Thank you to Hi, Amy Hanekom, Max, Cami, alex, Minacarlyle, birdy, racefan0388, PixieDustRed, Mr popo, Yukinaru Suzumi, misherukuro, MarieHermosa, Babaksmiles, shika93, musicstorm, Apocolypse owner, blatlin, Sinfully-Sweet-Demongirl, minstorai, Narutoske, Tsuki no Yasha, EllieMaeve, ThatGeekyAsian, Okami Princess, War Charger, MariMart, shugokage, InazumaNina, Quyiken, BetahimeTsukiko, NuzzleBug13, Elia the Huntress, bennettnasagirl, DevilishlyBipolar, 4everfictional, Ksave, winterhail, Ren Woods, ANGEL FALLEN FROM HEAVEN, Khyharah, Elaine Weasley, weesh, Guests, and anyone who faved/followed my story. You continue to make my day-sometimes, weeks! You are the best.
winterhail: I REALLY LIKE YOU. I am sorry for the long wait, but I hope that you enjoy the next chapter. Thank you so much for your kind review.
Guest2: Ta da! Thank you for the review!
Hi (Guest): Hi! Thank you for the kind review. Sorry for the wait, but here it is!
Amy Hanekom: We shall see what we shall see... ;) Things are going to work out just fine! I'm a sucker for a happy ending, lol. And thanks for the info! I haven't read the books in years and I never saw the movie, so i use the twilight wikia a lot, but sometimes things slip past me. It is now fixed! Thank you! Jacob will not be in this story, but don't worry! Sometimes the best sort of rescue is when you do it yourself.
Max: Sorry for the long wait. But thank you so much for the sweet compliments! Hope it was worth the wait... heh.
Cami: Thank you! I'm so sorry I don't update it as often as I should, but I hope you enjoy the next chapter anyway.
alex: Thank you! Poor Leah indeed. I hope you like the next chapter!
Minacarlyle: Surprised? How so? And thank you for the review!
Guest1: I was having the same problem. I just needed these two to be in a fic together, and NO ONE wrote it, so I had to do it myself. I kinda feel like one of those kids making their dolls kiss... And thank you so much for your review. It really means more to me then I'll ever be able to say.
birdy: hi birdy! Sorry for the long wait... again... But that fact that you leave a review on every chapter is seriously amazing. Thank you.
racefan0388: Thank you! I can't tell who's enjoying it more-me writing it, or you guys reading it! I hope you enjoy the next chapter.
PixieDustRed: Yup, the secrets are out! No one'll be interested in the story after this... Guess that means I can just pack up and go home;) What happens in this chapter... well, sometimes you have to renew the friendships worth saving, and get rid of the people in your life who do not deserve a spot! Hope you enjoy.
Mr popo: Not if Leah gets there first ;)
Leah had watched from the bushes as Steve bundled his friend into the shower, then set about finding spare clothes for him to wear. Currently, Steve was seated at the small side table, creating a baker's dozen sandwiches with the lot. The look in his eyes was almost blank, his movements automatic, as if his brain just needed to pause. She wondered if super soldiers really ate that much, or if Steve was trying to keep his hands busy, now that his best friend was back from the dead, and his sort-of girlfriend was a werewolf who wanted nothing to do with him.
Outside the motel, Natasha was on the phone, but her eyes weren't still for a second as she examined the area around her. Her piercing blue eyes didn't even paused as they passed over Leah, yet the wolf had the distinct impression that she had been spotted by the Black Widow.
Because the red headed woman with deadly knife throwing skills that hung out with Captain America couldn't possibly be anyone else. Leah remembered the man that had fought Jared off, and wondered if he was a super hero too.
That would make three super heroes, and one super assassin. She really didn't want to think too deeply on that.
Despite everything, killing all those people, shooting her little brother's best friend in the leg, all Leah wanted was for James Barnes to get better. He was Steve's friend, the person he cared about most in this world. And somehow, that didn't sting. Leah had seen the empty look in the man's face, heard him growl as she left, when he realised she didn't have a choice.
Something had gone very wrong for James Buchanan Barnes. Someone had turned him into a shell of who he was, a machine without free will. She knew a little of what that was like.
Turning around to head back home, she left the Widow to wonder if she should tell Steve about his kind-of girlfriend watching over him from the shadows. Personally, if it got her off the phone with Stark, who was trying to figure out what was going on, then she'd gladly tell her friend.
When Leah opened the front door, she was confronted by the sight of the pack, sprawled across her mother's large cushions and throw blankets. She didn't want the pack. She just wanted Steve's company. Their presence made the homey effect Sue had created a lot less comforting.
Especially when they all paused in their chatter.
Instead of rushing past them, she stood in the door way and glared right back. She was due a lot of groveling from a lot of people. Was it too much to ask for a simple apology?
Jared stood up slowly, a wary look on his face, "Leah?" he asked.
"Yes Jared?" she answered. The rest of the pack watched silently, expression's mirroring Jared's own cautious face. Leah was almost giddy with an emotion she couldn't name, but one that elated her heart, almost making her smile. Were they really going to admit they were wrong?
"Is Steve really Captain America?" Jared asked breathlessly.
Leah's face quickly turned into a storm cloud. She shouldered her way through the pack, toward the kitchen.
"What's up with the Winter Soldier?" she heard someone call after her.
"Wouldn't it be cool if I got a scar for once?" she heard Paul mutter to someone else, "then I'd get to say that the Black Widow knifed me!"
Leah was scowling as she entered the kitchen, finding her mother arguing with Seth while Quil sat on the table, leg bandaged where he had been shot.
"Why would you want to keep it?" Sue was saying, holding something small behind her back in her gloved hand, blood colouring the white plastic bright crimson.
"So that he can have something to remember this by!" Seth was begging, holding a glass jar out to her beseechingly. Quil nodded eagerly at Sue, and she sighed, dropping the bullet into the jar with a 'tink'!
"I thought the two of you hated Steve, and were terrified of that fellow with the metal arm," Sue grumbled, stripping the gloves off her hands and washing them under the sink.
"It was a misunderstanding," Quil explained, flexing his leg experimentally.
"We did, but then he turned out to be Captain America. And Captain America is the best Avenger after Thor, and he'd never have hurt me an' Quil on purpose. He's Captain America!" Seth agreed, hopping up on to the table next to Quil.
Leah raised her brow, leaning against the door frame. At least her brother had hanged his tune.
"Except when his best friend shot Quil," Sue said, hands firmly on her hips.
"That guy is not right in the head. We attacked, and he went all survivalist mode. I think he needs a shrink," Seth said, frowning, "or ten."
Sue sighed, "Get off my nice kitchen table."
While the two boys complied, Sue caught her daughter's eye over the table.
"I hope you realise you need to apologise to your sister," Sue told Seth sternly.
Leah could see Seth's shoulder slump from where she stood behind him, and he nodded slowly at the ground.
"Hey Seth," Leah called, and his head shot up to look at her.
"You know, when I was at the Port Angeles library, this lovely librarian mentioned I looked like one of her regular customers," she said sweetly. Seth and Quil shot each other a worried look, while Sue turned her back to clean up the dishes.
"I'm sorry!" Seth blurted, "I should have trusted you more. He's your imprint," he said, Quil nodding eagerly behind him.
The mention of Steve made her heart pang, brought back the memory of Steve's distraught face as she left him behind.
Seth mouthed words at her, and years of carrying out conversations without their parents knowledge made reading Seth's lips easy to decipher.
'You won't tell mum?' he mouthed, wide eyes begging. Leah shrugged her shoulders loosely.
'You have forgiven me, right?' he mouthed again.
She had forgiven him. If there was one person she could never hate, it was her baby brother. But he didn't know that.
"Not yet," she said aloud. Seth turned even paler.
"Anyone know where Sam is?" she asked, turning away from her terrified little liar of a brother.
"No. Why?" Sue asked, turning back to Leah, dishtowel still in hand.
"I've gotta make him take back the order," Leah explained.
Sue scowled, "Of course. Would he be at his house?"
Both boys shook their heads, "Em kicked him out," Quil explained.
Leah's eyes went wide with shock, "Why?" she asked.
Quil and Seth shared another wide eyed look, both as scared as they had been when Leah threatened to tell Sue about Seth's new found hobby.
"Something about him still being in love with Leah," Seth admitted quietly. He said the words under his breath, as if saying them too loud would cause a natural disaster. Or supernatural, as the case may be.
Leah felt as though a tidal wave had pulled her into it's undertow and was dragging her along the sharp coral and sand at the bottom of the waves.
"No," Leah snapped, "No! He doesn't get to dump me when we were getting engaged for my cousin, and then still claim to love me. Has this what this whole shit fest has been all about?" she stared at her mother and younger brother. Neither held the answer.
"This wasn't about the safety of the pack. Or even my safety," Leah realised, "He just couldn't let go."
Her head felt heavy, like a lead balloon. All this time...
"I think now would be a good time to say I'm sorry. Again," Seth muttered. But Leah shook her head.
"You were seriously worried about me. You thought Sam was too. I can't blame you for what Sam did. He's supposed to be the adult, the alpha. You're just a kid," Leah said, staring at her brother. This had gone far enough. She wasn't going to let anyone else get hurt.
She lurched forward, and Seth opened his arms for a hug, but she brushed past him and raced out the back door, leaving him standing with his arms out.
"Thanks, buddy," Quil said, hugging him tightly.
Seth wrinkled his nose, and shoved his friend away.
"I was trying to lighten the mood!" Quil protested, "Plus, you shoved an injured person. An injured shot person! Rude!" he yelled.
Emily was sitting on the porch when Leah arrived. The house was oddly quiet without the teenaged werewolves playing video games, and scarfing down food. Like it was empty of life.
Leah had the odd memory of doing this a lot-sitting by herself, staring off into the distance, but not focusing on a thing except the pain. Carefully, she sat down next to Emily, close enough that the soft wind lifted Emily's long hair to tickle Leah's face.
"Jared called," Emily said eventually, "He told me what happened at the cave."
"I wonder how he found it. The only person I ever told was Steve," Leah mused.
"I never told anyone," Emily said, "After our fall out- it was a piece of you that no one could take from me," she admitted.
Leah stared at her, frowning, as if she still didn't quite understand.
"You kept sticking up for me," Leah said softly.
Emily through her a sad smile, "Of course I did. You're practically my sister. I love you. And you got dealt a pretty bad hand," she admitted, quirking her eyebrows. Leah smiled to herself at the familiar expression.
"We all did," she told Emily.
Emily huffed at Leah's words, not quite laughter, not quite anger, but somewhere in between. Yet she didn't say a word.
That was when Leah realised, that it was her turn. Her turn to support Emily as best she could. To make sure Emily was okay.
"Em... you don't have to listen to me. I know I didn't listen to you at all-"
"It was like talking to a wall," Emily admitted, and Leah grinned, leaning towards Emily to bump her, shoulder to shoulder.
"Do what you want. You don't need to factor in the imprint if you don't want to," Leah said, the wolf part screaming at the insult to the sacred bond. But Leah ignored it. Emily had to what was right for her-no wolf input necessary.
"Move to the city, see the world. Or stay right here, if it's just for the family, or if you want to work it out with Sam. Just do what you want to do," Leah tried to explained as best she could, but found it wasn't easy. She had to search for the worlds, instead of letting them tumble out as she yelled.
"If I leave, the imprint will hurt Sam-"
"So what? Make the choice for you, Emily," Leah was practically begging, "You're so caring, a lot more then me. You put everyone else before you. It's time to stop that. Time to be selfish," Leah nearly yelled, she was so worked up, "You deserve it."
Emily blushed, looking away, "That being said- how is Sam?" she asked.
Leah shrugged carelessly, "Physically, he should be fine by now. But I'm sure his pride's taken a hit- I mean, Captain America beat the shit out of him."
Leah couldn't help but grin at the thought, and much to her surprise, so did Emily.
"It feels good- not that he's hurt," Emily hurried to correct, not that Leah would have cared, "But that his ego's taking a beating. He, he could do with getting knocked down a peg or two," she admitted.
Leah snorted, "I'll say," she agreed, "It was pretty satisfying watching Steve beat him up. Though, I kinda wanted to do it myself."
The two cousins sat in silence for a while, watching the birds fly through the sky.
"Captain America," Emily finally mused, "That explains a lot."
"Mmm-hmmm," Leah agreed, laughing at the absurdity that was her life.
"So did the serum enhance everything?" Emily asked slyly.
Leah's mouth fell open as her cousin, of all people, made a dick joke. She snorted, then burst out laughing, while Emily bit her lip. Then the laughter escaped, and both girls were on their backs on the wooden porch, laughing so hard they felt as though their ribs would brake.
"When I find out, you'll be the first to know," Leah assured her when she found her breath, sending both girls into giggles again.
Laying there, in the cool afternoon air, staring up at the wooden beams of the porch roof, Leah felt safe. For that moment, everything was as it should be. Everything was perfect.
But the worries of the past few days still circled her mind, and when Leah sat up, they sunk in, battle ready. Would Bucky Barnes be okay? What did finding him mean for Steve? For them? Was Steve still hurt she left?
Why would he even want her at all?
"Stop thinking that way," Emily snapped, propping herself up on her elbows.
"I've seen the way he looks at you, at stupid as that sounds. Besides, you're the only female wolf, Leah. Of course you had to imprint on someone at least half as amazing as you are," Emily grinned, and Leah found it infectious, begrudgingly returning the gesture.
"Ugh. I already had a heart to heart with Seth today. Why can't people just figure out their problems without having to talk 'bout it?" she complained, smile still evident on her face.
"So how was being an adult today?" Emily grinned, and Leah groaned comically.
"Awful," she moaned, "But I might as well get it all over with. I gotta find Sam, get him to take that stupid Alpha order back," Leah said, the smile slipping off her face.
She stood up slowly, and every bone in her body weary. Emily held out her hand, and Leah helped her cousin, her friend, her sister to her feet.
Emily lurched forward and wrapped Leah in the biggest hug her small body would allow. It never ceased to surprise Leah how much warmth could be contained in such a small package.
They pulled apart, and Emily was smiling melancholily.
"Love you, sis," she said.
"Love you too," Leah grinned back. With a nod of goodbye, she turned and walked away.
"Leah," Emily called out, and Leah turned around, questioning look on her face.
"Make it a good punch," Emily told her. She grinned in reply and darted off into the woods.
Walking out of the dark, leafy forest, straight onto the sandy beach had always felt magical to Leah. Like stepping from one magical world to another.
When she finally found Sam sitting on a log by shore, staring out to see, she felt light. Not with childish glee, but nervous energy. With each step she took towards him, she tried quashing the ugly sense of foreboding rising up within her.
"Sam!" she called, her voice deeper than intended, almost catching on the name.
He ignored her, staring out to sea, where the growing darkness was making it difficult to discern the water from the sky.
"Sam," Leah said to his ear, as calmly as she could force herself to be, "take back the order". She wondered if there was some cosmic meaning in the fact her statement hadn't been a question.
Sam paused before answering, "I've been thinking about that," he said slowly.
"Imprint should trump alpha orders any day. The question is, why weren't you strong enough to break it?"
He said it as though he was discussing the weather, not for the poisonous remark that it was. When he finally turned to look at her with his calm brown eyes, Leah knew exactly what to do.
She punched him. Straight on the nose. Blood spurted out over his face.
Sam stepped forward and Leah punched him again, this time in the eye socket. He punched her, fist connecting duly with her face, at odds with the sharp pain, and she felt blood dripping down into her mouth.
With a harsh kick to his stomach, Leah forced Sam to the sand, where he gasped. His eyes focused behind her on something just out of her sight, but Leah didn't care. She was angry, and upset-and Sam was too. His imprint had just kicked him out, and he was attacking with fervour the only person he could blame.
Grunting, she fell down after him, his punch making her dizzy. But not dizzy enough to stop her from landing blow after blow on his face and body.
Leah was panting for breath as she finally stood, legs shaky.
"I know Steve is wonderful. I am going to be spending the rest of my life trying to deserve him," she hissed out between blood and spit, her chest heaving with every word.
"But don't you dare say I'm not trying."
Sam looked up at her, blood covering his face. Then his gaze slipped behind her again. Expecting the worse, Leah took a deep breath and turned.
Gathered at the tree line stood the pack, silently watching. They all stood stock still, but tense, as if waiting to bound into action.
Clenching her trembling fists, she marched forward, stopping only metres away from the pack, so suddenly that she felt her body lurched forward. Against her best wishes, she felt herself trembling. She was tired-the effort not to phase while so angry had exhausted her, and the prospect of facing the pack now, after what they had just witnessed, was terrifying. Leah grit her teeth and held her head high.
Not so gently, Jared pushed a stony faced Paul forward. Leah frowned.
Jared elbowed him again, and Paul let out a huff of air through his nose.
"Sorry," he ground out between clenched teeth. Leah blinked. This time, Jared stepped heavily on his foot.
"We fucked up. We shouldn't have just let Sam get away with all this crap," and if Leah's eyes weren't deceiving her, he actually looked ashamed.
Jared stepped forward, "We should have said something. At first we thought he was right, then we were scared- but I think we still knew that he was wrong," Jared glanced down, no longer able of meeting her eyes.
"And when you saved Steve and his friend, we could feel that you were scared too. Angry, and terrified. We didn't know how to react to that. And I think we can agree you were the most fucked over by all of this. But you were still doing the right thing. Protecting people from monsters."
"You're not monsters," Leah said automatically.
"We were kind of acting like it," Colin piped up from the back.
Slowly the rest of the pack nodded their agreement. There was a pregnant pause as Leah assessed the group.
"Why'd you make Paul apologise?" she asked unsmilingly.
Jared shrugged, "Because coming from him, you'd believe it," he explained.
Leah raised her brown, "Pretty sure I still can't believe it," she said, cloudy face turning into a grudging smile at Paul, who rolled his eyes.
Jared shrugged, "And we knew it would piss him off," he admitted, grinning.
Leah then gave an honest smile, which the pack ecstatically, if somewhat cautiously, returned. Jared took a step forward, and engulfed her in a huge hug. Her cheek hurt where it pressed into his shoulder, and she was pretty sure she got blood on his shirt.
"... Your imprint is Captain America," Brady squealed, breaking the mood.
"Oh my GOD," Leah groaned, shoving a chuckling Jared away.
"Seriously?" she demanded. The younger pack members were practically bouncing out of their skin, even the older ones looking giggly.
"He's a superhero," Brady explained, shrieking slightly.
Instead of growling at him, Leah just smiled and shook her head. It was difficult to say who was more surprised by her reaction-herself, or the pack.
"So we were heading to the diner- want to come with? We'll pay for a chocolate milkshake. Your favourite," Jared offered hopefully.
Biting her cheek, she glanced quickly behind her. Footprints in the sand showed Sam had left, disappearing down the shore and around the large rocks.
"Actually, I need to talk to Steve," Leah said to Jared, pushing back the tingle of nerves saying that sentence caused.
"Of course. Do you need backup?" Jared asked, and Leah looked around to see the rest of the pack watching her eagerly.
Leah shook her head, "No thanks. Some things, I just gotta do myself," she clapped Jared on the shoulder, nodding her thanks.
As she was walking her way towards the forest-towards Steve-Jared called out.
"You got Sam to reverse the Alpha order?" he yelled.
Leah grinned tightly to herself, face setting into determination.
"Nope," she said softly, turning to go again.
"Wait!" Jared called, and she turned around again, slightly annoyed. She found Colin, Brady and Seth frowning at Jared, who blinked back uncertainly.
"What?" she demanded.
"Uh- Nothing?" Jared questioned. The slight nods of approval the younger boys gave him did not escape her notice. Leah rolled her eyes, firmly turned her back. She ran into the forest until she completely disappeared from view. Then, she let the deep breath she had been holding out.
And she ran.
Back at the beach, Jared was frowning at Colin.
"Someone's gotta tell her!" he said, frowning, "she's got blood down one side of her face, for fuck's sake."
"It'll be more romantic," Colin explained. Jared stared at him, and he rushed to continue.
"She'll rock up, and he'll be all worried and take care of her, and patch up her up, and it will be really cute and sweet," he explained, more than slightly patronizingly.
Paul choked on a laugh.
"I should've told her," Jared groaned, "and what kind of stupid movies have you idiots been watching?" he glared.
Please review. A second of your time makes my day.
