Imprint Joy

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Twilight characters.

Life hasn't been easy since Sam imprinted on me, but I don't regret any of it, I can't. Maybe that's why you hate me and Sam so much. With all this love, we're incapable of truly understanding your pain and loss. How can you claim to love Sam, when what we feel for one another is so much stronger? I just can't seem to wrap my head around it because our love is something that is stronger than any other emotion I've ever felt. I don't mean to rub it in, sound smug, self-serving or even a bitch – it's just the truth.

However, Sam comes home and he appears to be really worked up and upset. There are only a handful of things that can get Sam in this kind of mood; vampires, Jacob Black and you. I ask him what is wrong and he only looks at me for a second before brushing the whole matter off as silly, ridiculous, ludicrous even. And I have my answer in that moment – it's you. I frown for a second thinking about what you could've done now to upset my poor Sammie and question him about it. I leave him no room to deny it by throwing your name out on the table; I'm sick of avoiding the giant silver wolf in the room with the cold, dark and hateful yellow eyes.

"I, I saw Leah with Jacob Black." Sam blurts out. I'm confused by his admittance because since joining Jacob's pack, the two of you are always together. I push him more looking for what it is about you two that have upset him. It's not unheard of for the two of you to gang up together and attack Sam; Jacob physically and you, emotionally and psychologically. "No! They didn't – they'd didn't even see me." Sam says getting frustrated with my questioning.

Didn't see him? And in that moment, realization hits me. Sam has finally seen the two of you together. My brow furrows and my mouth scrunch up, as best it can, as I look at Sam with a stern gaze. Rachel had already mentioned that you and Jacob seemed to become more than just friends. Is Sam upset because you're dating Jacob? Is he worried that Jacob will imprint and hurt you? Is it that it's Jacob you're seeing? Or maybe, that you're seeing anyone at all?

Sam begins to go on and on about how this won't work. How Jacob will only hurt you. That he needs to do something to stop this from going too far.

'Jacob isn't right for her', he says pacing our kitchen.

'What could she possibly see in him?'

'He's just a child.'

And I simply stand aside, letting him vent out his worries, concerns and frustrations. The more Sam rambles the more I realize that this isn't about you and Jacob Black. This is all about you. How can Sam still love you like this? Our love is supposed to be strong, stronger than anything else. How do you manage to still get to him; what is it? But, being the supportive wife that I am, I choose to ignore these feelings and tell Sam not to worry. That it's only a relationship based upon convenience. Jacob is convenient and accommodating, as are you.

I believe I find my proof as I'm walking through Wal-mart doing some shopping and I happen upon the two of you. Well, there are actually three of you which gives need for a double take. There's a small boy in your cart; his skin is pale with bronze hair upon his head. He sits in the cart looking up at you, lovingly, adoringly and you coo back at him. The child looks to be about 6 or 7 years old and I can't fathom how you would know this child. You've never babysat for anyone in Forks. His bangs are swooped to the side just above his eyes, that are a rich, deep chocolate brown - and that is where it hits me. It's Bella's child!

Fear grips me at actually seeing a vampire, or rather a half-one, and feel my blood run cold. The child is beautiful and yet dangerous. I look to Jacob wondering if he's lost his mind. The vampire child cannot, just, be allowed to wander around Forks even with two shape shifters escorting him. Why are there two wolves escorting him?

"No." Jacob growls out, drawing my attention. The child looks over at you with hurt eyes and an adorable pout. You had walked away to compare products on something, leaving Jacob and the thing by themselves.

"Leah." He whines, his voice sounding beautiful and endearing. At the immediate calling of your name, you respond to him.

"Yes, sweetheart?" You coo.

Sweetheart?

Since when have you started calling a leech 'sweetheart'? I watch on stunned as the child accuses Jacob of some heinous crime, all the while pointing at Jacob. The happy couple, that you pretended to be, begins to argue about what 'E.J.' can and cannot have. As I listen to your argument is when I become aware of the entire situation – you've imprinted on the half-vampire child. You act just like Quil whenever Claire is involved, arguing with a strong fervor, resembling that of a mother bear.

Are you and Jacob really together? Or is it just an act? Why do you feel the need to pretend that you're seeing Jacob? Quil doesn't bother with such a farce? His mind is too wrapped around Claire to even consider such a thing.

"He's a spoiled brat!" Jacob snarls, taking a threatening step towards E.J. "Then just keep on giving him whatever the fuck he wants. Marry the bastard then, too." Jacob yells causing everyone around to freeze in surprise. Without another word, Jacob turns and storms away, leaving behind an angry and brooding Leah and a bashful E.J.

I walk up to you, the moment Jacob is out of sight, and ask if everything is alright. You look at me for a moment and I know that if 'looks could kill', I'd be dead – I'd be a pile of burnt ashes. You growl out a 'fine' before turning your attention back to E.J. He apologizes softly for making you and Jacob argue but you brush it off by ruffling his hair and planting a kiss on his chubby cheek.

You have imprinted.

The confirmation makes me smile brightly at you. This means that you no longer hate me and Sam for imprinting on another because you've done it now. You know how wonderful imprinting is and that there is no one else in the world that fits you better than the person before you right now. When I voice my opinions on your imprint, you freeze staring at me and look down at E.J.

If he's your imprint then he's no threat to me or anyone else. As a 'protector', you could never imprint on something that could hurt us or go against your natural instinct and purpose. I, mindlessly, chatter on, questioning your relationship and get some very interesting answers. E.J. is short for Edward Jacob, thus proving Bella's strange and unnecessary attachment to Jacob Black. He's not even a year old yet but his aging will slow down eventually. Yet, he'll be fully grown in about 7-years. He drinks blood but likes to eat human food as well; anything you cook for him becomes his immediate favorite. I also find out that E.J. is still venomous and that you've built up an immunity against vampire venom; this new shocks and awes me because you let him feed off of you? As if to prove a point, E.J. latches onto your wrist and begins to drink some of your blood. It's a weird, sickening and amazing sight but it only lasts for a moment as E.J. releases you, planting a soft kiss and lick on your wrist as you heal.

I want to question you more about this 'act' that I've witnessed but I'm cut off by Jacob Black. Jacob has always been, for the most part, happy, easy-going and understanding. One look at him and I can tell he despises the fact that you allow E.J. to drink your blood. The dark and menacing look in his eyes send a shiver down my spine and I even hide behind you. I'm not sure whether Jacob bites his tongue because the two of you have already argued or if it's because I'm here; but I know he's not done discussing the matter with you.

You actually tell me good-bye and E.J. waves at me as you help him climb into the back of the Rabbit. Jacob, well, he dismisses me as if I was beneath him and closes the gap in between the two of you. I turn and walk away as he pins you against the car, what he says to you I cannot hear but what I do catch is an 'I love you'.

Jacob is such a wonderful boy but I can't understand why he's always chasing after the girl whose heart belongs to another. Jacob's 'supposed' love for you is misplaced and can never be reciprocated. It's only a matter of time before you tell him that you can't love him and will be with your imprint. I wonder if you'll leave with the Cullens. Have you forgiven me? You really didn't say much to me in the store while I was talking; in fact, it was E.J. that answered my questions. Will you come back to Sam's pack? Will Jacob become a male version of you? All these questions and more run through my head as I debate over whether or not to tell Sam about you and Jacob; or more importantly, you and E.J.

The opportunity is gone as I find out later on that night that you've run away. I hear the news while over at Billy's house for a small wolf gathering. Sam seems anxious to see you and I wonder if you'll bring E.J. along since all of the other imprints are here. I sit talking to Aunt Sue when Jacob comes storming out from the woods, cursing out loud in both English and Quileute, before sitting down and glaring at Billy. The rest of his pack follows not too far behind minus Leah and her absence is all the proof we need for Jacob's foul and dark mood.

"Where's Leah?" Aunt Sue asks and Jacob answers her, but only after fighting the urge to phase.

"She's run away." Jacob admits before burying his face in his hands. At the news there are a mixture of emotions, Paul makes some smart-ass comment about it 'being about time', the cubs all seemed worried that you might not come back and even volunteer to search, your own pack look upset by the news and Sam, well Sam laughs finding the whole ordeal hilarious. Ignoring the comments, Jacob explains to Billy and Sue that you and he were arguing and then suddenly, you just, took off.

Billy immediately takes over the situation telling everyone to calm down. Jacob sits, his leg bouncing and his fists balled up so tight that his knuckles are pale. I look up surprised to hear Billy ask the question that was weighing on my mind the moment I heard the news, "Are all of the Cullens still here?" Billy asks and it occurs to me that Billy knows; he knew that you had imprinted on a half-vampire but didn't bother to tell anyone? Letting out a ragged breath Jacob simply nods his head 'yes'. My eyes widen at the smug satisfaction that graces Jacob's face as the entire picture becomes clear to me.

You've left your imprint behind!

A/N: Well I've been sitting on this story for a while and just decided to post it. I really do need to do some clean up here. I'm still working on Wake-Up Call so don't worry, the update is coming. I just need to pull a couple of ideas together and find a smooth flow to the whole thing. Right now it's just too choppy. I have learned that I seemed to do my best writing while at work but with a project in the works it's cutting into my writing time. T-T It's a two-edged sword, work seems to help keep my mind focused by then I gotta do some work. FML

But thanks for reading and reviewing. Sorry for the short A/N but I am drained today and feel as if a Bridal Expo has sapped all of the energy out of me.