Beautiful Deceiver Alternative Ending

A while back, I wrote a one shot called, Beautiful Deceiver, for a slash contest. I'm a fan of reading slash. The stories have a tendency to be about star-crossed lovers, which I've always been interested in, but I never thought about writing one. Then one day I was updating my extended version of First Imprint: Sam's Story on Twilighted. There was a moment between Seth and Sam in the chapter I'd been working on where Sam tries to comfort Seth after Harry died. It was completely innocent and platonic, but it made me start wondering, what if...

I checked around and saw that there were very few stories out there about this pair. So I decided to write a one shot about them and enter it into the contest. What I'm about to share is the original ending. I was never really happy with it because it was too neat and clean. At the very last minute, I changed it to the version that's actually posted. So here you go, the original ending of Beautiful Deceiver...

Excerpt

Five years after the night on the beach, I received news that Seth was returning home. Apparently, he and his girlfriend had split up and he had taken full custody of their child, a daughter. I didn't even react when I heard the news. Like Seth, I hadn't waited. I finally went out with a guy named Eric that Leah had wanted to set me up with.

Did I love him? No. But the relationship at least gave me some sexual release.

I knew the day Seth actually came back to town. I felt the pull of my imprint strengthen for the first time in years. As much as I wanted to, I didn't go looking for him. There was a part of me that was hopeful that he'd seek me out. I figured if he found me, I could take it as a sign that he was ready to finally be with me.

And when it was all said and done, that was all I really wanted. The harsh words we'd exchanged, the emptiness and worry he had caused me…none of that mattered. Just seeing Seth's smile could fill me with more contentment than anything else the world had to offer me. I knew that I'd never be complete without my imprint by my side. I had already waited nine years for him. I knew I'd continue to wait an eternity more if I had to.

But as day drifted into day without a sign of him, the hope I'd been holding onto that he'd come to me shriveled up and died. Seth obviously didn't want me and I just needed to accept that. I came to that realization two weeks after Seth returned to the rez.

Instead of moping about it, I decided to tune up my motorcycle then drive to Forks to see Eric. With my day planned, I went into my garage and opened up the large garage door so that I could let in some natural light and fresh air.

I flipped on the radio and for the first time in a very long time, I felt my spirits truly begin to rise. I was humming and working on the bike when I heard footsteps. Looking up, I was actually startled to see who it was.

He had aged since I last saw him. He now had the promised maturity he didn't have before. He also looked tired and strained. I figured that had to do with his small child and nothing to do with me.

"Hello Sam," he said softly, an unsure smile tugging on his lips.

And then he gave me a look that made my heart melt and an answering smile appear on my face. I knew in that moment that he was here for one reason and one reason only. He had finally come to me.

"Hello Seth."

The End

(This was too neat of an ending which is why I axed it.)