We continue to hang out, and eventually, more of the girls come outside. There is music in the background, which makes conversation difficult. I just end up only drinking the two beers since I don't want to be any more intoxicated than I already am.

Towards the end of the night, it starts to rain. The others run inside as the fire goes out, but I stand outside for a second too long.

"You going to go in?" Jacob asks me.

I laugh, "does it look like I'm going in?"

"I'll stay out with you then," Jacob says. He moves closer to me and pulls me against his body. He is so warm. I can feel his heat through his shirt and vest.

I put my hearing aid in his pocket to keep it dry. The rain isn't coming down hard enough for me to be concerned about its safety, but with only one I take precautions anywhere I can. The rain chills me. I can't hear the sound of it, but the feeling jolts me alive.

Jacob bends over and picks me up. He throws me over his shoulder, and a laugh escapes my lips. He carries us to an area under a tree. Once we are in the shade, he drops me. He mimes the sign for deaf, which I have no idea how he learned. He was always blind whenever I did it before.

Water barely seeps through the leaves of the tree. Safe from the rain, I put back in my hearing aid.

I can hear the water hitting the ground. It is a glorious, but loud sound. The rain is coming down harder now, and everyone is inside. I glance behind Jacob at the house, and I can see everyone attempting to dry off. No one is watching us, thankfully.

"You're going to get a cold," Jacob says. "I can run us in the house. Emily will be able to grab you something that isn't completely soaked through."

I smile at him, "I am perfectly capable of running myself."

"I don't mind carrying you," Jacob continues on. He reaches down and brushes water off my cheeks.

My hair is sagging from how wet it is. He takes my hand in his, and we sprint back to the house. Our feet splash in puddles once we reach the dirt path. Finally, we end up in the doorway.

Emily is already waiting for us with towels. We take off our shoes and wring out our clothes while they are still on our bodies before coming inside. Even though it is much warmer here, I start to shiver.

Embry and Quil have already called a cab. Well, Embry did. Quil is passed out on the couch, lying on his side in case he upchucks. Emily gets me a sweater and I promise to return it. Someone will bring it back to her at least. Perhaps it won't be me, perhaps it will. It's impossible to tell.

We get one of the later rides. Parents come to pick up the other pack members, as well as roommates and the like. Once our cab is there, we pile inside and drive back to the house. I sit in the middle, squished between a drunk Quil and Jacob. I rest my head on Jacob's shoulder, hoping that we are dry enough that the cab driver doesn't complain.

As quickly as the rain came, it stops. It is sudden, almost immediate.

Back at the house, Embry drags Quil off to bed. He brings the garbage can into their room from the kitchen. Quil is able to walk, but only barely. I hope in the morning he'll be alright.

"You're smiling," Jacob leans down and whispers in my ear.

I turn around to look at him, "guess I'm happy I'm not the one who went overboard this time."

"Lucky for all of us," he jokes. I playfully push against his chest. Our eyes align, like the sun and the moon during a solar eclipse. I feel so warm. So hot.

I break away, moving past him and taking my hair down. I sit on the couch and let the wet strands fall around me.

"I miss my long hair," he sighs, scratching his head.

I shake my head, "I've always hated mine. We had to keep it long in the convent. I always wanted bangs."

"I could give you bangs right now," he chuckles, sitting down next to me.

Maybe when I have a bit more money saved, I will get some. I have enough now for first and last month's rent and then some. I can leave, stay in a motel for a few weeks until I find an apartment and a job. Slowly accumulate. Build things up for myself.

I'm not sure if I want to anymore. I know I have to leave La Push; I can't stay here since I'm not native.

He leans over and tucks my long hair behind my ear. It has become wavier from being up in twists all night. He cups my cheek and looks up at me.

"I have an idea," he tells me. "But I need you to go get ready."

"What do you mean?" I furrow my brow, leaning in closer.

"Change out of your costume and go put on the dress you wore to the wedding," his voice is throaty and quiet, but with our faces so close I can still pick it up. I love the sound of his voice. It's so marvellous. I wonder what he hears when he listens to me speak. "Fawn?"

"Sorry," I bat my eyelashes, looking down. "It's just... that dress is covered in grass stains."

"I'm sure you'll look wonderful anyway," he points out. "Don't come out of your bedroom until I come and get you."

I nod and head inside the bedroom. Inside, I take off my wet Halloween costume, but thankful for it and glad to be rid of it. I lie down on the sheets for a minute, wondering if this will be my last night in this place. So far, I'm neither here nor there on it. His deception is beginning to heal, and time might work its magic on me. I don't know that I want it to though. The sheets are soft here, but he is hard and rough. He is too similar to me, in every way, and also wildly different. He isn't as simple as I thought. The mystery is gone, the curtain has been pulled back to reveal him, but do I like what I see?

After I get dressed and put on my shoes, there is a knock on the door. I get up to answer it, and Jacob is on the other side.

He is wearing a white button-up, with the top couple of buttons undone. He has on black dress pants and shoes as well, and he holds a hand out for me.

We walk through the house and outside. I see candles, forming a circle in the grass. A song is playing from his phone's speaker, left on one of the wooden chairs. I'm sure its going to get wet. It could start raining again any second.

"Isn't that a fire hazard?" I ask, looking at the lights.

He smiles, "they're fake. Bella and I went out to get some after I told her I royally fucked up with you."

As we step closer, I realize how they flicker and wave in patterns, over and over. Still, it's beautiful. He leads me to the middle of the circle of lights and pulls me in close. We begin to dance. My shoes begin to soak through, but I don't mind the cold feet.

The song changes, and the next one to come on is an acoustic version of Hey Ya! by the Outkasts. I laugh as he twirls me in a circle. The music is quiet enough that I can hear him chuckle.

"What, you don't like my song choice?" he smiles down at me.

Looking up at him, I shake my head, "no, it's wonderful."

He continues to sway us back and forth, occasionally spinning me. I feel like a ballerina.

"By the way," he tells me. "I kind of like the grass stains."

They remind me of the night with Kamiko, when I realize vampires were real. This place has so many good memories and so many bad memories. Can I run forever? Will I ever find something as good as this?

"I need to leave," I tell him. "I can't stay, even if I wanted to stay. I'm not Quileute."

Jacob looks down, "I think it's time for me to move on anyway. Sell my Dad's house and find my own life, outside of the pack."

"I thought you loved them all," I bite my lip, looking up at him.

He nods, "I do. They'll always be part of me, and I'm sure Quil and Embry will always have a room we can stay in."

I don't want him to drop everything he loves for me. It feels wrong. However, I know what it's like to chase a dream. I just don't want to be somebody's only thing tethering them to life. I have so many questions floating around my head. How can I keep someone grounded?

"You know," he says, "I'd do anything for you."

"Is that you talking or the imprint talking?" I ask.

He looks at me, pausing. The song ends and switches to another slow song that I don't know.

"It'll be a losing game if you always want to know," he tells me. "The imprinting and me are inseparable."

"Just tell me you would've liked me if I weren't your imprint," I say. He said my voice sounded amazing. I know you imprint on sight, but what parts of my touch, my smell, my sound told him who I was. "Please, it's all I want to know."

"Fawn-"

"Because you still had feelings for Bella, and I know I won't be your first, I'm not expecting that," I start to ramble, the words rushing out of my mouth, "but I want to be something to you outside of this connection we have that is out of our control. Because I liked you-"

"Fawn-"

"No really, I did, and I knew as soon as I found out about imprinting that we were supposed to be together, and I don't know when I started liking you it just sort of happened, and Jacob, really, you have to understand that-"

He cuts me off, his lips on mine. The worst part is, I don't even mind.

When we pull apart, his fingers run over my face, resting on my chin and tilting me up to face him.

"I wouldn't have kissed you if I didn't already like you," he tells me. "If you say no, I will walk away. It'll kill me, but I'd do it. I can listen to you say no."

He says it with such gravity, and I know him. He doesn't let anyone tell him what to do.

But I'm not anyone to him.

I take a breath in, looking up at him. He needs an answer, and I owe him one. None come to mind though, and I wrestle with my thoughts. The wind blows, the candles flicker, and the song is droning on. Does he love me? Do I love him? Could I ever truly want to be with him after all he has done to me?

"I love you, Fawn Dubois, or whatever your real name is," he smiles, looking down at me.

"Imprint or you?" he told me not to ask, but I have to at least try.

"Me," he promises.

~~~~~

Well, this is sweet. Two cute moments in one. It would've been two short chapters if I had cut out any of the moments. Oh well. I hope you enjoy it. Just one more moment of plot left before the epilogue. AHHH! I hope you enjoy it.