I don't anything but Erin. God, it's been awhile. I was just re-reading this and inspiration stuck. I'm sorry it's been so long.
My eyes fluttered open, heart racing, beating like a drum in my ears. Flash images from my nightmare flickered through my brain before they went up in smoke. I felt tears burn in my eyes and lifted my gaze slightly, blinking them away.
Seth's eyes were still shut, his breathing even and shallow, obviously still asleep. Reaching out, I placed my palm against his grey t-shirt, right at his heart. I closed my eyes, feeling its constant, rhythmic beat under my fingertips. Despite my best efforts, I felt tear slip, hot and salty, down my face. I tried so hard to keep my breathing even and quiet so as to not wake up Seth. But seconds later, I felt his arms wrap around me, bring me close, and relief flooded through me.
"Shhh, it's okay, baby." His fingers ran through my hair, his lips meeting my forehead. I was too upset to even call out his novel use of the pet name 'baby'. "I'm going to be perfectly okay."
"You don't know that." I whispered, meeting his chocolatey brown eyes with my watery blue.
"Actually, yes, I do." My forehead scrunched up at his words displaying my confusion clearly. "My wolf instincts, they don't let me go without you for too long. So, death is simply not an option. Plus, I told you, my position means that the most action I'm going get is a play-by-play from the others and a hopefully hot make out session when I come back." He playfully wiggled his eyebrows at me.
Even in my depressed state, I couldn't stop the corners of my mouth from twitching upwards, "I love you, you know."
Seth grinned as if he'd won the lottery and nodded, "I'm aware. And I love you too."
"We should get up." I stated, even though I longed to do the exact opposite.
"We should." Seth nodded again, looking down at me, waiting.
I rolled my eyes and moved quickly, pecking his lips before climbing out of the bed. "You probably have to go, right? Make it look like you're just picking me up?" I asked, going to my closet to find something to wear.
Seth got up and followed me, wrapping his arms around my waist, resting his face in the hair on top of my head. He took a deep breath and nodded, pulling back, "I gotta change and say bye to my mom. I'll be right back, twenty minutes, tops."
"I know the drill by now, dork." I nodded, hugging him, resting my forehead on his chest, "Take your time saying goodbye to Sue."
Seth lifted my face and kissed me long and hard before pulling away again and kissing my nose fast and sweet. "Bye."
"Bye." I muttered, closing my eyes, feeling him move away and then hearing the sound of the window opening and cold breeze fluttered into the room. Opening my eyes, the room was empty, my curtain moving in the wind. I went to the window just in time to see a sandy brown wolf dash into the woods.
Sighing, I closed the window and went back to my closet.
Emily's house, in my mind, had always been a light and warm safe haven in the cold, wet reservation of La Push. That day, though, it felt chilly and dark. The only warmth I felt was Seth's ever-present arm around my waist. Soon that would be gone too...
Jake was nowhere to be seen, already gone off to Bella. Sam was talking to Emily, sounding hushed and woeful. Leah was at one of the windows, staring out at the snow in the front yard. Jared and Kim were also talking, intimately leaning into each other's presence. Embry was sitting on the floor with Quil, watching as his best friend played mournfully with his oblivious two-year-old imprint. Paul was out in the woods on babysitting duty, watching over the newbies, Brady and Collin, and every now and then a howl could be heard for one of the trio.
And then there was Seth and I, sitting on the couch, like we normally did, facing toward each other with our knees touching. My forehead rested on his shoulder and one of his arms looped around me. I could feel his free hand playing with my hair, twisting and curling it around in his fingers.
I didn't move, breaking the silence between us, "You'll be fine, nice and safe up in the mountains, and I'll be fine, nice and safe right here. You'll come back when you can and I'll be waiting. Right?"
"That's correct." Seth spoke softly, near my ear. I knew he was trying the make this conversation as private as possible, what with the multiple werewolves in the room.
"I don't like being that needy, blubbering mess, waiting around for her man to come back." I said, pulling back so I could speak to him face-to-face.
He nodded, still playing with my hair, "I see no blubbering."
"I cried this morning." I reminded him.
"Yeah, well, there's nothing wrong with that but, if it make you feel better, I don't think you'll cry from here on out." Seth said, like it was an obvious statement.
"And you know that how?" I asked, eyebrows raised.
"Because, I know you, 'Rin. You're the strongest person I know, besides maybe my own mother." Again his tone was knowing. I smiled ever so slightly, nodding.
"Thank you." Seth shrugged.
"And if you think you're 'needy'" He teasingly rolled his eyes and used air quotes, "You obviously don't understand this whole imprinting thing. You needing me and me needing you sorta comes with the deal. It's not pathetic." Seth reminded me.
I smiled wider and leaned forward kissing him on the cheek, then put my hand on his other cheek, whispering in his ear, "You're such a dork."
Seth laughed, lightly and whispered back in my ear, "At least, I'm a cute one though."
Our eyes met, genuine smiles on both our faces, leaning together, our lips met. The kiss was bittersweet and I allowed myself to be swept away in it, because both of us knew this wasn't a goodbye kiss, it was more of an 'I'll see you soon' kiss, which was much better.