, that hurt, Sera!"
"Get your ears checked!" she hissed.
I rolled my eyes. "What happened to being in this together?"
She sighed and leaned her head against my chest. "Fine, you're right. Sorry I pinched you."
I chuckled. "Forgiven."
We made our way over to where Edward was standing, talking to Sam and Emily. He spotted me, and waved me over.
"Hey Seth, hey Sera," he greeted.
"Seth, I'm so worried about Embry," Emily vented, "Did you go out to go check on him? Is he okay?"
"He'll be okay, Em," I promised her, "But how many other people know that he left?"
"Not many. Sam and I saw, and so did you and Leah, and Edward knows," she said, and glanced down at Sera, "Do you know?"
Sera nodded her head.
Emily sighed. "What was the matter with him?"
I had barely opened my mouth to tell her "I wasn't quite sure," when a tray of food that Kiowa dropped fell onto the floor with a loud bang. Emily sighed.
"I'll help him clean it up. C'mon, Sam," she said, and grabbed his hand to lead him away.
"That woman is amazing," Edward said, shaking his head after her. I chuckled.
"She is. She's one of the strongest people I know," I said.
Edward sighed, deciding to cut through the bullshit. "So I guess I can say outright that I've known for awhile what's been going on with Embry," he said in a low voice.
I nodded and glanced down at Sera. "You guys also knew that Nessie was pregnant?"
Sera looked up at me with a sheepish expression. "I had a feeling that I shouldn't have said anything right then and there. Good thing too. Angry werewolves and airplanes don't mix."
I chuckled. "Good reasoning."
"Is Embry still with Leah?" Edward asked.
"Embry's with Leah?" Sera asked too. I had forgotten to tell her.
"I think so. She's not back yet. We phased after him and caught up to him. We saw him laying on the forest floor...we phased back, and Leah stayed to comfort him."
"Comfort," Sera moaned, throwing her head in her hands, "What have I done?"
"Shhh," I said, making my grip tighter around her, "Embry's strong. And like I said before, he would have found out eventually. At least he has the honeymoon to not see their happy faces while he tries to get over it. It's really a blessing, kiddo."
"Seth's right, Sera," Edward said, placing a hand on Sera's shoulder, "You're putting too much blame on yourself. It's a good thing he's finding this out now and has some time to deal with it."
Sera nodded at us, but I could still feel that she was a bit unsure. I sighed. "You're such a smart, brave girl, Sera. You were there for me tonight when I needed a friend. Now, I'm going to do the same. You've done nothing wrong, Seraphina Marie. You could never do anything wrong. Embry is going to be messed up for the next couple of weeks, but it's nothing he can't get over if we all give him a little extra attention. Okay?" I kissed the top of her head.
She snuggled into my chest. "Okay."
Edward smiled at her. "Seth's right, again."
She laughed. "He knows me too well."
I was about to comment on how adult-like she sounded when Jacob and Nessie emerged in their going-away ensembles. Nessie was wearing an olive-green dress and Jake was wearing jeans and a button down t-shirt. Everyone in the room burst into applause.
"They look happy," Sera commented in my ear, clapping along with everyone else. I nodded my head in agreement. A blind man could see just how glowy and happy they were.
We followed them outside. Emmett was aiming rice with vampire speed at Jacob's back. He was shielding Nessie from most of it, and they both slid into the limosine. With the "Just Married" sign on the back window and designer shoes dangling from the back, they rolled their window down and waved at us as they drove away.
As I saw them drive away, I saw a gray and black wolf in the forest shoot in the opposite direction like his life depended on it.
Embry POV
Pain.
Always pain.
I shot off in the opposite direction. I needed to get anywhere but here.
Embry, Leah called in my head. I growled.
Get out of my head, Leah. I need time away.
She sighed. Call me if you need me.
Yep. Huh. Never seen Leah give up without a fight.
She phased back tenatively. I was all alone.
Always alone.
I ran as fast as my legs could push me. It wasn't Leah-fast, but it was pretty damn close.
Unfortunately (and that word seemed to come up a lot in my vocabulary lately), I had drank too much tequila. I could feel myself get woozy, and I had to slow down.
I plopped onto the forest floor in a pathetic heap. In times like these, I imagined my father like the father of the troublemaker from The Breakfast Club, assuming I knew him. It was a sadistic form of motivation, but it helped.
Get up, you pathetic piece of shit. You lowlife son of a bitch-
I'm trying, Dad, I thought brokenly.
Try harder, you fucking lazy ass, he spat at me.
But I couldn't find the energy. I was broken.
You're not worth the semen I used to make you with. Your mother was an easy lay, but I could have shot my dick into another bitch that knew how to use a birth control pill correctly.
Don't talk about my mother, she loves me, I whispered with indignitation.
Yeah right. Who could love you? The father-voice said maliciously.
I felt my heart drop in the most painful way. You said a mouthful, I shot back sarcastically.
I tried to stand on shaky limbs, but I fell right back onto my stomach. I was useless.
I phased back to human, not wanting to accidentally subject my brothers to my pain-filled thoughts.
Who cared anyway?
I was broken. I was a shell of a man once named Embry Call.
Tears started rolling down my face again. Soon, tears turned to sobs.
I cried with everything I had that night.
I cried for the fact that I was in love with an imprint, my best friend's no less.
I cried because he would make her happier than I could ever dream of.
I cried because of the baby growing inside of her, Jacob's baby. The baby would make her happy too.
I cried because I could never measure up with the love and devotion those two felt for each other.
And I cried because despite all of this, I still wanted Renesmee Carlie Cullen-Black to be mine. I wanted her like I've never wanted another person in my life.
My desperate, broken sobs echoed through the empty forest, where no one would hear, or care.
It was the place where the shell of Embry Call belonged.
And that's where I would stay.
A/N: Intense chapter. I highlyrecommend you listening to the chapter songs as well. Especially the one by Mayday Parade. It's uncanny how much it fits.
Sorry I swerved a little bit from the essential storyline of Seth and Sera to Embry/Jake/Nessie. But they're essential to the story of Sera & Seth, because Seth and Sera working together tonight shows the changing dynamics in the relationship from younger-older siblings to that of friendship. See? Essential!
Renesmee's Dress: http : / media . photobucket . com/ image / wedding%20dress / lababy2993 / ?o=25 (take out the spaces).
I guess that's it! (:
Until next time,
Chels.