Jade didn’t pay any attention to where she was running. All she wanted was to get out and to burn off her anger. After about ten minutes of solid running, it wasn’t working well at all and so she pushed herself harder and faster.

Jade! She heard Embry in her mind. She ignored him and continued running. Slow down please! Talk to me Jade. Please.

Go away Embry, I want to be alone.

No Jade, I won’t leave. We need to talk

Talk about what!?

Talk about why you ran out of the house like you were infected with something.

Jade didn’t respond to that but just pushed her tired limbs harder and harder. Embry tried again, come on Jade, be reasonable. What’s bugging you?

Nothing! She shot at him, slowing down a tad, its nothing.

I don’t believe you, and neither do you. I can tell your upset about something. Please talk to me we’ll work it out. Its what couples do Jade, we work through things together.

That got her, and Jade stopped. Fine, come find me. Sending him a picture of her surroundings, she flopped down on the ground to wait. Exhaustion washed over her, and Jade quickly fell asleep.

Jade, a voice cut through her brain, waking her up.

Ugh what? She grumbled, stretching her limbs and shaking. What Embry? I know your voice, where are you?

I’m right here! He called, as he sailed into view, pouncing on her and pinning her down. Jade could almost see his wolf face grinning.

Get off me you big lump, your going to crush me. Embry snorted, but did as she told him.

Are you alright Jade? Embry asked a few seconds later, looking straight into her eyes.

I’m fine. She looked away, and struggled to push Embry off her.

I don’t believe you Jade, and neither do you. Now tell me what’s wrong. I won’t get off of you until you agree to tell me.

Jade struggled for a minute, but Embry was telling the truth, he wasn’t going to budge. He was also a lot heavier of a werewolf than Jade, and she was loosing this fight.

Fine, I’ll tell you .Now get off me! Embry did as she wanted, rolling off her and stretching his muscles.

Jade hesitated for a minute, and then thought of something. Wait here, I’ll be back in a second. Jade sprinted behind a big tree and phased back, yanking her clothing back on.

“Embry?” she called, stepping out from behind the tree, “Are you still here?”

Embry looked at her, confusing marking his wolf features.

“No, don’t go phase back. I just need to talk and you need to listen. This just seems like the best way to do it.

Embry bobbed his head and flopped down on the ground, waiting for Jade to continue.

“Okay,” Jade took a deep breath. “I don’t want you guys to think I’m some delicate porcelain doll. I’m just like you guys; I have that tough werewolf gene in me. But you guys still think I’m some foreign thing that you need to figure out. We’re not as dissimilar as you think we are. I want you guys to treat me like you treat Leah.”

Embry shorted at that comment.

“Hey you know what I mean big guy. You guys treat Leah as one of you, as a part of the pack. I want to be like that too. I want that acceptance that you all have for Leah. Am I asking too much?”

Embry blinked and then shook his head.

“Thank you. Now I ran away tonight because I heard Sam talking to you boys about how I’m different from the rest of you, and how you boys need to treat me so. I don’t want that. I’ve been treated differently for the longest time; I just want to fit in with everyone else.” Jade fiddled with a piece of grass, keeping her eyes lowered.

Embry nudged her with his nose.

“I know, you were too until you told your mom. But it’s different for me. You had your friends around you. When you were a werewolf there was someone to share that connection with. I had nobody, ever. It was the worst kind of silence I’ve ever endured. It was a very lonely silence. Nobody was around me, nobody heard me. I had nobody to share this connection with. Do you understand?”

Embry shook his shaggy head. Yes, he did understand.

“And then when my parents found you guys, and convinced Sam to allow me to live here, for once in my life I felt like I belonged, felt like there was somewhere I could go to every day and have someone to talk to, someone who understood me. But when Sam talked to you guys, it felt like a knife slitting me in half. I was right back where I started before.”

Embry whimpered, licking her palm.

“I know big guy, but this is how I really feel. You wanted to know, don’t forget t hat.” Jade took a deep breath before continuing.

“I felt like even though I was a part of your group, I would forever be the outcast. You all are Indians, I’m a white girl. You all know each other personally, and grew up together. You share that special bond. I felt like Sam was trying to say that even though I was a part of your community, I really wasn’t. I was still an outsider. The thought of that really upset me, and I couldn’t handle my anger. I had to get out of there and away from you guys. I couldn’t stand to be in the same house as you guys if that’s how you guys believe.

“Good, so should we go back then? It’s kinda late.”

Embry shook his head again, and then disappeared into the darkness.

“Embry! Where did you go? Did you seriously leave me out here by myself?” when silence greeted her she sighed. “Thanks Embry, you definitely win boyfriend of the year award, abandoning your girlfriend in the wilderness where she could be eaten by wild and rabid things is definitely the way to go.”

“I wouldn’t abandon you to be eaten by wild or rabid things Jade,” Embry said, appearing from the darkness and warping his arms around her.

Jade jumped at his touch. “Oh my gosh you just scared ten years off my life expectancy.”

“I can

tell.” Embry pressed his hand to her chest. “Your heart is racing pretty fast. Didn’t know I had it in me to do that.”

“Do what? Scare me out of ten years of my life?”

“No, make you jump at my touch. I should try it more often.”

“Ha ha ha very funny. And I didn’t just because of that, you’re just startled me because I thought you’d left me here alone.”

“Jade, I’d never leave you.” Embry’s voice was suddenly serious, “I promise you this right now. I will never leave you.”

“Cross you heart?” Jade asked, looking up at him.

“Cross my heart” he promised, and then pulled her closer to him. “Now I’m gonna talk to you, and your going to have to listen alright? And no interrupting.”

“Okay.”

Embry sat down on a large rock, pulling Jade on his lap.

“Yes Sam cautioned us to be careful with you, but not in the way you think. He just yelled at us for making you do all the work around here. He is a werewolf too, and is used to having us drop around his house. He knows how stressful it is for Emily to have to deal with everything.”

“What’s the difference between me and Emily? We’re both capable girls and used to hard work.”

“The difference is Emily’s been cooking for werewolves for a few years now, and cleaning for them, doing their laundry. You’ve only been here for a few months. You aren’t really used to it. Besides, he almost had our hides when he found out about the state of the house when we brought you home to live with us.”

“But I don’t mind doing these things. Doesn’t Sam know that?”

“He probably does, but he also knows that you’re starting school soon. You’re gonna have a lot more on your plate and if you think you can continue the load that you have already and juggle school work and a social life, you’ve gotta be kidding yourself. You can not do that and we all know that.”

Jade was listening quietly, but at his comment about her social life she jumped away. “You can not be serious about my social life. I won’t need a social life! I have you guys, I don’t need anybody else.” Jade crossed her arms, signaling how serious she was.

“Yes you do Jade,” Embry argued. “We boys will still have to work, along with getting some schooling of our own. You’re gonna want some friends to hang around with when we’re not at home.”

“But I live on the rez with you guys, isn’t there rules about who can and can’t go on the rez?”

“Well yeah there’s rules, but its rules about who lives on the rez. Do you know the amount of teenagers who flood LaPush every weekend?”

“Oh, yeah good point. I forgot about that. But I’ve never actually been to LaPush, so you can’t really blame me for not knowing that.”

“That’s right, we haven’t taken you there yet. Don’t worry I’ll make sure the pack takes you to LaPush before you start school. Sound good?”

Jade nodded her head.

“Good. But do you understand why Sam’s acting all weird?”

“I guess, but I wish he wouldn’t. I can do it all; I just know I can. You guys are like my family, and families stick together.”

Embry chuckled. “So you’re saying that I’m like your brother? And yet you like me? Isn’t that incest?”

“NO!” jade gasped. “I didn’t mean it like that. I just meant that you guys are really close to me and the most like family that I’ve had in a very long time.” She stumbled over her words, trying to hastily piece together an explanation.

“I’m joking Jade, I know what you meant. Now can we go back home? It’s getting late and last time I checked, you have school coming up pretty soon, and we gotta get you used to getting up really early in the morning.”

Jade groaned, “You guys are going to be my wakeup call? What about an alarm clock? Can’t I just get one of those?”

Embry grinned, “Of course we are going to be your alarm clock. No clock could ever beat Quil at 5am?”

“Ugh, you boys will be worse than an alarm clock won’t you?” She put her hand to her head, “I can already feel the headache coming on. Now come on, can we run back?”

“Sure little werewolf girl.”

Jade ran behind some thick brush and stripped her clothing off, tying it to her ankle securely before phasing.

Ready to loose? Jade joked as she and Embry raced through the forest

Absolutely not! You don’t know where you’re going, so you just have to follow me. That means I’m gonna win! Embry put on a fresh burst of speed.

Jade laughed and matched his pace.

Looks like your gonna have to push it harder if you really wanna loose me. She teesed

You’ve been running with Jake haven’t you?

Of course I do. Jake and I train every single day, early in the morning. When lazy people like you sleep.

We’ll see about that. Embry said, pushing himself harder and running faster.

They continued this matched pace until Jade could see the clearing and the light from their house. Giggling to herself, she forced her legs to carry her faster, and made a mad dash into the house, beating Embry by a good two seconds.

Looks like someone needs to train harder in order to beat me. Jade laughed, breathless.

Embry didn’t respond, but trotting to the side of the house. Jade felt him fade from her mind, and he reappeared seconds later wearing cutoffs.

“You didn’t do too bad little girl, but I only let you win. Had to stoke your ego.” He winked at her before walking inside.

Jade charged him, but he closed the door a second before she slammed into it.

Ouch, that hurt. She thought to herself, and she phased back and yanked her clothing back on.

Jade walked into the house, rubbing her arm. Already a huge bruise was forming.

“Wow, you didn’t break down the house,” Quil joked as she walked into the living room. He was sitting on the couch, a little girl tucked next to him, sound asleep. “It sounded like you were going to break down the door.”

“No I wasn’t, I just ran into it. I did get this though,” she showed her arm to him. “Hurts like none other, but it should go away soon. Who’s that?” she asked, nodding to the little girl.

“This is Claire.” His voice went soft as he spoke her name, and he stared down at her lovingly.

“She is so adorable Quil, but why is she here?”

“After you ran out of the house, Sam decided not to leave. Emily had to go back because her sister was coming in to visit.”

“This late at night?”

“Their family visits at strange times. But anyways, Emily cam back to pick up Sam, and Claire and her mom came too. So I get to baby sit Claire while Sam was looking for you.”

“You guys were looking for me?”

“Course we were. Even Leah was looking for you.”

“But I didn’t hear you guys at all.”

“That’s cause nobody saw you phase. Only Embry figured you’d probably phased and hadn’t bothered to phase back. After he found out you were okay, everyone went home besides Sam. He wanted a word with you.”

“Oh joy, something to look forward to. Well I guess I should go find him the shouldn’t I?”

“Take your time, I like spending time with Claire, even if she’s sleeping.”

“You would.” Laughing softly, she walked out the front door to find a very angry Sam, hands on his hips.

---------

A/N

p.s. i don't own twilight, although i wish i did

yes i know its been forever, but here's another chapter thats taken me about 5 months to write. i had the document at school and always forgot about it for extensive amounts of time. i'll try writing it again and more frequently, but i can't ever promise updates, cause i know i'd probably end up breaking them :( but i can promise to try