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I do not own Twilight

I sat deadly still, just listening as the people around me launched into false conversations and strained laughs. The dynamics of the day had changed, not because of the extra person in the room but because of what I had said. I was sure of that. Sam and Emily had both looked ready to pass out when I mentioned the wolf and as the clock ticked on they only became more false and strained, both of them stirred empty conversations that could never find its way back to what I had said. They offered food and drink each time I opened my mouth even if it were to say something completely off the topic I really wanted to talk about, something was wrong here. I could feel it coursing through me; something was different in this place.

"Do you still dance honey?" The voice I had blocked out came back into focus, louder this time, Sam's mom Allison had stirred most of the conversation and as I had predicted earlier a lot of it was aimed at me, questions about how I was and comments about my mother. Things I didn't particularly want to hear at any normal time but today the subject was specifically touchy, I missed her more today.

My eyes stayed locked on my brother for a minute as he nibbled nervously at a cookie but he didn't look back up at me, he hadn't done since Emily had sat me down on the sofa an hour ago. I finally turned to the woman I had known most of my life, her kind smile made me flinch, her simple smile held things I hadn't seen aimed at me for months now, it was a smile only a mother could give. "No, no I don't" I whispered trying to ignore the aching in my chest, I wouldn't cry, I was stronger than that.

Her smile faltered her and a pitiful look glazed over her brown eyes. "That's a shame; you were always so beautiful in the way you moved. How about that dance school, your mom always raved about you going to that dance school, do you still plan to go?" Again my chest ripped with a heavy ache as I shook my head, no. "College?" Her voice was hopeful but my mind was not, I wouldn't get into college even if I tried and if I did I would last a month if that, I wasn't dumb but I wasn't academic, I got good grades but I didn't enjoy it. College had only ever interested me if it was a dance college and now, now I didn't even have that.

"Uh no, no" I paused watching for her reaction but when the look of pity and grief flooded her older complexion I shifted. "I'm really tired, if you don't mind I'm just going to go to sleep" I cut in before she could offer any more words of sympathy or question me further. I liked Allison, I always had and I knew her questioning wasn't meant to upset me but I wasn't in the mood for it.

"Of course, I will see you another time, when you aren't so worn out from presents, food and Sam's tales of wolves" She smiled wider now, her eyes twinkling as she watched me stand up. I didn't move, I just lingered by the arm of the sofa and looked back at Emily, her eyes dropped from mine instantly, I turned for my brother and his did the same. It was like they were guilty of something but I hadn't accused them. I knew something was going on and I hated sitting there in the awkward atmosphere waiting for it to come out, if they didn't want to tell me what it was they all knew or were so scared of then they didn't have to, it was their tale or secret to tell but they didn't need to treat me like I was simply imagining it either.

I said nothing more I just turned and left for the comfort of my room, this place was beautiful and peaceful there was no doubt about it, I liked it here, but it was starting to slip it's perfect image.

I walked to my room and lay on my bed; I didn't even bother with my light I just lay in darkness summing it all up. I had heard things in the two short weeks of being here, things I shouldn't hear but I have. Things about patrols and safety, borders and posts, people always told me not to linger too long or too far in the trees, Paul nearly had a heart attack earlier when he saw me there and then there was the girl's voice and the wolf. Why had Paul been there in the first place? Protecting little girls he had said, wolf territory. I felt like I was living in a real life version of Little Red Riding Hood, maybe one day I would walk in and find Emily eaten by a wolf. As I thought it her three long scars flashed across my mind, I had never been told what they were from but it looked animalistic. Maybe she had been so frightened earlier when I mentioned wolves because it was an animal that hurt her, maybe.

All this thinking was giving me a migraine. Today was giving me a migraine as well as an aching chest. I curled deeper into my bed, my body still lingering with the cold wind that had hit at me earlier. I wanted to forget today, forget the gaping hole in my chest, forget Paul's words, forget the questions, forget the wolf, forget Sam and Emily's reactions, forget it all. As I lay there in the dark heavy footsteps pattered outside my room, hovering there. I twisted my head further into the pillow and shut my eyes as the door opened and orange light leaked into the dark room, the footsteps thudded again, closer and closer until I felt a body peering over me but I kept my eyes shut. A hand, a rough warm hand came up and brushed the top of my head, smoothing my messy hair away from my forehead where it had fallen. Sam, I knew who it was with that simple touch.

"Don't hate me for bringing you here" His whisper was followed with a long breathy sigh as he smoothed my head again and backed away. I listened until his footsteps were distant and I cracked my eye open only enough so I could see the door where two bodies now stood, Sam's and Emily's, they looked at one another and he slowly bent down to kiss her scars before walking away. The gesture seeming somewhat full of sadness and heaviness of a secret, or maybe I was looking too much into it and it was simply a kiss. Emily gave a final look to my bed before shutting the door as she left, leaving me again to the darkness and my over thinking thoughts.

Don't hate me for bringing you here.

Why would he say that? Why would I hate him?

...

Sleep hadn't helped the migraine that had threatened to begin last night, in fact, sleep had made it angry and I had woken up this morning with a throbbing head and sensitive eyes. Emily had smiled genuinely at me as I walked downstairs, the house was seemingly normal again, Jared and Embry were both sat at the table when I came down and Kim was on her way. That had been a few hours ago, since then more guys had come and some had gone, but Sam hadn't been one of those he hadn't been around at all. His words still lay heavy with me; don't hate me for bringing you here, what did that even mean?

Each time I thought about it my head pounded and so I tried to focus on the conversations taking place around me, none of them which caught my attention for long enough to stop the questions.

"Are you ok?" Kim's body swooped in beside me as I stood gripping the side of the kitchen sink listening to Seth and Brady argue about which one the faster runner was. I looked up at my friend, her kind smile innocent and unaware of the questions swirling in my head. I had barely said a word to her all day. I nodded and smiled as best I could but her face fell into a frown.

"You can tell me if something's wrong? We could go for a walk or just sit outside for a while, the guys get a little boring to listen to" She smiled again and signalled with her hand to the door but I shook my head, I didn't want to walk, I didn't want a repeat of yesterday.

"I'm fine, honestly. I need to ring my friend, see how his Christmas was" I turned to leave but stopped realising I had been completely rude all day. "I forgot to say thank you for my present, it's beautiful. Sam told me what the word meant, I'm glad I have you as a friend Kim" I gave her a genuine smile and hers grew wider, her cheeks flushing as she nodded at me but she said nothing back and so I took the opportunity to leave.

Once outside I took my phone from my jean pockets and leant over the frost bitten wooden fencing of the porch, my eyes scanned the wintery yard as I listened to the ringing tone in my ear. It was freezing out here, I was in only a pair of skinny jeans and a t-shirt so naturally I would be cold but it was unnaturally cold today.

"Hello" The tired voice of my best friend travelled down the phone and the deflated feeling in my chest lifted instantly.

"Hey, it's me"

"Holy shit Savannah, I thought you were dead or something, hang on, KYLE PHONE" Kerry gasped down the phone before yelling for Kyle, I knew they would be together, it was a sort of tradition that the day after Christmas we would meet at one of our houses and eat shit tonnes of candy while watching whatever crappy DVD's we got for Christmas. "Are you ok? I haven't heard off you in what feels like ages" Kerry moaned a little and I smiled guiltily. I had been rubbish at keeping contact.

"I know, I'm sorry I meant to ring I just guess I got caught up. I'm fine though, how are you?" I could practically hear her rolling her eyes as I gave an excuse.

"I'm ok"

"ME TOO" Kyle's voice finally yelled out.

"You're on loudspeaker" Kerry added in and my chest tugged, part of me wanted to be there not on loud speaker. I missed them.

"Did you have a good Christmas?" Kyle asked before I could say a word, I made a grunting noise before I could stop myself. "That bad?"

"No, yes, I don't know. It was good I suppose, it just wasn't the same" I grumbled and the line went silent for a minute.

"I know, but it will get easier, did they give you presents and dinner? Do you have a tree?" Kerry started questioning and my smile came back, I'm sure they thought I was locked away in some tower. Before I moved here they questioned me about the place like it was some medieval town that hadn't progressed with time for centuries.

"Kerry, of course we had a tree and yes presents, that's not what I meant by it not being the same" I rolled my eyes and she laughed out from the other side of the phone.

"So tell us, what did you get?" Kyle interrupted before she made another stupid comment. "Did they get you nice things or shitty pyjama's and some socks?"

"Jake come here, look what I have"

The sweet cry of a giggling voice made my body sway in recognition, I knew that voice, I had heard that voice not even 24 hours ago. The phone dropped from my hand as I gripped at the frozen wood, my hand beginning to sting as I gripped tighter. Jake.

I looked up at the yard lying in front of me, from the trees walked a girl that I knew, Nessie and following her was Jacob, Jake. It couldn't be surely? It was a coincidence. But as he ruffled her hair her giggle cut through the crisp air causing my breath to trap in my throat, I knew that laugh because I had thought of it all night long last night; it was the laugh from the clearing. All I could do was stare as they made their way toward the house. The girl spotted me first, her face caught me by surprise; she was older. She had been just 8 when I saw her last, which was only a week ago but now as I looked at her she looked easily 10 if not 11. She was taller, her hair longer and her body leaner. She had grown not only in size but age.

"Hello Savannah" Her voice chimed out, the same melodic tone that I had heard yesterday. Jacob looked up from behind her, his expression somewhat guarded as he walked up the steps toward me.

"Hey" He spoke simply, I didn't reply I just watched as he leant down and picked my phone up from the floor, handing it to me before walking into the house after the little girl.

I stared after him for a minute before raising the phone to my ear again.

"Hello? Are you there? Hello?" Two different voices shouted from the ear piece.

"Yes, sorry" I breathed, still looking at the door.

"What the hell happened?"

"Are you ok?"

"I don't know, I need to go" I didn't wait for them to reply I simply shut the call off and slid the phone back into my pocket. I needed to see that clearing, it couldn't tell me anything but I need to see it.

I didn't even go back inside to get my coat I just ran down the steps and across the yard crossing into the trees where I had gone yesterday. I had to see that clearing. I kept walking further and further until I hit the Pocahontas tree, but no clearing.

"This is so stupid" I mumbled as I looked up at the tree with the face like groves in it. It was a strange tree, just like this was a strange place.

"Eeek" A little squeak let up behind me and I span around in time to see Kim stumbling through the trees toward me. "I hate wildlife, I hate trees, I really hate being outdoors" She squealed as she fell further toward me and stopped, brushing her jacket off and pulling stray leaves from her hair. She looked like she had just wrestled with a bush. "I am so not an outdoors person" She sighed as she finally looked up at me with a startled look on her face. "Why are you here?"

I frowned at her before looking around for some sign I was going mad. "You followed me" I pointed out and she stared at me like I was stupid.

"I know, I meant why did you come out here?" She spoke slower this time; I think we were misunderstanding one another.

"I wanted to see something, is there a reason why you followed me?" I didn't want to sound unkind, I didn't have a problem if she wanted to come but I did have a problem with being followed. It felt like everywhere went in this place I was followed.

"I saw you leave and you looked upset so I thought I would make sure you were ok, did you want me to leave you alone?" Her nerves came back to the surface now, it had taken two weeks to get her not to be so worried around me and shy so I wasn't about to bring it all back. I shook my head at her and turned back to the strange tree. "Freaky tree" She commented and I nodded, it sure was.

I glanced at her as we stood in silence, there was a small twig sticking out of her hood. I gave a little laugh and pulled it out, showing her before throwing it to the floor. "What happened to you?"

Her cheeks darkened with a blush and her lips spread into an innocent smile. "I'm just not a nature girl, me and trees do not get on. I can just about handle my back yard and event that's too green for me, give me a sofa and a bag of cheese puffs over this any day" She signalled to the trees around us and I laughed. "Jared always tries making me go for hikes and to the beach for night time walks, I never agree, you come out here a lot though" She turned to me and I nodded, I wouldn't say a lot but I liked being outdoors.

"It's peaceful, that is when I'm not being stalked by your mean friend" My voice sounded hurt as I said it and Kim frowned at me.

"My what?"

I glanced around the trees half expecting him to walk out but no one was out there. "Paul" Was all I offered and she rolled her eyes before giving a sheepish grin.

"He's not mean, he's just guarded"

What was with these people? They always defended him. "So I keep being told. He's just nasty" Again I sounded sad and Kim moved closer to me as we stood in front of the big tree.

"Did he upset you earlier?"

I shook my head, no, he upset me yesterday. Earlier I wasn't upset, I was confused and besides, Paul hadn't even been at the house. She didn't ask me any more on the subject and I didn't offer anything. I just stood watching the tree waiting for the wind to start and the face like grooves to move.

"What's up with the Renesmee girl?" I asked before thinking about it, as soon as the words left my mouth I realised I had sounded rude and intrusive. Kim's back straightened ready to defend her friend but her face stayed straight, a good poker face.

"I don't know what you mean" Her face stayed expressionless as she watched the tree, her eyes scanning it as if it were of great interest to her all of a sudden.

"It's just that well, she looked bigger today, older"

Kim shrugged as if it were nothing. "Kids grow I guess"

That wasn't any normal growth spurt, that was years of aging shortened to a week. "Where is she from? Is Jacob her brother?"

Kim smiled fondly but shook her head. "Not her brother exactly, just a close friend. She's from Forks; her grandfather is a doctor there, wealthy family. Why do you ask?" She finally looked at me and I saw the same look in her eyes that Emily had held since last night, a truth that wasn't being spoken.

"I think she was out here yesterday with Jake but I'm not sure I just thought I heard her" I shrugged it off trying to sound less crazy and she nodded at me.

"Probably, they come for walks all the time out here" She smiled again at me, a smile that although kind told me she wasn't willing to talk about it any further. I still had more questions though; I wanted her reaction to the wolf thing. I wanted to see if she was as scared as Sam and Emily had been, if she was just as dismissive.

"There was something else" I turned to fully face her and her blush faded as she looked back up at me, her eyebrows raised waiting. "I think there was a wolf"

"A wolf" She copied me, her voice going high pitched as she spoke and I nodded at her.

"A big wolf, I think I saw it in a clearing except I can't find the clearing" I didn't drop her eye contact no matter how much she squirmed under it. She wasn't as scared as Emily had been but she was nervous. Her tanned skin went pale and she fiddled with her fingers like a child being questioned by its parents.

"Wolves don't live this close to people, it could have been something else" She shrugged but her words made me frown.

"Paul said this was wolf territory" I mumbled to myself more than to her but she heard it and it sounded like she was choking.

"Paul said what?"

"Yesterday, he said this area was the territory of a wolf pack, he was telling me I was stupid being out here alone" She frowned more as I spoke and her mouth opened and closed as she tried searching for words.

"Well, Paul likes to scare people with old tales. We should go back" She turned to look through the trees and I nodded, Paul may have said it to scare me but I know what I saw and I know what I heard. I wasn't crazy.

Before I could say another word Kim began walking back to the house, her legs hurrying her along and I had to jog to keep up with her at first. For someone not athletic she had a fast pace to her. Neither one of us spoke as we made our way back and I didn't see the clearing again but something still bothered me, Sam's whispered words last night when he thought I was asleep. Why would I hate him? Why did he sound so scared when he said it? Was there something here that could hurt me?

"Kim" I called out as we reached the yard of the house, she stopped and turned to me, her kind smile back on her face with no trace of the nerves she had held with me not ten minutes before. "Is there any reason why I would hate Sam or this place? Is there something I should know about him?" I know the question didn't make sense but I didn't need it to, I just needed to know Sam wasn't someone who would hurt me. I had known him my whole life, I knew he wouldn't on purpose but I also didn't understand his words. She looked puzzled as she looked at me but she was quick to shake her head.

"Of course not"

"Should I be scared?" I stepped closer to her; she didn't take any time to think before she shook her head.

"No" Her eyes fell from mine and across the yard behind me, following something. I turned to look and my heart dropped, Paul. He looked at me but didn't meet my eyes, he simply kept walking until he disappeared behind the house door and I gave my attention back to Kim.

"He's a good guy; he's just been through a lot" She spoke before I could.

"Everyone goes through stuff, it's not an excuse to be cruel" I whispered as if worried he would hear me from behind the thick wooden door.

"No, it's not" She looked down at her feet before moving to walk away; she stopped only a few paces from me. "Savannah, don't write Paul off as the asshole so quickly, there's more to him than that"

I felt like I had been hit in the chest with a tree trunk, it was unbelievable how quick the people here were to jump to his defence when all I saw was an arrogant dick of a man who didn't seem to care for anyone other than himself.

"He wrote me off before he even knew my name" My voice was bitter and full of a harshness I hadn't heard leave my mouth before. Kim took me in for a moment before nodding her head as if in agreement and turning back to the house.

I didn't want to go in, I didn't want to sit around with him glaring at me or Sam watching me like I was about to unload his darkest secrets so I sat on the bench outside the house and curled up as best I could. I was freezing in just my t-shirt but I didn't want to go in. I just sat there and stared at the snow clouds floating above me. Moving here was supposed to be easier for me but so far I think I had been harder. The door behind me opened and footsteps crunched their way down the frosty steps toward where I saw curled up beneath the porch. I didn't look up but a shadow cast itself over my shivering body.

A hand held something out in front of my face, my thick fleece lined coat. I looked up at the person and saw the one I didn't want to see, Paul. He dropped the coat on the bench beside me and without a word walked out into the yard and down the dirt track leading to the main road. He didn't look back, he just left. When I could no longer see him I looked down at the coat, why would he give me that? If he didn't care about me why would he bring me a coat?

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