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

Without you, the eyes gaze, the legs walk, the lungs breathe
The mind churns, the heart yearns
The tears dry, without you ~ Jonathon Larson

Chapter 5

"That is the saddest story I've ever heard" Embry ducked as Rory picked up a rock and hefted it in her hand. "Hey now, violence is clearly not the answer here"

"I tell the story of my life's quest and you mock me? Really Embry, how is that fair?"

"My father doesn't understand me, blah, blah, blah. I had this overwhelming urge to travel, blah, blah, blah. I'm using my photography to find myself, blah, blah, blah."

"That's not nice."

"Who said I was nice?" Embry smiled and pulled Rory back into his side.

The wind was picking up. Goosebumps chased across her skin as she nestled into him. "Has anyone told you you'd make a great space heater?"

"Is that your roundabout way of telling me I'm hot?"

"Shut Up, Asshat."

Embry's echoing laughter came to an abrupt halt as they rounded the path and came on her campsite. He gazed in dismay at the small tent that twisted wildly in the wind and then back at Rory. His eyes hardened as they took her in. "Oh, Hell no."

It had been a long day. No, scratch that, the longest day Sam had spent away from Paul since what they had started calling 'the incident'. Sam had found a job with a construction crew doing some roadwork an uncomfortably close distance away from the scene of 'the incident'. On windy days, Sam swore he could still smell her blood in the shifting breeze, even though the others swore that no such scent existed. Sam no longer spent hours trying to coax life back into the empty shell of his former best friend. He had work to do, mouths to feed, other people who relied on him. Emily was growing less and less patient with Sam every time he burst into a fit of rage over the smallest, stupidest thing. An unwashed dish, a shoe out of place, anything could send him into a fury. He was often stopping just short of repeating past mistakes. Sam sighed; It was a stupid thing he had done, tying Paul here to this place. Sam shot back his whisky like it was water. Emily did not understand why he had seemed to give up on his life as well. Glancing back into the corner , he understood it even less. All he knew is that the amber liquid spreading fire down his throat made him numb to everything around him. It tamed the rage. Sam understood Billy better then anyone realized. His gaze softened as he thought about how Paul now spent his days. He could not understand how Paul could slave for hours at Billy's knowing how much the old man hated him. He fixed this and that, all the time ignoring the angry watchful glare. Paul worked so hard he came home exhausted; collapsing once again in his corner into a deep yet restless sleep.

Sam started, spiraling around to track the voices echoing loudly across the front of his house. Who the hell what that with Embry?

"Embry, you are totally overreacting"

"I'm not letting you sleep in a tent in the middle of winter in raging fucking storm. It's just not going to happen"

"Embry, I've been camping like that for months. It's called winter camping. People do it all the time. Besides, this is the Olympic peninsula, even in the winter it doesn't get cold"

"You can't be serious. " Embry growled, shifting her weight in his arms to get a better grip. How could someone so skinny be so bloody heavy? "You see that white stuff falling from the sky? It's called snow. You sleep out in this your pretty little bits will turn black and fall off. You're not going back out there"

"The hell I'm not"

"It's just not safe for a fragile thing like you."

"FRAGILE? Says who?"

"Says me"

"How dare you! You are such a pompous prick. PUT ME DOWN!

The front door burst open as Embry carried a kicking, screaming, enraged woman over his shoulder and into the front room.

"SAM!" Embry yelled as he desperately tried to hold the thrashing girl in place, "Sam, I need a favor. Jesus, get over here and help me before she seriously lessons my chance of having any pups"

Stepping forward, Sam took in his friend's frazzled state. His gaze shifted to the girl in Embry's arms; he braked like he'd crashed into an invisible wall. Sam's eyes got a little too watchful. He let his features mellow.

"Embry," he breathed, "who's this?"

Stumbling and stammering an enraged Rory finally kicked her way out of Embry's grip and to her feet. Her chest was heaving with the effort of breaking free. She glowered as she flung her hair from her flushed face..

"I'm Rory, who the hell are you"