AN: I'm an avid Bella-basher. Consider this your only warning.

Chapter 9

Jared and Embry had explained to their significant others that they often went on patrols to make sure the rez was safe and leech-free. Neither Kim or Serena was particularly worried, seeing as the only vamps in the area kept their distance. Thus, Kim was terrified when a breathless Emily called her saying that Jared had been hurt in a scuffle. Kim grabbed her shoes and crept to Serena's room.

"Rena, Jared's been hurt. I'm going to Emily's," Kim explained hurriedly.

Serena's response was instantaneous. "I'm coming too."

Both girls crept out of the house and took off in Kim's car.

Sam and Emily were standing outside, talking to a bunch of unfamiliar people. Sam caught Kim before she could barge into the house.

"Sam! What happened?" Kim demanded, eyes wide and glazed with panicked tears.

"There was an incident with Edward's human girlfriend and some of the leech law makers."

"You mean that dumb bitch that he refuses to turn?" Kim's voice had gone low.

Sam looked taken aback. "Um...I think so?"

"Which one is she?"

"The brunette that looks human?" Sam said, still giving Kim a strange look.

Serena was busily checking Embry over for injuries. She completely missed Kim walk up to Bella, the human girl, and give her a right cross that landed her flat on her back. "If Jared dies because of you, that's your ass."

"Hey!" Edward bent to help Bella up, before standing to face Kim.

Embry stood in front of Kim, arms crossed. "You attack her on our land, you'll all die," he said flatly. "You know the rules. It's her mate that's laid up inside. She has a right to be angry."

Serena stood next to her sister, chin lifted defiantly. "She's lucky I didn't get to her first," she hissed, glaring at Bella, whose fair skin had started to redden.

"Embry, take me to him." Kim ordered. Embry herded the girls inside, where Jared was laying on a bed, face contorted in pain. Kim dropped to her knees beside the bed, reaching a hand out to stroke his hair.

"Kim?"

"Hey baby." Kim's voice was a soothing murmur. She cleared her throat and blinked rapidly in an effort to stave off tears.

Serena and Embry quietly left the room and headed back outside.

"It looks worse than it really is, I promise."

Kim smiled slightly and shook her head. "Don't lie to me."

"Okay, it hurts like a bitch."

"Can you take anything?"

"No. My body doesn't process meds the way yours would. I'll be fine by tomorrow."

"You heal that fast?"

"It's just a few broken bones. Yeah, I'll be fine." Jared breathed a sigh of relief as Kim gave him a small smile. Then he winced as Kim burst into tears.

"I was so scared! When Emily called me, oh God, I thought you were going to die or something!" She sobbed.

"Come on, Kimmy, you know I plan on sticking around to bug the hell out of you for as long as possible."

Kim cried harder. "Don't joke! What if something like this happens again while you're on patrol? What if it's worse?"

"Come here."

"I don't want to hurt you."

"You won't. It's my left arm and leg that's broken."

Kim squeezed into bed next to Jared, resting her head on his chest. "Are you okay?"

"Much better. Now, listen to me. You can't freak yourself out by worrying all the time. Just know that I'll be fine, okay?"

Kim reached up and stroked Jared's cheek. "I love you, so I worry."

"I know, baby. But just trust that I'll be okay. Things like this very rarely happen."

"I punched her in the face," Kim muttered against his skin.

Jared snorted. "Seriously?"

"It's all her fault. If she and her leech weren't such dumbasses, you wouldn't be laid up with broken bones."

"Kim..."

Kim sat up slightly, to look Jared in the eye. "I didn't know how badly you were hurt. If you had died, I would have killed her."

"Don't think like that." Jared stroked her hip, the only place he could easily reach. "I promise you, I will always find my way back to you, no matter what."

Kim felt tears rush to her eyes again. Jared felt warm trails of tears make their way down his chest. "I should probably give you some rest."

"You should stay. Just sleep next to me. You won't hurt me or anything."

"Are you sure?"

Jared could not remember ever hearing Kim sound so lost. He kissed her hair. "I'm sure."

Kim slowly drifted off.

Embry was holding Serena and kissing away her tears of fright. "Jared's like my brother," Serena whispered. "If anything really bad were to happen to him..."

Embry made a soft shushing sound against her hair. "I told you when I explained our patrols, you can't think like that." He ran his fingers through her curls, made even more wild by her rush to Emily's.

"I know...it's just scary."

"Um, are you Kim's sister?"

Serena turned her head slightly, meeting the gaze of Edward's human pet. "Yeah."

"I'm sorry. I never meant-"

Serena's eyes narrowed. "Sorry?" She said in a low dangerous tone. "Sorry? What the FUCK is 'sorry' gonna do for my sister? Her boyfriend is laying in there with broken bones he received from protecting someone who doesn't even fucking deserve it, and you have the fucking audacity to come at me with 'sorry'? BITCH, ARE YOU STUPID?"

Embry had never heard Serena yell like that. Normally her anger was quiet and cold, and hearing her yell was scary as all hell. Edward moved forward. "There's no need for cursing. She was just apologizing."

Serena's furious gaze met Edward's, and he actually took a step back as Serena moved free of Embry's embrace. "Don't even get me started on you, you pussy ass motherfucker. If you had just turned your bitch ass girlfriend from jump, we wouldn't even be having this fucking conversation. Do yourself a favor and SHUT THE FUCK UP!" Serena was breathing heavily, her face mere inches from Edward's. "Don't try to even justify your goddamned behavior. As a matter of fact, what the fuck are you still doing here? Get off the rez, or so help me God, I will go through every vampire killing tactic known to man on you in front of your dumbass girlfriend."

The remainder of the wolves and the Cullens were staring at Serena in open-mouthed amazement. The teenage girl glared.

"What. The. FUCK. Are you looking at?" She snapped.

Almost in unison, every eye found something new to look at.

"Rena, why don't you let me take you home?" Embry said soothingly.

"Fine."

Emmett watched her go. "For a human, she is scary as hell."

Everyone else nodded agreement.

Serena had a quiet discussion with her father over Kim's whereabouts before heading upstairs to find Embry already laying in bed. "What are you doing here?" She whispered in shock.

"Going to sleep." Embry shrugged. "What, you don't want me here?"

Serena shook her head. "I didn't say that." She pulled on a pair of pajamas, and climbed into bed, letting Embry pull her close. "Good night."

Kim woke to a pair of arms wrapped tightly around her. Her eyes flew open. "Jared?" She whispered.

"Yeah?"

"Your arm..."

"It healed overnight." Jared held up said arm and wiggled it.

Kim's eyes widened. "Really?"

"Really. I'm good as new."

Kim gave a relieved sigh, and curled up against Jared's side. "Thank God."

"Come on, I don't know about you, but I'm starving."

Kim giggled and sat up, before clapping a hand to her mouth. "Shit! My parents were home last night!"

"Rena texted me and told me that your dad knew where you were and he was fine with it." Jared watched Kim climb out of bed, hair mussed, face still slightly dazed from sleeping. "You are really beautiful, you know that?"

Kim scratched her head. "Um...okay."

Jared grinned. "I mean it. I wouldn't mind waking up to you more often." Jared's gaze traveled over Kim's attire. She had on a pair of short shorts and a tank top. Her hair had been in a braid, but was rapidly unraveling.

"Well, you may as well come over for breakfast after you're showered." Kim said, shrugging. "Mom and Dad won't be home."

"Okay, I'll be over after I shower."

Kim headed home and showered. Serena and Embry were in the kitchen, looking at her expectantly. Kim rolled her eyes. "Really guys?"

"What? You know I can't cook." Serena said by way of explanation.

"And I don't know your kitchen like that," Embry shrugged.

Kim began setting out ingredients for French toast and omelets. "Serena, grab my laptop. I need music to cook."

Serena headed upstairs for the laptop, stopping to let Jared in the house. Jared sat down next to Embry, and watched Kim cook. Serena was playing some soft r&b, and she began humming. Her humming became a full blown, Embry-dedicated rendition of 'Lyzel in E Flat' by Jill Scott. Kim grinned as Embry began to blush. She flushed herself as Jared came up behind her and kissed her hair. She settled into his embrace as she cooked, smiling.

"So, Rena, I hear that you cursed out Bella and Edward." Jared said, after the song was over.

"Well, I couldn't hit her twice, that would have been rude," Serena said primly. "And I didn't want to break my hand hitting that sparkly freak job."

Jared broke away from Kim and sat down, ruffling Serena's hair. "That's my lil sis."

Serena shot him an amused smile. "Glad you approve."

Kim began handing off omelets and stacks of French toast. Everyone applied themselves to silent, steady eating.

"How's Jacob taking everything?" Kim asked, quirking an eyebrow.

"After he saw the way Rena laid her out? He's starting to see her true colors, and it's depressing him a little bit." Embry said, shrugging.

"Poor thing...hey, maybe if we introduce him to Seraphina..."

"She's twenty," Kim barreled on as Serena opened her mouth for a rebuttal, "And Selene is twelve for Christ's sakes. That's disturbing on so many levels."

Serena sulked. "Just a thought."

"Do you all have 'S' names?" Jared asked.

"Yeah, they do. Seraphina, Serena, Selene, Shane, Sheridan." Embry recited dutifully. He shrugged at Jared's startled glance. "What? She wanted to make sure I knew who her family was. I can do ages to."

Kim raised an eyebrow. "Okay, go."

"Seraphina's twenty, Serena's sixteen, Selene's twelve, and Shane and Sheridan are six." Embry recited proudly. Serena leaned over to give him a syrup-sweet kiss.

"I'm very proud of you baby. Now do birthdays." At Embry's panicked look, Serena burst into giggles. "I was kidding."

Jared had laced his fingers through Kim's absently. He tugged slightly on her fingers, drawing her attention to him. "Come over today. Mom and Dad are visiting in Seattle with the kids today. We'd have the house to ourselves."

Kim gave him a smile. "That sounds fine. Just give me a little bit to clean up the kitchen and we can go."

"We'll do cleanup duty. It's only fair." Serena stood up and began to gather up everyone's dishes, while Embry began running water in the sink. "Go on, have fun."

Kim bounded up to press a kiss to Serena's cheek before she and Jared left.

The walk to Jared's was completed in companionable silence. The minute the two teens were inside, Jared pounced, pushing Kim against the front door and kissing her like a man possessed. Kim gave as good as she got, boldly caressing his abs and trailing her hands over the waistband of his pants.

"Did you mean it?" He asked, once he moved back to let her get some air.

Kim's eyes narrowed in confusion. "Mean what?"

"Last night you said you loved me."

To her credit, Kim's gaze did not falter. "Yes, I meant it."

"Say it." Jared lowered his head and nuzzled Kim's neck.

"I love you."

Jared kissed her again, picking her up and letting her wrap her legs around his waist. He headed for his room, never breaking free of Kim's embrace.

What Jared lacked in experience, he made up for in eagerness, and thus it was a very tired Kim who staggered to her room later that day. Embry and Serena were gone, and Kim gracefully fell onto her bed for a much needed nap.

She awoke to her mom knocking on her door. "Kimmy? Are you okay?"

Kim sat up and rubbed her eyes. "Yeah Mom, I'm fine. What's up?"

"We bought pizza, if you're hungry."

"Sounds good." Kim rolled out of bed and headed downstairs, where Peter and Serena were watching TV while they ate. She joined them, a piece of mushroom pizza on her plate. "What's on?"

"Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers." Peter and Serena chorused, enraptured. Kim made a face, and quietly left the room. Lisa was in the kitchen, and she grinned at Kim.

"Lord of the Rings is on."

"Yeah, that's why I'm gonna eat in here. When they start with nerd speech, it puts me off my food." Kim could hear Peter say something in Elvish, and Serena answer him in kind. She shook her head. "Dorks."

"But we love them." Lisa smiled fondly. "So, what's been going on with you lately?"

Kim shrugged. "Nothing much. Just school and hanging out."

"How are things with you and Jared?"

"Good."

"He really likes you. It's pretty obvious."

Kim shrugged awkwardly. "I guess."

"You're still taking your birth control, right?"

Kim's face flushed. "Yes."

"Are you using condoms?"

Kim bit her lip and nodded. "Mom, we're being safe."

"I just want to make sure."

"How did you know?"

"I was sixteen and wild once," Lisa shrugged. "I can't control your actions, all I can do is make sure that you're being safe."

Kim nodded. "Well, good looking out, Mom."

"Would it be weird of me to have this talk with Serena? I don't want her to think I'm overstepping my boundaries."

"She won't. She needs an actual mother figure. Her biological mother is just that, a biological mother. Rena needs an actual mom."

Lisa shook her head sadly. "I know she does. But still, Elise is her mom."

"It doesn't matter. You've done more for me than she ever did." Lisa and Kim jumped and turned to see Serena standing in the door to the kitchen. The girl looked at Lisa and smiled. "I couldn't have asked for a better stepmother."

Lisa smiled back and opened her arms for a hug. Serena gave her a big hug, and Kim used the opportunity to slip from the kitchen. "I'm glad you feel that way. I wanted to talk to you."

Serena plopped down into the seat Kim had recently vacated. "Okay. About what?"

"Are you and Embry being safe?"

"Safe how?"

"Are you using protection?"

Serena's caramel cheeks turned a duskier shade. "Oh. I've been on birth control for a while, and we use condoms..."

"Good. I just want to make sure you're being safe. And don't worry, I won't tell your father."

Serena giggled and kissed Lisa's cheek. "Thanks." She hurried back into the living room to finish watching the movie.