I don't own anything in the twilight universe. I only wish I did.
If At First You Don't Succeed
It was a relief when Quil passed out. He was so nervous, and not just because of the flight. She still didn't really understand all of this imprinting stuff. But something in her heart told her to trust him. He seemed so sincere. She just knew that he would move heaven and earth to make her little girl safe. Heather expected Quil to wake up right away. When he didn't she became concerned. Several times she leaned over and reached for his arm. One little shake and he would have opened his eyes. But there was something, something that stopped her. Then he began to twitch. His eyes moved rapidly behind his eye lids. She thought it must have been some dream he was having.
Then he breathed her name. And then she knew. He was talking to her. To Claire. Heather couldn't keep up with the whole conversation Emily and Sam had , but she knew that he could communicate with Claire in his dreams. Suddenly she was excited. This was finally going to end. She wasn't even mad at Ted. He thought he was protecting Claire. If he would just come home. They could work it out. She just knew they could. Quil became more vocal in his dream. Heather started having doubts whether he was having a dream or a nightmare. The flight attendant stopped by their seat to see if she could do anything. Heather assured her everything was ok. She feared what would happen if he were to awaken too soon. The flight attendant smiled uncertainly and moved down the aisle.
The announcement was made that the plane was going to land and that everyone needed to take their seats, and still he slept. The plane landed, and still he slept. People began to disembark. The flight attendant was now on the impatient side. After sending everyone off she turned toward the seats, her smile false and condescending. Heather waited as long as she could, then tapped him on the shoulder and said, "We're here! Now let's go get my baby girl."
As he opened his eyes he inhaled as if he were held under water for a long time. Quil continued to gasp for air as his eyes filled with unshed tear. The flight attendant's concern was now genuine. Fearing he was having some kind attack, she asked if he needed medical assistance. Quil looked around, getting his bearings, and although he still couldn't speak, he shook his head vigorously. Heather quickly assured the girl that he just needed a minute to catch his breath. She wanted to ask Quil what was the matter, but the flight attendant, whose badge said Carole, was hovering over their seats, agitation making her rock back and forth, on her heels. Heather wished she would just leave them alone. Quil cleared his throat and made to stand up. Heather grabbed his arm to stop him, "What happened?"
Quil just shook his head and headed toward the exit. Once into the terminal, Quil let her know that Ted started out again. Heather stared at him in disbelief, " But how could he know that we were coming?" Quil had no answer for that. Panic rode up in his throat. He did not tell her about the vampire that had an unusual interest in her little girl and who was currently following her. No need to make her hysterical also. Heather's first reaction was denial. She refused to believe that they had gone. Quil remained silent . Her voice took on a shrill tone when failed to rise to her baited questions. They hailed a cab, and after Heather gave the man the address, Quil leaned back into the torn upholstery seat and closed his eyes.
He tried to will himself to sleep, but the cab's weaving pattern through traffic, and Heather's constant prattle, made it impossible. All he wanted to do was go home. There was something there. It was on the tip of his tongue. He just couldn't place it. Something Claire had told him before. All this time she had been telling him things. Things about the future, and here he was thinking it was a five year old's make believe. Micah, what did he have in mind, when it came to Claire? Was it revenge for him killing the other vampire, what was her name? Oh yeah, Adell. He didn't seem too attached to her in the clearing. Was he still stalking her for the Volturi? What role did they have in this anyway? Quil rubbed his forehead. All this speculation and worry was giving him a migraine.
Finally they pulled into the driveway, Heather squealing with triumph in the backseat, when she saw Ted's parked car. She didn't wait for the cab to come to a complete stop, but opened the door and jumped out. The cabbie grabbed Quil's arm in fear that he would abandon the cab without paying the fair as well. Quil emptied his pocket and it took all his change to scrape together the fee. The driver scowled at the twenty-five cent tip he tried to give him. Quil got their carry on bag filled with Claire's toys and one Mr. Binks, the bear. The cab pealed out of the drive way before Quil had the door properly closed. Heather had made her way to the front door and was pounding on the window pane, when she had gotten no response from the door bell.
Just as Quil got to the porch, the door opened and a sullen, middle aged woman, who had a striking resemblance to Ted, peeked through the gap made by the chain lock. "What do you want? How dare you bring that pervert to my house? I knew you were just a two bit slut." Jackie fired out the wise cracks with malicious pleasure. Years of pent up hatred spilling from her cracked lips. For a moment, Heather was taken by surprise at the bombardment. Then her mothering instinct kicked into high gear.
" You get Ted out here now! I want my baby, and I am taking her back home, with or without him. If he wants to stay here then good riddance. You two deserve each other. Too bad incest is illegal, because you've had the hots for your brother since I've known you!" By the end of the speech, she was screaming at the top of her lungs.
Jackie took a step back into the shadows behind her door. But Quil could clearly see, in the dim light, that no one was in there with her. Still he did not interrupt the heated conversation, merely put a calming hand on her shoulder for support. Heather was shaking from anger and the jester caused her to take a shaky breath. Jackie looked at Quil's hand and gave them a lecherous look. Quil released Heather and stared Jackie down. After a long moment Jackie averted her gaze and practically spat out, " Ted and Claire are not here. He took that baby someplace safe. You will never find them. So why don't you two lovebirds go find some motel and get off my property before I call the cops on you."
Just then a cool breeze blew past. Quil's nose burned with the sickly sweet fragrance that the blood suckers reeked of . It felt like his gut took a direct hit. He forced himself from doubling over. Oblivious, Heather pushed the door and yanked the chain, trying to get in, screaming, " Claire mommy's here! Come here honey. I'm going to take you home. Ted get your lousy ass out here now!" Tears filled Heather's shouts. Quil stepped off of the porch searching the early evening shadows, but finding nothing. The scent was hours old. He must be following the car. What car? Not Ted's apparently. On closer inspection he noticed the flat tire.
Numbness seeping into his steps, he climbed the steps and started to pull Heather away from the door. Heather tried to push him away and said, " But my baby's in there. They won't give me my baby back." Quil held her and whispered, " Claire's not here. I can tell. Her scent is not fresh. They must have taken a different car. Come on we need to get back. I have a new lead that will help find Claire and bring her home." Heather paused not wanting to believe that they had reached another dead end. This could not be happening. But the look of dreaded certainty poured from Quil's eyes. Heather collapsed with defeat into his outstretched arms, sobs shaking her body again. With a soft chuckle, Jackie closed her door and turned off her porch light.
The plane ride was filled with silence. Both lost in their dark thoughts. Twice, the flight attendant Vickie asked if they needed anything but neither acknowledged her existence. They must be on their way to a funeral, she thought. They were obviously were in mourning. She looked at them with pity. After that she concentrated on the other passengers. Quil's mind raced, full of thoughts he was afraid to share with Claire's mother. Heather looked like a woman on the edge. And all it would take is a soft push to send her completely over. So his thoughts raced in silence. If he believed he could sleep, he would have tried but his body was a jumbled twisted mess. It would be nice to talk to Claire again. Maybe she could give him the answers that he needed. He didn't care if it didn't work before, once he was off the plane he was headed to the Cullens'. Alice had to find her. Claire said that Alice would know. It was all Quil had to hold on to. And he was holding on for life. Claire's life. First thing off of the plane, he was going to call Jake and give the pack the heads up. Maybe he should just morph and send it to all of the pack at the same time. Going wolf had its advantages.
After, what seemed an eternity, the plane landed. With a jolt Heather came to and collected the carry on bag. Silently, Quil followed her out into the terminal. Inside , he was screaming. Why was it taking so long to get through the airport? All he wanted to do was morph and get the hell out of there. The people around him totally unaware that he was in crisis and blocked his way. When they reached the parking lot he was at the end of his patience. He stopped at the passenger door and looked her in the eye and said, "Go back to Emily's. I'm going to the Cullen's house. They have ways of finding people. They are our best hope now. Heather looked at him confused, " But how will you get there. It's almost an hour by car." Quil's face broke out in a rare smile. I can make it in less than ten minutes by foot. Wolves have some advantages."
She looked at him doubtfully, but slowly got into the car. Quil walked to the driver's side as Heather rolled down her window. " I believe in you. You hold my daughter's life in your hands," She lifted one of his hands to her cheek. I trust these hands." Then she started the engine and took off out of the parking lot. Quil's heart picked up speed as he thought about all the responsibility that was being heaped on his shoulders. He was only nineteen and his future and that of his imprint depended on figuring out the riddles that Claire gave him. For he truly believed that if he could figure them out he would find Claire. And God help anyone that got in his way. Searching the lot and finding it temporarily empty, he stripped behind a parked van and morphed. With lightening speed he raced into the gathering darkness and mentally caught everyone up except Jake. No surprise that he was at the Cullen's already.
Quil couldn't blame him. It was not only lonely but painful to be away from your imprint for long lengths of time. He ached by her absence. Sam told him that he would relay the message to Jacob and to expect him to come as soon as possible. In less time it took to disembark the plane, Quil had made it to the outskirts of Forks. He kept to the trees. His gallop brought up short, at the break of light, coming from the wall of glass, that made the Cullen home. The putrid smell made an invisible wall that was difficult to cross. Although Jake, Seth and a few others of the pack ventured over here frequently, Quil never had the stomach for it. Instinct tried to take over his body and make a hasty retreat. It was always more difficult in wolf form. Quil forced back a shiver and shifted against the natural instinct of self preservation. Yet even in human form he was loathe to broach the invisible barrier that contained their unnatural world. A world that Jake seemed to make a part of his own. Imprinting was a miracle indeed. Quil changed and still stood at that barrier. He could hear Emmett's booming laugh, and Bella's angry retort. Apparently she was the butt of his latest attempt at humor. Edward was taking her defense, but Quil could detect a hint of laughter in his blistering tone. And there was Jacob, who seemed to be coaxing the shy love of his life, to sing him a song. He heard footsteps and then Edward whispering to Jacob, " I think you need to get your friend out there. He seems rather uncomfortable in our surroundings. It looks like he needs a personal invitation."
Jacob's bare feet made a heavy pounding sound as he ran to the door, spilling light on to the porch steps as he bounded for Quil's side. Jake gave him an awkward hug and asked how he was. Quil just looked at him and shrugged. Friends didn't always need words to understand. And Jacob knew more than anyone how he felt. " Come on Quil, come inside and see what Alice can do. With more info on the Volturi, the more she can see in her visions.
Just as they turned toward the house, they were met with most beautiful sound. It was more than a voice. It was music in its purest sense. It floated through the air. As light as a summer breeze and full of color and variation. Almost as if a choir were singing instead of one person. And the images it created. Quil was mesmerized by the melody. This is what they were talking about in the stories of the sirens that led sailors off course by their siren's song. The song was filled with hope and love. Just the melody raised Quil's spirits, giving him a sense of peace he hadn't felt in a long time. With tears threatening to spill from his eyes, he turned to Jake to see his face mirrored there. Both took in a shaky breath that ended in lighthearted chuckles. "Come in and see my lady love.
THE PACE WILL GET FASTER. IF I HAVEN'T LOST YOU ALREADY, HOLD ON! IF I HAVE , A BUS SHOULD BE BY SOON. THANKS FOR READING. COMMENTS ARE WLCOME, DIRECTION TOO.
