Author's note - I guess I change my mind. Instead of publishing a chapter every Saturday, I'll just publish one every weekend. Anyway, let me know what you think of this one. As always, thanks for reading!

Chapter 12

"Bonnie!" Charlie called as soon as he got out of his car.

I turned toward the house, motioning to Julie for her to follow as I ducked under the porch. I heard Charlie greeting her loudly behind me.

"I'm going to pretend I didn't see you behind the wheel, young lady."

"We get permits early on the rez," Julie said while I unlocked the door and flicked on the porch light.

Charlie laughed. "Sure you do."

"I have to get around somehow." I recognized Bonnie's deep voice easily, despite the years. The sound of it made me feel suddenly much younger.

I went inside, leaving the door open behind me and turning on the lights before I hung up my jacket. Then I stood in the door, watching anxiously as Charlie and Jules helped Bonnie out of the car and into her wheelchair.

I backed out of the way as the three of them hurried in, shaking off the rain.

"This is a surprise," Charlie was saying.

"It's been too long," Bonnie answered. "I hope it's not a bad time. We came a bit sooner than I'd planned." Her dark eyes flashed up to me again, their expression unreadable.

"No, it's great. I hope you can stay for the game."

Julie grinned. "That's the plan – our TV broke last week."

Bonnie made a face at her daughter. "And, of course, Jules was dying to see Beau again," she added. Jules returned the scowl.

"Are you hungry?" I asked, turning toward the kitchen. Bonnie's searching gaze made me uncomfortable.

"Naw, we ate just before we came," Jules answered.

"Good, because all we have are grilled cheese sandwiches."

She laughed. "How about you, dad?" I called over my shoulder as I escaped around the corner.

"Sure," he replied, his voice moving in the direction of the front room and the TV. I could hear Bonnie's chair follow.

The grilled cheese sandwiches were in the frying pan and I was slicing up a tomato when I sensed someone behind me.

"So, how are things?" Jules asked.

"Pretty good." It wasn't exactly true, but I didn't want to ruin the mood. "How about you? Did you finish your car?"

"No." She frowned. "I still need parts. We borrowed that one." She pointed with her thumb in the direction of the front yard.

"I haven't talked to Old Jack yet. He'll probably have a master cylinder."

"I'd appreciate it." She grinned. "So who was the girl you were talking to?"

"She's my girlfriend," I replied . "We've been going out for a few weeks now."

She raised her eyebrows. "I thought McKayla was your girlfriend," she said, surprised.

I grinned. "I never said she wasn't."

Her mouth dropped. "You're going out with both of them? Do either of them know?"

"What they don't know won't hurt them." I was suddenly serious. "I still don't know who I really want to be with, so for now I'm keeping my options open."

She stared at me, trying to decide if I was telling the truth. I couldn't help it anymore; I laughed. "You almost fell for it, didn't you?"

She laughed as well and shook her head. "Are you actually dating either of them?"

"I'm going out with McKayla, but I honestly don't know how long it's going to last. She's nice, but I don't know if she's really my type. And the girl you saw a while ago is just a friend. Her name's Edythe Cullen, by the way." I went back to flipping sandwiches, trying to pretend that her last name didn't mean anything.

To my surprise, she giggled. I glanced down at her. She looked a little embarrassed.

"Guess that explains it, then," she said. "I wondered why my mom was acting so strange, though the fact that Edythe snuck off didn't exactly help." She smirked. "Are you sure you're just friends?"

"Of course," I replied in mock-innocence. "I would never do that to McKayla."

She shook her head again. "I wish my mom was more like you. But no, I'm stuck with a superstitious old bat who believes in ridiculous stories."

"All cultures have their own myths," I said, trying to sound reassuring. "Did you know that the Cherokee believed that the Milky Way was formed from cornmeal scattered by a giant dog from the spirit world? Of course, now we know the Milky Way is a collection of stars roughly thirty-one kiloparsecs in diameter held together by gravity, but there's no way they could've known that."

I paused, gathering my breath. Julie was looking at me, fascinated. "Personally, I think there are aspects of one's culture worth preserving, no matter how stupid they might sound to everyone else. If people suddenly decided that they no longer cared what their ancestors believed, then the world would lose something valuable."

"Wow," Julie said. "I didn't know you felt so strongly about it. And all of this coming from the white guy."

"That might be the reason," I replied with an apologetic smile.

The sandwiches were ready. I gathered a few plates and carried the food out to Charlie, then went back to the kitchen. I'd never understood the appeal of televised sports.

"You shouldn't be trying to make up for what people did in the past," Julie said softly. "It's not your fault. And besides," she added playfully. "Why are these dumb myths worth preserving anyway? Werewolves, vampires, and the Milky Way made out of cornmeal? I think we're better off with science."

"Probably," I said, amused by her insensitivity. "At the very least, they're entertaining. You should hear the Greek myth of how the Milky Way was formed."

I hesitated. "So has she told my dad about any of this?"

Julie stared at me for a minute, and I couldn't read the expression in her dark eyes. "I doubt it," she finally answered. "I think Charlie chewed her out pretty good last time. They haven't spoken much since – tonight is sort of a reunion, I think. It's unlikely she'd bring it up again."

Just after I finished eating my grilled cheese sandwich, I heard a knock on the front door.

"I'll get it," I said, already knowing who it was. She'd be disappointed again, it seems.

I opened the door. "Hi, McKayla," I said, hoping my smile looked sincere.

"Hi," she said. "So are we still going to dinner?"

"Actually, I already ate," I replied. "Bonnie came over to visit. She's a friend of my dad, and I had to make dinner." I smiled. "Want to try my grilled cheese sandwiches?"

"Sure," she said, returning my smile, and walked inside.

Her smile disappeared when she saw Julie standing near the kitchen.

"Hello," McKayla said warily.

"Hey," Julie replied indifferently.

For a few tense seconds, nobody spoke.

"Ok," I said awkwardly, trying to break the ice. "My dad's in the living room, if you want to say hello. There's still plenty of grilled cheese sandwiches, and the plates are in the cupboard over the sink, so help yourself."

"Thanks."

I made my way to the dining room, which we almost never used (it was tiny, and we always ate in the kitchen anyway), and Julie followed.

"She's really not your type," Julie whispered.

"Don't be so quick to judge," I said. "I'll admit, she's a bit of a control freak, but I like her, and, surprisingly enough, she likes me."

Julie giggled. "I'm not the judgmental type; if anything, she fits that description better than I do. I just think you could do better."

"Would you be surprised if I told you I never even had a girlfriend before I came here?"

Julie seemed surprised. "Really? Then I guess the girls in Phoenix never knew what they were missing out on. But," she said, in a low voice, "if you fall in love with the first girl you meet who seems to like you, you'll almost certainly be disappointed."

"Spoken like someone who's experienced heartbreak," I said teasingly.

Julie grinned. "Not yet, thank God. That's the advantage of having siblings; you can learn from their stupid mistakes. You should've seen Aaron after his first girlfriend left him." She shook her head in amusement.

"I guess we'll see how it plays out, then," I said.

After a few minutes of chatting absently with Julie, McKayla walked into the dining room. "I was going to Port Angeles to buy a few things for the dance. Do you want to come?"

Port Angeles. Why was she stupid enough to think I'd go back there?

"I… guess. I'll ask my dad." I had a feeling I'd regret the decision, but it wouldn't be the first time. In any case, I wanted to make it up to her for missing dinner.

I walked into the living room. There was a commercial break, so I wouldn't distract my dad from his precious game.

"Hey dad," I said. "I was going with McKayla to Port Angeles today. I was wondering if that's okay with you." I glanced sideways at Bonnie. Her expression was unreadable, but didn't seem hostile.

"It's a little late," Charlie said uncertainly. "You sure about this?"

"Let the boy go out," Bonnie said suddenly, smiling. "He won't be young forever, and he should enjoy it while he can."

Charlie still seemed a bit worried. "Alright," he said hesitantly. "But try to be back before midnight."

After saying goodbye to Julie (who didn't seem very keen about the idea), McKayla and I made our way to Port Angeles. Apparently having thrown caution to the wind, she drove even faster than Jeremy had.

"So," she asked, "do you think she's cute?"

"Julie? Come on, she's only fifteen. If I went out with her, I'd be accused of statutory rape. It's almost tantamount to pedophilia – "

"That's not what I asked," she said, smiling.

I sighed, and stared out into the sunset. "Yeah, she's cute. But that doesn't mean I'm attracted to her."

"What were you guys talking about?" she asked.

"She asked if I was planning another trip to La Push. I told her I didn't know. Other than that, we mostly just talked about life here in Forks."

"Do you think she likes you?"

"Dear God," I said, exasperated." Are you going to be this paranoid every time a girl talks to me?"

"Sorry," she said. "You know what? Let's just forget about that and think about something else. Did you know Logan asked Taylor to the dance?"

I was confused. "How is that noteworthy?"

"It's girl's choice, silly."

"Oh, yeah." I'd almost entirely forgotten about the arbitrary rules regarding the dance. "Did she accept his offer?"

"Yes, but she wasn't very enthusiastic. She told me she only did it because there wasn't anyone else left."

I snorted. "I'd have preferred not going to the dance at all if the only choice left was Logan."

She giggled. "I know what you mean. But you know why he was mean to you, right? He was jealous, afraid that Taylor would run off with you the moment you asked her out."

"I don't care," I said coldly. "If Taylor likes me, that's her problem. She knows I won't reciprocate, but I'm under no obligation to make it easier for him. If he wants her attention, he should try to man up for a change instead of blaming it on someone else."

We arrived at Port Angeles in less than forty minutes, for which I was relieved. I was eager to be alone, at least for a while.

"There's something I need to buy that I forgot last time," I said to McKayla. "I'll meet you in front of the theater by 8:00."

"Sounds good," she replied, smiling. "And don't run into any thugs this time."

"Will do," I replied dryly.

She headed off, and I stood there for a moment, thinking.

"Hello, Beau."

I turned around. Standing in the alley, partly hidden in shadow, was a tall figure dressed in black.

"Who are you?" I asked, trying to keep the fear out of my voice. Talk about déjà vu; the last time this happened, I'd almost died. There was little chance of Edythe saving me this time.

The mystery figure stepped out into the light cast by a nearby lamp. He was young, likely in his mid-twenties, with brown hair in a crew cut and well-formed features. His body was covered in some sort of dark gray body armor, and his skin was just a shade darker than mine. It was a very cool look, I had to admit, but strangely terrifying as well.

He smiled, his silver eyes glinting. "Call me Sirius." He spoke in a tenor voice oddly similar to Archie's, though it was slightly deeper and more authoritative.

"Wait," I said, holding up my hands. " You're not here to kill me or hold me hostage? I swear I didn't know anything." Was I joking? I honestly had no idea.

He laughed regardless. "I don't mean to hurt you, and those punks won't be bothering you anymore. I just came to talk. "

"About what, exactly?" I eyed him warily, not knowing what to expect.

"About you." He pulled out a small u-shaped gadget from his left pocket. "Your name is Beaufort Swan. You were born September 13, 1987 to Charles Swan and Renée Dwyer. You spent most of your life living in Phoenix with your mother."

"Ok, that's weird," I admitted. "But I could've gotten as much from my high school counselor."

"Alright," he replied, grinning. "Your best friend, Manuel "Manny" Villegas, left Phoenix when you were thirteen. You volunteered at a nursing home every weekend, which you haven't been able to do anymore since there aren't any nursing homes in Forks. You're also a Lutheran, and you've gone to church every Sunday since you were fifteen." He gave me a sympathetic look. "You have a dark past. I don't blame you for leaving, nor would anyone else."

I was speechless. "How the hell do you know all of that?"

"We've been observing you for a while," he said nonchalantly.

"Who's we?"

He ignored my question and turned on the device, which began projecting blue holograms in what appeared to be Greek. It was like nothing I'd ever seen before. "Interesting," he muttered, absent-mindedly flipping through the holograms. "It says here your paternal great-great-great grandfather was a Union general. Highly decorated, as well. That seems like something your father would brag about, but I'm guessing he never knew."

"Give me that," I said, trying to grab the device, but he held it out of my reach. It didn't matter; I couldn't read Greek, anyway.

I relented. "What do you want?"

"It's not about what I want," he said. "There's a certain family, and I use that term very loosely, that we've been keeping an eye on for a long time. Since before you were born, actually. Incidentally, that's also why you've caught our attention. See, a particular member of this group has taken a keen interest in you. In fact, that's an understatement." He smirked. "I think you know who I mean."

Edythe. "And why do you care?"

"Because she's dangerous," Sirius replied soberly. "They all are. And she's been trying to stay away from you, but she's failed miserably."

"You know, don't you?" It was a statement, not a question. If he was serious about having watched the Cullens for God knows how long, then he knew they were vampires.

"Yes," he said. "You're well-aware of the threat they pose to everyone around them. Granted, they're far more civilized than the rest of their kind, though that's not saying much. All I'm asking is that you stay away from them until they're gone."

I looked away from his piercing gaze. "I don't know if I can."

"Why not?" he asked. " I wouldn't be here if I didn't think you were capable."

"You don't understand," I said emphatically. "I can barely stop thinking about her. Every night I go to sleep I dream about Edythe." I was embarrassed. Why did I have to blurt that out?

"But you have to," he replied firmly. "If you remain with her, one of two things will happen. You'll either wind up getting killed or become a vampire, just like them. And believe me, not one of them would remain the way they are if they were given a choice." He gave me an odd look, one I couldn't decipher.

"And how do you suppose I would do that?" I asked. "The alternatives aren't very appealing. The only reason I'm with McKayla at this point is because that's what Edythe wants, and I don't know how long that'll last."

"Well," he said thoughtfully, " you can do something to hurt Edythe's feelings. Not so much that she would kill you, but enough to give her the impression that you don't want anything to do with her. You've been doing that already, in one form or another; it shouldn't be difficult." He shrugged. " And in any case, the world is a big place. I'm sure you'll find someone else eventually."

"What's it to you? What do you get from any of this?"

He smiled enigmatically. "You have a lot of potential. More than you realize." He looked up at the sky. "It's almost full moon," he said, so quietly I could barely hear him. He turned to me again.

"One more thing," he added. "I'd very much appreciate it if you kept our little conversation a secret, especially from Edythe."

"Wouldn't she be able to – well, you know – "

Sirius laughed. "Don't worry, she can't read my mind any more than she can read yours."

"I knew it!" I exclaimed excitedly. "I knew there was someone else besides me."

" Right now she's at home, agonizing over her decision to let you come to Port Angeles again," he said, amused. "As if that were her decision to make." He turned off the holographic device and placed it in his pocket.

"Nice talk. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to get going." He began walking away, toward the street. "She loves gardenias," he added merrily. "I'll be seeing you around."

"Wait – " He'd already made it to the other side of the street. A truck came just before I could cross. When it passed, Sirius was gone.

How had he known I'd come to get flowers for McKayla, and that she liked gardenias (I assumed he wasn't talking about Edythe)? Just how long had he been spying on me, and on the Cullens, for that matter? None of this made any sense. Was he working for the government? That was the most logical explanation I could come up with, but it didn't explain why he'd been dressed in armor, or the palpable aura of intimidation he'd projected, which was only partly ameliorated by his oddly cheerful demeanor. Though he made it clear he had no intention of hurting me, he also came across as someone who was used to getting his way. He didn't even seem entirely human, but he clearly wasn't a vampire either. If anything, he seemed to despise them.

Regardless, there was something I did know: I could never intentionally hurt Edythe just to stay away from her, or for any reason, in fact. Not because I was afraid of what might happen, but because I'd already fallen in love with her. But I still couldn't be with her. She was dangerous, and we both knew it. And since when did that stop me, I asked myself. How long would I keep pretending I didn't care about her? How long would I keep this charade going?

I gnashed my teeth in frustration as I looked for the nearest florist shop. What was I going to do? Buy gardenias for an insecure, paranoid girl I didn't even have feelings for? Yes, that was exactly what I was going to do.

"So you found what you were looking for?" McKayla asked, eyeing the bag I was carrying,

"Yeah," I said.

"Then let's go."

Best idea ever.

We were driving through the darkness, only a few kilometers from my house, when I finally said it.

"I can't do this anymore."

She almost lost control of the wheel. "Can't do what, exactly?" she asked reproachfully.

"Look, you're attractive, and you're fun to be around. Any guy would enjoy being with you, including me, but I can't keep pretending I'm in love with you. I'm sorry."

"Three days," she muttered. "Three days before the dance, and you decide to tell me. Why? You realize I already bought my dress? What am I going to tell everyone? That you suddenly changed your mind?"

"You don't have to tell them anything. I'm still going to the dance, unless you don't want me to anymore." Was that what she was worried about?

She was silent for a moment. "Yeah, I do. But tell me: is this about Edythe? Is she the reason we can't be together anymore?"

I didn't answer. Comparing her to Edythe was frankly unfair; how could she, or any girl for that matter, possibly compete with a vampire?

"I never said we couldn't be together. I'd very much like for us to be friends. I just don't think we make a good couple, that's all."

She sighed. "I guess. But can you do me a favor? Don't tell anyone until after the dance."

"Fine," I said. That, at least, I could do for her.

We finally arrived at my house. I opened the door and climbed out.

"Good night, McKayla," I said.

"Good night," she replied curtly.

I closed the door.