A/N Thank you readers and reviewers!

Chapter 21

BPOV

After school I was surprised to find Rosalie inspecting the tires on my truck. On sensing my approach, she turned around and held out her hand, palm up, expectantly.

I stared at her dumbly. What the hell did she want?

She sighed and said brusquely, "Keys. I want your keys." She open and closed her hand quickly, in annoyance.

I looked at her suspiciously. "Why?"

She rolled her eyes, "I'm not going to hurt your dumb truck. However, if you're going to roll with us, it's time your truck got an overhaul. I want to drive it home to get a feel for it and then check it out in my garage so I know what parts to order."

I held out the keys but paused before dropping them into her palm, "One condition."

"What?"

"Let me assist you."

There was a noticeable thaw to her ice bitch expression. "You know your way around a garage?"

"I rebuilt my bike from the frame up and often help my cousin, Jake, with bikes and cars."

"The do- I mean he's a grease monkey too?" Rose asked with peaked interest.

I jingled the keys, "So how about it?"

"Fine, as long as you don't get in my way. You can ride with Edward." She returned frostily, but her expression hadn't ice back over.

I grinned and dropped the keys in her hand.

I walked over to the Volvo, where Edward was waiting with the others. Emmett charged at me and snatched me up.

"Sup, Bella!" He roared, giving me a big grin.

I laughed and pinched his adorable dimples, "Apparently I am, Papa Bear."

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EPOV

I watched Bella and Rosalie across the parking lot. Rosalie never would have made this gesture merely with respect for my feelings for Bella. It could only mean that she liked Bella. Reaching into her mind confirmed this. It was rather astonishing as Rose did not play well with others.

Emmett was all but jumping with excitement next to me. His thoughts showed that he'd been "dying" to talk with Bella. He was certain that she would be a good friend. Jasper had a large smile on his face, clearly soaking up Emmett's enthusiasm.

Alice was smiling at me, and thought. It was only a matter of time.

I tensed as Emmett grabbed Bella, lifting her off the ground. Damn it, I knew Bella was much stronger than a human but neither I nor the big oaf holding her knew her limits.

Relax, Edward. Emmett's not going to hurt her. Alice thought, and I relaxed as Bella laughed and pinched his cheeks.

He was ecstatic when she called him Papa Bear and upon setting her back down offered her a complicated "dude" handshake, which she expertly returned.

I opened the passenger door for Bella. On the way home, Emmett launched into a barrage of questions, asking Bella about her favorite action movies, cartoons, sports, gaming, etc.; all topics Emmett held dear. He was very satisfied to hear her favorite childhood toys were Transformers and of her opinion that Scrappy Doo was pure evil.

Alice interrupted, "Didn't you play with dollies like Barbies?"

I laughed as Bella turned and gave her the same horrified look she'd given her father when he tried to bring up the safe sex discussion.

"Hell, no. I avoided the girlie toy aisles like they were kryptonite. All that pink." She shuddered. "And why would I play with dolls when I had Optimus Freakin' Prime?"

Emmett mumbled, "Word."

As we pulled into the drive, Emmett asked in an awed voice, "Will you play Halo with me?"

Bella gave him a sly look around the seat, "That depends."

"On what?" he asked, as shyly as Emmett ever got.

"On if you can handle getting spanked by a 'widdle gurl'." She said, full of cockiness.

I mentally cringed, waiting for Emmett's gutter mind to jump on the word "spank" and say something highly inappropriate, but he simply laughed and said that he could take it.

He thought about how cool Bella was, excited that she was not afraid to channel her "inner dude," and what a lucky bastard I was. That I am, Emmett.

The next few weeks were a flurry of activity, as my family fully embraced Bella into their lives. Bella worked on her truck with Rosalie, played chess with Jasper, discussed traditional Native remedies with Carlisle, endured pedicures and wardrobe tips from Alice, conspired to sketch Esme as a surprise for Carlisle's birthday, and then of course there were the pranks with Emmett. It hadn't taken long for Bella and Emmett to start plotting.

There was an elaborately orchestrated food fight at lunch one day. A few days later, all the clothes and school issued towels conveniently disappeared from Emmett's seventh period weight lifting/conditioning class. Just as the boys were in the showers, the fire alarms sounded. So every student lined up outside got an eyeful as his class exited the school clad only in miniscule fluffy pink towels, which looked remarkably like Rosalie's favorites.

"I'm going to kill him." Rose muttered.

Emmett's towel slipped "accidentally" as he passed by Mrs. Cope giving her a good look at his perfect rear. I couldn't help but chuckle at the look on her face.

The last prank involved Mike Newton. Knowing that he was at a party while his parents were out of town, Emmett and Bella removed everything from his bedroom and set it up in the front yard, every pair of his boxers hanging from a tree like little flags. The part they hadn't counted on was that Newton didn't even notice until the next day. He'd stumbled home from the party, and crawled into his bed completely unaware that he was still outside. The school was buzzing with pictures of Mike asleep outside for the next few days after that.

I'd have thought that I would have been jealous of sharing Bella's time with the tribe, my family, and her new friend, Bree, but I wasn't. Bella was so good at making me feel loved and appreciated that I never felt left out. I worried about her. In the quiet times and as she slumbered in my arms, she couldn't hide that she was concerned about the tribe. The need to protect ran so strongly in her, that I feared that she had very little feelings for her own self preservation. The fear of losing her began to consume me. And being a selfish, emotionally stunted creature, I shut down as I worked through the overwhelming feelings of fear, love, and dismay. I was quiet and regretfully moody. Bella seemed to know that I needed space, but I felt ashamed when I caught her watching me with longing in those deep brown eyes.

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BPOV

Edward was clearly working through something. I watched as he quietly withdrew within himself. I knew that he needed space to work out whatever was bothering him. Knew it would be a mistake to push him, knowing that would make him withdraw further. I focused on patrolling and keeping myself busy, anything to keep from thinking of the future. As each happy day passed, I wondered when the other shoe would drop, when my number would be called to protect the tribe.

I hated not knowing who my enemies were beyond being vampires. The elders had learned that the thunderbird legend had been told by Effie, an elderly woman, to a cultural anthropologist named Sarah Brown about 20 years ago. The legend was never published, as Sarah Brown and her research materials had disappeared under mysterious circumstances about six months after visiting the res. Another dead end.

Uncle Billy, Jake, and Seth had come over to tell me the news. On seeing the disappointment on my face and knowing I would need to work out my frustrations physically, Seth suggested that we toss a football around. This involved a lot of running, as we could all throw far.

After playing for an hour, Uncle Billy stiffened, and we stopped to scent the air. Some of the Cullens were nearby. Carlisle walked out from the trees, pausing at the end of the field, behind him was Edward, Jasper, and Emmett.

He raised his hand and greeted, "Pititchu. I'm Carlisle and these are my sons Edward, Jasper, and Emmett."

Uncle Billy replied, "Qahla. I'm William Black. You've met them as wolves, but this is my son Jacob, and the young scamp is Seth Clearwater. I understand you know my niece, Bella."

"It is nice to meet you. We are delighted to know Bella. My sons and I heard you playing. The weather hasn't been favorable for thunder ball, so we were wondering if you'd be interested in our joining you in a friendly game?"

Uncle Billy looked mildly surprised but then grinned. "This old man could use a break, how about we talk while the youngsters play?"

"I'd like that."

Seth and Jacob stared at Emmett's neon blue hair, "Dude, what happened to you?" Jacob asked.

"Bella happened to me." He laughed.

Seth and Jake shared a knowing look. They'd temporarily had fire engine red hair due to me a few years back.

We quickly discussed the rules, and then trash talked a bit.

Jacob crowed, "Are you old men going to talk about war stories or play some football?"

Emmett yelled, "Bring it, pup!"

We were fairly evenly matched. Jacob was brawn, Seth was stealth, and I was speed and agility.

We threw ourselves into the game. It was physical, down and dirty. It was glorious.

We were tied, when Emmett hurled the ball like a bullet down the field to Edward. I knew he could out run me but he didn't know of a move Jake and I had developed.

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EPOV

I ran after the ball Emmett threw downfield. Jacob didn't bother to pursue me. He planted his feet, bent his knees, and reached out his hands. Puzzled, I saw through his eyes Bella running at full speed to him. He grabbed her, swung her around and released her, sending her flying forward in the air. As I leaped up to catch the ball, she was unbelievably there too. He had launched her 30 yards down field. She intercepted the ball, and we both fell to the ground in a heap. Her shoulders shook, and I scrambled to get my weight off her.

"Bella, did I hurt you?"

She rolled over, tears in her eyes, but she was laughing. Laughing, so hard. Pure joy radiated in her eyes. "That was fucking awesome!"

In that moment everything crystallized for me. I needed to focus on the now, times like this and not the future. To accept what I had before I started to mourn its loss, a loss that might not happen.

I cupped her face and she grew quiet and watchful as I gazed down at her, "I love you." I whispered.

She smiled, her eyes not missing anything, "Glad you're back. Love you, too."

It's about time you got your head out of your ass, Edward. Jasper thought.

Emmett yelled, "Hey, no googlie eyes allowed in the end zone. I declare a delay in game."

Seth replied incredulously, "But the one on top is your team mate."

Jasper said, "Let's call it a draw."

I helped Bella up, and everyone shook on a good game.

Billy placed a hand on my shoulder as I turned to leave. I looked back into deep brown eyes, that were so like Bella's, eyes that missed nothing.

Thank you, Edward. You have helped Bella find happiness. It is good to see her whole again.

I reached up and placed my hand over his.

"She has done the same for me."

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BPOV

I came home from patrolling that weekend, and listened to my voicemails. My hands shook as I listened in horror. Without pausing to think, I ran. I ran to the place I needed to be. To Edward.

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EPOV

Alice raced downstairs, "Bella's coming. Something is very wrong."

We ran outside. It was pouring outside. Bella emerged from the trees and stumbled. She fell to the ground and got back up, continuing towards us. Her hair and clothes were plastered to her, her eyes bleak.

Without a word, I picked her up in my arms, holding her tightly to my chest as we returned to the house. Esme had towels and blankets ready. I held Bella in my lap with a blanket draped around us both, as Alice gently dried her hair with a towel. The rest of the family gathered round, wondering what could have shaken Bella so badly.

As I murmured softly to her, Carlisle asked quietly, "Bella, what happened?"

She looked at him and said woodenly, "I failed. I failed to keep her safe."

"Who, sweetheart?" Esme asked softly.

"Bree." She said brokenly.

She fumbled under the blanket and pulled out her phone, pressing buttons.

Hey, Bella. It's Bree. I'm at the Twilight, the new club in Seattle I was telling you about. It's so awesome. I met some really cool kids. They sound like they're from somewhere exotic like Europe but for some reason like to hear about Forks and La Push. I'd better get back, but just wanted to say hi.

Bella pressed a button to go to next message.

Oh, my god, Bella. I'm so scared. I woke up in a van. It's dark, and I don't know where I am.

A hiss could be heard in the background, and we tensed knowing it to be a vampire. Then Bree screamed. It only lasted a few seconds, a few seconds that felt like an eternity.

We sat in somber silence for a few minutes.

Jasper spoke up, "Bella, did Bree ever see your birthmark?"

She replied quickly, "I'm very careful about covering…" but then she paused and her face went blank. "On the day I saved her from Mark, I sat next to her in the locker room during dress down to check on her."