Disclaimer – I do not own Twilight. All recognizable plot and characters belong to the talented Stephanie Meyer.

This story is rated M. Some scenes will be graphic so please if you are under 18 do not read.

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I woke early again and watched the sunrise. I made breakfast and then showered. I pulled on my high waist pencil skirt with a white tank top, my black maryjane stilettos and my black fedora. I packed up all of my things and put them in the rental car before locking up the house. After Sam's little visit I had decided it was time to get the hell out of dodge and that stupid ache in my chest had only gotten worse over the night.

I felt mildly better as I drove into La Push, I was sure I was making the right decision. I would talk to Charlie, tell him I loved him, give him my cell number and the number to the bar with August's name, then give him my house key and tell him to sell the house and let go of the past just like I was trying to do.

It was just a little after eight thirty when I pulled up to Charlie's house but he was awake. He looked so happy to see me still in town that I immediately felt bad for only being here to say goodbye.

"Bella! You're still here. Come in and have some breakfast."

"Hey dad. Thanks." I followed him inside the one story house to the kitchen where Sue was at the stove.

"Hello Bella. Would you like some eggs?"

"I ate already thanks Sue."

"So how was your time here or were you in Seattle?" Charlie asked sitting back down to his half eaten breakfast.

"I was here." I sat down and took a deep breath, no time like the present. "I cleaned the house, donated all my old things." I saw hurt flash across his eyes, might as well rip off the whole band-aid at once, "I packed up everything else, except your room. Everything is labeled so you can sell or donate what you don't need or want." He nodded, his eyes on his plate. I took a deep breath to calm myself and gain courage as I reached into my clutch and pulled out the letter that had come with my necklace. I slid it across the table, my fingers still on it until he looked up into my eyes, "You were a great father, I should have been a better daughter." My voice cracked even though it came out more of a whisper.

"Oh, Bells."

I shook my head and bit back tears, "I'm sorry I made you worry. I should have at least called." I reached back into my clutch, putting the letter back in it and pulling out another paper, "This is my cell number and the number to the bar where I work. August is my manager and a friend. If you can't get me on my cell, he'll be able to get a message to me for you. I'll call sometimes to, let you know that I'm alright."

He swallowed and I could see the tears he was fighting in his eyes, "You know I love you kid."

"I love you to, never forget that, I might not be the best daughter but I do love you and I am so sorry for hurting or disappointing you."

"It's ok Bells. I'm just sorry I wasn't there for you, that I didn't help you."

"You tried, I know you tried and I never thought you didn't love me." I swiped at a tear that had escaped my control, "I am safe and for the most part I'm happy. I like my life. So you don't have to worry ok and I'll call so you know it stays that way."

"You'll always have a place here Bells."

I nodded, "I know, but you need to sell the house. There are to many memories there, good and bad, holding us both back, its time to let it go."

"How long are you staying for? Will you have supper with us?"

I had wanted to be on the road to Seattle but I couldn't tell him no, I could do this one thing for him, "Sure. I'd like that."

"We're meeting at Sam and Emily's at six thirty." Sue had stayed quiet until then and with her words I immediately regretting agreeing but I couldn't back down, I was having one last meal with my father.

My smile was forced but I held it in place, "Sure."

"You have something special today Bells? You look real nice."

"Thanks dad but I have nothing important today, I just dress different in New Orleans than I did here is all."

"Those shoes don't hurt?" Sue joined in now that the conversation was less personal, sitting beside Charlie at the table.

I shrugged, "No, I work on my feet in them all day or night depending on which job I'm at."

"You have more than one?" Charlie smiled at me.

"Yeah," I smiled at him, "Started out as two part time jobs, now it's a lot more hours but where I was just paying the bills in the beginning, I have some meager savings now. Lisa and I work together, Monday through Thursday days at a café, usually six or seven hours a day. We work in a bar from Tuesday through Saturday. I serve drinks mostly but on Tuesday and Thursday nights I also sing a couple sets, sometimes I'll sing on the weekend too. Working there is where the vintage style came in and the skinny jeans and stilettos I wear the rest of the time make up my wardrobe."

"You sing?" Charlie asked looking surprised.

I blushed nodding; "A little, August heard me singing while doing set up one day and had me fill in for a no show on a Tuesday, it became my regular slot. Then Thursday was added as a regular slot as well and occasionally on the weekends I sing a bit but those are my best tip nights serving. Its jazz mostly and some blues."

"Will you sing for us?" Sue asked smiling warmly.

I blushed but nodded, "Sure, I guess." I thought for a minute and then hummed a few bars before softly singing the lyrics to September in the Rain.

"Beautiful." Charlie whispered. I smiled at him.

"Do you like singing?" Sue asked.

I shrugged, "Sure. I mean, I have no ambitions to becoming the next Norah Jones or anything but I like singing at the bar. I think August wants me to have a regular set on Saturday's, the cut from cover will be great but I would be passing up on the opportunity for great tips too."

"What are your plans for the future?" Sue asked as she began to clean the kitchen.

I shrugged, "Not sure really. I like where I'm at right now."

I could almost feel her fighting the urge to comment but she refrained.

Charlie just smiled at me, "As long as you're happy kid."

I smiled back at him, "Thanks dad."

"I better swing by and check in with my deputy, then I told Billy I'd come by this afternoon to watch the baseball game, unless you want to do something Bells, I could cancel. You know Billy wouldn't mind."

I shook my head, "You go ahead and enjoy the game."

"I'm having lunch with Leah if you'd like to join us Bella."

"No thanks. I'm just going to drive into PA and run a few errands. I'll see you guys at dinner."

I went to the bookstore and wandered around the waterfront a bit then found a café with a patio overlooking the water. The prices were a bit much but it was a nice place, geared towards tourists with fancy coffees and assorted snacks. I ordered an iced coffee and read for a while, it was relaxing until my peace was interrupted by tourists who started up a conversation, they were a nice group and we chatted for a while before I decided it was time to go.

I drove back to La Push. I didn't know where Sam lived, something I maybe should have mentioned this morning but didn't think about. Luckily, I saw the identical Sam clones walking along the road.

I pulled over and unrolled the passenger side window, "Hey, you two heading to Sam and Emily's?"

"Yeah." The one nearest the car answered.

"I'll trade you a ride for directions. I'm supposed to meet Charlie there."

"Sure, sure." He grinned at me and opened the car door. The Jake-ism sent a small twinge of pain through me; I still missed him.

He sat next to me and his brother got in the back. "So which one are you?" I asked him bluntly.

"Brady, best way to tell us apart is that Collin has a scar on his left eyebrow, it's really faint but if you look for it you'll see it. Besides that not even our Gran can tell us apart and she's raised us."

"So you really are brothers?"

"Twins" He answered, his tone expressing the duh.

"Right. All of you guys could pass for brothers though."

"Yeah," He agreed, "we kind of are though. I mean all our mannerisms are similar since we spend so much time together so it enhances the few physical characteristics we share at least that's what my Gran told us."

"You guys are eighteen?"

"Seventeen. Our birthday isn't until spring. Turn left here." I took his directions but otherwise didn't try to make further conversation, "Now right. It's that drive right there, the house is set into the woods just a little."

I pulled to a stop at the beautiful one story cottage.

"Thanks for the lift." Collin finally spoke up as he exited the car.

"Yeah, thanks." Brady added.

"Thanks for the directions."

"Yeah," he got out of the car, so I took a calming breath and got out as well.

"Hey Bella!" Jenna called from the porch coming down to meet us.

"Hey Jenna." I couldn't help but smile at the younger girl.

"Come on in, your dad isn't here yet." I walked over to the steps.

Sam stepped outside before I put my foot on the first one. He nodded at the twins who disappeared into the house, before he faced me, "Can I have a word?"

What could I say; it was his house so I nodded curtly. Jenna sent me a smile and went back inside as well.

Sam sighed and ran a hand through his cropped hair. "Things are a bit complicated Bella."

"You want me to leave?"

"No." His reply was instantaneous and it surprised me a little. He sighed again and stepped off the porch to stand with me. "I'm sorry for everything that happened to you Bella. The image of you in those woods, your eyes after Jacob and then Quil and when he… with Angela… It was like you weren't even really there, your eyes looked through things, like you had no will to live; it all haunts me. I'm sorry for all of it. I never set out to hurt you, none of us did but we were in a difficult spot, we wanted to keep you safe and there was so much we just could not tell you, believe me both Jacob and Quil wanted to, they still resent me a little for what happened with you. They understand it though and you never got that chance so I get why you hate me." He sounded so conflicted, almost broken; I had to work to harden my heart.

"Why are you saying all this?"

"Because I don't want you to leave. Charlie suffered these last three years. That first year was the worst. He fought with Billy and Jake, and I think he blamed Jake a bit for you leaving. The kid was a mess over it, he was already a mess over what went down with you and he cares about Charlie, the guy was always like a second father or an uncle so it killed Jake that Charlie shut him out. Only Sue could get through to him and she was suffering her own loss."

"Charlie and I are fine Sam. I wont let him worry like that again."

"That's not it. It's part of it but now things are different only I can't really tell you why just now. I will, if you could please just stay, come over for breakfast in the morning and we'll explain everything."

"I'm not one of your lackey's Sam, if you have something to say to me then just say it. I'm not playing this game with you, and waiting on your timetable. I came here because Charlie asked me to and I agreed before I found out dinner was going to be at your house. I just want to give him one last meal before I head home, which will be first thing in the morning whether you've had your say or not."

He looked back at the house and then to me, "Fine, follow me."

"No." He glared back at me, "I don't follow your orders." I told him crossing my arms."

"We can't have this conversation in the drive. Five minutes. Please."

I nodded for him to walk and followed him into the tree line, careful not to let my stiletto heals sink into soft ground.

"Well?" I asked after a few steps.

"The Cullen's are vampires." He started, "but you know that. Jake once told you our legends, whether you learned from them or from the leeches I don't know but those legends didn't just speak about the Cold Ones. Jake told you legends of our tribe that aren't supposed to be told to outsiders."

"So you stole him and then Quil from me because he once told me an old legend?"

"No." Sam shook his head. "I didn't steal Jake from you Bella. I know you think I did but Jake, well all of us, changed. I didn't choose him and I would have prevented it, for all of them, if I could but we didn't have a choice. It's in our blood."

"What?"

"The legends Bella."

"The Cold Ones?"

He snorted, "Not them, they are our enemy Bella and the reason the gene was reactivated in us. You want to blame someone for taking Jake from you, blame the Cullen's. Their being here is what forced the change in me and then Jared and Paul. We hoped it was only the three of us but then Embry and Jake. The Cullen's had left but it was too late. Some red headed bitch hung around for a while, dancing just out of our reach and she brought the gene to life in Quil, then in Seth and Leah. We thought it was over until just two months later, at fourteen, the twins joined us. It's not fair, not to any of us and we mourned each time a brother began to show symptoms of joining us. Once the change begins, there is no stopping it. Now we have the biggest pack in generations, we are all bound to the tribe, to La Push and to each other."

"What are you talking about Sam?"

"Wolves Bella. We're werewolves."

Jacob's voice from so many years ago ran through my mind, did you know the Quileute's are supposedly descendent from wolves.

"When a wolf first phases he is dangerous Bella. He can't control his emotions and anger is always our strongest one. It is the one that makes us change forms and if we get angry and phase near someone they can get hurt."

"Emily." I whispered without meaning to.

I saw the pain flash across his face as he nodded, "Yes, Emily. Hurting her is something I will have to live with the rest of my life. I'd rather die a thousand painful deaths than for her to ever suffer a moment's pain. That I hurt her makes it even worse. I didn't just not protect her, I hurt her, scarred her. My perfect Emily, she is still so beautiful, so perfect and I could not love anyone more. I never want one of the others to know the pain of hurting someone they love. They already know it through me but that is an echo of what it is to have done it. I protected them from that and protected you from them. Even if they hadn't meant to, they could have hurt you."

I nodded, biting back tears at the pain in his voice as he spoke about Emily.

"I also had to protect the pack and our tribe, I had to keep our secret. Jacob would not have been able to keep it from you; he would not have been able to stay away from you, so I ordered him to. It hurt me to hurt the both of you that way but it was what I had to do, for both of you and for the tribe. Being Alpha is hard, I had to make hard decisions and maybe they weren't the right ones but they were the best ones I could make at the time."

"Fine, so you ordered Jake and Quil to stay away for my safety and to keep your secret. Why are you telling me this now?"

Sam sighed, "It would all have been so different if you'd just looked at each other. You never would have lost Quil, maybe not even Jake if it had happened before he phased, you were on the rez enough and we had come across you, hell he saw you in the woods that night the leech left, if only you'd looked at each other then."

"What are you talking about?"

"Bella, only the wolves and our descendants can know about what we are. The legends are passed down in the tribe from generation to generation but the actual histories pass only from father to son within the pack. The one person outside the pack that we can tell is our imprint, our mate, the one person in the world who is made to complete us. The one person more important than the tribe or the pack, our soul mates."

I snorted and then laughed, "I am so not your soul mate buddy. I think maybe you hit your head. Or is this some kind of practical joke? I mean you had me going for a minute with the Cold Ones and the werewolf thing."

I saw a smile pull at the corners of his mouth, easing the stern look that always seemed to grace his face, "Emily is my imprint Bella."

"Right, ok. Congratulations. Except for according to you, I couldn't know any of this before because only soul mates get that privilege and yet here you are telling me. You might want to work on your story there, Sam and I don't remember it being a full moon when Jake ditched me and that was for more than three days on wolfy pms."

"The moon is a myth Bella. We phase all year long."

"Right, ok. I think your five minutes are up and Charlie is probably here."

"Fine, but first I'll prove the wolf thing and when I do you have to promise to stay and finish this discussion later."

"Fine, sure, whatever." I rolled my eyes at him and then blushed, my mouth dropping open as he began to strip.

"You going to watch?" He asked, his hands on his fly. "Not sure Emily will approve and I know… others wont."

I had spun around before he finished speaking but I was confused by how he had trailed off at the end and then added the cryptic others thing. I looked over my shoulder to ask him about it just as he seemed to explode. I spun around, slipping and falling to my butt in front of a horse sized black wolf.