Chapter 28 – Treaty
Disclaimer I do not own Twilight. All characters belong to Stephenie Meyer. All songs used in this story belong to the writers, studios, and artists. No copyright infringement intended
BPOV
"First thing on the agenda would be to speak with Billy. I want to tell him about the vampires that are coming to our aid." Carlisle said. "With so many vampires in the area, I hope more of the boys on the reservation don't become wolves because of this." After speaking to Charlie and getting more information on the animals that were seen in the woods, we were convinced that the animals were not bears, but werewolves. It was obvious that Carlisle was worried. He may even be blaming himself for coming back to the area.
"Carlisle, we didn't start this. We were far away when they changed. Maybe it has to do with the combination of the vampire presence and violence. We had been around for years and not one of the boys changed." Edward tried to comfort him.
"I think it was fate. You had to come back so Edward and I could get together. Whatever happened after that was out of our control. You didn't create the newborn who's, feeding on innocent people. Whoever did that is the guilty party." I said.
"You're both right, but it still worries me that the lives of these boys were interrupted." He said.
"I was hoping Billy doesn't see it this way. I knew he had been disappointed that he had not seen the magic of the tribe during his lifetime. Now he is experiencing what his grandfather did, and he is here to help the boys through it." I said, hoping this would make him feel better.
"The only way to know for sure, is to speak with Billy. Why don't you call him? After all, Charlie did mention that Billy wanted to talk to you." Edward said.
I had called Charlie from the airport to let him know we had arrived safely.
~~~~~HEA~~~~~
"Hi Dad, we're on our way to Forks."
"Glad you had a safe trip."
"Do you have plans for tonight?"
"No."
"Esme wants to invite you to dinner; I'm sure she could cook up a steak and a cobbler for you." I teased.
"Tell her not to go to any trouble on my account."
"I'll tell her, but you know Esme, she loves to cook and take care of everyone."
"How did the kids survive the long flight?"
"By the time we got to the airport it was almost their bedtime, so we made them sleep before they explored the plane." They would not have slept if we had let them explore beforehand. "This morning the pilots had been kind enough to let them take turns to look around the cockpit. They loved the plane; I think at least two of them want to be pilots now. Sorry chief, I think you lost your fledgling Deputies."
I heard him laugh, and it was easy to picture the twinkle in his eyes that he got when he spoke to the kids over the webcam.
"Bells, I'm glad you're here, but I wish you had waited until we found the cause of the trouble in the woods."
"Bad timing, that's all. Carlisle had business to take care of, so we decided to come with him; this way, we could visit with you and Renee."
"I know; I just worry about you. Got to go, I'll see you later. Tell Edward no speeding."
"Yes officer. We'll be careful."
"By the way, I told Billy you were coming in today, and he wants you to call him."
I hung up and looked at Edward with a wide grin on my face. "You heard the Chief. No speeding." I said, trying to sound stern.
HAVE YOU SEEN THIS BOY? HAVE YOU SEEN THIS MAN? HAVE YOU SEEN THIS WOMAN? These posters were the evidence of the wild vampire or vampires in the area. The posters were stapled to telephone poles and taped to street sign in every town we drove through in the Olympic Peninsula. Seeing the names and the faces of the people really brought it home. The only local disappearance had been a boy named Riley Biers, whose family is offering a reward for information. Losing your child must be hard, but not having a body, or knowing if he or she is alive or dead, must be so much worst, than burying them. As face after face flashed by, I tried not to give in to the overwhelming sadness that threatened to wash over me. I had to be strong because I had no idea what was waiting for us.
~~~~~HEA~~~~~
"Hi Billy, my dad said you wanted to speak to me."
"Yes, but we should meet. There are things going on that you and the Cullens should be aware of. I don't want any accidents. The Cullens had always kept their part of the treaty, so I want to keep it that way."
"I'll come to La Push tomorrow. Is that alright?"
"Yes, the sooner the better. I want to get a few things ironed out."
"Do you want to meet at your house?"
"If it's alright with your husband," he said.
"I'm sure it wouldn't be a problem, I'll ask Edward to drive me to La Push. I'll call you when I'm leaving the house." I said and hung up. With their enhanced hearing, there was no need to tell my family what was said.
"That wasn't much help." Edward said.
"He mentioned treaty, so maybe he wants to talk about the pack. He has to be aware that we would put the pieces together sooner than later, and he would be worried about a confrontation between us and the wolves. Maybe he wants to make a new treaty or make amendments to the existing one." Carlisle said.
"I hope it has nothing to do with the children." Esme said.
"I don't think Billy wants to harm the kids." I said.
"I agree with Bella. If he wanted to destroy the kids, he doesn't gain anything by asking to speak to us; a surprise attack would have been more effective." Jasper said.
"I wish you didn't have to go to La Push, but I'll be at the border waiting for you, so if you need me, treaty or no treaty I'll cross the boundary to get you."
I smiled at him. I was extremely lucky to have him as my mate. I feel secure knowing he would love and protect me and the kids for the rest of eternity. My wish is that our forever does not get interrupted.
~~~~~HEA~~~~~
"Goodnight Grandpa Charlie." All the kids hugged and kissed him before they went to bed. He hugged them, ruffled their hair and kissed them goodnight. I love to see my dad with the kids. When he smiled at them or laughed at something they said or did, he seemed younger, and I could almost picture the young man he must have been. He might seem serious, but he was gentle and kind.
The kids had been happy to see him. He sat on the floor and listened as they told him every detail about the plane and everything they did from the time he had last spoken to them. He listened to them as if what they were telling him were the most enthralling things he had ever heard. We kept them up, to see him, so eventually, Esme, Alice and Rosalie took them upstairs to bed while Charlie and I went to eat dinner.
"How is Seth? I can't wait to see him." I asked.
"He's excited to see you too. He's been terribly busy. Billy had started a sort of Neighborhood Watch program for some of the teenagers on the reservation. Besides Seth, Leah and Jacob, he had recruited a boy called Sam Uley, I don't think you'd remember him, then there's Jared, Quil, Embry, and Paul. Leah is the only girl."
From what I know of their history, the kids in this program are all descendants of the first elders of the tribe. Now I'm convinced we were right, but I can't reveal their secret. Wasn't that part of the treaty the tribe had made with Carlisle – you keep my secret and I'll keep yours.
"What do they do?" I asked. I was intrigued about this turn of events.
"According to Billy, they're learning to protect the tribe. They patrol the perimeter, and they're learning hand to hand combat as a form of self-defense. They may be lifting weights too because they have filled out a lot."
"The police are not allowed on the reservation, so if they had a group who could keep the border safe, then that's a great idea." Edward said.
"Yes, and now that the town is not as safe as it used to be, we've started a Police & Park Ranger program for this group on the reservation. If it's a success, then we'll include other teenagers in the area."
"Wow. That's great." I said. Impressed at the lengths Billy and the elders were going to create a cover for what was going on the reservation.
"The object is to give the young people in the community an opportunity to get personally involved in public service. This new Ranger Corp will strive to better relations between the youths, the community and law enforcement, as well as acquainting them with the goals and objectives of the Police Department. The Corp will also provide training to those who desire a law enforcement career or want to become Park Rangers."
"What would be the requirements and how would you know if a person would make a good candidate?" I asked.
"Well, it's voluntary, and we have a list of requirements that each prospective candidate will have to meet.
The candidates have to be between 16 and 20 years of age.
Must be a full-time high school student or a full or part-time college student and must maintain a "C" or better average.
Have a valid driver's license or permit.
Have a sincere interest in law enforcement.
Must be neat in appearance.
Must pass a background investigation and an Interview Board – the kids on the reservation will meet with the elders, who would determine if they are eligible for the program.
Most importantly, they must have parental or legal guardian's consent in writing. There will be a form which has to be filled out, so they kids will have that signed before submitting their application."
The more he spoke about the program, the more I could see how important this was to him, and that he had put a lot of thought into it.
"Charlie, I think empowering the youth on the reservation is a brilliant idea. After the first group completes the program, I'm sure some of them would want to become officers or park rangers. From what I know about the native Indians, they're interested in preserving the land, so a job doing something that's engrained in them would be immensely rewarding." Carlisle said.
"Yes, I feel that way too." Charlie agreed. "I don't know why it had to take something like this for us to realize the need for such a program."
"Nothing happens before it's time. There wasn't a need before. Now there is, and most importantly, is that you're doing something about it." Esme reassured him.
He stayed, and we all watched a baseball game together. During the commercials, he gave us news about the other families in the area. Reluctantly he got up to leave. After the game, I walked him to the door.
"Bells, I'll be lying if I say I'm not glad you're here, but I still wish you and the kids were still on the island."
"Did something else happen?" I asked.
Charlie nodded, frowning. "We've got another missing hiker – we found his camp, but no sign of him. There were some really big animal prints…of course those could have come later after the animal smelled the food; anyway, they're setting traps for it now."
"I promise that the kids and I will not go on any of the hiking trails." I hated lying to Charlie, but this was for his own safety, and technically, this was not actually a lie. We will be in the middle of the woods, nowhere near the hiking trails.
"Good." He sounded relieved.
~~~~~HEA~~~~~
In the end, Billy decided to meet in neutral territory – at the boundary. Jacob and Billy were waiting for us. Jacob got out of the truck and came over to our car. I see what Charlie was talking about. Jacob was half naked, and he looks like a weight lifter – big arms and broad chest. He could probably take on Emmett. He was sporting a tattoo on his right arm, and his hair had been chopped off. He must be serious about the requirements for the Rangers if we had been willing to cut off all his beautiful hair.
I left Edward in the car and went to Billy. After we greeted each other, suggested Jacob join Edward because he wanted to speak to me alone. Then he went straight to the point.
"There are two things I want to talk about. Ideally, I'd like to set up a meeting with the Cullens and the elders, but that may take some trust and coordination, so I decide to speak to you first. If Dr. Cullen sees that we mean his family no harm, maybe he would consent to a meeting. The first thing I want to clear up is the birth of your children. I'm sure your family stayed away from the area during your pregnancy because you were worried about the way we would have reacted, but the kids are not in any danger from us. I have to admit that some of the elders had been concerned about an offspring created by a vampire. They thought it would have been an uncontrollable monster that would kill you and untold other innocent people, but clearer heads prevailed and they decided to wait to see how things turn out. I'm glad everything worked out the way it did – you survived the pregnancy, and from what I've heard, the children are like normal human children – well except for the way they're growing. I'm telling you this because I know your family must be worried, so I want to ease your minds."
"Thanks Billy, not just for saying this, but also for listening to me before Edward and I were married. My precious babies wouldn't be here if you hadn't been lenient."
"I'm glad I made the right decision. At the time, it had saddened me that your special bloodline and mine wouldn't be joined, but everything worked out. This brings me to the other reason for this talk. Something extraordinary had been happening. I'm sure the Cullens are aware of it, but I wanted to be open about it. Some of the descendants of the original pack have the ability to change into wolves."
"Do you know what made them change? Did it freak them out? How do they feel about that?"
I know we suspected, but getting confirmation was almost mind blowing. What kind of a place was this? What was it that had drawn the Cullens here in the first place? Was this the only town where both vampires and werewolves existed? Did this mean every impossible fairy tale was grounded somewhere in absolute truth? Was there anything sane or normal at all, or was everything just magic and ghost stories?
"Hold on. Let me explain. We think the gene was passed down through the generations and was activated when the time was right. The original pack changed to protect the tribe, but for the past hundred years, we had not been threatened. With the violence of the rouge vampires hiding out or coming and going in the area, the need to protect was so strong that the boys started changing."
"Is Leah a wolf too? Charlie mentioned she was part of the group protecting the reservation."
"That was the only strange part of the change. Before, it had only been men and boys who went through the transformation. After Leah had changed, there was no way to keep her out of the group; it would not have been fair to her. It is her destiny to be the first female protector of the tribe, just like it was Jacob's destiny to become a wolf, and he has taken his rightful place as Alpha of the pack. Like the Quileute, I've always known you and Charlie were different from other humans, and you and your Edward have fulfilled your destinies too by creating something new - blending the humans with the vampire."
"Our children are not that unique. Something happened during the pregnancy which made me change into what we're calling a hybrid, and there are some more like us in the jungle of South America."
"Still, it takes an extraordinary human to conceive with a mythical creature. I've seen pictures of your children from Charlie and Seth, and I hope I would get the opportunity to meet them in person. Charlie is a proud grandpa, and Seth only has wonderful things to say about them. He had not seen anything unnatural during the time he had spent with you, the rest of the Cullens or the children. To him, you were all human. He knows the truth now, but neither he nor any other member of the pack, views the Cullens as the enemy."
"You told him?"
"Everyone in the tribe heard the legends, but the younger generation thought they were stories. They didn't believe in werewolves or vampires. Now they know they know the legends are more that scary stories."
"I'm glad you are here to guide them. I know how much you believe in your heritage."
"Yes, I'm glad too. I never thought I would have lived to experience the manifestation of the magic of our tribe - to see the kids change and take on the form of a wolf is nothing short of miraculous – especially seeing the first female wolf in the pack. Now I can say, I have seen both werewolves and vampires, and I hope we can all unite. My grandfather, Ephraim and his pack believed the Cullens were different from vampires of their kind. We know that also, but we appreciate it more now. The Cullens could have easily destroyed us while the wolf gene was dormant, but they stood by the treaty and never misused their strength. Because of that, we would be proud to form an alliance with them to catch the vampires responsible for the deaths from Tacoma to Forks. Our job now, is to work together to protect the innocent people in town and in the surrounding areas; this is why I'd like to set up a meeting between the elders and the Cullens."
I knew this would be difficult. Each group had the boundaries to keep them on their side of town.
"What about Charlie's house?" I asked.
"I would have to discuss it with the others first. The main thing was finding someplace secret to talk."
I understood the need for secrecy. No one in Forks knew about the vampires or wolves, so the Quileute had as much to lose as we did if our secrets were exposed. In fact, the wolves needed secrecy more than we did because this was their home while Carlisle and the family had never stayed in one place for too long.
"Carlisle wants to let you know that there will be other vampires joining our group soon. These other vampires are close friends of Carlisle, but they do not drink animal blood. We believe that there's a plot against our family, and they may be a threat to the kids. That's the only reason why Carlisle would allow them to come to the area. I hope that will not be a problem with the tribe."
"We would rather they didn't come to town, but if they would be here to help your family, especially if it's to protect the children, then we would not object. Our tribe believes there is a reason for everything. God does not make mistakes, so there has to be a master plan in place for their lives. As I said before, we would do anything to protect them. Dr. Cullen must warn them not to hunt in Forks - I don't want to have one of the packs to catch them while they're feeding."
Like I did the last time Billy and I had a heart to heart conversation, I leaned over and hugged him. Things could have vastly different if he had not been a reasonable and compassionate leader. A great leader one said, "We must be the change we wish to see in the world." This is what Billy is doing; he didn't want to live by the traditional belief that vampires and werewolves were mortal enemies. He was willing to recognize the good in my vampire family and make peace. That darkness that had been threatening to engulf me started to recede a little. If it came to a showdown with the Volturi, with the help of the werewolves, the Denali and the other vampires who had visited us on the island, we should have the advantage over our enemies. I was jolted by a realization. In one of my dreams, I had heard a wolf howling and my perspective on the fight with the Volturi changed from gloom to being hopeful. Hope. Come and get me Aro. You would need that army I saw in my dream and much more if you want to survive.
A/N:
Information on Police Ranger program was taken from Ranger Corp - Welcome to the Huntsville Police Department - (www.)(hsvpolice.)(com/Ranger_Corp2.)(htm)
My son participated in a program like this when he was in middle school. Besides learning about police work, and doing physical activities, they did volunteer activities such as helping out at the charity walks and other events around the city.
"We must be the change we wish to see in the world." Mahatma Gandhi.
Parts of this chapter was taken from:-
"We've got another missing hiker – anyway, they're setting traps for it now." - Twilight - New Moon Chapter 10. THE MEADOW
"What kind of a place was this? -just magic and ghost stories?" - Twilight - New Moon Chapter 12. INTRUDER
Missing posters idea - Twilight – Breaking Dawn Chapter 1. ENGAGED
