smitten [s. clearwater]

it's (finally) official

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-CHAPTER TWELVE: IT'S (FINALLY) OFFICIAL-

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Delilah slept restlessly that night and definitely worried throughout her day of school even though she knew that the pack wouldn't be idiotic enough to attack the Cullens in the middle of the day. Gabby could tell something was off with her friend but decided not to push it because she'd never been on Delilah's bad side and wanted to keep it that way.

As soon as the last bell rang, Delilah was out of her seat in a flash. With the windows rolled down and the rain coming through to soak the seats, she sped to the Cullen's house in her usual fashion. When she saw Seth, she threw herself at him, falling into his warm embrace.

When he dropped her back on the ground, Delilah looked at the brown and gray wolves. "Which is which?"

"The rusted looking one is Jacob and the gray one is Leah."

Delilah looked up at Seth. "Do I ever get to see you as a wolf?"

The tall boy shook his head. "Uhm, definitely not. Well, maybe from a distance, someday."

She raised her hand and waved at the two wolves while Seth took her into the house. The Cullen women all took turns pulling Delilah into a hug, Esme taking her last. "How's your mom?"

"Really good," Delilah answered. "She's going out with Charlie tonight. They're really good for each other."

Esme smiled and nodded. "That's amazing, dear. I'm making a roast tonight for you, Leah and the boys. Can you stay?"

"How could I resist?"

Delilah looked around the house and in the afternoon light peeking around the rain clouds, the house was bright and airy. Bella was on the couch with a t-shirt quilt wrapped around her belly and her head resting on her fragile arm as she slept. The brunette sat on the floor in front of the couch, looking at Bella. She considered her to be a sister now much like she'd always thought of Angela.

"I hope she pulls through," Delilah muttered. "It would crush everyone if she didn't."

Shooting a sideways glance at Edward, Rosalie spoke. "As much as some of us don't want to admit it, Bella is strong enough to do this. She'll turn at the last minute and everything will be fine."

"It's killing her," was all Edward said.

She looked up at Seth who was standing behind her with his hands stuffed in his pockets awkwardly, tense from the conversation. "Let's go walk the perimeter," he said, looking at Delilah's lips that were pulled into a thin line. He reached his hand out to her and she slipped hers into it gratefully.

When they left the house, Delilah knew that the Cullens could all still hear them, but she slipped her leaned into his side. "Hey, can we sit a minute?" She asked and Seth nodded. "I'm scared, Seth."

"The pack and the Cullens are all going to be fine," Seth answered reassuringly and Delilah shook her head. "Dee, we've got this. We'll be okay."

She shook her head again. "No, I know you'll be fine. Well, I hope you'll be fine because I don't know if you will be or not," Delilah rambled, "but that's not what I'm scared of."

He squeezed her hand. "What's wrong, then?"

"I like you, Seth," she blurted out. "I'm thinking with my head and my heart, so..." Delilah paused and held her breath, scared to continue. "I'm in love with you, Seth, and I'm scared that I'm going to screw everything up by... I dunno, needing to think or something."

He chuckled and lifted her face up to look at him, his finger underneath her chin. "I know I've told you this before," he started, "but there is nothing that you can do to mess this up. Even without the imprint, Dee. I've loved you since that day on the beach when you fell in the water and told our moms you almost died. I kept your soccer ball because it reminded me of you when you weren't around La Push as much, not because it was a good luck charm."

Delilah thought about it this time before pressing her lips to his. The kiss was more organized than the first one they shared in La Push and everything felt right. Like it was the most natural thing in the world for Seth and Delilah to do: to kiss surrounded by trees under a light coverage of rain while they thought with their hearts and their heads.

When they pulled apart, Seth pressed his lips together for a moment. "So..."

"So," Delilah repeated. "Girlfriend and boyfriend?" Delilah asked awkwardly, wringing her hands together as she looked up at him, nervously waiting for him to agree.

"Is that what you want?"

Delilah nodded. "I love you, Seth. I have since the day on the beach, too, only I didn't know because it takes me so long to figure things out when it comes to my feelings."

Seth smiled and kissed her head. "I can't even begin to tell you how much you mean to me and how much I love you."

"So while we're here," Delilah started, "I don't want you to get hurt and I don't think you should stay away if it means a fight."

He kept his smile on his face. "I know you're scared about us and about the fight that's coming," Seth said, "but there's no way I'm going to stand by and let people I call family hurt people that I care about. People that you care about. Everything will be okay."

With a sigh, Delilah laid her head on Seth's shoulder. "I wish you were a lot more selfish sometimes."

"Let's go back inside," Seth suggested. "You'd think people who don't need to eat would suck at cooking, but Esme's food is to die for."

The brunette girl giggled as the pair stood up. "Did you really just say 'to die for,' Seth?"

"Yes I did and I'm not lying either. She's an amazing cook."

They got back inside, the air conditioning making Delilah shiver in her wet clothes, but she didn't mind. She didn't mind being drenched to the bone, because she'd only ever lived in Forks where it rained more than it shined. Seth and Delilah walked back to the room of the house they had started in and Bella was now awake and sitting up, with a styrofoam cup in hand.

When Bella saw Delilah she smiled and set down her cup. "Hey, Dee."

"Hey, congrats on the baby," Delilah said. "My mom probably won't call this one Rosemary's baby either."

"She doesn't know, does she?"

Delilah shook her head. "Not at all."

Edward looked at his wife and then Delilah. "Congratulations to you on finally making it official."

A smile pulled on Alice's lips. "I would say I saw it coming, but I can't see the wolves. So congratulations."

"Wait, you guys are together now?" Bella asked, looking between Delilah and Seth who both wore wide smiles on their faces. "That's amazing." Edward's plan to distract Bella worked as her and the younger teen started talking about their love lives with Alice chiming in every so often.

After chatting for a while, Jacob came inside and said that Leah was still out on the perimeter. She had a particular distaste for the Cullens and according to Seth, the only reason she left the original pack was to get away from Sam and to look after Seth.

The three of them ate dinner and Delilah made a sandwich for Leah and brought it out to where she was, in human form, sitting on a fallen tree watching the river that bordered the treaty lines. "Here. You need to eat if this thing is really going to end in a fight."

"I'm not eating food from a vampire."

"Well, last time I checked, I'm entirely a human," she said, the sandwich wrapped in a paper towel extended towards Leah. "Here. Eat." She begrudgingly took the sandwich and ate it while Seth ran perimeter away from where he knew Leah and Delilah were.