Seth came home from the Cullens' and went straight upstairs to his room, slamming the door behind him. Sue and Leah, seated in the living room as he flew by, exchanged a look. Leah followed him upstairs, knocking hesitantly on his door. Hearing no answer, she turned the knob, pushing the door open slowly.
"Get out," Seth ordered from his prone position, stretched out on his stomach on the bed. Leah ignored him and sat on the edge of the bed, stretching her hand tentatively toward his back. He slapped her hand away, rolling away from her.
"Come on, Bro, you know I'm not leaving until you tell me," Leah cajoled. "You might as well get it over with."
"There's nothing you can do about it, Leah. Paris has decided that there's no future for a werewolf-vampire couple, and there's no arguing with her. So go away and leave me alone."
"Seth, she's known you were a werewolf since she met you. Why is it a problem all of a sudden?"
"Leah, we talk about everything. We were having a conversation today and I tried to explain about imprinting. I told her it could happen to me anytime, that it's a threat we all live with, and what happened to you when Sam imprinted on Emily. She freaked. She said she's not willing to set herself up for a fall like that, and you know what? I don't blame her." He looked so miserable it broke Leah's heart.
"Oh, Seth, I'm sorry. I've been using that excuse for years, never allowing anyone to get close to me because it could all be taken away. I've finally decided that I want to live my life, and in order to do that I have to take a chance. Jake could imprint on someone tomorrow, and it scares me to death. For that matter, so could I. But what's the alternative? Should I hide in my room for the rest of my life to avoid the possibility of being hurt?"
"I know you're trying to help, Leah, but we have to live with that threat. Vampires don't."
"Sorry, Seth. I realize I'm preaching to the choir. I just hope Paris will think it through and reconsider."
As Leah came back down the stairs, she found Jacob and Paris talking with Sue in the living room. Paris nodded to Leah as she passed, then proceeded up the stairs to Seth's room. Ten minutes later, they came down hand in hand. "Where did Leah and Jake go, Mom?" Seth asked.
"I think they headed out to the beach," Sue replied. Paris and Seth proceeded in that direction, still holding hands. They found Leah and Jacob huddled together on the rocky shore and quietly joined them.
Paris was the first to speak. "I don't know how you guys live with this hanging over your heads," she said sadly.
Leah looked at her and said quietly, "What choice do we have?" They all contemplated the implications silently, each couple leaning into each other for support and encouragement. "I guess the question is, do you realize that Seth is worth the risk?" Leah finally asked Paris. Instead of answering, Paris took Seth's face in her hands and kissed him tenderly.
As the group came back toward the house, the smell of fresh baked cookies beckoned them in. "Paris, would you hand me that last cookie sheet?" Sue asked the only one of the group who wouldn't eat them. Paris grinned at her, grabbed the cookie sheet, and scooped a cookie into Seth's mouth, while Leah and Jake each snagged a cookie and fed them to each other. Sue sighed in mock defeat.
As the boisterous young people made their way into the living room, Sue smiled. Her house was full and alive again, just the way she liked it.