Disclaimer: Not mine.

A/N: At long last it's here! The final chapter of Model Imprint took me way longer to churn out than I thought it would, and I'm sorry for the wait but hope y'all enjoy it. I don't know when I'll be able to start writing the last book but as promised the title is posted at the end of this chapter. I suppose I graduate from college in six weeks (SCARY!) and so I'll probably be posting it the day after or so to celebrate the beginning of summer. :)

You guys have been wonderful with all of the kind, kind words and i hope that you pop around again for the next one. You're amazing and I can't believe that this story is still going on! Hopefully the third one won't disappoint, i've got all sorts of fun planned for it. :)

And a few things written as well ;)

I'm going to attempt to finish Miss Imprint in the ensuing months for anyone thats curious. :) And I hope that y'all will continue to read that even after it's rather unfortunate hiatus while i finished this little diddle.

Anyhow-onto the story i suppose. And if you haven't heard this song, you absolutely should. Lea Michele is a gorgeous singer and she gets this song perfectly.

Thanks for everything-as always y'all make this writing so SO much fun and rewarding.

Lemme know what you think!

-S

Model Imprint

Chapter 24: Get it Right

What have I done? Wish I could run?

Away from this ship going under,

Just trying to help, hurt everyone else,

Now I feel the weight of the world is

On my shoulders

-Get it right, Lea Michele, Glee

I awoke blinking and uncomfortable in the way that you felt when your clothes were starchy from sleep and your limbs were all in slightly awkward positions. I didn't move at first—content to stay in my stupor, lazily watching the dust particles rise and fall in the rosy rays of the sun that peered in from the window.

They looked almost like they were dancing with one another—all moving together and apart at once. It was dizzying.

"Kimberly."

The sudden intrusion sent my heart racing as I realized there was another presence in the room. As I took her slight form and the darling ringlets that cascaded around her face the events of yesterday began to trickle in. My heart sank as all of the tragedy and reality took form once more and I realized that everything was wrong.

"I'm awake." I said slowly, my voice hoarse from the arctic cabin air.

She nodded. "We should make our way back now—the good weather won't last long so high in the mountains."

"Okay."

And so we packed up the few things I had with me but as I pulled my now dead phone to me, I realized suddenly that Jared hadn't returned.

"Wait!" I cried, as she turned to look at me, a single eyebrow raised. "Jared—I can't just leave him here."

"He is no longer here." She said monotonously.

"But—are you sure?"

She sighed, frustrated. "Kim—if he has somehow escaped my radar—which is unlikely then he is perfectly capable of making his way down."

"Right." I felt stupid, suddenly, for worrying about him even after everything that I'd learned. I'd only be doing him a favor by leaving—ridding him of the distraction I was and letting him move on, from Nina, from me, from all of this.

The vampire pulled me onto her back with outrageous grace. I was significantly taller than her but she seemed to be walking as if there was nothing but a bag of air on her back.

"You're sure I'm not too heavy right?"

She laughed lightly, shaking her head. "You've got no idea what we're capable of, do you Kim?"

"I guess not." I allowed, trying to shake the niggling suspicion in the back of my head that there was something I was missing. "How do you know the Cullens again?"

She kept moving, not missing a step. "I'm an old, old acquaintance of Carlisle's."

"Is it rude if I ask how old you are?"

"Not at all—but there will be a time for that later, Kimberly, once we are off the mountain."

"Sure."

She slowed for a moment. "Bend your head down and keep your eyes closed, I'm going to speed a little."

I curled my body down so that my face was pressed into the hood of her coat and so I remained until she slowed down about half and hour later in my backyard.

"Thanks." I said softly, unable to articulate much more than that.

"I'll be back to collect you at sundown," she said softly turning her murky brown-yellow gaze on me. "I'll wait an hour—if you choose not to come, I won't bother you again."

"Okay." I appreciated the space she was giving me—I needed to think. I felt so sluggish and I was desperate for a moment where I could just sit and process and take back the reigns. My life had disintegrated into pieces over th last twelve hours and I yearned for the opportunity to start weaving the threads together.

And I needed to decide if I could actually do this.

Running away with the strange vampire who claimed to know my family sounded like a twilight zone version of an afternoon special. My parents raised me better than to become a statistic, no matter how warped the circumstances were. But research posed a problem—because everyone who knew about vampires was gone—except for Sam.

Sam hated their kind but hatred like that could not have been spawned of ignorance alone. There was history burned into his self-righteous speech and I was going to find out what it was.

A few hours later, the weather had warmed up to almost bearable and I headed towards the reservation, a warm cup of coffee steaming in my console. I felt unbelievably better after a shower and taking a short nap in my own bed.

Heading out for Sam's, I stopped by a local store that sat right off the highway who said that he was living in a small yellow house on a cul-de-sac. Sure enough, there it sat in all of its dilapidated, old-town charm. I parked my cark as close to the curb as I could, hoping that the shade of the trees would stop it from sticking out so much.

"Hello." A sunny voice yelled from the doorframe and I stepped out wearily. She was petite, about my height with long scars running down one side of her face, but the rest of it was as beautiful as they come. But I wasn't surprised. Because who didn't know the story of Emily Young around these parts. She was the beautiful, delicate second-cousin of Leah Clearwater who stole her fiancé. Emily was mysteriously attacked by a bear-but suddenly I had a feeling that it wasn't actually a bear-probably something distinctly more lupine. Sam doted on her until she healed and didn't leave her side after.

Another involuntary imprint, maybe? Everything seemed so different now that the strains of truth were beginning to make themselves heard. And a small, cowardly part of me wished for a time when I'd been ignorant. But it was too late for that.

"Hi, I'm Kim." I held up my hand for her to shake.

She had a nice firm grip. "Emily. Are you here for Sam?"

I nodded, slowly. "I think so—I guess I have a few questions."

"About the imprinting?" She said softly, her gaze sympathetic.

"No-how do you know about that?" I was right. She looked shocked and almost nervous for a moment, as if she thought she'd revealed too much.

"I don't think—perhaps we should wait for Sam." She stuttered, before dragging me inside and seating me in an open kitchen that had pots and pans lining the walls. "He won't be long."

"I'm sorry to have barged in on you like this." I said, softly, trying to put her at ease. I felt bad for testing her.

"You are welcome anytime." She smiled wide before sitting across from me, a steaming mug of tea in her hands. I watched her face through the soft plumes of smoke that seemed to take the edge of her scars. For a second she was almost perfect.

"Do you know much about the vampires?" I blurted out before I could think otherwise.

She nodded. "Enough to survive." She let out a breath and I think she knew I wanted to hear more. I'd decided to ask her on a whim but now as I watched her ruminate it seemed to have been a good idea. Sam was a wild card-but I already knew what he would say. He'd tell me to do whatever would get my parents out of here. But Emily seemed like she would be objective-like she wanted to help.

"In my experience, those with yellow eyes have always been good to us—they have treated us with more respect than my boys have shown them." She whispered the last part, her eyes twinkling merrily. "Don't tell them I said that though."

"I won't." I promised, lowering my voice conspiratorially. Suddenly with that simple admission from her I felt better—lighter, like a burden had been lifted from my shoulders.

"Trust in others, Kim, it takes the edge off." She said, softly. "Especially in our world."

I smiled at her. "My mom used to say that to me."

"She sounds smart."

"She is." I said, firmly, emphasizing the present. Because she wasn't gone—not really, and following my blonde guide would only mean that I would be reunited with her sooner. "Thanks—you helped."

Emily nodded but then quirked a brow as I stood. "Where're you going?"

"I got what I needed."

She looked nervous suddenly, her voice wavered when she spoke up again. "Kim—maybe you should wait for Sam."

"I promise, I'm okay." I squeezed her shoulder as I passed by her. "Thanks again."

And there I left half-scarred Emily, sitting by her mug of tea, her eyes wavering in the steam.

"Jared?"

"Hey! Are you okay? Where are you?" His voice came over the phone, panicked and relieved all at once.

"I'm fine, I'm fine." I calmed him, "I'm at home. Where did you go yesterday?"

"I don't know." He said slowly.

"What?" I didn't understand. How could he not know? He'd stalked out-was he perhaps covering a guilty conscience?

"Can I see you?" He interjected; he sounded almost desperate—as if he wasn't sure, as if he needed to see me in person to make sure.

"Yeah—my house?" I wanted to say goodbye in person anyway. He deserved that much.

"I'll be there after patrol." The phone cut out and I watched for a few moments before hanging up, letting the empty dial tone percolate my thoughts. Something was wrong but I couldn't put my finger on it. What did he mean about not knowing what happened-he couldn't have been knocked out-there was very little in this world that could harm him. But what could it be?

I packed my bags which took longer than I thought because I wasn't sure where we were going or what I would need but I figured that anything I couldn't pack I could buy. I set my luggage by the door and then moved to the window seat. Jared still hadn't shown up.

The sun was making its way down from its zenith and I was beginning to worry that it would be sundown before he got here and I would be gone.

I spent some time walking the house, pressing my fingers into the bumps of the stucco walls and running my hands through the thick velvet drapes that lined the windows that Mom had picked out herself. I wasn't sure how it started but by the end of my tour through the house, I realized I was saying goodbye. I didn't know how long I would be gone but I had a feeling that when I came back, if I came back, things would be irrevocably different.

The trees rustled in the backyard about a quarter to six, and from their depths, out stepped Jared in his lupine form. I walked out of the house, pacing my steps and pulling my coat tighter in the frigid air. My breaths materialized in the air as great puffs of smoke.

"Hi." I said, softly. Billy—Jared bowed, and then retreated into the woods, reappearing moments later in human form, a pair of jeans slung low around his waist. He covered the distance between us in seconds, striding purposefully and pulling me hard and fast against him. I gripped his overheated skin trying to memorize the way it felt.

"I'm sorry—I shouldn't have left." His voice was rough and desperate.

"It doesn't matter, but what happened to you?"

Jared shrugged against me. "Don't know. I went outside to give you space—and everything just numbed down and then I woke up at home."

"That doesn't sound good." I said, tightening my grip before stepping back so that I could look at him.

"No—Sam's got us patrolling in pairs to see if we can find out who did it—it had to be a vampire."

I shuddered as I remembered my curly haired friend and her dismissal of Jared's disappearance. But she had been with me—she couldn't have transferred him. Besides, she her eyes were golden. Emily was right-I needed to learn to trust someone in this world and my mother and the Cullen's were sacred, anyone who said they were a friend of their would deserved a little faith on my part. She had only tried to help me.

And just like that I remembered everything—the imprint, the pretense that Jared was under. I had to remember why I had wanted to see him in the first place. And it began with complete honesty. "Jared I need to tell you something."

"What?"

"I know about imprinting."

His eyes widened, his mouth agape. "How?"

"A friend." I said, softly. "But I think it's best that we stop this." I gestured at the space between us. "You told me once that you wanted to give Nina and you a shot, but I—my family took that from you. You deserve better than what we've given you. And I know," I clenched my fists as I felt them begin to tremble in the wintry evening air, "I know that if I hadn't begun all of this by asking you to model for me, everything would still be normal."

"You don't know that." He said, firmly. There was an odd, depth to his voice—it was softer than usual, richer.

"But I'm pretty damn sure." I smiled at him softly. "Anyway, I'm leaving for a while so maybe space will help us figure this out."

"What do you mean you're leaving?"

"I'm giving you what you wanted, you know." I replied, avoiding his question entirely.

"You are what I want." His voice dropped, the normal tenor descending to a baritone. It sent shivers up my spine. I clenched my fingers, fighting the urge to give in to him.

It was so tempting.

Everything about him, from the husky, sinfully rich texture of his voice, to his endless ochre eyes to his strong and vibrant presence; I felt it calling to me. I was weak to resist but I held fast.

I would do this for him.

"You told me I was a distraction once." I remarked, casually, trying to find some purchase on the wood beside me as I leaned against a tall pine my father and I used to climb. My face was turned away from him.

"I was an idiot. Kim, you have to know things are different now."

"They aren't Jared, you're just too distracted to see it." I replied scathingly. I felt him still behind me. I could practically hear the retorts dancing through his mind but before he could make any of them, I continued.

"This isn't a big deal, Jared. I'm just going away for a few months."

"Months?" He sounded incredulous.

"There are some things I need to do, and I can't do them here. Besides, maybe it'll give you some perspective."

"I don't need perspective, I need you, Kim. You're everything." The way he said that, so easily, so naturally, it was so believable. But I knew better. He was only convinced now because of the imprinting. If he were normal, if everything was the way it had been before all of this mess, he would be encouraging me to leave so he could-be with her. He'd done it once.

"I'm sorry. But you're not thinking clearly. This imprinting, it's addling your thought process."

"Kim, that's not addling shit okay, I'm thinking fine." His voice was starting to pick up, the tremors in it displaying his frustration more vividly than I would have liked. "Who told you about this again?"

"A friend." I said, mutinously, refusing to give up more information. I was starting to get frustrated.

"Well they got it wrong."

"Maybe you've got it wrong." I shot back, heatedly. "You know, out of the two of you, she's the only one that hasn't lied to me.

"I lied to protect you and I'm not lying now!" He replied vehemently, and I knew where this was going to go but suddenly I was really tired of all of this.

"I can't do this, okay? I can't- ca-" I faltered, trying desperately to gather myself again, but I felt the edges pulling and all the blur of today and yesterday flowing together and I started to shake.

My cheeks didn't even get the chance to be wet before he was pushing me up against the tree behind me, his heated, burning form pressed firmly between my legs. His hands were cradling my face, long fingers embedded in my hair.

His face was so close, he was so close and I felt the shaking start to slow but my vision was blurring so I wasn't sure who was vibrating. My hands, listlessly hanging at my sides, moved as if of their own accord to a familiar place, one behind his head, tilting it to look at me and the other one his shoulder blade. I tightened both as I fought for control.

He dropped his forehead, touching mine and I felt sparks ignite over our touching skin and then slowly incinerating a trail down the sides of my face and around my shoulders and down to my very toes.

He was so close.

And then he breathed over me, his eyes alighting upon mine, molten with desire and promise and I felt the pull stronger than ever.

And then just before our lips collided, I screwed my eyes shut and shoved him away with all my might and he stumbled. I have a feeling it was entirely for my own benefit but he stepped back.

"I can't." I whispered, but for the look on his face, I could have been yelling. His eyes bore into me and then he nodded abruptly before taking another step back. I wanted to stop him, every fiber in my body was telling me to take it back, that it wasn't too late, that I could fix the despair that was billowing over me from him.

But I didn't.

And then he was gone.

The howling began and for the first time in my life, I was afraid. I was afraid that in his animalistic state, that in that moment I had hurt him so much that he would tear through the bindings, which tied us together and look for respite.

That he would crave some sort of satisfaction and that his human side would be too far gone to deny him.

And so I ran away my feet pounding against the soft grass floor.

I collapsed against the front steps of my porch and I brought my knees to my chest, terrified and exhausted and cold.

So, so, cold.

But there was some part of me that was waiting, waiting for him to appear, so that I knew that this wasn't it. That this wasn't the end.

But he never showed up.

And I knew for certain that I had just lost something incalculably gargantuan; something too big to quantify or qualify with meager words.

I felt the hole ripping at me, trying to suck me in.

But before it could, she appeared.

"All packed?" She asked, her voice light and flippant as if she wasn't about to uproot my entire life.

"Yeah—everything's just inside." I motioned towards the house.

She disappeared, and re-appeared my baggage in her hands, lighter than if it was filled with air. The beige Burberry design glowed in the light of the dying sun. I saw a flash of her skin as she lifted the bag higher, just a small stretch of her forearm. It was glimmering in the extinguishing rays, like polished, pure diamonds or marble, casting a halo of color onto the ground. It was mesmerizing. I made a note to ask her about that later. Dr. Cullen had alluded to the fact that sunlight was dangerous for them but he never explained exactly why.

"I guess we should go?" I propositioned, unsure of everything except for finding my mom. I hoped that from there things would slowly fall into place. My life had been in disarray for far too long.

She nodded. "It's almost sunset—we'll be freer to travel in the dark." She smiled almost ruefully before pulling my luggage down the drive.

"Where are we going?" I asked, distracted and disinterested, my gaze focused firmly on the forest behind me. Jared was out there. I hoped I would see him again.

"Alaska." She said, dragging me to a gleaming Porsche that sat in my driveway. "There's a private jet waiting for us at the airport." She threw my luggage into the trunk and shut it firmly with a light click. I let my eyes trace the tree-line one final time and raised my hand in farewell. I knew it was ridiculous, but some small part of me hoped that he could see me.

"Kim?" Her voice beckoned and I turned to see her in the front seat. I must have missed the smooth, gentle purr of her Porsche turning on. I pulled the door open and sat down.

"I'm ready."

Everything felt slightly out of control as I gripped onto the smooth, tan leather of the bucket seat, my fingers white. She revved the engine and pulled sharp out of the drive. But I just leaned my head back, taking deep breaths and forcing myself to remember that leaving Jared should not affect me this much. That I should be fine, that I should care about finding my family and letting him move on with his life.

I refused to look back, and hastily wiped away the moisture from my eyes. I sought desperately for a distraction. "What's your name?" I asked. "You promised once we left." My voice was wavering only slightly, and I knew it would get better in time. I tilted my head towards her and watched as she lowered her sunglasses, her irises flashing almost red in the crimson sunlight. A soft, smirk pulled at her mouth.

"Jane."

Fin.

A/N 2: The final book will be called Model Daughter. :)