Author's Notes: Any of you can feel free to bash me over the head with something right now. I know I'm awful. Let's hope that things work out for the better here.
(By the way, if you're not sure what emancipation, which is mentioned in this chapter, is, then google it before reading. Basically, it's a thing where you're still a minor but aren't in the custody of your parents or anyone.)
This chapter is unrealistic as heck and I hate it, but oh, well. I hope you all will like it.

Chapter Nine - Indescribable

Two years later...

"So, how'd it go?" Heather asked, voice crackling over the screwed up phone line. I sighed and looked around at the walls of yet another temporary bedroom. This time, though, things were different. Much different.

"Oh, God, it was awful. I told Ciara that I wanted to be emancipated and she was just like, 'That's okay.' And that's all she said about it until today. We went to get it done and everything was okay, but when we got home, she freaked. I mean, she just threw an absolutely insane fit about it. She said that if I thought she wasn't a responsible enough mother, I should leave. And to make a long story short, she's kicked me out. Ciara said that I have to leave the house by morning."

"Oh my God!" Heather inhaled sharply and I shifted the phone around a bit, triple-checking to make sure all of my stuff was packed away in my suitcase. It was, and I ran a finger over my pocket to make sure my money hadn't fallen out. It was still there. "She can't do that! You're only seventeen, Willow!"

"I know that," I growled, "but technically, yes, she can. I'm not in her custody anymore."

"But - but - you have to move in with me! Look, I'll come pick you up tomorrow and--"

I sighed and looked at the clock, blood running cold at the time. I only had twenty minutes to get to the bus station. "Heather, I don't have much time to talk 'cause I'm taking a bus, but I don't want to bother you by me moving in. I just can't do it." This was the truth. No matter how many times Heather said she had enough money to support the both of us, I refused to be another burden in her life. "I'm going back to La Push. Do you remember there? With Seth and Embry and...what's her name...oh, right, Emily?"

"Yeah, I do." Well, of course she would remember La Push. How could you forget where you'd been raped? "And would you bother explaining to me why the hell you're going there?"

"I just really freaking hate it here. It's a long story, but I've got to go now. I have enough money to get there and for a hotel for a little while, so don't worry about me, okay?" This was technically not a lie. If you considered 'For a little while' to be about two nights. "Take care of CJ, will you? I know it's a lot and all of a sudden, but please--"

"I will. I'll go over there right now so I can get him. He can spend the night at my house tonight. Are you really sure you want to do this, Willow?"

"Yes, I'm positive. Good-bye, I love you!" I hung up the phone before she could say anything else and darted down the hallway, dragging my suitcase after me. CJ was sitting on the floor of the kitchen and playing with building blocks. I looked at him with a mixed expression; who knew if I'd ever see him again? But the clock was ticking, and since I would be walking to the station, I really had no time to waste. I just gave him a kiss on the head and ran out of the house at breakneck speed.

I arrived at the bus station just in time, but that was probably because I ran the whole way. My legs were hurting in sharp stabs as I clambered onto the bus and sat in a seat. The cool window felt good against my face as I leaned against it.

In the past two years, not much had changed until today. Ciara was still dramatizing over men and we moved all the time. CJ, now nearly three years old, was still my responsibility. Heather had moved to a small apartment a few months ago and was living with two cats and their four kittens. She had a job as a librarian and loved it. A few years ago, I would have never thought she'd be librarian material. But apparently, she was.

In tenth grade, I'd dropped out of school. I knew that the future of my education was therefore ruined, but I had felt like I had no choice. Really, I hadn't; CJ kept me so busy and I had started to hate high school. If anyone had a problem with it, then they should be damned and get over it. I wasn't going back.

I hadn't forgotten La Push, but my memories were faded. I did, however, remember everyone there and the way they treated me. In my life, we must have moved to a thousand different places, but La Push had always been my favorite. It was the one city where I felt at home, like people actually respected and cared for me.

It was so hard to leave. The day after Ciara had announced that we were moving, I had visited Seth's house with my stomach tumbling all over the place. And I'll admit that I cried while telling him what was happening. He just sat there stony-faced the entire time and never said a word. When I had to leave, I hugged him tight with the tears streaming down my face and he hugged me back; I could have sworn I felt him trembling, like he might start crying himself. Seth had been the first friend I could ever remember having, and even though I'd barely known him, I'd loved him for it. If you could call it that. I barely knew what the word 'Love' meant.

I hadn't seen or talked to him since.

Now that I was seventeen and officially alone, I didn't know what to do. La Push was the first place to come to mind. I knew that I'd have shelter there for about five minutes, but honestly, I did not care. If I had only enough money to have a place to stay for a day or two, then that was my problem. It would have made sense to go somewhere closer and save money, but in my life, nothing made sense. It was mainly about La Push and all that it reminded me of, all that I knew was there. For all I knew, everyone had gotten married and moved away. But I had to try. La Push was the only home I'd ever had, and I missed it terribly. I felt drawn there by some indescribable gravity.

The bus ride lasted a good few hours, and by the time we arrived it was nearly two in the morning. Exhausted, I crawled into a taxi and sleepily asked the driver, "Could you please bring me to whatever hotel's closest to La Push?"

That ride took another hour or so. The driver took me to a hotel smack in between of La Push and Forks, and even though I could tell it was a beautiful place, I was so tired I didn't bother looking around. All I had the energy to do was drag my feet up the stairs and flop onto one of the beds in my room. I kicked off my shoes and settled into a deep sleep. It had been a long, horrible day. I couldn't wait to see the end of it.

The first challenge I faced waking up was not running back to our house just so I could be there for CJ again. I wanted to scratch myself all over when I thought of him all alone. But Heather would take care of him, I knew. And anyway, I couldn't stay. As I was legally no longer in Ciara's custody, she could take the case to court if I insisted on living in the house and win. Besides, if I took CJ with me, I'd be filed as a kidnapper, and I certainly didn't want that.

I took a shower and got dressed slowly. I wasn't sure why, but now that I was actually here, I was nervous to see La Push again. I'd slept late; it was already nearly one in the afternoon by the time I finished combing my hair and was ready to go.

Walking up the hill to La Push, I was suddenly reminded of doing the same thing with Quil all that time ago. I'd forgotten why we had been doing this, but the memory made me smile. That was the day Quil had told me that Seth talked about me all the time. I still had yet to know if this was the truth.

La Push looked more or less the same as my memories revealed. The houses and gardens all looked the same, as did the road and the beach. The only thing that might have changed was that a few homes seemed to be repainted, but other than that, it was the same old La Push.

I hadn't realized how beautiful it really was until now.

I passed by a familiar house, and jumped a little when I saw the people in front of it. Two identical little girls who seemed to be a bit younger than CJ were running around the yard and playing tag. Sitting on a nearby bench were Sam and Emily. Emily was in Sam's lap and leaning against his chest, her eyes closed. It occured to me that the girls running around in front of them probably were their daughters, and suddenly I felt awful that I'd missed so much. Maybe things around La Push had changed more than I'd thought.

Neither of them noticed me until I was already walking up the road. Sam must have seen me out of the corner of his eye, because he suddenly looked at me. For a second he frowned, then a huge grin stretched across his face. "Willow!" he exclaimed.

Emily opened her eyes and turned around, blinking a bit. "W-Willow? Is that you?"

"Yeah, I'm--"

They stood up at the same moment and ran over to me, and suddenly I found myself being hugged by the both of them. I hesitantly hugged them back. I'd had no idea that they liked me so much, and was surprised that they remembered who I was. I felt touched that they did, though; anywhere else I'd ever lived, I was sure that by a week after my departure, I would long be forgotten.

They eventually let me go and started asking a million questions.

"What are you doing here?" asked Sam. "Not that I'm not glad you're back, but--"

"Are you moving back? Oh, that would be so wonderful!" Emily squealed.

"God, it's been so long, what--?"

"Where's your mother? And what about your--"

"Are you just visiting? How long--"

I held up my hands, and both of them stopped talking abruptly. "It might take a little while to explain..." I began. They looked at me with wide, curious eyes, and suddenly I knew that if I could tell someone anything, it would be them. "My mom kicked me out. And yes, she can legally do that since I was emancipated."

"Oh, my!" Emily gasped, putting a hand over her mouth. "That's awful!"

"I can't believe it," said Sam flatly, raising his eyebrows at me. "I just can't. How is this possible? She can't kick you out. What made her do that?"

"She was saying that if I thought she wasn't a responsible enough mother, then I should take care of myself and see how it was. And then what happened was that--"

But I was distracted as someone dashed down the road towards us. I knew who it was, even before I turned to look at them. Seth took me in his arms and hugged me tight before either of us could say anything.

He looked exactly the same as I remembered him. He even smelled the same, like wood and soil. It was funny how I'd never noticed this before, but now, it couldn't stick out more. The only differences were that he might have been taller, if that was even possible, and the light gray shadows under his eyes, like he hadn't gotten a good night's sleep in a long time. "Willow, you're back! You're actually back!" Seth sang, and I looked up at him and smiled.

"Yes, I am."

"But what's this I hear about you being emancipated and kicked out, missy?" His voice was stern, but I could tell that he was just messing around.

"It's a really long story," I replied.

"We've got all day long," Seth said simply. "Unless you have plans...?"

"I don't. But like I said, it's a very long story." It was then that I realized our arms were still wrapped around each other. I dropped mine to my sides, but Seth kept his hands on my shoulders, looking like he was just so happy. I couldn't blame him; I felt the same way.

Quil and Embry were jogging down the road with the biggest smiles on their faces. I'd never been anywhere where people had been so happy to see me, and it was weird. I loved it, though. This was the reason I'd come to La Push. It was my home.

"Well," said Seth, "tell it, then."

Author's Notes: Well DANG, she didn't stay away very long, did she? Like I said. UNREALISTIC with a capital U, N, R, E, A, L, I, S, T, I, and C. But hopefully all of you liked this chapter.