Another Chance (L. Clearwater)

Chapter Seven

1 month and 2 weeks later.

It's been one month and two weeks since Leah showed up at Keiko's bedroom door and they've hung out every single day since. She told Connor and Janina all about her and they were both super excited about Keiko having a crush.

Keiko has the day off. She's spending it down on First Beach despite it being right at the end of February and rainy. Keiko watches as someone dives from the cliffs and watches in curiosity but the girl doesn't come up.

Someone else dives and soon, Jacob carries Bella out. Keiko hurries over and she helps him with the girl.

"Breathe, Bella!" Jacob urges as he does CPR. "C'mon!" He pushes her to her side and pats her back when the girl - Bella - starts to cough up water. "Bella? Can you hear me?"

"... Jake?" Bella frowns. Bella looks at Keiko.

"Hi, beautiful, I'm Keiko," Keiko says. "Jacob's lesbian friend he's chosen to ignore lately."

Bella blushes at the compliment.

"She'll be alright!" a guy - Sam - says from behind them as Keiko checks Bella's vitals. Sam scans the water, sensing something,

"Okay, stop flirting now, KoKo," Jacob scolds and she grins. "What the hell we're you thinking, Bella?" he scolds the brunette.

"I needed to... see..." Bella pauses. "Something."

"What? The pearly gates?" Jacob retorts. "If we didn't hear her scream..."

"Get her home," Sam says. "I'm headed to the hospital. I'll meet there."

"Who's hurt?" Keiko asks him.

Sam looks at her. "Harry Clearwater."

"Wait! I'm coming with you!" Keiko jumps up and she races after him. "I'm Keiko."

"Sam," Sam says.

They get into his Jeep that he had Emily drop off (with a friend to drive her back) and they head to the hospital. Sam watches as Leah makes a beeline for Keiko and hugs her. He steps back slightly and raises an eyebrow slightly before he walks over to Sue.

"Any word?"

"Kalyan is in the operating room with them, she said she'd update me as soon as she can," Sue replies as Seth walks over to hug Keiko, too. "You remember Kalyan Blackrock?"

"Yeah," Sam replies. "My dad had a thing for her. But she wouldn't pay him any attention. He hated it." Sam doesn't like his father, Joshua, because he's absentee, he left when Sam was seventeen, and he was bad to his mom, Allison.n

"Keiko is her daughter," Sue says and Sam hums. "She and Leah like each other."

"I hope Leah does move on," Sam says. "I hated hurting her..."

"You know that imprinting doesn't always mean romance, right?" Sue asks. "Look at Billy and Kalyan. He imprinted on her and they're best friends. It was your choice to break Leah's heart, it wasn't the imprint."

"I have to blame it on something else but me," Sam admits.

"Hi, Mrs. Clearwater," Keiko greets as she walks over.

Sue stands up. "It's Sue, sweetheart, I've told you this," she says and she embraces the girl.

"Mom." Keiko sees her mom walk over. She sees the solemn expression and her face falls. "Mom..."

"Sue, I'm so sorry," Kalyan says. "We did everything we could, but he crashed on the table and we couldn't bring him back."

Sue wails as she drops to the floor, Kalyan is quick to catch her. Keiko goes and she pulls Seth into a hug since Leah stormed out, unable to bare being in here. Seth cries into Keiko's neck.

"Hey, Seth, you're hot," Keiko says as she pulls away.

"B-but aren't you gay?"

Keiko rolls her eyes gently. "No, you're actually hot." She puts her hand to his forehead and she thinks of the stories. "Uh, Sam?" She assumes he's part of it because of the chopped off hair and tattoo.

Sam walks over. "What's up?"

"Seth's burning up, like 'tribe story-hot'," Keiko says.

"Damn it." Sam sighs. "Okay. Can you stay with Sue? I'll get him out of here and find Leah."

"The stories are real, aren't they?" Keiko asks him.

Sam sends her a soft look. "They are," he says gently. "But being Alpha, I have a responsibility, so I have to go. If you have questions, find me. On the reservation, everyone knows everyone. Find me."

"I will," Keiko says. "Thanks, Sam."

Sam nods and he looks at Seth. "C'mon, kid, we have some stuff to talk about once we find your sister," he says and he guides Seth out.

"Is Seth okay?" She asks Keiko, her eyes bloodshot.

"He's with Sam, he'll be okay," Keiko replies. She doesn't know how much Sue knows but she'd be dumb to assume she doesn't know at all. "He was burning hot, Sue."

Sue sighs. "He's..."

"Yeah," Keiko replies. "If the stories are really true, then yeah. They went to go find Leah. Sam had me stay with you... which was already the plan."

Sue grabs her hand and she holds it tightly. Kalyan has went to go clock out early and she comes back. She greets Charlie Swan, her husband's boss, and she goes to join Sue and Keiko and she comforts her friend, who is mourning her husband and worrying about her kids.