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[sam]

Running. Running through the dense green foliage of the forest, Sam headed in the direction of his home. La Push, Washington where he was born and raised. It had been weeks ago, on one fateful day that his entire life changed in a matter of mere seconds. Sam recalled what had happened that day....

----

A sense of pure panic coursed through Sam, he didn't know what was going on. What had happened moments ago. He had been in his own home, perfectly content from just visiting with Leah Clearwater, his high school sweetheart. And the next thing he knew he was going off on his mom over something simple -His mother only joking around with him, making a comment about how he spends all his time with Leah-. His body had begun to shake uncontrollably and he had felt a burning sensation erupt throughout his body. Some instinct instructed him to get outside, and quick. Upon fleeing into the nearby forest the tremors consumed him, causing his body to rip apart, releasing a furred monster hidden within'.

----

Bringing his thoughts back to the present time he let his dark, brown eyes rove over the surrounding forest. In this new form he could see better. Hear better. Run faster. Everything was enhanced. He never got cold, he could run for days. He had been running for days, for weeks. When he had realized what had happened he needed to get away, to disappear, to figure things out. It was all like some sort of horror story, a nightmare. How could he become this...this wolf? A huge, horse-sized, black furred wolf. And at the time he had no idea how to get back to his human self, or if it was even possible.

But it was possible Sam had found out. After spending time alone, away from civilization, calming down as much as possible, he was able to transform into the 'real' Sam. And now he got it down to where he could phase back when needed, though it did take some concentration to get the job done. Once determining that he was able to return to his human form, Sam made the decision to return to his home. He was sure everyone was worried. His mother. Leah. Leah. He couldn't tell her anything, either of them, they would think he was crazy. Sam would have to keep this a secret, endure it all on his own.

Pushing his legs harder and faster, his muscles pulsing with the newfound strength, he could see the edge of the forest ahead. As he got closer he could make out his house. The one he had left weeks ago. Sam stopped once he was several feet away from the end of the trees coverage. His house looked deserted...for now anyway. He needed it that way, he had no clothes to change into and didn't want anyone to see his naked form running out of the forest. Glancing around the neighborhood, checking for any witnesses, and taking note that the coast was clear, he phased in a mere second. Checking once more that there was no one around to see him in his nude form he sprinted across the front yard and quickly up the front porch, into the house and into his room.

He could tell people had been here. Sure the authorities had been involved in Leah and his mother's panic. Reaching a hand out he pulled open his dresser drawers, pulling out a random outfit to put on. Once dressed in a simple pair of jeans and a t-shirt he exited his room, unsure of where he should go. Stay here, or go find his mom and Leah? Deciding on the latter he walked down the short hallway and crossed the front room, taking a seat on one of the couches.

Putting his elbows on his knees, hunched forward, holding his head in his hands. He wasn't sure how he was going to explain this to anyone. Sam sat there, waiting, dreading when someone would return to the Uley Home.

[Leah Clearwater]

Leah got out of her borrowed car (her father's) and shut the door. She looked up at the house and took a deep breath. It had been two of the worse weeks of her life. And, the longest...

It had been a normal day, Sam had come over and they had hung out. The next day, Mary Uley had called asked if Leah had seen Sam. He had come home but left again and then not came home after that. Worried, Leah's father had helped rather some neighbors and look for him. They had found his clothes, ripped part. Her father had said that it wasn't an animal attack, and there was hope since there was no blood anywhere to be found.

It was that hope that caused Mary and Leah to join forces and start a campaign to find Sam. It would start with phone calls to local police stations. Asking if anyone had seen Sam.

Then came the fliers, and asking the local news stations to show his photo on TV. After a week, Mary had to go back to work and hope that some news would come. Leah had offered to help our around the house and keep looking. She did not have a job so had all the time she needed. She had been helping Mary in every way she could.

Leah seemed to realize she was standing in Sam's driveway just looking at this house, so she shook her head and forced her self to stop thinking on the past two weeks. It would do no good.

Walking up the back door, Leah used the key she borrowed from Mary to let her self in. She was here to get more fliers that were in the house, and then drive over to some bordering towns an put some up there.

Leah walked to the kitchen and opened the cabinet, pulling out a travel mug and then filling it with some water, and making sure the lid was on tight. Then she turned to the kitchen table and started gathering up the fliers, when she noticed the dirt in the same of a foot print on the floor.

Her body froze and she looked up and around as if she could see though walls and see who was here. There were no more foot prints on the floor but there was a bit of dirt in a small trail leading to fount room. She wanted to follow it and pray it was Sam but her leg would not move. A small part of that reason was fear, what if it wasn't Sam? The other, larger part was again, fear. What if Same had came and gone? Was she getting her hopes up?

Clutching the fliers and a map in her hands she took the steps needed to get her to the door way. Leah gasped and dropped the papers, "S-saamm?" She asked in a shaking voice.

[sam]

Having noticed the noises coming from outside, in his driveway, Sam listened harder. Trying to figure out who the person was. He knew there was a person out there, a heart was beating. He listened as the visitor entered into the kitchen, holding his breath he waited for whoever it was to take notice that someone had come into the house.

Sam let his hands fall from his face and he sat up. It wasn't until now, that he intertwined his fingers, that he noticed how dirty he was. He hadn't had a real shower since he had left, though he had paused to run through some rivers on his way. Turning his attention back to the person in the kitchen, fumbling with papers a cup. And then he could hear the person pause suddenly, he knew immediately that they knew someone was in the house.

Pulling his brown eyes from the ground he watched as Leah made herself visible in the doorway, her voice breaking as she said his name. He stood up in one quick movement, hardly making a noise. "Leah..." he sighed as he said her name. He felt relieved it was her, it wasn't until now, now that he saw her, that he realized how much he truly did miss her. Yet he wondered how this would affect there relationship...the lies...the disappearance.... He desperately hoped that nothing would change, though relationships usually didn't last when someone was lying.

[Leah Clearwater]

Leah felt her eyes water but they wouldn't spill out. She took a short half step to him, wondering why he had not ran to her yet, but paused. Her eyes traveled over his face and body looking to see if he was ok. He looked fine. His clothes where clean but his bare feet looked like he had walked out side.

He looked fine. Maybe a little worried, or maybe that was his tired face. No, she was sure there was some worried on his face. Leah finally walked the last few steps and wrapped her arms around his...overly warm body. He was sick! "Are you ok?" She asked running her hands over his face. "Your burning up! You need a doctor." Her voice was worried, and slightly relived. She was worried for him, but very glad he was home finally! Where he belonged.

[sam]

He watched as Leah paused, looking over him. He wondered how bad he looked. The stress, the emotional distress, the anger, and all the other emotions he had felt over the past couple weeks would have probably caused someone older than himself to have a heart attack. He was sure now that he looked terrible, especially from what little sleep he had gotten when he lived in the woods.

Relieved as she closed the distance between them, wrapping her arms around him, he did the same. Pulling her closer to him and giving her a gentle squeeze. It was comforting, holding her in his arms. It made him feel normal, he was glad she didn't know what he really was, what he had become. He sighed as she asked if he was okay. If she only knew, if he could actually tell her. Feeling her cool hands roam over his face he answered her before she could panic too much. "No," he whispered, loosening his arms around her slightly. He reached one of his large warm hands up, letting it rest on the side of her face. "I'm fine," he told her with a sigh, lying. He pulled his head down and kissed her forehead.

[Leah Clearwater]

"I don't see how you could possibly be fine, your so warm. You must have a fever." She felt him kiss her forehead and felt a little less worried. He did not act as if he was in pain. Just looked stressed and worried. "We were so worried about you! Your mother said you just ran off, but we both knew you would never just leave her. Then we--we found your clothes, and feared the worse. We were afraid for your life." Leah explained to him, and the tears finally rolled down her cheeks.

Her voice was still steady and only broke once as she told him of how they had thought he might be dead. Her fist balled up, clutching his shirt not wanting to let go. "I am so afraid I will wake up and this be a dream. Sam, what happened?"

[sam]

As the tears rolled down her cheeks guilt consumed Sam. He felt bad for forcing Leah to endure his disappearance. He pulled her closer, hugging her tighter and rested his cheek on her soft, dark hair. "I'm sorry," he whispered as one of his hands started to rub her back in comfort. "I didn't mean to put you through that," he told her.

He lifted his head from the top of her head and reached one of his hands up to wipe the tears from her face. "Shh," he tried to comfort her. "It's not a dream Leah. This isn't a dream." He took a deep breath when she asked where he was. "I just," he paused, letting the air escape his lung, "Needed to leave for a while." That was the best he had come up with, the best he thought of while he had left. But it would have to do.

[Leah Clearwater]

Needed to leave for a while? "You needed to leave for a while?" She repeated her thought out loud as if she couldn't wrap her mind around it. "With out telling anyone? Your mother said you got angry at her. Were you mad at her?" Then she thought of how he had not said goodbye to her either, "Were you mad at me? I don't understand, Sam."

Leah felt like she needed to sit down but was not about to move away from him to do it. She didn't want to risk letting him go and him leaving again. If she knew why he left maybe she could make sure it didn't happen again. Maybe she could help make him stay.

She knew she also should call Mary Uley, but couldn't find the will to turn and find the phone, either.

[sam]

Before answering any of the questions Leah asked Sam pulled her to the couch he had just removed his tired body from. He sat down first, pulling her beside him, keeping his arm wrapped around her shoulders. With a sigh he began to answer the questions that had spilled quickly from her mouth. "Yes," he started, "I needed to leave. Quick, without telling anyone." He wished he could explain, explain it all, but instead he formulated his lies. "I needed a break from life. From reality. It was easier if I didn't tell anyone, if I just left. I didn't want anyone trying to keep me here, keep me from leaving."

Sam took a deep breath as he continued on. "No, I was not mad at anyone," he told her. He was least of all mad at her, and he found it hard to believe that she had even come up with such an absurd idea. "I was definitely not mad at you," he whispered as he stared off at the wall. When she next spoke of not being able to understand, it didn't surprise him. This wasn't an easy thing to understand, and Sam would never be able to explain it all. Leah probably would never comprehend his actions. "I don't think it's something you'll ever be able to understand...," he said with a sigh as he let the sentence trail off.

He turned his dark eyes back to her face. He saw the pain there again. The despair he had caused by leaving suddenly weeks ago. "I'm sorry," he apologized once more.

[Leah Clearwater]

He answer only made her hurt worse in her chest. She didn't understand. Not at all. However, a small thought accrued to her. Maybe he was tired. He might need something to eat and a nice nap, and then he might make more since. Leah however couldn't make sure self get up. "I am trying to understand, I--" She sighed, "I thought you were happy. What did you need to get away from?"

Had she put him under to much pressure? "If you ever need to slow down or take a step back from us to let things calm down, please let me know. I can't say I wouldn't have tried to stop you but, will you at lest leave me a note should you need to get away again? So I know you at lest alive?" She moved closer to him on the couch, he was so hot! She worried for him.

[sam]

Pulling his arm away in frustration he set his elbows on his knees and rested his head in his hands, letting his fingers tangle in the knotted mess off black hair. He turned to face her as he spoke. "Leah," he sighed, "I was happy. I don't think you'll ever understand what is going on, I don't expect you to. I just needed to...get away. That's all."

With a growl of annoyance he stood up in one fluid movement. His hand started to tremor a little as he stood in front of her and he had to take a deep breath before he spoke. "It's nothing you did Leah," he told her. "I couldn't leave a message or anything. I just had to get out. As fast and as soon as possible. If I could have, I would have. As it is, if I could I would have taken all of this back."

[Leah Clearwater]

When he pulled away Leah wondered if she was pushing to hard to fast. He had left for a reason, and she should give him time to settle down before pushing for more details. She opened her mouth to say I'm Sorry but then stopped. Unsure.

"Are you hungry or tired? I could get you food, or a pillow. You can just sit here and rest." She offered trying to be more help then pest. She reached over and rubbed his back reassuringly. Just wanting him to know that while she did not understand, she was still here for him. She still didn't want to leave him but she was getting over the shock of seeing him and thinking clearer.

[sam]

Sam melted under Leah's comforting touch and slumped onto the couch again. He shook his head from side to side, guilt the clear expression on his face. "I'm sorry Leah," he whispered under his breath as he turned to look at her. "I never meant to put you under any stress. To hurt you."

He was glad she was here, really he was. He turned and smiled as she offered to take care of him. At the mention of food his stomach growled, it had been weeks since he had last eaten a real meal. And now he felt as if he could eat an entire truck full of food, actually he was sure he could. "I am really hungry," he started, "I'll help you." He took her hand and pulled the both of them up.

[Leah Clearwater]

Leah was glad he was hungry. She felt like she needed something to do for him, to make it better, and was at a loss for something to do to help him since he was not up to talking now. She could cook for him. "I can cook for you, you just sit at the table and talk to me. It doesn't have to be about your leaving, it can be about anything." She just wanted to hear his voice in order to know he was real, and here, and safe.

"I have a cousin. She went away for college, to learn to cook, and be a chief." Leah was sure she talked about Emily before, "I have learned how to cook a few things. So you can rest while I cook you something. Are you very hungry?" His belly had said yes a moment ago, "I can good you something big, if you are." She wasn't sure when the last time he ate was.

[sam]

Pulling Leah into the kitchen, he released her hand to go sit in a nearby chair. His eyelids were beginning to get heavy, the tiredness making itself known. He was glad she offered to cook, he wasn't sure he'd be much help.

His mouth wattered at the idea of food. "Yes," he stated, "I'm very, very hungry." He didn't care what Leah made, he would eat anything right now.

He turned to glance out the window, he wondered when his mom would be home, and what kind of fit she'd throw. He'd take it though. Take it and deal with it. Turning back to Leah he gave her a slight smile. "What would you like to talk about, hun?" he asked, trying to turn his mind away from what was to come.

[Leah Clearwater]

Leah let him lead her there, and then smiled when he said very hungry. "I will fix you something big then!" She offered, glad to be doing something for him. She looked around some cabinets and things until she saw that the only thing she would be able to fix was Sloppy Joes. She pulled out the meat and started it cooking. "Ummm," Leah was sure what to say right now. She had so many questions, but could tell he was not ready to answer them.

"I got my prom dress." Leah said since this was going to be her first prom. She had got it the morning after he disappeared, but by the end of the day, had forgotten all about it when Sam was still missing. "It's white, and simple." Leah had meant for him to do most of the talking but once she started she couldn't stop. "It was to long at first, so I have to have to resized and once that was done, it fit great, until I put on my shoes, and it became to short. So they had to let it out. Now it's perfect. It's in my closet."

Leah looked over at him, and smiled faintly. "But that is boring to guys."

[sam]

The smell of the browning meat made Sam's stomach growl, he wrapped his hands around his waist as the uncomfortable hunger cramps started. He couldn't wait to get food in his empty stomach.

He nodded with a smile as she mentioned her prom dress and all the trouble she had gone through to make it perfect. He was sure no matter what it would have looked stunning on her, but it was just like Leah to make sure it was up to her standards. "You'll have to show me it," he told her. "And it's not boring, I like to hear about you."

"I still have to get my tux," he added, wondering how much time he had now before the prom. "When is prom again?" he asked sleepily, his eyes continuing to droop further.

[Leah Clearwater]

Leah told him a date five weeks from now and then went back to cooking. She was trying to finish it quickly so he could eat. "You still have time to get your tux." She took that as a good sign. He was planning to be here then. Leah finshed the meat and added the sause and then pulled the pan off the stove. She put it in a bowl and brought it and some buns tot he table. "This made allot of food. You'll have left overs for days!"

Leah put them all on the table and noticed his face. "You should nap some afterwords." She put a hand to his face, "You look like you could need it." Gosh! He was so hot! Leah worried he was sick but held back asking again.

[sam]

Sam nodded when she told him he still had time to get a tux. That was good, he didn't want to disappoint Leah by not being able to even go to prom.

"I'll probably end up eating it all," he teased in a whisper. He nodded again when she suggested a nap and shivered under Leah's cool touch. "Yeah, I need some sleep," he told her as he started to eat. Though he had initially teased Leah that he would eat it all, but the time he was finished all of it was gone.

"That was good," he replied, "Thank you."

[Leah Clearwater]

Leah made her a sloppy joe as well, and ate on hers. By the time she was done, she noticed Sam had finished off over half of the meat. She sat there and watched him mostly in silence as he finished it all off. She opened her mouth to say something then stopped, and closed her mouth. She did that sometimes when she was unsure on how, what she needed to say would be taken. She didn't want to seem pushy.

"I will clean up this mess." She offered, "If you want to lay down." Leah wasn't sure if she should offer to lay down with him or not. "I can call your Mother, for you. She will relived to know your home."

[sam]

As he sat there at the table he watched as Leah opened her mouth and closed it just as quickly. He knew her well enough to know she wanted to say something, but didn't want to be a bother. "Leah," he coaxed, "Just say what you need to say." He promised himself that no matter what she had to say he would not get angry again, he would control his temper and not let it flare like it had earlier in the living room.

"No, let me help you," he offered, getting up slowly. "I need to bring myself back into reality, and what better way than to start with chores," he lightly teased as he helped Leah clean up. Picking up the dishes he went and sat them on the side of the sink and started the water. As he waited for the sink to fill with hot soapy water he turned back to Leah. "We can go lay down later," he told her, "And I need to get some rest before I confront my mom with my return."

He knew his mom was probably going to be a problem. She would do what all mothers did, openly welcome him home for a brief moment and then bombard him with questions, accusations and a good scolding for doing that to her. Though he deserved it, he didn't want to offend and disrespect his mother with poor responses and him falling asleep between the different reactions he would get.

[Leah Clearwater]

Leah looked over at him and tried to say what she wanted with out being pushy or nag. "I am just so worried about you. You come back eat enough for four people, your burning up, your tired. . . I want to help you but, I am not sure how to." Leah started washing the things he brought her. She made sure they were every clean before rising them off and then setting them on a towel on the other side to await drying and putting up.

"I don't want to keep asking if your ok, because I don't want to be 'that girl' who nags and clings, but. . . " Leah looked down at what she was doing and let the but hang in the air. There were so many statements she could have ended with.

[sam]

"Leah, like I said, you probably won't ever understand. But you can help by just being here and not asking too many questions. You're helping me now, and thank you," he told her, turning to walk back into the small front living room.

"Then stop asking," he suggested, "I will let you know if I'm not ok." He took a seat back on the couch and reached to grab the remote that sat on the end table and turned on the tv. His dark eyes turned to the television as he flipped through the channels, but his mind was elsewhere.

[Leah Clearwater]

Leah followed him to the room, "Then I will do that. I think your wrong, about me not understanding. But for now, I will not ask and give you time. I hope one day you will tell me, and confide in me." Leah they held up her hands to show she was done. "That is all I will say, I will let it go now," For now at lest. She would give him a few weeks to tell her before asking again.

She stopped to pick up the fliers she dropped, and pile them neatly on the side table. Then Leah picked up a blanket and sat on the couch as he turned on the TV. She wrapped it around her shoulders. She could tell he was distracted, and wanted to ask what he was thinking about but held back.

[sam]

"Thank you," he sighed, wrapping an arm around her shoulders and pulling her into his side. He kissed the top of her head before closing his eyes and leaning his head back against the back of the couch. So many things were running through his head right now. He was surprised he didn't find himself with a headache. He slowly passed the remote over to Leah. "Here, see what you can find," he suggested quietly. "I'm up to watch anything."

[Leah Clearwater]

Leah had to remove the blanket from her, he was so warm. Taking the remote she did not change the channel for a moment. Just watched him, then turned down the volume, flipping to MTV. She leaned into him, letting him warm her. "Sam?" Leah asked softly, "Do you want me to get up so you can lay down? You sound, and look for that matter, like you can't hold your eyes open."

[OH GOSH! Sorry so short! I couldn't think of what else to say!]