Author's Note: I want to thank you for your patience. I know I've been lacking in updates but sometimes reality gets in the way. In my case I was nearing the final end of summer school which consisted of a 15 page paper plus another 8 page paper, I went on vacation for a couple days, and to top it off I had my wisdom teeth pulled so I've been in lots of pain which is to be expected.

Still I hope you all stick with me. It definately is an interesting story and continues to be so, sometimes even interesting in ways I myself did not expect. I needed a sort of bridge to bring certain storylines together and from so from the beginning that bridge has been new characters which you will be witness to in the upcoming chapters. I hope you enjoy it! I won't leave you hanging though with these new characters. At the end of the story I plan to include character profiles which I all ready have written.


Ch. 9- Charlie's Choice


"I'm sorry, you must have the wrong Charlie Swan," Charlie said to the other person on the receiver. "I don't have a niece."

"Yes Sheriff you do," said Trent Thomas. "Your brother Spenser Swan had a daughter sixteen years ago."

"Then you're wrong again," said Charlie, "because I don't have a brother."

"Charlie Swan," Trent began by memory. "Name: Charlie Swan, born in 1964 in Forks, Washing to a Helen and George Swan. You grew up in Forks as an only child to raise your elderly parents and went to the police academy. Have three best friends, Billy Black, Harry Clearwater, and Quil Atera III who is deceased."

"So," said Charlie, "You could have gotten that information from anywhere."

"I certainly could have but what information was not in any official reports was that your mother had a second son, your fraternal twin brother who they named Spenser, born 15 minutes after you. It was said that Spenser died shortly after he was born."

"What are you trying to tell me?" Charlie said sounding concerned as he started to believe Trent's story.

"What I'm telling you Sheriff is that the hospital made a mix up. Your bother was in fact alive. He was given to another couple," Trent didn't say that he had been the mortician to take Spenser away.

"Even if what you saying is true, why should I believe any of it?"

Before Trent answered there was a knock on the door.

"That would be the post master," said Trent. "In a minute you'll see I'm being nothing but honest."

Charlie placed the phone down and went to the door to sign for the package. As he opened it he found several photo albums. Though Charlie didn't know Spenser it was hard not to see the resemblance. Spenser had taken on more of his father's rugged looks while Charlie had gotten his mother's softer ones. He flipped through them until they stopped when Spenser was a teenager. There was only one other picture and it was of a young Spenser holding a baby girl with a woman who share the same looks as those on the Quileute Reservation. There were also pictures of Spence growing up.

He picked up the receiver, "I'm listening, what do you want from me?"

"Spenser is dead Charlie. When Ava died from childbirth he couldn't take it so he took his own life. Since then your niece was raised by Ava's adoptive parents but they died a couple days ago."

Charlie knew where this was going and he wasn't sure if he liked it.

"Why are you telling me all this?"

"Because you're the only family that Spencer has Charlie, that's her name too: Spencer Swan Two Arrows. Ava wanted to name their child after its father regardless if it was a boy or girl."

"Then why can't you take her? I mean you know all this so you must be a really close friend right?"

"Spence is better off without me. My life is nomadic and after everything Spence has been through I just think it would be best if she was around a more permanent family base, biologically that is."

Charlie scratched his head, "I don't know about this. I mean seriously, what do I know about kids?"

"Something tells me a lot more than you realize. Please Charlie; are you really going to abandon another family member who needs you?"

Charlie sucked in some air. How did Trent know about abandoning family?

Trent ignored it. "When your brother found out the truth about whom he was he often told me how he longed to go back but that wasn't his path in life. He made me promise that whatever was to happen it would be my job to contact you. I know he didn't know you and you didn't know him but sometimes even blood is thicker than venom."

Charlie thought Trent meant 'blood is thicker than water'. He scratched his head again.

"Just um, give me a few days okay? This is a lot to process."

"Certainly Sheriff but I hope you'll think if it quickly."

"Yeah sure," Charlie said hanging up.


"Where's Jacob," Charlie said looking around Billy's small red home.

"With the boys," Billy replied meaning Quil and Embry. "They're inseparable these days."

"That's great."

"What's on your mind Sheriff," said Billy.

Charlie sat across the table from Billy. "Am I that obvious?"

"Always have been."

"I have a niece. Her name is Spencer Swan Two Arrows"

Billy looked up and nodded, "Spenser; the second child from your parents."

"Yup."

"I always told you there was a piece missing from your family Charlie."

"And here I was just chalking it up to your Quileute superstitions."

"Never take anything at face value, that's always been your issue. You need facts, not belief. So what else is going on?"

"Trent wants me to take her in. Spenser is dead and so is her mom and grandparents. She doesn't have anyone else."

"Then you're going to take her in."

"What makes you think that," Charlie said sounding skeptical.

"Because I know you Charlie and I know that ever since Renee came to you sixteen years ago you've regretted the fact that she gave up your child for adoption but you've never had the guts to go find your son or daughter. But now the Great Spirit has given you a gift to take in the child that stemmed from your brother. You'll do right by her."

"And what if I can't? What if I screw it up?"

"That's the joy about parenting Charlie, we all screw up one time or another."

Charlie couldn't help but laugh at that. He was grateful to his friend both for his wisdom and making the situation a bit lighter.


Spencer Two Arrows sat in the passenger side of Charlie's police cruiser. She hated that she was being driven around in a cop car. At least Charlie hadn't placed her in the backseat. She thought back to her time before.

"You got everything," Trent had asked.

Spence nodded. Trent was basically a grandfather to her, her biological father sharing his venom. She wanted to hate her grandfather for doing this, for sending her to some family she didn't even know. Shay Hubert Thomas, Trent's mate, had said her goodbyes a day ago so now it was only the two of them at the airport in Cheyenne, Wyoming.

"You know I love you right?" Trent asked.

"If you did, why are you sending me away?"

"You know the kind of life I live Spence. It wouldn't be good for you."

Spence looked at Trent. "Is that really it or do you just want to get rid of the dog smell?"

That stopped Trent in his tracks, literally. Though Trent and Shay had always been happy that their son had found a mate, it bothered them when it was discovered that Spenser's mate had magic in her blood, something Trent could smell easily having smelled it before.

Spence shook her head, "Yeah that's what I thought."

Trent changed the subject slightly, "I just think it would be better if you were with your own kind that's all, with family."

"I have no family," Spence replied. She grabbed her bag and began making her way to the terminal, "See you around pops, or not."

They finally drove up to a white house near the woods. Spence was grateful to get out of the car. Charlie popped open the trunk of the car. In it were two navy blue bags and two brown worn trunks. Spence took the trunks as if they weighed nothing.

She noticed the look Charlie gave her. She shrugged, "I do work out as strange as that may sound coming from a girl."

"Guess they raise them big on the Res. you come from."

Spence shrugged and followed Charlie inside. He took her upstairs and to a guest bedroom. There were the basic needs of shelf space a dresser, a desk, and a bed. The paint in the room smelled fresh but it was dry. The color was a light ocean green. Blue tinted curtains lined the windows. On the bed was a blue and black checkerboard bedspread. There was also a nicely nit red quilt. Clearly something one would find on a reservation.

"I hope the colors are okay," said Charlie. "I saw the pictures of your dad and he always seemed to be drawn to a lot of blue."

"Sure those work."

Charlie placed his hands on his hips and nodded. "Okay then, I guess I'll leave you to it then."

Spence watched as Charlie left what was now her room. With him gone she went to one of the old trunks and opened it. In it was an adult sized bow and arrow set that her adoptive grandparents had given her. Spence wondered if Charlie would have a problem with it. Maybe she could set up some targets in the woods near the house. She couldn't help but wonder what her life would be like now. Her life had been one of turmoil and confusion and now even more so.

Before she could think anymore of it, she heard the sounds of a truck pull into the driveway. She peered out the window and watched as Charlie went outside to greet some people.


Spence sighed and made her way downstairs and out to the front. The sight was of Charlie with two people, clearly from the Res. that she had read about. The two stood near a red truck and inside the flatbed was an old black motorcycle newly painted.

"So you must be Spencer," Billy said reaching out his hand.

Spence shook his hand and Billy looked at her knowingly as if the two shared a common secret. She pulled her hand back, afraid to think of what that was.

"Your uncle here wouldn't stop shutting up about you." Billy turned to the boy next to him.

"Hi," Jacob said sticking out his hand, "I'm Jacob."

Spencer again shook the newcomer's hand. "Spence," she said pulling back.

Unlike his father, Jacob seemed to be oblivious.

Charlie walked over to the back of the truck. "So," Charlie said tapping the bike. "What do you think? Jacob's a good mechanic. They had these bikes lying around their property. And Trent said you liked to ride so…"

Spencer's eyes widened. "The bike is mine, you're serious?"

"Sure am. Personally I'm not a fan of motorcycles but in a lot of those pictures your handler sent your dad seemed to be as did you so I figured what the heck. Just promise me you'll wear a helmet. I would really hate to screw this up on our first day."

Spence smiled her first smile since being in Forks. "Promise, thanks Charlie."

"Hey Jake," Charlie said, "Why don't you give me a hand with this thing?"

With the two of them at the truck Billy looked up at Spence like she was some kind of curiosity.

"So who did you say your mother was," Billy asked.

Spence placed her hands in her jeans. "I didn't."

Billy just nodded. He had grown up on the Quileute legends, had known the signs and shaking Spencer's hand only confirmed what he all ready knew. It was certain, the time would come. He would consult with the elders and with Sam Uley. They were ready, what they weren't prepared for was that a girl would soon join their tribe.