I do not own Twilight

Bella's POV

"Whoa! What just happened?! Mom looked so scared."

"It's so funny...I always feel so natural talking to my mother and her calling me Bella. I really do prefer that to Isabella. I'm going to get some answers, and I'm going to get them today. Maybe her parents will talk to me."

--

"Gran! Hi! How are you? I am glad we finally have gotten to have an unchaperoned visit by my father or his parents. I always feel like I have to be on my toes all the time with them!"

"Oh, my Isabella!"

"Gran, please call me Bella...at least when we are alone. Grandfather really doesn't like it, but if we keep this between us, I think we will be OK." I said with an evil grin.

My Gran gave me a warning look and said, "You need to be cautious my dear. Secrets are the first step to deception. Deception has destroyed more lives than I can count. But, I guess I can live with just this one little secret." I saw a twinkle in her eye when she said that. She looked so much like Renee it was spooky!

"Speaking of secrets...Gran, I feel like Father is keeping something important about my life from me. I was talking to Mom and she told me that the real reason for the divorse had nothing to do with her hate of Forks, but...she heard someone listening in on us."

"You're telling me that someone is monitoring your private conversations? That's horrible! You know how I feel about secrets, but invading one's privacy. That's crossing a line. We are an open race, but conversations between one's parents, or grandparents should have some...oh no!" She suddenly grew silent.

"What is it? Tell me. Please!" I begged.

She closed her eyes and sighed and then looked me in the eye. "Sweety, you know that your mother is a little different, even among our kind...I wouldn't be surprised if your conversations with her aren't always monitored. Your best bet is to have conversations with her that you are comfortable with the whole world hearing. There is always...never mind. They will never go for that!"

"You mean there is another way I can communicate with my mother? How?! Tell me!" I begged her grabbing her hands.

"Your father wont approve, especially since you two just got reunited."

"Gran, come on! I have just as much of a right to have a relationship with my mom as with Charlie!" My eyes bugged out. Why did I just call him Charlie. "I mean dad...uh...Father!"

Gran gave a sly smile and said, "No, I can't tell you. I'm in enough trouble with the counsel as it is."

"What trouble? What could they possibly want with you?" I was shocked. Oh no...I bet it has something to do with me!

"Never you mind! I can more than take care of myself. Don't you go thinking it has something to do with you. The apple doesn't fall far from the tree...isn't that one of your land expressions?"

I was confused, "I really wouldn't know Gran, I hardly remember anything from my life above the sea. My father wont tell me anything. I have asked and asked, but he always tells me he can't 'for my own good'. It's just so frustrating I just want to SCREAM!!"

"You know that I know little to nothing about your above sea life. Well, at least the last year and a half of it. All I know about that time you spent in Forks was your life was almost cut short due to some accident you had trying to find your boyfriend in Phoenix of all places!"

"You know about my boyfriend? So, then was my relationship with him...serious?"

Gran smiled and said, "Your mother said that you admitted to liking him very much, but she knew that it was much more serious for you. She also told me that he was very handsome and that he wouldn't leave you side for more than a moment or two. She caught him sleeping in your room all the time although she was nearly positive he was faking it. He looked exhausted and malnourished to her. He had dark rings under his eyes and was sickly pale."

"THAT'S EDWARD!! Gran...tell me more of what you know about him. Please!" I begged.

"Well, to tell you the truth, I remember hearing about you two having some sort of falling out of sorts. Your mother was very concerned, but then you snapped out of it. She was sure that you had a new boyfriend. A boy from the neighboring reservation. You were hardly ever home in the end. She told me that you had lots of dreams of...um...forget it."

"She saw my dreams?!" I was so embarrassed!

"Well dear, you see, not all sirens have that power. Just those who are descendants of the old one and even then, not all are. It seems to pass on to just the female descendants and even with those, very few. The old one is revered by all, but is a recluse of sorts. Her name is Layla. She was a ground dweller until she was a teen and was seduced by Sebastian the Great. He turned her into one of our kind and has happily lived here with him ever since. He was our king for many years, before he decided to live his life out with Layla in the forbidden waters. The waters aren't dangerous, but are off limits to all. It is said to be the most beautiful part of all the waters. They have enchanted the border of it to have all those who seek it to become confused and return home. Wondering why they ever left in the first place. They were ingenious. You should be able to see them at the concert."

"They will be at the concert? Really? I must talk with them!"

"It's quite difficult to approach them. They have to invite you to speak with them. Not the other way around."

So, I have to get them to invite me to talk to them do I? "Oh...so Mom was peeking in my dreams!?"

"Yes, but you have to remember...our kind live practically forever. Our relationship with our young is quite unconventional in regards to the above ground community. We treat our young as equals almost from the time of birth. We have old souls and are mature much earlier than land dwellers. We don't need the same coddling as they do. When you went to live with your father, it was very hard on Renee. Yes, she was very happy with Phil, but she liked to check on you that Charlie wouldn't push you into returning to the sea too soon. She was quite upset that you choose to return so early in your life. She wanted you to enjoy the freedom of being a human longer. It's something that Renee loves and is surprised you didn't have that same joy."

"Oh...OK, I'm confused. If I chose to leave land, why all the secrets?" My eyebrows were bunched up together so much I was starting to get a headache.

"I don't know why dear. That's something you're going to have to find out for yourself." she said with a sympathetic smile.

"Gran...there's something that I can't find out for myself. Will you tell me why my parents divorced." my eyes were willing her to tell me what my mother was interrupted from telling me and what my father hid from me.

"Your father hid it from you?!"

"HEY! You're not suppose to be able to read my guarded thoughts!"

"I'm sorry dear, it was your face that deceived you that time. Not your thoughts! I'll tell you. However, you're going to have to go harvest some kelp with me while I do so. I'm getting hungry and your Gramps is going to be very put out if he has to wait for his supper."

Jacob's POV

Sarah wouldn't talk to me during the rest of the day. I tried to walk with her from class to class. At last, we were in our last class and I tried to talk to her during American History. She just had this menacing look she threw at me. I was kind of scared.

Mr. Runningbear rolled his eyes as he taught us of how America was "discovered". That's always been kind of a sore subject with Natives. He would say, "Look, we know the truth thanks in part of our legends that are passed down from generation to generation, but we need to learn the white mans idea of history. We need to know it enough to pass the year-end tests and when we make our way in the outside world we won't be 'ignorant' to their way of thinking. With that in mind, we will be having a bonfire tonight. Please don't make me impose a new rule that bonfires are to be held only on weekends because my class was sleepy!" The bell rang and he actually looked surprised. "Sit! No one leaves yet! Read Chapter 12 when you get home from school today! I might be giving a 'pop quiz' on that tomorrow! Oh, and Jacob...I need you to stay for a few moment. I need to talk to you about something."

'Damn, I wanted to talk to Sarah. I bet she's going to try to hitch a ride with that ridiculous Chad just to make me even more upset!'

"Jake? Are you OK? Do you have sugar problems? I think I have some candy in my desk!" He started to frantically search his desk for candy.

"Oh...no, no! Yeah, my dad has diabetes, not me though." Crap...I must have started to shake thinking of that creep! "I was thinking of something upsetting and that happens sometimes." WHAT! Why did I just tell him the...truth! That was weird!

"Ha ha ha ha! Oh Jake, you can now close your gaping jaw and put your eyes back in their sockets." He continued to laugh at me. "I don't know why, but I have been told by many that I'm impossible to lie to. I'm very fortunate. I'm probably the only teacher in the world that can't be lied to. Well, mostly fortunate. It's pretty uncomfortable when an under aged girl tells me she is in love with me." I can't believe that he is telling me all of this. "But we are going to need to keep that temper of yours under control if you are going to be shaking like that whenever you get upset!"

"Sure, sure...um, why...what do you want from me?" I asked confused.

"Look, as you know I'm one of the 'elders' of the Tribe. Yeah, I know it's a little unconventional since I'm only 26. It's my lineage that pushed me up on the totem pole." He chuckled, "Anyway, I'm glad you have elected to take my history class. I saw from your transcripts that you came from a school that was strictly of your tribe. We have a unique situation. We don't have enough youth from our tribe to fill a school, but they let us have our own special classes, history being one of them. The bonfire tonight will probably clear things up a bit for you. The legend that we will speak of tonight will be of the Thunder god and our connection to him. I understand that your tribe has a certain closeness to wolves."

I was shocked to say the least. Of course he would know...he was an elder. I'm sure all the elders must know. That is something I never really thought about.

"We would like to invite you to share your legend with us as well. We have some legends on cold ones, but we didn't know that there was a connection with the wolf and the cold ones. Of course, we will share ours first, if that is OK with you."

"Sure, sure. I can share our 'legend' with you. I'm honored that you are inviting me. I have had questions of this Thunder god. I noticed that Sarah believes the legend with her whole heart. Can you tell me anything about it before the bonfire."

"Jacob, I know your interest in my niece...yes, she is my niece. You have to understand. Our people take our legends very seriously. They are more than stories to us. They have shaped us into what we are today. We are a proud people. We aren't ones to take help from outsiders easily. There is a reason that we accepted you so readily. I think that by tonight you may understand a little more...but that is all I'm going to tell you at this time. Now, you go and catch up to Sarah before that Chuck, or whatever pale face makes a move on her."

"You don't have to tell me twice!" With that, I ran as fast as I could without phasing to my Sarah. I could swear I could hear Mr. Runningbear laughing in the distance.

Edward's POV

I heard Renee jump up and open the window. Oh crap! Did she hear me? Was it me that she was talking about? She had a rifle like thing in her hand.

"Hello? Is there someone out there? I have a harpoon gun and I'm not afraid to use it!" She searched the grounds around me. I was sure that she wouldn't see me.

Alice was suddenly near me and she let out a giggle. Renee shot the harpoon at me! It made a "chink" noise as it hit my chest.

'Edward! Oh I am so sorry that I laughed out loud. I couldn't help but laugh when I saw that coming' she said to my mind as she continued to stiffle her giggles.

I could hear Renee just about hyperventelating and her heart pounding in her chest. "Oh no. I killed...I'm a murderer." she dropped her harpoon. "They're gasping for their last breaths." She was sobbing. She confused Alice's held back laughter as a death rattle. That made both of us laugh.

"Who's there! What kind of sick joke are you playing with me?!" She was very angry.

"Renee, it's me...Alice. Bella's best friend. I'm with Edward. We aren't trying to play any sick joke. I'm sorry that we laughed. We have a lot of explaining to do."

"Alice? I...did I hurt either of you?" She sounded embarrassed and concerned at the same time.

"Um, you got really close, but Edward got really lucky. You could almost say that he is indestructible." With that, she grabbed the tip of the harpoon and ripped an exit through my shirt to make it look like it missed me but not my clothes. "The shock and then relief that he was OK caused us to laugh...even if it was inappropriate. See!" She pulled me out of the bushes and my shirt was threaded with the harpoon. I must have admitted, I looked extremely ridiculous.

"Oh no! Edward. Are you sure you're not hurt?" Her eyes scanned for any sign of blood and then she blew out a breath in relief and started to laugh herself. "Now, why are you two hiding in my bushes?"