Chapter 7 - Phasing Wolves
Carlisle:
Things have been going smoothly and Lucas has been with us almost steady. Every once in a while he goes off by himself, I'm thinking back to his grave. He has been bugging Jake, Seth and Leah to let him see them phase into wolves. Finally, I asked Jake and Seth if they would take him out and phase in front of him to settle his curiosity. He's such a cute little boy and he just hungers for information and explanations sometimes to the point of annoyance to his brothers and sisters. Esme and I take our time and explain anything he wants to know. He is so happy to be a part of a family that he can be at ease with and has no fear in him anymore. I shudder to think what this little angel has gone through. We still cannot get him to explain how he died or what happened. We will give him the time he needs. After all, that's all we as vampires have is time.
Jake:
"Okay Lukey dukey, Seth and I are going to let you see us phase into wolves. We have to go over to the woods and hide in them and take our clothes off and tie them to our hind legs," Jake explained.
"Why do you have to take your clothes off? You'll be naked! You can't be naked outside. I'm telling Daddy," Lucas said turning to run into the house.
"Hey, he already knows. That's why we duck into the woods so no one sees us in our birthday suits," Jake explained further.
"But why do you have to take your clothes off?" Lukas asked again.
"Because when we phase into wolves, it happens real fast and it rips our clothing to shreds. This way we have something to put on when we phase back into human form," Seth explained.
"Oh, I can't wait to see this," Lucas said excitedly.
"Alice has a fit if we rip our clothes, so we try not to get her riled up or she'll go out and buy us an entire wardrobe to replace one item," Jake complained.
"Ha ha, she tried to put me in a different outfit. She said it would make me look more modden," Lucas said.
"You mean 'modern', Jake said.
"Whatever, I ran from her," Lucas said.
"Smart thinking kid. Wish we could run from her when she goes all fashion bug on us," Jake said with disgust.
"I like the stuff she buys us. We never had such nice clothes," Seth said.
"You would like it," Jake teased.
"Come on, come on, change and be wolfesis," Lucas said impatiently.
"Okay, okay, keep your shirt on ghostie," Jake joked.
"It's going to happen fast so be ready and don't get scared. It's just me and Seth under all that fur," Jake explained.
Rosalie and Emmett came out to see what was going on. They saw Lucas standing by the woods talking and decided to check things out. Emmett had really taken to Lucas.
"Whatcha doing Little Dude? Talking to the wild animals?" Emmett teased.
"Yeah, you wish you could change into a wolf," Jake came back.
"Yuk, who would want to become and rabid vicious drooling beast," Rosalie said sarcastically.
"Ha, that's how you are all the time, stink weed," Jake snarled at her.
"Shut up you hound. Stand back Lucas, you don't want to get bit or clawed by the wildebeest," Rosalie said pulling Lucas back.
"Wildebeest are in Africa, not here in the States, Safari Girl," Jake said snidely.
"You two sure argue a lot," Lucas said to Rose and Jake.
"No kidding. Can't you two ever get along," Seth asked.
"This is how we get along, wolf cub," Rosalie answered Seth.
"Might as well save your breath, Seth. They only get along when they are insulting each other," Emmett added.
"Lukie, when we phase into wolves, you can hop on my back and I'll take you for a run through the forest," Jake said.
"Oh goody! Hurry up and turn into a wolf," Lucas said jumping up and down.
"Be careful with him Jake. Make sure he doesn't get hurt," Rosalie cautioned.
"How can he get hurt? He's a ghost, he's already dead," Jake pointed out. Lucas looked down upon hearing he was dead.
"Oh, hey, I'm sorry Lucas, I didn't mean to say that," Jake apologized.
"Its okay," Lucas answered. "I just don't like to think I'm dead."
"He can feel us touching him Jake, he may feel it if he falls off, so be careful anyway," Rosalie said again.
"All right, I'm not going to go tossing him off or jump off a cliff or something. Chill out Rose Dose," Jake said.
"Yeah, chill out," Lucas said wanting his ride.
"Well excuse me for being concerned," Rose said a little hurt.
"Babe, come on, ease up. Little Dude will be okay with Jake Wolf," Emmett placated her.
"Jake come on," Lucas called with less patience.
Turning into the woods to conceal ourselves and with Lucas coming into the woods with the best view, Seth and I phased instantly into 2 huge wolves. We shook our heads and turned to look at Lucas. He, seeing us in wolf form for the first time, was a little taken aback and stepped away. Both Seth and I came towards Lucas and bent down and lay on our front paws and looked up at him with our eyes and wagged our tales at him. Lucas instantly shrieked with delight and I then lay down on the ground and Lucas jumped on my back. I took off with him through the woods running fast and slowing up and then fast again as Lucas enjoyed the speed Seth and I were running at. He laughed and screamed with joy, having the time of his little life.
We ran with him all through the Cullen woods and went into La Push. Speaking telepathically to the wolf pack, several of the pack joined us and came along to see the little ghost boy for themselves. They heard about him from us, but stayed away so as not to frighten the little Lucas. Lucas was in his glory as the other members of the pack joined us and ran with along with us. Some of the pack actually took turns taking him for runs in different directions. They took him up to the cliffs where they dive off but none of them dare to jump off the cliff since we knew Dad, Dr. Cullen to the pack, did not like the idea of any of us jumping off the cliff. Neither did Billy Black to Sam's disdain. Sam loved the cliff diving but they rarely do it now. They especially would not jump with the little ghost boy since they did not want to face an upset Dr. Cullen and they knew Seth and I were not supposed to jump off the cliffs anymore since being adopted by the Cullen's. Dad has a lot of influence now over the pack being the doctor for all the wolves in the pack and he strongly suggested that the cliff diving needed to go by the wayside. Especially when Mom found out about it. We are totally banned, but the others sometimes do it but they make sure Dad doesn't find out. After a while of running with the pack, Seth and I knew it was time to get back. Lucas wasn't ready though and he voiced his opinion.
"No, come on Jake, one more round on our property," Lucas begged. I couldn't say no to him and shook my large wolf head 'yes' and we started off again.
Coming closer to home, we crossed over the highway being careful not to be seen and ran onto down the Cullen hunting grounds. Heading back toward the house just barely out of the hunting grounds, we stopped short and Lucas almost fell off my back. Both of us backed up. There, standing right in front of us in a brilliant white light, was the apparition of a man and a woman and they were beckoning to Lucas. Lucas jumped down and looked at them. They beckoned to him again. He shouted "NO!" and ran off into the woods towards home disappearing. The man and woman just stood there and looked after him.
Both Seth and I couldn't believe our eyes and we looked at each other and began backing up. We couldn't help it and we both looked back at the two figures. It was then we saw two more figures emerge from behind the two that beckoned to Lucas. I recognized the one woman as my mother and Seth recognized is father, Harry Clearwater. They both waved towards us. We wanted to turn and run, but were both so mesmerized at seeing our loved ones, not to mention the woman and man, we could't move. The woman figure noticed our parents and looked toward both me and Seth. She began approaching us, just floating above the ground. Seth and I, looking wide-eyed at each other and then at the ghostly being coming toward us, turned to run but as we turned, the specter was now standing right in front of us holding her hand out to us. Needless to say, we were both scared out of our wits. We both put our heads down and closed our eyes.
After a few seconds, I finally got enough nerve up and opened my eyes and looked right into the face of the woman ghost who was now face to face with me. I yelped and fell backwards. Seth opened his eyes and backed up quickly. Holding her hand out once again, she floated to right in front of us again. She put her hand over my head and seemed to draw energy from me. She took a deep breath and become more solid but was still transparent.
"That's better! Don't be afraid," she said to us. "I won't hurt you. You're Jake and you're Seth," she said looking first at me and then at Seth. Your mother, Jake, and your father, Seth, want you to know how proud they are of you and Leah. They want you to know they are happy you have a joined a loving family and they are happy that the Cullen's have adopted you. They said it is fine with them that you have the Cullen last name now and that they do not mind that you call them "Mom and Dad". They said to let go of that small doubt you carry with you every time you refer to them as 'mom and dad'. They want you to live your life and become their children. They will always be watching over you," the lady said to is.
Seth and I looked over to see my mother and Harry wave to us and they were both grinning at us. We both bowed our heads in acknowledging them and that we were happy with what they had told us through the ghost lady.
"I can read your minds and I will tell them you are glad that they gave you that message. They love you and want you to be happy. I don't have much time. I will try to come back, but you must find the grave," she said to us. She was beginning to fade away. Looking back at us one last time she said, "The grave is not in the cemetery." She was gone completely along with the others.
Seth and I looked toward each other and we both bounded off toward home. We ran as fast as our feet could carry us, howling and yelping all the way. As we approached our house, we saw ourparents and siblings come out to see what the problem was. We came hurdling down the hill toward our father at full speed.
Carlisle:
"Jake, Seth, stop, stop! You'll run us over. What's wrong?" I asked them.
Jake and Seth stopped and fell over one another. They both got up on their feet and shook themselves. They both started yammering in wolf speak and carrying on yelping and howling and growling and barking. Edward and Bella were at the cottage so I had no one to translate.
"Boys! Stop! Go phase back into human form and come back." I said to them.
They both looked at each other and gave each other a look as if to say, "why didn't we think of that" and ran off towards the woods to phase back. In minutes they were running towards us fully clothed. As they came up to us, Edward and Bella flashed to join us from the cottage.
"Oh now they show up," Emmett said gesturing to Edward. "Nice time Eddie!"
"Dad! We saw a white light and ghosts!" Seth shouted.
"What?" Ghosts! Where?" Emmett shouted grabbing onto me.
"Emmett! Let go of me," I said to my shaking son.
"Where's Lucas?" Esme asked.
"We don't know. He ran away when he saw the man and woman. They were beckoning him to come with them and he shouted no and ran off. We thought he came back here," Seth said.
"Where did you see these ghosts?" I asked.
"By your hunting grounds. Seems like they wanted Lucas to come and join them but he took off. Dad, I saw my mother and Seth saw Harry Clearwater," Jake said. His face was as white as a sheet.
"What? You saw dad?" Leah asked Seth.
"Yes, they waved at us and the lady ghost came over and said they were proud of us, including you, and that they were happy we were adopted by mom and dad and we now have the name "Cullen". They also said we should call them 'mom and dad' and not to feel guilty that we call them that. They said we should let go of that little doubt we've had since beginning to call them mom and dad," Seth explained.
"I wish I would have seen them," Leah said.
"It was spooky and great at the same time. The lady ghost floated over the ground," Jake explained.
"AAAHHHH! I hope I don't see that," Emmett said.
"Oh you chicken," Bella said to Emmett. "Dad, do you think that was Lucas' mom and dad?"
"I'm not sure. If his father did that to him, I'm surprised he would come to him or want to see him. Maybe it was some other relatives," I surmised.
"Oh, the lady said we should find the grave and it's not in the cemetery," Jake added.
"She must mean Lukie's grave. She must be his mother. Why would she want us to find it if it wasn't his mother," Jasper asked.
"Who knows, could just be someone looking out for him. Did she say who she was?" I asked.
"No, but she couldn't stay. She did tell us what our dad and Jake's mom wanted us to know," Seth said.
"Could be she was just a messenger," Bella suggested.
"Why do we need to find the grave?" Edward asked.
"I'm thinking if we find his grave, we will find his remains and maybe some answers to our questions about his death. This may help Lucas come to terms with what happened to him and move him on into the Light. We will talk about this later. For now, we will need to wait until he comes back," I said.
Later that evening:
We were all settled in the living room talking and rehashing what Jake and Seth had seen when Lucas came back into the living room. He drew energy from the wolf children and became solid. He scrambled over to Esme and I and we picked him up and he sat between us. The others were all watching.
"Are you okay, baby?" Esme asked.
"Yes Momma, why?" Lucas asked.
"You ran away from the lady and man in the light," Esme stated.
"I don't want to talk about it," Lucas said.
"Why not," I asked him. "Maybe you would feel better if you talked about it," I suggested.
"No, I'm fine now. I had fun with Jake and Seth and the pack came too. We went to the Push place and the cliff," Lucas said with excitement.
"What?" Esme asked looking over to Jake and Seth.
"The cliffs?" I said glaring now at my two boys who were wishing Lucas hadn't said that. "You better not have jumped off that cliff," I scolded them.
"No, we didn't jump off the cliff. The wolf pack said they didn't want to upset Dr. Cullen. That's you daddy," Lucas said.
"You heard them?" Jake asked.
"Yeah, I understood all of you when you were talking as wolves," Lucas said.
"He must be able to understand them being a gho…uh…you know," Bella caught herself.
"That's interesting," Alice said. "How come I can't see the other ones who came or have a vision of them," Alice asked.
"Must have something to do with being vampires and the wolves keeping you from having your visions," Bella said.
The rest of the evening went well. We didn't bring anything up about looking for the grave because it seems to upset him. Whatever has happened, it was traumatic and Lucas has trouble facing and dealing with it. This poor little boy has been through so much. I hope we can help him. This innocent little boy whose voice was silenced, has so much to say…
To be continued…
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