Thanks for the great reviews/ new alerts, especially the author ones; those are much appreciated. This is an even longer chapter (I didn't think I could make these chapters any longer!) and about the length of two of my older ones. Enjoy; this is my favorite.

Vinnie's POV

Chapter 9

I felt like I was in a dream sequence that entire night. Me and Leah… Leah…

I had never been so thankful for a blackout in my entire life.

Once I heard her heavy breathing from in front of me, I concluded that she had begun to sleep. Gently as I could, I laid my back onto the floor. She shifted her position. I froze, afraid I had woken her up, but she simply turned herself so that he chest was now pressed to me, one of her hands griping the shirt I was wearing.

I fell soundly –and comfortably –asleep soon after.

I was woken from a dreamless slumber when I felt hot fingers feeling my hair. I didn't want the feeling to ever go; it felt as if the fingers were caressing my scalp.

My eyes fluttered open, and in the dim light, I could see Leah's face, just inches from my own, hovering over me.

"Good morning," I said to her, my voice a little scratchy from having just woken up.

"Hi, Vinnie," she said softly.

Finally, my eyes adjusted enough that they could make out her features. Her short hair was in haphazard disarray, and her dark eyes were only partly visible; she must have just woken up, too.

Before my mind could catch up with my actions, I ran the back of my hand across her soft, warm cheek.

"You look very beautiful in the morning," I commented before my wits got the better of me.

She chuckled, and I could have sworn I felt her cheeks get even warmer, if that was possible. "You think you're still asleep, Vinnie."

I shook my head. I may have not been fully conscious, but I was awake. Partly at least. "No, I know I'm awake. Not fully here, but I'm awake."

She smiled. "Well, let's wait for you to be fully here before you start calling me beautiful."

"If you want. Not that it really changes anything, though." She would still be radiant whether or not I was awake. Instantly, I put my arm back around her waist, willing her to be as close to me as I could manage. If this moment was a dream, I was going to hold unto it as best as I could.

She nestled herself back into my chest, her warmth enveloping me everywhere, inside and out.

I did not go back to sleep –I was too aware that she was practically on top of me –but she soon went to sleep, evident by her heavy breathing returning. From where I was, I could only manage to look at the top of her head. As tenderly as I could maneuver, I rolled us onto our sides so that I could see her face.

She took my breath away.

She at peace –not frustrated, not guarded, not afraid –was something to look at. Her black eyelashes rested against her cheek, like soft feathers from a raven. Her mouth was shut, but her jaw was relaxed instead of fit in a hard line like I had often seen from her when we first met.

She, at that moment was beautiful, second only to when she smiled at me.

I just stared at her until she began to stir, her arms going above her head in an effort to stretch. It did not do much for her shirt, which only rose higher up her torso, showing off her toned stomach.

Her eyes slowly opened, and at the sight of me, she half smiled. "Good morning… again," she chuckled.

"Hello."

She lay on her back, staring at the ceiling. "I wonder if the power's back on," she said, almost to herself.

"Do you want me to go ask the neighbors?" It was a small reservation. Surely someone next door would know what was happening.

"No," she said quickly. Instantly, she looked embarrassed.

I chuckled. "I guess you're not too eager to get rid of me yet."

She looked up at me and smiled. "Not yet, anyways."

I got onto my feet and reached a hand to her to help her up. She stared at it a moment, but then took my hand in hers, getting onto her feet. She rose too quickly, however, and collided with my chest.

"Err… Sorry," she said pushing herself away from me quickly.

"It's alright." I wouldn't have minded for you to stay there...

"Maybe we should eat something," she commented. "I have a vast array of cereal, all thanks to Seth."

I chuckled. "Yes, let's go raid your cabinets."

We walked to the hallway, but before we continued on it, I flicked a light switch. The light came on.

"I guess the power's back on," I said sadly. No chance I was getting another sleepover with her tonight.

"Yeah, I guess so." She didn't seem so enthused about it, either.

Just as we were about to enter the kitchen, someone opened the door.

It was Seth.

"What are you doing, Leah?" he said angrily. "Why are you still here?"

I looked over to her, and she seemed confused. "I'm in my house, aren't I?"

Seth rolled his eyes. "Yeah, I got that. There was a blackout."

"I'm aware of that Seth."

"We were supposed to be-" he cut himself off when he seemed to finally notice me. "Why are you in my clothes, Vinnie?"

I looked down at myself, completely forgetting I was in Seth's shirt –which was too small for me –and sweatpants.

"He was cold last night," Leah answered for me defensively. "I took them out your room."

"I'm so glad there's all this privacy in this house," he muttered. "Breaking into people's rooms…"

"If you don't want anyone in that hellhole, I advise you buy yourself a damn lock!"

"Okay, whatever, Leah. Anyways, we got to go."

"Where?"

"Jacob's."

"For what?"

He seemed to give her a look like she should have known what he was hinting at. It must've been some kind of private matter if they did not feel like talking about it in front of me.

Her eyes bulged out. "Oh," she said quietly. "Oh, crap, I forgot about it."

"Well, you should go tell Jake that. He's fuming right now that his… closest friend wasn't there to help him make sure everything was alright."

"Damn it." She ran up the stairs at a quicker speed that what I could have done. Maybe she had an adrenaline rush or something.

"So," Seth said to me after she left, "no one really explained why you're here at…" he looked at the clock on the cable box. "Nine in the morning."

"The power went out last night while I was here. I stayed with Leah."

He raised an eyebrow. "For what?"

"To make sure she was alright."

His face relaxed. "Oh. That's nice of you, Vinnie." He smiled. "You do that for all the damsels in distress around here?"

I chuckled. "Leah's hardly a damsel in distress. She's very strong."

"Don't I know it? You didn't answer my question, though."

I sighed. "Just her, to be honest."

He smiled and nodded his head din approval.

Leah practically flew down the stairs in a pair of jeans and a fitted green tank top.

"Nice outfit," Seth commented.

Her head shot up. "Shut up." She slipped on some sneakers, and was about to leave out the door before she froze.

She turned back around and looked at me, who was probably still looking clueless this whole time.

She walked slowly –taking almost deliberately long strides –to me. Once she was in front of me, she wrapped her arms around my neck and held me tight.

One moment, I was taken by surprise. The next, I put my arms around her, holding her tight and laying my face against her soft hair.

"I'll come to you house when I'm done, alright?" she whispered. "We can go to that place you were going to show me."

"Okay."

"Thank you for staying with me, Vinnie."

I smiled. "It's nothing, Leah."

She pulled away and looked at me, her eyes peering from her half opened lids. Her eyes wandered down my eyes, down my nose, and came to an abrupt stop.

At my lips.

She did it quickly, too quickly in my honest opinion. She went on her toes and laid her lips on mine, electricity seeming to flow from my lips to the rest of my body. Before I could properly respond to her, she backed away and slowly let go off my neck.

Before she turned herself completely, she smiled a wide toothed grin.

Yes, that smile was more beautiful than when she was fast asleep.

She turned and moved out the door.

Seth stared opened mouthed at where Leah had just exited, then looked at me. "You… she… what?" He shook his head, and seemed to come to terms that he would not ever be able to explain what he just happened.

"Thanks, Vinnie," he said as he started to leave. Before I could ask, he continued, "For taking care of my sister." With that, he left.

After being rooted in my spot, I finally make my way upstairs into Seth's room, putting on my old clothes. I rode back to my house soon after.

Before I could even put my key into the door, my mom came to it and held me close.

"Where have you been, Vinnie?" she asked worriedly.

"Oh, sorry, Mom. I was at the Clearwater's when the power went out, and I stayed-"

"I was so worried." She pulled away. "Where's your brother?"

"Embry? He's not here?"

She shook her head. "I thought he was…" She shook her head. "I'm going to kill that kid one of these days." She quickly made her way into the house and sat on the chair in the kitchen. I followed behind her, shutting the door.

"All I seem to do is ground him," she said, "for being out too late. And then he sneaks out and comes back here too late again. It's like a never ending cycle. I don't know what to do." She looked up from her hands to my face. "He told me he was with you at the Clearwater's, with Seth."

I shook my head. "It was just Leah and me there. Seth was at Jacob's." Like the good big brother I was, I began to fabricate a story. "I think he was going to come to the Clearwater's later, but the weather got too bad. Maybe he's with Seth now. They all went to Jacob's earlier."

She seemed a little relieved. "Good."

I would do the pleasure of ripping my brother apart when he got back. As much as our mother loved us, he had a lot of nerve going around and hurting her like this.

"He's just being a stupid teenager, Mom."

"You were never like that," she muttered. "You were a good kid."

I smiled. I'm such a mama's boy. "Well, that's just me. You can't go around having perfect children all the time, Mom. How boring would that be?"

She laughed. "Thank you , Vinnie."

I nodded my head.

I was about to climb my way upstairs when I heard my mother. "So where were you last night?"

"At the Clearwater's. I already said that, I think."

She quirked an eyebrow. "With Leah?"

I nodded.

"All night?"

I caught on to what she was getting at. I chuckled nervously. "It's not like that, Mom. I stayed with her to make sure she was okay when the power went out."

"You're such a gentleman," she said proudly.

I went upstairs and took a shower, changing into some jeans and a green tee shirt. Subconsciously, I think I did that just to match what she was wearing this morning.

After getting something to eat –and finding out the weather; it would be cold, but surprisingly sunny today, which was perfect for my plan –I spent time in my room, playing music on my iPod, just waiting for her to get here.

Finally around three thirty –practically an eternity –my doorbell went off.

I raced down the stairs, but before I could get to the door, my mother had already opened it.

"Hello, Ms. Call," I heard a soft voice say.

"Hello, Leah. Aren't you cold out there? You're practically half naked."

Leah laughed, coming into the house. "I don't get cold very easily." She looked up at the stairs and caught sight of me. "Hi, Vinnie," she smiled.

It's funny how two words from her could send me haywire. "Hey."

We stared at each other a moment –I didn't know about her, but I for one was getting lost in her eyes –before my mother cleared her throat.

We both looked at her.

"Leah, you wouldn't happen to know where Embry's gone to, do you?"

Leah nodded. "He's with Jake right now, but he'll be back soon. I was just over there."

"He told me he was with Seth."

"Well, he was with Seth, at Jake's." Maybe she was covering for him, too.

My mom nodded her head. "I don't suppose you guys will be staying here much longer. Off on another date tonight?"

"Yes," I answered.

"Well, you two have fun." She left and went back into the kitchen.

I came down the stairs, and could not stop my feet from coming in front of Leah.

"You know, eventually, you're going to get sick from being out in the cold 'half naked' all the time," I commented to her.

She smiled. "I don't get sick. My hot body temperature kills off any sickness."

I rolled my eyes. She had a story for everything abnormal for her. "Of course, Leah."

"So, are you ready to go?"

I shook my head. "It's got to be timed appropriately. We'll leave at four fifteen."

"Time constrictions? I must be special," she smiled.

I put an arm around her waist and led her into the living room. "Yes, you're special."

For about an hour, we did not do anything but sit next to each other on the couch, one of us stealing glances at the other while we were supposed to be watching the television. Whenever I caught her, she would laugh a little and look away, the top of her ears taking the most subtle of reds on her dark skin.

At exactly four fifteen –as if she had been waiting for it –she got up quickly. "Now?" she asked.

I got up with her. "Yeah, we can go."

She smiled excitedly, but before she could bolt out the door, I caught her arm. "But not until you put on a jacket."

Her smile fell into a grimace.

"For my sake? Just a hoodie or something, not an Alaskan Parka."

"Well, do you want to stop by my house to get one?"

I looked outside and already noticed the sun getting lower in the sky. "No, wait here for a second…" I went up the stairs and grabbed a grey hooded zip up sweatshirt and gave it to her.

She zipped it up, it visibly too big on her.

"Will this make you worry less?" she asked me.

"Yes."

"Then, thanks."

"Now we can go."

We both called goodbyes to my mother as we went out to my car.

"Were you born like this?" I asked as we both entered the car.

She eyed me curiously. "Like what?"

"With really warm skin and all that?"

She sighed. "I guess, but it didn't really start 'til about a year ago."

I put the heat on full blast; I still had a 98.6°F temperature, even if she didn't.

"So, where are you whisking me away to?" she asked me.

I smiled. "You'll see."

"I don't like surprises," she said honestly.

I could understand why, after all she had been through. "There are such things as good surprises."

"I know." She looked over at me. "You're a good surprise."

I smiled, not able to hide my admiration towards her.

In no time, we were finally there.

"The beach?" she asked curiously. "What are we doing at the beach?"

"If I told you that, it wouldn't be much of a surprise, would it?" I got out of the car, and she followed suit. She walked close to me as we made our way through the trees and snow covered grass.

"What's so important about this place?" she asked from next to me.

I froze. "We can go back if you want." I never even considered that the woods maybe just weren't her thing.

She rolled her eyes and grabbed onto my hand, putting me back on track. "Stop being stupid. I just want to know why you're taking me here. When I see it for the first time, I want to understand the significance."

"Oh. I found it awhile ago, back when I still lived here."

I figured out we'd be there in just a few short steps beyond the trees. "And if you came at just the right time…"

We finally pulled through the tree's darkness, and pulled into the light.

It was a little cove, protected like a hidden island by the trees and water. It was a short, seven foot cliff that looked over the solitude beach surrounding it.

And right in front of us, you could see the sun setting, the sky taking on reddish, orange hues as it looked over the icy water.

I looked down at her, and her mouth was just slightly open, her eyes wide. "It's…" she began.

I sat on the ground next to her, and waited for her to join me. When she was still stunned by the sight, I squeezed her hand –which she still hadn't let go of. She got out of her daze and sat next to me on the snow.

"It's beautiful," she whispered.

"Do you like it?"

"I love it," She smiled. She looked over at me. "Thank you."

She loved it, just as I hoped she would. I knew that if anyone in this world would appreciate this place in any way like I did, be that struck with it at the first sight, it would be her.

I kissed her hand that was entwined with mine.

Her eyes opened wide, staring down at our hands.

I was being too forward… once again. I should have known better. "I'm sorry," I said as I made an attempt to let go of her hand.

She shook her head. "What are you sorry for? I'm the one that should be apologizing."

Apologizing? What had she done? In an effort to change the scene a little, I stood up and went to the edge of the cove, jumping off of it and into the sand.

I looked back up and saw her standing at the edge, looking down at me. I held my arms up and out to her, and she jumped into them, her feet landing softly onto the cold sand.

We started to walk down the beach front. "Now, what are you apologizing for exactly?" I asked her.

"I'm just sorry if I don't always seem… open to you all the time."

I had noticed that, but it was in no way her fault. "Trust comes with time, I guess."

She shook her head. "No, that's not it. I trust you, more than most actually," she chuckled nervously. "I'm just not used to really being with someone. I'm not used to someone really caring about me like this in a while."

She had one thing right: I did care about her. More than she seemed to realize.

"I'm just afraid sometimes," she said quietly. "I don't want to be broken again."

"Hey," I said to catch her attention.

She looked up at me, a sad look on her face. Slowly, I put my hand against her cheek, cupping it gently. "I won't hurt you. Ever. I won't do that to you. You don't need to be afraid."

She nodded quickly, but I was not convinced that she understood.

"I know you've been hurt in the past," I continued, "but that was then. I'm not him. I won't leave you."

She chuckled dryly. "You see me so clearly sometimes, Vinnie. It's so weird."

"I've always seen you. You've always been there. I think I came back to La Push to see you."

She looked surprised. "Me?"

Time to let the cat out of the bag. "Leah, I haven't stopped thinking about you since high school. I liked you then, but you were with Sam."

"And now?" she said softly.

"Now I want you more than I ever thought I would."

A tear escaped her dark eyes and landed on my fingertips.

I chuckled. "Why are you crying?" Maybe I did the wrong thing. I did not know how to properly confess to a girl; leave it to me to mess it up.

"I don't know. I guess I'm just…" She looked me straight in the eyes, as if she could see right through me. "Vinnie, I want you, too."

I didn't need another phrase to be said before I brought my lips to hers.

It was different than our first kiss. For one, I initiated it. Another was that one of her arms found its way around my torso, and the other on the back of my neck. My one hand laid on her cheek as the other went to the small of her back, trying to grip her as close to me as possible.

The kiss was slow, almost like we weren't completely sure what was happening. But that didn't last long, and as time went on, so did the passion -the pure wanting -that our lips communicated to each other. I almost completely forgot we were in the cold since I seemed so completely on fire with her.

I pulled away –hesitantly –first. Her eyes were half shut and still staring at my lips. They finally came to rest at my eyes.

She buried her face in the crook of my neck, her arms holding me tight. "Don't let go of me, Vinnie," she said onto my skin.

"I won't," I said into her hair. "I promise."

We stood there for what seemed an immeasurable amount of time –ten minutes, and hour, I'm not sure. But at last, I kissed the top of her head. "I think we should be going now, Leah."

She leaned away from me a little and nodded. The sky was darkening, and the orange sky had taken on more of a navy blue tint.

We walked hand-in-hand back to the car. We rode back in a comfortable silence, the car engine a quiet hum in the back of mind as I tried to concentrate on the road in front of me.

When I pulled up to her house but didn't turn the car off, she fretted. "Aren't you coming in?"

"I think I have to go kick my brother's ass, or at least talk to him. My mom's really worried about him lately."

"Don't be too hard on Embry. You know teens rebel and all."

I nodded.

She leaned over and stole a kiss from my lips. "I'll see you then, Vinnie."

"Soon," I promised.

She smiled at that and got out of the car, waving as she backed away and went up the front porch and into her house.

I was kind of on a cloud as I pulled into my house. My mom's car was gone, but I was not sure if Embry was there or not. As I let myself in, I could see him coming down the stairs.

"Where have you been?" he asked accusingly.

"Me? What about you? You had mom worried like crazy yesterday, and I had to cover for you this morning."

"Oh. Thanks."

"You shouldn't be worrying her like that, Embry. You know we're all that she had."

"Yeah, I know. It's just… It's not like it's not for a good reason."

"What good reason is there to sneak out the house?" I came to a quick conclusion. "Is it a girl?"

"What? No!" he screamed. "And you're one to talk about being too concerned with a girl. You didn't come home last night, either, and Seth said he saw you this morning in his clothe at his house with Leah."

I got defensive whenever he pulled her name out. "That's none of your business."

"Isn't it? I told you a million times: get away from her. And now you're sleeping with her."

I got right into his face, anger seeming to omit from me, and my skin having the hot sensation like it was on fire. "I did not sleep with her."

"Well, you spent the night at her house. What more do you want me to think?"

I tried to ignore him as I went into the kitchen. He followed behind me, unfortunately. "You know, that's your business. You can be with whatever animal you want."

I slammed the fridge and backed him against a wall, my whole body seeming to convulse as I held him there. He was shaking now, too, but only because the hands I had on him in a hold were seeming to uncontrollably spasm. "Don't. Talk. About. Her," I said slowly.

He smiled. "Oh, even better: You're not just hooking up with her; you actually fell in love with her." He laughed. "This is just great."

All at once, in a matter I had never even done before, I exploded out of my skin.

~want (verb): to wish, need, crave, demand, or desire (often fol. by an infinitive):

She wants to know how to love again; he wants to help her.~

And that is the turning point part I warned you about. Try and see how the definition applies to the events and feelings metioned throughout these past chapters.

What did you think of it? Review, and I'll update with "Book Two: Needed" in Chapter 10 quicker.

Cocoa