Hello strangers!

As some might remember from the first chapter, Annie was already aware that she would eventually reincarnate- this is because I imagined her (and her aunty) as a type of witch. I intended to hint at it again in this chapter but instead of Annie tripping balls/hallucinating, I decided to focus on her mental state instead. (The reason why magic hasn't been all that present yet is because she's supposed to physically grow into it- and it's not like Harry Potter magic. More like rituals / paganism stuff).

Despite this chapter not turning out the way I originally intended it to go- I am still very happy with how it turned out! Especially so, since I now feel like I've got a much better grasp on Annie's mental state and how she will be healing.

Happy reading!

Chapter 6. Smiling faces and tough crowds.

Sarah's pov:

Sarah let out a startled laugh as she watched Tiffany rush after her son, her own son and their shared friend. The three boys hollered and whooped as their heels kicked up wet sand of the beach- clearly, they'd once more decided that it was high time for another round of tag. Not that the poor mother had any say in whether or not she was a participant in their game.

Tiffany looked over at her then, as if expecting her to jump up and give her a hand in capturing the little rascals. Sarah pretended not to see, and even went as far as to supplely turned her body more towards the other kids to seem busy. She made some small suggestions to little Seth as the boy gleefully built a rocket launcher platform onto his sandcastle- the entire thing seemed to be melting, the mountain of sand clearly being too heavy for its weight. But if a few parts fell away from the outer walls then Seth didn't seem to either notice or care. Sarah huffed her amusement. Sitting next to her on the beach blanket, little Bella was flipping through one of the books Sarah had brought along- just in case the expected chaos didn't assume. She was surprised to see the little girl so interested in her books, especially so considering the fact that there were little to no pictures in said books.

"How is 'Little Woman' treating you?" She didn't really need to ask as it was easy to see that Charlie's oldest had her entire face scrunched up- most likely struggling to decipher the flowery text of the old classic. Bella looked up at her and a stubbornness no unlike that of her own girls blazed almost furiously in her big brown eyes. "I don't understand some of the words… I like it though."

"Maybe you should try out something easier then?"

Bella bit her lip, seemingly thinking it over before shaking her head, "I'm a good reader! I just don't get some of the words…"

Sarah was quiet for a while as she looked the girl over, wondering why Bella seemed to be so set on reading a book so far beyond her age group. "You must like learning things then!" Sarah stated excitably, "I bet your mom is very proud of how well you do in school."

Sarah smiled to herself as she caught Bella shyly hiding her face deeper in the book, her ears turning a bit red and her little toes wiggling in delight. Sarah shook her head at the sight and turned to check up on the others. Her girls- Rachel and Rebecca- were on their surf boards a little bit away from the coast line. They tended to seclude themselves on occasions such as this, so it wasn't surprising to Sarah to see them doing their own thing. She knew that her girls didn't particularly like hanging around with the younger kids- even though they were only a couple of years older than most of them. Getting the girls to join them to the beach today had cost Sarah a trip up to Port Angeles before the end of the summer vacation- though saying that that cost Sarah, wouldn't be quite right. She loved going shopping with her girls even if they had a nasty tendency to fight over who could buy what top or what pair of jeans… They said it was because they were independent now. Imagine that, ten and already calling themselves independent. As if Billy and her weren't paying for all of their expenses.

She was a bit surprised to find how agreeable the girls were behaving- so far. She just hoped that it would last till the end of the day. It would be a shame if Sue and Joy prepared all that food only for her girls to tap out at the last second…

Just then, Jacob ran past Annie as she made her retour from her little trip down the coast line, her little plastic bucket now sure to be filled to the brim with seashells and other little treasures. Sarah watched the kids talk for a moment or two- in the background, Tiffany was now being chased by both her boy and Quil, making a racket as she tried to avoid being hit by the seaweed the boys were dragging along. Annie shook her head as their conversation seemingly came to an end and her son ran off again to join the others in their mischief making- though Sarah noticed he looked less excitable now. Had Charlie's littlest rejected his offer to play?

Sarah eyed the girl with a hint of worry as Annie turned to stare at something only she could see out in the woods- her face a blank slate of emotion. There was something not entirely right with little Annie but Sarah had trouble placing her finger on what that something was. Her Billy had always stated that Annie was simply a quiet girl and that she struggled opening up to others- but in all honesty, Sarah didn't think that that was really the issue. Annie didn't act shy- not like her sister nor any other kid Sarah knew anyway. She didn't get embarrassed by little things nor did she seem all too bothered when strangers spoke to her. She was just entirely unbothered. Never speaking unless she was first spoke to. Most of the time, but especially so if she thought nobody was looking, she would just stare quietly- at the people in the room or the space she found herself in. Curious, Sarah would say, had the girl's eyes not been so terribly dull. It unsettled her to be around the girl. She didn't trust that sweet little smile Annie plastered on whenever she noticed someone looking at her…

Annie wasn't like other children her age and Sarah wasn't sure if that fact worried or scared her.

Charlie's pov:

The smell of Mrs. Galvas' spiced chicken greeted Charlie in pleasant waves from the kitchen just before the woman herself. Charlie grunted back in acknowledgement whilst he removed his wet jacket, the official one which he received along with the badge, and placed his glock 22 in its usual spot with practiced ease- all the way up in the little compartment above the coat rack with the safety turned on.

"Hey Bells." Charlie called out to his eldest daughter as soon as he caught sight of her from the hallway. Bella sat on the couch in the living room with her legs prompt up under her and the aged throw on blanket over her shoulders. He wasn't surprised to see how invested she was in the novel on her lap- he'd so what grown used to Bella's obsession after the third time she'd insisted on them taking the cruiser for another trip to the public library… Bella made a noise familiar to the one Charlie had made when Mrs. Galvas greeted him, not looking up from the letters playing out a story in front of her eyes and he suppressed the urge to snort. Shaking his head in amusement, Charlie stepped back and headed into the kitchen where he found Mrs. Galvaz stirring through something that looked like boiling magma in a large pan on the stove.

He eyed it warily, trying to remember the dishes Mrs. Galvaz had made priory for him to see if he recognized what she was making- and if he needed to run out and buy another carton of milk to battle the heat.

Mrs. Galvaz looked up and Charlie mindfully turned his face away, casually walking over to the fridge to take out a beer and subtly check the stock. "Thanks for watching the girls again-"

The woman scoffed as if insulted, "As if I need to be persuaded to see mi querida niñas."

Charlie smiled around the lip of his beer as he pushed against the door, closing the fridge. He sunk himself down onto one of the chairs by the kitchen table and felt content to simply finish his drink while listen to the older woman prattle on about the day she just had with his little girls. Mrs. Galvaz had gone above and beyond again to help him in any way possible- having done the dusting and the vacuuming along with the cooking this time around. He thought it unnecessary most of the time, believing himself more than capable to keep his own house inhabitable for himself and his girls. But his sweet elderly neighbour simply wouldn't hear it. And it made him feel grateful- though embarrassingly so- for her meddling.

He'd know the woman for practically his entire life- she had been one of his mother's friend after all, so she tended to come by their house for a cup of coffee in the afternoon throughout his childhood. He never saw her as much more than a neighbour though- that is, until his mother's health started to decline. It had been difficult for him to balance his work alongside his deteriorating family life- especially so since he had so little time remaining for either when it became a necessity for him to check up on his parents at odd hours during the day.

Some of the town folk- his parents old friends but also some of their newer neighbours- had all pinched in to help. Doing little things like keeping the lawn mown, ensuring that there was food in the fridge and keeping an eye out for them in case either one of his parents decided to feel confident enough to walk down to the store on their own.

Mrs. Glavaz in particularly had been helpful by taking over most of their domestic work. Having her and some more of their neighbours in the house while Charlie worked helped ease off his worry immensely. She was there when his mother succumbed to her poor health, taking care in little ways while he and his father struggled through their grief and was there again when his father passed not four months later… She'd become like family to him, a long time coming really and practically became his daughters' third grandmother by being there to support him again during the summers.

Charlie let out a quiet hum as he took another sip of his beer. Mrs. Galvaz wasn't one to speak delicately about anything. It was something he often found himself appreciative and troubled by- one particular such instance had occurred mere days after he'd joined the force, and he was made to break up a fight that had sprung up in local supermarket. He could still clearly remember how Mrs. Galvaz had been cussing out Mrs. Michelson for what the other woman had speculated about her estranged son. Charlie knew that Mrs. Galvaz wasn't one to avoid the misdeeds of her boy- she'd known that he was going to be bad news from a very young age… But if there was one thing she couldn't stand it was double standards and hypocorism. Hence why she'd bit back. Gleefully pointing out all of Mrs. Michelson family's misdemeanors while simultaneously- accidentally or not- kick starting a supermarket wide food fight… It had been an absolute nightmare to work out the paperwork at that time- but now years later, Charlie found that it was easily one of his most memorable cases to have worked on.

Charlie sighed and parked his now empty can on the little dining table- the one they mostly used in favour to the actually dining table in the other room. He looked over at Mrs. Galvaz form as the woman continued to work her magic over the oven- it took him a moment to work out how to ask his next question. "Are the girls… happy? In general, I mean... That you've noticed?"

"…Happy?" Mrs. Galvaz repeated in her confusion, turning around to see Charlie shifting awkwardly in his seat, staring down at his empty can of beer.

"I already know that Bella isn't a fan of Forks- thinks it's boring. She takes after her mother that way, I suppose… But that isn't quite it." Charlie grunted as he turned to face Mrs. Galvaz, "Sarah- Billy Black's wife, you remember her?"

"Yes, she came to pick up Jacob some days ago- quite a nice girl."

"She took me aside for a talk last time I went to get the girls from their day playing at La Push. Said that she worried about how… reserved the girls reacted to- well, anyone really." Other kids their age, adults they didn't know, adults they did know… Charlie shrugged helplessly and the older woman momentarily turned to turn off the stoves before she went to sit across from him at the little table.

"They're certainly more timid than most kids- but I wouldn't say that it's something to worry about." Mrs. Galvaz gently explained and Charlie's shoulders sunk as the older woman's words soothed his person. "Tus hijas estan bien Charlie. If anything, I'd say that they're really coming into themselves these days. Pequeña Bella has been quite the happy camper now that she found something to do indoors-"

Charlie snorted under his breath, "She's almost like a housecat- content as long as she can curl up somewhere warm and doesn't get wet."

Mrs. Galvaz smiled tenderly, "And pequeña Annie has been spending a lot of time on her own too- I don't think you have anything to worry about mi chico. They're figuring themselves out. It just takes some time."

Feeling warmed by her words, Charlie ignored the familiar heat of embarrassment as it crept up his neck and instead focused all his attention on furrowing his brow. "She isn't isolating herself again, is she? Renée told me Annie had the tendency to do so back when the girls were in kinder garden…Said she didn't play well with other kids her age? Bella had always been the exception though. Has she been avoiding her now t-?"

"She isn't- well…" Mrs. Galvaz, fell silent for a moment as she seemed to think the question over and Charlie once more found himself grow stiff. But then the woman stood from her seat and calmly told the officer to follow as she walked her way up the stairs.

"I wouldn't say she's isolating herself." Mrs. Galvaz whispered at him as the two came to a stop in front of Annie's room. The girls had requested having their own separated bedroom not so long ago- an idea Charlie was sure had been placed in his daughters' heads by the Black twins. He'd been unfortunate enough to be present for one of Rachel and Rebecca's infamous fall outs- and prayed that it would still be a long time until he had to start breaking up spats over what piece of clothing belonged to whom… Annie had ultimately been the one to 'move out' as Bella hadn't liked the idea of spending the entire summer fixing up a room, only for her to leave again once the school year started.

Charlie still fondly recalled taking the girls shopping for their new rooms- though neither had been all that enthusiastic when they first set out, they still seemed incredibly pleased with the end results none the less. It made him happy to see his daughters take so positively to having their own space in his home. It felt more secure, in away.

Mrs. Galvaz slowly turned the doorknob of Annie's bedroom- pushing the door inward with little trouble or creaking. What used to be an old study, had since become his littlest bedroom. The east room that looked out over the front yard, still had the same wooden floors and tilted ceiling. But unlike his oldest, who hadn't been the slightest bit interested in remodeling her bedroom and had settled for what she already had- without the second bed… Annie had taken to the idea. She'd 'helped' him paint the walls a light pink- 'dusty' she'd called it though he wasn't sure if that actually meant anything or if she was just calling the wall soft looking. She'd also been rather particular about the type of furniture she wanted in her bedroom. Which was mildly bothersome but ultimately not something Charlie was capable of saying 'no' to. Especially not when Annie practically embodied- though still more subdued- his ex wife's eccentric and bubbly spirit. There had been something familiar about the jittery delight Annie had shown throughout that process which had reminded him strongly of the time Renée had been on a mission to 'brighten up' the kitchen with that canary yellow paint of hers… Needless to say, he might have spent a little bit more than he originally intended to on a room that was only ever used for a month at a time. And now he's also got a bit desperate to spoil his other daughter- to balance it all out again and all that. He hated to think that one of his girls though that he might have a favourite.

Annie's voice, which had been muffled before, now carried clear through the air. It didn't take long for Charlie to realize that his youngest was singing and he felt his heart grow in size as he watched her do so in front of her stuffed toys as they sat perched up on the bed like a little audience. Annie herself was sat on the detailed black and white rug with her back facing them, sowing supplies scattered around her hunched over form on the hard wooden floor and her ladybug notebook to the side. She tapped her heel persistently on the floor in a slow but steady rhythm as her hands fiddled around with the needle and thread- Charlie wasn't all to surprised to see that she was making another doll to add to her collection. She clearly got her creativity and interest in odd things from her mother.

~Green is not a creative colour. There is one more thing that you need to know, before you let your creativity flow. Listen to your heart. Listen to the rain. Listen to the voices in your brain. Come on guys, let's get creative.~

The thumping on the floor gradually increased in rhythm and Charlie fought off the hearty chuckle that threatened to spill out of his mouth. Mrs. Galvaz, thankfully, seemed to notice that he wouldn't be capable of watching for much longer without giving them away and quickly shut the door again with a quiet click. She glanced over at him, her own amusement shining through her brown eyes and further creased her crow feet. "Not sure when she started doing any of that- but I am pretty sure that not one visit has gone by without that girl humming out some kind of silly tune."

"She's been making her own songs?" Charlie chuckled, shaking his head fondly.

"Not just that, she's also been talking to those dolls of hers." Mrs. Galvaz noted, sounding close to doting. "You know, neither Bella or Annie have been what one would call social butterflies... But between the two, Bella has always had an easier time being swept up in things like playtime and conversations, while Annie… Well, she always has been the quiet one, hasn't she? I don't think she ever really learned how to talk with others or how to connect with them… Pequeña Annie struggled to express hers- through no fault of ours, mi chico. I can see what you're thinking and you better wipe that thought from your mind boy."

Charlie grunted out so what ruffled by the woman's scolding.

Mrs. Galvaz continued to pull a face at him, "The point I was making… is that Annie has started practicing. Granted, making her own friends is perhaps a little much- but lots of kids talk to their stuffed animals and play out conversations between their toys. It helps kids work on their language skills. Completely natural. And the singing? You should hear some of the songs she comes up with Charlie! Some are actually very well thought out!"

"So... she's alright?"

"Bella and Annie are both fine, Charlie." Mrs. Galvaz stated surely over her shoulder as she shuffled back down the stairs. "Now come on! I left dinner preparations for long enough and I could use some help setting the table."

For those wondering: 'Sarah' is Billy Black's wife, a character who died before the plot of 'Twilight' started. And 'Tiffany' is Embry Call's mom, who supposedly had an affair with either Jacob's dad, Sam's dad or Quil's dad.

Also, Annie's little song at the end is from "Don't Hug Me I'm Scared". I think that it's called: 'Get creative' and it's sung by a sketchbook… I picked this song in particular because, at first glance, it seems to fit Annie's age group quite well… but it gets gradually more disturbing- as most things tend to do in DHMIS. I kept listening to it while writing this, hoping that it would help me better depict Annie current mental state (which hasn't been great… but at least now Annie's working in some more upbeat tunes? Which counts as progress, right?)

Next up, I'm going to write some more on the twins while they're in Phoenix. Renée might start getting her shit together (or not), Bella makes academic achievement a new personality trait and Annie goes stargazing.