Chapter 20

Bella POV

In a perfect world our problems would have been over after the meeting with the tribal elders. But of course I did not live in a perfect world.

The meeting itself went fairly well. Harry and Old Quil especially were thankful for the Cullen's helping out as much as they could in the situation, and everyone was happy to leave the fact that Sam was on Cullen territory in the past. In fact the Cullen's didn't seem too fussed about their territory, as they said it was easy enough for them to just leave and go elsewhere when needed, but they were still very respectful of the Quileute territory and would not enter. Other than Billy making one small comment about how I didn't know what I was getting myself into it was a fairly painless meeting. Well for everyone other than Sam.

As we all prepared to leave I made my way over to Sam to see how he was doing. He was of course very confused and slightly terrified that he had been thrust into a world he had no idea actually existed just a few days ago. I briefly filled him in on what was happening with Leah and told him that he should probably go and see Leah as soon as he could. He thanked me and awkwardly patted my arm somewhat affectionately before he made his way to get a lift home where they could plant whatever story they wanted about where he had been.

Monday was difficult for me, the meeting didn't finish until after midnight, and then once Jasper ran me home I was still pretty wound up from all of the events over the weekend. With Jasper's calming influence I was finally able to get a few hours of sleep but spent the whole day trying not to fall asleep at my desk.

When Charlie came home Monday night Jasper and I were just sitting at the kitchen table working on all the assignments and homework I hadn't finished over the weekend. Charlie greeted us as he walked in and put his work gear away and started to chat with us as he sat down.

"So I'm guessing you heard that Sam was found?" He asked.

"Yeah I got a few messages to say he was home safe but no details, what happened?" I asked, curious of what the cover story ended up being.

"He turned up on the road heading into town really early this morning. Apparently after his fight with Leah he walked off and kept wandering and got lost. Luckily he was wearing warm clothes." Charlie replied.

"Yeah that's really lucky."

Jasper left soon after, he needed to hunt after running all over the state this weekend and being in close proximity to humans, his eyes were far closer to black than gold and had only been darkening all afternoon. I knew he didn't like to push himself and told him to take as long as he wanted as I needed an early night and wouldn't even notice if he came back.

Tuesday passed uneventfully, as did Wednesday. Thursday however brought some unwanted news as we were walking to history together, the one class the four of us had together. There was a vampire nearby.

It was late in the rainy afternoon when the text came through from Emmett. He and Rosalie were hunting when they came across the scent. One they didn't know. An Unknown vampire.

And therefore a threat. My mind immediately went into over drive. What was happening? Where we in immediate danger?

"I can't see." Alice whispered.

I could feel my heart beating in my chest, getting faster and faster.

Everything slowed down.

There was so much going on.

Were we about to be attacked?

Was Victoria somehow gifted or just incredibly smart and figured out how to use loopholes in Alice's visions?

I felt something icy cold wash over me.

Simultaneously I felt empty yet full to the brim with fear.

"All of my visions are blocked now." Alice gasped. If Alice couldn't see it had to be bad. Something was about to go completely wrong.

"Bella! Breathe!" Jasper urged me as Alice and Edward quickly entered a door and Jasper steered me in.

I looked around and saw there weren't any other people in the hallway, class must have started.

Then we were in a bathroom. I had no recollection of moving.

"Bella you need to calm down." Jasper urged and I could feel a wave of calming energy wash towards me and yet have no effect on me.

I saw Edward quickly pop out of the room and come back in.

"I put the out of order sign up, should give us some privacy." He said as I stood by the door, like he was on guard. Did that mean he anticipated someone coming here? Were we in immediate danger?

"Bella I can't feel what you're feeling, you're blocking me." I heard Jasper urge but it didn't sink in.

I looked to where Alice was sitting on the counter top beside a sink with her head resting on the mirror behind her, her eyes closed, fingers at her temples.

Was she trying to scan the future?

Why couldn't she see?

Jasper gently steered me towards the counter, picking me up and placing me on a mostly dry spot.

His jaw was clenched his nostrils flared. I could see the stress on his face no matter how hard he was trying to hide it.

"Bella, you're blocking us all." Jasper said in a calm voice, completely out of place in this situation. "I can't feel what you're feeling, Alice can't see around you, Edward is having trouble reading people in the area." He continued.

That somehow made it through my jumbled thoughts.

I was making this worse.

We didn't know what was going on.

I took a deep breath.

"That's good Bella." Jasper said, starting to stroke my back lovingly. "Keep breathing." He urged me again.

"Try putting your head between your knees Bella." I could hear Edward saying. "But you are already doing well, I can hear more clearly." Edward said.

I followed his advice while continuing to breathe as deeply as possible. Jasper's soothing strokes on my back helped me stay grounded, and after what felt like an eternity I could feel the calming waves wash over me and I slumped into his arms before he relaxed them.

"Well done Bella, you did that all by yourself, you controlled your gift." Jasper said, kissing me tenderly on my forehead.

"We're safe, but it's best if we go home so everyone is all together and we can figure out what's going on." Alice said.

I was shaky on my feet as we snuck out of the bathroom, carefully avoiding anyone who might have been walking through the hall of building C to avoid any further rumours about us. Luckily today I hadn't driven so we didn't have to worry about my truck and no one questioned us as we left school early.

A perk of being a Cullen I guessed.

Edward drove at breakneck speed and we were in the house in record time, where I saw Esmé standing by the staircase along with Emmett and Rosalie.

"Oh thank god you're alright." I let out a big sigh of relief. Of course Alice had told me they were but after my little episode I needed to see for myself.

Emmett was at my side in a minute, pulling me into his arms for a bear hug. "Of course we're alright, did you really think that one little vampire was really an issue for Rose and I?" He laughed.

"We had a little situation at school." Edward informed everyone as Jasper lead me to sit on the stairs, I was still feeling jumpy.

"What happened?" Esmé asked, concerned.

"I had another gift episode." I answered as Alice handed me a small chocolate bar she had run to the kitchen for.

"What do you mean?" Rosalie asked, somewhat impressed, I guessed at the fact my gift was obvious while I was still human.

"Right as Jasper conveyed the message to Bella, I was searching the future, and as Bella heard I lost the vision for a second, and then when I voiced that, what had returned completely disappeared and Bella and I just ended up in a circle of stress." Said Alice. "So Bella briefly stressed, and I lost the vision so I stressed, which made Bella stress more, which cut of my visions completely, and on it went." Alice explained the convoluted and rather confusing situation.

"Oh you poor things!" Esmé exclaimed. "Are you alright now?"

"I'm fine, but I think it took a bit out of Bella." Alice said.

"I'll be fine, just feel like I need a nap." I laughed. "Sorry for all the fuss." I added, my tone more serious.

"Don't be, Bella," Jasper said, moving to sit on the step behind me and letting me lean back on his chest. "You are still learning, and you managed to pull yourself out of a panic attack without any help from me. Hell, as a human you shouldn't be able to do what you can with your gift, not only were you shielding yourself, but everyone around you."

"I couldn't hear the thoughts of anyone in the building Bella, that's how far it reached. You should be proud you can do that." Edward added.

"Thanks guys," I said, not totally accepting that everything was fine, I had caused so much fuss. "But Em, Rose, what happened with the vampire you found?"

"We didn't really find them, just their scent, but we chased it for a good hundred miles I'd say." Emmett answered.

"Whoever he was, he ran in from the north, straight through the wolf's land, and then kept heading south. Didn't head towards the town, didn't stop at all." Rosalie added.

"So what were they here for?" I asked, confused.

"Probably passing through heading down the coast. From the tip of the Olympic peninsula to Canada is a pretty easy swim and a convenient way to avoid doing a border crossing, and then they probably smelt us and that wolf, and hightailed it out of there." Rosalie answered.

"Not everyone we encounter is a threat." Jasper added, stroking my hair.

"From my limited experience, strange vampires tend to be bad." I said, and to which everyone had a little chuckle. "So what do we do now?" I asked.

"Nothing much, the message was passed on to the wolf by Carlisle to Sue Clearwater, and there isn't anything else to do." Emmett answered.

"Actually, I would like to go and find the scent, make sure if they come through again we know." Edward said.

"Actually that's a really good idea." Jasper agreed, and I could see Esmé nod as well. "Why don't we all go find the scent and Bella stays here with you two to rest?"

Emmett and Rosalie agreed, as did everyone else, and told the others what direction to head in. As they left, Jasper helped me to the couch where I wrapped the thick knitted blanket around myself and settled in to wait for him.

Barely a minute later I was already dozing off, my eyes too heavy to keep open, and I felt someone sit beside me and gentle hands lay me down to rest my head in their lap. At first I assumed it would be Emmett, but the sweet floral scent and small hands stroking my hair informed me it was Rosalie. I gave a half-hearted thanks before sleep finally overtook me.

…

I struggled through Friday at school with a killer headache that seemed to be a left over from over using my gift the day before. All I wanted to do was curl up on Jasper's lap and go to sleep. So when class finally finished for the day I was so happy I was heading straight to the mansion in the woods where I would be able to do exactly that in our beautifully comfortable bed.

No one understood why I didn't just take the day off of school, but I tried to explain that I wanted to do my first round of high school as best as I could, try and get decent grades and miss as little as possible. There was no reason for me to do this other than my own curiosity. I tried to frame it as wanting the 'full human experience' but in reality I was just too stubborn to let something as stupid as losing control of my own brain from keeping me from living my life.

By Sunday I was feeling more like myself and decided to go up to La Push to see Jacob and check on how Leah was doing. Well Charlie had strongly encouraged me to after a phone call on Saturday night.

When I made my plans clear Edward and Rosalie protested, saying it was too dangerous to be around anyone who had the potential to transform without someone there as protection. But as soon as anyone told me an idea I had was a potentially bad one, I wanted to do it even more, and Jasper felt that determination.

"Just please be careful?" He nearly pleaded with me. I could see Edward where he was standing behind Jasper begin to protest, but a quick look from me reminded him I was not his to control, he backed off pretty quickly then.

"Of course, I'll be on my best behaviour, probably won't even see Sam, and if anything does happen I'll call you."

"Good, I won't hesitate to break the treaty if anything happens." Jasper said, darkness clear in his eyes.

"I know babe, but why don't you go for a quick hunt and then play video games or something and I'll be back in a few hours?"

"You're too good to me." He replied, holding me close and kissing me sweetly.

"Eww enough with the PDA!" Emmett fake squealed in a high pitched voice as he walked through the room.

"Piss off." Jasper replied before kissing me more deeply, I think we cleared the room pretty quickly.

….

As usual it was cold and wet in both Forks and La Push, in fact it was wet to the point where it took me longer than usual to make the drive north. When I finally arrived at Billy's I was relieved to be off of the roads and somewhere I could warm up and relax.

"Morning Bella." Billy greeted me at the door.

"Good morning Billy, is Jacob here, he said he'd be home today?" I asked, wanting to get out of a conversation with Billy.

"He is, he's out in the garage with the boys, but do you mind coming in for a quick word first?" He responded, as if he knew exactly what I wanted to get away from.

Of course I had no choice but to follow him into the little kitchen where I pulled out a seat for myself at the tiny table. It would have been rude of me to tell Billy I'd rather not talk and head back outside.

"So," He continued, "I see you still haven't listened to my advice about the Cullen's."

"Look Billy, I see why you're concerned, but I really don't believe I am in danger by being around them. In fact they've saved my life more than once." I said, eyeing the door for a quick escape.

"How many times have they saved your life after being directly responsible for it being in danger though?" He asked.

"Never." Was all I replied, looking Billy straight in the eye so he could see I truly believed that.

"What can you possibly gain from a life with those leeches though?" He asked. I was mad. Not exactly at Billy, but the way he had been brought up. He had been told that vampires were nothing more than murder-machines and not to be trusted. And sure, some of them where, but my vampires were my family.

"I gain a loving and supportive family. I gain friendship. And I gain my soul mate." I answered simply, knowing Billy wouldn't understand the complexities of mine and Jasper's relationship, but it also wasn't his business.

"You have a family! You have friends!" Billy exclaimed. "And you're only young, what do you know about soul mates?" He asked.

"I know I found mine in Jasper. He is my whole world, and I am his. I would give up everything for him, but I don't see being with him as giving up everything because I gain so much."

"How can you talk about giving up your life when you are barely starting to live it?" He asked, his voice gentle and portraying the genuine confusion and concern he held.

"Because when I'm away from Jasper my chest physically aches. My soul pulls me towards him, and nothing else matters but him. It goes beyond what's humanly possible." I tried to explain.

He seemed to realise it was a lost cause after that and I made my way out to see the boys.

The juxtaposition between the moods inside the house and the garage was almost enough to give me whiplash. These three human boys, normal teenagers, moaning about school and trying to fix up these old bikes without a care in the world where the break I needed. This little bubble of light-hearted happiness did more for me than a good night's sleep.

When I finally left the boys my cheeks hurt from smiling and the pull in my chest was an unimportant background thought. I was feeling light and unburdened in a way I had forgotten existed.

I found a different story at the Clearwater's.

Leah was sorting through the entire contents of her room while Emily sat on the bed overseeing it all. There were photos being ripped off the walls, clothes pulled from piles and drawers and tossed by the door, and the window was thrown open, letting the cold breeze fill the room and carry out the faint distinctly masculine smell that lingered.

I joined Emily on the bed when Leah invited me to, and I quickly learned that Leah was not in the mood for talking. Right now she was just doing. And by doing I mean ripping every reminder of Sam out of her room.

It was over between them, for whatever reason, and Leah wanted to move on with her life.

"So Bella," Emily said turning to face me, "Do you have any advice for dealing with a breakup?"

"Well seeing as my only ever breakup was mutual because we were bad for each other and it turned out I was really into his brother, I don't have any advice sorry." I very simply explained.

"Oh, that sounds like an interesting story." Emily replied while Leah continued to ignore us.

"I'll tell you some time." I answered, not wanting to go into details.

That was how our afternoon continued. Leah didn't say much, and Emily and I got to know each other. I learned she was twenty two, and had just moved to La Push but had grown up on another reservation further north, and she was a phone councillor who worked with children and teenagers, often ones living in rural locations, who were injured or otherwise disabled and struggling with their mental health. She said she was inspired to make the career change from conventional psychology after the accident that left her with her scars made it difficult to continue with college. I didn't ask about the accident, but I was curious and hoped I would find out one day. I didn't want to pry.

Eventually I had to call it a day, it was getting dark and the weather hadn't eased up at all. In fact I was contemplating asking Jasper to meet me at the boundary so I didn't have to drive. As I was leaving, Sam arrived.

I was stuck standing on the porch with Leah as she saw me out and I couldn't just leave her alone. It was uncomfortable to say the least.

"I'm so sorry Lee-lee." He said, pain clear in his voice.

"Don't." She replied, tears glistening in her eyes. "I tried to give you space, but we are just too different people now. I thought we were going to leave together, and I'm still going to go, but you want to stay, but we'll both be miserable if we force this." She said, the tears beginning to run down her face.

"I wish I could just leave. But I can't. I can't." He said, tears forming in his eyes.

"Whatever. I'll go get your stuff." She said leaving the two of us on the porch. I wanted the ground to swallow me up right there. I didn't want to be a witness to their private moment, but Sam was in my way. I just tried to stand there in my little corner by the door and hope no one noticed me.

Leah didn't return with Sam's things, Emily did instead, and I could hear Leah sobbing just inside the door.

As Emily stepped out of the door with the garbage bag of Sam's clothing I heard them both gasp. I looked up from the nail I was picking polish off of and saw Emily's bewildered look on her scarred face. Like she was seeing the sun for the first time.

I looked to Sam.

He was looking at Emily like Jasper looked at me. The look of someone seeing their soul mate.

Emily dropped the bag and threw herself back inside the house, closing the door. Whatever just happened had her spooked.

Sam stood there with his jaw hanging loose. He still had tear marks on his face but his eyes were dryer. He looked like he had just learned the meaning of life and seen the entire universe all at once.

Poor Sam, what has this strange supernatural world thrown at you now?

Hey guys so I think I've decided on a once a week update? Don't know how long it'll last but it works with my current schedule.

So firstly, I just re-wrote like this whole chapter and it's late so I'll re-read tomorrow to double check it makes sense, let me know if it doesn't and I'll fix it up tomorrow, but I really wanted to do this part here and give it to you.

Now, a couple of you have asked about the timeline… so basically I have gone with a slightly different trigger for the wolves to appear than simply the presence of the Cullen's. Mainly because it doesn't make sense to me that there were wolves in Twilight and yet no mention? Especially for the Cullen's not to tell Bella that 'hey some of your friends might be able to do this strange thing and therefore we are enemies'? But we will get into that later.

Also, Emily. I really didn't like the theme in the originals where Sam hurt Emily so seriously in a fit of anger but it was all okay because he loved her and had this supernatural bond with her. It comes off as very abuse-y and normalising abuse which is something I am so, so, so against. So instead I am having Emily already be scarred and Sam imprinting on her and loving her despite that and exploring that. What are your thoughts? I just don't personally see how someone can be with someone and love them with all their heart when they completely disfigured them after getting mad. When I put it like that I just can't justify it. So Emily has burn scars instead of claw marks and we'll find out why eventually.

Sorry for the long note, hope you enjoy, and I'll get back to writing.

xx