DISClaimer: I'm not Stephenie Meyer. I make no profit from this.

Hope you enjoy this.

-x-

"She'll be alright." Quil was chanting under his breath. Seth looked at him. "I'm going down there."

"We can both go."

-x-

Quil's POV

"No!" I yelped, Seth glared daggers at me, so hard it almost hurt. "No…" He stared, cocking his head ever-so-slightly. "Listen to me, Seth, man…"

"Give me one good reason I shouldn't kill you right now." He growled, ready to pounce, to phase in mid-air. "Because I'm about ready to."

"The longer you waste here, the longer she's under water." I grunted back, jerking my thumb over the edge. "If you go back to the bike, you can get the first aid kit…" I said softly, buying myself time to think, "We'll watch and see where she comes up, then we can go over together to look for her, alright?"

He looked really hesitant, his eyes dancing around in a panic as he looked around at Embry, staring, angry and drew a finger across his throat, furious.

"If she dies… I am holding the pair of you responsible. Alright?" There was a pause, he turned to me, "And I can't believe how irresponsible you've been… Quil, I thought you were better than this-" He turned and flew towards the bikes, red faced, furious. He phased just behind the bushes, a pair of shorts came flying at Embry, completely intact, thank god. We were running out of clothes.

"Right," I muttered as soon as Seth had gone. "Em', would you explain what happened to… to Jared? When he gets back up here… get him down to the beach, he'll know what the hell to do." I sighed and took a deep breath.

"You're not gonna-"

"Yep. You can't do it, and it's totally my fault-"

"Quil… don't." Embry said softly, "If you don't come up with her… or she's hurt… He'll kill you." I shrugged.

"Life needs spice, dude."

I took eight steps backwards, and ran towards the edge of the cliff. Everything was running through my head, telling me I was being far from chivalrous, being ridiculously stupid as I ran and hit the edge of the cliff like a freakin' springboard.

I chewed on my bottom lip as I jumped alone, knowing that I had demanded that Seth returned to the bike and got the first aid kit, because I wanted to save her myself.

Of course I felt responsible - Jared would kill me - she had no experience and she jumped alone. Screw it. Jared was going to absolutely kill me, absolutely. Seth would probably join him. But I should not have let her jump. I should have held onto her tighter… I should have done so many things, but as I opened my mouth slightly, biting my lip, I groaned. I could smell blood in the air, in the water. Where the hell was she? I had to know… I had to find out… I had to help her.

-x-

I hit the water with a splash, barely remembering to take a deep breath, to suck in as much air as I possible could. All I remember thinking was Jared would murder me. He was the health and safety nut, if somebody hadn't jumped before, he would take them down to the lower jumps, the lower platforms, to make sure they would be alright when they took their first leap - he would ease them in, like an instructor.

I sucked as a friend, and I sucked as a wolf, and I sucked as a person. I had no common sense, damn it. I wasn't right for the world. Everything seemed to be weird or wrong for me. I sighed mentally and flipped over, trying to fight against the current. Perversely, I was glad that I couldn't find her near the surface - live people sank, dead people floated, at least… that's what I was lead to believe.

I had stronger lungs than the rest of the wolves - I could hold my breath for three minutes, the guys, at best, could hold for one and a half. I guess it was because Claire delighted in sticking my head under the water to look at the fish, every single time we went to the beach.

My underwater vision wasn't bad either, to be honest, it hurt to open my eyes in the beginning, but it ended up OK, I blinked a few times and everything turned out blurred-but-visible.

I struck down, deeper into the water, feeling my lungs start to burn. I didn't have much breath left, and it was starting to worry me. If I had been down there for three minutes already, she'd already been down here for ten. Christ…

Then I saw it. It was a tiny gap in the rock - she must have been disoriented, thought there was a rock barrier… the current must have knocked her against it - that would explain the blood, maybe burst her stitches… She must have swum that way thinking it was safe - there was light and everything, that way, but I didn't have a clue what the light was. Without thinking, I sniffed the water, choking as it rushed down my throat. Did not think that one through, Quil…I argued internally, but I ignored myself. Until I tasted the blood in the water and I had half a heart attack.

I felt sick at all the images in my head. Seth should be here, not me. He would help, he would be able to think rationally… except, I realised, she was his imprint. He would have a fit if he knew what was going on.

She'd been here, and she'd been here minutes ago… if I went this way… what would I find? Would it be her? Would I honestly want to find her if… if that would be what I would find?

I was in a tunnel, a tunnel that I hoped lead somewhere where there was oxygen, and Max, and life, and an escape. Because my chest was burning, and I was getting petrified - I couldn't see, I couldn't hear… and I felt ridiculously trapped.

I swum on a little longer, until I could feel gravel beneath me. The space had widened out, too, and it was light in here, I could see through the crystal clear water - no waves, no fish, but light, and sand. I padded forwards when my head broke the surface, cracking it hard on a rock that was jutting out.

"Fuck!" I yelled, coughing, gasping for air, collapsing forward through the warm, open air.

"Quil?" Her voice was slurred, weak… But it was her voice!

"Max?!!!" I scrambled forward, she groaned, was lying on the sand, looking bedraggled, choked with water. There was a lot of blood in the golden debris around her. "Christ Max… what happened?"

"I bit my lip as I went in…" She tried to sit up, but her body wasn't having it. "And I think… I," She rolled onto her back, obviously tired. Her cheek had a gaping cut across it that was bleeding profusely. "Yeah… that'll be my face bleeding too."

"Yeah."

"Are you alright?" Her eyes were closed; she didn't seem to want to move. I cupped my hands and shuffled to the water, took a handful and tipped it over the sand mixing with the blood on her face. She groaned and tried to bat my hand away. I was stronger than she was. "What're you doing?" her eyes were open as she looked at me.

"Trying to clean you up." I grinned.

"You didn't answer my question, are you alright?" She nodded as I gestured at the water again.

"Yes, I'm fine," I muttered as I poured the water across her face again, the blood ran clear and I smiled. "I just hit my head. Can you sit up properly?" She struggled, but as I helped her up, she relaxed and leaned into my arms.

Embry's POV

I sniggered as I watched Quil and Seth go at it mentally. Quil would easily take Seth in wolf form, although if it was over Max… I think Seth would find some way to rip him limb from limb. I laughed again as Seth returned, looking absolutely petrified, his face bright pink, his eyes wide.

"Where is she? And Quil… where's he?" Jared spoke before Seth could get the words out. I gestured silently over the cliff. "But she didn't want to jump." Jared spluttered.

"Technically, she didn't." Seth spat through gritted teeth.

"Embry, you didn't?" Jared looks so disappointed in me right now. I can't help but laugh. And nod. A lot. "Oh, for God's sake, Man… I told you not to do it. I told you when you did it to Kim, and when you did it to Rachel and when you did it to Nessie. Now she's gone. What the hell were you thinking?" He's mad. And I feel kind of guilty... it wasn't really my fault, was it? I couldn't kill someone... I just joked around.

"She wasn't supposed to go over. It was a frickin' joke, Jar'. A Joke." I looked at Seth, "You know that, right?"

"It was a joke when she was on this side of the cliff." He grunted, shaking his head. "Did they come up? Were they on the beach?" He looked at Jared, who shrugged back, and sat down on the cliff edge.

"There's nothing there right now. I'm guessing Quil's still looking."

"But… if she's been down there… what, twenty minutes now? She's… she'll be de-" He couldn't say it. He just closed his eyes and wrapped his arms around himself, joining Jared on the cliff top and staring into the water. "I hate you right now, Embry."

"I don't expect any less." I replied, knowing he wouldn't feel any less furious, but it would make me feel slightly better. "But… Seth… it was an accident. I'm sure she's fine."

"Right. Whatever." Jared growled, looking at the pair of us. "You." He pointed at me, "You go get Jake. Now. Tell him I don't care what he's doing, or what, but you've been a dick and someone… no, tell him Max could be dead because of it." He paused, "It won't do any good to be sketchy, either. You make sure you're in for the blame, Embry. You make sure it's all your fault. Because if you've done what you say you've done… you're gonna get the shit kicked out of you by the pack."

I start hyperventilating, and Seth looks at me, throwing the keys to the bike to me. I shake my head, and pull my shorts off just beyond the trees, phasing with them in my mouth and bounding through the blur of trees to get back to Jake's place, back to town.

If he wasn't there…

"Embry! What the hell's going on?"

"Sam?!" He hadn't phased in about two and a half years. Dear god… "Sam… Where's Jake? Are you on patrol? Can you get to the diving cliff, like now?"

"What's happened?" I was still racing toward Billy's place, feeling sick as everything rushed past at me at a ridiculous pace. "Is Seth alright? Should I get Emily? Is it Max?" I thought about everything that had happened and my head felt like it was spinning. Sam shook his head and bounded further away.

"Where are you going?" I howled after him, he stopped and half-turned.

"To get Emily, and everyone else, for that matter…" He stopped to think, "This is gonna be a major operation… And you'll need to go up to the Cullen's place to get Jake. He's with Nessie. And he's not gonna appreciate you screwing up his alone time with her." he paused again, and I changed direction, "And see if you can get the Vamps to help out… Edward and Jasper might be able to give us a hand…" Sam disappeared from my mind and I roared up a gear, speeding towards Forks.

Oh, God… what have I done?

-x-

I got to the Cullen place about twenty minutes later, I had been running fast, utterly shattered as I phased back, pulled my shorts on and found the door open for me already.

I couldn't speak - I was shattered, and I collapsed to my knees in the doorway, almost screaming at Edward in my head. He relayed everything to the amassed family as I panted, and looked up into Jake's eyes. He was fuming, and I looked out of the corner of my eye at Jasper. His face would have been purple, I think, if he'd had blood in him. He let out a snarl as I tried to get to my feet.

"Are you saying you nearly killed her?" He muttered as I looked up at his voice.

"No." I muttered, "I'm starting to think nearly isn't gonna come into it." my voice dropped as I admitted it.

I did it. I had killed someone. And I'd done it… on purpose.

"No, you didn't." Edward said. "It was a joke… a prank. It went wrong."

"Shut up, Eddie!" Jasper roared suddenly, "Look… I dunno about you… but I think we're wasting time here. We've gotta stop explaining shit and get down to doing something… because if we don't, then…" A wave of solemnity washed over us and I felt sick. "We all know what's gonna happen. We've gotta stay calm and think this through."

"Right. But we can't afford to waste time… I think we need to start a search or something…"

"They're only gonna be on the coastline," Jacob's voice split the silence in two, Emmet, Jasper and Alice moved to his side of the room, everyone else shifted towards Carlisle. "We go in two groups, right?"

"Right." Carlisle's voice was soft, almost light. Edward, Esme and Bella stood beside him, looking set. "Embry, you go with them, alright?" Jake said softly, "That way we've got two people who know the place. I'll start what… two miles south? You start north… we'll cover it that way… but…" He paused, "Edward, can you get to the diving cliff? Bella knows where it is-"

"No." Edward muttered, "I swore I'd never go there." He said softly, "Not after-"

"Edward, please," Bella said softly, gripping his wrist gently. "I don't want this to go bad… if you're there… you'll be able to hear them… their thoughts… you could pinpoint them, couldn't you?"

"I can't go there, Bella." He said again, "Because of you."

"Edward-" Carlisle jumped in, but Jasper gripped his brother by the collar and pulled him close, roughly.

"So you're going to let her die, are you? And Quil too?" He snarled, "Is that the kind of person you are? Really? I thought you were all for preserving life… obviously not." He shoved him and let him go. "I'll go. I'll see what I can feel - if it's pain, or whatever… I'll give it a try."

Edward looked like he was fighting himself, chewing his lip almost nervously.

"Alright." he dropped his voice and stared at the floor. "Alright… I'll go. And I'll see what I can do." HE stopped, "But I'm not promising anything." Jasper smiled at his brother and relaxed slightly. "She's probably dead, though." he said softly, a hint of malice in his voice.

Jasper growled and joined the other search party.

"I'm gonna find her." he said softly. "And I'm gonna make sure she's alive when I bring her back…" I swallowed nervously at the foreboding in his voice.

Oh, shit. What have I done?

-x-

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