disclaimer: I own nothing but my imagination. Stephenie Meyer is responsible for the rest ;) haha.

A/N: It drags in the beginning, but give it a chance, okay? 3

River deep, Mountain High

If Jacob Black and Leah Clearwater were known for anything, it was definitely their infamous blazing rows. All of La Push could hear their arguments for miles. But that never stopped them; they were very much creatures of pride and had no intentions of losing. Especially not to each other.

Leah sat at the very cliff that just a little over a year ago, Jacob had once told her to jump off of. All she could do was think about her and her Alpha's fight. Who knows where was now; probably somewhere deep in the woods, fuming just as vehemently as she was. Leah smirked at the thought, he can act like such a child.

It started how most of their fights start these days. Of course, it was on the subject of imprinting.

His imprint in particular. Leah was trying really hard to accept the fact that best friend (it just sorta happened) was tied - shackled - down to this impenetrable love. She had to stop herself from gagging as the image of Jake and Nessie walking, hand-in-hand amongst the trees.

The trees that Leah and Jacob roamed, hunted, protected. The very land that they shared each others minds and lost all inhibition.

The only place Leah felt comfort in was in Jacob's presence. It's bad enough she has to share her day with the spawn and she had to watch what she said or reacted to Jacob or else his precious little imprint would see right through it.

Quickly, she rubbed her eyes; feeling the familiar stinging in her eyes. The beginning stage of a down-pour of tears. She'd been hold back for so long, she's sure that when she actually did cry, it would be the size of the Pacific Ocean. Her tears - she was betting - would probably swamp the entire Olympic Peninsula. All for that stupid, childish Jacob Black.

Leah rolled her eyes, then looking back at the ocean. Had there ever been anyone or anything she's depended on in her life...other than Seth?

My dolls. My dolls never back-stabbed me. And they certainly didn't imprint!

Oh, those were the good days. When all it took were a couple of dolls to keep one at ease.

Now what she needed most was out there in the forest, pissed off because he knows she's right.

Boo-hoo, boo-hoo.

It's true, though: she needs Jacob Black. Because as they do argue, there is no one else she'd rather argue with in the whole world. Deep down, she knows that Jacob understands her.

...Even if he does find her to intolerable sometimes.

Leah sighed in the darkness, standing up. This was it - he'd moaned and groaned enough.

Time to piss him off again.

Like her, Jacob Black never wanted to found. When he hid, it was for a reason.

When I was a little girl I had a rag doll;
The only doll Ive ever owned...

In the near distance, there was a howl. An all too familiar howl that made Leah's ear perk up even as a human. Without a second thought, she was running. She didnt even know if she was a wolf or not, all she was thinking of was the sound of Jacob's howl; his call of distress.

"JACOB!" she screamed, realizing that hadn't phased, "JACOB!"

He howled again. Oh, no - Sam! Leave him alone!

Another howl and this time, it echoed off the trees, resonating. Enveloping her completely.

Leah's heart was pounding, and somehow she managed to break out into a cold sweat.

The fight they had only thirty minutes before meant absolutely nothing now. She just needed to reach him. Jacob was her breath of fresh air and without him, her life was stagnant.

She had called Nessie and spawn and complained to him; telling him that she hates that he couldn't fall in love naturally. That she thought it was disgusting. Of course, his argument remained the same as always: that it was beyond his control.

"Leah, I swear, if I could have it any other way...I would," he told her, his voice cracking with vulnerability.

"Yeah, well - that's a crappy answer."

She was always snapping at him. Now, she was screaming for him - desperate to know where he was, unable to control herself. Not angry enough to phase even though she knew it'd be easier.

I love you, Jacob. Please, please, please be all right.

Now I love you just the way I loved that rag doll
But only now my love has grown
And it gets stronger in every way

Mid-lunge, she phased, landing on all fours in the meadow. She howled for him, desperation clear in her cry.

"Leah," she heard his voice come from beside her. She snapped her head, seeing him sitting beside a tree. There he sat, in perfect condition in his usual pair of long jean shorts and shirtless.

At the first, the sight made the hairs on her back stand at attention. Then as she started the image settle, she immediately was furious. She was growling something fierce at the mint-condition Jacob Black before her that she now wished had been shriveled up to little pieces.

What the hell was all the raucous about it, BLACK?

"Phase," he told her. And, without a second thought, she was standing infront of Jacob Black.

Butt-naked. She knew this, but refused to let it show that it bothered her.

Crossing her arms, "What the hell was all that noise about?"

"Well, you seemed to think it was something serious," he smirked, his eyes never leaving hers.

"How did you want me to act? Of course, I was concerned!"

"Huh," he chuckled, standing up, "for someone who thinks I'm disgusting you sure jumped when you thought something was wrong with me."

"You're my Alpha, Jacob. I kind of need you around- and so does Seth."

Jacob cocked an eyebrow, taking a step further. "Why don't you just admit there's more to it than that?"

Taking a step back, "'Cause theres not."

They both noticed her voice crack under pressure.

"Admit Leah, I've softened you."

"HA! You wish, Black." she half-smiled.

Jacob took another step toward her naked body, which only propelled her to take a step back.

"There's more to it, Leah. Much more and you know it."

Leah narrowed her eyes at him, "Wishful thinking."

And it gets deeper let me say;
And it gets higher day by day-

"Dammit, Black. I seriously thought you were hurt." The feeling of loss overwhelming her once more, feeling almost helpless. The fear coursing through her as she ran through the trees, running to what she thought was a hurt Jacob Black, was too much for her to get over with just a little bit of fury.

The tears began to fall now and Jacob stood before her naked body at a complete loss for what to do.

"Why are you crying, Leah?" he sounded scared, like the answer should have been obvious.

"Because, you idiot, I thought there was something wrong with you. You sounded hurt and I couldn't even think straight - I didn't want to do or where to go."

"I'm fine, though- look, I'm right here! In tact!" Jacob tried to comfort her, with a light-heartet reassurance.

"Just don't ever do that again. Ever."

Jacob silently agreed. But that didn't stop the tears from flowing. It was asthough she had opened the flood-gates.

Before he could question her again, Leah blurted, "I'm crying because of everything. I'm really trying to be the best Beta I can be for you. I want you to want me around. It's just harder than I thought. What with you playing all these practical jokes on me."

"Leah," Jacob soothed, he was closer and this time she didn't back away. Vulnerability wasn't her strong point. "I was testing you and I'm sorry about that. I won't ever do it again. And, have no fear, I want you around. Your kind of like...a breath of fresh air."

Through the tears - her vision nothing but static - she looked up Jacob, wondering what was on his mind. His chocolate irises penetrated her soul in a way that made her feel that he knew her every thought - her every mannerism.

And thats when - of all moments - she came to terms with how she felt. That she loved Jacob Black and she was all right that she wasn't loved back equally. Jacob expressed so much in one little gesture.

It was enough for right now. It was enough for forever.

Do I love you - my, oh my:
River deep, mountain high;
If I lost you would I cry-
Oh how I love you, baby...

Jacob gently pushed aside the stray strand of hair covering her face, his eyes never leaving hers. Ever.

"The amount of respect I have for you...well, you have no idea, Leah. Theres no way I could go on without being around. Even when you drive me up a tree."

Leah's favorite boyish grin played along his sharp jawline. To her, Jacob was a perfect creature.

Perfect in the sense that he wasn't. And, together, she knew they could wonders.

Absolute wonders.

When you were a young boy did you have a puppy,
That always followed you around?
Well Im gonna be as faithful as that puppy;
No, I'll never let you down...

"Well, I'm afraid I feel the same about you. And yeah...theres more to it. But, of course, you know that."

"Of course, I do. I know you like the back of my hand."

His hand grazed her collarbone, up her kneck- sending shivers down her spine.

"Leah," he breahted, "I can fight this. I really think I can."

"Do you want to?"

There was moment - a pause. Leah almost felt like running away, rather than facing his reluctance. "More than anything."

Leah smiled up at him, letting his hand graze her cheek.

He continued, "You think I like being this way? The last thing I ever wanted to do was imprint. I wanted to fall in love naturally. And, even though I've imprinted, I know in my heart that I love you."

Cause it goes on and on like a river flows
And it gets bigger baby and heaven knows
And it gets sweeter baby as it grows

"How long do you think it'll take...for it to just be you and me?"

As happy as she was, Leah still wanted some answers. She felt him laugh against her.

Instinctively, she wrapped her arms around him. Nudity didn't matter.

"Well, we've got forever. But I plan on spending most of that with you."

"I'm going to fight for you, Jacob. She's going down."

The two of them shared a brief, sharing images that couldn't be seen of an epic battle that wouldn't be necessary.

"I know where my hear is, Leah. I know the difference between quality and quantity."

Do I love you - my, oh my:
River deep, mountain high;
If I lost you would I cry-
Oh how I love you, baby...

"I love you, Jacob Black," she confessed, finally opening her eyes, standing on her tip-toes.

When words failed, Jacob acted. Before she could complain about him not saying it back, he was kissing her passionately. He started slow, molding their lips together like it was second nature. Leah felt her kness buckle. Jacob must have felt it as well because he partly grinned as she held the kiss.

His hands roamed the small of her back and she swung her arms around his neck. Somehow, she manged to lose her balance.

And down they went.

I love you baby like a flower loves the spring
And I love you baby like a robin loves to sing

"You are the most beautifl woman I've ever seen. Both angry and happy. Actually, your pretty adorable when you're mad-"

"Shut up."

"Mhm."

Jacob began to kiss her again, all the way down past her collarbone. Stopping there to tease her a bit. Silently, she cursed for doing this to her.

"I" - kiss

"Love" - kiss

"You" - kiss, kiss, kiss.

Leah giggled and as soon as she did, she regretted. Jacob looked up at her, "Did you just...giggle?"

"No," she lied a little too quickly. She rolled her eyes.

Quickly, he brought himself back to her mouth, taking hold of it with his. Leah silently thanked herself for losing her balance. This was much more...comfortable.

And I love you baby like a schoolboy loves his bag-

"I love you, Jacob. I'm willing to do everything in my power."

"No need. I'm right here, right now and this is where I plan to be."

And I love you baby river deep, mountain high-

Before he could see it coming, Leah smacked him upside the head.

"What the hell was that for?" Jacob demanding, "Since when was beating up your Alpha okay?"

"Oh, don't give me that. That was for that really cruel practical joke you pulled on me."

"You'll live," he grinned.

Before she could protest, he was kissing her and the skin-to-skin contact became the only thing she could think about. The feel of his heart pounding, the only thing she could hear - unison with hers. And the syncapated rythym of their unison hearts the only thing sound that made sense.

The trees were sighing in relief. A breath of fresh air.

Yeah - river deep, mountain high...

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Thanks so much for reading, I hope you enjoyed.