Adam's POV
I felt something in me relax when I saw her hanging above the stage. It was easy to see her, even without the spotlight. She was, as she'd warned me she would be, twinkling like a crazy Christmas tree. I grinned as she posed with her head tilted curiously and her hand cupped around her ear when 'Captain Hook' tiptoed onto the stage. I tried to watch the rest of the skit, but I found it hard to pull my eyes away from Leia. I was able to get the gist of the scene though.
As 'Captain Hook' poisoned Peter's medicine, Leia hovered above the scene in her twinkling green costume, looking on in horror. Angela chuckled wickedly as she monologued about Hook's evil plan to the crowd. Edward was 'asleep' underneath the hammock. Or perhaps he'd been knocked unconscious that last time the rope contraption had dumped him in the floor. As Angela laughed her way off the stage, the pixie scolded the pirate with appropriate bell-like, angry chimes. Someone, probably Leia's sister Alice, had rigged the sound system to play appropriate noises.
As soon as Angela disappeared, Edward sat up, managing to entangle himself briefly in the hammock again. I chuckled quietly. His whole routine with the hammock had been hilarious. It was almost surreal seeing the usually somber vampire doing comedy, but he managed to pull it off. While he was getting himself untangled, Leia swooped around on the rigging she was in and came in for a landing. Way, way too fast.
"Sit down," Jacob hissed, his hand on my shoulder before I even realized I was halfway out of my seat. I made myself sit back as she crashed to the stage. I knew it wouldn't hurt her, but it was hard to convince my heart of that. It was thudding like crazy. She landed and skidded a foot or two on her backside as pixie dust rained down around her, glitter that she must have tossed on the way down. About half the audience laughed, and a few gasped in concern. My fears and theirs were quickly proven silly when she jumped to her feet and toewalked to the edge of the stage to shake her finger towards the sounds of mirth beyond the bright footlights.
Leia then stuck her nose in the air and whirled away from the laughter, walking gracefully, still on her toes, towards the table where Edward was examining the cup of medicine that 'Wendy' had left and that 'Hook' had poisoned. She grabbed it from his hands and made as if to pour it out. Edward stopped her.
"That's my medicine, Tink. I promised Wendy to drink it. Give it back." Edward and Leia played a little game of tug o'war with the cup as the pixie chimed desperately at her youthful companion.
"Poison? Oh, Tink, Wendy wouldn't poison me. You're just being silly." The chiming became discordant and angry.
"Hook? Oh, that's just ridiculous. Hook doesn't know how to find our treehouse. Its a secret." Leia let go of the cup then and turned away, looking guilty as she wrung her hands. The soft chiming tones sounded almost sad this time.
"You...you told him? I don't believe it. I won't. You're just jealous because you think I like Wendy better than I like you. I will take my medicine, because I promised." Edward played incredibly stubborn very well and the pixie, desperate, grabbed the cup from him before he could drink it and tossed back the contents.
"Tink!" Edward sounded very angry and he grabbed Leia's wrist. She opened her hand and the wooden cup clattered to the floor as she began to gasp softly for air and clutched at her throat with her free hand. I knew it was just an act, but my heart ached at the sight. All hints of comedy seemed lost now and a hush settled across the crowd.
"Tink, that's not funny. I don't want to play games now." Edward sounded less angry now, unsure. He released Leia's wrist and she stumbled away from him, staggering like a drunken, sparkling green butterfly. Her tiny wings shimmered as she began to shake. She came all the way to the edge of the stage, directly in front of me, and balanced there on one toe, flailing her arms to try and maintain her balance. I clutched the arms of my seat so that I didn't reach out as if to catch her if she fell. Pixie dust aka glitter exploded around her, falling across our laps. There were a few chuckles over the sound of frightened, jangling chimes.
Edward reached out then and grabbed her flailing arm, flinging her away from the edge. Away from me. I heard a snap under my hands and was only slightly concerned that I might have broken the armrest. I was too busy watching as Leia twisted and flailed across the stage, a mad dance that only she could make look graceful. She landed on the hammock and it flipped her over. She landed on her back, her legs straight up in the air. I couldn't resist a little chuckle this time.
"Tink!" Edward scrambled on the floor, pushing the hammock out of the way with enough force that it crashed into the back of the treehouse background, making it shudder. I winced and cringed, waiting for it to topple backwards. It didn't, so I focused back on the boy and his pixie. Edward pulled the little fairy into his arms and cradled her gently.
"Oh, Tink. You really drank poison for me? Why did you do that?"
As the twinkling lights about her body began to slow and dim, the sound of quiet, sighing windchimes spoke for the dying Tinkerbell. The hush settled over the crowd again as they watched the poignant moment.
"I do love you, Tinkerbell. You're my most loyal companion. Don't die, Tink." Edward's angst was almost tangible and his words anguished. I was close enough to see Edward's eyes and I noticed the haunted memories lurking there, something I didn't think was just acting. Something about this moment touched Leia's brother deeply. I felt a chill creep up my spine as I wondered what he might be remembering. At that moment, his eyes met mine and held for just the briefest moment, communicating a pain so deep it would have brought me to my knees had I not been sitting down. He broke the gaze first and looked back down at Leia as the chimes spoke for her one last time. The twinkling lights on her costume flickered once and then went out.
There was a brief moment of complete quiet that was broken by an angry screech from the wings of the stage. It might not have been heard by most of the crowd, but I know the first few rows heard it. I saw Edward flick a glare towards the wings for the second time tonight before he picked up his act, the moment of grief broken. He jumped up, dropping his pixie companion like a sack of rocks. I blinked, surprised by the heavy thud Leia made as she hit the stage. As Edward raced to the front of the stage, Leia propped herself up on one elbow and glared at his back, rubbing the back of her head. When Edward glanced back at her, she dropped back to the stage in a dramatic swoon. I noticed that she reattached the wires to her flying rig at that time.
"So, clap if you believe in fairies!" Edward was demanding of the audience, and most of them complied. I grinned as I joined in, along with Sarah. Jacob rolled his eyes and crossed his arms across his chest.
"I'm not about to support belief in freaking fairies. God knows we don't need another supernatural creature loose in Forks." My packmate's mutter made me stiffle a chuckle, but I kept on clapping until Leia's costume twinkled again and she rose gracefully with a wordless 'tadah' and then flew around the stage while Edward crowed his delight. And then the curtain squeaked closed to thunderous applause. As with all the other acts, friends and family stood up to show their support. I shot to my feet about the same time as Sarah. Jacob didn't move, but he was clapping at least.
When the curtain finally opened again, all the people that had performed tonight were there to take a bow. Then the emcee asked us all to wait patiently while the judges tallied their scores. The talent was advised to either wait backstage or go sit with their families. I watched as Edward jumped down off the stage and then reached up to help Bella, and then Leia. I expected them all to head for the Cullens and Charlie, who was seated just in front of Carlisle and Esme. I was very pleasantly surprised when Leia broke ranks and skipped over to take the empty seat beside me. Jacob muttered a quick greeting and Sarah gave her a bright smile, which Leia must have seen through my eyes because she returned it before turning her attention to me.
"I'm so glad you came. Did you like it?" she asked, her lips close to my ear so she wouldn't have to shout due to the sudden surge in noise as everyone in the audience began talking. She laid her hand on my arm and despite the chill of her touch, I felt a shock of awareness that ran the length of my arm. I heard her soft gasp of surprise and knew she'd felt it too. I couldn't stop myself from covering her hand with my own, fearful that she would pull away. When she only leaned in closer, pressing her hard curves against my whole arm, it was all I could do not to howl my good fortune. Instead, I tried to answer her question.
"It was great. You were perfect." My words were uttered into her perfect ear, my face close enough to the side of her head that one of the curls that had escaped from her pixie styled topknot brushed against my cheek. I inhaled deeply, noticing as I had last weekend that her scent, though sweet, did not turn my stomach like the other Cullen's. I wondered if the imprint had somehow altered the way I perceived it. She smelled like an explosion of honeysuckle with a hint of citrus.
"Thank you." Her soft words sounded unsteady and I wondered if, perhaps, I affected her as much as she did me. I didn't want to get my hopes up, but I had come here tonight to tell Leia about the imprint.
"Just telling the truth. Uh, I was wondering if you might be free tonight. After this wraps up and everything. I wanted to talk to you about something." Leia didn't draw back, but I felt her tense against me. She tilted her head as if listening to something. Then she relaxed.
"Okay. Did you want to meet at Bella's?" she asked hesitantly.
"No, I was thinking maybe we could go by the studio for an hour or two. Then I can drive you back to Bella's?" I made it into a question and she nodded. Then she turned her face up towards mine and smiled. The beauty of it took my breath away and I struggled to remember how to breathe. She tugged gently on her hand and stood.
"I need to let Carlisle and Esme know what I'm doing." She frowned then, the grimace making her smooth brown furrow ever so slightly. "I might have to do some negotiating."
"I asked Edward and he didn't think they'd mind," I said helpfully. The furrow on her brow deepened.
"You talked to Edward?" She sounded surprised. I saw her turn her face just slightly towards where the Cullens were seated. "Odd he didn't mention that to me. I'll find you after the awards."
I remembered vividly my conversation with Edward. I had emailed Bella, asking her to ask Edward to meet me in the old toolshed down from Bella's last night. I knew he could read minds and I knew that would come in handy when I tried to convince him that I needed his baby sister like the air I breathe.
"You did what?" The low, rumbling growl underlying the words made me cringe. I'd known he was coming, of course. I could smell him from a long way off. He appeared in the doorway of the shed and he was half crouched in a threatening pose. I shook with the need to phase, to protect myself. But I couldn't, I wouldn't. This was Leia's favorite brother and she would never forgive me if I hurt him. He snorted softly, having heard my thoughts.
"Don't be so concerned, Talldeer. I think I could hold my own. Now, answer me this. How the hell did you pull a stunt like this? There is no way you imprinted on my sister. No way." He was growling still, but he had straightened out of his threatening crouch. I breathed a sigh of relief and managed to stop shaking.
"It's not something I did, Cullen. It just happened. You think its easy for me? Most of the pack wants to rip you and yours to shreds and since this happened, a couple of them would just as soon rip me to shreds as well. As much as I like Leia, I wouldn't have asked for his to happen." No, I really wouldn't have. Not so much because I didn't like Leia. Hell, I'd entertained romantic thoughts about her even before the imprint. But I wasn't a glutton for punishment and I knew the possibility of Leia agreeing to let me be around her was nearly non-existent.
"I think you need to worry more about the possibility that I would let you anywhere near her. You just said the pack wants to rip us to shreds, and with this, I'm sure Leia's a prime target."
"Sam wouldn't allow that. It would kill me. Of all your family, she's the only one that none of the pack will touch, no matter what," I said this quietly. Edward narrowed his eyes at me and I know he knew that was the truth. He nodded.
"So, you want to be the one to tell her, then." His comment was more resigned than angry and I relaxed a little more.
"Yes. She needs to know. I swear to you, I don't expect anything from her. I just don't want her finding out from someone else," I said sincerely. Edward looked at me, his gold eyes cold and his expression harsh. After several moments in which I was sure he was sifting through my thoughts, he finally nodded.
"Tomorrow night after the talent show."
So here I was, watching her move across the auditorium towards her family. I marveled as I always did at her grace. I turned back towards Jacob and Sarah and they were both staring at me. Jacob's expression was resigned and just a little surprised. Sarah was positively beaming. I just grinned and sat back, fighting the urge to turn and stare at Leia with her family. I would see her soon enough, and even have her all to myself for a time. Now, I just had to decide the best way to break the news of my imprint to her. Sarah reached over Jacob and laid her hand on my arm.
"She'll be okay with it, Adam. I know she will." Her quiet reassurance helped clear some of my niggling doubts. But not all. Leia might think of me as a dear friend and she obviously didn't share most of her families prejudice against the wolves, but what would she think when I told her that I needed to be near her as much as possible just to keep my sanity intact? That she was the moon and I, like the tide, rose and fell to the rhythm of her existance? Even if she never thought of me as more than a dear friend, I hoped she would grant me the right to be close to her. The alternative was a short, miserable life in which not only I would suffer, but my sister as well.
Leia's POV
I couldn't help the sudden surge of joy I felt when Adam took my hand and escorted me inside the dance studio. For the first time in months, we were finally alone together without witnesses or responsibilites to distract us. I couldn't help the way I felt when we were together, like something that was missing suddenly clicked into place. I knew expecting anything beyond friendship was unrealistic, however, so I struggled to be fine with 'just friends'. How could I not when I had promised my family over and over that it was all we could be?
"Congratulations on second place," Adam said quietly. I grinned.
"Alice was so disappointed. She wanted first place. But Meeka deserved it. She plays piano beautifully," I said sincerely. Then I smiled up at him and pulled away, going to my favorite spot. I perched on the half wall that separated the main studio from the office areas. Adam leaned back against the wall next to me, his hip pressed against my thigh. I rested my hand on his shoulder, letting his warmth seep into my cold palm through his thin t-shirt. When I looked through his eyes, I could see us in the mirrors across the dance floor.
"So, what did you need to talk about?" I asked after a moment of comfortable silence.
"You know that Jacob imprinted on Sarah, right? And I explained what that means?" he asked hesitantly. I nodded my head.
"I think so. He will never love another woman and his goal in life is to make her happy. Kind of like soulmates, only onesided. I really am glad Sarah loves Jacob back," I said thoughtfully. Adam smiled wryly.
"Yeah, Jake would be miserable without her. Sarah says that she feels for him, too. Not a desparate, souldeep need like Jake has for her. But there's a connection there. I personally think imprinting can't be completely one sided. There has to be a reason why we imprint on who we do, and it isn't always a romantic connection. Look at Quil and Claire."
"I'm still not sure that doesn't creep me out a little, Adam. She's just a toddler," I said, thinking back over the conversations we'd had about imprinting. Adam sighed.
"He doesn't look at her like that, and he won't until she's old enough to choose whether to be his mate or just to be his friend." Adam's voice was quiet now, almost frustrated. I had a feeling the pack had to try and explain Quil's connection to Claire quite a bit. Evidently I wasn't the only one that thought imprinting on a toddler was weird, but I shrugged it off. Adam didn't think anything of it so I could let it go.
"Speaking of imprinting, how's Leah?" I asked softly. Adam grimaced.
"As well as can be expected. That whole situation is completely messed up and unfortunately it highlights the darker side of imprinting. Jacob and Sarah were blessed to be in a relationship when he imprinted on her. The rest of the pack is careful not to get too serious with anyone."
And with those words, I felt my heart break just a little. I had never really thought about imprinting before, not in regards to Adam. I realized now that all my agonizing over whether I wanted something more than friendship with Adam was for naught. He would find his soulmate someday and the closer I allowed myself to be to him, the more devastated I would be when he was forced to choose some beautiful human girl over me.
And then it hit me, why he needed to talk to me. To tell me we could never be more than friends. It was a good thing I couldn't blush, or I'd be as red as an overripe tomato. Evidently I had been more forward than I'd thought and he knew I harbored romantic feelings for him. That or Edward had hinted about it when they'd spoken earlier, hoping that Adam would be gentleman enough to let me down easy.
"Oh, I see." I took my hand off his shoulder and clasped my hands in my lap. I was proud that my voice was steady and, I hoped, soothing. "It's okay, Adam. You're a dear friend and that will always be enough."
"What?" Adam sounded confused, and then he gasped. "No, oh no, Leia, that's not what I meant. I mean, it is what I meant but only if you didn't want..."
"Adam." I reached back up and patted his cheek, a little confused by his stumbling speech but wanting to reassure him that whatever he needed to say I was okay with it. "It's okay, whatever you need to tell me. Just spit it out."
Adam reached up and caught my hand against his cheek with his warm fingers. He wasn't looking at me, but instead at the mirror on the wall two feet to our right. It was as close as he could come to looking into my eyes since I wasn't wearing my glasses tonight. I saw the wariness there, and the hope.
"You're my imprint," he said at last. Despite the fact that my eyes were completely useless, I blinked rapidly, sure I'd heard him wrong.
"Come again?" I asked incredulously. I saw panic flash across his beautiful dark eyes and I reached up to touch his wrist. Wasn't that impossible? "Seriously? How?"
"I've been able to see three other imprints at work, Leia. It's the same feeling, the same need to be with you, to make you the happiest girl in the world. Romantically or not, Leia, you're the only woman for me now. As for how, I don't know." Adam's quiet words were at odds with the shaky tone of his voice.
I was flabbergasted. I had always thought that was a crazy word until I felt the combination of shock, joy and panic all at the same time. For once, the crazy word fit. Then reality set in and the joy dissapated as the panic mellowed into concern.
"Oh Adam, god, I'm sorry," I said, knowing that imprinting on a vampire would be the worst thing any werewolf could do. Adam was the only member of his pack that had been willing to accept me, befriend me even, despite what he knew about my kind. I could only imagine the things he had to deal with on a daily basis from his peers because of this. Friendship with one of the enemy was one thing, but being tied to them for life was quite another.
"Oh, Leia, you have nothing to be sorry for. Neither of us had any control over this and nothing can change it. Are you...does it bother you? I promise I can try to keep our contact to a minimum, like we have been. It will be enough, I swear." He turned his face away from the mirror, but I still felt him tense up under my hand. I sighed softly.
"Adam, you are and will always be one of my very dearest friends. I don't mind being around you, honestly. I'm just worried about you, what the pack could do to you for daring to be tied down in any shape, form or fashion to a bloodsucker." The last word was growled softly, as I remembered Sam's disdain in the meadow and Jacob's barely controlled anger the two previous times I had been around him. Granted when I'd seen him through Adam's eyes at school, he had seemed more resigned than angry. Like Edward had been.
"No more worried than I am about your family, Leia. Hell, do they think of us as any better than animals? Stinking dogs, your sister called us. I'll never be good enough for you in their eyes," Adam asked, his frustration evident in both his tone and the grimace I felt under my hand. This was the first time we had broached the subject of our families and how much their mutual dislike affected us. Best to clear the air now.
"Not all of them feel that way, Adam. Carlisle and Esme would love to meet you. I trust you, so they are willing to give you the benefit of the doubt," I said quietly. "I'll be honest, though. Alice is bitter because she can't see when you're involved, my brothers are being overprotective and Rosalie is just...Rosalie. I have no excuse for her but if you are around enough, maybe she'll get over herself."
"Really? Your parents want to meet me?" Adam sounded surprised, then his tone changed to one of cautious joy. "Wait, what do you mean, if I'm around enough? Does that mean you want me around?"
"That's never been a problem, Adam. I'll always want you around. It's just so hard when everything seems to be working to keep us apart. But this, you imprinting on me, that's the first thing that seems to be working for us. Something bigger than all the ingrained natural instincts our people have against one another. But will it be enough? Will your pack let you be with me?"
"They have no choice. You are my imprint and try as they might to deny it, they cannot hide from the truth. It just might take some time for them to come to terms with it," Adam said resolutely. I nodded and sighed.
"Then we will give them time, both your family and mine, to get used to the idea. We'll take it slow."
"Exactly what are we taking slow, Leia? I need to know what my boundaries are. Do you want more than friendship or does the thought...disgust you?" Adam asked hesitantly. I paused to consider what he was asking. No matter in what capacity, be it friend or something more, I was drawn to this man. I didn't think I was ready for a romantic relationship, at least not anything near as intense as the kind of love Bella and Edward shared, but I was willing to see where our friendship could lead.
"The thought does not disgust me, Adam. But if our friendship grows into something more, it will have to move very slowly. I'm not sure I'm ready for a serious romantic relationship. And more importantly, I don't think our families are ready for us to have a serious romantic relationship. I don't want us turning into a Romeo and Juliet cliche," I said the last with just a hint of humor reflected in my tone. I heard him snort softly and felt him nod. But he was smiling again.
"Patience is my middle name. I can do slow," he promised. In response I gently stroked his warm cheek with my hand and gave him a somewhat shy smile. His smile turned into a full fledged grin under my hand. "So...would it be moving too fast to ask you out to the movies? I mean, friends do that."
"No, I don't think that's too fast. I'd love to go to the movies with you," I said softly. Adam whooped quietly and threw his arms around me in a warm embrace and nuzzled his face into my hair. I sighed, trying to decide if hair nuzzling was considered a friendly gesture or a romantic gesture. Romantic, probably, but I couldn't find it in my heart to care. So I very gently lifted my arms and wound them around his waist, holding him to me. I heard him take several deep breaths and was puzzled.
"How do I smell to you? I thought all vampires smelled bad to your kind," I murmured into his shoulder.
"Honeysuckle and lemon," he murmured in return. "I don't know if its just because of the imprint, or what, but you don't smell like the rest of your family to me. Sweet, yes, but not like, stomach turning. What about me. Do I really smell that bad to you?"
Honeysuckle and lemon? No one in my family had ever mentioned those scents to me. Edward had once told me I smelled of wildflowers and sunshine, when I had asked how the rest of the family perceived my scent. But then, the wolves seemed to perceive smells differently than vampires, so maybe that was why I smelled differently to him. Of course, he smelled differently to me than he did to my family as well, but so did almost everyone and everything.
"Honestly, almost everything has an overpowering aroma for me. I've learned to control my reactions to specific smells and I don't really catalogue them as good and bad. Just strong and stronger. I've learned to dissect everything I smell into layers. It helps me cope better. To me, you smell of peanut butter, grapes, freshly turned earth and, of course, eau de wolf." I grinned when he pushed back and turned his head with a groan.
"Peanut butter and grapes? Gah, I knew I should have bought some breath mints." I laughed and drew him back into a hug.
"Don't worry, Adam. As long as its not garlic, I don't think we'll have any problems."
"Garlic, huh? I don't know if I can give that up. I mean, Sarah makes some kickass lasagna. But I guess sacrifices must be made for the greater good. I'll have to return that bottle of eau de Holy Water cologne I borrowed from Jake, too," he said with a grin. I giggled. Then we were quiet for a moment. It was a comfortable silence, at least for me. I was enjoying the feeling of his warmth seeping into my cold skin through our clothes. It was Adam broke the silence.
"Uh...I don't really have to give up garlic, do I?" Adam's tentative question made me laugh. I reached up and very carefully ruffled his silky black hair.
"No, my silly, beautiful man. I was only teasing."
Adam went still under my hand for a moment and then his face turned to the mirror again, his dark eyes filled with joy and his mouth curved into a wondering, tender smile. Was it because I had called him beautiful, or perhaps because I had called him mine? I should have been embarrassed or ashamed that I had been so forward when we had just agreed to take things slow. Instead, I slid off the half wall so that I could press my cheek against his heart. His large hands splayed across my back, holding me against him.
"Thank you," he whispered, his breath stirring my hair as he ducked down to rest his chin against the top of my head. I didn't respond because I was too busy swallowing back the venom that had pooled in my mouth as I listened to the sound of his heart pumping the hot, rich blood through his body. I hated my body's natural response to that life affirming sound. Yes, going slow with Adam was going to be a necessity, because one moment of distraction could lead to his death. Not only would I be devastated should that ever happen, I knew that Adam's death would send the pack into a frenzy and no one in my family would be safe.
"Wow...you suddenly smell like a sugar factory," Adam said in surprise. I pulled away from him, swallowing hard.
"It's probably the venom," I said softly. He tilted my face up with his fingers, stroking my jaw with his thumb.
"So being close to me makes your mouth water?" he asked, just a hint of teasing in his voice. I rolled my eyes, knowing he could see the gesture.
"Only when I focus on your heartbeat...or the sound of blood surging through your veins." I swallowed again and I knew he felt it under his hand. He sighed.
"So, not only am I fighting against both our families, but against your bloodlust as well?" It was a quiet, pained question. I leaned into his hand with a sigh.
"Us. We, Adam. We'll fight against the bloodlust. If Edward can do it with his singer, it can't be all that hard for me. I may not have his control, but I can conquer this. And the best way to do that is to have you close. Desensitize," I said with a hesitant smile. Adam was quiet for a moment before he pulled me close again.
"I definitely won't argue with that plan of action. Now, we just have to convince our families that its for the best. I think we're going to have to renegotiate the treaty." He was stroking my hair now and I concentrated on that sensation to distract from the delicious thudding under my cheek.
"Until then, I guess we'll have to hang out in the neutral zone," I said with a chuckle. Adam hmmed softly.
"Here, Bella's and anywhere in town. It won't be that hard. I want to be with you, Leia. And just so you know, I wanted that even before the imprint. I've always been drawn to you."
Adam's soft confession warmed my unbeating heart and I risked giving him a gentle squeeze. Yes, things were going to be complicated, but we could make them work. I just knew it. This was a very good thing. Now, I just had to convince my family of that.