Hey sorry I updated things a little slower than I said I would, but Claire is finally in La Push! Please review and tell me what you think! It would really mean a lot to me and it would help me get motivation to write new chapters!


Voices filled my mind before I was fully conscious. I could hear them, but I couldn't open my eyes or move around.

"What are we going to tell her when she wakes up, if she wakes up?"

"She's going to wake up, I saw it."

"Didn't you say that she might have brain damage?"

"No, the only damage she has left is bruising."

"So should we tell her or what?"

"We'll figure things out while it goes, we don't need to bombard her with everything."

"So we just slowly tell her.."

"Yes, we don't want her to go into shock."

"Shh, she's going to be awake in a minute, just let Effy and me talk to her."

Soon, my eyes fluttered open only to close again because of the blinding light. I haven't seen the light of day in who knows how long. My entire body ached and I had a pounding headache. Effy was standing in front of me and her face was filled with relief.

"I thought I lost you there for a second," she signed in relief. I tried to sit up, only to be nudged back down. "Stay lying down; you need rest."

"What happened?" I asked and looked around the big white hospital room. I had IV's in my arm and they were really uncomfortable.

"You had an accident, you're fine now," a man from across the room said. He had white blonde hair and caramel eyes. He was in his thirties and he was very handsome for his age. He was wearing a white doctor's coat and so I assumed he was my doctor.

"Are my parents dead?" I asked, tears filled my eyes, "Is Frankie alive?"

"I'm sorry," he said sadly, "luckily Frankie wasn't anywhere near your house, so he is alive."

"Who are you; where am I?"

"I'm Dr. Carlisle Cullen, and you are in my home in Forks, Washington." I looked at him in shock. This was Effy's Uncle? I never imagined him like this. But, he was my doctor, so I had to thank him for saving my life. But how do I only have a few scratches and bruises when I saw my broken bones? And how come I'm in Forks and not Nashville?

Later that day I tried to convince the courts to let me stay in Nashville, but I was supposed to stay with Uncle Sam and Aunt Emily because I needed parenting figures. This is complete bullshit. Nashville was my home! There's only one more year until I can be on my own. What is the point of staying with Uncle Sam and Aunt Emily when I'm just going to be gone in a year? Anyway, they had shipped all of my clothes to La Push, and they only sent my TV here while leaving my furniture at my house since my parents left me their house in their will.

I was in the tail gate of Uncle Sam's Chevy truck and I was looking at all the scenery. Although Forks was the smallest town on earth, its forests were still gorgeous. I arrived at my Aunt and Uncle's house a half an hour later. Their house was surrounded by woods and a long, gravel driveway parted them and lead to the two story log cabin. I hopped out of the tail gate and walked inside the front door to find myself in the kitchen. Although it was a rather small kitchen, there was a huge dining room table. And when I say huge, I mean fitting fourteen people huge not including the two end spots. Why did they have such a large dining room table when this was only a four person household? The kitchen lead to the living room that included two, dark brown, suede couches. There was also a boxy TV that stood on the opposite wall. The floor was a tan carpet and the walls were a woodsy green. Reighn lead me up to the attic where I would be sleeping. The door was small because it was an attic door, and luckily because I was so short, I didn't have to duck to enter it. There was a full sized bed along with a dresser that had a vanity. It was actually very spacey, but it was still an attic. An air conditioning unit along with a space heater stood by my bed and that was seriously all that was in the bedroom.

The only feeling I had was sadness. This wasn't what I was used to, and so far I didn't like it. I liked to be free and I was now in the smallest town ever.

"Mom and Dad usually let us do whatever we want and as long as we're back for dinner and actually sleep here," Reighn said while avoiding my eyes, and my hard stare.

"It's not like I know anyone here anyway, so why bother going places?" I said bitterly and Reighn opened her mouth to protest, but decided to leave me in my so called "room."

I was angry. I already missed my friends, and I knew that I would miss Effy like crazy once she went back to Nashville. I was going to go to school, not knowing anyone, and I was prepared to be absolutely miserable. I decided that I was going to take a shower before dinner, I needed to relax. I put on my silk bathrobe and headed for the bathroom. I turned on the shower and hopped in, only to jump right out. It was freezing! I forgot that most people have to wait for the water to heat up. I felt ashamed to even pitying them, but I was so used to just not worrying about things. Finally, I stepped in the shower and tried to relax myself, but sooner than I wanted to, the hot water was going away and I was starting to become cold again. I turned the shower off and I was freezing. I tried to wrap myself in the towel to warm myself up, but it still didn't work.

I ran to my room and looked at outfits to wear; maybe I would go on a walk on the beach tonight. I put on a red, cowl neck, open stitch tunic sweater along with black leggings. I also put on red flats. I brushed my hair and pulled my hair back with a red head band. My hair soon dried into large ringlets. I put on very light, sparkly makeup and started to put up pictures around my room.

Tomorrow, I was going to personalize this place and make it feel like it was truly mine. There was a rap on the door and Aunt Emily peaked her head in. "Dinner's ready, I'm sure you're hungry."

I followed her out of the door and to the kitchen and I was shocked to see the huge dining room table completely full. There was only one spot left, and it was for me. I sat between Reighn and Robbie and I was soon bombarded with questions.

"What's it like in Nashville?"

"What's your favorite color?"

"Do you have a boyfriend?"

"When are you going back to school?"

"How are you feeling?"

"Is your hair naturally curly?"

"Stop!" Aunt Emily yelled and the entire table was silenced. "I'm sure Claire doesn't want you guys asking her about useless questions when she has just gotten back. Why don't you introduce yourselves and then eat your dinner? Maybe we could ask her questions later."

It started at the end of the table and one by one, they introduced themselves. Kim, Jared, Brady, Paul, Rachel, Jacob, Leah, Seth, and I laid my eyes on the boy that sat in front of me. He smirked and I felt fire in my heart.

"I'm Quil." After he said his name, I didn't pay attention to anyone else. I couldn't even avert my eyes from his beautiful gaze. He was so enticing and I wanted so badly to reach out and stroke his face. I managed to ungrasp myself from his gaze when Aunt Emily placed all the food on the table. There was a giant bowl of mashed potatoes along with a giant bowl of corn. There was also a large plate of steaks and a selection of drinks. I chose water and grabbed very little food.

"So who's dating who?" I asked. It might have been a little blunt, but I was curious. Everyone looked at one another, but it turned out that Jared and Kim were married along with Paul and Rachel and Jacob and his wife Renesmee. But apparently Renesmee couldn't make it tonight. Seth and Reighn are also dating and apparently Brady is crushing on someone big time.

"Quil has a girl that has the hots for him though," Embry smirked and nudged Quil, and he just continued to look down and eat his food. I looked at him for one last moment before I stood up and put my empty plate in the dishwasher. I then grabbed my white and black plaid peacoat and everyone looked at me, surprised.

"I'm going on a walk," I said and walked out into the cool, November night. I saw my breath and pulled my coat a little closer to me. I didn't know where I was going, but I made mental notes every time I turned a corner. I eventually found myself on a rocky beach and looked out at the water. The cool ocean breeze filled my senses and I felt myself starting to relax, only to tense back up again when someone came up behind me.

"It's dangerous to be out on the beach at night," I turned around and saw Quil, and my heart fluttered. He looked so dark and sexy in the moonlight, but I backed away from him, putting my guard up. I was not going to let this boy swoon me so easily; besides, I didn't even know how old he was.

"Maybe I like danger," I flirted and started to walk away, swaying my hips. I knew he would follow, but honestly I didn't care if he didn't. I heard footsteps behind me and we walked down the beach in silence.

"You don't know the dangers here," he warned and I turned around and jumped when I realized how surprisingly close he was to me. I could feel heat radiating off of his body and I resisted from getting closer to him for warmth.

"Maybe I want to find out," I teased and started to walk away from him, but he grabbed my wrist and pulled me back to him. "Ow!"

"Don't try and put yourself in anymore danger Claire," Quil said and I yanked my hand away from him. I fucking hated it when people told me what to do! I glared at him and started walking towards the woods. Suddenly, he lifted me up and threw me over my shoulder and started walking me back to my aunt and uncle's house. Anger boiled up inside of me and I started hitting his back, trying to get him to let me go.

"Seriously, it was a joke," I grumbled, "let me down." He plopped me down in an area that I didn't recognize and kneeled down to me to examine my wrist.

"Sorry about that," he mumbled and examined my arms and the bruises that were all over them. "I hate them for doing this to you."

"How could you care about what happened to me? You don't even know me." He then looked at me in shock and soon after, there was a mask over his face.

"I don't," he sneered, "I care about Sam and Emily and their kids and how they feel."

"Then take me back to the beach, I don't need you to control my life!" He just stood there and I got even angrier. "Who do you think you are?! I don't even know you! You aren't my dad and honestly you're just pissing me off."

"You need to be protected," he murmured.

"No. I. Don't." I spat and started walking in a random direction, "And if you don't take me home then I guess I'll try and find my way home and end up getting lost."

"No wait!" he said and before I knew it he was in front of me. "I'm sorry, can we start over?"

"Fine." I muttered and rolled my eyes while my arms were crossed.

"I'm Quil Ateara," he held out his hand and smiled. That name. All the memories of what happened in that dungeon came back and my stomach turned. I ran and fell on my hands and knees as I puked my guts out. He held back my hair and crawled over to a soft spot and curled up in a ball and cried.

"I'm sorry," he pleaded and tried to rub my back, but I pushed him away. No. I promised myself that I would never let anyone see me like this. I quickly wiped my tears away, stood up, and hid my emotions from him.

"Sorry about that," I said with absolutely no emotion, "I'm Claire Bennet."

"Claire, what just happened?" he asked, stepping forward and I just glared at him.

"Nothing, forget about it!" I snapped and he backed off. He started leading me home and we started discussing things such as what do people do around here and what does Quil do, and how old he is, and when I would start school.

I then tripped over a tree trunk and fell, scraping my hands. I looked at them and they were bloody. My mind flashed back to things I didn't want to think about and I started shaking again. I was starting to have a panic attack and I couldn't control myself. I started throwing things as hard as I could and Quil tried to restrain my wrists.

"I hate myself!" I yelled, "I just want to die! I can't take this." I started sobbing again and Quil held me tightly against his chest. My legs were giving out and Quil picked me up and cradled me. I was crying too much, so I didn't even care.

"I-I d-don't even kn-know you," I said in between sobs.

"Shh, I knew you were going to be like this."

"Bu-but why?" He didn't say anything and I watched as we got to my aunt and uncles driveway. I closed my eyes because I was embarrassed. I breathed in Quil's scent and it was so familiar that it shocked me. Cinnamon and pine. It reminded me of Christmas time and it helped me relax.

We entered the house and Quil explained what happened to everyone in the house. Sam told him to take him to my room and I eventually felt myself being placed in my bed. Quil slipped my shoes off and I looked at him as he tucked me in. He was so mysterious it drove me crazy. I pretended like I didn't care when I saw the look in his eyes. Pity. He sat in a chair across the room and watched me.

"I don't need you to make sure I don't go crazy," I remarked and he just sat there. Whatever. I rolled over; making sure my back was to him and started to drift asleep. I just wanted this year to go by quickly so I can get the fuck back to Nashville.

Soon, sleep overcame me, but my night was filled with nightmares and I didn't sleep very well at all. But it was still more than I had while I was in the dungeon. I secretly thanked Quil for helping me, but I would never let him know that. I couldn't.


Please, Please, Please review it would seriously mean so much!

Thanks

S.