"It's time for the initiation of Embry," Paul smirked.
"Guys, is this really necessary?" Embry asked timidly, backing away from the edge and into Paul and Jared, who grabbed him with menacing grins.
"Sam, Dean," Embry called out for help, struggling to pull his arms free.
Dean grinned. "You'll be fine."
Sam grinned, playing it up, "Everyone has to go through initiation."
He was then tossed off the cliff unceremoniously, screaming for his life as the rest chuckled at his misery.
"Can't have a wolf afraid of heights," Dean said, taking the plunge next, followed by the rest.
They all had a good laugh at Embry's expense back on the beach.
"Don't pick on him; he's new," Emily said, walking into the waiting arms of Sam without thinking about how wet he was.
"You should join us next time; you all should. We'll keep you guys warm," Dean said, addressing the ladies.
"Not a chance. Whoa there! Emily may be a sap, but I don't want to get wet," Leah said, dodging his hug.
"You wound me," Dean said, clutching his chest.
"I don't care Jared; you can hug me," said Kim, still completely smitten with her man.
"Don't make me barf," said Paul.
"Shut up Paul," Jared said, sending him a glare.
"You want..." Surprisingly, Paul shut his mouth after getting a look from Dean.
"No need to turn a good day bad. Let's all go get some food and call it a day," said Dean.
"You're welcome at our place. I'm sure Emily has plenty waiting for us, right babe?" said Sam.
"Right, I'm used to overcooking now," Emily smiled.
"I don't know; have you washed the table lately?" Dean asked, smirking.
Emily flushed embarrassingly as Sam's ears turned red.
"You're never going to let that go, are you?" asked Sam.
"Well, now that you got your own place, your mom..." Dean started, but got cut off as Emily dove at him, covering his mouth, making the rest come out muffled:
"Stop, stop, stop! Don't you dare say anymore!" Emily said, frowning at Leah, cackling by his side.
Wishing to put it behind her once and for all, Emily summoned all her courage, keeping hold of his mouth as she threatened him. "If you ever want to eat my cooking again, you'll drop it and never mention it again. Do you hear me Dean?"
Dean nodded hurriedly.
"Good," Emily said, dropping her hands. "Hmph, that goes for you too Leah," she huffed in displeasure.
Leah's mouth snapped shut, eyes widening at her cousin's unexpected fierceness. "I'm sorry Emily; it won't happen again, right Dean?" she said, elbowing him angrily for dragging her into it and upsetting Emily.
Not that the elbow did much, Dean still apologized, "Sorry, Emily. Won't happen again," he promised.
"Uh, anyone going to explain?" asked Embry.
"Don't look at me," "I don't know," said Jared and Kim, respectively.
Paul shook his head, just as clueless as the rest.
"Nothing for you to worry about," said Sam.
"Okay then, shall we go now, Lee-Lee, Kim, guys?" Emily asked, reverting to her usual gentle demeanor as if nothing happened, taking point with Sam right behind.
"Damn Emily, you can be quite scary sometimes," Embry said, voicing the other's thoughts.
...
Taking Leah home, Dean brings up an old conversation, "When are you going to move in with me?"
Leah sighed, "I told you not till after things settle with my father. I don't want to part on bad terms, and it helps my mom out having an extra free hand in the house."
"Doesn't seem like that'll ever happen," Dean mutters, entering the house to greet Seth and Sue. Unfortunately, Harry was there.
"You got a lot of nerve showing up here," Harry scowled.
"Oh, simmer down, nothing's changed. They're still just dating," Sue said, trying to keep the peace.
"Hey Dean, got time to go a round?" Seth asked, walking in and completely ignoring the tense atmosphere.
"Not today little buddy. Next time. It was good seeing you. Later, Mrs. Clearwater, Leah," Dean said, giving Leah a goodbye kiss on the cheek as her father glowered off to the side.
"Ahem!" Sue loudly cleared her throat.
"I mean, later... Mom," said Dean.
"You dare!" Yelled Harry.
"Harry, he's family," said Sue.
"Family my ass!" exclaimed Harry.
"Bye Dean," said Seth as he reached the door.
Dean smirked, "Bye little brother," hearing Harry's angry shouts through the door.
Contemplating whether or not calling him father next time would kill him, but deciding against it for the shock of it might just end them both. Harry, for obvious reasons, and him for having to associate anymore with such a worthless ass of a man, let alone be related to the asshole in any way. And worst of all, Leah might ultimately blame him. It was a damn shame she had to be born from that.
Leah groaned, slamming her bedroom door shut as Seth's grin grew along with the yelling.
"Seth, be a dear and head to your room. Your father and I need to talk," said Sue.
"Okay," Seth replied, taking his leave.
Turning towards her scowling husband, "You can't keep doing that, you're going to drive our daughter away. She's already of age and out of school. She's only still here to try and keep you from blowing your lid unreasonably, but soon even that won't be enough. If you don't change, you'll lose our daughter."
"She shouldn't even be here! She should be at college getting her degree, not stuck here with him!" argued Harry.
Sue scoffed angrily, "You would have your daughter out there alone while knowing what's out there."
"That's not... That's not what I... She deserves better!" said Harry.
Sue rolled her eyes. "She deserves to be happy, and he makes her happy. Name me one better person."
"Sam!" proclaimed Harry.
"Sam? He's already taken, and even if he wasn't, he is not better than Dean," Sue said defiantly.
"Sure he is; he's normal, relatively speaking," Harry said, ignoring the fact that he was already in a relationship.
"Normal?" questioned Sue.
"Dean... He's not right. The way he was made. He eats them Sue; he eats vampires," said Harry.
"Good," Sue said without batting an eye.
"What!" said Harry.
"Serves them right. The spirits are giving them their long overdue karmic justice as far as I'm concerned," Sue said, unbothered with the new information.
"You can't be serious. It's wrong Sue, just plain wrong," said Harry.
"The way I see it is you can't find anything wrong with the boy, so you latched onto the one thing that's different from everyone else. She's not our little girl anymore Harry. She's grown up, and if you don't stop, you'll lose her completely," Sue said, leaving him there to mull things over alone.