The Twilight Series belongs to S. Meyer, no copyright infringement is intended. I'm just playing with the characters.

Impression (noun) an especially marked and often favorable influence or effect on feeling, sense, or mind

It seemed I'd made an impression on Charlie. I'd planned our move during the same week of Spring Break for the Forks High students. It'd give the kids just enough time to settle in and hopefully I'd get a chance to talk to the pack before they started up to school.

My opportunity presented itself in the form of a pack get together. While Charlie and Sue remained friends, their relationship had fizzled. I got the idea that the secrets got to be too much. There were too many things they decided they couldn't trust Charlie with. Whether it was because he was an outsider or due to his daughter and her defection; who knew. I'd bet my life it was a combination of facts.

He'd called me on Wednesday, inviting me to be his date on Saturday. It seemed Jake and Nessie had moved back as Billy's health was becoming frailer and it was an opportunity to celebrate the return of the "prodigal son." Charlie's words, not mine. Seemed Charlie's "need to know" status had changed a bit over the years.

The kids and I spent the next few days getting things put away. The three of us cooked some large meals and froze portions of them. In the last couple of years, there were times they'd be alone for a few hours in the evening if I was working. The frozen meals were something quick and nutritious for them to eat.

Overall, the kids seemed to be calmer and I wondered if they felt settled being near the pack or our lands. Either way, the plan while I went to meet the pack for the first time was for them to paint their bedrooms.

We'd gone to Ace Hardware in town and I allowed them to pick out paint colors. I also took the time to order some new light fixtures. Our house had been built in the 1990's and was in need of some updating. They also picked out paint and fixtures for their shared bathroom.

The project would keep them busy most of the day. The day before the cable company had been out to set up our TV and internet access, so if they got done before I returned home or got bored – they'd be able to find something besides for fighting to do. I even left them money and the phone number to order pizza.

Charlie had given me directions to his house, but I found I didn't need them. I was familiar with the area and not much had changed. It still had the small town feel it had all those years ago. There were a few new developments and businesses, but nothing drastic.

His white two-story house came into view and I was struck by how similar his house resembled my dream house from when I'd been a child. Maybe I'd seen his house at some point and it seemed like a happy place to live. Which was the complete opposite of what it was – not that Charlie was a miserable person. But he'd been so alone for so many years. And even when Bella had come to live with him – it wasn't long before she'd left.

Besides for Sue, I couldn't remember if he'd ever dated. From what Renee told me, it seemed that their relationship was the first serious one he had. The first she had and as she explained, they'd been so young with stars in their eyes. They'd barely known each when they got married and within a year they had Bella and a year after that they were divorced.

Despite their relationship falling apart, Renee maintained that Charlie was a good man. She wished she'd encouraged more of a relationship between Bella and Charlie. She worried that was why Bella had rushed head-first into a relationship with Edward. "Underlying daddy issues" was what she termed it. The funny thing was how close she was to the truth. Edward was at least 100 years Bella's senior.

As I was pulling the SUV into the driveway, Charlie walked out the front door. I parked and turned off the engine before grabbing my purse and the container of homemade bars I'd made. If anything food might get them to listen and agree to help.

"Hi, Kim, how are you?"

"Not too bad."

"Well, you ready to get this show on the road? For some reason I envision a few fireworks," he told me with a grin, his eyes bright with amusement.

"I'm going to try and behave myself." I chanted that mantra several times silently to myself. I needed to dredge up a bit of the Old Kim - the one who was meek, soft spoken, helpful, and polite. Not the one I was feeling like today.

I felt like a momma wolf protecting her cubs. As much as I wanted their help, I wanted it on my terms. I knew already, I was going to have to fight tooth and nail. The traditions – their rules were too ingrained and unchangeable. In the end I'd done the unthinkable and who knew what my return would do to the peace I'd hoped they had gained.

"For your sake, I hope that true…but I can't help wanting to see someone light a fire under Billy's ass," Charlie said with a chuckle.

It confirmed what I thought. Charlie knew more than he let on and it irritated him that even though he'd been smack dab in the middle of it – no one cared to let him in on it. And how could he not know? Nessie had aged nearly a decade in 2 years - there wasn't a genetic condition that caused those types of changes. Well, there was but it was something only known by the keepers of the supernatural.

FF_9072904_21 04/16/2013 12:29AM