Summary: When Leah finally imprints, it is on the most unlikely of characters... A look into the mind and heart of Leah Clearwater. (Post-BD, no OC's, all canon.)

A/N: This takes place just after the end of Breaking Dawn, which ended on New Year's, if you recall. ;)

Disclaimer: None of it is mine, sigh...

"Of Storm Clouds and Sunshine"

By Jezunya

Chapter 1 – My True Love (Gave to Me)

Leah glared down at the hastily scribbled shopping list in her hand, the thin notebook paper crumpling pitifully along the edge where her fingers clutched it. Looking back up at the shelf, she felt her annoyance grow further, sending a small shudder down her spine. The boxes of Chex-Mix stared back at her, mocking her from their neat little displays left over after the recent New Year's parties across the Olympic Peninsula.

She had meant to write Chex-Mix. She'd actually wanted Chex-Mix when she'd made the list. But, for some unfathomable reason, she had written down trailmix, and now that was all she could think of. It wasn't normally party food, she knew, but she really, really wanted some now. And none of that mixed nuts crap. It needed to be peanuts, and raisins, and M&M's. The good trailmix.

The problem? The Thriftway in Forks didn't seem to have any. She'd checked at Lonesome Creek first, the one little convenience store in La Push, and they'd been all out there, which was what had prompted her drive into town. Her forty minute drive along the highway and all the way through downtown Forks. She glared at the offending shelf, scowling especially at the cheerfully stacked boxes of Chex-Mix as she moved down the aisle. Maybe in the health foods section? She didn't even know if this store had a health foods section, but it was worth a try.

After a few minutes' search, she came upon an aisle stocked with granola bars, multivitamins, and muscle milk. Involuntarily, she wrinkled her nose, skimming over the protein bars and shakes and other things guys used for bulking up. Not her guys; they already had almost more bulk than they knew what to do with. And she certainly had no desire to gain any more muscle… But she doubted that kind of stuff would even work on their bodies now.

She walked down the aisle, scanning the shelves carefully. And then – finally – she found it. A few large bags of… mixed nuts. A frustrated growl welled up from deep in her chest, and she had to clench her fists against the tremors that rippled down her arms.

It took her several long seconds, but she did finally manage to get her temper under control. Just breathe, she told herself, just keep breathing. This wasn't even that important. She just wanted a little comfort food. Just a little bag of trailmix. That was all. Nothing to freak out about. Really.

Leah finally opened her eyes after a minute, frowning down at the bags of nuts for a long moment before turning on her heel to exit the store. She couldn't afford to be anywhere public if she did lose control.

She made her way across the parking lot and climbed into her family's beat up little sedan, starting the car without bothering with a seatbelt as she shook the drizzle out of her hair. It was getting long again, down to her chin already. She needed to cut it soon, or her fur would be catching on every twig and fern in the forest…

She was ignoring the real issue.

The real issue? She huffed, thinking through the events of the last week as she pulled out of the parking lot. The real issue was that they were moving. The whole pack. Bella and Edward had decided to go ahead and attend college in the spring, keeping up the façade of a normal life for Bella's mother and human friends. They'd promised Chief Swan they wouldn't go far, so they were moving up to Seattle to attend the University of Washington. After the recent scare with the Volturi, Jacob wasn't about to let his precious Nessie out of his sight for more than a few hours, so he was going with them – and, despite anything Jake might try to say to the contrary, where the Alpha went, so went the pack.

Leah growled, not even sure what she was so angry about. She was actually going to get to leave home, something she'd written off as impossible after she's started phasing. And the Cullens had even offered to pay for them all to go to school as well. According to Dr. Cullen, Jacob and Renesmee's relationship made them practically family, and uncomfortable as she still was accepting anything from the leeches, she couldn't deny what an unbelievable opportunity it was.

But still…

She didn't want to leave home. It was her home. She was born and bred to protect it. They all were. How could they just up and leave like this? Okay, so Sam and his pack would still be here. It wasn't like the rez, or the rest of the peninsula for that matter, would be defenseless…

A voice in the back of her thoughts whispered that maybe Sam was the very reason she didn't want to leave.

She shook her head, squashing that thought as she focused on maneuvering through the small town traffic. No, she wouldn't tie herself down for Sam. That ship had sailed. Or sunk. Burned down, and then sunk. And probably beset with underwater mines afterward.

Maybe she was just worried about her mother. It hadn't even been a year yet since her father had died – died in the course of helping to protect their secret, facing off with the vampire Victoria, she knew now. Her mom knew what she and Seth were really up to, why they were always running out into the woods and hanging around the Cullen place, why she had to go with Jacob and Quil and Embry to Seattle. But still…

Seth would still be here. He was trying to get caught up in school now, at least making a token effort since a traditional high school graduation was still within reach for him, unlike the other boys. He hadn't told their mother yet, but the pack knew he was planning to get his GED this summer along with the rest of the guys, so that he could join them in Seattle in a few months' time. But he would at least be here with her for a little while more. And Chief Swan – Charlie – was always around these days, offering at first a shoulder to cry on, and then a steady friendship, and now…

Lost in her thoughts as she was, Leah almost missed the sign for the camping and hiking store just off the main road. "Yes!" she breathed, darting out of traffic and pulling into the parking lot in front of the store. If anyone had what she wanted, they would.

It was really just comfort food, she reminded herself, shaking her head ruefully as she jogged through the misting rain to the shop's glass front doors. Some girls liked chocolate or ice cream; she had for some reason fixated on peanuts, raisins, and M&M's. The fact that she had no control over anything else at the moment might have had something to do with it too, she admitted. It really just came down to a tug-o-war with the powers that be now – she wanted her trailmix, and she was going to get her trailmix, and no measly grocery store's poor stock was going to stop her from having her trailmix.

She snorted at her own thoughts as she pulled the door open and stepped inside, fluffing her damp hair with one hand rather than fully shaking off like she wanted to. No need to make herself look like even more of a freak while out in public.

The store was brightly lit, the front shelves and cash registers still bedecked with cheery Christmas decorations and fliers for holiday specials. She could hear a few employees moving around in the back, but otherwise the shop seemed deserted. That suited her just fine, she thought, and set out into the aisles, following her nose toward the snack section.

The smell of peanuts and beef jerky slowly grew stronger as she zeroed in on the correct aisle, almost drowned out by the scents of leather, nylon, plastic, steel, and… something else she couldn't identify. She turned her head to sniff at the odd scent trail even as she continued toward the snack section. It tickled her nose, enticing and warm and almost spicy. What was that?

She stopped just as she reached the aisle she'd been looking for, knitting her brows as she breathed in the tantalizing scent, the trailmix momentarily forgotten. It was almost familiar, the name just on the tip of her tongue, just out of reach of her memory. Some kind of cologne she'd smelled before? No… It was… organic, alive… and getting stronger. She'd taken several steps to follow the scent before she even realized what she was doing.

And then he was stepping out around the corner, a few aisles down from her, all pink skin and sandy blond hair and tall, lanky form. She'd been so focused on his scent that she hadn't heard him moving from the breakroom where the other employees still hid. The ceiling fans blew his scent all around her, making it swirl in the air like incense, blocking out everything else.

The trailmix, the move, the store, the rain, the whole world seemed to melt away from her awareness as he came toward her, filling her field of vision, overwhelming all her senses with his presence. It was just like she'd always been told it would be, just like the guys had all talked about – suddenly finding your reason for being, your place in the universe, and knowing that that place was right here with this person. With your imprint.

"Can I help you find something?" he asked, stopping a few feet from her, and it was like she'd never heard anything before that moment, certainly never anything as amazing as the sound of his voice.

"Yes…" she breathed, staring at his face, intent on memorizing his features. He was so pale, his eyes a clear, sunny blue, hair like soft, golden straw. She managed to pull her eyes away from his face long enough to glance at his nametag. Mike, it said. Mike. She liked that name. It was a good name.

"Yes..?" Mike prompted when she didn't continue. Leah blinked. He was watching her with a kind half-smile, waiting for her to answer.

Right. They always told the guys not to act weird around their imprints. Okay, Leah, just don't be a freak. Act normal. Speak. Speaking was always better than wide-mouthed silence. Now, think – what had she come in here for? To find him, obviously, but, no- before that. Originally. What was it? Oh-

"Trailmix," she blurted out, then clamped her mouth shut with a snap. Holy freak show, Batman. "I mean… I was looking for trailmix. Do… Do you carry it here?"

"Uh, yeah, you just missed it, actually," Mike smiled, stepping around her to lead her back to the aisle where she'd stopped a minute before. His scent swept along behind him, engulfing her as he moved past.

Oh my god he smells good!

She managed to stop herself from leaning forward to fully breathe in the wonderful aroma, instead just following him over toward the snack food. He stopped and turned to face her about halfway down the aisle. "All the trailmix you could ever want," he grinned, gesturing around at the wide variety of bags arranged on the shelves around them. "Did you have a particular kind you wanted?"

"Um…" Did she? There'd been something about buying comfort food, some thought she couldn't quite hang onto anymore, about having something that was solely hers, something no one could take from her, not the vampires or the pack or Sam or anybody…

"Well, this one's by far the best," Mike offered at her hesitation, hefting a large bag from a lower shelf. "Just classic peanuts, raisins, and M&M's. You don't need anything more," he grinned.

Leah accepted the bag, nodding and hugging it to her chest as she stared at him. This was exactly what she'd always wanted. "Thank you." How could one person be so wonderful?

Mike beamed at her in response, then tilted his head, looking at her almost sidelong. "Hey… if you don't mind me asking… do I know you from somewhere?" he asked. "You just… seem really familiar."

"Yes!" she started, then caught herself. "I mean, no. I mean- uh, I think we might know some of the same people?" She tried to think, tried to call to mind any face other than his. If he lived here in town, maybe he would know… "Bella? Chief Swan's daughter? Did you know her?"

Mike blinked, his smile turning just slightly guarded somehow. "Oh, yeah, I know Bella. Do you know that, uh, Jacob kid she was always hanging out with?"

Leah had to give a cryptic smile of her own at that one, feeling a little more in control of herself again. "Yeah, I know Jacob. A little too well, it seems sometimes," she laughed sardonically, then held out her hand to shake his, the large bag of trailmix held easily with one hand. "Leah Clearwater. Born and raised out here in La Push."

Mike took her hand with a smile, stopping suddenly when their skin met. The electricity that blossomed up from their joined hands was everything Leah had heard it would be – and she honestly never, ever wanted to let go of him. But Mike cleared his throat a moment later, smiling abashedly and mumbling an apology about static or something. "Mike Newton. I'm actually from California, and I still have no idea how or why I ended up in this soggy little town."

Leah laughed despite herself – she was fairly certain she knew now what had led him here – and then made herself release his hand before she accidentally gripped too hard and broke his fingers. "See, it's like we're old friends already," she joked.

Mike laughed and nodded, rubbing the back of his neck. "So, um… Can I get anything else for you?"

"Uh…" Anything else? Anything else? "Are… are you doing anything tonight?" she asked suddenly. What was she doing? She'd been trying so hard to be normal, and now here she was just up and asking him out straight out of the blue. But… if he said yes, she could get to spend the whole night with him, by his side… "I, um, I'm going to this twelfth night party at the Cullens' place, and it's just going to be all these guys I grew up with and the Cullens and I'm afraid it's going to be really weird, and I don't want to go by myself, so I was wondering if you'd, um…" She trailed off uncertainly, feeling a flush start to climb her already hot face. So much for not acting weird. She swallowed, knowing there was nothing to do now but push on. "I was wondering if you'd like to go with me," she finished lamely, her attempt at a calmer, more dignified tone falling flat.

Mike blinked down at her, surprised. "Oh… Well, I was going to the movies with some friends… sort of…" She tried to keep her disappointment from showing on her face. "But it's not like it's set in stone or anything," he continued, and Leah felt herself perk back up immediately. "I mean, I can go see a movie any time, right?" he asked, a grin starting to pull at the corner of his mouth again. "It's not every day that it's… um, twelfth night?"

"Twelfth night of Christmas," Leah nodded, smiling shyly.

"Hey, any excuse for a party, right?" he smiled back, and started to turn toward the rear of the store. "Let me just… take care of something real quick," he said, nodding back in the direction he'd originally come from.

Leah followed him back to a little office just off to the side of the breakroom in the back of the store. A couple of teenaged workers were lounging about in the little vending machine infested room, nursing coffee and a candy bar each, and they looked up when she and Mike passed. "Friend of yours, Mike?" the girl called, leaning back like she could see around the solid wall separating the two rooms.

"Yeah," Mike called back. "Hey, could one of you go watch the front, please?"

The girl who'd spoken heaved a heavy sigh, as though that wasn't exactly what she was being paid to do, while her male counterpart grinned, settling more comfortably down in his chair. Leah resisted the urge to roll her eyes at their antics, instead turning to watch as Mike moved around a large, cluttered desk in the middle of the tiny office. The nameplate on the desk's front edge read, Michael Newton, Sr.

"So your family owns this store?" Leah asked, glancing back up at him.

"Hm? Oh, yeah," he said distractedly, shuffling around precariously stacked piles of paperwork as if looking for something in between them. "I'm sort of the store manager now, I guess. Been helping out here while I was home over Christmas break, but now…" He sighed slightly, shrugged, and shook his head. "Well, my parents really need me to stay. But whatever. Ah!" He finally seemed to find what he was looking for, at last unearthing a yellowed old telephone. "Just one sec," he said, smiling at her as he quickly punched in a number.

The other end of the line picked up after a few rings, a high-pitched girl's voice answering with a bored Hello?

"Hey, Jessica…" Mike ran a hand through his hair, swiveling the desk chair back and forth anxiously. Leah kept very still, not letting her face betray her thoughts. Jessica? She could hear the girl's voice go up a few octaves, chattering away excitedly at him about their plans for that evening. "Yeah, hey, how's it going? Good, great… So, um, about the movie tonight… Something just came up, and I'm not going to be able to make it. Yeah. No, no, everything's fine. Just, um…" He glanced back at Leah, and a smile began to tug at the corner of his mouth again. "A friend from out of town stopped by. Yeah, totally unexpected, but, you know, not really something I can pass up. So, uh, I'll see you later?" The girl sounded dejected now… and annoyed. Mike didn't seem to notice. "No, I'm sure Ben and Angela will still want you to go. Why would it be awkward? Yeah. No, no, it's fine. Yeah. See ya. Okay. Bye."

Mike let out a breath as he set the receiver back on its cradle, turning to look up at Leah a moment later. "Well… That's that." He stood, moving out from behind the desk once more. "So… you said this party's at the Cullens' place? You know, I think I've only been there like once before; you're gonna have to tell me how to get there," he said, leaning back against the front edge of the desk.

"Oh, I've actually… never driven there before either," Leah admitted, realizing halfway through how strange that must sound. "I, um, normally just… hike there?" That wasn't much better, if the odd look Mike gave her was anything to go by, but as someone whose family owned a camping goods store, he couldn't really argue with hiking everywhere. "I'll get directions," she muttered at last, defeated.

"Hey, no worries. I just don't have the number for that place," he said, shrugging. "So, what time's the party? I'll come pick you up."

"I live all the way out in La Push," Leah reminded him, smiling slightly. "Maybe I should come pick you up."

Mike laughed grudgingly, shaking his head. "Alright, you got me there. So what time will you be picking me up then, Miss Leah?"

She smiled, feeling an actual blush start in her face. "How does 7:30 sound?"

"Sounds great," Mike beamed, pushing off of the desk to stand straight again. "And tell ya what, why don't I meet you here? My house is an even longer drive from La Push than this place is."

"Alright," Leah nodded, still smiling.

"Alright then," Mike said, clapping his hands together and then pointing at the trailmix bag still balanced on her hip. "I guess we should get that rung up, huh?"

"What? Oh, yeah." Leah followed him back to the front of the store, where the bored-looking teenage girl stood waiting by a register.

"That it for you?" the girl mumbled, ringing the bag through and dropping it unceremoniously into a waiting plastic sack as Leah pulled out her cash to pay.

"Do you want help getting that out to your car?" Mike asked suddenly as the girl handed Leah her change.

Leah looked down at the waiting plastic bag, and for half a second actually considered pretending that it was heavy, if only to spend a little more time with him.

It's just a few hours, she reminded herself, and turned back to him, lifting the bag easily with one hand.

"I think I got it. Thanks though," she smiled.

He shrugged, returning the smile. "So…" he said, rubbing the back of his neck again. He looked so cute and bashful when he did that. "I guess I'll see you later?"

"Yeah," Leah said softly. "Later."

Mike waved to her as she exited the store, and didn't move from his spot at the window until she'd climbed back into her car and pulled away.

She made it out of Forks before she had to pull over.

She pulled the car off onto a wide, graveled strip along a bend in the highway, where the trees began to swallow the road and hide it from view of the rest of the world. Mechanically, she pried her fingers one by one from the worn plastic of the steering wheel, reminding herself not to crush it. Her mother would need the car back in one working piece for work in the morning. Hell, she needed the car to be working tonight!

With that thought in mind, Leah launched herself from the vehicle, throwing the door open and clambering out onto the gravel, for once glad she'd made herself wear shoes today.

She stood out in the middle of the shoulder, letting the rain soak into her clothes and hair as it turned from drizzle to downpour. God, she must have looked like such a freak back there, running around in her usual tank top and shorts, the precipitation all but rising off her hot skin as steam. She hadn't even thought about it at the time, she was so focused on him.

Mike hadn't seemed to mind, though. Either he didn't care or he was just too nice to say anything. Either way…

"He's perfect," she murmured, turning her face up into the rain.

Nobody was actually perfect, the logical part of her brain reminded her, but it didn't matter. He was perfect. Or as close to perfect as anybody possibly could be. Because he was her imprint and that was all that mattered in the world.

"My imprint," she breathed, staring up at the clouds. The rain hit her face, washing down her cheeks like tears. She would never get over the sound of that word.

"My imprint."

A/N: This was originally going to be one uber one-shot, but I've instead decided to break it up into chapters. Chapter 2 is being polished up and chapter 3 is almost done, so keep an eye for more soon! :)

Please review, and then come out and play on Twitter! twitter dot com slash Jezunya ;)