Tada! So fast, I know! Let's just say I've been reading some imprint stories (L.J Summers is hilariously genius!) and it keeps me in the mood for these two. ;)

"Maybe he's just running late," Emily murmured to her cousin, placing a hand soothingly on her shoulder.

"Yeah," Leah said dully. "Maybe."

Sighing, Emily went to grab a soda out of one of the coolers. She smiled mindlessly at some of the boys Seth was hanging out with, waved at her aunt and uncle, and glanced anxiously around for a face that she hadn't seen yet. One that might be Sam, Leah's boyfriend.

Leah hadn't shown Emily any pictures.... She said she wanted to surprise Emily with her "catch". Right now, Emily was wishing she'd insisted on seeing him a little more, so she could get in her car and drive around the reservation until she spotted the guy, then hogtie him and bring him to her cousin.

Emily noted that Leah had wandered off somewhere; maybe she'd gone down towards the water. Sipping her soda, Emily drifted down that way, glancing around and saying hello to the people she remembered from prior visits. Leah wasn't at the edge of the water, walking through the waves or playing deeper in the surf like some other kids were. Letting out a sad sigh, Emily paused and stared out over the water, digging her toes into the mushy sand and pondering.

If this Sam guy kept hurting her, Leah should leave him. But... Leah said he was trying. She didn't know what was up, but she said he was trying to get past it. Uncle Harry even had stood up for Sam's character, and she trusted her uncle's judgment. But... something just was missing. Some piece of information. If she could see this Sam, maybe she'd understand.

But he wasn't here. He was almost an hour late.

Shaking her head sadly, Emily left the beach's edge to continue looking for Leah, determined to find some way to distract her or cheer her up. Boys weren't worth tears and sadness. She was busy scanning the crowds of people when she bumped into a burning body, stumbling backwards slightly.

"Sorry!" she said instantly, glancing up... and up.

The guy she'd crashed into looked at her, holding out a hand to steady her. "It's fine." He grinned. "I don't think I've seen you before."

She smiled sightly. "Emily Young, Leah's cousin."

"Jared," he said, shaking her hand. "Nice to meet you."

"Have you seen Leah?" Emily asked, letting go of his hand. Had he been holding it in front of the bonfire or something? It was blistering warm!

He shook his head, so Emily thanked him and continued looking. Eventually, she just went to find her aunt Sue.

"Where'd Leah disappear to?" she asked, glancing around and frowning in concern.

"I think she said something about getting something from the house..." Sue looked around in concern. "But that was a while ago."

Emily ran up the beach, about to get in her car and drive to the house, when she saw Leah stomping down towards her. Her shoulders slumping in relief and resignation at her cousin's expression, Emily slowed and waited for Leah to reach her.

"What-"

"He's not picking up his phone," she muttered. Emily picked up more than anger in her tone. There was hurt, and disappointment, and acceptance.

"I'm sorry," Emily whispered. Leah just shrugged, glancing up at her with a strained smile.

"I should have expected it. I mean, he's never... he's always...." Leah shook her head after a moment, brushing past Emily and wandering back down the beach.

Late that night, Sam blinked his eyes open, feeling well rested and rather relaxed... until he noted the lack of light in the room.

"Shit!" he hissed, jolting upright and snatching his phone, staring at the time in disbelief. Eight at night. His eyes slowly shut in horror and he let out a sigh. Leah was going to be pissed at him for days now.

And it wasn't like he could even make it for the last hour or two. He had patrols to do now. Heck, he was late for the patrol!

He couldn't let himself get too agitated, though. He was only just getting control of the phasing thing; he could still slip up. Standing and stretching, Sam turned off his phone. Calling Leah back now wouldn't help matters. The only thing he could do was see her tomorrow and try to smooth things over as best as he could.

***

Sam knocked on the front door of the Clearwater's house, stuffing his hands into the pockets of his cutoffs and staring shamefully at the ground, trying to order in his mind what he was going to say.

Harry opened the door and looked him over. "She's not happy."

"I know," Sam sighed. "I slept through my alarm."

Harry clapped a hand on his shoulder. "You're a busy man, Sam. What you're doing for-"

Sam nodded quickly. He didn't want to hear it all again. He heard it often enough... he just wanted to talk to Leah. He didn't want to lose the one normal thing he had left.

Harry stepped aside and let Sam inside. "She's in her room," Harry added, going back into the kitchen. Sam stepped farther into the house, taking a deep fortifying breath. His eyes popped open in surprise and he breathed deeply again, filling his lungs with the new scent in the house. It was fresh, light, just a faint sweetness to it. He'd have to ask Sue what air freshener she was using or something, though he definitely couldn't find that usual faint chemical smell.

He hesitated outside of Leah's room, then knocked on the door. "Leah?" he called. "I know you're angry. Please, open up. Let's talk."

The door didn't open. Leah didn't call out to him. Someone else did.

"She's in the shower," Emily said shortly. "And she's more than angry," she sneered the word. "Leave her alone. She'll call you when she's ready."

Sam tensed, furious that someone was basically telling him to get lost when he was trying to make things better. "I'll leave when she tells me to leave," he snapped. Then he froze, closing his eyes and breathing deeply... relaxing himself. The new smell in the house helped.

"Well, just trust me. She'll tell you to leave."

"Who are you?" he asked in frustration.

"Her cousin!" Emily snapped. He was so rude!

Frustrated, Sam said, "Listen, I need to talk to her. I'm not leaving just because you tell me to!"

Huffing in frustration, Emily stood up from where she'd been sitting on the bed, ready to jerk open the door and give this guy a piece of her mind about how he was treating her cousin, when she heard Leah's voice.

"What are you doing here?"

Sam whirled around, staring at Leah as she paused outside the bathroom door, a towel held to her head as if she'd been rubbing her hair dry. "Leah," he sighed. "Leah, I'm so sorry. I slept-"

"You're always sorry Samuel," she shortly interrupted. "It's always the same. I'm too tired," she mimicked. "I'm busy. I can't." She glared at him. "I'm getting sick and tired of it.

Sam breathed in deeply, working to keep himself calm. Arguing with her was always a test of patience and control. Sometimes he had to leave in the middle of it.

"Leah, I meant to come to the part. I had every intention. But I overslept the alarm. I-"

"Whatever."

Sam knew that word. She wasn't even going to listen to him. His hands started trembling, just slightly. Gritting his teeth, he tried one last time.

"Leah, please, let's talk-"

"We always 'talk'," she muttered, brushing past him. "I don't want to talk anymore."

The trembling had traveled up his arms. Breathing was shaky. That tightness was gathering in the center of his chest....

Sam turned and walked out of the house with long, quick strides, ignoring Harry's sympathetic stare, ignoring the slamming of the screen door behind him. He kept his rushed pace into the woods, and once he was under cover, he started stripping out of his jeans, his violently shaking hands more a hindrance than help. Just as he tossed the shorts away, the tension exploded outward.

Sam howled his frustration and set off in a fast run.

Emily let the curtain fall over the window as Leah finally stepped into the room. She'd finally seen Sam Uley. From behind at least. His anger had practically leapt off of his large frame.

Turning, she took in the weary look on her cousin's face.

"I'll call him later," Leah said, as if to herself. "He's always so tired... he works late," she added, looking up at Emily. "I know he was sorry." She shook her head, sitting on the bed next to Emily and grabbed her brush off the bedside table. Emily took it from her and started running it through her cousin's hair.

"He just...." Leah suddenly continued in a frustrated tone before stopping, scowling. "Sometimes I wish.... He...." She groaned in frustration.

Emily chewed her lip as she tried to understand. "What do you wish? That he'd step up and stop forgetting things?"

"Yes. No. I mean, yeah, that too, but I meant...." Leah sighed, rubbing her forehead. "I wish he'd just stick around and argue about it with me for once. He's always running off when things get too tense between us. Or he's always being so damn agreeable and calm. I want him to get as upset as I am for once! I hate feeling like I'm just acting childish! I wish he'd stop making me feel like that!"

Emily nodded slowly. "Have you tried telling him that?"

Leah snorted. "When do I have time to tell him that? When I actually get to see him and we're not sort of fighting about something else? Why would I ruin the good times by bringing something like that up? It'd just make things wrong again."

Emily sighed. "I wish I could help."

Leah sighed as well as Emily began braiding her hair. "Thanks anyway," she said quietly with a small smile.

Emily finished the braid in silence, and then leaned slightly so she could grin at Leah's face. "Next time I see him, I'll slap him upside the head for you, okay?"

Leah laughed.

We're getting there, we're getting there....