As always, I want to thank Stephenie Meyer for dreaming up Twilight, and for putting up with all her fans, like me, who like a good twist on a dream. All characters are lovingly borrowed for entertainment purposes only, as well as all quotes and chapter titles, which are or based off of famous works and quotes. (The new groups: Anica and her family and Embry's new friends are mine, and I'm quite proud of them, and how I've wound them into the Twilight universe.) Thanks to for the quotes on family…
This is what happens when you don't plan out your stories in advance, and the turning points drive you nuts. This chapter went through several major incarnations, and again, I didn't get to the entire story point! Thanks for staying with me. Also, I put up a poll on my profile after I posted chapter 10 since I kept getting different opinions about what's going to happen with Embry and Leah, and it's fascinating to me, so please go vote!
Doing Good
"In the waythis strange gentleman was going on, he would leave the world without having done any good to himself or anybody else." -Around the World in 80 Days, by Jules Verne.
Chapter 11- Open Arms
Family faces are magic mirrors. Looking at people who belong to us, we see the past, present, and future. -Gail Lumet Buckley
What greater thing is there for human souls than to feel that they are joined for life - to be with each other in silent unspeakable memories? -George Eliot
Call it a clan, call it a network, call it a tribe, call it a family. Whatever you call it, whoever you are, you need one. -Jane Howard
Blood's thicker than water, and when one's in trouble, best to seek out a relative's open arms. -Author Unknown
POV: Embry
Place: Who knows? Some shore line in the south of the Netherlands, on the west coast, away from humans...
Time: Noon, Amsterdam time, still day 12
I was starving and pissed off, and now I had to explain to my best friend that I had suddenly slept with and fallen for our pack's only female while still maintaining a shred of manliness, dignity, and respect. The sex part was understandable, even to Quil. He knew how many times a naked Leah would pop up in our minds when she was unaware… my mind immediately remembered…oh cut it out Embry. I must have turned masochistic. No- I thought it was pretty much that I had finally had my eyes opened to love and then yanked out of their sockets by the same girl. I still couldn't see how I'd even fallen so fast, even knowing who Leah was. It must have been there in some form before, and I was being a dumb ass. That sounded more like it. I'd just pick up the phone and call him. My emotions were turning me into a girl. This was Quil, and since Leah had called Sam and Seth, it'd suck big time for Quil not to know.
Ring, Ring
"Hello?" A deep voice answered. Perfect, just what I needed right now. I masked my emotion. "Hello, Mr. Ateara? It's Embry" Ever since I had phased, I had stayed as far from any of my potential fathers as I could. I wasn't ready to deal with it. Thankfully, the two men who were around, Quil and Jacob's fathers, seemed to understand. I had very few memories of Sam's dad. It still stunned me that one of those men was my father too, and no one had bothered to say anything. I concentrated on the positive. There was a good Wolf-brother out there who really was my half-brother. We only wished we knew who. Quil's dad answered me.
"Embry! It's good to hear from you."
I fought my grimace, even though he couldn't see it. "Is Quil there?"
"Sure Embry, I'll get him- Quil!" Mr. Ateara didn't yell very loud and I couldn't hear Quil come to the phone. "It's Embry," he finished.
Finally I heard the comforting voice. "Hey Embry, nice of you to remember your other best friend. Sup man? How's the partying? Please tell me those women you're with are hot, and single- you deserve it."
"Thanks Quil, but you know, I don't think it would matter much, really."
Quil stopped joking for once. "What do you mean? What's wrong?"
I got right to the point. "I think I'm in love with Leah."
"Wait-but she went to France! Is that why you two stopped traveling together? She doesn't feel the same? Wow, I'm sorry. That would have been great if you two could have worked out. I'm assuming something happened…Shit- this meeting's going to be awkward then."
"Exactly. She was worried she still wouldn't know why she transformed if the whole point of her life was to be with me. Of course that's not what quite what she said initially. It got ugly fast. "
"Ouch. I see her point, kind of, but that still screws you over though," he said.
"Tell me about it," I huffed, just as I would in wolf-form. "Well, Leah told Seth and Sam, so we agreed you needed the truth too. Jake was there for part of it."
"You agreed? So you're talking to her?" Quil asked.
"Sort of- planning, mostly, that kind of thing," I scowled, continuing, "We promise to control our thoughts the best we can."
"I don't envy you there; there are a few positives to having a toddler imprint. I understand. Thanks for letting me know though."
Only one word had stuck with me. "If only I had imprinted on her," I whispered.
"She's out there Embry- you'll find her. I don't think it's rare, really, there are just a lot of options when you don't die."
I tried to let him console me. I wasn't really fooled. "Yeah, maybe. Talk to ya later."
"Stay strong," Quil responded. He hung up the phone and I hung up mine. If Mr. Ateara was my father- then I really had a great-half brother. I looked around for some place I could wait and hide as to not scare any beach goers when they find a wolf near the shore. Not that I would expect to cross any on a late September day in the Netherlands. I kept searching until I found this cave –like opening off the shore. It was good enough, so I stalked over to wait till the meeting. Before I got there though, I heard a faint scream, followed by two angry snarls, way off in the distance. The sources of those screams would change my life forever. I never did make that pack meeting.
*****
POV: Leah
Time: Right at the end of chapter 10- keep going! (About 11:30am, by now, still day 12)
Place: Drawing room, Emil's Vineyard
I started at Eveline's question. It took me a long moment to even react.
"Wrong?"
She continued to watch my flustering, waiting. She took pity on me.
"My vision of you is becoming even clearer. I can lead you to a remote cave I know of in the mountains. You need to be there at about 16:00 hours? Oh forgive me, 4pm? Am I right? I sense it's almost 5 hours away."
"Yes. Can you see…?" I hesitated, "what I'm wearing?"
"A slip dress that once belonged to my grandmother I believe, very loose. I see you walking into the cave. That is all."
I exhaled. So the shape-shifter part wasn't given away, as of yet. I could want to be alone on a mountain range for any number of magical things. I realized then she could see my future when Alice couldn't. But it wasn't the first time today I'd found similarities with Anica's family, I figured that must be it. I had too much to handle already! I tried to respond to Eveline without screaming, "Thank you, I'll remember to ask Anica. Do you know where she is?"
"Here young one." I heard Anica's voice answer me as she walked into the room. She was dressed more like her family, but still in a skirt. She looked more like my grandmother to me, rather than the gypsy… oh… Roma, I expected. "Have you made contact with your family? What is wrong?"
"It's very complicated. Can we speak alone?" My voice was very quiet, despite that, Eveline left the room at once. Anica sat me down on a chair.
"You must breathe Leah; the stress that is emitting from you is startling."
I couldn't answer her, not sure how much I should give away as to what I now knew, and worried in any case that Anica would figure it out anyway. She was so much like Alice. Yet it was Eveline who saw the future. My thoughts turned to the two men who didn't know they were related, and to their father. But how could I even begin? Did I tell her I knew there was a member of my tribe living with her family? What had he told her about our legends? Did she really not know what we were?
"You really don't know what kind of magic I have?" I couldn't help asking then.
"May I ask why you must ask me again?"
"I found a letter," I blurted out.
"Of course you did. I left it on Emil's desk. Now I am here to gage your reaction," Anica said calmly.
Of course she knew. It should have been obvious if I had taken a second to stop panicking and look at things logically. I tried to calm my heart, and I looked down, finally realizing that I was violently shaking. I had almost phased without knowing it! But it was a long time since I had gotten such a shock, even my incident with Embry had nothing on this! I took another breath. I must concentrate. Did this mean she trusted me with an important secret? Or was she telling me just one secret to see if she could trust me further? Or was she pretending all this time?
"I cannot go against my instincts now. I trust you, as I hoped you've trusted me. I know you will not be angry with me for holding back. I have to ask you because based on the letter you left for me, it would seem you might know much more about my tribe than you've let on, especially with your powers, which I still don't understand," I told her.
"I understand Leah. I left you the letter because I was hoping you would confirm that you are connected to a tribe I do not have knowledge of, because her father is too secretive, and so you have. Are you the missing link that will give me some clue of what will happen to my Granddaughter, to the things I cannot see, despite my powers?"
So Joshua hadn't given us away, knowingly or otherwise. How much did I say? I was too dazed. "I'm sorry I must connect with my brothers first." There were two more important points I had to mention...her brothers… "But I must tell you that the Embry I spoke of is the same Embry in the letter: One of Lia's half-brothers. I will speak with both of them this afternoon and they are both ex's of mine, in different ways."
Anica nodded once, looking carefully into my eyes. "You will do what you must, of course. Concentrate on what is important, my fiica." She quickly left the room before I could ask her what that meant. Strangely- I still had an impulse.
*****
Time: 1:30pm France time.
I was sitting back in the kitchen, eating lunch. The whole group had assembled minus Anica, seeming more relaxed than before, but then I knew how good my supernatural families were at poker faces. I wondered how much my questions were about to change the mood. "May I ask why Roxanna stayed behind in Romania? I wish I could meet your Lia." I told them honestly, "Anica seems extremely fond of her." Emil had walked across the kitchen as I was asking my question and glowered again. He spoke quickly and harshly, I thought.
"Why would you ask about Lia? What did Anica tell you?"
"Oh come now Uncle, they practically share the same name, and Aunt Roxanna's family is the only immediate family not in France. Of course she's curious," Kathryn said.
"I feel I must agree with Emil," Simona spoke up.
"I am respecting her intelligence, Kathryn. This conversation cannot yet be trivial, it is too important. Perhaps we will be allied, and then we may be friendly."
I stood up from my stool. So Emil was open to trusting me? That was good to know. I addressed him, mostly. "Anica has told me that Lia is unique. I've only heard of you speak of her mother. May I ask what happened to her father?" I was sure I was pushing it, but I thought it better to let them know I knew the right questions to ask. The group merely stared more solemnly at me. Something was wrong, and strangely, even though I knew Lia was half-Quileute, I knew it was not my place to ask. The entire group stood almost as still as a vampire could. It was getting closer to 2:00, thank God; I had to talk to coordinate with Jake. That didn't mean I had any fucking clue of how much to tell him, and certainly nothing about the letter. It was too much and too soon. I told the rest I needed to go outside. Wolves were never any good at waiting around.
Emil found me outside a few minutes later.
"I would like to continue talking with you. If I may," he said quietly.
"Keep your friends close, keep your enemies closer?" I asked. I didn't really know if I was joking or not.
"Perhaps. Usually I trust my mother's judgment. I am worried, but I am hopeful. I do not wish to be so worried."
"I see. Perhaps you could help clear a few things up for me? You're mother is often too cryptic."
Emil actually laughed a little. "Yes, indeed she is. And I would like to know what she's told you."
"She left a letter for me to find this morning, and I did. It was not written to her, but to you," Emil's face blanched, and I had a hard time continuing. I barely got the next phrase out because I suspected Emil knew what I would say. "It was from Joshua Uley," my mind cringed inwardly on the name, "she knew where I am from, and she admitted leaving it out. She wanted to know my reaction, and I believe she hoped I would know more about Lia."
"That's where you were going with your questions," Emil sighed.
"Yes."
"You may very well know more than us. We know little about what will happen to Lia. Joshua told me there were ancient legends of magic in his tribe, and that is all. You seem proof that those legends are not merely stories. I never expected he would become an essential part of my family." Emil shook his head.
It was my turn to be stunned. He had to be implying that Roxanna had imprinted on Joshua. That's why he'd never left. Mrs. Uley, Teresa Call, and I were exactly the same, romantic causalities of imprinting, only this meant I had a chance to break it. Did that mean they were shape shifters, too?
Ring, ring
"Damn! I apologize." I looked at my phone. It was Jake. "It's my… leader," I told Emil uneasily. He returned inside. I walked out into the grapes.
"Jacob? Crap is it two o'clock already? I'm so sorry I didn't call you. I can't wait to be in your head for once." I fleetingly remembered the panic I'd had over memories of Embry and me, and marveled at how easy it was to suppress. So much had taken its place.
Jacob laughed. "There's something I'll never hear again." I couldn't laugh with him.
I was too worried about how I was going to hide Embry's parentage until I could give him some warning and break it to him that he had not only a half brother, but a half sister as well! Why me?!?!? God must have thought I'd somehow be the best one since I had been with both of them, but if that was the case his sense of humor felt a little sick.
"Earth to my beta, Leah… I said when are you going to be where you can phase?"
"Ugh, sorry. I'm so off right now."
"You're telling me. I thought you talked through things with Embry a bit."
"I did. Then I got hit with a lightning bolt of knowledge," I said scathingly.
"What? Wait, you found something else out?" Jake thought I meant something about Anica, but he made me grasp something completely unrelated. Jake and Quil both wondered whether they were really related to Embry as well. I couldn't just pull Sam and Embry aside. That'd be as a good as blurting it out right now. I changed plans.
"I did. And trust me, it's enormous, so… so, huge."
"What is it?" Jake said breathlessly.
"Alright, brace yourself, seriously, Jake, and this time I'm really sorry for bringing this up… you know how you and Quil aren't able to ask your Dad's about…"
"Embry," Jacob cut me off, "what does Anica have to do with him?" Jake sounded really confused. Yeah, no kidding.
"Listen. Before I say anything else, Embry's got a right to know first."
"You know who is father is???? Can Anica read the future or something? How would they know?" Jacob was almost shrieking.
"I'm afraid of giving too much away. I don't want you to guess it, no matter who you guess."
"Jesus, Lee- I know you're right but I don't know what to do now," he paused, " I wish my Dad could have just spoken up."
"Ugh, I hate not telling you things, but I think it's more complicated than that." Joshua Uley was committed to shielding the family of Roxanna and Lia. He couldn't expose them. I was sure that's why he hadn't said anything. That didn't explain what he was doing in India in the first place with TWO different families at home. He'd still hear it from me over that.
"It is if this Anica's involved somehow. When is she going to tell you what they can do, or what they are? What happens if they're some clan of shape-shifter killers?"
"Trust me, I've thought of that, but I haven't exactly been open either. They're helping Jake, and they're not really bothering me, considering. I wonder if I should tell Teresa Call I know the truth. You think she should tell Embry?"
"I doubt it- she's been in on the secret too long, he doesn't trust her enough."
"You're right. I'm sorry Jake; I know this affects you too."
"Can I ask you something? How are you not going to blurt it out tonight?"
"I'm not sure. And how is Embry not going to kill me for not calling him right away?"
"Well you can't just call him out of the blue with news like that. Maybe you two should phase first- I'll tell Quil, Sam, and Embry to hold back. Sam isn't staying anyway- he's just going to be connected to me to coordinate the lookouts."
"I suppose," I couldn't think of a better idea, "thanks, Jake."
"You realize I'm going nuts wondering who Embry's brother is now," he didn't make me answer, "Tell Embry, he needs to know. We'll phase in at 4:30 rather than 4- it'll give Sam more time anyway."
"Alright." I hung up the phone. What was I supposed to say to Embry? And what was this meeting about anyway? I felt like I'd gone through a whole new lifetime in one day, and the worst was probably still to come!
*****
POV: Embry
Place: that Netherland's beach
Time: right where he left off…
I would have run toward where I thought the scream was coming from, but I quickly realized it wasn't on land. I ran toward the water and I didn't see anything at first, but then I realized there was a small island sticking out on the horizon a couple hundred yards away. Thankfully, my swimming skills had improved dramatically since my transformation. I still hoped no vampires were waiting in the water. I hadn't smelled anything, but it didn't mean much. I couldn't phase, I had no time to safely hide my clothes and really, where would I leave them? Most of my things were back at the hostel. I ran into the water and it took me a good twenty minutes to reach the island. There were more snarls and growls, but no more screams. I hoped that meant someone was fighting back, rather than a victim who'd been silenced. I ran through some trees near the beach and smelled the vampire for the first time. I threw off my clothes and phased almost without thinking.
"Embry! Help me!" I heard immediately. What the hell? It was a female voice, and not Leah's.
"How do you know who I am?" I couldn't see where they were, but I followed the smell and moved in. An extremely fast, young, (by the looks of it) small, dusky wolf was fighting a… newborn, in a small clearing. I could see his eyes. He looked about 16, and he was sort of pale and dark, like Laurent was. In the wolf's head I saw what must be the effect of a pure adrenaline rush. She was terrified, but she was using her instincts to run from the newborn's attacks. Her mind was zoned in. Somehow, she knew how to avoid him, and she even managed to bite him once. It was still a miracle he hadn't gotten his arms around her. He was closing in on her, doing most of the shrieking. I saw all this in thirty seconds. I ran forward to help, and the newborn turned to concentrate on the obvious new threat. After I got in a few swipes, the young female turned her attention back to me-
"I only know how to feint!" She panicked.
My brain froze for a split second. Feinting was a skill we'd learned from our parents through Sam, really. One wolf would rush forward as if to attack, the other would grab the bloodsucker from behind. Who was she? We'd have to work together though, she was right. "Listen, when I move left, run in between us like you're helping me- bring his focus on you!"
"Right."
As soon as I moved left, the girl feinted perfectly. She was small enough to slip past me and make it look like she was trying to be sneaky about it. The newborn went right for her, almost turning completely around. I leaped right on his back and snapped his neck. The vampire dropped to the ground before he caught her. I ripped him to shreds and scattered them for the moment. I stared at the new wolf in the next instant, and got the biggest surprise yet. She phased back right in front of me, and where the wolf had been was now a young girl, no more than 12. I turned my eyes away immediately, and ran for my shirt. I flung it in her direction with my teeth. I waited, completely perplexed.
"Ok, Embry," came a relatively deep, quiet voice, for one so young, that was strangely accented.
I turned around. The shirt acted like a nightgown, it was enormous on her. I got my first real look at her and my breath came out in a pant. Her hair was as dark as mine, and her skin looked like an odd mix of Uta's and my own, almost as if she were our child. But her features- she had the same nose as me, and the same shaped face.
"My name is Lia."
*****
I'd keep going, but I wanted to FINALLY get a chapter up, and it was a cool place to pause. I promise I have more ideas. I've also written a story for the "Bella's Lullaby of Broadway" contest, from Jake's point of view, called, I would not be like that bloodsucker, and I'm soon to finish another about Kate and Garrett. Please, please review, and go vote on my poll! Lots of love!
TE