Author's Note: Hey! Happy Almost 2010!! Well, I'm really sorry that I haven't updated in like two weeks, but Christmas was insane and I had to paint my room on top of that. How was your holiday? Good, I hope. Well, tonight's the blue moon and I'm excited! I wanted to get one last update before the new year, and my resolution is to update a lot more often. Thank you everyone for your reviews and for favoring this story. I love you all!

Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own anything but an iPod touch and a pack of gum...it's sad really :(


Changes In Time
Chapter 7
Who Wants to Go to the Beach?

"...And what do you know everything about exactly?" I asked again, my heart suddenly racing, and I could feel the heat rising up into my cheeks. Did Jake tell the guys what happened last night? If he did, I am going to kill him. Nat suddenly looked frightened and she glanced back at Seth.

"Seth, I thought you said it was all good, and that I should tell them I know," she hissed at him and he flinched back at her words. All he did was give her a small smile that said 'I'm-sorry?' She just sighed and Seth turned back to me. All the while, I've been growing angrier with Jake with every passing second. I can't believe that he would tell them what happened! I mean, it's one thing to share some funny things, but that was a private moment that I don't want anyone to know!

Seth sighed, and he started scratching his head, his dark hair tousled as a result, as he wondered how to make everything better. He tried touching Nat's arm, but she flinched away, and he sighed again. Looking back up at me, his eyes widened. I probably had a murderous look, which is how I felt exactly. Murderous.

"Ness, Nat knows about the whole werewolf slash vampire thing. I don't really know why you're getting so worked up about it. Emily knows everything about us, and she's kept it quiet for I don't know how long. Just please stop freaking out, okay? You look like you're about to explode."

As soon as I heard the first sentence, my anger completely dissipated, and embarrassment took in it's place. I was so worried about people knowing about the whole 'Adam' situation that I didn't even think about the 'Big Hush Hush' secret that is the most important to us all. The one secret that keeps us alive.

Not sure what to do now that I completely just had a spaz moment for no apparent reason, I had to resort to something that I didn't really like using anymore. I held out my hand to Nat, and she just looked confused. I motioned her to place her hand in mine.

"Uh...Ness, I'm not so sure if this is a good idea," Seth spoke nervously, chewing on his lip. "She doesn't know about that just yet."

"About what?" Nat replied, turning to look at Seth. "What in the world could be more traumatizing than finding out your boyfriend is a werewolf-"

"Shape-shifter," I interrupted.

"What? Oh, just never mind. But what could be more surprising than a 'shape-shifter' boyfriend who hangs out with vampires?"

And without hesitation, I pressed the palm of my hand down on Nat's shoulder, feeling the passage of my thoughts to another. The sudden emptiness I felt when I explained silently how sorry I was for scaring her. How happy I was to meet another one of the pack's girls. Another one passed through that I didn't want to. It was how scared I was when I thought the most horrible things were going to happen to me last night.

My hand shot back away from her, a shocked look on my face mirrored by Nat. She would've stumbled backwards if Seth hadn't placed his arm around her, holding her tight. She looked over at Seth, and said one word:

"Oh."

If there were any way to make this conversation any stranger, Seth would be the guy to do it. He could have explained everything to Nat, telling her the basic gifts that each of us have, like dad's mind reading and Aunt Alice's psychic thing. But no, seeing as this is Seth, he just had to...well not ruin the moment, but more of changing the subject when it shouldn't have been changed.

"So," Seth said, a huge smile plastered on his face. Nat gave him a look, and her thin nose scrunched up, "Who wants to go to the beach?"

--

"Claire! You put that down right now or so help me I will...I will..." I watched Quil chase ten-year-old Claire around the beach as she held a large crab in her hands. It had pinched itself to her pink one-piece bathing suit and she was laughing at the dark giant who attempted to get it away from her.

"You better come and get me then!" She turned around to stick her tongue out at him and wet strands of her dark hair whipped cheekbones lightly. Her bare feet slapped across the sand, stirring up small puffs of dust as she picked up speed. Quil would've easily caught her, but he knew that if he took that crab away from her, there would be screaming and tears.

Turning my attention to the water, I noticed Sam and Emily playing with Nita, their three-year-old daughter. She giggled as the small waves in the shallow end crashed on her chubby legs and she reached up for Sam, who picked her up as another small wave skimmed the top of her toes. She giggled, kicking at the ground, and Sam laughed so loud I could hear it from here. Well, maybe my heightened vampire senses let me hear it.

Nat and Seth were sitting right at the edge of the water just to the right of Sam and Emily. Nat, wearing a yellow bikini and her hair pulled up in a messy bun, had her feet buried underneath the sand and her arms drooped lazily over her bent knees. Seth had placed his arm around her and she leaned into him. She really didn't want to associate with me after I had nearly scared the crap out of her, so I kept my distance from her.

I was farthest from the water, clad in a blue t-shirt and a pair of shorts, sitting in a beach chair that sunk down into the sand. My book, Les Miserables, was flipped over on my lap so to keep track of the page. I sighed and leaned back into the chair, breathing in the salty air. There was no sun, like there usually is, so I didn't really bother in covering up at all.

My green bathing suit was hidden beneath my clothes, and I didn't really feel like taking them off. Swimming is just not my thing, but I don't mind just hanging out at the beach with all my friends. So, like a creeper, I just pretty much people watch the whole time while everyone else is having fun in the water.

I flipped my book back over and started to read again, leaning back into my chair. I kicked up the sand every once in a while, just passing the time. There was no sound other than the occasional yell from Claire or a giggle from little Nita. It was just a nice, peaceful day where nothing could possibly bother me.

When I was just about to turn the page to a new chapter, I saw out of my peripherals a light shadow that cast over me in the sand. Suddenly, my chair had been turned over, and I tumbled, book and all, face first into the sand. A huge clump of it made its way into my mouth, and I sputtered it out as I sat back up. I turned to see that the culprit was none other than Embry Call, with an apologetic Jake standing behind him. I sighed and turned back around to dust myself off as Embry started to laugh.

"Aw, Ness, don't be mad, you just looked too peaceful reading your book," he said as he saw that I wasn't laughing along with him. I just stood up and shook the sand from my shirt. Turning around, I saw that Embry now had the same apologetic look as Jake. I sighed again and gave him a small smirk.

"It's alright, just don't let it happen again, or I'll sic little MJ on you," I smiled this time and he laughed. "Don't laugh at MJ; he's small but very feisty."

I heard another loud squeal coming from the water and I looked over to see Claire running past Sam, Emily, and Nita. She still had the crab in her hands and Quil was still chasing her playfully. It had caught Emily's attention and she gave Quil a look.

"Quil, you better get the crab before it pin-"

Emily was interrupted by a loud shriek and I turned to the small girl who was now without a crab. Claire's face was now distorted in pain as the small sea creature scuttled away. Quil and Emily had run over to her, and I was beside her as she wailed away. I felt a presence behind me to see the two hovering over me. Their faces were stricken with worry and I turned back to Claire.

"Claire-bear, did the crab pinch you?" I asked her and she nodded, her face red and streaked with tears. "Where did it pinch you?"

She held out her hand and a large amount of blood trailed down her forearm. It was then that I realized that I missed my morning cup of elk's blood. I bit down on my lip to try and ignore the tingling in my throat. There was no way that I would be able to hurt little Claire, even if I was a bit thirsty.

But Quil must've thought differently as he saw the look on my face and he grabbed me by the collar of my shirt. I turned to see Jake running towards us as Quil practically flung me away from the small group that had formed around the girl. My butt hit the sand first and my body skidded along the sand until an unexpected stop.

I was still in shock that Quil would even do something like that to me. I know that he was capable of it, but he was just so protective of Claire that he would even hurt me if I even had a slight chance to hurt her. I just stared up into the clouds for a few moments before a familiar face blocked them.

"Oh my gosh, Ness, are you alright?" Jake asked and I sat up easily, dusting off the sand. He helped pull me up until I was standing before him. I tried to smile to let him know that it was okay, but it probably turned into a grimace. There was a split second where Jake's look of shock turned into one of anger. His body started to tremble, and I placed a hand on his tense shoulder. He was probably eager to storm up to Quil and smack him around a bit, but when he turned, Sam was right in front of him. He was holding Nita, and she had her fingers wrapped in Sam's hair.

"Let's go," Sam said curtly, and he waited until Jake had turned to walk away before starting off as well. I was still standing there in the sand, and I turned back to see Emily pick up Claire and they walked another way to get off the beach.

"Nessie," Jake said simply and I turned to see him waiting for me, his arm extended.

I unconsciously reached down to pick up my book, frightful of what could possibly happen next. Maybe the best thing would to just leave and let him calm down for a bit. I scampered off towards him and he wrapped his arm around my shoulder, squeezing me tight. This was something he has done a million times before, but this time it seemed different. It was less relaxed and friendly, and more tense and protective. Not really sure what to do, I just stood closer to him, and that seemed to help him release some of the tension he had. I switched my book into my left hand and leaned into him a bit more, wrapping my arm as far as it would go around his midsection. He looked down at me and I showed him how happy I was that he was here and that I was proud of him for not hurting Quil.

He just gave me a small smile back, and we followed Sam off the beach and to his car.


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