According to Jacob in my absence my house had become a safe haven for the werewolf pack. They'd even developed a 'secret knock' whenever arriving at the house. Jacob knocked twice quickly then once very loud. I jumped and I swear I heard him snicker.
Emily answered and, upon seeing me behind Jacob, frowned, the scars on her face crinkling at the corner of her mouth. At least some things hadn't changed. "This the vampire girl?" She asked, stepping aside and letting us through. I took note of the venom in her voice but kept my mouth shut. I took my shoes off and placed them by the pile of shoes clumsily strewn about the front hallway.
"Be nice, Em." Jacob leaned down and kissed her on the cheek on her good side. "This is her house." She folded her arms and watched me wearily.
"You must be the werewolf girl." I tried to lighten the mood but she wasn't buying it. She rolled her eyes and wondered back down the hall to the living room. I could hear chatter and laughter coming from there and dreaded going further.
"You should know," Jacob was taking his sneakers off as he spoke. "I told them."
I turned, my eyes wide. "Everything?"
"I skipped parts, but I gave them the gist." He smiled and reached out for my hand, I took his and let him lead me down the hall. "They couldn't understand why these vampires would be going to so much trouble and honestly, it's not like I could hide it from them." He tapped the side of his head reminding me of their telepathy. No secrets in the pack.
The room went silent when I stepped in. Seven people, a few of whom I didn't recognize were sat on my father's furniture. Quil was mid bite into a piece of pizza when he stopped to stare at me.
Jacob cleared his throat.
"Everyone, this is Bella."
Quil put his pizza down and shut his mouth. A tall guy I'd never seen before smiled sheepishly and waved. "Hi Bella." I waved back but quickly let my hand fall.
Sam stood up and stepped forward, everyone was watching him approach me.
"Bella, I'm Sam. But you already knew that." He put his hand between us and I had to let go of Jacob's hand to grasp his.
"Yeah." I said, not sure what else to say. He smiled warmly.
"If what Jacob has told us is true, then we have allied ourselves with you before. In another time, we were friends. While we do not know you I would hope that the friendship continues on and that you don't screw us over." The group all cheered in agreement and Jacob placed his hand on my back. Without thinking I leaned into him. For the first time in a couple days I actually smiled. It was only for a second before the dread and fear for my father took me over again.
"Welcome to the pack, Bella." Jacob whispered down to me and I smiled again.
We sat in my living room talking freely and finishing off the pizza when a knock on the door had us all going silent. I felt the color drain from my face as I remembered the last time someone had knocked on my door. But she was dead now and besides, would a vampire be stupid enough try and enter a house with this many werewolves. I shot a look to Jacob before standing up and heading down the hall to the door. I was visibly shaking, but a swift look through the peep hole proved my fears unfounded. Ms. Pollan stood in front of the door looking impatient with her arms folded.
I opened the door, confusion on my face. I knew she was connected to James somehow and I figured she held no malicious intent towards me. She smiled.
"Bella!" She stepped forward and surprised me by kissing both my cheeks. I stared back not sure what to say. "Well let me in then, it's cold out here." She bent over and picked up a medium sized duffel bag. She stepped past me, making me move and allow her access. She smoothed out her coat and wiped off some beads of rain.
"Do you have tea?" She walked into the kitchen and I looked after her. Jacob appeared at the end of the hall with a puzzled look. I just shrugged my shoulders and followed her into the kitchen. She'd set her bag on the counter and was shrugging out of her coat to hang it up.
"Ms. Pollan, what are you doing here?" It was a simple question but it seemed to catch her off guard. I dragged forward our old kettle and pulled it off it's stand to fill it with water.
She settled in at the table, facing towards me and crossing her legs. "James didn't tell you?" I shook my head and she leaned forward with her elbows on her knees. "I'm the one who has been helping him look into your case." She wiggled her eyebrows at me. "I"m the one trying to get you home." I was even more confused now and placed the kettle back on its stand and turned it on. I grabbed a cup and a tea bag and left them on the counter before sitting across from Ms. Pollan, expecting more of an explanation.
She leaned back and tapped her fingers against the table. "Well, I guess we should properly be introduced." She stuck her hand out and I took it, "I'm Dr. Karin Shields, the leading investigator of paranormal activity for the Washington Paranormal Society, the Seattle chapter." She shook my hand firmly before releasing her grip.
"How do you know James?" I was listening out for the click of the kettle, but was more intent on knowing her story.
"I came down to Forks after a spike in electromagnetic activity, common with poltergeist hauntings, showed on my devices. I have this machine," she nodded towards her duffel bag. "That measures these levels, even when I'm on the go.
"I was following the readings and ended up in a meadow, confused by any lack of activity I was going to leave when I came across a man who had not been there a moment earlier. He wasn't the first vampire I'd ever encountered, so I knew what he was before he showed himself to be one. He seemed dazed and confused, I tried communicating with him, to see if there way anything I could do to help, but he ran away.
"I tried to follow him. Time particles were evident in the readings, showing that he was not of this world. I lost his trail, but kept a close eye on my machines to see if they picked him up again."
The kettle clicked and I stood to finishing making her tea. While I worked she kept talking.
"A few days later I was about to leave and return to Seattle, but decided to revisit the meadow one last time. James was stood in the middle, still looking confused, but less dazed. He spoke to me now and I noticed his eyes were not the normal shade of red. I asked him and he told me everything. About his life before, about you and the Cullens. I was fascinated and I wanted to learn more about how he got here, but then the machine's electromagnetic energy levels spiked again and James said he could suddenly smell you.
"We followed the smell and my activity indicator to find you at your fathers. We watched you and I confirmed that you had the same time particles, indicating that you too are out of place." I placed the cup in front of her and she smiled. "Thank you." While she took a sip I decided it was a good time to ask a question.
"Do you think it would be possible to get back?" She put the cup down and looked thoughtful.
"I don't know. The longer you and James stay the less time particles you have, meaning you guys are slowly becoming and belonging in this world. If you are to get back you need to do so before those particles completely disappear.
"The particles come from your world and I think that if I can find a way to manipulate them I can create a portal and send you back."
I had hope, Karen seemed knowledgeable about this and her confidence had me believing it was possible. She sipped at her tea and watched me over the top of the cup.
"Why did you lie about your name?"
"Yuki Pollan was a teacher of mine back when I was in 10th grade. She was the most educated and brilliant women I'd ever known. Her name is recognized in the education world, even if people have never met her. I reached out to Forks high pretending to be her, even before Mr. Banner disappeared and when he didn't show up they called me. I just wanted to meet you before we had this talk and see the vampires we're up against."
Jacob walked into the kitchen then, looking at Karin wearily. "Everything okay?" He asked looking from her to me. I smiled and nodded my head.
"Dr. Shields thinks she might be able to get me back." His face fell and I felt bad for a moment. Would another Bella take my place? Or would I simply disappear? This hadn't occurred to me until now. Had there been a Bella here before me? And if so where was she now? Had she taken my place. I wanted to ask Karin but wasn't sure if she'd know the answer.
"The tea was really good." She finished and placed the cup down gently. She smiled warmly at Jacob. "I've never met a werewolf before, how exciting." Jacob smiled back shyly before turning back and walking to the living room.
"He's cute, I don't know how you're ever going to choose." She giggled. I blushed and shot her a look, but I don't think she noticed.
She opened up the duffel bag and pulled out a device that looked like one of those hand held machines that nurses use to take oxygen levels and temperature. She pressed a button and it lit up. She took a thermometer looking object from the side and held it out towards me, a gauge on the front of the machine spiked up, then slowly lowered back down.
"This is the machine I use to measure time particles. The gauge will spike up when detecting them and then drop down to indicate the quantity of them. You still have quite a few, but they are dissipating at a fairly alarming rate. I want to take you up to Seattle, In my lab I have a prototype device that is meant to pull time apart. It's something I'm hoping will allow us to travel between dimensions using harvested time particles." She put the device back in her bag. "I've never tested it before, but if your willing to be a subject I'm willing to try."
She pulled out a business card before closing up the duffel bag and standing.
"But I can't take you anywhere with those vampires on your trail. They are a danger to you, James and the whole town of Forks. Help the werewolves get rid of the vampires and I'll help you." She began moving towards the front door. "Give me a call when they are no longer around." She grabbed her coat and slung it over her arm. She turned back and gave me a warm smile.
"I really hope we can help each other, Bella." And with that she turned and showed herself out the front door.
I walked back to the living room with a lot of my mind, Jacob had saved me a seat on the sofa and I sat down next to him. Taking in the room I could see piles of trash beginning to pile up and create a problem. I sat for a bit and let it be until I couldn't take it any longer. I stood up and went to the kitchen to retrieve a garbage bag and started cleaning up the mess. Quil helped along with Emily and Jacob, but everyone else was so engrossed in their conversations they didn't seem to notice.
"I"ll take the bags out," I grabbed the two very full bags and went out the front door. It was starting to get dark and between breaks in the dark clouds I could see the fading sunlight. I dumped the bags into the empty trash can then started moving it to the front of the drive for pick-up in the morning.
I was about to head back to the house when I was grabbed and taken to the back of my father's lot before being tossed into the forest. I landed softly on the floor. I panicked and got to my feet quickly.
"If I wanted to kill you, you'd be dead already." Her voice was soft and almost friendly. I looked back towards my father's house and standing before me was Alice. Her eyes were a light red, clearly she'd fed recently. "We don't have long before they notice you're gone or my presence." She came right up to me and handed me a neatly folded square.
"You know what I am?" I just nodded and she smiled. "Then know how serious this situation is."
I looked down at the square "It's is from Edward. It's a proposal." I looked up at her with confusion. "Those beasts in there took my sister and my brother away Away from us." She glowered. "We want our revenge, but we won't have it if we don't get the jump on them." I knew what she was suggesting and felt sick to my stomach.
"Why isn't Edward here?" Was all I could think to ask. I wasn't scared of Alice, just horrified about what she was suggesting.
"Your blood does funny things to him and he wasn't sure he could resist tearing into your jugular." She said this so matter of fact I felt my hairs begin to stand on end. "But he is interested in you. It's all in the letter." She stepped forward and gave me a kiss on the cheek. I felt my heart drop.
"You have our number, call us." She smiled sweetly then danced off into the woods behind me. Just in time for Jacob and the tall kid from earlier to come running out into the night. I heard Jacob call out to me, but I was in such shock I couldn't answer. I put the square in my pocket and walked towards them.
Jacob spotted me and his face relaxed, he ran a head and put his arms around me.
"When you didn't come back I was worried, but then I smelt it." He looked down, I felt tears on my cheeks. "Are you okay?" He bent down held my face between his hands. "Did they hurt you?" I shook my head and fell into him, allowing him to carry me back.
When we got back into the house I excused myself to the restroom. The square heavy in my pocket. I pulled it out, my heart was beating so fast I thought it would beat right out of my chest. I unfolded it and had to reread it a couple times to fully understand.
Isabella
I find it more appropriate to call you by your given name, seeing as Bella is so plain and you are anything but. You've known what I am since before we met. I don't know how or why, but we have a connection. It's true I want you dead, it's nothing personal, but your blood sings to me. To drink from one whose blood calls in such a way is considered a rare treat,but I, strangely, feel saddened by the thought of your passing. So I have a proposal, my La Tua Cantante.
Those beasts need to be put down. In exchange for your cooperation in helping us take our revenge, you will be free from our pursuit. You will never have to fear me nor my family ever again. You will be under our protection. Or, if you'd prefer, we could make you your own protection.
I find you irresistible, Isabella.
The choice is yours. But know that if you side with the mongrels we will show you no mercy.
Edward.
I slummed down against the door and leaned my head back. I now had two choices. Help try and take down the vampires and have Karin help me get home. Or help the Hales and get what I've wanted since I knew it was an option. I spent hours on the floor with several people coming to check on me. But by the time I emerged, I knew what I wanted to do.