Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

Suggested Listening: I've Been Thinking by The Narrative, Soldiers by Ben Howard, I Am Yours and You Fuckin' Did It by Jason Mraz, Irish Song by Chief, Every Thug Needs A Lady (acoustic) by Alkaline Trio, Wait by Alexi Murdoch(For Leah)

Chapter Twenty-Eight: I Couldn't Feel Any Better (Or I'd Be Sick)

Bella POV

"How lucky can one guy be? I kissed her and she kissed me...Like the fella once said, ain't that a kick in the heeee-aaaad?"

I knocked again. "Em? I know you can hear me. Come on, I really don't know when Charlie's gonna be back. Do you want to have to explain why you're here?"

"Just a second!" he called over the sound of running water, and I heard the cap being pulled off something and discarded into the tub. We'd agreed not to advertise what had happened last night, which went hand-in-hand with Embry's need to shower in case the wrong person got a whiff of his scent - or rather, my scent.

Thing is, I hadn't known much Embry really loved to shower. It wasn't so much showering, but singing. In the shower. He'd been having a personal concert for himself going on twenty minutes now, while I'd stood outside for the last two, hand over my mouth and trying not to laugh at how freakin' adorable that was.

"My head keeps spinnin', I go to sleep and keep...grinnin'. If this is just the beginnin', my life is gonna be be-auuu-ti-ful!"

Truly, he had a pretty good voice. Like one of those old crooners, or Renee's current imaginary boyfriend, Michael...something. I cleared my throat one more time as he continued.

"I've sunshine enough to spread, it's just like the fella said-"

"Em, you know that I can hear you singing, right?"

And just like that, he cut off with a choke and what sounded like my entire shelf of bathing products being hauled around the room. I laid my forehead on the door, shaking my head as the mental image of him trashing the place washed before my minds eye. There was an uncomfortable grunt before the water was shut off.

"I... did not know that. Uh.. okay. I'll be right out!"

A brief shuffle of plastic bath products could be heard before the door opened, and there he stood - in all his glistening glory - while my mouth went dry and the power of speech failed me. Embry Front-Cover-Of-Men's-Health Call was standing before me, droplets making paths down his torso and hair parted and swept over on one side like some fucking Hollywood icon, in nothing but a tiny, black towel.

He gave me a sheepish grin, eyebrow cocked uncomfortably with a shrug. "Sorry, I kinda lost track of time."

"It's fine," I smiled , somehow being brought out of the heated daze by his display of awkwardness. It was still Embry, beneath all that muscle and majesty and sheer perfection. I was all the more aware of it now - aware of exactly what that body could do, what I knew it had truly been built for, and all the promise of what I had yet to experience.

"Bella, relax. It's just me.."

The flashback sent a delighted shudder through my body, and I turned my back to him, feigning distraction in the form of a sip of coffee. I wasn't yet quite willing to make it so obvious what the sight of his half-naked form was really doing to me. I could never look at Embry quite the same way again - and I couldn't have been happier about it.

I never thought that last night could have turned out so... incredible. I'd spent the day in a anxious trance, trying to distract myself until that moment came when I feared it was the end. My relief at who it was, and what he had to tell me, was at least partly to blame for the lightness in my step and the easiness of my smile this morning.

Admittedly, knowing that Paul hadn't actually imprinted was a blow. I'd been so positive that it was going to happen - and told myself that he would fight it - that when it didn't I was thrown for a loop. I'd needed it more than even I realised, and probably could have done a better job of hiding my disappointment. Of course, He knew. Without words, Embry was able to tell what was turning over in my mind even as I thought it.

As soon as he shared his theories with me, how he believed that somehow, my sacrifice had saved them from - arguably - the curse of imprinting, a weight had lifted. I clung to it with all the hope I had, letting it bubble through me and float skyward with a happiness that was all down to the amazing guy standing in my room. But my happiness soon became clouded - for him to tell me that he believed he was undeserving, that he hadn't imprinted on me because he wasn't good enough, well, that was just impossible. How could Embry believe that about himself? How could he possibly think that he didn't deserve all the happiness that life had to offer?

No. I remember realising that I needed to show him, and I needed him to see that sometimes, life did work out. I hadn't planned any of it, but the feeling of destiny, simply of rightness when I first surrendered to his kiss instantly made up my mind - I was supposed to share this with him; he was meant to be the one to navigate me through the unknown and the inevitable fear that came with this level of intimacy. Embry could speak my mind without asking me a single thing. He could tell my needs before I even knew what they were. I'd meant what I'd said in that moment, whenI looked into his eyes.

I was glad I waited. I was glad that it was him.

Embry had told me once not to give up on finding my own contentedness. By whatever twisted, convoluted sequence of events, we'd found our way to each other through heartbreak and unrequited feelings. Now, I didn't know how I'd managed to waste so much of my life without him so close. Embry was my happiness. He was the silent interlude when I laughed too hard at his dry humour, the butterflies in my stomach when I saw him smile at me and the first warmth after the cold rain of a raging storm. I was falling for him, and what we'd shared in the past twelve hours was just the beginning of a life I'd thought I was destined to glimpse from the outside, or through tortuous dreams and memories.

Now, I had the recollection of his touch on my skin, the look in his eyes as he laid me down in the sheets, and the feeling of his body moving within and around mine. I could never see him again without the whispers of reassurance, the quickening of his breath in pleasure or the echo of his voice softly calling me 'Baby' in my memory; and that knowledge made my chest fill to bursting point with nerves and excitement and anticipation of what could possibly come next.

I'd woken up to a heated embrace and his soft kisses to my hair, and for one, blissful minute, I could pretend we had all the time in the world to enjoy each other. Until the realisation hit that we were in my house - in my bed - with a father who could come home any minute. Waking up and finding that it hadn't been some improbable dream was the hardest thing to get used to. The caress of Embry's hair through my fingers, his tangible heat on my skin and the play of his breath fanning over my chest felt like some new torture my mind cooked up, just to mess with me a little more. His kiss was a jolt to reality, the urgency on his lips feeding my own celebration that yes, this was happening, he was here.

Then the ache at the base of my abdomen hit, and the memory of how much I'd shared with him last night filtered through my brain, slamming the brakes on any plans for a repeat performance.

They don't tell you any of this crap in romance novels.

So that left us now, hopelessly dancing around each other, trying to reign in the burn of hormones that had been unleashed. I'd never 'gotten' the whole deal with sex, but now... well, Embry kind of needed to get dressed, and soon.

I took another sip of coffee, reigning in my ridiculous fluctuations in hormones just enough to turn back to him. "Come on, you need to get dressed. I left one of Charlie's shirts for you in my room."

He was leaning on the door frame, chewing his lip to fight some kind of smirk. Of course. He knew exactly what was going on with me. Like that's not humiliating, or anything.

"Yes, Ma'am," he snickered, lazily pushing himself off the wood and taking a step toward me - in the wrong direction - all macho pride and knowing looks. "That still hot?" he asked huskily, stopping close enough for me to feel the heat coming off his chest, and gestured to the cup.

I eyed him, nodding slowly. Alright, well mission accomplished... Embry was displaying a confidence that was new and disconcerting and kinda sexy all at once. He took the cup from my hand, dragging a slow sip while training his eyes on me.. before his brow wrinkled, and he spat the contents of his mouth back into the container.

"Eugh, could have warned me you have a half-pound of sugar in there," he groaned, sticking his tongue out and smacking his lips together, reminiscent of my grandma whenever she got new dentures. I laughed, covering my mouth and nose with my hand as he completely exaggerated how bad it tasted.

"Oh come on, I thought you could smell anything," I teased, fighting off another giggle. His face melted into a reprimanding smile before he steeled his jaw.

"I thought it was just you that smelled so sweet," he said cheesily, one dimple making an appearance on his left cheek in an exaggerated sneer that he could only be described as a Paul Lahote impression. Yeah, he didn't 'do' sleaze well, and we both knew it. I rolled my eyes as he laughed, this time really turning off in the direction of the kitchen.

"Oh-kay, Cassanova, I'll make you your own cup if you promise to just get dressed, for crying out loud."

"No sugar!" he called after me, finally moving to fulfill my request.

I was by the kitchen sink, succumbed to thought as I dried off last night's dishes, when a knock came to the door. I stiffened, casting a glance back to the stairway and at a loss as to what to do. The knock came again, this time more insistent and I moved slightly to try and make out the shadow on the frosted glass of the back door.

"Bella? I can hear you moving in there! Come on, let me in! I need to use your bathroom!"

My eyes widened, instantly seeking out a way to attract Embry's attention, but unable to without Quil's knowledge. I turned indecisively for a second on the spot, grasping the dish towel nervously in my fingers as Quil repeated my name. With a resigned sigh, I opened the door, inwardly praying that Embry would hear him and make some kind of escape. Keeping our relationship quiet would be pretty impossible if Blabbermouth Ateara was in on it.

I blocked his path with my body, not quite opening the door as an invitation. "Why can't you go out in the woods, like a real wolf?" I asked his fidgeting form. He was shuffling from one foot to the other and scowling at me.

"I'm not an animal, Bella. Besides, I saw on the Discovery Channel that there are these fish, right, and they swim up inside your junk while you're peeing and...hook on," he said, with a paling look of absolute distress that I'd never seen on him before. I pressed my lips together at his confession, fighting the urge to laugh or sigh at him. Bloodthirsty vampires? Piece of cake. Tiny fish stabbing his penis? The stuff of Quil's nightmares.

"I'm pretty sure those live in the Amazon, Quil, and just in the water, being fish and all... Where the hell were you planning on doing it?"

"Bella, I don't have time for this, okay? Let me in!"

I smirked triumphantly at him for a beat before his gaze trained over my shoulder. "What the fuck?"

My blood ran cold at the thought that Embry had somehow made it all the way down here without realising what the hell was going on. I turned, following his gaze to nothing behind me, but it was too late. Seeing his opening, he whizzed past me and made for the stairs, calling "Thanks Bella!" on the way.

I cursed in his wake, bracing myself for the discovery I was sure Quil was about to make as soon as he exited that bathroom. I couldn't help but follow after, still clinging to the futile hope that Embry had somehow made a Spiderman exit.

But it was too late.

Rounding the top of the stairs, I was confronted with the sight of Embry, stock-still, wide-eyed and fully dressed, holding my phone in one hand - and Quil, lips pressed together in confusion coupled with a narrowed, perplexed stare. They faced each other, like a Mexican stand-off, neither willing to speak first.

I drew in a quick breath, knowing that any hope of keeping this a s secret, just for us - and Leah, I guess - disappeared the second Quil cleared the top step. The sound of my approach gathered both of their attention, and just like that, the dam broke.

"Why are you... What's-" Quil stammered between us, nostrils flaring at the scents he was encountering, as Embry avoided his gaze. We hadn't talked about it, but I instinctively knew that no matter how happy Embry was about what was developing with us, keeping it from Quil was a downside. They told each other everything, and it just now dawned on me what coming between that could mean. Would Quil get mad at me? Resent me for coming between them?

Embry cut into my thoughts as he held out my phone. "Bella, you have a voicemail from the Police Station," he said, jerking the phone again to encourage me to take it. Grasping blindly, I looked between both men once more before letting my gaze fall on the screen. I don't even remember habitually pressing the 'call' button, but soon Charlie's voice was slicing into the tension.

"Hey Bells, tried calling but you must still be asleep. Anyway, I napped for a few hours in the station, but I'm headed out again to help clear some of the debris. Hope everything's alright. Call me if you need anything." The line went dead, and I cut off the message-inbox-lady with a half-hearted push of the button.

The wheels in Quil's head were turning, and he looked from me back to his best friend. "So... Chief wasn't home last night..." he deduced, cocking his head to one side as he studied Embry's guilty expression.

Taking pity on my - whatever I should be calling him - I interrupted. "Quil, didn't you have to pee or something?"

The reminder triggered an instant response, and a mumbled 'Shit!' fell from his mouth before he slammed the bathroom door behind him. Embry looked to me wide-eyed, mirroring my own panicked expression. I turned back to the stairway, motioning for him to follow so we could talk and trying not to wince at the pain the lower-half of my body was going through because of last night. All the while, a contented groan echoed from the bathroom, and Quil vocally reminded himself - and us - of the perils of taking on reigning champ Seth in a "Big Gulp One Minute Challenge".

When we reached the kitchen, I turned, burying a hand in my hair. "I'm sorry, he pretty much barged in!" I hissed, still watching the way we came for a sign of our uninvited guest. "Didn't you hear him?"

Embry held out his hands. "I heard you talking to someone at the door, but I didn't think it was him. Your phone was ringing at the time, I was kinda distracted," he said apologetically, watching me pace.

"Okay well.. he knows," I said resignedly, still hoping he'd disagree.

"Yeah, he's got a pretty good idea. It's not like we can deny anything. What do we do?"

I sighed, my next sentence cut off by the sound of Quil's footsteps on the stairs.

"You know, girls are ruthless, and you should think about what you're doing," he said, eyes focused on Embry with mirth. "Yeah, that's right - I figured you guys out, shockingly. The first clue should have been when she wouldn't let her good friend Quil come inside in his time of need."

I looked to my feet ashamedly, knowing that he wasn't going to make this easy for either of us.

"But - aside from the stink of sex that is the entire first floor of this house, I should have known when I heard you whistling before you came out of Bella's bedroom."

The heat staining my cheeks could probably have given the two werewolves in the room a run for their money - and I reflexively tucked my chin into my chest in discomfort. After a cursory glance, Embry chewed on the inside of his cheek and then sighed.

"Alright, ha-ha, Quil. You got us. Can you spare the Sherlock Holmes routine right now?"

Quil ignored him, giving me a devilish smile as he pulled out a chair for himself. "You see, what you might not know about my good friend, partner in crime, my brother-from-another-mother Embry here, is that he loves to sing."

I tried not to smile for fear of encouraging him, I really did, but the memory of Embry's private show in the shower this morning came to mind, and I released a little splutter, before shooting an apologetic look to the object of Quil's taunts.

"I, uh, noticed that, yeah."

Quil leaned back on the chair and raised his eyebrows. "Oh you did, huh?" He smirked again, running a thumb over his bottom lip to smooth it out. "Well, did you also know, that, depending on the type of song, you can tell exactly what's going on inside that sexy, mysterious, oh-so-complicated brain of his?"

Embry rolled his eyes, sighing as he approached the coffee pot. "I'm making fresh coffee. Anyone else want coffee? Bella? Because Quil's sending me to sleep right now."

"He never did appreciate my comedic timing," Quil hissed at me in some skewed form of a stage whisper. Embry just stopped acknowledging him and got to work filling the pot with fresh water.

"Anyway, as I was saying, this took me a while to figure out but I think I got it down pat. Y'see, Em sings because he's not much of a talker, so the emotions have to work their way out somehow. When he's nervous, or pretty excited about something, it's hip-hop."

Embry stopped to turn to him, throwing him a glare that said 'what the hell are you smoking', but Quil carried on, undeterred. A smile teased at my lips as the memory of Embry rapping on my front porch filtered through. Nervous, huh?

"Okay," I said, "I can see what you mean." I was starting to play the part now, settling in for a class of 'Embry 101'. Quil did seem to know his stuff, after all. "And what else?"

"If he's happy, it's classic rock. We're talking Zeppelin, AC/DC, Sabbath... that kinda stuff. He tends to sing that if he feels like he's achieved something, like acing a test, taking down a vamp.. something like that."

"Like say, if he kisses someone for the first time?" I asked, sliding a glance behind at Embry's stiffening back. Quil smiled gleefully and clapped once before pointing both trigger-fingers at me.

"By George, she's got it!"

"What was it, again? Oh... 'You Shook Me All Night Long', right?" I frowned to my feet with a smile before looking back at Embry. His shoulders squared, but he still hadn't turned to us, pretending to be fully immersed in the task at hand. The scent of fresh coffee began filling the air, and he picked a mug from the sink, rinsing it and setting it by the percolator. He braced both hands on the counter and started nervously drumming out a rhythm I didn't recognise.

Quil's eyebrows shot up, and he momentarily frowned before training his expression back to the one we knew and loved - yet his eyes, they were tinged with a sadness I was seeing for a second time, from back in the days before he shot up six inches and packed on thirty pounds of muscle.

"That long ago, huh?"

This time, Embry did turn. "I wanted to tell you, man, I-"

Quil cut him off, expression once again lighting up with an unshared secret as he leaned forward in the chair.

"But you know when you know that Embry's really happy? I mean top-of-the-world, smiling-at-strangers, doing-that-weird-elbow-dance-he-thinks-is-cool ecstatic?" He looked back at his friend, who was now pouring coffee into a mug and acting like it was the most interesting thing in the world.

"The Rat Pack. When Em starts bustin' out the real classics - Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., that's when something huge went on in his life. The time he got his dirt-bike, he serenaded the fucking thing every chance he got."

Quil's eyes sought out his friend again, and a wistful smile tugged at his mouth. " His mom constantly plays those old records, so they're kinda etched on his brain. Makes sense that after the night he spent at that club with you, Bella, there was nothing in his head but 'The Way You Look Tonight' for about a week. "

Sensing the thinly veiled tension in the air, I gave him a kind smile and took the seat opposite, knowing that this wasn't about me, and never really had been; Quil was hurt, and we needed to let him vent his frustrations in a way only he could - through humour.

"It should've made sense once I heard you rockin' the old Sammy Davis Jr. this morning. Only sleeping with the girl you've been pining after for months warrants a big hit like that. Call me naive, but I thought I'd know about something like this."

"Look, man, I'm sorry..." Embry started to say, before Quil cut him off, yet again.

"Y'know, I think I will take that coffee. You know how I take it. There isn't much you don't know about me." He turned to me again, giving me a bright smile that was at once disarming and heartbreaking.

"I'm sure Bella could use a few tips. I mean, you've been together.. huh, a week? No wait, two. Wow."

Giving Embry an apologetic look as he set down Quil's cup and took a seat, I sighed, wondering how to fix this, or if it was even my place to do it.

"So hmm. Embry facts. Well, you know he's a total movie nerd, right? And you know about his weird singing habits. What else?" he asked the room, though neither of us dared to answer.

"When he was a kid, he was deathly afraid of flamingos," he chuckled, and I couldn't help but crack a smile. "Yep. Gayest bird there is, and this guy's got a full-on phobia."

Even Embry dared smile this time, shaking his head at the table-top at his friend. "These aren't even tips. You're just stating embarrassing facts about me."

"They're fucking pink, man! PINK!" Quil laughed, and I descended into giggles despite myself.

Embry shrugged. "Their legs freaked me out, what can I say?"

"You're still a fuckin' pussy, you know that, right?" He turned back to me, frowning in recollection. "There was also this thing with cats, but eh... come on, what dog likes cats? One time he tried to jump this 'dead' cat we found on a skateboard, but the thing moved at the last second, so he dived off like he was in Die Hard or something. The cat didn't give a shit, and he sprained his wrist."

"Alright professor, I think she's heard enough," Embry cut in, but Quil wasn't finished.

"He didn't kiss a girl until he was fifteen."

"Neither did you!" Embry exclaimed.

Quil held a finger to his lips, hushing the protest. "This isn't about me. Stop deflecting." He calmly turned his focus back on me and gave a thoughtful look. "He also didn't touch a boob until he was seventeen."

Embry grunted petulantly into his hands and flopped his head on the table with a dull thud. I chewed on my lip, desperately trying to hold in the laugh that filtered through anyway.

"And lets see, no sugar in his coffee, when he makes this face-" he scowled, jutting out his chin and cocking up one eyebrow disapprovingly, "- he thinks your genius plan is stupid and won't get you laid, so probably won't go along with it. Oh, and don't feed him cheese after midnight! Otherwise he gets really gassy and man, I'm tellin' ya..."

"Quil! Dude!" Embry barked, raising his head with one hand pressed to his forehead, eyes pinched shut.

Quil held up his hands innocently. "Hey, full disclosure here, okay? We wouldn't want to have to keep secrets from those we're supposed to care about, would we?"

Embry's mouth tightened in reprimand, and he looked at his friend remorsefully. "It's nothing personal, Quil. We didn't want anyone to know." I nodded in agreement, letting Embry take my hand subtly beneath the table. He needed the support, to know that I'd still be around no matter how Quil took this - but it was just as much for me as it was for him. Doing this was scary, and exhilarating, and made everything rapidly seem more real.

"Leah figured it out on her own.."

"Leah knows?! Goddamnit, Em, are you trying to hurt me?"

Who knew Quil was so dramatic? I certainly hadn't expected this. Embry fought a smile, knowing that taking his concerns anything less than seriously would do us no favours. With his hand in mine, sat at my own kitchen table, I was starting to feel a lot older than my years. By making the choice to be with Embry, it looked like I'd inherited a large, potty-mouthed child. Sure, Quil may have looked like a post-grad, but inside, he was just a guy, barely out of childhood who was being left out by his friends.

"That wasn't intentional. She already knew how I felt, put two and two together and confronted Bella about it. "

"And, what, you guys were just gonna keep it a secret forever?" he asked, gaze shifting between us.

"Of course not, it's just, we're still figuring out what this is," I supplied, attempting a smile.

"You're not fucking around here, are you?" he asked, a trace of surprise in his tone. Embry's mouth quirked up on one side, and he cocked an eyebrow in my direction, a silent confirmation passing between us before he spoke.

"I think you already know my feelings on that one, dude," he commented ruefully. I turned my gaze back to the table, picking at a chip in the wood as I reigned in the smile and the bloom of warmth that extended from his words throughout my body. Quil's brows creased upwards in a respectful acceptance.

"Well, shit, man... I kinda thought you were destined for the friend-zone. No offense."

Embry chuckled and squeezed my hand. "None taken... it was kind of a shock for me when she started confessing her undying, soul-crushing love for me... and her lust for my young, chiselled body," he deadpanned.

I bumped his shoulder with mine in admonishment. "Yeah, 'cause that's what happened."

"Close enough..."

"You and I have very different recollections of that night," I laughed, and Quil rolled his eyes.

"Aw, Jeez, aren't you two just the cutest thing," he muttered with a look of feigned fondness.

"Sorry," I said, "You're the first person we've actually told and uh... we're still in the annoying couple stage. Give us a week, we'll be out of it," I smirked.

He looked at me pointedly. "Aren't you worried? I mean... this isn't your first time out, Bella, You know how this could end."

We both shifted uncomfortably in our seats, not able to tell him how exactly we'd settled things.

"We've worked through it," Embry said simply, refusing to divulge more even as Quil's hands overturned on the table in encouragement of an explanation. "Trust me." There was a long moment of pregnant silence before Quil smacked his lips together and shrugged.

"If you say so..."

"I do," Embry retorted, his demeanor stiffening in defense. Frowning, I traced a thumb over the back of his hand in soothing circles, unnerved. Although I agreed with him, snapping at Quil wasn't going to convince anyone of our progress. Quil's eyes narrowed minutely for a beat before he looked at me in for confirmation.

"Em..?" I said questioningly, knowing that there wasn't any need for words. He shot me an apologetic look and sighed back in Quil's direction, pushing his free hand through his hair roughly.

"Sorry, man, it's just..." he blew out a breath, "We kinda lost our minds over this for a while, and I just knew people would start questioning it as soon as they found out. I guess I'm a little defensive."

Quil leaned back in his seat, throwing a half-shrug. "I get it. But I don't think it's me you were worried about, right?"

The name none of us dared say hung in the air around us, practically echoing off the walls. My face crumpled, and I turned away frustratedly. Of course - as soon as one problem was solved, another raised its hand and reminded us it was still there. I was taken back to Paul, a few days ago in the very seat where I was, cursing fate for throwing him bullets to dodge or deflect at every twist and turn. I knew exactly how he'd felt right now.

"You know you're going to have to tell him, sooner or later."

"That's exactly why we haven't told anyone. It shouldn't be anybody's business but ours. Why does everyone have to know everything in this fucking Pack?" Embry countered frustratedly, before glancing at me . "Look, I'm aware of all the reasons he should know... but there's a longer list of why he shouldn't right now. Do us a favour? Keep this to yourself, man... for us?"

Quil's jaw flexed indecisively as he looked at us, the wheels of his mind turning to let a long pause hang in the air before he spoke.

"I guess...but let me go on record as telling you this is a terrible idea, and you should tell Jake before he finds out on his own." His gaze hooded challengingly and he folded his arms.

Embry rolled his eyes. "Alright, your ass is covered... just, think about Megan Fox or something while you're phased okay?"

Quil smirked. "Don't have to tell me twice." He rubbed his hands together and straightened up. "Alright then, what's for breakfast?"

"Something you're not having," Embry retorted, raising a brow. Quil frowned.

"But you guys need to buy my silence, so I won't tell everyone about the doinking. High five to Em, by the way."

My mouth gaped open helplessly at Embry, who shook his head and sighed. "You're trying to blackmail Bella into making you waffles?"

"Of course not. I'm trying to blackmail Bella into making me pancakes. And bacon."

I laughed despite myself while Embry threw up his hands. "It's like having a twelve year old."

"Hey, I could very well get my ass kicked for this, least I can get out of it is a good breakfast."

The sound of the back door being slammed turned all of our heads towards Leah, who was lumbering in with a look of annoyance on her face. Her eyes scanned the room swiftly. "I hear 'breakfast', yet I don't smell anything," she announced.

"Nice to see you too, Leah," I greeted sarcastically, getting up to start on aforementioned pancakes. Alright, so they didn't exactly ask politely, but I had a feeling we were going to need to keep as many people on side as possible.

"What the fuck are you doing here?" she asked Quil, opening the fridge.

"Trying to solve the mysteries of the universe, like why the hell Bella chose this loser when I made it specifically clear the day I met her that she had an open invitation to my pants."

Leah scoffed. "Because even though she's a mental case who has no idea what's good for her, she doesn't have the patience of a kindergarten teacher." She pulled out a can of soda and opened it. "You found out, then."

"Yeah, despite their ninja skills, I figured it out. It's not like anything gets past me."

"He means he barged his way upstairs and saw Embry coming out of my room," I clarified.

Leah's face broke into an uncharacteristic smile at Embry, and she cocked her head to one side condescendingly. "Well, well, look who had the follow through..."

"I had a feeling you guys weren't just talking about patrol schedules on the phone," I grumbled, while Quil frowned between us.

"You called her for the pre-bang pep-talk?" he asked in outrage, jerking his thumb at Leah who was hiding her smirk behind the soda can. "Come on, man, this is just... you're a real jerk, you know that?"

"Surprisingly, this wasn't about you," Embry replied, frowning before the look on Quil's face did its intended job of pulling at his heartstrings. "But yeah, I kinda missed you, man."

Quil seemed appeased, giving embry a proud, brotherly smile, while Leah scoffed. "Hey, I think I made a pretty good estimation of what he would have said."

He squared his shoulders challengingly, jutting his chin out. "Oh yeah? What was it?"

"I pretty much told him to hit that like it's goin' outta style."

Quil wilted back, narrowing his eyes at her. "Well, alright, yeah... but it's all in the delivery. You're supposed to tell him he's a badass, and that she's gonna forget her own name he's so awesome."

"You mean lie to him?" Leah countered, to Embry's interruption of 'hey' and my stifled laughter.

"Pretty much," Quil replied impishly. "Just don't make it obvious." He held his hands up by his head innocently, trying to hide the laughter that was shaking his shoulders, while Embry glared scornfully at him. "I'm kidding, man, I swear. I'm happy for you... and, strangely impressed."

I dipped my head to my mixing bowl, refusing to get involved when a grunted curse came from Leah, and she dived toward the back door, locking it and throwing her weight behind it.

"Don't even fucking think about it, Paul. What, are you stalking me now?" she said, turning her head to the side and directing her voice out the door.

"Don't flatter yourself, Lee. I came to see Bella," was his muffled reply.

"What's going on?" I hissed, and Leah just rolled her eyes.

"Oh yeah? What's it about?" she asked him, and an unsure pause met her question. "That's what I thought. I came here to get away from you, you jackass!"

"Here's a radical thought, when you're trying to get away from me, don't choose somewhere I can run to in seven minutes! Deep down, you know that you want to work through this, Leah."

"Deep down I know that if I wanted to fuck a woman, I'd have become a fucking lesbian!"

Quil's mouth gaped open, and his nose wrinkled as one hand levitated to point at Leah. "You... and... and him?" he said, before looking to where Embry was standing at the window, trying confusedly to get a look at Paul. "Jesus Christ, has everyone got somebody around here but me?"

Embry straightened up, a proud smirk gracing his features before he gave a shrug. "Pretty much. We could set up a play-date for you, maybe you'll meet someone special."

My jaw hung open as I glared at him and pulled the dish towel off my shoulder, smacking him in the chest with it. "Em-bry!"

He gave me a look of innocence I wasn't buying, and I hoped that somehow, the comment had gone unnoticed.

"Oh, ha-ha, I get it, because I'm immature, right?" Quil said, as Paul started thumping the door. "Well, just because I'm not an old man, doesn't mean I'm immature. I'm just fun."

"Is that Ateara? Why the fuck does he get to be inside when I don't?!" Paul called.

"Because he didn't lose his balls somewhere in the OLYMPIC FUCKING FOREST!"

I threw down the mixing bowl and stuck a finger in my ear, shaking it with a groan of 'holy shit' to alleviate the ringing, as Quil and Embry vocally protested at the volume of her voice.

"Leah what the hell is going on?" I demanded, wondering how the hell mine and Embry's blissful morning had descended into, well, breakfast time at Sam's house.

"He's an asshole, that's what's going on."

"I think she means specifically today..." Embry supplied, raising a mischievous brow and moving to wind an arm around my waist, resting his chin on my head.

"Well fuck me for trying to, y'know, help!" Paul called through the glass with a thud to the wall, as Leah grunted with frustration.

"Sam and Emily are having an engagement party at their house," Leah finally said, as if admitting the simple fact caused her great effort. Realisation dawned on me then, that Leah was being forced to confront feelings she had buried a long time ago. "This dick took me out to the middle of nowhere to 'vent' my anger. Set up things for me to smash, and even had a picnic for afterwards."

"Wow, what a prick," I deadpanned, and she shot me a withering look.

"The thing is, he won't listen to me when I tell him it's fine!" she ground out, jaw clenching harshly through her words. "I'm over it, and I'm not going to their stupid party. Besides, he seems to have forgotten the whole basis of our relationship. NO FEELINGS!"

Paul scoffed through the door. "You wanna live in denial, sweetheart, that's fine."

"Leah, he's got a point... I mean, if you're truly over it, shouldn't you at least be able to go to the party? Weddings take months of planning, and it's all you're gonna be hearing about until the big day. You gonna avoid that too?" I stepped out of Embry's hold and looked at her with guilt, knowing she'd come here for back-up, not for me to side with Paul.

"I just think this could be a good opportunity for you to really get over things, once and for all, and move on."

Leah's look of betrayal actually could have melted my face off, but something in it seemed to get to her. She stepped forward from the door and unlocked it, letting Paul hesitantly poke his head inside.

"Does that mean you're going?" he asked, hand curled around the door.

Leah folded her arms, and glared at me. "Yeah, I'll go. On one condition."

Uh-oh.

"Bella comes too. And stays at least two hours."

What?!

"Leah, come on.. I haven't been around everyone on the Rez since..."

"You really think Saint Emily wouldn't invite you? Your name's on the guest list already, she's just working up the courage to call and ask... mainly because if you're there, then all the wolves can stay in La Push." Her brow raised challengingly and she leaned against the fridge, crossing her legs at the ankles. "And, if you're all 'sure' of everything like you claim to be - sure enough to get naked and sweaty with someone else, then it shouldn't be a problem."

She held my gaze for a long moment, and I felt the eyes of everyone in the room upon me. I didn't know how, but Leah had this uncanny ability to reach inside someone, grab on to their weakness and hold it up for everyone to see. I had to do it, or she'd never give Embry or I a break. I squared my shoulders, determined not to let her throw a spanner in the relatively smooth running of what we had.

"If that's what it takes... deal."

"Bella..." Embry said warningly, looking between Leah and I with caution.

"It's fine, Em. I'll probably have to confront this sooner or later. May as well do it with someone else who's dealing with it."

"But I mean... we're going to have to be extra careful that nobody finds anything out."

"Simple, I'm there as Leah's plus-one. Problem solved."

Leah nodded at me, a strange pride adorning her features. I realised that through my bravado, I'd touched on the truth. This really was something I needed to get through, and who better to go through it with, than my best friend? That's what she was now. Somehow, when our worlds got torn to pieces, Leah Clearwater and I had become kindred souls, two halves of a battered whole that I was grateful to be a part of.

"Sounds like a deal to me, Swan," she said softly, holding her hand out to me. I took it, smiling at her, as Paul finally chanced entering the kitchen.

"Alright then, that wasn't so hard," he said, as if he'd been the one to make sense of the mess. "So what's for breakfast?" He sniffed the air for an extended moment, his brow furrowing when no food was being prepared.

"And why does Princess B smell like sex... and..." he sniffed the air again. "...And Embry?"

A/N: Wow, nothing gets by you, Paul, does it?

This chapter was a lot of exposition and setting up for the next few chapters, which, as you can imagine, are going to get pretty interesting. It was longer than I anticipated, but Quil just wouldn't shut the hell up!

Let me know what you think.

P.S. Are you guys reading Bluebird? Because HOLY SHIT!