Saving Leah

Chapter 5: The Dogs Outta the Bag

"So you have two girlfriends! Edward I seriously underestimated you man!" Emmett chuckled and Rosalie sat in the living room pretending to read through a magazine as her husband gave me the business. I was surprised it took him a whole week to confront me. It was almost as if he'd forgotten until Bella came over. After she left then the questions began.

"Leah is not my girlfriend," I muttered wishing that I could disappear but instead I sat down knowing I couldn't avoid his interrogation forever. As soon as I started to explain the day that brought Leah into my life. My phone binged with a notification.

Leah: Is the coast clear?

Edward: Yeah I'm working on it.

Leah: Hurry up!

I hated texting I couldn't tell if she was really angry or if she was just messing with me. Emmett cleared his throat and brought me back to the present.

"Is that your main bitch now?" Emmett smirked and Rosalie chuckled.

"Leah's not a bitch!" I snapped.

"By definition she is brother ... sometimes anyway," Rosalie said dryly. "You have such an interesting response to ribbing of someone you claim not to have any connection to." She put her magazine down and watched me with amused eyes.

"I didn't say there wasn't connection. I said we weren't together and that's the truth. Leah's my friend and the reason I am pissed is because she doesn't deserve the ribbing! I only have one girlfriend. I don't appreciate you saying I'm not faithful!" My frustration was met with horror when I heard Leah's car pull up outside. Her music was blaring and she was hurting. She was angry and drained but I couldn't tell what had happened all I could see was ...

"Blood," I muttered. As I sped to the front door and ripped it open. There Leah stood with her hand covering her side were blood gushed. Her brown eyes were filled with horror and tears ....so many tears.

"You weren't fast enough Edward," she cried as she started to collapse. I caught her and she passed out. Leah, this was the last place she needed to be while bleeding. I placed my hand over her hand that was covered in blood. I needed to place pressure on the wound so the bleeding would stop. I could feel the others approaching me. Hisses and growls erupted behind me. Jasper's mind was the loudest but the others were all thinking the same thing. Blood. My throat was on fire too but as I looked into the face of my dear friend, her well-being was the only thing I could focus on.

"Step back!" I warned rather loudly. I rushed her back to her car and locked us both in her car. I knew the solitude of her car wasn't enough ward off a coven of thirsty vampires but it was all I could do in this situation to try to keep her safe. I quickly unzipped her black hoodie and removed it from her flesh. I lifted her shirt and I saw claw and teeth marks all over her abdomen. I watched as her body tried to heal.

"What can I do Leah? What can I do?" I whispered to her unconscious body. I held her hand tightly and all I could do was ... pray. I didn't know if heaven answered prayers of the undead, but maybe they would listen to me to heal Leah since she was an absolute good. "Don't let her die. I need her," I mouthed. I knew as soon as she healed we'd be safe however, right now I watched as Carlisle and Esme tried to hold everyone off. I made eye contact with Carlisle who looked concerned and confused. I felt as Leah squeezed my hand as best she could to let me know she was still with me. It was different from when Bella did. It was a strong vice-like grip. I looked down at her as her eyes fluttered open. She went to touch her sore that was still healing.

"Leah, can you hear me? What happened? Who did this to you?" I asked. She still couldn't talk but she thought about how pissed Sam and Emily had made her today. She phased while she was waiting for me to clear my house. She didn't know Paul was there. She started thinking about stuff ... me and how much fun we had watching the stars yesterday. Paul attacked her. I heard his thoughts to her as he thought he was doing their tribe a service of by getting rid of a traitor and an abomination to their kind. He called her a traitor to her kind for seeking someone who actually treated her well. Paul was an idiot.

"I am you know," she said her voice dry and raspy. "I'm a traitor ... but they abandoned me first. I feel no loyalty. Not anymore." I ran my fingers down the side of her face and accidently got blood on her face. I looked down at her wounds once more. There was no more blood except for the stains on her ripped shirt. I felt it was safe to move her into the house so I carried her towards the front door. The smell of blood had been replaced with Leah's natural essence which was pretty much an appetite kill for our kind.

"What are you doing with that thing? Why are you bringing her into our home?" Jasper asked me with a little too much distain. I was hoping that Leah was too out of it to hear his rudeness.

"Leah is my friend. Someone attacked her tonight for keeping my company. I just want to watch over her until she is completely healed. I am sorry about the uproar this caused," I murmured. This was all too much like the episode with Bella on her birthday. Actually it was worse, Bella's family hadn't turned on her like Leah's had. I took her up to my bedroom and lay her down on the bed and she looked into my eyes.

"Don't do that Edward, don't blame yourself. It's not your fault Paul's a dick and it's not your fault I showed up on your doorstep bleeding like an idiot. Tell your family I'm sorry. I'm not normally this stupid. I panicked and ... I was scared and you were the first person I thought off," she explained. "I was too hurt to fight back. I knew a lot of the Res hated me, but I didn't know Paul hated me enough to actually kill me. He wanted me dead." Her lips started to tremble and more tears escaped her. I shushed her and placed my fingers over her lips. They were so soft, full, and pink in the back of my mind I knew they were all things I shouldn't be focused on or should've barely even noticed.

"I'm glad you came to me. I'm sorry I wasn't as efficient at getting rid of my family as I normally am. Emmett was being difficult." She pushed my finger out of the way and smirked a little.

"Shit happens," she muttered. She held my hand, and toyed with my fingers, the same fingers that touched her lips. I watched as she intertwined our fingers. She seemed content, calm, and almost childlike. I was glad I could bring her calm, however I knew I wasn't any where near calm ... I wanted to murder Paul, but seeing her like this after everything she'd just been through I couldn't help but smile at her.

"What are you doing Leah?" I muttered.

"I don't know," she whispered. "Focusing on my happy place."

You're my happiness Edward. I know you shouldn't be but you are.

Her thoughts shocked me and I almost pulled my hand back. Maybe I had misread Leah and our relationship. Maybe I had been cheating on Bella without knowing because looking at Leah so comfortable and happy with me I couldn't say it didn't make me feel things. The question was what exactly am I feeling?