Kia ora everyone! How are you doing today? Well, I'm back with a new Blackwater fic. It's very long, lengthy, etc. But I've decided that I wanted to make a fic of the pair with some back stories. My own stories.

So, when you read this, I want you to kind of...push aside the whole Jacob/Bella thing. For me, it was never about them. It was always about Blackwater. And, obviously, it still is.

For those of you wondering: "Kia Ora" means Hello in Maori (the natives of NZ). I'm a Kiwi at heart :)

Disclaimer: I do not own Jacob Black (unfortunately...cause, I'd take him home, lol) or Leah Clearwater. Nor do I own the poem by Robert Frost below or the poet himself. I just love them all. The only thing I own is my very own scattered imagination. I apalogize if it is too lengthy, has too much profanity, sex or anything else you're uncomfortable with. But, hey, deal with it. Oh! It's my first non-song-fic, lol. Enjoy!

REMEMBER: COMMENTS ARE LOOOOOOOOOVE!

Splendor In The Grass

"The woods are lovely, dark, and deep.

But I have promises to keep.

Miles to go before I sleep,

miles to go before I sleep..."

- Robert Frost

Jacob and Leah had been spending each night together for the past two weeks. Jacob had found the best friend in Leah that he never knew possible. She was more than just his Beta; much more. If they were ever apart...it was strange, but, Jake would somehow feel so far from her.

Tonight, the two of them sat on the very edge of a cliff together, admiring the ocean and the way it violently hit the rocks.

"D'you remember when we were kids?" Leah smiled, which was rare, even though times were slightly better these days.

"Of course, I do."

"No, I mean, really remember? Not you, me and the gang. I mean...just you and me."

Without reason, Jacob's heart started to beat hard and loud. Leah wasn't looking down, but at her lap.

Her side-swept bangs gracefully touching her face.

"I have a lot of great memories with you, Leah."

She looked up at him, finally, and met his eye, a small smile playing at the corners of her mouth.

"Let's take a trip down memory lane, tonight. What d'ya say?"

Leah scooted closer to him, placing a warm hand on his thigh. Instinctively, he placed his own hand over hers, rubbing his thumb along the traces of her knuckles. He heard her sigh, feeling her shoulders drop in relief.

*

Jacob, 7, and Leah, 9, sat together on her front porch. Their parents were inside, having lunch together, and Seth was attached to Sue's hip.

"My Dad ordered a car magazine for me; it just came in the mail!" Jacob exclaimed.

"Let me see," said Leah as she scooted closer to him, looking over his arms as he held the magazine up at eye-level.

"I'm going to build a car ten times better then all of the cars in here one day!"

"Get a grip, Black. You're seven; it's kind of late to try to learn about cars now, don't you think?"

"I don't think its ever too late for anything." Jacob spat back at her.

"Ok, relax, kiddo. I see you're hopeful."

"Hope isn't a bad thing."

"No, not at first, I guess. I've heard its a tricky thing."

"Oh, be quiet, Lee. You talk like you're some twenty-year old or somethin'."

Leah narrowed her eyes at Jacob as he continued to shove his face into the pages decorated with these expensive, foreign cars.

"Fine. Build me a car, then. It has to be better than everyone else's car. Can you do it?"

"Yeah," said Jacob, confidently, "I can."

"Well," Leah smirked, "I hope you can."

*

Jacob was running hard, down the road to the Clearwater's house. Each step he took was full of excitement.

When he knew he'd be able to be heard, he shouted her name, "Leah! LEE-LEE!"

In the distance, he saw a window fly open, revealing a confused-looking Leah, squinting her eyes as the sun hit her face. Finally, as he got closer, she sighed, dissapointed, as she saw who it was.

"What?" she shouted back.

"Come on, you have to come with me!"

"Don't tell me you ran here, haven't you ever heard of driving?"

"I've got to build my car first, don't I?" he said, panting. He stopped right at her window.

"Yeah, well, you'd have to have a garage -!"

Leah stopped mid-sentence; her eyes widened as she realized why he had run all the way to her house.

She outstretched her arm, swinging her legs over her windowsill. Jake took hold of her hand and, without letting go, he helped her jump out of her window and let her to his house. They remained hand-in-hand, laughing all the way to his house.

"You actually built a garage?"

"Yeah," he breathed, still running pretty fast, holding her hand, "I got up, chopped up some wood and put it together. It's 80-percent finished!"

"Well, hot damn! You fucking did it!"

"Damn right, I fucking did it!" Jacob laughed, "I'm going to start building your car soon. What color - pink?"

Leah gave his hand a quick squeeze and Jake squeezed back twice. They both look at each other.

Exchanging smiles as Leah rolled her eyes as the the two continued to run along the dirt road.

Hand-in-hand.

*

Leah had just started high school and Jacob hadn't seen much of her lately. Here and there, she'd stop by in his garage to check in on him. But, that was it. Until today, that was.

Jacob was hard at work, fixing up one of the elder's cars when he heard his garage door slam. On an old skateboard, he shoved himself from underneath the beaten and batted car.

"Who, the -?"

Before he could finish, he saw her standing infront of him.

"Leah," he sighed, smiling, "Fancy seeing you around this neck of the woods."

"I'm am the neck of the woods," she laughed.

He outstretched his hand, and she helped pull him up, "Thanks."

"Where are the boys? Embry and Quil too busy chasing the ladies?"

"Chasing them away," Jacob mumbled.

Chuckling, Leah continued, "Well, listen. Theres this dance coming up...a little thing called homecoming. And its ladie's choice."

"So?"

"So, do you want to come with me? You're the only guy I trust."

"I'm not...much of a dancer."

"Well, I know that. Look at how you walk."

Jacob narrowed his eyes at her and turned around.

"I'm just kidding, you have a sexy walk!" Leah corrected herself, the amusement in her voice very evident.

Jacob smiled, but didn't let her see it.

"No guys in high school quite as good a catch?"

Leah rolled her eyes, "I'm sure theres someone out there, but, eh. I dont feel like searching."

"So, you're picking me because you feel like being lazy? Like a lazy game of tag, you're it, huh?"

"Oh, fine. Forget it. I'll go with Sam Uley."

"What?" Jacob snapped, all humor erased from his voice, turning around to look at her.

"Yeah, Sam asked me."

"I thought it was ladie's choice?"

"He doesn't care about rules."

Sure he doesn't, said a voice deep in Jacob's mind. The voice was very powerful, and it made Jacob feel bigger than he was.

"Well, then, maybe you should go with him. You don't care about rules either; it could be a match made in heaven."

"Fine, Jacob. Be a baby. I'm never inviting to shit ever again."

With her words, Jacob's ego quickly deflated as he watched her turn on her heel to leave. Slamming the door shut behind her. Jacob balled his find and punched the closest wall he could find.

*

The town was talking. Everyone was talking about how Sam and Leah have been spending time together. That there are "sparks flying". It made Jake gag everytime he heard this. This was the summer before his freshman year of high school. Jacob would sit, bored in class. Even Quil and Embry were talking about how lucky Sam was to have caught Leah; to have tamed her. But Embry would grill Jake the worst.

"And to think that you had her alone all those times. Damn, man."

" You should have gone to that dance with her."

"Shut up."

"Aw, c'mon, Jake. Don't take it the wrong way."

"I said," Jake grit his teeth, "Shut. The fuck. UP."

Quil and Embry quickly sat back in their chairs the same time as the bell for homeroom rang.

Again, Jacob balled his fist, silently cursing the fact that he had no wall to punch.

*

He was wide awake. Jacob had just spent the day at the beach with Bella Swan - Chief Swan's daughter. She was at the beach with a bunch of he friends. Not too long ago, he and Billy had given her this old truck he'd fixed up. When Leah found out that they gave Bella the truck instead of her, she was pissed. Jacob was torn about who the best candidate for the truck. Honestly, he thinks Leah looked better in it. But Bella would probably appreciate more than Leah would.

Jacob told Bella all about the Quileute legends - something that they are not to speak of. He didn't believe in any of the stories, but he had been told enough about the importance of his tribe's legends to know what he had just done was wrong. Forbidden.

Suddenly, he heard a rythym of knocks on his window. He shot up.

It was Leah.

He had not spoken to her in at least three months. They had seen each other plenty during school. Her and Sam were already an item at this point - they'd been dating for just a little past a year and a half.

He had heard that Leah was smitten with him and he witnessed it for himself when he saw them walking together one day in the hallway. She looked at Sam the way she used to look at Jacob. Only, this time the light in her eyes was a magnificent beam. It was only a glimmer with Jacob. It pained him to see her smile at Sam like that. But, at the same time, he wanted her to be happy.

The moment he opened his window, he knew she'd jump through.

"Jake," she sighed.

After a moment or two looking into each other's eyes, making sure that this secret meeting was still all right, they exchanged smiles. As soon as her barefeet touched the wooden floor of Jacob's room, she flung her arms around him.

"I miss you," she whispered.

He curled his arms around her, squeezing her; keeping her close. He took in a deep breath, enjoying the lingering scent of shampoo in her hair. It smelled like vanilla.

It must have been many minutes they were embracing. Finally, they let go of each other.

Jacob sat on one of his his bed, and she sat at the other.

"I haven't forgotten about you, Black."

His chest filled with a different kind of adrenaline.

"Let's promise to never get bitter, okay?" Jacob suggested.

Smiling, "I promise to never hate you."

"And may we never grow bitter," he repeated.

"That, too."

The two friends shook on it.

They sat for what must have been hours talking about everything. Bella. School. Sam. Family.

Hours had gone by. Thankfully, it wasn't a school night.

Leah was resting her head in Jacob's lap and he was stroking her hair. He listened to every word she said.

"Do you think," Leah said hesitantly, "that you and I could have ever...?"

Jacob hitched a breath. Leah caught that and started waving her hands, "Forget I said that."

"No, it's okay. I mean...we could have probably happened. We may even still happen."

There was a moment of silence, where both of them thought about what just put out on the table.

"Yeah," Leah sighed, "But I feel like it's going to be an obstacle."

"What about you and Sam?"

"I love him. I really do. But he's my first love...I hope it'll last forever. Something tells me it won't, though."

"Fight for it."

"It's a plan," she smiled, "How about you and that...Bella girl?"

Jacob shook his head, "She's only just moved back into town. I've really hung out with her once. We'll see what happens...she's the only other girl that catches my eye."

"You're cute, Jacob Black."

Jacob continued to run a hand through her long, jet black hair. Leah caught one of his hands.

Slowly, she brought his hand to meet hers. It was noticeably bigger than hers and more muscular.

She smiled at their touching hands, "Is it bad that I want to hold you're hand?"

"Probably," Jake laughed, "It's a normal thing for us, though. We always..."

They both sighed together, silently taking a walk down memory lane. Leah sat up slightly and wrapped her arms around the length of one of Jacob's muscular arms.

"You're not a boy anymore, Jake. You're a man."

Jacob blushed, "Sure, sure."

"You're my...well, you're my best friend. You know that. Sam will never replace you."

"Bella won't replace you either."

Leah got on her knees and snuggled in closer to him.

"I have a feeling that we're going to be going through some tough times, kid. But, we've got to pull through, okay?"

"You're freaking me out, Lee."

"I'm freaking myself out," she sighed, very nervously, "But it's a strong feeling I have. I don't know what it is."

Jacob and Leah both noticed the sun starting to peak through his window curtain.

"I've gotta go, Jake. Lets meet tonight, okay? Like it or not, we still have a lot to catch up on. I think I can stall Sam for another night."

She gave him a quick smile, leaned in and kissed his nose. As she was about to leap from his bed, Jacob caught her hand and pulled her back. She giggled.

"Jake -!"

He grabbed her hand, lifting it to where her palm was facing him. He kissed the middle of her palm, closing his eyes. His other hand took control, grabbing her free-hand and intertwining their fingers together. Jacob squeezed her hand once, and she squeezed back twice. He drew her in closer.

"I miss you, Leah. Don't leave."

Leah began to run the hand he had just kissed up along his shoulder, up his face. Her knuckles running along the side the line of his jaw. As her knuckles got closer to his lips, Jacob puckered his lips.

Leah giggled. Jacob stood up. They had come close to bringing their lips to each other.

Then, somewhere in the house, a pan hit the floor and the bang was loud enough to snap them out of this lust. Billy was awake.

Quickly, Leah pushed away from him and ran to his window.

"Tonight?" Jacob croaked.

"Tonight."

Slowly, Leah smiled. And with that, Jacob knew that she would be there.

*

The rest of the day, Jacob could not stand still. Neither could he stop smiling. He was nervous all day.

And when the sun went down, his heart only began to pound harder than before.

Billy noticed a difference in his behavior, "You alright there, son?"

"Yeah," Jacob would answer a little too quickly, and smile as soon as he thought Billy couldn't see.

Oh, but he did.

"You want to tell me what your so happy about?"

"No, no. It's just a good day."

"You sure you're not telling me anything else?"

"Sure, sure."

Jacob smiled as he got up from the table, off to his room. Waiting for the moon to show up.

Something told Jacob to leave. It was perfect timing, too. His toes had just hit the dirt beneath him as a gentle, familiar hand ran along the curve of his backbone. I shiver of satisfaction came over his body. An underlying heat, waiting to be set free.

He turned around quickly and scooped her up into his arms. Leah had to cover her mouth to keep the laughter from errupting.

Jacob ran with her to this little ravigne he used to go to, back in the day, to collect his thoughts. Now, he was going to share everything he had left to share with her.

Everything. He was willing.

Keeping steady, he skipped down a couple steps until they reached the very bottom of the ravigne.

Finally, he placed her down on the grass. Hovering over her on his elbows, his own wavy hair hit his face just slightly. Leah ran a hand through his hair, then continued to run her hands down his arms, over his collarbones.

"Jacob," she breathed, "we need to talk first."

"Okay," he slid over to her side, his hand resting on her stomach.

"First of all, I love Sam. But, I love you. You're my best friend. I think that...if we don't do this now, give all of ourselves to each other, then we might not ever get to. And, even when things get bad, I want to remember this. I want to know that you and I shared something so special. We'll always be connected."

"I agree," said Jacob, rubbing a soft hand over her stomach, "We'll always be connected."

"And promise me that after this, things won't change and that you'll love whomever you want...until it's right. If it's ever right."

"I promise."

Nervously, Leah smiled. Jacob hovered over her again, lowering his face to meet hers. Right before their lips touched - breath on breath - she stopped him.

"Jake."

"Hmm?" Jacob already had his eyes closed, waiting for the kiss he'd been dreaming of since he and Leah were kids.

"I love you."

His eyes flashed open.

She continued, "I love you like that. It's enough. But, I can't do it to Sam. It's not our time."

He placed a finger over her lips, "Shhh. I love you, too. It's enough right now."

She leaned up and wrapped her arms around his neck and brought their lips together.

The two best friends spent the night kissing each other, discovering each other's bodys.

They made love.

*

Several nights after that, the two met, and spend most of the night just holding each other; getting lost in the love behind kissing. They never made love again, but, each time they kissed, it almost felt the same.

One night, they talked about Sam. How Leah loved him and how he was starting to act different. How she felt an undescribable urge to protect him. He agreed that he felt the same way about Bella; how he was starting to love her and how he wanted to protect her.

Eventually, the meetings stopped. But they would talk all the time on the phone.

They never ever just stopped being apart of each other's lives. They were two wildfires, destined to come together.

An inferno.

*

One night, Jacob came home feeling awful, like he was about to come out of his skin. He had just gotten back from an awkward date with Bella and her tool-of-a-friend Mike. What a tool.

He was curled up into a fetal position in his bed when the phone started to ring.

Billy picked it up, "IT'S LEAH!"

Reluctantly, Jake picked up the phone, hoping she wasn't going to complain about Sam again. And, sure enough, she did.

"He's just being so different, Jake. I can't stand it!"

Sam had dissapeared for two weeks. Leah and her family searched high and low for him. Leah would cry herself to sleep every night with Jacob on the phone. To keep his head clear, he'd spend a lot of his time with Bella. Compared to Leah - these days - she was a breath of fresh air. Now that Sam was found, things still hadn't now that she was complaining again, he was this close to telling her to fuck off.

"Emily has been around. She's taken a liking to him, which doesn't help -!"

"You know, Leah," Jacob grit his teeth, "I don't have time to listen to your shit right now. Fucking A, man. Just shut the fuck up."

Jacob's body began to tremble with rage.

"...Jake?"

He hung up on her.

"Let Emily deal with that shit," he mumbled to himself.

That was the last time he heard from Leah for a long time. A few days after he hung up on her, he phased to his wolf-self. He was greeted by Sam and the gang; he was then let in on everything that was happening.

How Sam had imprinted on Emily. And now Leah was stranded. Her marvelous plan about her favorite cousin coming to ease her pain backfired - in epic proportions.

This just made him more upset. Now that Bella was just about to really let him in, he had to write her out of his life completely. And now Leah, hurting as much as she was, he couldn't even comfort her.

*

That same night Bella had approached him, Leah met him in his room. He knew she was in there before he opened the door. He smelled her.

"Not you, too," she sneered.

"Not a good time, Leah."

"I guess it's never going to be a good time now, huh, Jake?"

"You need to go."

"I had a feeling he was going to sucker you in, too. You all are fucking pansies."

"Leah -!"

"Don't worry, Jake," she smirked, "I know my way out."

When Bella had stormed away from him, he was hurt. The cut she left him was open and gushing. But it would heal quickly. When Leah slipped through his window and he watched her run away, it left a wound and it was deep. It was take much longer for that to heal. Cuts are different bruises. Much different.

Why? It's the way they heal. A cut was treatable. A bruise, on the other, took time to go away. All he could do was wait for it to stop throbbing. But, it never did.

*

Jacob found out about Bella's secret. Even then, his instincts told him that she was the healthier option. So, he let himself fall in love with her wholeheartedly. He had tried to remain civil with Leah, but she made it increasingly difficult.

One night she called. He expected the phone to ring before it did.

"Jake," she sobbed.

He remained quiet, the deep bruise beginning to throb as though it was a fresh hit.

"We made promises, Jake. Do you remember?"

"Leah..."

With one final sob, she hung up on him. His fist balled, his knuckles turning white.

He dreamt of her that night. He tried to remember everything about her. Jacob promised himself that he'd never forget.

*

The news swept over the reservation very quickly. Harry Clearwater had passed.

A heart attack.

Jacob's heart fell when he heard about it from Billy. He went running into the forest where he knew Sam would be. When he finally found him, Sam was sitting alone.

"Seth and Leah," he sighed, "they are one of us now."

Jacob wanted to die.

It was Leah's transformation, harboring so much anger, that caused Harry's heart attack. She phased right infront of him and it scared the shit out of him. So much so that he had a heart attack.

"Leah may never come out of this," Sam sighed again, "If she does...it'll be a miracle."

"She's stronger than you think," Jacob protested.

"Yeah, she's strong. But now...she's alone."

"Maybe I can..."

"I know about you're little secret, by the way," Sam informed him, "Just because I'm with Emily doesn't mean it hurts any less."

"She told you?"

"No. She didn't," he snapped, "I smelled you on her. She didn't even smile like herself one night. She's done some dirty-work, too."

"Yeah, but she loved you more than she loved me."

"That seems to be the thing with you. Girls love you, but its never enough."

Jacob's body flinched with adrenaline and anger.

"Your one to talk, Uley. You had to have someone imprint on you to find true love. I think thats a bunch of shit, if you ask me."

"You don't know shit, Jacob."

"I know more than you ever will. Now you're Leah's Alpha. Disgusting."

"Dont play games with me, kid," Sam shouted, "Quit while you're behind."

"I have a feeling we're going to see who's really playing games around here very soon."

"Leave, Jacob. Before I do something I regret."

Shaking his head in disgust, Jacob turned around.

Jacob ran back to his house; he stormed straight to the phone and dialed her number. He had a feeling she'd rather be treated like a human.

Sue answered the phone, "Hello?"

Her voice was full of nervousness.

"Sue, let me talk to Leah."

"She's not exactly in the position to speak."

He heard something knock over in the background and Sue scream. If he were in wolf form, his ears would have instantly shot back in defense.

"What's going on?!?!"

"What do you want, Jacob?" came Leah's voice, full of anger and hatred. Jacob was taken aback.

"Lee, are you okay?"

"Don't pretend like you give a shit. Go play fetch you piece of -"

The phone was slammed. Seth probably grabbed the phone from her and hung it up.

Slowly, he dropped his own back down to its receiver. This was the start of something horrible.

*

At Harry's funeral, Jacob had so much on his mind. Bella leaving to go find Edward with her bloodsucker freind, Harry, the Clearwaters. Leah.

Everyone from the reservation was there.

Jake watched Leah throughout the whole service; her body trembling - ready to snap at a moment's notice.

It was only a matter of time until the anger boiled over.

After the service and after everyone started to depart, Jake saw Leah standing at the top of the hill. Leah's body still trembling.

"Don't come any closer, Black." she barked, smelling him approach her from behind.

"Leah," he said, softly, "I'm so sorry."

"Like hell you are. You are sorry for nothing."

"Lee-"

"Dont ever call me that again. Ever."

"Can't we just talk things over?"

"I dont have time to listen to your bullshit. Fuckin' A, man. Shut the fuck up."

Jacob caught his breath as she told him the exact words he had told her not too long ago.

"Sound familiar?"

Jake looked up to see her staring at him, her arms crossed infront of her chest.

"Forget I said that, Leah. I think it's time to forget. We made promises...remember?"

Tears started to form in her eyes. It was like a chain reaction. Jake could feel his own starting to brew.

"Fuck you," she sobbed, "Fuck you and you're promises."

With that, she ran past him.

It was never the same.

*

Now, the two of them sat together on the edge of a cliff, holding hands. Five years later.

Once upon a time, Jake had Nessie. But he couldn't love her. He didn't want to. It took him nearly two years, almost three, to fight the imprint. Leah had gotten over Sam.

But the most important thing is is that Jake and Leah rekindled their friendship.

"We've been through so much," Leah smiled.

"Lets never make promises again, ok?"

"Why?" she asked, furrowing her brow.

"We're better than that. Even if someday, we somehow part again, we will find each other again."

Leah rolled her eyes, "You're such a sap, Black."

Jacob started at her, lovingly. It was true, what she said; they really had been through it all.

"Let's make love again, Lee."

Leah rolled her eyes, "D'you think we still go it?"

She laughed to herself, with the whole "I crack myself up" smile.

Sure, the two of them have kissed every now and then. But those kisses were just for comfort and reassurance. It came with the territory; especially with the type of territory they had been through.

Jacob stood up, scooping her up into his arms. Leah laughed carelessly.

He ran with her in his arms back to the ravigne they had first made love in.

Hands were everywhere, lips never parting.

Jacob ran a hand under her shirt and cupped her breasts. Leah let out a moan of approval, as she snaked her hand down and took hold of his manhood. Instinctivly, Jacob bucked at her touch.

"I love you, Lee. I always have."

He lifted her shirt off and kissed every bit of skin he could find, his hands teasing her. Leah removed his shirt and kissed his chest, flicking her tongue over his nipple. Jacob laughed, with a bit of rasp.

They both removed their bottoms and she straddled him; both of them throbbing - aching - for each other.

"You're mine, Leah. You belong to me. I'm going to give you everything you ever wanted."

Grabbing her hips, he kept her steady and thrust into her. Leah arched her back as she mouthed a silent "O", looking up at the sky. She began to meet his every thrust as he pumped into her. As she bobbed ontop of him, he massaged her breast. He soon turned her over and began to thrust into her, harder this time. But his thrusts were slow. He wrapped his arms around her. Leah wrapped her arms around him, her nails digging into the muscles of his back and legs wrapped around his waist.

"Ohhh, Leah."

"Jake," she moaned, "I love you. God, I love you so much."

He kissed her, their tongues slowly moving and caressing. They intertwined their fingers together, something so easy; so effortless; their undeniable chemistry. This time, Leah squeezed Jacob's hand. In return, he squeezed back twice. The two of them smiled through the passionate kisses.

Right, then and there - they knew. Everything was all right.

Finally, it happened. The coming together of two wildfires; an inferno had begun.

But, until they could light the sky with their passion, they'd enjoy what they could for the moment.

A bit of a splendor in the grass.

FIN.

A/N: Should I write a sequel? Like, maybe them with babies? lol

What do you think?