Epilogue... 6 Long Months Later.
Clear skies as far as the eye could see.
A black night, set ablaze by a million tiny stars; the setting for a beautiful beginning, or an epic ending.
For once, everything just seems right.
The sparks of the La Push bonfire floated upward into the brilliant ebony sky, flankers tossing and turning and cartwheeling like bursts of sparkle as they disappeared and burnt into forever. The sand was warm beneath their feet... But it was cooler down by the sea.
Low voices murmured sometimes. All of the time actually but it was calm chatter; calm water under a bridge, out across the long-forgotten horizon. Hands were held, smiles were exchanged and laughter rang loud and clear, cackling across the white beach for miles.
Old Quil told his stories later on... A master of excitement, tranquility, and knowledge as he spun the woven tales of Taha Aki, and the brave Third Wife.
Only the pack was so much more amazed, having lived the emotion; lived the tragedy, and felt the adrenaline of a life spun into a morbid fairytale.
The boys had seen sacrifice.
Cruelty.
Carnage.
Hopelessness.
And Revelation, and Love.
They discovered so much more.
Billy clasped his hands in his lap, and looked at her across the fire.
Her torn face scarcely left them. Her scars an ugly memory she would forever live with, a constant reminder of the pain she had suffered for the man she loved so dearly.. Only to have it all fall to pieces in the blink of an eye. She sat beside her aunt on the seating logs, and Billy could tell Sue was pretending not to notice.
They had all seen those looks before.
No one could feel sorry for her.
He turned his attention to his son. Jacob sat beside Sam and Seth on the log, watching her too. Not Emily, but he watched Leah. Billy felt pride. His son bore his own scars now. His own wounds from a battle well-fought and a story well-lived. Jacob's eyes hadn't landed on Bella and Edward once, though they were present; his gaze flickered to Renesmee every now and again but the little girl understood.. Not enough time had passed, and they wouldn't feel safe letting her out of their sight. Jacob included. His eyes traced Leah as if they had shared something secret; forbidden with one another. And secret it was going to stay.
The little brother suddenly didn't seem so little; Seth was larger than life. His face had not lost the barest trace of innocence the tribe had cried for; but only his eyes had gained the knowledge and the ability to love passionately; see things for what they were. New abilities he held close, new responsibilities and a new title of Man of the House he was proud to have; because what sort of boy could live through something so heartbreaking and soul shattering and still come out bright the other end? 'Stay gold', Seth. That's the story she used to read to him.
The scorned brother had done well to make up for his bitterness and now he tried to see things a different way. It was a healing path; everyone understood, and tried to help Paul with everything in their power and still she would forever be the biggest influence in his life. Rachel held his heart; Leah held his hand. Paul sought redemption with all the same passion Leah fought for her family; and supposedly, she didn't need him kneeling and begging and ten boxes of caramel chocolates. Apparently 'meaning it' was good and plenty. Rachel found an astounding limit on his vocabulary over the last few months... 'Bitch' left his mouth an amazing three times. (Directed at the lawnmower.)
Little Claire sat upon big Quil's lap with her cute little curls and dimpled cheeks. Bundled up despite the warmth of the night, legs tucked under the hem of Quil's Bench jacket and clutching close her little bunny rabbit stuffed animal. Such innocence; yet even she seemed to know something had changed remarkably on the small Rez, the place she'd known for barely four years of her young life. Not that the rez itself had changed of course; just the people in it. On some of her walks now, when Quil was babysitting she found herself sharing his hands; she held the left and Leah held the right.
(But Leah always brought her a pack of bubble gum when she came; it was all good.)
Kim found it hard to concentrate on the girl who had survived and saved so much.. Perhaps it made her a bad person, to see Leah as the destroyer of so much as well? Now Emily, one of her closest friends sat broken and alone by herself; no man to keep her warm on this open-skies night. Maybe Kim was paranoid.. Because her Jared had changed so much. His arm was still around her shoulders of course as he sat beside her; but his eyes didn't meet her face twice the entire night and he was thinking, too; so much it made Kim uncomfortable. When he got home, at first she was as happy as ever.. Thrilled even, when Jared apologized for every remotely-ill (Imprints really can't be that mean) word and sentiment he had ever said to her; because apparently he'd learned some girls take stuff like that more to heart than others. Now, with Sam's revelation, Kim found herself worried Jared would try to follow along his Alpha's footsteps... Break the bond that held them together.
Another boy feared change as well. Embry had, after all, shared the position of 'alone' with Leah for years. No imprint; no girlfriend. Sometimes that was why he'd wondered why she kicked up such a fuss.. He got along fine with no one. Why couldn't she? And then he remembered she had loved and lost; he had never loved at all. Now he feared change; because Leah was not alone any longer. She'd taken Sam back... Now Seth and himself were the only single members of the pack. Embry was surprised though. Now it was indeed more different than ever. Leah watched movies with him on Wednesday night; they'd gone swimming the Thursday before. He wasn't alone. Not really.
(And he was going to ensure the same for her. Embry would go homicidal on Sam if he so much as put a toe out of line.)
Sue was seated beside the girl who caused her daughter so much grief. But then of course, that would be leaving herself out of the equation.. And that wasn't right. Edward, the Cullen boy and Sam himself had had a long talk with her, when she arrived at the invented hospital to see her daughter. She had learned so much. It came down to Leah not always being 'right'... But everyone's lack of understanding. Mrs. Clearwater was sure to explain to Charlie Swan why they should hold off their engagement for a year or so, perhaps; ..Was sure to sit Emily down, and do what should've been done three years ago.
('Stand aside; let them be happy.')
Edward watched her from across the dancing crimson and sapphire flames; the beautiful once-broken girl with piercing eyes; the one who had managed to make him realize what was truly important in the few weeks they had spent together, fighting for her life. She met his intense gaze and smiled while he heard her whisper in her mind, Thank you. His expression changed from curiosity and wonder at the extraordinary woman to knowledge and appreciation as he looked around at what mattered the most to him; his love, Bella and his life, Renesmee, all while whispering his silent gratitude to the smoky-eyed wonder, Thank you Leah.
Rosalie stood among them. Odd, considering her lack of fondness for the wolves. Yet she couldn't help but relate to Leah; she couldn't help but love and admire her; the beautiful, fearless woman, who put even Rose to shame. She was the one who had won Rosalie's respect, a hard thing to do.
Jasper could sense her, the tenor of her being. She was strong, but everyone knew that. She was brave and unafraid, nothing new. Now she was anxious, and afraid. Of judgment? He didn't know. He reached out to her, caressing her with his calm. She deserved it and more.
She was nervous... She was so calm.
Sam rubbed his hands soothingly up and down her goosebump-infested arms.
"Are you sure? You don't have to do this.. Not if you're not ready."
"I'm as ready as I'll ever possibly be.." Her beautiful smokey eyes cast out upon the rocky shore; the dark skyline, and the calmly thrashing sea.
"Besides", she continued, "What's left that could possibly go wrong?"
Sam looked up at the stars.
"I suppose.. It could be raining."
She laughed. After all they had been through Sam knew he would never ever tire of that sound. Not in a hundred years, not a million, a million and one; never.
"You're right.. It could be raining."
Sam lifted the black and blue guitar and placed it in her awaiting hands.
"I've waited so long."
"I've waited longer." Leah gave him a small smile then.. Gently squeezed his hand (Sam loved the presence of the new gem), and then turned her back on him. The wind whipped her hair and Sam's eyes easily flew over the etched scar of her survival burned into her shoulder, and out once more towards the sea.
Then he went and sat down again.
Leah took her own seat, at the head of the large circle and let her eyes flick over at the smoldering, glowing faces around her.
Quil Senior cleared his throat; a surprisingly loud noise for such an old, quiet man and that turned eyes on him first, who then directed them to Leah. Guitar poised in her lap and arms, she felt she was finally ready.
The people she'd loved most finally saw past the 'magic' and realized who they truly were.
It was time for Leah to show them the same.
She'd put it on paper at the Cullens'.. In the 'hospital'. It was a long work in progress.. She didn't want Sam or the boys to see it, and there weren't many moments when they weren't around after that. Leah was happy for that, too. She'd written a few words when she was chained up in that room; dark, and alone. Using the pictures in her dreams, the words in her heart... The rest she'd charted as she lay in Sam's arms, dying and hurt.
"I.. I wrote this a while ago. Honestly, didn't really think I'd get the chance to sing it... But apparently life can surprise you. Even if it seems kinda dark sometimes.. Kinda not worth it."
Her eyes sought out his; sought out their's.
"It is, though;... You just gotta wait long enough, search hard enough and work hard enough to find the reasons why." The wind was blowing her hair, just so. Sam thought it was beautiful, and wondered how he'd ever made that choice.
Her throat was dry. 'Please.. Please don't mess up.'
"Hopefully.. You'll listen... Learn, maybe... What's worth fighting for; ..And that love really, can't ever die." Leah tried to crack a smile; her fingers twitched on the strings.
And then she began to sing.
"Everybody needs inspiration...;
Everybody needs a song;
A beautiful melody..
When the night's so long.
'Cause there is no guarantee...
That this life is easy..!
Yeah when my, world is fallin' apart
When there's no, light to break up the dark
That's When I..;
I, Look At You.
When the waves, are flooding the shore and I can't,
Find my way home anymore
That's When I,
I, I Look At You."
Sam's heart swelled.
Come to think of it, everyone's did. It was beautiful. Leah looked and sounded so beautiful.
"When I Look At You,
I see forgiveness..;
I see the truth..
You love me for who I am;
Like the stars hold the moon..!
Right there where they belong..
And I know I'm not alone..!
Yeah when my, world is fallin' apart
When there's no, light to break up the dark
That's When I..;
I, I Look At You.
When the waves, are flooding the shore and I can't,
Find my way home anymore,
That's When I,
I, I Look At You.."
Some part of him, a little part, still couldn't believe it. She sang like he had saved her. It couldn't have been more opposite... And then there was that part of him that admitted, that maybe.. They'd saved eachother. In the knick of time.
(Then that little part of Sam told him to stop friggen thinking and let the girl sing; because it was breathtaking.)
"You; Appear, just like a dream to me;
Just; like, kaleidoscope colors that
Prove to me, all I need; every breath, that I breathe;
Don't you know,
You're beautiful...?
Yeah, yeah!
When the waves, are flooding the shore
And I can't, find my way home anymore
That's When I..;
I, I Look At You...!
I Look At You...
Yeah, yeah yeah... Oh.."
'I Love You.' The aquamarine blue engagement ring glinted on her finger as it struck the final chords.
"You, appear, just like a dream to me... "
Jacob smiled that beautiful smile with teeth white enough to light up the night sky.
Seth's pride beamed in his chest; his happiness and adoration for his sister shining through.
Quil clapped his hands with nothing but admiration.
Embry clapped too; he was just proud. Proud of her, proud of himself.. Of everyone.
Paul was in a state of amazement. He'd never seen himself here... But he was glad he was.
Jared smiled at her; his arm twitched around Kim's shoulders. He had some thinking to do.
Sam stood up as the eager audience continued to clap, and beat feet across the sand to his LeeLee as fast as he could. Wrapping his large arms around her he swept her up from the chair and spun her around in the warm night air; loving how the moon made her heart-shaped engagement ring sparkle.. Aquamarine blue, set in gold.
(not a replacement, for something once as special lost... A continuation for something much more important.)
"I love you so, so much. Forever."
As the couple looked forward to what would likely be a shining sunny tomorrow, everyone knew that perhaps the promise hadn't been broken after all.
So this is what it all adds up to.. It's hard to say just what sort of path in life this sequence of events has lead the people involved on. But me, I'd say this was a test; for Leah, Sam and the ones they love.
And I think they did pretty good.
In a world of good, evil, hate, love, fear, destiny... They made their own choices.
They chose love; and family.
And, well.. Isn't that kinda the whole point?
Trust me guys, there's no doubt; endings are hard. The fans are always gonna bitch and complain, people are gonna be dissatisfied with what was focused on and what wasn't, who lived and who died... But then again;...
Nothing ever really ends, does it?
Soundtrack
Natural Disaster-Alexz Johnson
Boston-Augustana
Into The Ocean-Blue October
I'm Burnin' For You-Blue Oyster Cult
Come In With The Rain-Taylor Swift
Breathe-Taylor Swift
Keep On Loving You-REO Speedwagon
Silent Lucidity-Queensryche
Love Hurts-Nazareth
Before The Storm-Miley Cyrus Jonas
Simple Man-Lynyrd Skynyrd
Passing Afternoon-Iron And Wine
Stand In The Rain-Superchick
Gunnin'-Hedley
Fall To Pieces-Avril Lavigne
Nobody's Home-Avril Lavigne
No Sound But The Wind-Editors
New Divide-Linkin Park
Hate Me-Blue October
Life After You-Daughtry
Live And Let Die-Guns N' Roses
My Immortal-Evanescence
21 Guns-Green Day
Better Than Me-Hinder
Over-Lindsay Lohan
When I Look At You-Miley Cyrus