So much of this will be just catching up for now--reacquainting with certain characters. We'll get to the meat, chill.

I obviously don't own the characters but I certainly wish things would play out the way I see it in my head...

Older.

The next morning I awoke to sunlight warming my bedroom and baking me like a turkey in an oven beneath my comforter. It was late May, and though the town was normally obscured by cloud cover, the heavens decided to part and glorious bright light stung my eyes as I wearily blinked them open. I looked at my watch and saw that it was a quarter past eight am. I groaned, wishing for more sleep. For work I was normally awake by six thirty and out the door at seven, but it was my vacation and I wanted to soak up every unscheduled minute of my time here.

The house phone suddenly rang and I swore, admitting defeat. I climbed out of bed wondering why I was still fully clothed until I remembered that the night before I'd been too afraid to undress before leaping under the covers. I felt a little embarrassed. I wasn't a child. I knew how to control irrational fear. But I also knew that my irrational fears once lived in Forks.

I ran down the stairs, careful not to trip as I did so and snatched the phone off the hook before the machine had a chance to pick it up.

"Hello?" I croaked into the receiver. I sounded like I'd swallowed a Brillo pad. The airplane must have really taken a toll on my throat and sinuses.

"Bella?"

"Yes, this is she. May I ask who's calling?"

There was a pause. I frowned and tried to catch a response on the other end.

"Hello?"

"Er, sorry. Just a little surprised is all. We didn't believe that you were really back in town."

We? I felt annoyance prickle at the back of my skull. "I'm sorry but who is this?"

There was a chuckle. "I guess it's been a while, huh?"

"Yeah. It has. Are you looking for Charlie?" I sighed impatiently, my temper flaring. I wasn't in the mood for guessing games.

"Bella, it's Embry."

I sucked in a sharp breath. I shut my eyes tight and waited for the catch in my throat to pass--Embry Call. Hearing his voice had nearly the same effect on me as saying Jake's name aloud--it was all one nebulous memory from a past that I wished to put far behind me.

"H-Hey Embry, how are you?"

"I'm great Bella, and yourself?"

I rapped my balled up fist against my forehead and squeezed my eyes tighter. I couldn't let myself get roped into a conversation with another member of the pack—just Seth and Leah. I'd made my boundaries clear to myself before coming back. I didn't know how I was going to get through the wedding but Charlie knew my limits and had promised that it was a small ceremony before a court proctor—no bells and whistles since it was a second marriage for both him and Sue—and just family there to witness. I hoped that that meant that he and Billy were just friends.

"Um....Good. I'm good. So…what's up?"

I heard him snort on the other end. "What—no small talk?"

"Nope, not really," I replied lightly, trying not to offend him but hoping that he'd get the point.

"Suit yourself. I'm just looking for the Chief. Need to ask him about a case he wanted me to follow up on."

My eyes flew open. Was Charlie using the Quileutes for police work now? "But I thought Charlie didn't know about the wolves?" I blurted again without thinking.

"What? No Bella—Chief Swan doesn't—look, is he there? Could you just pass me to him please?" Embry choked out.

I frowned, wondering why my dad was asking Embry of all people for favors. It didn't make any sense. "No, I'm sorry he isn't in today. I think he took the morning off to run some errands with Sue."

"Alright I'll catch him on his cell. Thanks—"

"Officer Call--!" I heard someone shout in the background.

My jaw went slack.

"Embry…you're a cop?"

He laughed again. "Who'd a thought, huh? It works. We're better equipped than most guys out there."

I staggered, wondering at the almost unfair advantage he must have over everyone else at the station, not to mention criminals trying to avoid the law. A wry grin broke over my face and I had to laugh with him.

"Yeah probably rock that K-9 unit, huh?" I teased, feeling a little more like my old self again. I forgot how much I liked the wolf pack.

"Pfft—like I haven't heard that before," he drawled into the phone. He cleared his throat and took on a more businesslike manner. Officer Call must have been under some scrutiny in his office.

"Look I'd love to catch up—honest—but I've got some important news for your dad. I'll talk to you later, okay?"

"Yeah sure, Embry." I crossed my fingers childishly, knowing it meant nothing but doing it anyway. I never wanted to see them, not on this trip. It was still too soon.

"Bye Bella—I'm real glad you came back."

"Thanks Embry--"

I didn't know if he heard me because shortly after the phone clicked and the dial tone droned on. I sighed and wearily set the phone back into the cradle.