AN: Hey everyone, back with chapter 9 :) Like always, the reviews have been totally deadly and they make me feel sooo complete as a writer :) My betas RenesmeeCarlieBlackxo and cjfed95 have done an amazing job as usual, cleaning up my typos and contributing some wicked as shit ideas :) But for now, here's number 9; hope this one drags a few more tears outta yeh. ;) Oh and PS; I got a new poll on my profile, and I just wanna know what everyone thinks :) It's not about BTS but it's about Leah obvs :) So GO VOTE.
Two days bled into five. And then into six.
La Push had officially become terrified and disoriented. Sue was finally starting to go crazy, calling friends and family from Forks to Port Angeles (whoever still had a phone that was working) and asking frantically 'have you seen my daughter???'...
No one ever did. No one saw Leah.
Emily braved the storm and hiked over every day with a basket of muffins. Seth couldn't eat; he was too scared, in all brutal honesty. The dreams, the images in his head got a hundred times worse as the storm grew around them and the darkness that had swallowed up La Push seemed to be choking down any and all hope that his sister was coming home.
When he looked around his house, saw her room there; bed, made perfectly like no one had ever slept in there and the room had grown dusty. That was one of his greatest fears; eventually, would life move on without Leah..? Would his friends and the remainder of his family learn to live without her, and ignore the shallow room and forget altogether that he had a spirited, beautiful, talented sibling...?
Would he, himself, forget that Leah even existed...?
Because Seth and Paul (yeah, Paul) had been spending a lot of time together the last day or two. They'd searched together (found nothing), patrolled together (found nothing), and they'd talked together. Surprisingly, Paul had said more then than Seth thought he'd ever heard the hothead werewolf say in his life; words from the heart, anyway. And it seemed like they had both grown so accustomed to hearing the deafening wind and the pitterpatter of rain in the backdrop of Seth's worrying and Paul's apologies that it seemed a regular part of life.
Mundane, colorless, scary, depressing life. They'd learned to live with the storm. (They could only hope Leah was just as lucky.)
So, it was amazing the things you could live with; if the whole community of La Push and Forks had harmonized with the storm then that meant Seth could survive without his sister.
And holy fucking jesus christ on the cross, he could not.
Seth would shoot himself in the head before he gave up on his sister.
Actually, after hearing all of Paul's 'I'm so goddamn, fucking sorry', and his mother's sobs, and Jake's thoughts, and most of all Sam's agony, Seth was sure he wasn't the only one. He would make sure the whole damn world knew his sister's name.
Whether she was with him or not.
-
"I'm sorry, boys... I just don't condone any of you making any huge trips in this horrible weather. Taha Aki would suggest the same I am sure."
Old Quil held a blanket around him with one aged hand (he was feeling ill; not enough sun.), and his eyes held so much sympathy for his young pack who stood before him.
"But Sir, our sister, she has to be out there somewhere-"
"Hush, Samuel, hush. I know you're worried; all of us are. But my son, the gods must be furious; this storm is unlike anything I have ever seen and the weather pros predict it even worse yet. I cannot let all of you venture out there in search of Leah, only to get yourselves hurt."
"You can't expect us to just sit around here while she's missing!" Seth exclaimed, jumping up from his seat. He began to pace back and forth, his mother's weary eyes changing glances between her withered son and her equally weary counsel friend. "She's my sister.." Seth trailed off. "I need her."
"Please, Seth, my boy.. You're rushing too fast into this game of cat and mouse. I can read what you and Sam are thinking of me in your souls; your youthful eyes do not well to hide emotions. And believe me honorable son, the other elders and I do not see it the way you think we do. We care about your sister, Seth; we just care too much about the rest of you to let you go and perhaps get equally harmed. You cannot deny us that right."
Seth almost bit through his lower lip and slumped back down in his seat, burying his head in his hands.
All of a sudden there was a loud bang.
All the eyes in the room shot upwards as Sam's fist slid down the bristled wall of the counsel house. Their Alpha was in such a state. Sam looked haggard, depressed and hardly capable of staying on his own two feet. Emily chewed her lip as she thought about rising up to help her fiancee, but Paul's hand on her wrist stopped her.
Sam was breathing heavily; fingers twitching and sweat was pouring down his russet forehead.
"I don't give an honest fuck, sir, what you 'condone' or not. I'm sorry." You could hear jaws hit the floor. No one honestly had the balls to call off an elder; in Taha Aki's ancient words, 'flaying ye elder with unflattering commentary earned thy youngster a red behind and a pouty face. In hell.'
"My word, Sam-"
"No. Don't you dare try and talk me down." Sam spat, turning to face Jacob's father. The man honestly looked like he was going to bolt up out of his wheelchair and run away, he looked so shaken. "Leah's out there, and I'm going to find her. I don't care if cops say it's impossible; or whether you insist it's a suicide mission I'm still gonna find her. The rest of you can fucking give up looking if you want."
Seth stood up as Sam turned away, and Jake did as well. Sue, Billy and Old Quil watched in awe as Sam approached the door. With a last glance backward, Sam said,
"I won't let her go."
And then he left the hall, with Seth and Jake tagging along behind. Emily approached the kind counsel members and began to murmur hasty apologies for her fiance's brash actions.
"It's so un-Sam-like.." Emily muttered, laying her hand over Old Quil's own. "But you have to believe me, good sir, he's so worried. I promise, the rest of us will keep our heads on our shoulders since Sam obviously can't at this difficult time-"
When Emily turned around again, the whole pack was gone.
-
Ever since the Volturi incident and Renesmee's birth, the wolf pack and the Cullens were maintaining their alliance. Jake and Seth actually stayed over there regularly; but when Leah went missing, the friendly vampires weren't surprised that Jake could hardly make time even for his imprint. Rosalie was quite happy, actually; she'd almost achieved her goal of ridding the house of the 'wet dog smell'.
So you could say she was pissed at first when that overpowering stench hit her notrils as soon as there was a knock at the door. Grumbling, Rosalie sashayed over the hardwood floor in her heels and pulled open the wide-set door.
If her heart was still beating, it surely would've broken as she saw the hopelessness, the pain etched onto the two Alpha's faces.
"....." Reluctantly, of course, she found herself silent; and without asking a question or saying a word the blonde vampire stepped aside and ushered the pack inside.
The half-naked men were drenched, water practically saturating the floors where they stood and the raw power of the wind having mussed their hair and reddened their cheeks and noses. All seven shifters walked slowly into the open house, their presence bringing attention into the living room.
Alice, fortune-teller extraordianaire, flitted down the stairs and stopped in her tracks at the bottom of the stairs at the worn out expressions on their faces; the growing loss of light in their eyes. Esme stepped silently out of the kitchen, took one look at the boys who had suddenly lost so much weight and stepped right back in, starting to prepare some sort of meal. Emmett was already in the living room, enjoying himself a hockey game. When they sat down, he shut off the television. Jasper's fists were clenched and Alice took his hand. This depression was such an overpowering emotion. Renesmee, the love of Jake's life apparently walked out of the kitchen as well, and walked over to her imprint. She wound her skinny arms around his muscled frame, burying her cool skin into the warmth of his moist shoulder. Jake simply rested his hand upon her arm; like saying this was not the time. And Bella, well the pain in her old best friend's eyes stopped her in her tracks like her fashionista sister.
"...Seth, don't think like that." All eyes moved upward to Edward, descending the stairs. Alice and Jasper parted like the red sea for him. "She's not my sister; in fact, Leah isn't that close to this family at all but seeing her in those situations still, it's painful." He muttered. The pain that he felt at reading those thoughts made it seem like his steel face would crack.
Seth looked down, burying his head in his hands.
Thunder cackled evilly outside in the midnight rain; day six. Tomorrow was a solid week that Leah Clearwater was missing. Tomorrow was a solid week that kept police choppers out of the sky because of tornado winds. The solid week mark that prevented search parties outside of the shifters to enter the woods and drive to the cities. So, who did that leave..?
"Will you help?" Edward's golden eyes centered on Sam. Fuck, he looked as worse as Leah's brother. His eyes were dark and tired; Jasped, Edward could tell from his brother's thoughts, was on edge trying desperately to revert Sam's mood and was becoming more frustrated as.. As his powers failed.
"Of course." Alice said. "I don't care what Edward says... And whether you guys smell like Lassie on a bender or not... You're a part of this family, to me. And to Edward, and to Esme and to everyone else. So is she.. And we'll help you find her."
"This family owes you that much and so much more." Carlisle stepped out from behind the wall hiding a hallway, briefcase in his hands. "Sam, I'm glad to see you've finally made your presence known in this house. We're very glad to have you." The respect and the dedication in the doctor's voice did little to help Sam's weary attitude.
He hated working with the enemy; literally or figuratively, he didn't care. But when Jake imprinted on Renesmee he was forced to deal with talk of them on a daily basis. And now, with the only girl he'd ever truly loved as his own gone missing.... Well, for her.. He would.
That was all he thought to say.
"...Thanks."
Sam nearly jumped out of his skin when a freezing hand was placed firmly on his shoulder and he whipped his head around. It was her; the blonde one. Jake went so far as to cock an eyebrow at the strange show of affection; he half expected Rosalie to try and throw Sam out of the house or something;... But then her thumb began a gentle stroking motion over the muscles in his shoulder. Jake could hardly believe it.
"We'll find her, Sam." It was the softest anyone in the mansion (could it really be considered a house?) had ever remembered hearing Rosalie's voice. Sam could only nod.
Edward, at the other end of the room, was busying himself by picking through their thoughts:
Embry: 'We've searched everywhere... All the way up to the Canadian border and back.'
Jared: 'I hope she's not doing this on purpose... Leah wouldn't do that, no.. Not for this long..'
Quil: 'Heh. Just when you started thinking that no voice can get more annoying. I wish she was here.'
Paul: 'I'll never live with myself if we don't find her.'
Jacob: 'My beta. My beta... My best friend, almost... How could I let her get hurt like that..?'
Seth: 'Please come home Leah.... I wonder; would they think I was completely lame if I started to cry right now..?'
Sam: 'You always fucking do this. You bring me to the edge and you send me right back again; with so much goddamn feeling in between that I don't know where to sleep at night... Well if you're strong enough to torment me, and you're bitchy enough to hold your own against the world I fully goddamn know that you're not dead. You're out there; and I'm gonna find you. I think I Lo.... Edward, get the fuck out of my head.'
Edward shook his head to relieve himself of the imagery; Leah crying, Leah falling to her knees in her bedroom as he left her, and Leah only standing, standing and watching as paramedics wheeled Sam's now-fiancee into the emergency room for a tattered face. The last bout of memory took him by surprise, though;
Well, it wasn't a memory; at least Edward didn't think it was. It was like.. It was like Sam was remembering a dream, pushing his stressed out mind to replay scenes he was too close to forgetting for his own comfort. Leah and himself in the throws of passion; then the room begins to shake and a terrible fissure splits the floor. The naked couple gets pulled to opposite ends of the room, and then Emily joins Sam on his end and takes his hand; he screams over his shoulder for Leah; but her side of the floor is moving too fastly away; she's gone.
Golden eyes went to Sam again; but by this time his thoughts had turned off and his face held more pain then a cancer patient. His hand was on the door and the Alpha turned to look at Edward.
"Well, instead of poking around in my head why don't you come help me search instead?" Sam growled out. Edward only nodded again. Rosalie, surprisingly joined Sam by the door (she was unwilling to admit her respect for the she-wolf to others, but she wasn't so vain has to hide the feelings from herself), and Emmett as well. Then came Jasper.
Alice would opt to stay behind so she could help Esme forcefeed the wolves who looked too tired to go on. Bella would as well and Jake needed Renesmee right now. Everyone sort of knew it was pointless to try and make Sam stay behind. In fact, Seth looked pained like he should be searching as well; one look from Sam sent the younger boy into the kitchen where he began piling food onto a plate.
Then they were gone. Wind hissed like a yowling cat as the door opened and blew shut again. Rain was still coming down in buckets; more like wet snow.
'Once more into the breach, dear friends.' Edward thought.
-
They searched into the dawn; they'd started at twilight and they still had nothing to show for it. Not a hair; not a paw print or a footprint. Nothing that had survived the savagery of the weather so far.
It was so dingy; so ominous and shadowy that even when dawn had broken over the high cliffs and seas of La Push that it seemed like an eclipse had possessed the new moon, still visible up high in the sky as the sun moved nearer to the equator.
Well I couldn't tell you, why she felt that way.
She felt it, every day.
And I couldn't help her; I just watched her make,
The same mistakes again.
They arrived back at the Cullens' place around nine AM. They'd scoured every dirt trail; treaded every over-flooded lake and creek and they'd dove from the cliffs they knew Leah loved so much. The radio was on.
What's wrong what's wrong now?
Too many too many problems.
Don't know where she belongs..
Where she belongs.
Plates were empty in the sink and Esme and Bella were scrubbing them; silent as the stars. Water dripped from the sodden five figures as they moved farther into the room.
Seth's eager eyes (broke Sam's heart) rose up from staring at the floor. They became reaquainted with the rug again in a second as he drew his answer from the stale faces. He was becoming used to them.
She wants to go home; but Nobody's Home.
That's where she lies;
Broken inside.
With no place to go, no place to go.
To dry her eyes.
Broken inside.
Edward was normally all too willing to assess thoughts and actions; observe what others could not. Not today. Not right then. (faintly, he wondered if he'd ever be able to look into the pack's minds again if they lost their sister.) The pain would break his hard exterior in half.
Sam dropped to his knees. Emmett grit his teeth and followed his newfound ally down, taking Sam's arm against his will and putting it over his shoulders. 'Not you too, Sammy.' Sam all but grumbled his thanks as Emmett helped him over to the nearest chair. The pack's weary eyes followed him, Jared standing at the ready with a cold cloth and a glass of water.
One look from Sam sent him away. (Who was in more danger here..? Sam, or Leah?)
Open your eyes; and look outside.
Find the reasons why,
You've been rejected;
And now you can't find, what you've left behind.
Bella and Esme seemed to stop their work. Their eyes drifted up to the window above the sink. The rain on the glass sent slinking fingers, marred shadows and reflections stretching across the floor in relation to the dim light.
Rosalie for once didn't move immediately to the mirror to check her matter hair; shaken with leaves and dirt and rainwater that aged her timeless face. She dropped onto the couch beside Seth and that was where she stayed.
Be strong be strong now;
Too many too many problems.
Don't know where she belongs.
Where she belongs.
Alice took Jasper's hand into her own and felt him shake. Knew the sadness was tearing her lover apart and could only hope that they stopped soon. Then cursed herself for thinking so dejectedly; she was not the one who'd lost her star to the moon, thanked her boyfriend silently for working so hard to fix things he didn't have a ghost of a chance with.
Renesmee's cheeks were as white as her parents' as she thought she saw Jacob cry. Well, not cry; one demure tear that he wipied away by the back of his massive hand as soon as it formed above his pronounced cheekbones. She'd never really liked Leah; in fact, she despised the girl as much as the only female shifter seemed to despise her. And then she remembered Leah getting her a birthday gift. 'You made her buy me one.' 'Yeah.' 'Then I don't want it.. It's not really from her.' 'Ness, I made her get you a card. The hamster was her idea.'
The little girl knew she'd never understand his pain and she clung to him for dear life.
She wants to go home; but Nobody's Home.
That's where she lies; broken inside.
With no place to go, no place to go;
To dry her eyes..
Broken inside.
Carlisle watched his family suffer; watched his friends in agony. Felt his heart being ripped in two by a defined force called guilt as he had recognized symptoms of depression in Leah Clearwater six months ago. Guilt wrenched his voicebox and forced the kind doctor silent as he watched her ex-lover on the brink of insanity, ignoring his fiancee's phone calls and fighting back the scream that was concealed in his muscled chest. If Sam would fight it; so would they.
Paul knew no one was looking at him; knew deep down below his hot exterior that no one would dare to because they didn't want another family member to disappear into the mouth of the deathstorm outside. Paul knew that was what they saw; he knew he thought beyond that. There were so many other dangers then that storm. Hell; Leah Clearwater was a storm all her own and he damn well knew it maybe a lot better than the rest of his friends did. Most of all though, Paul knew he was sorry. He was so goddamn sorry.
Her feelings, she hides;
Her dreams, she can't find;
She's losin' her mind, she's fallin' behind!
She can't find her place; she's losin' her faith;
She's fallen from grace she's all over the place..!
Yeah..
The music was the only thing that seemed to keep the noise of the storm at bay; the only thing that kept the occupants of the hollow walls connected. Because in their minds they saw separate pictures; in their hearts they felt different things. In their bodies they would suffer alone. Outside the bubble where common sounds played, everyone heard both; the storm or the music and be damned would they listen to the very thing that tore them and the world apart.
She wants to go home, but Nobody's Home.
That's where she lies; broken inside.
With no place to go, no place to go;
To dry her eyes.. Broken inside.
The silence seemed appropriate.
She's lost inside, lost inside.
She's lost inside, lost inside.