Really short, been sitting on my computer for a while. Sam and Leah. The type of fracturing…stoicism I would expect from Leah. Because, really, Leah's kind of great like that.

Fine

It's really stupid, the word fine. What does it even mean? If you're fine? If something terrible happens, maybe the worst thing that can happen, and all you can say is fine.

Maybe he's wrong, but that's one of his biggest regrets; that he let it end with fine.

Because he knows she's not fine, that she's anything but.

If Sam had known that it was the last time he would ever see Leah Clearwater smile, then maybe he would have drawn it out a bit more. Maybe he would not have been so direct, so blunt. But he didn't know. He didn't know that she was never going to be the same after this.

"I am in love with Emily." He said; she had just opened the door, a smile on her face, lips poised to say something, when he blurted it out. Like he couldn't hold it in any longer.

She was still smiling, but looking confused now. Like she didn't understand what he was talking about. Her smile began to falter, like a light flickering off, when she realized he wasn't joking. That he meant exactly what she thought he did.

"What?" Was all she said.

"I…I love Emily." Now he was faltering, because he had never seen someone's features die out, perceptibly, one by one.

"How long has this been…what are you saying to me?"

He couldn't tell her he imprinted, she was going to think he had been cheating on her, which he hadn't. Well, not really.

"It's over. We're done." He sounded like an prick. "I'm sorry." Oh, perfect Sam, he thought. Much better now.

She blinked twice. He noticed her knuckles gripping the doorknob had turned white. Her lips were stiff. And her eyes had shut off. Not shut, not closed, just off.

"Are you…Leah, are you okay?" He asked.

"I'm fine. This is just…fine." She said.

Then she shut the door. It was the last time Leah would ever meet Sam's eyes. It was the last time she would directly answer his question.

It was the last day Leah Clearwater wouldn't feel like a piece had broke off inside.