Startling awake with a little shriek she looked around herself and took deep breaths. The man in the seat next to her gave her an odd look and the woman across the aisle was leaning forward with a concerned motherly expression. Realizing she was still on the plane and it had all been a nightmare Isabella Swan let out a sigh and sat back in her seat once more as the overhead light dinged signaling everyone was to put on their seat-belts. We're coming in to land at Port Angeles Airport, we're beginning our descent and should make it down shortly. Thank you for fly... she ignored the rest having heard the part that she was listening for. They were coming in to land and she was glad she'd be able to get up and stretch since she'd been sitting in the same spot since sitting down since there wasn't much room at all to move on this small plane.
The flight from Phoenix to Seattle had taken four hours, she'd only had a hours lay-over in the airport and was for the first time in the past two years thankful for the extra help she received. The little vehicle that was normally seen on golf courses had zipped past other fast paced travelers and made quick work of the trip that would have taken her far too long and would have caused her to miss her flight. She thanked the men who'd helped her and had quickly boarded her second flight where she must have drifted off shortly after take off if she remembered correctly. With a sigh she rubbed her forehead and wiggled her jaw trying to get rid of the pressure on her ears from the descent of the plane. It was one thing she hated about flying, taking off was not an issue at all and normally she never forgot to bring a pack of gum for the landing. She had been in the hurry between gates though and hadn't thought to ask the men to stop the cart somewhere she could get some. Just as the pressure reached an unbearable amount she heard and felt the slight pop and sighed softly glad it had finally gone as the wheels touched down on the ground.
Pushing the window-shade open she looked out into the afternoon light of Port Angeles, Washington. Her father would be here waiting for her to come off the plane, probably in uniform since when they'd talked yesterday he'd mentioned heading to the station in the morning so he didn't worry about her traveling. She'd thought it odd that he'd talk about worrying, normally Chief Swan kept his emotions to himself, but she thought it might have something to do with how things had gone the last time she'd been coming to move in with him. She didn't even give the memories time to start as they were now at their gate and the man next to her had gotten out of his seat and was digging in the overhead bin. Reaching down she pulled out the bag she'd carried on and dug around for her cell before turning it on and listening to the little sounds it made while it did whatever phones did to 'start up'. She wasn't technologically challenged but she wasn't really one of those girls who lived for her cell phone or anything either so it did what it did and she reached people when she needed to. Simple.
She glanced up as the man who'd been seated next to her cleared his throat and held out what she'd put into the overhead bin, her walking sticks. God she hated those awful things, but they had become a necessary evil in her life unfortunately. She shook her head and gave a smile watching the man put them back up in the bin and didn't even bother lifting up from her seat yet. They let the people who could walk off the plane easily exit first. She was in the second group of those who would seriously hold up that rush of people and so she needed to just sit and wait. Now was as good a time as any to call her parents and let them both know she'd landed, Renee first since there were thirteen missed calls from her according to the cell's lit up screen. Pressing call after finding the number she calmed her mother down, explaining the ride through the Seattle airport and the lack of time to turn on her cell and call. Honestly she'd not even thought about it, and while she felt a little bad at worrying her mom she knew her mother needed to start relaxing since she was nineteen years old and more than capable of traveling without checking in every two seconds.
The next call was to Charlie's little used cell, he'd told her the day before when she'd had to call it to reach him since calling the station had just gotten her a snappy 'he's not here', from a man who was in a rush to get her off the phone. He'd not even asked who called or taken a message before hanging up on her, guess that's what you got when you called the Chief's office number rather than the main one for the station? A stuck up male secretary? Or a rookie who was answering the phone purely because he got tired of listening to it ring or something? She didn't know or care and her father's voice came across the line grumbling about how the cell needed a new ring that didn't cause babies to shriek before answering. "Chief Swan," came the formal greeting and she knew he'd not checked the ID. "Dad? We've landed, the other passengers are de-boarding and I'll be off shortly. Baggage claim A ok?" she told him as the flight attendant came down the aisle to help her if needed which it wasn't. "Alright Bells I'll meet you there ok?" She gave a vague agreement and hung up tucking away her cell and grabbing the seat ahead of her.
She might be handicapped for now but she wasn't good at accepting when people tried to help her out because she was determined to not need their help. She was determined to one day not even need her walking sticks but previous attempts at that hadn't gone well at all so far so she reluctantly took them when they were offered to her. Pulling her backpack over her shoulders she shifted into the aisle and with that annoying flight attendant following her made her way slowly up the aisle. She resisted growling at the woman to back off because it was her job, but just barely because today was a long day and was only going to get longer she felt. Finally off the plane she sighed as she saw the first of the stares turned her way and moved over to lean against a wall so she could pull her hood up into it's place. Her body was covered in scars, she hated talking about them or having people stare because of them. They were just marks on her skin, why did people find it so odd when she was sure they all had their own scars somewhere to stare at. Just because hers covered her didn't mean she was any different and just because of the walking sticks she didn't need them worrying about her or thinking of her differently. It wasn't that simple and she needed to accept that but it was hard for someone who was so used to fading into the background to suddenly have a spotlight thrown on them.
Making her way through the airport with her walking sticks and the limp that showed her legs didn't support her as well as they should she was breathing hard by the time she'd reached where her bags were coming around. Looking around for her father she found him with her bags at his sides talking to a man in a wheel chair and another man with short black hair and a friendly face. She recognized the pair of 'strangers' as people she should know but wasn't able to place names with the faces. She didn't have much longer to think about it though as he dad looked up from his conversation and his eyes landed on her. The smile he gave didn't hide the quick look of pain at seeing his daughter this way but she was sure no one who didn't know the chief as well as she did would see it. "Bells!" he called cheerfully and made his way over to her where she shifted the stick in her left hand to her right and threw her free arm around him in the quick hug. He'd never been one for showing affection but he'd learned how to hug in the time she'd been healing after the accident. He'd come to Phoenix taking the time off to be there for his injured daughter and she was glad he had…she didn't know what she'd have done if her dad hadn't been there to chase off her mom sometimes since the woman was a gold-medal worrier.
"Hi Dad, who're those guys?" she asked softly not wanting to seem rude if they were people she should remember from past summers when she'd come to Forks to visit her father. "Aww Bella Bird you should remember me, but I figure I'll let it slide this time." The voice that came from behind her father sent a wave of recognition through her and she looked at the man in the chair better now that he was closer and smiled. "Long flight, and I just woke up when we landed…so I'm claiming temporary disorientation since it's hard to forget the man who's like a second father to me." Bella greeted with a smile as Billy Black chuckled and shook his head. "I shouldn't take that as an excuse but it will slide this once." Was the joking response as she did her best to lean down and hug him while keeping her balance. She was never good with balance before and now was no different and she let out a soft gasp as she felt herself wobble while trying to stand back up. Two hands took grip on her arms, one gentle but steady and the other burning hot even through her sleeve. She looked up to see who the owner of the hot hand was as she knew the other was her fathers.
"Still can't keep your feet under you can you Bells? Even with the help of those sticks?" came a joking voice from the lips of the third man and one she still couldn't place. He was younger than her father and Billy, but looked to be close to her own age or possibly older…around twenty maybe? There was something about him though, the way he called her 'Bells' and joked with familiarity and that grin. She couldn't quite put her finger on it but there was something about him. "Guess not…" she said and caught his eyes sliding across her scars and realized she'd forgotten about them again. Turning her face to the ground she stepped back from the hands holding her up and got her balance with the help of the walking sticks. She heard his chuckle and looked to see Billy grinning like the cat who ate the canary, her father's expression was close to the same and she looked back at the joker once more. "You have no clue who I am do you Bells?" he asked tilting his head and still wearing that damned grin. She was tired, her legs were starting to hurt and everyone was in on some joke that obviously she wasn't part of. It was annoying her now and she shrugged slightly rolling her eyes,
"Should I?" she asked casually but as if she didn't care which was wrong because now she wanted to know who this guy was since it was part of whatever the joke was. He grinned and nodded bending at the knees to be her height and looking her right in the eyes. "Mud Pies." Was all he said and it was all he needed to say since memories of being hit with said mud-pies filled her memory and earned a gasp from her lips. "Jake? No way! You…You're huge!" she said her eyes taking him in as he stood with a grin and a nod. "Yep, but nope. Some of the guys are even bigger than me…You have to come to the bonfire tonight so you can see everyone, got lots of people to introduce you too and who are looking forward to meeting you. Even a few who are looking forward to seeing you again." He said and looked over her head at Charlie who was standing behind her grabbing her bags ready to get headed toward home. He gave a nod which Bella caught as he walked past and frowned. "I don't…know…I mean I just got here…" she said taking in his puppy dog look and sighing. "Fine…But I may need to steal Billy's Chair to survive it." she joked and yelped as she was picked up and set down on the man's lap by Jake before the chair started moving forward.
"Oh come on, I can walk just fine…" she grumbled knowing this would be quicker and not minding the hug from the man she was using as a seat. He really had been like a father to her growing up and when she was younger flying through the house in Billy's chair to beat Charlie to the other side of a room had been a source of many laughs and 'winner winner chicken dinner' dances. She set her sticks across her lap carefully so they wouldn't hit people or objects as they went and looked at Billy. "You know…I might not be kidding about the whole stealing your chair thing. I don't think I'd mind having someone push me around all the time." She joked earning a laugh from the two men and a wink from Billy. "I'll sell you the chair and Jake for the price of home cooked meals, he's almost figured out how to do it without running the chair into stuff." He answered his voice low as if trying to keep it a secret between them but Jake laughed and next thing they knew the chairs wheel caught on something and bumped to the side a little. "Watch it or I'll run you into a wall dad." Was the fun warning from Jake and Bella smiled up at him as they headed out into the parking lot where Charlie had already loaded her luggage and was waiting for them.
When they came to a stop Bella smiled at Jake as he helped her up off Billy's lap keeping a hold of her until she was steady and then let go to help his dad into the passengers side of the squad car. "You're ridin' with me Bells…Hope you don't mind." He said flashing her a grin and she just smiled and shook her head waiting to be shown what exactly that meant since she didn't know he even had a car. As she waited she couldn't help but smile, Forks had always been home in her mind, La Push also. The people here made her feel comfortable and welcome, she felt safe and happy when here and had considered moving many times but hadn't wanted to leave her mom alone so she'd never asked to move before two years ago. She'd known then her mother would be ok because she'd remarried and wouldn't be alone, she'd wanted to give them the chance to live their lives without her holding them back since they traveled a lot. Then she'd gotten into the accident that had made her even more of a burden to them, though making the trip to Forks hadn't been doable until now didn't mean she hadn't asked many times. After her father had left she'd wanted to make the trip and heal there, but it hadn't been a possibility because of her injuries.
Watching Jake close the trunk after putting the wheelchair in she looked at her dad who seemed to be visibly trying to hold himself back from something. It didn't take long to figure out what as Jake moved to the bike parked to the side of the squad car and grabbed a helmet that had been secured to the back. "Jake I just don't think this is such a good idea." He said with a shake of his head, as the man he spoke to walked past and settled the helmet onto my head. "Charlie you're the one who gave me the ok to ride it after seeing how well I handled it, and you said it was ok today since it hasn't rained in a week and the roads are in perfect condition for it." was the answer he got while Bella stood there surprised by this turn of events. She hadn't thought she'd be riding on a motorcycle, and had never expected to do so with her father's knowledge of it happening. When Jake turned on his grin and looked at her she couldn't help but smile back. "What do you say Bells? Ride with me or in the back of the squad car?" he asked with a wink and she heard Charlie's huff. She heard it, ignored it and nodded excitedly, seeing her dads hands fly toward the sigh as he grumbled heading to the car to get in. Jake laughed and picked her up taking her sticks and passing them to her dad before setting her on the bike and sliding on in front of her.
"You know you're going to have to stop doing that right? The picking me up and things…I'm not a doll or anything I can still walk and I can still hit you with one of my sticks Jake." She said as he started the engine causing her to jump in surprise as the engine roared to life. He glanced back at her and winked, "I know I know…you never did like getting help with stuff. Now hold on tight alright?" he called over the engine as Charlie pulled out and headed off ahead of them. She slid her arms around his middle and tightened them as the bike lurched forward and took off zipping past the squad car and into traffic. Glancing behind her with a laugh she saw the lights came on and then go back off and was thankful Billy was riding with her dad to assure the man that she and Jake would be fine so he didn't pull them over and make her get into his squad car. She laughed and held tight as they headed for home smiles on both their lips as the wind whipped around them on a perfect day.
Disclaimer :: I DO NOT OWN ANY OF THE RECOGNIZABLE CHARACTERS THAT ARE FROM THE BOOKS/MOVIES. THOSE BELONG TO STEPHANIE WHO IS A GENIUS FOR EVER THINKING OF THEM. I ONLY OWN THE ONES I MAKE UP AND I THINK IT SHOULD BE PRETTY OBVIOUS WHO THEY ARE.
A/N :: I'm not big on including Author's Notes on my stories so the only ones you'll find will normally be at the end of chapters and normally they'll say something like REVIEW PLEASE!
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