At the End of the Tunnel

by gempire

This is a sequel to 'Uncertainty' and 'In Darkness', so the summary's inside to avoid spoilers. You could choose to read this first, there's no problem with that, but it's always better to get the story from the beginning

25. Chapter 24

Disclaimer: Twilight is the property of Stephenie Meyer

Sorry for posting a day later than usual but RL got in the way this week and I was still writing yesterday. I'll try and post on a Thursday as usual but over the next few weeks it may prove difficult.

I'd like to dedicate this story to Noble, Fadewind and bibika94

---

Liza

"Are you having fun Annie?" I asked the baby as she clung to my back.

"Splash again." She said with a giggle.

I leapt into the shallows of the tide line and the seawater splashed up around us as Marie and Ariana joined us in the waves. Marie was at one with the ocean, but Ariana was a little more wary and always had been. Annie would swim out to the far islands if I permitted her, which was why she was on my back, although I was beginning to regret this.

"Go down." Annie said firmly and pulled at my hair.

I scowled and pulled her around to my front so I could look her in the eye when I chastised her.

"That was not a nice thing to do." I stated. "You hurt Liza. Liza sad."

Annie pouted.

"My sorry Li-la." She said and reached toward me to hug my neck.

I sighed and hugged her back, forgiving her immediately. I found it awfully hard to remain angry with the child when she had such a way of making you feel bad for your anger, even when it was justified.

"Very well, but no hair pulling. Not nice." I stated trying to remain firm.

"Nee go down?" She asked, the hair pulling forgotten.

"If you hold Liza's hand." I said and placed her down in the water.

She immediately jumped back into my arms.

"Cold." She gasped.

"Yes very cold." I said with a chuckle.

"Are we done with the water now?" Ariana complained.

"I got to show you my new moves first." Marie insisted. "I've been learning surfing. Dad said I'm a natural."

"I think we can see Marie's new moves and then we can go and purchase an ice-cream each from the cart." I said.

The girls cheered and I smiled.

"Marie, shall we watch you from the shore?" I suggested.

"I think that would be most acceptable Elizabeth." Marie said with a smile as she attempted to speak like me.

"Then we will watch from the shore."

I led Ariana to where I had left our towels while I carried Annie on my hip. We turned back to the ocean and watched as Marie body boarded into shore. Then she ran the body board to us before taking her surfboard out to the waves. She paddled out and surfed back in. She managed to stand, and rode the board until it crunched on the gravel.

"Bravo." I called, clapping my hands.

"Bray-o." Annie copied, jumping about in my arms and I placed her on the beach as Marie joined us once more.

"You definitely have a gift my cousin." I said with a smile as I held Annie in place by the hand lest she run to the water again.

"I wish I could do that." Ariana agreed. "But I just haven't got the knack. Or the patience."

We laughed at her remark for Ariana's impatience was legendary. Annie laughed too, but merely because the rest of us girls were laughing and she was at that age where she copied when she did not understand.

We dried off a little although not thoroughly for there was a chance we would return to the water later. I took up my coin purse where I had hidden it beneath Annie's bucket and we walked to the little ice-cream cart set up near the beach. It belonged to the village store, but Kim had found that visitors would buy more from the cart rather than enter the store for some thought it out-of-bounds despite signs to the contrary in the hotel.

Twain was sat at the cart today looking a little moody. I empathised with her for she had a job as a trainee teacher at the local school and was on her vacation at the moment, but had been roped into helping out at the store. I knew helping at the store didn't bother her as much as tending the cart.

"Good afternoon Twain. How is business today?" I asked politely.

"Terrible. I don't know why Kim has put the cart out so early in this season. Next week when the tournament starts in earnest then the cart will be busy, but I think I've sold about four ice-creams in all today." She complained.

"Then you are about to double your sales." I said with a smile. "Could I have four cones please? Which flavour would you like?" I inquired of my friends.

"Chocolate." Annie said firmly and we all laughed before Marie decided that she should like a chocolate ice cream too. Ariana choose strawberry whilst I settled on mint-chocolate-chip.

After saying farewell to Twain we made our way back toward our belongings. I put Annie up on my back to traverse the pebbles since we were all barefoot, and her ice cream dripped over my t-shirt and into my hair. I was surprised at how calmly I accepted this, I merely thought of the fact that I could wash once I got back to Grandmother's house and there was no great emergency. Young children were messy and a little stickiness was expected when put in charge of a toddler.

We sat on our towels finishing our ice creams whilst watching a handful of people who were practicing ahead of the tournament.

"I'm gonna be like them one day." Marie mused as she watched the surfers thoughtfully. "And I'll be champion, just like my dad."

"I believe you will be." I said with conviction.

"Annie surf?" Annie asked through a mouth full of melted chocolate ice cream.

"When you are old enough, yes." I stated.

Annie clapped her hands and her cone broke. I managed to catch it before it hit the floor, but now the ice cream could drip out of the bottom and my hand was covered and cold as I handed it back to her before she could cry.

Annie took what was left of the cone in both hands and started devouring the ice cream once more whilst I sought something to clean my hand. I settled upon my t-shirt since it was already stained with ice cream.

We managed to finish the rest of our ice cream without further incident but then we heard someone call Annie's name. We turned to see her farther, Jean-Claude, crossing the stones to meet us.

"Papa." Annie said excitedly, jumping to her feet and holding her sticky hands up to him.

"You been having fun with the big girls cherie?" He asked as he picked her up.

"Yes." She replied.

"We have been swimming and then we ate some ice-cream." I informed Jean-Claude as I stood up, my friends coming to flank me.

"Annie pull Li-la hair." Annie said with a pout.

"You pulled Liza's hair?" Jean-Claude asked.

Annie nodded.

"Not nice." She stated.

"No it wasn't." He said.

"She has apologised and all is forgiven." I assured him.

"If you do it again you won't play with the big girls." Jean-Claude said firmly, but I wasn't entirely sure Annie understood him, at least in the context of consequences to her actions. "Did Portia give you a bag?" He asked.

"Here Dr Toulin." Marie said as she picked up the bag Portia had packed for Annie that morning.

"Merci." Jean-Claude said as he shouldered the bag. "And thank you girls for looking after her this afternoon."

"It was a pleasure." I stated and Marie and Ariana agreed with me.

Jean-Claude smiled before he made his way back across the beach.

"What shall we do now Liza?" Ariana asked.

"Shall we return our belongings home and go spy on the town folk at the resort?" I asked feeling in a conspiratorial mood.

My friends chuckled and we gathered up our belongings. We placed them on Marie's porch since it was closest then we made our way over to the hotel and the resort in general. We were giggly as we stepped over the border, but this was apt considering we were doing something a little naughty.

We climbed into the trees once we were over the walkways that provided a safe path for an authentic walk in the woods for some of the less adventurous tourists. This struck me as somewhat humorous, that people would pay good money to holiday in the middle of no-where and then wish to be back in civilisation. One could not experience the true spirit of the forest whilst treading on pavement, for that you had to have honest earth beneath your feet. My friends and I were of the opinion that we could make this a somewhat more authentic experience.

Marie was situated on the first turn if one were walking from the hotel, Ariana a bit further on the opposite side of the trail, and then I was positioned at the last. We called out to each other with the high squeak that took some practice to achieve. We were ready at our posts and I settled into my clump of ferns ready to cause a little mischief.

I spotted the first traveller, well it was a couple walking hand-in-hand. I started small, doing the snuffle of a deer, not too loud as to be obvious, but enough to pull at the spinal chord. They hardly registered me, but they did subconsciously and there was a minuet tremor in them as Ariana did her famous mountain lion snarl, which was the reason she was in the middle. To finish Marie howled long and mournful and the couple were quick to leave the path as we fell about laughing before managing to sober somewhat before the next people happened along, a group of five this time coming from the direction of the resort and therefore Marie began with a deer impression, followed by Ariana and her lion and ending with me and my most impressive wolf howl.

We continued this way for a while and it was most enjoyable for nobody seemed to work out that it was children messing about. Perhaps it was due to this that we became cocky and we inevitably went to far.

Marie sounded a wolf call, and this messed the system for Ariana had to compensate with her own wolf call which was not as authentic as Marie and I.

"Wow. Wolves right here near the beach!" A boy called into the air.

I knew I should stay silent but I had already readied myself for the call and it fell from my lips, fairly convincingly, but somewhat marred in my attempt to stop it.

"Very funny." The boy said and he appeared to zero in on my location.

I cowered in the ferns knowing full well that I had been discovered and there was a high possibility I would now have to face the wrath of the resort manager.

"You think it's a joke scaring people like that?" The boy demanded and as he moved closer to the ferns I recognised that brown hair, the lines of the face, the green eyes…

My heart accelerated in fear at the thought of embarrassment as I recognised My Boy, here on the Res! It made me feel disorientated as my teenage life looked set to encroach on my childhood haven. One thing I knew for certain, he could not see me as I was now, I would simply die from the mortification.

I moved swiftly backwards, I cared not as I upset the ferns with my momentum as I rushed behind the nearest tree trunk. I peered around and noted that he was pulling the ferns aside with no idea I had made my escape. I took advantage of his distraction and the fact there was no one else present to run at my top most speed to Ariana's post.

She looked shocked at my sudden appearance, but I place my hand to her mouth lest she call attention to us. I put my finger to my lip to caution silence and I checked up the path once more. Simon was making his way further into the undergrowth. Without a thought I threw Ariana over my shoulder and ghosted to where Marie was still hiding but on the verge of breaking cover.

I placed Ariana down, took her hand, and Marie's with my other and I urged them to run toward the resort, and I felt much aggrieved that we had to keep a human pace since I wished the ground to swallow me up. We carried on running until we reached grandmother's house and we were all three panting, trying to get our breath back, although I was breathless for the brush with disaster as opposed to the dash across the Res which was nothing to me.

Suddenly there was whooping from the trees and the boys jumped out to circle us. I was in no mood for shenanigans at that time and I glared at each of them in turn. I was trying to work up to berating them once I'd found my voice.

"Liza? What's wrong?" Tony asked.

"The greatest disaster ever!" I declared, running to hug him. "Simon is here! Upon the Res! He is here in my childish haven! I will have to be grown-up!"

"I'm sorry." Tony said, tapping my back. "Do you wanna talk about it?"

I nodded my head.

Tony nodded his head too before announcing, "Sorry boys, but my sister needs me. Looks like I'll have to forfeit this one."

The boys laughed in a mocking way before they dispersed.

What forfeit? I asked.

Don't worry. Tony assured me. It's nothing I can't handle.

"Do you want us to go too?" Ariana asked.

"I'm afraid I must take a little twin break." I said. "You understand?"

"Yeah. We should be getting home anyway." Ariana stated and she herded Marie away.

Shall we go into the shed? Tony asked.

I nodded and he took my right hand before we made our way around the side of Grandmother's house to the old plastic sheds that had once been Uncle Hunter's clubhouse. It was a mess inside and I had to clear away before I could settle in the chair furthest from the door. Tony took the one closest to the door as always.

Why did you run away from him? He asked.

Because… I trailed. I do not wish to sound brattish but I do not want him here. This is the place I can be my eight year old self and I do not wish for people from our teenage life to encroach on that. Can we not have one safe haven where we are allowed to be children?

Well you know Sis, you were the one who wanted to go to school and mingle with the big kids. If we hadn't done that you wouldn't have to worry about Simon recognition you now. Tony pointed out needlessly.

I wanted to experience our teenage years whilst our bodies were still growing, yet I also knew that here on the Res we could be the children we truly are. How can I be this when Simon is here? How mortifying would it have been had he witnessed me in this way today?

Why? Tony asked with a frown.

Look how I am presented? I am hardly a fit sight for anybody. I said pointedly.

I don't think Simon would care how you look. He likes you too much to care about that. Now you care how you look, but that's different. Maybe it's a teenage girl thing. Tony observed with a shrug.

But I do not want to be a teenage girl! Not here on the Res. I want to be the seven year old eagerly awaiting her eighth birthday. I do not want to put so much thought into my behaviour and attire. I want to be free. I complained.

"Well you only bumped into him cause you were down on the resort. If you just keep away from there I don't think you'll bump into him. You know the tourists never venture far from there unless they're in groups anyway."

"Of course!" I gasped. "I should have thought."

I felt a lot better in that moment.

"And it'll only be for two weeks if he's here for the surfing." Tony added.

I nodded in agreement.

"I wonder what he's doing here." Tony mused. "I mean, did he tell you he was coming?"

"No. Not at all." I felt a moment of worry twist in my stomach. "Have I ever referred to here as La Push, or have I always only called it the Res when mentioning our summer retreat to him?"

"Hey, one minuet you don't want him to see you or hang with you here, and now you're worried he's come with somebody else. Like a girlfriend or something?" Tony observed.

"No." I said defensively, but I could never hide my true thoughts from Tony when we were in such close quarters with no other minds to distract him.

"Yes you are." Tony said with a frown. "I thought you wanted him to move on and forget you?"

"I do." I said firmly. "I want him to find happiness without me, but that does not mean I wish to witness it. At least not without due warning."

"Right. So you want him to move on because you can't be with him but you don't want him to move on cause you desire him, even though you think you shouldn't?" Tony asked, trying to round up my very mixed thoughts.

"Yes. I have no right to trap him to me when I cannot give him what this body advertises and not have any explanation as to why it cannot be. You have Grace and she knows why you should not pursue anything other than a platonic relationship for a while yet. I have no such option with Simon and how long will he accept that I am not ready as a reason without further elaboration? And what of his needs? What happens when he wishes to progress things when I am unable? What of the fact that given the chance I would very much like to progress although I know it to be wrong?"

"I don't think Simon will wait for you, if you told him to move on and meant it then I think he would. Although I think that if you went back to him in ten years time he'd pick up where you left off, of course then you have to factor in what he's done with his life. It wouldn't be right to go to him if he's in a relationship. As for the latter, you got hormones Liza, they tend to demand things that you might not want to do. I mean other teenage girls experience that anyway, wondering if they're ready or not, their bodies telling them one thing, their minds telling them another. You're not alone in that."

"How do you know so much about teenage girls?" I demanded snootily and Tony gave me a look that negated his need to ask, 'are you serious?' but I was feeling a little abashed for I knew he was right and I was falling to anger rather than accept his offering.

"If you really want me to spell it out." Tony said when it was clear I wouldn't relent. "Or maybe I should just give you a taste of what walking along a hall at school is like for me on a bad day."

He stretched across the distance between us and placed his hand to mine. My mind was immediately filled with the clamour of many thoughts worrying about homework, hating the fact that PE was next, wishing for the end of the day and all the complications and freedoms teenagers associated with sex. I burst out laughing at the very thought.

Tony pulled his hand away.

"I am most glad I did not read those thoughts directly from the people. They should have thought me mad to be laughing without visible cause." I mused.

"I think you missed the point there Eliza." Tony said flatly. "A lot of girls worry about their reputation. It's like they feel they're ready, but not to deal with the backlash and the possibility of being branded a slut. I know it's slightly different from your reason of being younger than you look, but it's a similar thing. It's still fighting what your body tells you or to do what you think is right and acceptable."

"You have a point." I stated.

"Anyway, I think if you're gonna avoid him the best thing to do is just not think about him."

"That's easier said than done." I said sadly.

"I know, but it's worth a try. And as for those adult feelings you don't want to entertain at the moment? Do you know what I do?"

I shook my head.

"I imagine a box in my mind and I stuff them all inside there. It's locked up tight until I'm old enough to be with Grace." He said firmly with a determined smile.

"I wonder if I can do the same." I mused.

"Well it's worth a try." Tony stated.

"Yes." I agreed, "Although I will give it some thought first."

"But it don't take thought. You just got to do it." Tony stated. "It's like one of those things that the more you think about it the harder it is to do."

"Then I will consider all my options before I attempt it." I stated.

"Well I guess I can't make your mind up for you." Tony said with a shrug, before flashing me a thoughtful look. Or can I?

"Can you what?"

"Well, maybe I could alpha your feelings away." He suggested. "I mean I've never actually tried it, but I got most of Mom's powers, so why not that? And she stopped the whole Volturi coming after us, stopping you having a problem with Simon moving on should be easy."

"No!" I said firmly. "Besides, I doubt it would work on me since I am your twin. How do you know that due to our connection all my feelings for Simon will not wash into you and you end up feeling anxious at the idea of Simon being with somebody else?"

"Wouldn't happen." Tony said with a shake of his head.

"How can you be certain?"

"Because even if it did wash back to me it wouldn't even register. All I see is Grace now. Part of the beauty of having an imprint." He said smugly.

"You have a point there. However, I am highly critical that one's feelings can be Alphaed away. Is it not for commanding a pack mate from doing or saying something, not for completely changing who they are within? For that is what you would do to me if you were to take away my confusion, however well intentioned, I would still feel betrayed and would hate you for it."

"It was just a suggestion Liza, cause I don't want you to hurt. I want you to be happy when we're here, not worrying about things that you shouldn't really worry about. I just want you to have fun and be your usual carefree self you can be when we're here. I don't want you to be the image conscious Liza of home." Tony said in blunt honesty.

"Am I truly hideous to live with?" I asked in distress.

"What? Not at all. I don't mean I want it for me! I want it for you. Our summers, they really are a break for you, a vacation from yourself. You need it to go back to our complicated teenage lives refreshed and recharged and ready to face the world anew. You get wound up over the course of the year, but coming back here let's you unravel because you can just be a kid and you know your friends here don't give a damn about what you wear and how you act, they'll still like you. Not that I'm saying your friends back home would, cause I know they wouldn't. But you think they would and without this vacation to be who ever the hell you want to be I think you'd have a breakdown our something. Which is why I'd take away all your anxiety in a heartbeat if I could."

"I…I have to think about this." I whispered as I had the growing sense of dread that Tony was right.

"I'm sorry." Tony said, kneeling before me and taking my hands. "I didn't want to make you feel bad."

"I know brother." I said, placing my hand to his cheek. "Perhaps this is a wakeup call I required." I added with a smile.

Tony looked at me sadly, unconvinced by my smile.

"Tony, you can not mend all my woes, especially when I am in the habit of creating needless woes for myself. I am happy that you were so honest about this. It is something I must address within myself for sometimes I too fear madness looming due to my obsessive nature. Yet I know no other way to be." I said, dropping my head.

"But you do Liza, can't you see that." Tony said, taking my cheeks in his hands. "You know how to relax and have fun when you're here. I bet you didn't even think once about the state of your t-shirt today. Well maybe once, but I bet you just shrugged it away until you saw Simon and then panicked as La Push Liza suddenly came face to face with Olympic Pine's Liza. I guess that must have been bad, I mean I'd find it bad if I was to bump into one of my friends who wasn't Grace because suddenly this place where I can run around and not have to care so much about being human suddenly becomes restricting. I mean I wouldn't have to stop running around with the guys cause boys can get away with it for longer. But it's the freedom of having everyone know I'm only a kid and also a dhampir and not having to worry about slipping, makes it a lot more relaxing."

"What would you do if your friends turned up here?" I asked for the sake of curiosity.

"Really? I have no idea." Tony said with a shake of his head. "It depends on who it was and why they were here. Whether they'd want to spend all their time with me or they had a full schedule and could maybe pencil me in for five minuets at the celebrations. The former would be bad, but I might cope if it's just two weeks, the latter would be better cause I won't have to feel like I'm choosing between my two sets of friends. How would they get why I'm playing with all the seven and eight year olds?"

"So you do care what your friends think of you." I said with a mischievous smile.

"Ok. Maybe a little." He admitted grudgingly. "But I try not to let it get to me."

"Yes." I had to agree with that for Tony was good at shrugging most things off.

"So is the panic over?" Tony coaxed with a smile.

"For the time being."

"Then I guess I'll go face my forfeit." He said, rising to his feet.

"What is the forfeit?" I asked, feeling anxious.

"Oh nothing really. Don't worry. I can handle it." He said firmly before he left.

I sat back, my mind a whirl as I contemplated our conversation. Perhaps I should have a more relaxed attitude toward life. Perhaps then I would know more happiness. However, I couldn't help the worry I felt, especially in that moment for whatever forfeit my brother had to face because of me.

I decided to track him down despite his repeated words directly into my mind, I can handle this.

---

Tony

I couldn't handle this!

"But it's only a bike ride." Peni was saying. "It's not even that far, just from her to over there."

Over there was at the other end of a narrow stretch of rocks that bridged a three hundred yard gorge where the sea had eroded the land. My heart was pounding so fast I thought it was gonna explode as I looked at the bike lying against its kick stand.

"Have you got a mountain bike I can use?" I asked, my voice breaking a little in my fear.

"Has to be on the motorbike." Peni stated, folding his arms.

"But I can't ride." I stated. "I mean I'm willing to do any other kind of forfeit, but I can't ride."

"You drew this one out of the hat." Oscar stated with a shrug. "Ain't nothing we can do about that."

"But I thought the idea was to only include things that were scary as hell but possible for the person to carry out. I can't ride a bike even on normal ground, never mind on that narrow path where there's nowhere to stop. All those variables! If I go too slow I'll fall off the path into the sea. If I go too fast I could over shoot the other end. God I wish I wasn't so good at math, the statistics lay heavily in favour that this could all go wrong."

"I think we should give him a different one." Marshall said softly.

"What? You wanna do it instead?" Oscar demanded.

Marshall shook his head.

"Anyway if you fall in it won't matter since you're a vampire." Peni said.

"But I'm also mostly human. I could still drown, or get cut up on the rocks." I said with worry as I looked over the edge of the gorge to the sharp rocks below.

"I thought you had diamond skin like Hunter." Hugo said with a frown and I would have been angry with him if it wasn't for the fact that I'd been bragging about it just that morning.

Well I guess it goes to show you shouldn't brag because it just comes back to bite you on the ass.

"I know, but diamond skin or not, I still can't ride a bike." I pointed out.

"Look, you don't really need to know how to ride it." Peni stated. "The trajectory of the hill will give you enough speed to make it to the other side if you free wheel it. All you have to do is keep your balance."

I swept my eyes over the little incline and I realised Peni was right, although there were things that could still go wrong, not to mention the fact that I just didn't want to get on a bike. Ever!

"I can't do it." I said firmly. "I can't ride a motorbike. Bring me a mountain bike and I'll do it fine, but I can't ride motorbikes."

"I think we've finally found something the Big-T's afraid of." Oscar crowed and there was laughter around the group.

"Big-T?" I demanded. "When did you ever call me that?"

There was a bout of nervous coughing as I glared around at them all. I felt I was being set up I guess. I mean they all knew I didn't like bikes, I bet if I'd looked at all those pieces of paper they would have all be marked with this forfeit and I knew who'd done it too. Peni and Oscar were bad enough apart, but when they got together they had a sense of humour that was close to being fatal for anyone who became a target of their practical jokes. This year Peni seemed a little more reckless than usual and I think it had a lot to do with Lani growing up faster than him. I didn't know how to get out of this one, I had to face the forfeit. My honour depended on it.

I growled loudly and kicked at the ground, sending a dirt clod flying over the edge.

"Fine." I said through my teeth as I pulled down the heat. "I'll do it. But if I die I'm coming back and haunting you?"

"You won't die." Peni assured me as he tapped my arm since he couldn't reach my shoulder without stretching up.

I shrugged him off angrily before I reached for the bike, letting my anger burn away my nerves so I could actually sit across it. Well this wasn't so bad, now if I could just lift my foot to release the kick stand. I was aware the others were talking at me, giving me advice, but the blood was rushing in my ears and I couldn't hear a thing.

"Anthony Black! What on earth do you think you are doing?" Liza's voice cut through the rushing and I turned to see her glaring up at me. "You get off that bike at once." She added, pointing at the floor beside her.

"Hey Liza, leave him alone, Tony has to do this." Peni said, placing his hand on Liza's shoulder and she scowled.

"Oh he does, does he?" She demanded, glaring at me rather than turning to Peni.

"Yeah. It's the rules. You know that?" Peni said as if it was universal knowledge.

"Oh yes." Liza said, and now her dangerous smile climbed to her lips before she turned to Peni.

I leapt off the bike so that I could do something since I couldn't guess at what would happen next but I was certain that Liza was about to lose it.

"The hallowed rules of boyhood." Liza continued and she was working up into a rant, I didn't have to be a mind reader to know that. "In order to prove your worth then you must do something idiotically dangerous."

"Yeah." Peni said uncertainly since he didn't quite understand what Liza had said but wasn't about to admit it. "He's gotta do it to prove himself."

"Really? Have you done said act to prove yourself?" She demanded.

"I'm not the one who bailed on the guys so I ain't got a forfeit." Peni said firmly.

"Tony came to comfort me in my time of need. Surely out of all who are present here you would understand his actions. Would you not have done the same for Lani?"

"Yeah, but it's different for us." Peni said with a frown.

"Why, because Tony and I are not near identical? Do you think we have no true connection because we look nothing alike?" Liza demanded. "We may not look alike Peni, but I can assure you our twin bond is as strong as that between you and Lani, if not, stronger."

"Whatever. I'd still face the forfeit and so should Tony." Peni said firmly as he started to regret getting into this argument with Liza and was hoping one of the others would back him up.

"But this is rather extreme. I thought your usual forfeits were along the lines of egging cars down on the resort, or cliff diving or eating a peck of dirt. Things that are achievable, although the person may feel opposed to performing said act." Liza argued a good point.

"Well we got different things for different ages." Oscar butted in.

"Oh really?" Liza said, turning her gaze on Oscar who shrank back a little. "So you would ask one of them," she said, indicating the younger boys, "to do this task."

"No. But they're too young." Oscar countered.

"Nearly all of them are older than Tony and I." Liza pointed out.

"Yeah. But you're half vampires. You got that weird growth thing." Peni stated.

"But we are still children." Liza sang.

"Yeah, but Tony can drive a car, a bike should be nothing." Peni stated as if it was true.

"I am tired of this exchange and I propose a better scenario. You drop this foolish forfeit nonsense this instance." Liza said with no hint of alternative.

"Or?" Peni prompted anyway.

"Or?" Liza demanded with a frown.

"Or what?" Peni elaborated, barely.

"Or…or…or I will totally kick your ass." Liza growled.

Peni snorted and I wondered if he realised how serious Liza was.

"How about we make it more interesting. We will scuffle and if I win you give up on this nonsense." Liza said with a steely voice.

"And if I win?"

"I will do the stunt in Tony's place and throw in a cheer routine at the end." Liza could see she needed a little more incentive. "In my bikini."

I felt my mouth fall open, who was this person and what had she done with my sister? Then I saw Peni looking Liza over a little too thoughtfully and I growled. Peni snapped to attention.

Liza, this is crazy! I thought toward her.

No Tony. This is fun. I am being a carefree kid and protecting my brother all in one go. She said sounding a little insane.

But I don't want you to stand up for me. The guys will make fun. I said, hoping she'd care enough about my fragile male pride.

I thought you didn't care what people thought of you. Liza pointed out and she spared me a smile.

I don't…

Then there is no problem here.

"I can't fight you." Peni said after a minuets thought. "You're a girl."

"You are frightened of a girl?" Liza chortled. "Oh my, what a turn up for the books."

"I'm not afraid to fight you. I don't want to hurt you." Peni said angrily.

"I am deeply touched by your concern." Liza said sarcastically. "If you do not wish to hurt me so then please let my brother go."

"He has to face the forfeit." Peni growled as if Liza was really starting to bug him.

"Then I will totally kick your ass." Liza laughed sounding a little maniacal. "Oh my, I love Mother's turn of phrase, it truly bolsters one's confidence." She mused. "So come on Penny, are we gonna fight?"

Some of the guys actually gasped at Liza using 'gonna' they'd never heard her talk so improper before.

"Or are you chicken?" She demanded and started making clucking noises.

The other boys catcalled and Peni glowered.

"Ok. If you really want to do this Black." He said, cracking his knuckles.

"Oh I'm ready." Liza said, doing a few quick stretching exercises. "Bring it on big boy."

"Liza. Please don't." I begged, placing my hand on her should.

"Relax bro." She said, shrugging my hand away as the boys formed a circle. "I got this covered."

And don't even think about intervening, I wish to teach Peni a lesson. She said firmly giving me one final nod before she entered the ring and began to circle Peni.

I tried to jump into the ring to pull Liza out, but I couldn't move. I was welded to the spot as my sister made savage faces at the boy who was at least a foot taller than her. I mean I knew Liza could win this if she gave over to the vampire, but she might end up hurting Peni badly. And if she didn't give in, well she might end up hurting herself. Despite knowing this I still couldn't move.

"Come on Peni, let's see what you're really made of." Liza taunted.

Peni growled and lunged for her but Liza sidestepped easily with a chuckle. She pulled at his shirttail playfully but Peni seemed to take offence as he whipped off his shirt and tossed it to Kai who looked at it then dropped it to the floor. Peni didn't seem to notice as he went for a high flying-tackle that Liza miscalculated and she got thrown across the ring and landed at Kai's feet.

"Are you ok?" Kai asked, kneeling down beside her.

"I'm perfectly fine Kai dearest." Liza said, tapping his hand as she sat up. "Fear not, I will not harm your brother." She added as she leapt to her feet to find Peni charging at her again. "Much."

Liza danced out of the way as her eyes flashed with danger. She crouched low and grinned and for a moment she looked more like Mom than Dad as she waited for Peni to right himself and charge her once more. As he did she leapt straight up, turning in midair so that she landed behind Peni still facing him.

"You have to do better than that." She called.

Peni growled in annoyance as he turned again. You think he would have adjusted his tactics, but I guess he went to the Emmett school of fighting since he charged Liza again. This time Liza stood her ground and when Peni reached her she grabbed his wrist and used his own momentum to flip him over her back and down onto the floor. He landed heavily, the wind whooshing out of him as Liza turned gracefully to him.

"Anyone care to count?" She asked.

Everyone around the circle started counting down from ten, but Peni got to his feet on five.

"You won't take me out that easy Lizzy." He taunted.

"Just as I expected, Penny. Now I can have some fun." She hissed back.

Peni rushed her again but this time Liza whizzed away, ghosting to the other side of the ring so fast the others couldn't follow. Peni's head whipped around, but even before he started moving Liza was ghosting again and she pinched him on the way past. I was a little shocked but Peni was furious and a little scared now he realised what it actually meant to be in a fight with a half vampire. Liza was a whirlwind around him now, flicking up his hair when he least expected it or brushing his back.

"Liza!" I snapped cause I was sure she was getting carried away.

Liza stopped and grinned at me before she leapt at Peni's back and he fell forward onto his face.

"I think I won don't you…Blood…"

Liza was off Peni quickly and she retreated behind my back.

"What, a vampire afraid of a little blood?" Peni taunted as he got to his feet, blood was trickling from his nose.

"Not afraid." I said pointedly as I got a good flash of Liza's hunger.

Suddenly everyone gasped and crowded behind Peni. I didn't like to point out that if Liza did snap and go on a murderous rampage they'd all be dead in seconds no matter who they hid behind. Peni didn't look too fazed though, he just shrugged as he held his hand to his nose.

"You were good Liza. I guess I did deserve that ass kicking. I shouldn't have been such a jerk to Tony." He stated, his voice sounding a little funny because he'd blocked his nose.

"Liza asked if you'd stop talking to her for a moment. She's trying to gather her composure." I said as I handed Peni a handkerchief. "So she doesn't eat you."

"Right." Peni said, looking perturbed. "So how will she do that exactly?"

"By holding her breath." I said, resisting the urge to go the deliberately misunderstanding route and saying something like, 'the traditional way, in through the jugular' or some other tasteless jibe.

"She's been holding it all this time?" Peni asked, sounding impressed.

"Yeah. She can hold it up to half an hour. Way longer than I can." I added, deciding to build a little more on Liza's strengths.

"I never thought about Liza being so super before." Peni stated.

"That's cause you're a stupid ass-hole." Kai said angrily as he pushed him.

"Don't go being angry at me just cause you got a crush on her." Peni retorted as he staggered one step.

Kai scowled and kicked his shin and the brothers started scrapping.

"Hey break it up." I said, stepping between them and holding them apart. "Don't you think we've had enough fighting for one day?"

"But he tried to hurt her." Kai protested.

"I think it was Liza who proposed the fight. And really Peni, it was stupid taking her up on the offer. She may not fight on the Res, but she has taken out a few vamps."

"Seriously?" Oscar asked in a mixture of disbelief and awe.

"Yep. Did I tell you about them two vamps in Ridgeborough? They attacked me and my friend. That's when I phased for the first time. I was so busy taking out the one vamp I didn't realise the other was flanking me. If Liza hadn't attacked him I would have been dead. Then down in LA Liza and Mom got ambushed by one of the coven members who was out walking the newborns. Liza took one down on her own and helped Mom take out the another two."

"Wow! Liza, you're badass!" Oscar crowed.

Liza laughed and came from behind me to face the boys.

"Perhaps, but what Tony neglected to mention was the fact that the vampire in the alley in Ridgeborough threw me into a wall and I suffered broken ribs for my efforts and the newborn in LA had been immobilised by Jane's power."

"You fought with Jane of the Volturi?" Marshall asked.

"She turned up and aided us." Liza said with a shrug. "And I believe she goes by the name of Jane Summers now."

"She really has turned good?" Marshall asked a little sceptically.

"It appears to be so." Liza stated.

"Is she scary to meet?" Hugo asked.

"She doesn't look scary." I stated.

"Until she smiles." Liza added.

"Oh yeah." I added with a shiver. "Her smile is scary."

"But she has her good points." Liza conceded. "And she is trying to lead a better life, what more could we ask of her?"

"To go somewhere else." Peni suggested and the rest of the guys laughed, but I found myself frowning and Liza shook her head.

"Jane is not so bad. At least she has more decency than her brother." Liza said coldly. "And she will not harm you unless she were to catch you making such remarks at her expense."

"Yeah." I agreed. "Jane isn't all that bad. Maybe you'll get to meet her one day and then you'll see."

"Meet a real life Volturi?" Billy asked in amazement.

"Ex-Volturi." Liza corrected.

"Wow!" Billy gasped.

"Can we get on to something else now?" I demanded. "As fun as Jane is and all, there's much more fun things we could be doing than discussing her."

"Sure, sure." Oscar said. "So what do you suggest 'alpha' Tony?"

"I could alpha you if I wanted to. All of you, but I'm not gonna cause it would be wrong." I snapped. "And I'm not an alpha. I'm a vamp-wolf. Mom is my alpha. I'm not ready to lead yet."

"You are you know." Oscar said firmly. "But don't worry about that, why don't we all head down to First Beach."

The guys agreed but Liza declined.

Tony, if you bump into Simon play dumb?

Ok Sis. I promised before I headed with the boys down to the beach.

"We should have a water fight." Josh suggested as we reached the bottom of the path that led up to the rocks we'd been on.

"So we're gonna waste a nice clear day like this by getting soaked to the skin?" Oscar demanded in mock anger. "Hell yeah little brother." He roared and grabbed Josh in a headlock and messed his hair. "Well you heard him, water fight, First Beach, ten minuets. Gentlemen, choose your weapons."

Grandma's house was the closest so I broke from the group first and ran to the house to get my super soaker from the shed. I filled it with water from the outside tap so I'd have my first round of ammo ready when I got to the beach. Chances are I'd be one of the last so I wanted to be prepared.

I headed toward First Beach, being stealthy in case of a few pre-emptive attacks and also in case one of the adults saw me carrying my super soaker since we weren't really supposed to have water fights on First Beach cause it was the place most of the tourists congregated. Then again there wouldn't be so many tourists yet, just a few practicing surfers. Tomorrow it would get really busy, but today the spectators were just arriving and settling in.

The busy place was the hotel. In fact Mom had gone to volunteer her services since she was at a loose end and I think she wanted to feel useful since all her school friends had jobs now. Even if Aunt Susie and Uncle Tuck were on vacation they still had jobs back home. Mom didn't and I think she was considering looking into getting one when we get back to Olympic Pines. It was all part of her attempt to grow up now she was away from Volterra.

I pushed thoughts of Mom from my mind since it was likely to get me soaked if I was thinking about other things. I reached the beach without any hassles and saw that most of the guys were all congregated there. I headed to them losing the stealth now I was in the home stretch and there'd be a ceasefire until the game began in earnest.

We joked about with each other as we waited for the others. I could feel the nerves of all of them jangling a little as we hoped we wouldn't get caught, but sometimes the fun was in the running away.

Peni and Kai were the last to arrive. Peni was already soaking and Kai was looking a little smug, it was obvious he'd got Peni back for all his teasing him about Liza. Peni was planning his vengeance and I thought I'd get Kai's back just in case since he did soak his brother on my sister's behalf.

With the last two arrivals there was a count to thirty while we all ran in opposite directions. I tailed Peni as he tailed Kai, the thirty seconds were up and I hit Peni in the shoulder before he could soak Kai. Peni turned and soaked me instead. I laughed and got him back right in the chest and hightailed it to the tide since my pistol was now empty.

I filled it with seawater, keeping to the left of the 'boarding area, Kai was standing next to me filling his own pistol.

"Thanks Cuz." He said with a salute.

"No problamo." I said, lifting my soaker from the water and I began pumping up the pressure.

"Tag-team?" Kai asked.

"Why not?" I replied with a grin.

We bumped knuckles and ran back onto the beach where we mounted a coordinated attack on Oscar who was about to take out Marshall who was running to refill in the sea.

"Hey no tag-teams!" Oscar complained.

"Weren't mentioned in the rules." I stated.

Oscar growled and turned his soaker on me.

"Hey guys." Josh said, running up to us a little giggly. "I just spotted the perfect target."

"Who?" Oscar demanded.

"I don't know. But there's a couple making out behind that rock." He said laughing at the thought of it.

Oscar grinned and whooped to call the others back.

The boys all joined us, all of us were soaking.

"Looks like we got ourselves a beast with two backs." Oscar said in a low, conspiratorial voice.

"They were making out not…" Josh paused, aware of the younger kids. "You know."

"Whatever. You know the drill."

We all filled up our soakers and primed them ready for use. In stealth mode we headed toward the little outcrop of rocks. It was a favourite for couples since it offered a little privacy when there weren't many people on the beach. We rounded the rocks, Oscar, Peni and Marshall climbed over them, to find that there was a couple making out.

We got into position, and Oscar gave the signal from on top of the rock. As I raised my soaker I suddenly recognised the couple.

"Guys no!" I called, but it was too late as Bob and Eloise were hit by a deluge of water from an assortment of pistols.

"What the hell!" Eloise raged, shooting to her feet. "You assholes! What did you go and do a thing like that for? Tony?"

"Hi Eloise. Bob." I said, feeling a little awkward.

"What the hell? Why did you do that?" She demanded, turning her anger on me since she recognised me.

The guys all relaxed back to enjoy the spectacle since I was in the firing line.

"I didn't soak you." I said, dumping my gun in her hands so she could feel that it was full.

"You would have soaked us if we were strangers." Eloise said, glaring at me.

"It was just a joke." I said. "Anyway, you shouldn't be making out on the beach."

"It's a free country." Eloise said, folding her arms.

"Technically not." Oscar put in, jumping down from the rock.

"Yeah, the beach is on the Res so this is Quileute land." Peni added landing beside Oscar, and I could see trouble brewing if we got into that kind of debate.

"Cool it guys." I said to them. "We were being jerks, but we weren't harming anyone." I directed at Bob and Eloise.

"Tony man, there was seawater in those soakers."

"Seawater only hurts you if you let it dude." Kaimana said in a philosophical voice. "You fear it you can never be one with the waves."

"Kai's a budding surfer." I explained.

"Budding? I am a surfer. I'm gonna be a champion, just like Dad."

"Yeah." Peni said in solidarity to his brother. "And he's a much better surfer than you two'll ever be."

"Err guys, they're not surfers. They're my friends from school, Bob and Eloise." I explained.

"Really?" Peni said and he gave Eloise the once over. "You have a pretty friend. Hey Eloise, you shouldn't be with him, you should be with Tony."

"Tony is with Grace." Bob said pointedly.

"I love Bob." Eloise said firmly, frowning at Bob's response since she couldn't understand why he'd think she'd chose him as second prize because I was already taken.

"Who's Grace?" Peni asked intrigued.

"Ok then boys." Marshall said in an uncharacteristically loud voice. "Let's get moving. Let Tony catch up with his school friends." He said, attempting to usher them away.

"Yeah. Move it or lose it tweens." Oscar announced and that got them all moving. "We're heading over to Second Beach where the young ones are not so likely to get corrupted." He joked, but I knew that parting shot was to keep Peni moving. I realised the two Clearwater boys had obviously heard something about Grace from their brothers.

"You haven't told them about Grace?" Eloise asked once they'd all disappeared.

"Why should I?" I asked.

"Well she is your girlfriend." Eloise stated.

"No she's not. There's nothing like that between me and Grace. She's my best friend, that's it." I said firmly.

"So you didn't tell them about your best friend." Eloise said, giving me a measured look.

"Hell no! You saw what they're like. If Oscar and Peni found out that I had a girl as a best friend I'd never hear the end of it. What are you guys doing here anyway?"

"Well that's a warm welcome." Bob said with a chuckle.

"Sorry. I just wasn't expecting you guys." I said in shame.

"Obviously not." Eloise said, tossing my super soaker back.

"We're here to watch the surfing." Bob explained. "Mom won tickets on a radio show so she asked Eloise and her Mom along."

"She did have one more to give to Spencer, but ding dong the witch is dead." Eloise crowed.

"Spencer died?" I asked, appalled by her reaction.

"No. He ran off with the slut down the street. You know the one who's always in fish nets." Eloise said wrinkling her nose.

I shook my head.

"She has like a hundred cats."

"Oh… her?" I asked, frowning at the thought.

"Yeah. Well anyway, he's out of our lives for good. There was one ticket going, but Jesse was heading out to Florida to meet his girlfriend's parents and Merial offered the extra ticket to Simon. He of course snapped it up when he realised this is where Liza comes for her summers. Oh don't tell her he's here though. He wants it to be a surprise. You know what those two are like with their ideas of high romance, he has this very specific idea of how it should go."

"I promise I won't tell her." I said, I knew I could keep this promise since she already knew.

Eloise nodded.

"So tell me Tony Summers, do you really hang out with all the kids here?" She asked raising her eyebrow.

"It's the Res. Everyone hangs with everyone else." I said with a shrug. "Besides, they're all my cousins. Some of them by blood, others because they're parents were friends with my mother growing up."

"That's nice." Eloise observed and she meant it. "I guess you would feel like family growing up in a tight-knit place like this."

"We do." I said, "I mean not that I grew up here, but I spent all my summers here so it's easy to re-integrate."

"Yeah." Eloise agreed.

"Hey I just realised something." Bob stated.

"What?"

"We could have bumped into each other when we were ten." He replied with a grin.

"Why?" I asked, feeling a sudden pit of dread open in my stomach, if he had bumped into me when he was ten then I would have looked three.

"Mom brought me here for the tournament that year." He stated.

"I doubt it." I said. "We spent most of that summer on Second Beach because it was extra busy due to the cancellation the year before and the grown-ups wanted to keep an extra sharp eye on us just in case."

"I guess they would after all those killings." Eloise said with a shiver. "My cousin Albie was one of their victims. He was in San Francisco at the time only stopping over the weekend to check out the halls of residence and just like that." She shook her head. "What's worse, the police never caught the ones who did it. They just disappeared into thin air as if they never existed."

"Maybe a rival gang took them out. Or a vigilante mob?" I suggested.

"It might have stopped them killing, but what about my Aunt June's justice for her son?"

"I guess it depends on what your idea of justice is." I said, feeling a little awkward.

"That it be witnessed by the ones who seek it." Eloise said promptly.

"It's justice if the victim gains closure by seeing the perpetrator punished."

"Yes."

"Then I hope they are brought to justice one day. For the sake of your aunt." I stated.

"Yeah." Eloise said with a sigh. "Although I doubt she ever will. I think this will go down as one of the greatest unsolved crimes in American history."

Bob and I agreed, and I had to stop myself from telling Bob to forget it as he toyed with telling us his theory of the whole incident. Luckily for him his inner-boyfriend beat his inner-conspiracy theorist into submission before he said anything stupid and, given the circumstances, insensitive.

"I guess you two want to be alone now." I said, hoping that they did so I could retreat for a few.

"We don't mind you being here." Bob said out of courtesy.

"I know, but you guys were busy before I crashed on your plans." I joked and they both laughed which shocked me because I expected Eloise to scowl slightly. "Tell you what, not tomorrow cause I have plans tomorrow and Monday is the opening ceremony, how about Tuesday? We can meet up and I'll give you a proper tour of La Push. I'll show you all the best vantage points off the beaten track and maybe take you a little way into the forest on one of our trails. You're much more likely to see animals on our trails cause they're not so disturbed."

"Aren't there bears in the woods?" Bob asked, looking around at the trees present on every part of the horizon that wasn't ocean.

"I'll let you into a little secret." I said in a conspiratorial voice. "There are no bears, the hotel just says that to stop people wandering into the woods and getting lost."

"There really aren't any bears?" Bob asked.

"Nope. Well I mean there might be one that's migrated, but you're much more likely to bump into a bear in the woods back home, than the ones around here."

"Are there any dangerous animals?" Eloise asked.

"There's a few mountain lion, and then of course there's the wolves."

"Wolves?" Bob gasped.

"Yep. And there's nothing wrong with the wolf, if you show him respect he won't attack you." I said knowingly.

"But aren't the territorial?" Eloise asked.

"That's why you show them respect." I stated.

Eloise looked at me in a way that made it clear she thought I was pulling their leg.

"Ok. So I was spinning the spiel there, but wolves would rather avoid you if they can. You should always be wary of them, but mostly when they've got young. There's not that many left now, too many people hunting them, which is sad. It's taboo among the Quileute to kill a wolf because our legends say we came from wolves, that a great spirit man made wolves into men and they were the first of our tribe. That's why it's sad to think that their numbers have dwindled but so reassuring when you hear the howls in the night. On films they always make it sound so eerie, but there's something reassuring when you hear a pack talk to each other across the distance."

"You can hear them?" Eloise asked in awe.

"Sometimes." I stated. "Hey, maybe Tuesday night I can take you up above the village, you don't get any sound drifting up there from the shore, so we might hear the odd wolf or two in the forest."

"Like a camp out?" Eloise asked.

That hadn't been what I'd suggested but I couldn't see any objections.

"Yeah." I agreed. "A camp out, I mean if your moms don't mind. Maybe some of the older guys will join us."

"Maybe Liza could come as well." Eloise said hopefully since she didn't want to be the only girl there.

"Well I can't promise anything about Liza but I could always ask some of the other girls. I mean there's not just us guys here you know, the girls just tend to be more sensible."

"That'll be great." Bob said a little perturbed by the idea of sleeping outdoors.

"It'll be perfect." Eloise said giving Bob signals with her eyebrows.

Bob frowned then he grinned as understanding dawned while I quickly reinforced all of my mental barriers in the way Mom had told me and it worked well because I didn't catch any unwanted thoughts or flashes of scary visual places.

Eloise grinned back at Bob and they kissed quickly before turning back to me.

"So what time shall we meet up?"

"I'm not sure. I should talk to the others first, organise it properly. I'll find you both during the opening ceremony on the Fourth and I'll tell you then." I promised,

"Ok." Bob replied.

With that we said our good byes, and not too soon if the looks Bob and Eloise were giving each other was anything to go.

---

Liza

Showered and changed I decided to pay a visit to Lani since she had decided to stay indoors, or at least near her grandmother's house for the time being. I arrived to find her sitting on the porch with he leg dangling off the side as she rested her chin and arms on the first rung of the porch barrier.

"Hello Lani." I said.

She looked up her face angry, but it softened a little when she saw me.

"Hey Liza, what ya doing?"

"I thought I would come pay you a visit." I said, "May I?" I added, indicating the spare patch of porch next to her.

"Knock yourself out kid." She said before she sighed and placed her chin back on her hands.

I climbed onto the porch and sat beside her, my legs dangling also.

"I brought you some chocolate." I said, handing her the big bar I had purchased from the store on my way.

"Why?" She asked, frowning at the trees opposite and not looking at me.

"I am not much for chocolate myself, but I often crave it during my time of the month." I said softly.

Lani's frown deepened and she raised her head to look at me.

"I didn't know you…you had a cycle. I thought you half vampires were like the phasers."

"Or so we thought." I said with a small smile since I was uncomfortable discussing such things, but it was for Lani's comfort I did this and so I persevered. "Dr Cullen deduced the apparent lack of cycle of dhampir to be like that of the Quileute women because of the fact Grandmother never had a cycle, although they knew her to be fertile or else why would Grandfather have imprinted on her? It would have made little sense, and true enough it appeared her ovulation cycle was initiated much the same as the phasers.

"Since there were no other dhampir females around at the time to observe, and if truth be told it is rather a personal question to ask, Dr Cullen thought it to be indicative of all dhampir until otherwise proven. Then Mother showed the same development, even before she started phasing, thus proving Carlisle's theory."

"So far all you've told me is what I already know." Lani pointed out.

"I know Lani, but you know well how I like to set up my point on a well formed foundation." I chided.

"Yeah. But could you get to the point?" She all but growled.

"The point is that Carlisle was wrong and it was only when I reached five and I started having a normal cycle that the adults obviously became concerned, but then Tish stated that she had a normal cycle until Timmy imprinted upon her and it then returned about three years after his death."

"And Renesmee never had a cycle cause Jake imprinted on her as a baby." Lani guessed.

"Exactly."

"But what about your Mom?" She asked with a frown.

"Mother is different for she is in herself a wolf, but also a dhampir so both worked upon her physiology from the word go."

"So your mother aside, you're saying that dhampir can be affected by the wolves?" Lani asked.

"It would appear so. We are yet to know how, but the why is somewhat self explanatory for it is the same reason the phasers stop."

"So if someone, I don't know say Kai when he's older and he phases, if he imprinted on you then you'd get mixed up too?"

"Yes." I answered. "At least that is the theory, however the fact that I am part Quileute myself may change matters."

"Wouldn't that make it more likely?" Lani said pointedly.

"Perhaps. I have no doubt the true mechanics will remain a mystery even if Carlisle were to work on it for eternity."

"And he probably could." Lani said with a snort.

"That is one of the advantages of living forever, you can further your knowledge and chance of discovery. In fact it is a must if one is to live for eternity in order to avoid insufferable boredom."

"Yeah. I guess you would have to find some entertainment. Are you looking forward to it?"

"Ask me when we are eighty and I will let you know." I said with a smile.

"But I'll be an old woman then and you'll…"

"Still look exactly as I do know. I will not have aged a day." I said softly.

"Wow. That's hard to imagine." Lani said with a shake of her head. "But then I guess I never see you as the age you look, I always think of you as the age you are. I can't help but think of you as an eight year old, then I get reminders that you're also older than that, like what you just told me and last year when you told me about that Simon guy and how you were gonna miss him. So how did that work out anyway?"

"Obviously I missed his presence, but we kept up a correspondence for which I am glad. However I was mortified to find him here on the Res."

"He's here?" Lani asked, brightening somewhat.

"Yes." I stated.

"Can I meet him?" She asked excitedly.

"No." I replied firmly.

"Why not?"

"I do not want him here. For you see my child side and sometimes you see the teenage side show through. Simon knows my teenage side, but I am adverse for him see my eight-year-old side show through."

"You do know that's how I feel when I'm around a guy I like?" Lani asked.

I shook my head.

"It's that little awkward thing where I know I'm old enough for a boyfriend, but I'm so scared he'll think I'm childish or something. Then I get so caught up in being a young woman that I forget to have fun."

"I see your point. Usually I have no such problem, I am most impeccable when it comes to decorum in the human world it is second nature, but here on the Res, this is my place to be a child, and I act accordingly."

"Everyone needs to grow up sooner or later."

"Granted. But I am barely eight in reality. At that age the only boy you gave thought to was Peni and what latest scheme you could both play upon the unwitting." I reminded her.

"Yeah." Lani said with a laugh as she recalled the times she and her twin would confound the adults by posing as each other.

"To Simon I am seventeen and we were dating for a year and a half, at least we were pretending to date and I suppose feelings grew to be real within that time. In a sense I wish they had not for I value his friendship highly and I hate to hurt him by advertising my availability whilst I can not deliver the goods."

"What d'ya mean?"

"I…he…I have felt stirrings, they were greatest when I saw him after such a long break when I went to visit him in LA. I know that left to its own devices my body would have long ago yielded to him, but such things are not possible for ten years yet."

"Why not?" Lani asked with a frown.

"Because I am still a child. I have yet to reach double figures never mind eighteen." I said sourly.

"Man that sucks."

"Exactly."

Lani and I sighed at the same moment.

"But you're smart Liza, you'll work something out." She said brightly and tapped my shoulder.

"I hope you are right cousin." I observed although I had my doubts.

---

Tony

We didn't see Mom for the rest of Saturday, she'd phoned to say that they needed her to man the bar at the hotel and she didn't think she'd be finished much before one and would head straight up to the cottage. I didn't blame her since Dad was all alone up there and I realised Liza and I needed to pay him a visit at some point.

Because she didn't get home until late we were surprised she was down so early the next morning, but it was seven o'clock, we'd just sat down to breakfast when Mom burst in through the door and stopped at the table a little breathless.

"Don't want to worry you kids, but I thought I'd warn you as soon as I could. Bob, Eloise and Simon are here."

Liza dropped her fork with a shocked squeak.

"Yeah we know." I said warily. "I bumped into Bob and Eloise on the beach yesterday."

"Oh." Mom said, looking wary herself. "How did it go?"

"Ok." I said with a shrug. "I mean it could have been worse and I actually did soak them as well."

Mom gave me a questioning look.

"We were all having a water fight on First Beach and Bob and Eloise happened to be making out behind that rock."

"Oh." Mom observed, she knew exactly what had happened and I got it was something that harkened back to her day at least.

"And that reminds me! Liza, do you wanna go camping on Tuesday?" I asked since I'd completely forgotten the day before.

"Would this happen to be with Bob and Eloise?" She asked.

"Yeah."

"I hope you did not promise my presence." She observed aghast.

"No. I said I'd ask you."

"Then I will think on it." Liza said looking a little worried and she realised that if she gave advance notice it would be the perfect opportunity for Simon to set up a 'chance meeting' between them.

"If you wanna come but don't want Simon to surprise you there I could always say you're planning something here for the day then Tuesday morning just say you changed your mind."

"That is a tempting offer." Liza considered. "I will think on it."

"Let me know by the opening ceremony tomorrow night before I meet up with Bob and Eloise."

"Very well."

"Have you thought about where to go for your campout?" Mom asked.

I shook my head.

"The lake is always good and to hide the fact that there's a hidden entrance one of the older kids could head on up there to pull aside the branches and replace them once you've gone through so Bob and Eloise don't know about it." Mom suggested.

That was a good suggestion and I took that on board when I went around asking some of the others if they wanted to come. It was kinda hard not being able to ask the younger guys, everyone who was younger than Josh really. Even Peni and Lani was pushing it a little, but I needed Lani to make up the number of the girls along with Danni and her boyfriend, Twain so she had the excuse to get away from the store and Renee. I realised there was a lot more guys than girls but I really didn't know any of the other girls as well as I knew my cousins. Twain said she'd ask some of the girls who were in on the secret and so I more or less had a good idea of the numbers.

That made me feel a little better that I had something to offer Bob and Eloise on Monday. Of course for the rest of Sunday half the guys weren't so impressed with me and I had to promise them that I'd take them up once the town folk had gone home. After that they seemed ok and the rest of Sunday we explored the rock pools on Third Beach since First Beach was teeming with tourists and the stall holders setting up for the next day.

Monday dawned and I felt very excited and I realised it was the fact that Dad was coming on the Res today. I knew that I wouldn't have chance to show him much because he was only allowed down from seven, which was when the celebrations kicked off, to just after the fireworks. But it would still be good to know that he's actually on the Res with us rather than stuck up in Rose cottage.

Liza spent most of the day locked in Hunter's bedroom making herself look just right without looking like she'd made too much effort if she bumped into Simon. She'd deny it if I confronted her about it, but her thoughts were so precise that Hunter asked if I wanted to go to the big store off the Res with him because he needed to pick up the steaks that would be Jake's contribution to the Quileute beach party on Second Beach. It didn't start until nine, but it was always somewhere to escape to when First Beach was getting crowded.

It was a perfect opportunity to escape the orbit of Liza's mind for an hour or two so I snapped up the chance. I spent the journey giving Hunter a play-by-play of last season's football.

"I really would like to see one of your games." Hunter stated. "You'll have to give me enough warning next year so I can book a few days off work. Maybe take one of the sick days I've never had to but should at least once not for the other guys to think I'm making them look bad."

"I'll ask Coach at the start of the season and try to let you know when the games are." I promised. "Of course there's usually one around Halloween so maybe you could come watch when you're down for Mom's birthday. I think she's planning a big bash this year to make up for all the birthdays she's missed in Volterra."

"Cool. Guess I'll keep Halloween free." Hunter said with a grin as he pulled into the parking lot of the superstore.

We went to pick up the steak and the girl behind the meat counter was smiling at Hunter, very flirtatiously, but he didn't even notice. Actually he did but pretended like he didn't, keeping their banter light and friendly. The curiosity was eating away at me as we made our way around the rest of the aisles to collect the other things on the list.

We loaded everything on the truck and I waited until we were on the road.

"The girl on the meat counter likes you." I stated.

"Tony, I'm good looking, a lot of girls like me." Hunter said, trying to make light, but it was clear he was trying to avoid the issue.

"She really likes you." I stated. "Like wants to date you like you. And I think you like her too."

"Did Essie put you up to this?" Hunter snapped and I frowned at him.

"How would Mom know about the girl at the meat counter liking you? Why would she get me to tell you about it if she did? If there's one thing I know about her is that she'll do her own dirty work. Have you been talking about stuff like this?"

"Good point and no." Hunter said suddenly stoic.

"This is about Tammie isn't it?" I said softly, not really wanting to go there, but I had no choice.

"What do you know about Tammie?" He asked, sounding a little scared.

"She can't shut her mind. It's very colourful and detailed and I wish she'd shut up sometimes. But it's also quite a dark place amongst the clamour of colour. She doesn't love you." I said trying not to remember the pictures I got the last time she was with Hunter.

"Which is how I like it." Hunter growled.

"Why?" I demanded.

"Because I don't want to get with a girl who does love me and I end up breaking her heart."

"Yeah. I see. That would make you hesitate." I said sadly. "I'm sorry I brought it up Uncle Hunter, I won't mention it again. If I could I'd find your imprint for you, when I'm off on my travels since she might be far away, but I can't obviously. Only you can find her. Only you will know her when you see her. You deserve someone special like Grace, but not Grace obviously cause she's mine."

Hunter had been watching me without any expression, but when I finished he snorted and ruffled my hair.

"Thanks kid." He said, "I hope I do find my own Grace. She is pretty neat. So how are things between you two now? Have you finally ironed out all the teething problems?"

"Yeah. We're good at just being friends for the time being and I don't even think too much of the future, just the friendship I have with her now. She's the bestest friend you could ask for and now the dust has settled it's great to have at least one friend who knows I'm a supernatural freak. She's surprisingly ok with it after she got over the initial shock, although most of that was because I was only seven. Like I told you before."

"Yeah I remember. At least you know who she is." Hunter said sadly.

"You'll find your imprint one day." I promised.

We quickly changed the subject after that to Mom's epic karaoke night and I let slip that I'd filmed it on my cell, Hunter wanted to see it, but I wasn't so sure that would be right. Would that be betraying Mom?

Hunter didn't ask no more about it so I assumed he was gonna drop it.

We unpacked all the goods by which time it was half past six and I was getting excited and Liza was getting peeved because I was getting excited. She was still acting like she didn't want to go to First Beach in case she bumped into Simon and she was only doing it because she didn't want to disappoint Dad.

We headed to the border to meet Mom and Dad as they crossed at seven, we zeroed in on them with telepathy. Mom was already across the invisible line when we got there but Dad was standing on the other side looking at his watch.

"Three, two, one, it's seven." Mom said a little annoyed.

"Not quite." Dad replied.

"Come on Fang Boy, five seconds ain't gonna hurt." She pleaded.

"I'd rather no encourage their wrath Miss Esther." Dad said calmly, still looking at his watch.

"Hey kids." Mom said when we got closer. "Tell your father it's ok for him to cross."

"It is seven by me." Liza stated.

"It is seven now." Dad corrected raising his head.

He looked at the border as if he really could see a barrier there. He took a deep breath then stepped over the invisible line. He paused a moment as if waiting for the Pack to leap out and tear him apart, when this didn't happen he visibly relaxed.

"See, that wasn't so bad." Mom teased, as they linked hands.

"No." Dad replied before he turned to us. "Tony, Liza it is good to see you again after so many days, I have missed you two greatly."

"We have missed you too Father." Liza stated.

"And we'll come up to visit you, but we had to catch back up with everyone." I said feeling a little shameful.

"Of course. Mother told me she has seen very little of you herself." Dad replied with a smile.

"We'll have to do something just the four of us." Mom stated.

"Oh yes." Liza said with a bright smile. "Perhaps we could take an excursion to the lake once our friends from Olympic Pines have gone home."

"That would nice." Mom agreed. "So shall we go to the ball?"

We all agreed and we ghosted through the trees at Liza's pace toward the festivities on First Beach.

---

Liza

I would have given anything to avoid First Beach on the opening night of the surfing competition. The beach would be full of tourists mingling with the locals and I had no doubt I would bump into Simon, it was inevitable. I would have given it up were it not for a few good reasons. This would be the first year that Mother and Father would accompany us to the festivities and to top it all, it would be the first time since our arrival that Father was allowed to set foot on the Res.

For those reasons alone I would not shun this celebration, although I would do my very best to avoid Simon. Once we were on the beach it was clear it was going to prove difficult amongst the throngs of people. I realised that he had as much chance of spotting me as I had of spotting him. My one advantage was the fact I was so small it was possible I'd be mistaken for a child in the hubbub.

Once I realised my advantage I also realised a weakness in the fact that Tony towered over most of the crowd, and for that matter so did Mother. Both were known to Simon, and Mother was possibly the most obviously recognisable with her hair colour that was sure to spark in the dwindling sun.

I managed to convince Father to walk with me to the fruit stall where I could pick up a fresh fruit salad. Luckily for me Tony had refused stating that he wanted to save as much room for the steaks later. Mom was all for joining me until Tony distracted her with asking about what she thought the best motorbike would be for him to start with.

I led farther along the beach and through the crowds, giving him a tour in my attempt to prolong the trek. I think he suspected me of stalling for Father is an ancient being and I'm sure he knows every trick in the book twice over and the additional revised editions thereafter. He was most likely humouring me in not acknowledging the fact that I was stalling. Under normal circumstances such behaviour would have driven me to distraction, however I felt grateful if it meant I could avoid returning to Simon's beacons for a while longer.

I reached the stall and built my own salad with melon balls, kiwi fruit, strawberries, pineapple and orange for a little zest. Father copied me despite the fact he could not eat it, I supposed he did it to look the part and to perhaps return the goods to Mother. He even joked that he did not like strawberries and preferred grapes, recommending that I try them before ladling a spoonful into my punnet.

I laughed and Father smiled as he paid for the fruit. I ate my fruit with the little cocktail stick as we made our way back to Mother and Tony who were indeed beacons in the swarming people. Father wished to know what I thought of the taste of each of the various fruit, especially ones he'd never had chance to try in life such as the pineapple.

We were halfway back and I was not looking where I was going as such since I was concentrating on my fruit when I heard, "Liza?"

I stopped and looked up with sudden dread to find Simon standing right in my path.

"There you are Baby Doll." He continued. "I've been looking all over for you."

"Hello Simon." I said, as cheerful as I dared. "I have been around here and there, we must have missed each other on occasions."

"Probably." Simon said with a smile.

I smiled in return despite the unease there was no doubt that Simon's presence was also soothing to me. I remembered that I was walking with Father.

"Simon, may I introduce my father Tobias." I said, indicating Father at my side. "Father, this is Simon, my friend."

"The one studying in LA?" Father asked as he gave Simon the once over.

"The very same." I replied.

"Of course. Liza has told me so much about you and Essie spoke very highly of you when she returned from escorting Liza to the cheerleading finals." Father said with a smile. "It is a pleasure to finally meet you." He said, holding out his hand.

Simon was looking at Father with a bemused look and it was clear he was trying to work out how Father could look so young.

"Liza sure looks like you." He observed. "And you look a lot like that picture above the stairs in your house. Is that an ancestor of yours?"

"Yes it is." Father said without pause.

"They sure are strong genes."

"They often resurface." Father stated. "If you would excuse me Simon, I must return this to my wife before I am tempted to eat all the grapes. Liza, what do you wish to do?"

"I…" I glanced up at Simon and he looked hopeful. "I will stay and converse with Simon a while and I will rejoin you at nine when we move to Second Beach for the barbeque."

"Very well. Then I will see you later, and Simon I will see you at some other time if not later." Father stated before he carried on walking toward the beacons that were Mother and Tony.

"How is it your parents look so young?" He asked.

"It's a family secret and if I tell you I will have to kill you." I said darkly.

Simon chuckled before he hugged me and smelt my hair as I embraced him in return.

"It's so good to see you again Baby Doll, I don't know, but I missed you more these last few weeks since you visited me in LA than I have the rest of the time."

"Perhaps it was the fact that you knew you were returning home but I would be elsewhere." I suggested, having to turn my head to the side in order to talk lest he suffocate me with his chest.

"Could be." He said as he let me go enough to take my hand that wasn't holding the fruit.

I regarded Simon carefully and I noted there was a new light in his eyes, something I hadn't seen there before. I knew he had always liked me, as I liked him, but now there was something else, something very much like the lust I had seen in the eyes of another who shall remain nameless, but this wasn't scary. In fact I felt stirrings within and my mind reminded me I should feel frightful of such things.

What had changed?

I was doubtful that being around wanton students had kick-started his libido for if that were true then surely he would seek it with someone more willing than the girl who stated she was not ready for such intimate relations with a boy. Then it dawned on me that said girl had then proceeded to become infatuated with another boy and had admitted that he stirred things within her. Was it possible that the thought of me being with another had spurred Simon into wanting me physically? Had jealousy made him re-evaluate his attraction toward me, and now he wished to proceed beyond the limitations of our previous arrangement. I hoped that was not the case, I realised I would have to be careful now. I had to ensure I gave him no indication that I wished to proceed further than I should, even though my body was more than willing.

"Have you tried this fruit?" I asked, holding my punnet up to him.

"It looks great." He said.

"Would you like to try?" I offered.

"Um…" He said uncertainly as he spied only one cocktail stick.

"I do not have cooties if you wish to use the skewer, and on that note I take no objection to you using your fingers this once."

"You've changed your tune." He stated.

"I am a different person on the Res." I mused. "Here I am more relaxed with who I am and I find a lot of my compulsions vanish."

"I'm glad Baby Doll." He said as he picked up a piece of pineapple to eat.

I smiled.

"Come, I will show you some of the wonders of First Beach and perhaps later I will sneak you onto Second Beach for the Quileute barbeque." I said in a hushed whisper.

"Is it Quileute only?" Simon asked with a frown.

"Not really, but most of the tourists stay here. They are afraid to make the journey in the near dark despite the fact that if they were to walk to the road they could avoid walking through the trees."

"So we'll go to the road?"

"Of course not Dear Boy." I said in disgust. "We will go through the trees in the true Quileute manner. It is much more adventurous and a much shorter rout."

"Sounds great." Simon said trying for cheerful but clearly perturbed.

"Have no fear we will look after you." I promised.

I proceeded to show Simon around the stalls and pointed out a few things I would take him to explore when the beach was not thronged with people. When it was close to nine I rejoined with my family and we led Simon, along with Bob, Eloise and their mothers through the trees. Despite the fact the sun still hung over the far ocean horizon darkness had already gathered beneath the trees. The humans were wary, but the sure foot of us creatures of the night put them at their ease until we emerged onto Second Beach where a bonfire had been built earlier in the day and now fish was frying on the glowing embers around the edges as Grandpa Jake and a few of the other elders set up various charcoal grills in order to cook the steaks, and a few burgers for the younger ones. There was a table set up with various salads and accompaniments and I could feel my mouth water knowing how delicious this food would be.

There was still an air of festivity about Second Beach but it was more intimate and there was none of the bustle and din present on First Beach.

"Well I never thought to come wandering over here." Ms Keller observed. "I'm glad you suggested it Essie."

"Well it's always best to have the inside knowledge." Mother replied.

As the grown ups engaged in conversation Tony and I led our friends from Olympic Pines around to where our friends from the Res had taken up camp. Some had taken to an impromptu game of tag football while we waited for food.

"Hey Liza." Lani called to me, waving from where she was sat next to Renee on a mat.

"Hello Lani." I said cheerfully as I made my way to her, Simon following me in an unsure manner. "Lani, Renee this is my good friend Simon. Simon, these are my cousins, Lani and Renee."

"Good to meet you." Renee said with a nod of her head.

"So you're the mysterious Simon." Lani said in teasing tones.

"Lani." I chastised as I sat down to face my cousins and indicated for Simon to sit next to me.

"Sorry Liza, you know I like to tease." Lani said without the slightest hint of being truly apologetic. "But really, Liza has told us a little about you and we always did wonder what you look like."

"You talk about me?" Simon asked with a grin.

"You talk about me." I countered.

Simon laughed.

"I do." He admitted. "But you are my Princess."

I giggled and winced slightly for I knew Lani would tease me with that at some point, and heaven forbid should she tell Peni.

"Are you two twins?" Simon asked.

They both giggled before Renee stated, "I'm not, but Lani is."

Simon frowned.

"I got a twin brother, the one who thinks he's so good at everything, but he's not." She shouted loud enough for Peni to hear and he stopped in his game to scowl at his twin. Lani stuck out her tongue and Peni glowered before Oscar threw the ball at his head and he turned back to playing. "The reason we look alike is because Renee really looks like her mom and I look a little bit like my mom and they're identical twins."

"There's a lot of twins here." Simon observed.

"That's just the way it is." Renee observed with a shrug.

"Renee, can you put Meera's shoes back on they came off again." Marie stated, slumping down beside Renee and dumping the doll in her lap.

"Why did you take them off her?" Renee asked as she began the fiddly task of putting the shoes back on the doll.

"I didn't. Phill did it and went to throw them on the fire, but me and Ariana managed to stop him. He's gone to tell Mom now that I hit him. And I didn't." Marie said, shaking her head emphatically.

"Oh dear." Renee observed noncommittal as she managed to get on the first shoe.

"That's why I can't ask Mom cause I'll be grounded." Marie said sourly.

"Did you hit Phill?" Renee asked as she started on the second shoe.

"No…well maybe only a little bit. He was gonna burn the shoes, and he went near the fire." Marie protested.

"You still shouldn't have hit him." Renee pointed out.

"But I only tapped his hand." Marie said with a pout.

"Still." Renee said and Marie nodded her head, the sisters had come to an understanding.

Marie sighed forlornly as she took Meera back from Renee. She looked up and saw me and smiled.

"Hey Liza, I didn't recognise you. Your hair looks pretty like that." She stated.

"Hello Marie, thank you for the compliment."

Marie beamed until she turned to Simon and then she blanched as she recognised him.

"I wasn't the wolf." She said shaking her head.

"Wolf?" Simon asked.

"I wasn't the wolf and neither was Liza." She said firmly.

I felt my mouth drop open as Renee gave Marie a curious look and Lani relaxed back into her 'enjoying the moment' pose as Simon turned to me with an eyebrow raised.

"You were in the bushes?" He asked.

I dropped my head in shame.

"Oh Baby Doll, why did you run away?" He asked with a laugh.

"Because I was being unaccountably childish and…" I trailed off as Ariana came to join us to see what was taking Marie so long.

"Hey I know you." Ariana said dropping down next to Marie. "I mean I don't." She added hastily.

"I take it you're the third culprit?" Simon said flatly.

"I don't know what you're talking about." Ariana said haughtily folding her arms. "I haven't been anywhere near Lame Lane for at least a month."

"Lame Lane?" Simon inquired.

"It is our name for that paved trail near the hotel. It seems rather redundant to come to such a robust place only to walk on paving." I explained.

"And so you think the people walking on there are wimps and you pretend to be wild animals to scare them?" Simon stated.

"To give them more of an authentic feel of what the woods really contain." I countered defensively.

"Ok. That still doesn't explain why you ran from me." Simon stated.

"Because I was embarrassed for you to see me in the state I was that day. My hair messed, my t-shirt stained with ice-cream, bare foot and playing tricks with the children. It is hardly a good representation of my normal self."

"Do you really think I'd care about that?" Simon asked and he looked a little hurt that I would think he did care and that made me feel foolish.

"No." I said moodily. "I care. I care what other people think! Yes I know it's a vice! I know it's wrong! But I can't help it! So get off my case about it!" I yelled and I shot to my feet and ran for the trees.

"Liza." Simon called and he caught my hand.

I stopped but didn't turn to him. He was panting hard having exerted himself to catch me up.

"God Liza…I never knew…you were so fast." He gasped.

I didn't turn.

"So what's with the sudden theatrics? I haven't accused you of anything." He said once he had regained his breath.

I shook my head.

"So?"

"It is merely me being my normal melodramatic self. It is best you ignore me for a moment until I regain my composure." I murmured.

"Elizabeth, you're only melodramatic when you're worried about something. What are you worried about Baby Doll?" He asked in soothing tones.

"That…that you will find me to be nothing but a child while here on the Res." I admitted.

"Why? Because you were playing practical jokes when keeping your little cousins entertained? Because you got dirty when playing with them on the trees and the mud? Because your hair was a mess? Because you had ice cream on your shirt?"

I nodded, still unable to face him.

"Liza honey, I'll always love you, even when you look like a feral little wild thing and covered in ice cream." Simon stated sincerely.

I laughed and turned to him.

"See it's better when you smile." He observed, smiling back.

"I am sorry I was so rude." I stated.

"But I know you Liza. I know how you like to be straight laced, but obviously you can let all that go here. I'm glad, really I am, cause I don't want you suffering an aneurysm or something. It's nice that you got a place you can just let it all hang out and I'm sorry I made you have to haul it all back in." He snorted and shook his head in disgust. "I came here with this big romantic meet-up in mind and I go and yell at you on the first day and ruin your off time with my presence."

"You haven't ruined my off time." I assured him. "I ruined it myself through panicking needlessly. Had I but spoke to you then I would have realised you truly have no objection to how I present myself."

"No. I love every side of you Liza. Any face you care to show me, I love it. I love you." He stated.

"Yes, I know Dear Boy, and I love you." I said in return, thinking it our exchange of words of old.

"No Liza, you're not listening." He said, dropping to his knees so that his eyes were now level with mine and he placed his hands gently to my upper arms. His face was earnest and his longing clear, I saw that spark that hadn't been there before and my stomach swam with nerves and excitement. "I love you Elizabeth Summers, I just didn't realise how much until you visited me in LA."

"You love me?" I asked feeling my heat soar in treachery to the will of my mind.

"I love you. I'm in love with you. I know we pretended for such a long time and I really thought of you as a friend. I mean I did like you a little more than a friend and I had this vision of us being best friends forever. But this year has just been crazy. I felt separated from you for the first few months, but I really just put that down to general homesickness. Then I felt sad after Christmas when you actually brought in level two of your grand plan of protection after I'd gone. Then you started talking about…about him and I hated that he could make you sound so excited, but I was determined I wouldn't let you know how much it was bothering me. Hell I don't think I wanted to admit that it was bothering me because we were just friends. It was when you came to visit me in LA that I finally began to realise. When you left I missed your presence everywhere around campus and you were only there a few hours. I realised then that all this time I wasn't pretending that I had feelings for you that were more than platonic. I really am in love with you."

Simon was looking at me, reading my face and I felt absolutely saddened by his confession of love while my heart soared at his words.

"And I love you too Simon. More than I should." I admitted tears threatening in my confusion of emotions.

"What does that mean?"

"I meant what I said Simon, when I told you I can not be with you physically, regardless of the desires of my body I can not overcome my phobias. Dressing down and wearing ice cream as an accessory is one thing, but the mess involved in…" I shook my head as if in distaste.

"So we'll take it slow. I will wait for you Liza, however long it takes I will wait." Simon promised as he put his hands to my cheeks.

"What if you had to wait ten years?" I asked. "Twenty even?"

I saw the look of panic cross his face before he managed to suppress it.

"However long it takes." He said, placing his lips to my forehead. "I'll wait."

I placed my hands to the front of his shirt and leant my head in to his chest. I felt his warmth and heard the beat of his heart and it made me smile as it transformed to become the backbeat to his words. How had I been so blind when embracing the despised one? How had I been so deaf?

I sighed in contentment as Simon's arms surrounded me.

"On the day I am ready I will be yours fully." I promised, "And if you wait all the better. I love you Simon, forever and always."

As Simon continued to embrace me I fully accepted the selfish route, I would keep Simon as my own and no other would know him. He had stated he would wait ten years if I required it and hadn't even questioned me. It made my selfish heart inflate as I considered all the possible futures with my Dear Boy, all the possible futures…

All that was possible…

---

I'd like to take this opportunity to recommend a new story. It's a Young Dracula/Being Human crossover, Dr Jacobs and Mr Brannagh, by TrueKelpa

Thank you for reading

Please review

Gemma x