LA PUSH RESERVATION

Where are they? He asked, reciting the alphabet over and over in his head. A B C D E F G H I J K L M N... I don't think anyone else is here, Brayden reported sourly, blinking his large, coal eyes.

Maybe they're at Jacob's, checking up on him or something. She suggested, wondering why he was singing the alphabet in his head but cleared her mind before he'd be able to hear her.

NEXT TIME WON'T YOU SING WITH ME.... A B C D E F G...

Should we check Emily's? Brayden looked from her to the large, mossy trees that surrounded them. He sat down, his silvery tail whipping wildly. ...L M N O P...

She giggled to herself.
Q R S T U V...
Let's go.

He turned on a dime, now observing random things in the forest.

That tree is green... That one, too....

He slowly made his way through the forest, phasing back and meandering into her kitchen.
"Brayden!" She said from the stovetop, "How nice for you to show up!"
Brayden slowly smiled. At least someone was happy to see him.
"Yeah, it was about time," Paul said in a snarky tone from the kitchen table, devouring a sandwich in two bites.

"Shut it, Paul." Kara growled.
"Where have you two been all day?" Leah asked.
"Hanging out..." Kara answered, leaving out details. She knew they would make fun of them for spending the whole day together.
"How's Jake?" She asked, changing the subject.

Leah shot Brayden a suspicious look, the kind of look a cop gives a drug addict. To his surprise, Jared kicked back a chair and Brayden took it without second thought.
"Worse, or so I'm told," Emily said in a quiet, reserved tone, putting down a large serving plate of grilled cheese. Brayden sat back, his lack of appetite disappearing quicker than the sandwiches.
"Is he ever going to get better?" Paul growled. "It's not like we need him or anything..." He started shaking.
"Not in my kitchen!!" Brayden had never seen Emily so enraged.
"Fine, then!" Paul yelled back, shoving a clear path so he could go outside.
"Can I be the Godmother?" Leah asked with a smirk, her eyes darting between Brayden and Kara.

"Quiet, Leah," Kara told her, giving her a sarcastic grin.
"Let's go see him, Brayden." She suggested, grabbing his collar and pulling him towards the door.

Jared cupped his hands around his mouth, "WHIPPED!"
Brayden rolled his eyes, but still turned a rose colored pink as he was dragged.

"Don't be so embarrassed." She told him, rolling her eyes. "If Jake's getting worse, we should go see him." She needed to know how 'worse' he was getting.

Brayden skidded to a stop, using his heals to dig into the ground to stop the dragging process.
"Hey, hey, hey," He said quickly, wiping his hands on his shorts. "I don't even know Jake. What happened to him?"

"He got bit by a vampire." She explained, shocked the he didn't know Jake. "Oh well. He'll be touched that someone he doesn't know is concerned for his health." She batted her eyelashes.

He sighed, his eyebrows coming together in deliberation. "I guess..." He sighed, his eyes darting from her to the ground and back again.

"Come on," She grabbed his arm and pulled him on. She let go, expecting him to follow her.

He followed, almost sulking.

"Stop sulking," She told him after she turned around. They reached a small house by a cliff which Kara recognized instantly as the Black's house. She knocked on the door and waited for an answer.
"Come in." Billy, Jacob's dad's voice called.
She opened the door and slipped in. "Hey, Billy. Can we go see Jake?"

Brayden stood right behind her, smiling over enthusiastically. "Yeah, Billy!" He mocked, his eyes wide and sparkling with false excitement. He half expected a elbow in the stomach.

Kara elbowed him in the stomach. (xD)
"He's had a little too much caffeine..." She said, pulling him into the room after Billy had told them it was okay to visit Jake.

[Now does my siggy show up?]

[Yup.]

Brayden groaned quietly, but tightened his abs for he was expecting the blow. "Damn," He muttered, not braced for the force of the impact. He nodded numbly to Billy as he passed through the frame.

"Jake!" Kara squealed once she noticed he was awake. She ran over and gently threw her arms around his neck. "How are you? Are you OK?"
"Ah, Kara. I'm fine, I'm fine," He lied.
"Better or worse?" She asked, although she heard the answer from the other pack members.
"Worse." He mumbled, sinking his head into the pillow. "How's Genevieve?"
"She's better..." Kara walked over and sat at the edge of his bed. "Oh, I don't think you've met Brayden." She pointed to him.

Brayden tensed as she hugged him, his arms tight across his chest. "Hi," He said flatly.

"Hey." Jake said, putting his arms behind his head. "Don't think I've seen you before."

"I've been here for a while," Brayden shrugged offhandedly, leaning against a dresser.