Forever [Leah Clearwater]

Chapter 3: The funeral

A/N: Sorry for the wait. Writing the funeral scene was pretty hard, as I'm not used to funerals. Hopefully you'll enjoy! This is Harry's funeral so beware that it will be sad. If you don't like reading sad stuff, I'll have the next, happier chapter, up later tonight or tomorrow morning.
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As Danny woke up the next morning, she remembered where she was, seeing as she'd stayed with Leah since her father passed away and smiled remembering what happened the night before. Leah was pressed against Danny's chest, her arms wrapped around the smaller girl's body and Danny's arms wrapped around Leah, holding her tightly, as if she would disappear when she let go.

When Danny fully wakes up, she looks down at Leah, who in the position they were looks smaller than Danny again, and smiles slightly,  before kissing her forehead softly. "Morning Lee," whispers the smaller girl, gently into the others ear. "Come on baby, we need to get up, get ready for the funeral," She coaxes, being as gentle as possible, as if Leah would snap in half.

"Morning Dan," groans a sleepy Leah, still wrapped up in the smaller girl's arms. "You're really comfy to sleep on by the way," she jokes out, rubbing her eyes. " What time is it Dans?" a still half asleep Leah asks. "It's nearly ten. We should probably get up soon. We need to leave before twelve." She answers the other girl, as Leah wakes up fully, realising what today was going to be like for her and her family. "I don't want to get up though Danny. Don't make me get up," Leah says, nearly in tears at the thought of burying her father in two hours time. The evident pain in her voice makes Danny's heart heavy, as she feels her soulmate's pain. "I'll be right by your side, Lee." She promises to Leah, as Leah starts to cry. "Lee, look at me, you'll be okay. You'll have me, your mom and Seth right there with you. You'll even have the pack there." The older girl promises. "Come here," she starts again, "Do you want to cuddle?," she asks Leah, who is full on sobbing at this point, opening her arms to her. Leah nods and shifts gently into Danny's arms. "You're going to be okay Lee," speaks the shorter girl. "I promise."

About an hour later, Seth walks into his older sister's room, dressed in a black suit, to wake up the two sleeping girls. "Guys, come on. You need to get up now," he starts timidly, strolling over to the girl's bed. "Come on! We leave in an hour," he finishes shaking his older sister and the girl he considers another older sister. He waltzes over and pulls open the curtains in Leah's room.

As the girls wake up, Seth leaves, after kissing his sister on the forehead. Leah groans, rolling over, facing away from the sun, beaming in through the open curtains. "As much as I would love to stay here right now, we really need to get up, Lee," Danny states, shifting in her spot slightly, still holding Leah close to her, knowing that Leah needed as much support as she could get today. The older girl gets up, going to get their clothes out, leaving a disoriented Leah, lying on her bed.

At 12:05, Danny and the Clearwaters walk into the full church, behind the coffin, a sad aura around them. Seth was holding his mother tightly, Danny holding Leah, and the siblings were holding onto each other. "You're doing so well, Lee," an upset Danny whispers into the taller girls ear, "We're almost there," she finishes encouragingly. As the coffin, that was being carried by Charlie Swan, Jacob Black( in place of Billy for obvious reasons), Sam Uley, a few members of the Forks Police Force, and Paul Lahote, who was in place of Seth, as he was too upset to carry the coffin, is set down in front of the altar, the family sit down in the front row, still holding each other as tightly as possible.

After the service, the coffin is brought out by the pallbearers, with Seth and his mother directly behind, carrying the photo of Harry that was displayed at the front of the altar, Leah and Danny following closely behind, as they make their way to the graveyard.

In the graveyard, it all becomes too real for the Clearwater siblings, seeing the coffin that held their father, be lowered into the ground. Jacob was comforting Seth and Sue while Danny and Leah were both trying not to break, as if they solely depended on each other in that moment. Billy, Danny's father and Leah's other father figure, rolls over to the girls as they both turn away from the grave, allowing themselves to be embraced by him.

After the funeral, they went back to the Clearwater residence, and everyone in attendance was offering the family their condolences. Leah never left Danny's arms, afraid that if she left the older girl's arms, she'd break down. Danny didn't want to let go of Leah, either. She was extremely protective over her in her most vulnerable state, just as her brother, Jacob, was over his own imprint, Seth.

After everyone had left their home, Leah and Seth collapse onto the sofa with Danny in between them. The pack was in the kitchen with Sue and Emily. "So this is it," Seth speaks, so quietly it's like a whisper. "He's really gone." Danny moves to comfort him. "He's still here with you Seth. He's here for you, Leah and your mom. I promise you. If you keep his memory alive, it'll be like he's still here alright? He's not gone." she finishes as she hugs an upset Seth. "Why don't you go get some rest? I'll get Jake to follow you to your room, okay?," she tells him.

When Seth and Jake go to lie down, the pack leaves and Sue heads to bed, after hugging her daughter and Danny. Leah and Danny were cuddling on the sofa, a random movie playing on the TV screen in the background as Leah speaks up. "Dan, what are we?," She asks tiredly, pulling away from Danny's hold, wondering what the two best friends, who happen to kiss and be soulmates, are.

The two girls had always been open to each other about everything, considering they were best friends since they were both in nappies (diapers), so Leah knew all about how 15 year old Danny kissed a girl on her football team in high school and Danny knew about how after the then 18 year old was dumped by Sam, she went out on a bender, and ended up sleeping with a girl, who was on holidays (vacation) in  Port Angles and every other encounter the other had in their lives.

Leah was fiddling with Danny's fingers, as the latter girl turned to face her. "What do you want to be, Lee? I get that our souls are bound together and that but we don't have to be a couple if you don't want. I'll always be here for you," Danny smiles sadly at the taller girl. "I don't know Dan. I guess we could see where this goes, right?" The taller girl asks. "Yeah. So, do you want to do a date, like, on Friday night?" Danny asks, slightly nervous, seen as she was asking her long time, werewolf best friend out. "Yeah. Sure, let's try it!," answers a giddy and sleepy Leah, her wolf excited to be going out with her mate. "Do you want to go to bed now?" Danny asks the clearly exhausted Clearwater girl. "Yeah. Let's go Dan," The exhausted girl replies, standing from their sofa and turning off the TV.

As the girls settle into Leah's bed, a thin sheet on them, not wanting to overheat due to Leah's 108 degrees body temperature, Danny cuddles up to the taller girl, being the bigger spoon. "Goodnight Lee," she says, dreamily, kissing Leah's forehead. "Goodnight Dan-Dan," Leah says, before turning to face Danny. "Sleep well baby," Danny whispers into Leah's ear as she cuddles into her chest, laying her head on top of the other girl's, as they both drift off to sleep.

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A/N: Hopefully you enjoyed this! Sorry that some of it was sad and again for the wait. The next chapter will be a happier one. Thank you for reading! Feel free to comment or message me.

Until next time,
-A x