Realistic Dreams, Chapter Three, part one
Apparently, my posts are too big for LJ XD
Paring: Jake/Bella (Twilight)
Rating: M
Chapter Three: Edible Luxuries
Bella POV
Even though I had pressed my face into my pillow, I awoke myself with my own screams. It took me a moment to figure out why the room around me was not mine, but I soon realised where I was. Safe in Emily's living room, and not incinerating above a beach.
I had always had nightmares, and they had gotten worse after Edward left, but that was the most intense dream I had ever had. It still felt as though fire was crawling up my skin. I tried to shake the thought out of my head, and cautiously got up.
The clock on the entertainment unit said 5:06. Well, at least I had gotten what could be considered a night's sleep, because there was no way in hell I was getting any more after that. I padded to the kitchen and got myself a glass of water. As I drank, I found myself far more thirsty than I originally thought, and downed the glass in a few large gulps. I set the glass down in the sink to fill again so I could wipe my mouth. When I did, I realised my entire face was wet and I was burning up. Looking down my clothes were drenched, and running my fingers threw my hair, it too was soaked through with sweat. I grabbed the glass, turning the water off and downed it again, my throat still impossibly dry. Dim light was streaming in through the window above the sink and as I set the glass down in the sink I noticed my arm had taken on a strange tinge. Turning the overhead light on, I looked down at my arms to see what looked like a bright sun burn spread across them.
What the hell?
Running my hands over them, they too were unusually warm.
That's extremely not right, Bella.
I couldn't have agreed more as I almost ran upstairs to the bathroom. I stripped hastily and checked the mirror. My entire body was pink as though I fell asleep naked in the sun, even down to the bottoms of my feet and my inner thighs.
I'm dreaming. I have to still be dreaming. There is no way in hell I'm suffering what amounts to first degree burns on every inch of my body.
Cool it Bella, freaking out will solve nothing.
Cool it?! How can I cool it when I'm - wait. Maybe cooling it is just what I need, because if I'm not dreaming, then I must be feverish. Panicked, I turned the shower to cold and jumped in it.
HOLY MOTHER FUCKER! I regretted it instantly as it felt as though a thousand tiny ice daggers were shooting at me from all directors. I cried out as turned the handle to make the water warmer and danced in a small circle, moaning from the shock until the temperature changed. It was still cool, but no longer attempting to prick me to death. I closed my eyes and stuck my head under the water, feebly wishing that the redness would just go away.
"This isn't happening, this isn't happening, this isn't happening, this isn't happening…"
As I chanted my mantra, I unintentionally wondered if Jake went through anything like this when he phased. I had felt as hot as he did at the theatre.
As hot as he did…
I choked on water as I gasped. As hot as he did?
Bella, you know that can't happen…
"You're damn right it can't!" I almost shouted. This. Was. Not. Happening.
At that thought I seemed to cool down. In fact, I began to shiver as even this warmer water began to feel cold. I turned it off, teeth chattering and stepped out of the shower, mentally preparing myself to see my face in the mirror.
What I saw when I looked shocked me more than I could ever imagine.
My face held no trace of redness. None. I put my hands to my face to make sure what I was seeing was real. Then I noticed my hands were no longer red as well. I carefully checked over every inch of my body - arms, legs, belly, back, and all the rest, all as pale as it usually was.
My face contorted with confusion before I sighed with relief. I must have still been hazy from my dream, and imagined the whole thing. Looking down at my clothes, I could see that I had still sweated through them, but that was to be expected after that wholly consuming nightmare. It was so vivid that psychosomatic symptoms kicked in.
I really hope you aren't rationalising.
You and me both, Jacob-conscience.
I actually laughed a little. I had probably just given myself pneumonia by jumping in that freezing shower after sweating in my sleep. Serves me right for freaking out like that. Hopefully the fact that it was the beginning of June would counter act that.
I pulled two towels out of the cabinet, wrapping my hair in one and myself in the other. I ignored the flipping in my stomach that was telling me that I probably was just rationalising, and headed out of the bathroom to see if I couldn't grab my bag without walking into one of the guys in the kitchen on the way there. Fortunately, the only person I ran into was Emily, on the way out of the bathroom, thought that didn't make me jump any less.
"Bella, are you alright?" Her hair was still messy from sleep, and light bags were underneath her eyes. She looked extremely concerned.
I put a hand to my thumping heart. "I'm fine Emily, you just startled me."
She still looked at me with worry in her eyes. "What was that about?"
Damn. I had woken her up with my stunt in the bathroom. I sighed. "It was nothing, I was just… I was just disoriented after a bad dream."
She nodded. "I heard you screaming in the middle of the night, but Sam had told me that you have nightmares, so I figured it was probably better not to wake you. I didn't want to confuse you." I looked down at the floor. I didn't want to make her feel bad about something that happened so often. "This one still sounded really bad. Are you sure you're alright Bella?"
The immediate reaction which came to mind was to lie and say yes.
I thought we were opening up, Bella?
I sighed and motioned for Em to follow me as I went to get my stuff. "This one was really bad, it felt more real than any dream I ever had." I rubbed my face, still not completely sure if I were awake or sleeping at this point.
"Why don't you tell me about it?"
I described the beach, Edward, and Jacob and I igniting as I gathered my stuff and headed back upstairs. We talked through the bathroom door as I dressed.
"You were sunburned?"
"I thought so. I guess I was just so caught up in the dream that I wasn't completely awake for awhile."
"That sounds horrifying."
I nodded, coming out of the bathroom fully clothed. "It was. It's just…" I stopped mid-sentence, unable to find the right words.
"It's just what?"
"The fire didn't feel… altogether bad… you know?"
She chuckled. "Maybe you just feel bad about having the hots for Jake."
I glowered at her and she laughed at me. I rolled my eyes. "Can I use your blow dryer?"
"Sure, it's in the cabinet below the sink. I'll be right back, I'm going to get dressed."
I combed my hair as I dried it and just let it fall. I never did much with it anyway, but I didn't feel like walking around with wet hair. Emily came back as I was finishing.
"I do not feel bad about having the hots for Jake."
"If you say so, Bella." I grimace-pouted at her.
She giggled a moment and then composed herself. "I'm sorry if you feel like I'm making fun of you or pushing you towards him, it's just kind of obvious."
"It's ok Em. I know it's obvious. Jake's the person I feel the most comfortable around. Sometimes, without Jake, I can't be Bella. But, I don't want to become so dependant on him that it becomes a mirror of my last relationship. It's not really fair to either of us."
She nodded in agreement as we walked downstairs. "I know what it feels like not to be sure about something."
I sighed. "It's not fair. I really want to just be ready and move on, but no, I can't, because I have to be complicated." I through my hands up exasperated. "It's like I'm Scarlett O'Hara when she's forced into mourning for Charles Hamilton, even though she doesn't want to go around wearing black and be discounted from parties. Except I'm the one forcing myself to mourn."
"Sometimes it's good to mourn." She yawned and put on the coffee pot.
I looked at the clock on the stove. 6:18. "Oh geez, Em, I'm sorry I woke you up. It's so early, you should still be asleep."
She waved her hand in dismissal. "It's fine Bella, I still have to get the barbeque pit ready for the guys."
"So we don't have to cook the burgers or steaks?"
She snorted at me. "God forbid any of us dainty womenfolk get between men and their inalienable right to flame broil animal products. Didn't you know meat can't be cooked without the proper application of testosterone?"
I laughed. "Yeah, and an innate disability to light a barbecue without burning their eyebrows off."
"Exactly. I suppose we can put the potatoes in when we get the coals right though. I don't think it will disturb the sacred unity between man and grill too much."
"I'll help."
Emily raised an eyebrow. "I don't mean to offend you, but aren't you supposed to be rather clumsy, Bella?"
I blushed. "Um, yeah."
"Well it's a rather wide pit, and I don't want you to actually fall into it." At that moment Embry and Jared walked in through the kitchen door, shirtless and laughing.
"Hey Emily, Bella. What's for breakfast?" Embry rubbed his stomach.
I smirked. "Why don't I get started on that instead?"
"Good idea Bella. I'll just be down the road if you need me. We're having it at Sam's parent's house. They have the biggest back yard, and the biggest TV. They're also closest to the beach for the bonfire. Boys, when you're done eating, help Bella pack up all the food to bring over. And don't eat any of it, there's plenty of stuff for omelettes and french toast."
"Fine fine Emily, we'll be good."
I got out what had to be the biggest skillet I'd ever seen and started cracking eggs.
"Hey, Bella, no mushrooms on mine," said Jared.
"I'll take his mushrooms," said Embry.
I was very thankful that Emily had pre-sliced the vegetables.
I tallied up the mental checklist for the third time. "Buns, potato salad, macaroni salad with tuna, macaroni salad without tuna, devilled eggs, nacho dip, various vegetables with dip, fruit and yogurt, ambrosia salad, corn chips, potato chips, potato skins, potatoes for baking-" I took a deep breath. "Garden salad, Caesar salad, fruit cobbler done five ways, brownies, lemon cake, ice cream and sorbet, chocolate chip cookies, and all the makings for s'mores. Yep, that's everything. I can't believe we made most of that in one afternoon, Emily is a cooking beast."
I looked behind me to see two large, salivating men. "You just ate!" I said incredulously.
"I could eat again," said Jared. I stomped my foot and pouted, much to both of their amusement. I heard a rumbling from outside and turned and look to see my truck pull into the driveway. Jake got out of the cab, twirling the keys. He hopped up the front stairs whistling.
"Hey Bella, I gave it a look and it's fine now, he just rerouted the power so you couldn't get it to-" He stopped and whistled when he saw all the food stacked in the kitchen.
"It's for later!" I said rolling my eyes.
"Doesn't mean I can't appreciate it now."
I would be rolling my eyes a lot today. "My truck's a plus though. Alright guys, load it up. And if you eat even one potato skin, I'll tell Emily and she'll have your hide!"
"Spoil sport," said Embry grabbing a stack of containers.
I packed my bag together and began to fold up the couch as Jared and Embry conveyed the food to the bed of my truck.
"Here, let me get that." He leaned over and ended up doing most of the work for me. "There, good as new." His smiled shined down on me and he went right back to looking like he used to, when we used to hang out in his garage. I reached up and pushed a strand of hair out of his eyes. By this point it reached the top of his shoulders again.
"I'm so glad you decided to grow it out again. You look too different with it short."
He smiled and mumbled thanks. "Oooooh Jake, you're so pretty." Embry snickered on his way out the door.
"Hey! You're lucky I intend to eat some of what you're carrying, or I'd punch you right in the-"
"Jacob Ephraim Black, be-HAVE!" I really wanted to get into a good mood after that dream, and fighting wasn't helping. He stopped and blushed, rubbing the back of his head.
"Wow, Jake, you got told."
"You too Jared!"
"Geez, spend one night here and she becomes a second Emily," he mumbled as he walked out carrying a tray of vegetables.
Jake snickered and went into the kitchen to help. All in all, it only took us about twenty minutes to load up the truck, get my stuff in there, and extract solemn promises from Jared and Embry to ride in the back and make sure nothing fell over without eating it.
"Why does Jake get to sit up front?" asked Embry as he climbed in the back.
Jake smirked at them as he opened the door. "It's because I'm so pretty."
Yep, definitely rolling my eyes a lot today. I got into the truck and started it up. The engine roared but it settled on its familiar purr instead of the coughing hiccup it had recently taken on. I lit up in a smile. "Awesome Jake, really awesome." He got in and smiled at me.
"I try."
You do a little more than that, I thought. I turned out of the drive and headed down the road. "So how did the run go?"
"The twigs were particularly vicious last night."
"Oh, really?"
"Yep. Count your blessings that I'm out there, or we'd all be dead."
"Did my sarcasm rub off on you, or was it always there?"
"Little of Column A, little of Column B."
"Ah." This was… surprisingly nice. I thought after that dream things would be entirely awkward with Jacob. "The hair really does look better now, you know."
"Compliments will get you far, Bella Swan."
"How far is that?"
He looked at me and wriggled his eyebrows. I snorted, hoping I wasn't blushing too obviously.
You are so falling in love with me.
Am not.
Are too.
Fine, maybe a little. But don't tell anyone.
I'm your inner monologue Bella. Who am I going to tell? You?
Yes…. Stop voice smirking.
Stop being ridiculous.
I'm not being ridiculous.
Yes you are Bella. You deserve all the happiness in the world. Why don't you just take it?
I looked down at Jacob's hand tapping on his knee. It would be very easy to take. Just reach over and take it. I never reach for his hand. It's always the other way around, so he'd know that it meant something.
A simple hand motion. That was all that stood between me and happiness. Just one extension of my hand. I drummed the fingers of my right hand on the wheel, prolonging the decision, and then lifted my hand off of it.
And that's when it hit me. The betrayal. The guilt. The hurt in Edward's eyes. The feeling that being happy without him was utterly wrong. I ran my hand quickly through my hair and put it back on the wheel.
Bella, the voice chided me.
I can't, it hurts too much.
Everything that means something is supposed to hurt.
"Wrong kind of hurt," I muttered under my breath.
"What was that?"
"Uh, nothing Jake. Which house was it?"
"That one."
"Oh yeah, thanks."
Coward.
Shut up. I pulled into the Uley's drive way and got out. "Hang on a sec Embry, Jared. I'm going to go see where Emily wants it all." I walked towards the house before I stopped and added. "And don't eat anything!"
"Goddammit." I heard from behind me. I shook my head and went around back to see the back yard covered in tables near what was a very large fire pit, which was smoking currently, and had foil covered potatoes lining one side of it, with a rack on the other. Emily was poking at it and turning potatoes over.
"Emily, how was I supposed to fall into that thing when it's raised?"
"Sam said you were very clumsy. Hey Jake, Sam's inside."
"Thanks Em." Jacob headed in through the back door.
"I got everything here, Em, where do you want it?"
She stopped raking coals for a moment and pointed. "All long those tables under the tent. Put the desserts over on one side and the side dishes by the heated platters." I headed back to the truck and set Jared and Embry back to work.
Emily put the poker down and came over to me. "I see you enlisted help."
"They were there. They were fed. I took the opportunity."
"Oh, I'm so keeping you." I smirked at her.
The day went by splendidly. Charlie got there just past noon. I felt genuinely complimented as everyone commented on how the food turned out, and snickered along with Emily as the older men, including Sam, and Jake to an extend, waxed philosophically about the proper way to cook a steak. Emily was right to prepare food in such quantities, as Embry and Jared never left until Sam gave them a look and they both nodded. Quil and Paul showed up later, and the food disappeared at a steady rate all day long as the pack wolfed it down. I had finally gotten to say my condolences to Sue Clearwater and did so, my heart breaking as I watched her look at her children in tears in her eyes.
"At least I know Harry would be so proud… of both of them."
I nodded. She knew. Well, how could she not? It would be cruel to keep it from her, seeing as she's gone through so much already. It wasn't any easier to see her hurt though. Her smiles never seemed to quite reach her eyes. Poor Seth and Leah.
As the games came on, any and all things masculine would head inside to scream and cheer at the big screen. I watched through part of one game, but compared to everything else that had happened this week, two dozen or so men running around a field tackling each other seemed boring.
I was leaning against the garage watching the beach across the street when Leah cornered me.
"Hey," she said walking up slowly and settling against the garage beside me.
"Hey." I sipped my coke.
"Um… I'm not very good at stuff like this… Look, I just wanted to apologise for what I said yesterday. It was pretty mean."
I shook my head. "No, it's ok. It's understandable. If I had a brother, I wouldn't want to see him hurt either."
"Sooo….. All's forgiven?"
"Of course it is."
She nodded, her black hair bouncing. We stayed there, not talking to each other for a few minutes, until she turned back to me.
"I'm, um…. I'm kind of being a shit to everybody."
I wrinkled my forehead. "I'm… sure it's not that bad." As conversation starters went, that one was pretty unorthodox, but I've heard worse.
She shook her head. "No, I am. When I'm phased I think about things. Things that everybody else would rather forget."
"Well Leah, you're grieving, no one should expect you not to think about your dad."
"That's not it. Well…" She looked down at her shoes. "Not all the time. I still think about him sometimes."
I put a hand on her shoulder. "I wish I could say I knew how you felt, but I think what you and I went threw is more than a little different."
She nodded again, almost nervously. "Yeah but we both, you know, lost people we loved. It's kind of the same."
"Is that why you're talking to me?"
"Yeah. That and after yesterday… you seemed like you'd be easy to talk to. I'm sorry, if I'm bothering you I can leave."
"No, you're not bothering me."
"Thanks. Even if you don't mean it. What I meant was, I keep remembering when we were out in the woods searching for Sam."
Oh. "Leah, it's ok. I mean, you just figured everything out, why wouldn't you reflect on it?"
She shook her head, still not looking at me. "No, I'm kind of… doing it intentionally."
My eyes pricked. Oh Leah. "I can't blame you for being angry."
"Yeah, that's what they said first too. I don't know what it is. I know why he did it. I know it wasn't his fault. But I still want to hurt him. I thought you'd, you know, understand, because maybe you felt the same way about that para- I mean vampire."
I chuckled. "I'll admit, I've been pretty angry at Edward this weekend. Though I have to say I think he earned his ire a little more legitimately than Sam did."
"Yeah. I think what the leech, er, Edward did was pretty much worse too. But, you know, it didn't happen to me."
I nodded. "At least you didn't forgive Sam only to realise that you really didn't forgive him at all. I still don't think they can get that angry with you."
"I don't know, I'm really being a shit I think. It's why they pair me with Seth, even though we're both new. No one else wants to listen to me."
"Leah, you're their sister as much as their all brothers to each other. It isn't fair if they leave you out, even if you're still getting over things."
"Am I ever going to get all the way over?"
"I think you will. You can already admit that it isn't Sam's fault, even if you're still mad at him."
"I guess."
I turned to face her. While she towered over me, hunched up against that wall, she looked so small. "Leah, you probably aren't ever going stop being mad at Sam. It was a bad situation all around. But, so long as you don't bottle it up, and you work through it, it's going to get less. Believe me, I've tried doing both and felt the effects of both, and working through it is far most pleasant. So while you'll never completely stop being mad at him, just like I'm never completely going to stop loving Edward, eventually, you're going to be able to let it go. It'll still be there, but you won't think about it as much, and it won't be as bitter."
"Really?"
I thought for a moment and chuckled. "I have no clue. I'm just kind of going along with it all right now. It seems to be working that way."
She smiled and looked up, then furrowed her brow and looked down again.
"Is something else the matter?"
"You… Jake hasn't imprinted on you, has he."
My heart skipped a beat. I slowly shook my head no.
"That's kind of the other thing that makes me mad about you. I can see how much you care for him. And I have to listen to how much he cares for you. But it just hurts to watch you get involved when you could just end up like me."
She had said the words I dreaded. I didn't like to think about that. Sure, I was still trying to work my way out of love with Edward, but in the process of falling in to it with Jacob, I didn't want to lose him again. Still, I agreed with her. "Yeah, I guess that could happen."
She nodded. "You know, you're, like, a really great person?" I raised an eyebrow. "No, really. I threw shit at you yesterday for the same reason I do it to everyone else, and instead of harping on me for it, you just took it and said you understand. And that's really great. So I kind of don't want the same thing to happen to you. I don't want you to be bitter, like me. That's kind of why I was a shit to you, specifically. To get you to go away so it doesn't happen to you."
That hit me really heavily. Leah was trying to protect me, even if she was doing it by being crass. I thought for a moment. "You know, I couldn't even really kiss Edward."
She looked at me weirdly. "What?"
"I couldn't kiss him. My blood 'sang' to him. He couldn't take the contact without wanting to bite me. Sure, we did kiss, but it was always closed mouth reserved pecks, and he would shove me away if it got to be too much."
"That… fucking sucks."
I laughed. "Yeah. It did…. But I'm not going to let it ruin kissing for me, just because it happened so badly with one person, you know?"
She studied me for a moment. "Yeah, I think I see what you mean." She tapped her shoe on the ground and nodded her head to some invisible beat. "What do you think would… make me be less angry at him?"
"Has he ever apologised."
She snorted. "All the time."
"No, I mean really apologised. Has he ever admitted all the wrongs he did to you, each one, and then honestly say he was sorry for them?"
"No, I guess not."
"You might want to start there then. I know I'd like Edward to do that for me."
"Ok, I think I'll try that." She smiled at me. "I was right about you being easy to talk to Bella."
"Well, there's at least one social interaction I haven't failed at."
She chuckled. We stayed there in silence for awhile, and Leah straightened up. Just then, a cherry red convertible with a black top pulled up in front of the house.
"Who's that?" I asked.
Leah looked at the car and gave a low whistle. "I don't know, but that's a nice car. It's a '66 Mustang."
"Why does everyone here speak car?"
"Because a lot of us hear people think about it."
"Good point."
The front dog swung open and I gasped as I caught sight of red hair.
"Victoria?" I blanched and Leah stepped off the garage and stood in front of me. She sniffed the air. "It's not bloodsucker, I'd still be able to smell it from here."
The woman walked to the front of the house, looked at the door, and then pulled a piece of paper out of her pocket and inspected it. She proceeded to look carefully between the two.
She was striking. Tall and leanly muscular, she wore a pair of dark blue jeans, black boots and a black t-shirt. Her hair was utterly unlike Victoria's now that I had looked closer. Her hair, instead of being wild and frizzy, hung down her shoulders and back in a haphazard, sleek way that made her look truly beautiful. And it wasn't the harsh red that Victoria had either, it was auburn, with copper highlights that shone under the sun. Her skin was the colour of light coffee with a bronze tinge that signalled she had to be Native to some degree, though she could pass for white if she tried, I supposed. Part of the reason for that were the pale blue eyes that I could make out from across the yard that flicked over the house and the paper she held. They sent a shiver down my spine, but at the same time made me feel at ease, having the ability to be eerie and not all at the same time. Noticing the two of us standing there, she walked over to us.
"Is this the residence of Joshua Uley?" she asked. She had an accent, a very slight one, but I couldn't place it. It was a certain lift to her vowels and the rhythm in which she said things.
"Yeah," said Leah.
"I'm looking for his son. I tried his house, but the neighbour said he'd be here."
"He's inside."
"Oh? Thanks then." She headed for the house.
"Wait, I'll get him." Leah looked at her for a moment, then headed toward the house.
She folded up the paper and smiled at me. "Family get together is it?"
Something about her, despite the piercing eyes, just made her seem friendly. Sort of like the way Jake still looked like a puppy dog sometimes. "Uh, kinda. It's more of a foot ball thing."
"Ah. Who's playing?"
"I don't know, sorry."
She laughed. "It's alright, I don't really follow NFL. That whole four downs thing bugs me."
I hope that was sports talk, because I have no idea what she just said. Luckily, I didn't have to make awkward conversation anymore, as Sam exited the house, followed by… the entire pack? I guess the idea of some strange woman showing up at the house didn't sit well.
Despite being encroached on by eight enormous individuals, the woman seemed perfectly at easy. If anything, her smile grew larger. Emily walked over to us from the barbecue pit, her brow furrowed with worry.
"Can I help you?" Sam said, stern as ever, arm's crossed over his chest.
"Actually I believe I'm here to help you."
"…What?"
"I said I would be here by the end of the week. It is Sunday, is it not?
Sam's mouth hung open. "Ve? I thought you said next week. You were still in Manitoba."
Her grin became even larger, flashing white teeth. "It took a bit of a run, and I had to get a few things I left in storage in Seattle, but I say I made good time.
Sam stood there flabbergasted for a moment and then dropped to his knees. The rest of the pack followed him. From across the yard, Sue Clearwater gave us a shocked look, and quickly steered my father inside the house. Feeling silly, I slowly lowered myself to the ground as well.
Sam bowed his head. "I- I'm sorry that your receptions isn't more… fitting of your station, I didn't know you would be here so early, I thought you were coming next week, I-"
She shook her hands. "Now come on little brother, I don't need all this. Get up. I'm better served by you being on your feet than on your knees." She helped him up.
"Oh." Sam may have been a man of few words, but I don't think I've ever seen him speechless. He got up, followed by the rest of us."Well, welcome to La Push. I made arrangements with my father, but we weren't expecting you until next week, but I'm sure we can do something."
"That's quite fine. Now, let's get a look at all of you." She eyed the group up and down, and then her eyes fell on Sam. I figured out what was wrong with her eyes. The rest of her looked much like any of the other werewolves, stuck in her twenties. But not her eyes. Her eyes were old, perhaps ancient, and they portrayed every year she had lived in all the ways that her features did not. Even Carlisle's eyes did not look old, not like this. Her eyes were deep pools that went on forever, eyes that you could get stuck in and never get out again.
She stared at him a moment, and then turned to Emily, and smiled. "Ah Sam, this must be your Emily. Welcome, little sister." She crossed the space between them in three steps with her long, sleek legs, and wrapped Emily in a big hug. Em looked bewildered for a moment before blushing and mumbling a thank you.
Ve took a step back and began surveying the group. "Embry, Paul, Jared. I'll have to meet your Kim, Jared, very soon." She smiled and nodded to each of them in turn, giving each of them her hand. They all were shocked, but Paul in particular just stared at her in awe and only gave up her hand reluctantly as Quil elbowed him. She turned to Quil. "Quil Ateara, I remember well who you were named for. He's the first one that saw me as I was making my way to Vancouver Island."
Quil's eyes widened. "You're the one they met?"
She nodded. "I certainly was. I hope you gained your ancestor's sharp eyes. That man could read the label of a soup can if it was across the street from here." Her eyes left his and saddened. "Seth Clearwater, I'm sorry for your loss."
Seth jolted as if he had been shocked by static electricity. "How…. How do you do that?"
She smiled back at him. "You pick up a few tricks here and there when you've been around as long as I have." She turned, smiling, to face Leah. "And you must be the wunderkind. Welcome to the boy's club Leah, well, so to speak. Equally sorry for your loss."
Leah blushed a deep purple and mumbled her thanks, dropping her head.
Ve took her chin and raised her face to look at her. "None of that, little sister. Shoulders straight, head tall. No reason in the world not to be proud." She grasped Jacob by both shoulders and looked him up and down. "Jacob Black, you look just like Ephraim. You especially have his eyes."
"Wow, really?"
She nodded. "You better watch out Sam, if he's anything like the man he looks like he's going to be challenging you soon enough." She gave a small laugh. "So long as you keep it friendly, I say pack shake-ups are better rather than worse. Keeps things interesting." Her eyes widened with her last syllable.
She turned to me. "Now who might you be?"
"I, um, uh… I'm Bella."
"Ah, the Bella I've been hearing some much about. The one who walked into the Volturi council and lived. It's not often that happens, little sister, so I would count my blessings. I am especially glad to meet you Bella. We've being trying to get something on those old bats for centuries now." Her ice blue eyes slid between me and Jake slowly, and then again. "Interesting," she murmured. "Very interesting." She shook my hand and surprised me. She was warm as the rest were, but her warmth seemed to bubble over and flow into me, making me feel completely at ease. It was like Jasper, but kicked into overdrive. Unlike Jasper, I felt like I could yell my head off if I wanted to, it's just that all my nervousness left me. "Come Sam, I should like to meet the rest of your family." She took his hand and led him towards his own father's house, as if she had been there a thousand times before. I shook my head in disbelief.
Leah was the first to speak. "She's… amazing."
"Amazing," Seth agreed.
"More than amazing," murmured Quil.
"And kind of scary," said Seth.
I nodded. "I'll say."
Jake scratched his head. "Wait a minute, why didn't she know Bella's name?"
"What?" Paul looked at him confused.
"Well, she knew all of our names, but she had to ask for Bella's."
Embry nodded. "It's like she has pack telepathy even when she's human."
"It's not that Embry, I wasn't thinking my name." Jake said.
Embry frowned. "Well I don't know then."
Jared smirked goofily. "Who cares? Just shaking her hand made me feel like I could win any fight I got in to. No wonder she's supposed to be a war general."
Paul nodded. "Maybe we should get her to take on the red headed leech. I want to see what she'd do to it."
Embry laughed. "I wouldn't bet against her, that's for sure."
"Well, you guys better go eat, now that we have another mouth to feed." The boys, minus Jake, speedily gave their assent, making their way to the food tent.
"Talk to you later Bella," said Leah, leaving with a wave.
Jake turned to me, cocking a eyebrow. "Made a friend, did we?"
I giggled. "Something like that."
"I think we should officially hire you as our mediator. You know when to talk, and when to throw steaks at us."
"What can I say, it's a gift."
Jake reached for my hand. I let him take it. Why was it so easy for him?"
"What did she mean when she called us 'interesting?'"
"I have no idea. But I'm getting one of those brownies before Quil eats them all." I looked over at the tent and saw what Jacob meant as Quil must have stuffed 3 brownies in his mouth.
I snerked. "We might have to beat him off with a stick."
Jake made a fist and shook it. "I've got his stick right here. Quil! Put that box down!"
I shook my head as I followed behind him.
The rest of the barbecue went off pretty much without a hitch. Sam introduced Ve to everyone, including Charlie, who she immediately impressed with some more sports talk I didn't understand. Sam's dad and Billy received her like she was the Queen of England, and she had to shake them off like she did with Sam. When she met Sue, she put an arm around her and spoke in hushed tones. I saw fresh tears come to her eyes, but she seemed comforted. After introductions, she headed to eat with the rest of the pack, her eyes rolling back her as she saw the cobbler.
"You have no idea how much I have missed dessert," she whispered to me as she loaded a plate up. "You can't exactly get a cake hunting Wendigos in the middle of the bush." She ate a forkful and I watched her eyes sparkle. "Raspberry! My favourite. Nicely done little sister."
I blushed. "I only helped."
"All the same." She turned to Sam. "So I am to understand that you have a treaty with the Cold Ones?" He nodded. "Odd. Your last pack did not mention this. I should like to review the terms and meet with these… unique specimens. It should be interesting, if nothing else."
I frowned. I don't know if I wanted her to meet the Cullens, given how dangerous she was supposed to be. I may like her, but I doubt they would, and I had this sneaking feeling that expressing that to her could get them into deep trouble.
"You are worried." I was shocked back into paying attention.
"Um, what?"
Her eyes appraised me. "You are worried about something."
"Oh, I…" I found myself unable to lie to her. "I'm… afraid you'll hurt them." I looked down, ashamed. I didn't want to hurt the others by worrying about the Cullens.
I felt a hand come to my chin, and my face was lifted to meet her pale eyes again. "My hurting them depends entirely on them, little sister. They will all remain alive for this meeting. I can promise that. But I cannot allow slights against me. It would be disrespectful to the Council to allow the mistreatment of one of their representatives to go unchecked, before even my own pride. We have a reputation to keep, and I will keep it with my full ability. Is there understanding between us?" I nodded slowly. It wasn't the best promise I could hope for, but I felt that she would keep it, no matter what. She turned to Sam. "You shall arrange this for this week, before your elders meet next Saturday, and Bella shall be with us, to assuage her worry." Sam nodded. She turned back to me. "They will see you standing on our side," she said. It wasn't an order or a threat. She was trying to make me understand what I would have to face if I came. I would very clearly be choosing my side.
My stomach did three flips and landed the wrong side down, but somehow the words, "I'll be there," came out of my mouth. I would be there, and the lines would be drawn.
She nodded. "Well, I wish I could take off the 'authoritative hat,' and join your bonfire, but I need you, Sam, to take me out and review the land. Get a feel for my surroundings. Sorry to steal him from you Emily, but it's best to do this as soon as possible." Sam agreed and they headed out.
Part Two up next.