disclaimer : I dont own the characters who belongs to stephenie meyer
A/N : Hi, it is my first fanfic and I hope you'll like it.
Chapter II – The bonfire
QPOV
In spite of the music I couldn't help myself but think about Claire. But I thought about her differently. I realised she occupied the major part of my life and she was first the little baby then the little sister I never had. She was fourteen now and I thought she had a little crush on me. But she was definitely too young… still… sometimes I couldn't help myself but look at her long black hair, her beautiful hazel green eyes and I imagined what kind of life we could possibly have in the future. Would she love me forever? What would happen if she decided to keep on seeing me as brother and married another man? Technically as long as she would be happy it would be fine for me. But still…. This idea made me feeling bad. I was kind of jealous I thought. I knew for sure that if she had another boyfriend I would be unhappy.
But sometimes I told myself she was my imprint and I was her perfect match; so no matter how long it would take her to understand and feel love for me she would come back to me at the end. But now she was definitely too young and I wasn't in a hurry. I've waited for her 12 years already I could wait 2 years more at least or more if necessary.
As I arrived in her alley, I began to smile. Seeing Claire made my day all the time. I parked the car and went to her front door. Everything was quiet and I found that weird because usually there was a lot of music coming from this house. My worries came back hurriedly.
I rang the bell. Claire opened the door almost immediately and I was relieved when I saw her perfect and beautiful smile.
Wait…
Something was missing…
Maybe I'm worrying to much…
I frowned but before I could say something she stepped closer and hugged me.
"Hey you" I said keeping her closer to me a little more than usual "Are you ready?"
"Yes. Let me take my bag and I'm ready" she went into her bedroom and came back several minutes after.
"Happy to go?" I asked. She nodded and said with a grin on her face "Couldn't be happier"
She didn't talk much during the journey and I tried to make the conversation asking questions about her week at school, her sister, her friends; everything which could make me understand what really happened to her. Finally I couldn't take it anymore. I pull the car over on the side of the road, cut the engine off and turned myself towards her. She looked at me curiously her eyes asking me why we stopped.
"Claire. May I ask you something? I said slowly.
"Yes, sure" she answered casually but with a little concern in her voice.
"What's going on, Claire. Something's wrong with you, I can feel it. I know you're thinking I'm overprotective with you, maybe too much but I know when you're sad or happy or mad or anything else. Just in listening your voice or looking in to your eyes. There is something that bothers you, something that makes you sad or unhappy and I would feel a little less worried if you could tell me what it is"
She stared at me and I felt a little uncomfortable. Why happened if she was mad at me? Maybe I shouldn't have told her my tirade like that. I've waited for her answer worriedly. Eventually she sighed, shook her head and said:
"How I'm supposed to have a secret garden or keep secrets from you if you become worried each time I don't want to tell you something?"
I grinned "you're not supposed to keep secrets from me. I'm your best friend you can tell me everything. And I want to know everything about you especially things that make you sad or unhappy"
"I know that but sometimes you must understand I need space. Sometimes it's bothering me that you read in my mind as if I was an open book and don't forget that I'm girl, you're a boy and some kind of conversations can't be possible between us"
"Like what?"
"Women's problems for instance? Or boys?"
"You can talk to me about boys. I can understand, you know"
"Yeah maybe. Let's say that sometimes I prefer not talking with you about… things. Okay?"
I sighed "Okay. But tell me now. Have you a problem with boys?"
"Quil!"
"Okay! Okay I stop" And I looked at her, grinning waiting for her to answer. She sighed but answered.
"No, I don't. It's something else but I don't want to talk about it right now. Could we talk about it later maybe after the bonfire? I really feel like to have fun tonight. Please? Later?" she begged me.
She was begging. I couldn't bear when she was begging. Besides it wasn't the answer I hoped but at least she wasn't against the fact to talk with me so I could imagine it was nothing to do with me. Relieved, I smiled and nodded.
"Sure, young girl, we'll talk later and I swear I won't try to ask you questions. But promise me you'll recover this beautiful smile you usually have and I like so much" I said teasing her nose with my finger.
She grinned and held her right hand as if she took the oath. "I swear".
We arrived at First Beach and slowly walked to the Fire. Sam and Emily were already here of course and luckily because they were in charge of the food. Paul, Rachel, Kim and Jared stood by the barbecue and helped Emily and on the other side Nessie and Jake were in big conversation with Embry and Seth. The other members of the pack seemed not arrived yet. Claire left my side to say hello to everyone while I went to Jake and Embry.
CPOV
I loved coming to the bonfires. It was always pure moments of fun. I loved spending time with my aunt and my uncle and all the members of the pack and their wives or girlfriends (or husband for Leah, the only wolf female of the pack) I was the youngest but no one considered me as the youngest. Expect Embry. I was his favourite target. Embry…What could I say? How could I explain the kind of guy he was? Let's say… that if something had not to be told, be sure Embry would tell it especially if it made you uncomfortable. If something had not to be done, be sure Embry would do it. If there was someone to tease or to annoy, be sure Embry would be the first to tease or to annoy. And I already said I was his favourite prey. But even if I didn't really like when he teased me all the time I had to admit I liked him because he made me laugh. I especially loved the words-fight he always had with Leah because he forced her to the wall and she became bitchier with him so it was very funny at the end.
"Hey this is our little Baby-Claire"
Speak of the devil
"Hi Embry" He hugged me and tousled my hair as if I was a little kid. I hated when he did that. I pushed his hand off my head and he chuckled. I turned quickly towards Jake, Nessie and Seth and went far away from Embry.
"Hi guys" I said as I approached to hug them.
I loved Seth and Jake. They were nice with me and with Quil they always protected me from Embry's teasing. Seth was one of Jake's pack. He was handsome, nice and he was natural. He was funny too and like Quil he was protective with me...Okay less than Quil. No one on earth could be more overprotective with me than Quil.
Jake was a kind of ray of sunshine. If you were feeling sad or angry, talking to Jake, who tried to see all good in bad things, gave a smile back on your face. He was married with Nessie, an amazing girl. A special girl. Half human/half vampire. She was very beautiful with her long curl bronze hair, her white skin and her chocolate brown eyes. I felt a little awful when I compared myself to her. But she was also a nice person and she was very kind with me.
Jake grinned at me, Nessie smiled and gave me her hand. At this precise moment, something very strange happened. When I grabbed her hand, both of us shivered as an electric current went through us. We closed our eyes and suddenly images came into our minds:
"I saw me. I was about 4 years old with my mi-long black hair, my big hazel green eyes and my childhood shy smile. I wore a white dress with a red ribbon around my waist. I gripped my little wolf soft toy closer to my chest. I was with my family and friends. We were in Emily's garden and I was playing with Quil. It was a sunny day and I was happy. Quil went to the kitchen to bring me a soda and suddenly, as I was waiting for him to come back, I heard and saw birds leaving trees quickly as if someone shot with a gun somewhere in the forest. Then something hit me, something powerful like a magical heat which wrapped me completely. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I felt a danger around someone I knew she was like me and who needed my help. I had the strong urge to go to her, to save her. Without thinking I turned from my family, left the safety of the garden and ran through the forest. No one noticed that I left…maybe Quil when he would come back from the kitchen but I didn't care. I ran deeply into the woods until I arrived in a beautiful and peaceful meadow. I stopped abruptly. She was there, the little girl who needed me. She was 4 years old like me and she faced a man with terror in her eyes. A very handsome but dangerous man, with white skin and red eyes. A vampire I knew he was. I felt the danger all around me and I shivered. I ran again to her and she saw me. I opened my mouth and screamed her name;
She turned over and ran towards me. The vampire laughed cruelly and looked at us with a grin on his face. We fell in each other's arms, held our hands tightly and looked deeply in each other's eyes. Wind began to blow. The magical heat which seemed so familiar to me wrapped us. We began to speak in Quileute dialect; maybe Quileute's curses or spells. Words kept spilling from our mouths. Our eyes suddenly began to shine as long as the magic power was increasing around us. The vampire's smile turned in to a painful grimace. He held his head with both of his hands and fell on his knees. He screamed painfully as his inside was burning. He didn't understand what happened to him; he was terrified; we could see it in looking in his eyes. He was shaken, all his body moved in an uncontrolled way and suddenly he burst into flames and, after a short time, disappeared. His ashes were blowing by the wind.
Everything around us became quiet again. We still held us tight and we breathed loudly. But our eyes got back to normal. We smiled staring at each other and together without breaking apart fell down on the floor unconscious. I heard a man's voice far away in my head screaming my name… Quil…
Quil… I tried to call him but I couldn't say a word and everything became black…
I opened my eyes and gasped. So did she. We looked at each other with full of questions in our eyes and suddenly I took off my hand from hers as it was burning me. Quil, Jake, Seth and Embry were laughing and talking and didn't notice what happened between Nessie and I. Maybe it last only a few seconds.
My God! What was that!
I was confused and moved a step back from her. Quil noticed Nessie and I didn't speak to each other and asked me if everything was allright. I slowly looked at him without thinking of what I was doing. I knew Nessie had vampire's powers but she never used them against me. Plus it was my memory because I saw me when I was in my aunt's garden and she wasn't there. And we shared that memory. What kind of thing was that? Quil's voice stirred me from my thoughts. I weakly smiled at him and nodded in order to answer his previous question but I was still disturbed.
NPOV
A bonfire! Again! It was amazing how shape-shifters needed to be together and listening to old legends. My Jake was an Alpha and he imprinted on me so we had to be here. At the beginning I felt a little uncomfortable especially when the Elders spoke about "the Cold Ones" meaning "vampires". All my family was vampire kind. I thought it was strange for all of us but now I felt better because they accepted me and not only because I was Jake's imprint. They really liked me for what I was. The relationship with my family was pretty good and a new treaty was made between the two alphas and my family which was respectful for werewolves and for the Cullens only. The others vampires, nomads or covens were always not welcomed in Quileute territory. I enjoyed coming to bonfires now. I've got friends. Tonight we were laughing and talking with Seth and Embry who tried to convince us he was a better cook than Quil and Jake. I rolled my eyes. Embry never came in a kitchen except for eating what someone else cooked. He never washed the dishes or cleaned the kitchen.
Embry really needed a girl! In the same time I couldn't help myself but pity the poor girl Embry would imprint on. Okay she was supposed to be his half soul, his soul mate. An Embry-woman! Oh God! It bodes well! I smiled at this idea. Jake turned to me and squeezed gently my hand to show me who was coming.
Quil and Claire just arrived. I liked them both. They formed a cute couple. Claire didn't know anything about the imprint thing but I thought that she had a little crush on Quil. She was an amazing teenager and she was gifted, especially when she played music. My father told me one day that he heard her playing piano and he found she had talent. And my father was a wonderful pianist. I wasn't so close to Claire but she has something I couldn't put my finger on it which made you feel good and that was why I liked her. Strange feelings.
She said Hi to everyone, hugged Jake, Seth and Embry who, of course, was teasing her already. I smiled gently at her to show how I sympathized with her and held out my hand to her. She grabbed my hand with a smile on her face and everything was happening so fast. I felt a powerful heat coming from her hand overtaken me completely. I shuddered, closed my eyes and images came in my head:
"I was a little girl, physically about 4 years old and I was in the woods. I was thirsty and ran alone to find animal blood. I felt a presence behind me. I shivered and turned myself to it. It wasn't someone I loved like my family or Jacob. I knew him; I only saw him once but I knew I didn't like him. He scared me. I began to regret not telling to my father or Jacob where I went. I wanted to prove them I was no longer a fragile and little girl. But unfortunately I realised I still was. His name was Vladimir and he was a member of the Romanian's coven. He stood just in front of me and stared at me with a strange shadow in his red eyes. I was afraid and I knew that I was calling someone for help…my mum or my dad or Jacob. I didn't really know exactly. I didn't hear the sound of my voice but I was calling for help I was sure of that. A voice in my head told me she was coming to help me. Who? I didn't know I didn't recognise the voice. Suddenly I was wrapped by a mysterious force, warm, soft and which seemed to protect me. I felt her presence as closer as Vladimir's threat was increasing. I heard her screaming my name. I held my head with panic in my eyes and ran towards well…Claire. It was a 4 years old little Claire who was running to me too. Vladimir was laughing at us and I knew he was thinking we were some easy preys. Claire and I held us tight. We felt both relieved to be together. We stared at each other, our lips were moving but I didn't understand what we were speaking. We felt a kind of magic force all around us, protecting us, through our hair, our bodies, between our tangled fingers and in our eyes which began to shine.
Vladimir no longer laughed and held his head with both of his hands and screamed. He was burning. Fire was everywhere. Wind was blowing stronger, branches of trees were moving faster like there was a storm in the forest. Finally he exploded letting behind him a sort of white smoke of ashes blown by the wind.
Claire and I kept staring at each other intensely even if we knew deeply inside of our minds that the threat had disappeared but we stopped to murmur incantations and our eyes recovered their natural state.
We kept on holding us tight until we fell on the floor… in a deep black sleep…"
I opened my eyes. So did she. We gasped and looked at each other confused. She let go of her hand quickly and hid it behind her back. I tried to smile to reassure her but I couldn't. I was disturbed too and I didn't understand or know what I was feeling right now. We shared a memory; a mixed one between hers and mine. But how could it happen between us? I was a half vampire and vampires were the only one enemy of Quileute's tribe. Plus, my vampire's powers had nothing to do with that feeling. I was almost sure of that because first I knew my own power and it wasn't working like that and second what I felt was something different, something strong and something which belonged to someone else. Was it the legendary Quileute magic?
I looked at this young teenager, who stood right in front of me, who seemed as confused as I was. She moved back. Maybe she was scared. I was too. Quil was talking to her but she didn't seem to hear what he said. Neither did I. The only thing I could do was looking at her in disbelief. Strange, strange feelings…
GPOV (general point of view)
Old Quil and Billy Black were standing together staring at the little group formed by Jake, Nessie, Embry, Seth, Quil Jr and Claire. Chatting.
They didn't miss the short hands contact between Claire and Nessie and their reaction at what happened.
They looked intensely at each other as if they were speaking with their eyes and slowly nodded. They seemed to know, to understand what it was; they seemed to wait for this sign for a long time.
"Time seems to give us right. We could only assume before but now we know for sure. It's my grandson's imprint" Old Quil whispered. Billy nodded and added "She has chosen the second one. And a special second one"
"True. One done, only one left and after, soon, it could be reunited again" He sighed and Billy chuckled and said "God, do you realise what it means?"
Old Quil nodded "There is still hope" he murmured
Yes, hope…
Finally...
CPOV
"Claire? Is everything all right? Quil asked me with concern in his so beautiful hazel eyes.
"Yes. You know what? I'm starving" I answered looking at him. He grinned at me and nodded.
"Good idea. Let's go eat" added Seth, clapping in both hands.
Nessie looked at me still confused but she was now smiling too. We walked slowly to the barbecue, boys kept on talking and laughing together. I tried to act as normal as possible and to participate at the conversation. We ate delicious food (hot dogs, salads, roasted meat and fruits) and the meal happened in a quiet and cheerful atmosphere. From time to time I glanced at Nessie who acted exactly the same than before we touched our hands.
After dinner, Old Quil, Billy and Uncle Sam started to tell us the Quileute's old legends we all liked. Tonight I heard two new stories I didn't know before. The first one was about the Third wife who was the soul mate of the great wolf warrior Taha Aki. All the members of the pack seemed to know this one and I had the strange feeling that it had been told only for me. And the second one was about a young Quileute witch who was the guardian of Quileute magic and had to protect the tribe and the lands. She was supposed to be born only if a big magical danger would come in the future and threaten Quileute tribe and lands. It was really interesting and to my big surprise I saw on the faces of all of the pack's members that they didn't even hear about this legend. According to Old Quil there were only three Quileute witches since the beginning of our time and there hadn't had any Quileute witch for about three hundred years. But legends said that the Chosen One would be very powerful because she was supposed to concentrate in her hands three hundred years of Quileute magic. That was amazing.
Everyone was particularly attentive to the sound of Billy's voice which gave force and emotion to the story. For my part I was completely captivated and felt so close of this witch and of this legend. I couldn't help but think that the mixed memory Nessie and I shared was related to Quileute magic.
Was Nessie the Quileute witch?
Instinctively I looked at Nessie who seemed to be as captivated as I was. At the same time she turned her head to see me and I felt a heat running through my body. I shivered totally confused.
When Billy finished to talk there was a comfortable silence then conversations, laughs and joy resumed again. I remained in front of the fire thinking at the legend and at the strange heat I felt when Nessie looked at me. I was lost so deeply into my thoughts I didn't hear her coming back at me.
"Interesting story, don't you think?" she said sitting near me. I nodded silently. I didn't know what to say. Everything was too confused for me and I wasn't sure what to think about that. Still staring at the fire, I heard Nessie ask:
"Do you think that the legend about the witch could be true?"
"I don't know" I answered shacking my head.
She looked at me and nodded. She was about to say something else but she said nothing. She smiled slightly, stood up, turned over and left towards Jake.
I looked at her walking slowly like she was dancing. I couldn't help but think she could be the witch and that the legend was true. After all, vampires and werewolves existed so why a witch couldn't exist? but what I didn't understand was why I was involved in all this thing. I have no power at all. But what I saw when our hands both touched was me when I was a little girl and it was what I didn't understand. Why me? If she was the witch, what I was? Why was there?
Maybe there was no explanation at all. Maybe all of this was only magic…
I chuckle a little. All this story was so impossible to be true.
I slowly closed my eyes and breathed deeply the fresh ocean air.
OldQuilPOV
I finished the part of the legend about the witch and let Billy finished the story. I could now observe carefully the young and beautiful witch sitting near my grandson. She was captivated. Maybe she realised she was the new powerful Quileute witch. I smiled lightly. No, of course. She was too young. I turned my head to the other one. She was in front of the witch and seemed as captivated as Claire was. Renesmee. An alpha's wife and imprint. I couldn't help but notice that the connexion was going through the kinds. The Quileute witch had chosen a half vampire as a second and vampires and wolves are legendary mortal enemies. Magic turned all the laws upside down. I chuckled at this idea.
I was there in my observation when I saw Claire and Nessie's eyes were shining bright one quick second when they glared at each other.
Oh my God! Another sign of the presence of magical power around the witches.
Amazing.
In what kind of danger we would have dealt with?
My heart beat a little too fast. Under the emotional shock of what I saw I put my right hand on my heart and took a deep breath to regain my control. I looked around me to check the reaction of the others but no one seemed to notice what was just happening. I stared at Billy and when he looked back at me I mouthed only one word.
Hope…
QPOV
How beautiful she was, my quiet and thoughtful Claire. She liked the legend about the witch I could see how captivated she was. I liked it too. I didn't know this one. And I was surprise to notice that even Sam didn't hear about this story too. It was strange because Billy and my grandfather never changed the legends they told us when we made meetings around bonfires. This new one about the Quileute Witch was so powerful that I wondered if it could be real like the legends about werewolves and imprints.
Did Billy and my grandfather think that witch could be reincarnated in someone here? Did it mean that a big danger would happen soon? A danger bigger than vampires that the pack couldn't defeat?
I looked at my grandfather and as he could read in my mind and understood my thoughts he slowly nodded. I couldn't help but stare at him with curiosity in my eyes. But his face was fathomable.
Later, one by one, the members of the pack and their family began to leave the beach. I saw Jake, Nessie and Billy went to Jake's car. They waved goodbye at me and I bowed to them. I went near Claire and we followed the others. When we were in the car I asked her what she thought about the legends.
"I love both of them" she answered "especially the last one. I never heard it before. Did you?"
"No, I didn't but you know I don't know all of the legends." But I couldn't help but wonder why the Elders chose to tell us this new legend tonight.
"I liked when they tell us different stories. It's great. And those new legends were fabulous" she told me with a beautiful grin on her face.
"I'm happy you're happy" I said smiling and glancing at her. Suddenly I noticed a shadow on her face which disappeared the second she realised I was looking at her. I said:
"Claire? Are you allright? I got the impression to replay the scene we had several hours earlier. She didn't answer.
"Claire, what's wrong? Tell me… Please" I begged in a so soft and low voice.
She looked through the window so I couldn't see her eyes but when I heard the sound of her voice I knew she was close to cry and her lips quivered.
"We're going to move on" she murmured so low that a normal person without werewolf's ears wouldn't have been able to hear.
"What? Where?" I said a little sound of panic in my voice.
She was crying and she repeated a little louder "we're going to move on, in France, in about two months. Mom's new job"
Oh no!
God no!
I stopped the car on the right side of the road, cut the engine off, gripped her shoulders gently and tried to turn her towards me. I realised my hands shook lightly. I ran my right hand through my hair as if it could make me think better but I couldn't make a coherent thought. I took a deep breath and whispered "Claire" as I held her tightly in my arms. She put her head on my shoulder and let her tears falling along her cheeks. I soothed her softly rubbing my hand on her back an after a moment which seemed to last hours I pulled her away from me and looked deeply in her wet eyes.
"Claire" I repeat. I couldn't say anything else. My heart beat loudly and clenched at the idea of Claire's leaving and the tears on her eyes. I tried to say something soothing but I was barely able to think correctly.
"Everything's going to be allright. Whatever happens, I'll always be there for you, you know that right?"
She was still crying but she smiled weakly at me and nodded. She put her head on my shoulder again and said softly
"I'll miss you"
A/N : i finished this chapter. it's a little longer than I thought but I hope you like it. Please, please review...thanks
