Chapter 2 – Keeping Olivia Safe

Olivia sat at the kitchen table as she sipped her warm tea and watched as Sam and his fiancé whispered back and forth between them as they were standing in the living room. She knew they were trying to decide something whether it was sending her back to her mother or letting her stay with them or some other idea she was sure Sam would come up with.

Olivia sipped her warm tea again she was chilled to the bone from the walk in the rain. Sam hadn't said two worked to her other then 'sit and stay', she suddenly felt like a puppy that peed on the good living room rug and was just waiting for punishment.

Sam and Emily finally walked back into the kitchen. Sam sat across from Olivia as he cleared his throat and she saw the tiny woman next to him give him a look as he grumbled under his breath a little. "Livy, what on earth are you doing here?"

Olivia scoffed. "What? You had to go over there and whisper back and forth just to come over here and ask me what I'm doing here. That's really original Sam."

"Smart assed sixteen year-old." Sam growled under his breath. "Olivia, You know what I'm asking. Why are you here in La Push? Do I have to call mom and have her come and get you?"

Olivia rolled her eyes. "You know what Sam, never mind. Just forget I came. Did you ever stop to think I came here for a reason? But no it's okay I'll just go to California. I have a friend who lives out there." Olivia stood up and started to head to the door when Sam let out a ferocious growl.

Sam stood up as he slammed his fist on the table, but not hard enough to break it. "Olivia if you don't tell me what's going on, I swear to God."

Emily stood up as she put her hand on Sam's chest. "Sam, Go cool off and let me talk with her. Obviously she came here for a reason. You're her brother, she trusts you not your guys mother. There has to be a reason."

Sam grumbled some more but did as Emily asked as he walked to the side kitchen door and went outside.

Emily walked over as she held out her hand. "Come with me please. I promise Olivia you don't have to go anywhere you don't want to. This is my house and you are a guest and as such you will be treated as one."

Olivia sighed heavily as she took Emily's offered hand. Emily led her into the living room as they both sat on the couch. "You'll have to forgive your brother. He's learning to control his temper he seems to have inherited from your father. Now can you tell me what's going on?"

Olivia nodded. "I – uh – I sort of ran away, but not in the conventional definition way of running away. I didn't exactly feel safe at home anymore. Hillary has just lost her mind completely and I couldn't stay there anymore. I didn't know where else to go Emily. Sam has always been there when I needed him and I was hoping me showing up would be a somewhat happy welcome, but I can totally see it isn't. I just don't know where to go or what to do. I'm not even seventeen for another seven or eight months and I just barely finished my sophomore year in high school."

Emily could tell something serious was going on with Olivia but she wasn't about to push her away or to talk either. Emily swallowed hard. "Okay, why don't you take your things to the spare room upstairs and get a warm shower it will help take the chill off. I'll bring you something to eat in a few. I'm going to go talk with your brother." Olivia nodded as they both stood from the couch and Emily watched as Olivia disappeared upstairs.

Emily walked out onto the porch and saw Sam leaning against the porch railing with his arms crossed over his chest. He looked back and noticed the frown that was marring his beautiful fiancé's face. Sam turned around to give her his full attention. Emily shook her head. "I'm not sure what's going on with her, but whatever it is or was she wasn't feeling safe with your mother. She said Hillary lost her mind completely and she couldn't stay there anymore."

Sam grunted. "What the hell does that mean?"

Emily swatted Sam's arm. "It means she felt unsafe so she ran away. I'm not sure what else that means, but I do know she feels safe here so she is staying here."

Sam nodded. "I wouldn't have made her leave Em. She's my little sister I love her almost as much as I love you, I've always protected her, but I also know Livy has a bad attitude and a mouth to go with it. Sometimes it gets her into way more trouble then she can get herself out of. She's runaway before, but she's never run this far."

"Doesn't that tell you something then Sam? If she's never gone so far to feel safe, why would she start now if she didn't have a legitimate reason?" Emily questioned.

Sam nodded. Emily had a good question. She was always the voice of reason, especially in his life as of late. She was level headed and a good decision maker and she helped level out his life. "Where is she?" Sam wrapped his arm around Emily's waist as he pulled her closer and kissed the top of her head.

Emily snuggled into his side drinking in his warmth. It was a bit chilly since the rain had started. "She's taking a warm bath or shower to get the chill off. I'll take her some food upstairs and you can deal with the pack. They should be here soon."

Sam sighed heavily. "How the hell do I explain to my baby sister I grow fur and a tail? Or what if one of the guys imprints on her? And did you see her hair? She's had black hair her whole life."

Emily sighed heavily as she smacked Sam in the stomach. "If you don't stop; she is your flesh and blood and she sounds like she needs you the most right now. So stop and think about what you're going to say and do to help her and DO NOT criticize her. If she wanted someone judging her she wouldn't have run away. I can't imagine what made her feel so unsafe that she had to run from your mother."

"I can." Sam grumbled under his breath. "You don't know Hillary Uley as well as we do. This is the same woman who took Olivia away when she was ten because she said La Push was going to be a bad influence on her, but yet calls me anytime Livy gets out of hand. Can you do me a favor and deal with the pack for me, I want to go talk with Livy; I don't want her feeling like she's not welcome here. If she's running from mom it's for a damn good reason."

Emily nodded. "Absolutely; you go talk to your sister, family comes first."

As they both walked inside Emily made sure the food was almost done cooking as she watched Sam disappear upstairs.

Olivia had dried off and pulled on some grey sweat pants and pulled the elastic around the ankle up to around below her knee and pulled on a red t-shirt. She'd combed the knots out of her hair and was sitting in the middle of the bed. She heard someone knock on the door and could tell by the sound of it; it was Sam. "Come in Sam."

Sam opened the door as he walked in and closed the door behind him. "Let's talk." Sam walked over and sat next to her. "Livy, I want you to know you're always welcome in my life and if you need a place to feel safe you can always come to me. But what's going on? I want to hear your side before Hillary calls and tries to give me the run down. You have to know I'm going to take your side before I'll take hers; even if she is our mother." Sam watched as she swallowed hard.

"I honestly…" Olivia blinked and a couple of single tears slid down her cheeks. "I honestly didn't know what to do. Hillary started setting me up on these weird home dates. Like guys would come to the house and would have dinner there – with only me, but nothing else. I started noticing the guys were older, they were Hillary's age. I made the mistake of going to my room one night and sitting at my window, I heard the front door close and I looked down and watched as the guys were giving her cash; like they were giving her hundred dollar bills a few at a time." Her hands were trembling as a few more tears were silently sliding down her tan cheeks.

Sam growled audibly. "Olivia, are you saying what I think you're saying?"

Olivia sniffled and was trying to keep herself from all out crying as she combed her fingers through her recently dyed blonde hair. "Hillary had to work late one night and someone knocked on the front door. I went down and opened the door and it was one of the guys who'd come for dinner, more than a few times. He said Hillary had scheduled him for an exclusive date with just the two of us. I told him he couldn't come in the house, but he forced his way into the house. He didn't hurt me; he literally made dinner and ate with me, even though I didn't eat anything. I told Hillary what happened and she bitched that he was scheduled and he did stuff against the rules. I finally asked her what the hell was going on. And she told me she'd gambled too much and was using me as a way to get her gambling debt paid."

Sam growled deeper as he stood and began pacing the bedroom floor. "Let me get this straight. Hillary, our mother, our flesh and blood got herself in a bind with a gambling debt and she's been pimping you out on dates for money to pay her debt off. PLEASE tell me you are screwing with me Livy."

Olivia shook her head. "Sam, I had no clue and it got worse. It got so much worse. A few days ago she went online and was selling my virginity online to the highest bidder. The same guy who showed up unannounced and made me sit through dinner with him, Hillary deemed him the winner and told him he could claim his prize on a night when she had to work late and guaranteed him I wouldn't put up a fight about it. So he showed up and I hid in the fake wall. He said he would find me and when he did he was going to finish what we started. I had to get out of there Sam. Hillary has gone completely crazy."

Sam watched as his baby sister crumbled under the emotions that filled her from head to toe. He quickly gathered her into his arms as she started to cry uncontrollably against his t-shirt covered chest. It was official he was going to personally KILL Hillary Uley. They had never gotten completely along with their mother; but this was absolutely ridiculous; selling her own daughter for money.

If it was the last thing he did he would keep Olivia safe; he would protect his sister from anything or anyone at all costs…Even their own mother.