Fighting Fate

She danced through her apartment, Eli at her side. They were singing, loudly and obnoxiously, but Hunter's smile was forced. She felt like she'd left a piece of herself back in La Push. She tried to convince herself that she just missed Emily, but she knew she was lying to herself. Jake. She missed Jake.

"So Aaron wants to take you out tonight," Eli announced, flopping onto the couch. "On a date."

"I... I can't," Hunter replied, pacing in front of her.

"Why not?" Eli demanded. "Did you meet someone in La Push?" Yes.

"No," Hunter lied, frowning. "I just... I don't see Aaron that way. Dating him would feel like incest." This made Eli roar with laughter, and it was then Hunter realized she was high. "God damn it, Eli. You promised me you quit that shit."

"What?" Eli faked innocent. "What are you talking about?"

"You're high right now," Hunter replied, getting mad. "You broke your promise. You promised you wouldn't smoke anymore, and I agreed to let you live here. That was the deal."

"God, sourpuss," Eli pouted. "Why are you such a buzzkill?"

"Because it's bad for you," Hunter responded, glaring.

"You've changed, since you went to see your sister," Eli said, shaking her head. "You used to do it with me. What happened down there?" Jake. Jake happened.

"I grew up," Hunter snapped. "Get out of my apartment. Get your shit, and get out." Snarling, Eli got up, storming into her room, slamming the door. Hunter sunk onto the couch, closing her eyes. She was in New York, but her mind and heart were in La Push.

She thought back to that day on the beach, the day she broke Jake's heart. He'd kissed her, begged her to stay. But she left, because she was scared. The thought of a future with Jake terrified her. She couldn't even picture it then. But now... She imagined a house, much like Emily's, with two small boys running around the front yard. Jake was there, holding her, watching their boys with her. One of his hands was absently rubbing her bulging, pregnant stomach. Until the howl came, and he ran off to help Sam. The image slowly dissolved, the phone ringing pulling her back to reality. She took one glance at the caller ID, then ignored it. The answering machine picked up.

"Hunter, it's Sam. Please, call me back when you get this. It's important," Sam's voice spoke, then the message cut off as he hung up. Hunter ignored it- there were multitudes of messages on the machine just like it, all from various members of the pack. Only one person's voice was conspicuously absent.

She sighed, barely glancing up as Eli stormed out, dragging her bags behind her. The front door slammed, and she was alone.

She curled into a ball on the couch and began to sob.