Chapter 3: James' Island

The rest of the week went on rather uneventfully. Derek was still as intolerable as ever, though now the two seemed to agree to just not speak to one another. Meredith was fine with that, as Mike happened to be in her biology class as well. Any question that she had, she went to him. It didn't seem to bother her lab partner one bit. She got to know a few of the others at school, most of them turning out to be pretty nice. Whether it was because they really wanted to be friends or they simply pitied her for being new, Meredith wasn't quite sure. She had caused a small buzz among the students because of her father, but after a day or so, the curiosity of Thatcher Grey's daughter died down, something Meredith was grateful for. That and for Finn's comforting words. She had called him after school on her first day to give him the mandatory report. He nearly seemed appalled at Derek's antics.

"Look, don't listen to that guy," he said firmly. "And if he gives you any more trouble, I'll come up there and set him straight."

Meredith smiled, playing with the hem of her pant leg. "How exactly do you plan to get here?"

"Well, since my teleporter is broken, I think I may just have to use the worm hole in my back yard." As always, that found a laugh in Meredith. She laid down along her bed. "There, see? You're still able to laugh. That means it's not all bad, right?"

"Right," said Meredith, pulling a pillow to her chest with one arm. Her smile became warmer, and she imagined him holding her hand. "Thank you, Finn."

"You're welcome… I'll talk to you later, kay?"

Meredith said goodnight, hanging up her phone. After which, she dialed Ellis's number and of course, no answer. Then, Meredith saw headlights flash by her window. Thatcher must have come home. She went downstairs to greet him and help him carry a few bags into the kitchen. The smell of Chinese food wafted up from the plastic, and Meredith felt her stomach growl. Only then did she remember that she didn't eat much that day at lunch…

After setting the table, the two sat down and ate. Meredith used chop sticks; Thatcher used a plastic fork. It felt odd to her to eat Chinese food with a plastic fork. But the last time Thatcher used chop sticks, she remembered, he couldn't pick a single thing up. It was actually quite funny, watching him fumble around with two foreign objects while at the same time trying not to knock anything over. Both Meredith and her father shared the same klutzy gene. They ate in silence for a bit, before Thatcher brushed off his hands and wiped a little grease from his lips.

"So," he began, "how was your first day?"

Meredith shrugged. "Ok I guess.".

"You guess?" Thatcher repeated. "Why?"

She let her chopsticks trail around the plate. "Um… well I don't know. It's just different." She was considering telling Thatcher what had happened that day.

"Well you'll get used to it," her father said, sipping at his beer.

"Yeah…" She paused, before continuing on. "Hey, Dad? You know everyone right…? Like… in Forks?"

"I'd like to think so. Why do you ask?"

"Well… I kinda met someone today." Thatcher looked a bit more intrigued. He probably thought she had discovered her newfound crush. Meredith didn't know if he even knew about Finn. "Do you know about the Shepherds?"

Thatcher was a bit confused. "Um… well, I know Carlisle. Haven't met the rest of his family."

"Who?"

"Dr. Carlisle Shepherd," Thatcher continued. "He's a private doctor. Keeps to himself mostly but is an honest man." He frowned. "Why?"

"Well… one of his sons goes to school with me," Meredith began carefully. If Thatcher had good relations with this Carlisle person, she didn't want him knowing just how big of a dick his son was. "Derek."

"Really?" he seemed surprised. "Hm… well I think he mentioned something like that a while back. That is, his middle son wanted to go to a public high school rather than be home schooled. He wasn't so sure about it, though. He's not really one for the public education process."

Meredith nodded, but said nothing else. She ran her finger along her can of soda. If he wanted to go into a public school, why did he act like he hated it there? It seemed like a strange thing to do…

"Oh, and by the way?" Meredith looked back up to her father. "Billy Sloan coming by to watch the game this Sunday. He said he'd bring Mark along."

Meredith smiled brightly. "Cool," she said with a little nod. "Has he gotten any taller?" Despite the age difference, Mark was nearly as tall as her the last time they met. No small feat, considering her height.

"Oh sure," said Thatcher. "Probably an inch or so bigger than you." He ate a bit more and then stood to clean off his plate. "His hair's longer, too. And he says he can't wait to catch up."

"Same…" Meredith checked the time as she too cleared her dishes. "Well I better get some sleep. Night Dad." Placing a kiss on Thatcher's cheek, she turned and headed to her room, now eager for the weekend to arrive.

When it finally did, it seemed that even the weather was celebrating Mark's visit. The sun was bright and warm, only a few, puffy clouds splotched along the sky. She had gotten up early that morning just to sit and watch the clouds from her room. It reminded her of her beloved desert. Blue sky that went on for miles. Russet colored earth that spread out on a large canvas. Green cacti that sported bright colored flowers. And the sunsets… Oh those sunsets were amazing. It was as though the sky was slowly being dyed pink and red, fading out like the last bow at an elegant play. The sunsets in Forks were graceful as well, but in a much cooler, subtle way then the ones in Phoenix.

She was brought out of her daydream as an ebony truck pulled up to the house, somewhat newer than her own. Still, it looked pretty used. Through the passenger's window, she spotted a familiar face. With a bright smile, she came downstairs just as Thatcher headed outside. She did so as well and watched as Thatcher helped the driver out and into the wheelchair which had been stowed in the truck bed. Billy Sloan smiled at his friend and patted his arm in a brotherly way. He was a slightly aging man, with sharp, shaded eyes and tawny skin. He had a few wrinkles around his face and kept most of his hair in a ponytail, hidden beneath a cowboy hat. His son, Mark, soon got out of the truck cab as well. He spotted Meredith almost immediately, and while the two men joked with one another, the two teens scurried inside, Meredith smiling brightly.

"It's been too long!" she said, throwing him into a hug. Pulling back, she realized that her father was right. At age fifteen, Mark Sloan was an inch or so taller than her. He was still as pail as ever and had emerald eyes that were pleasantly warm. His sleek, blonde hair went to his shoulders, which he let loose, unlike Billy. In fact, he seemed to be the older one of the two of them. Strange how things worked out.

Mark nodded in agreement. "Way too long," he said, arms crossed. "You've gotta tell me what you've been up to."

"Same with you." She looked over as Thatcher and Billy moved themselves to the couch. "Come on. Let's head up to my room." Again, Mark agreed and the two moved up the stairs and into Meredith's bedroom. It wasn't anything new to Thatcher or Billy that the two would often be alone together. When they were younger, they constantly rushed off with each other, hiding away in secret places. Even as they got older, they still continued to run off together. Thatcher often joked about the two eloping one day. Meredith sat on her bed as Mark closed the door, perching himself on the window ledge. It had been such a nice day; Meredith didn't want the window to be closed.

"So, I hear you're getting your license?" she questioned.

"Yeah, said Mark, leaning up against the top half of the window – the part that didn't close. "I'm almost there. Just need to do one more driver's test then I'll get my permit." He grinned. "Promise you'll let me drive you when I do?"

"Promise you won't kill me?" Meredith joked.

"Maybe." He hopped down and playfully riffled through Meredith's backpack. An annoying little habit of his. Meredith got off her bed and took it from the chair. Mark kept his smile and picked up one of her books instead, flipping through a few pages. "So, how long do you plan to live here?"

"Probably till I finish high school," she answered with a shrug.

"Yeah… oh." He paused and lifted up a picture. "Oh ho ho… Meri…" He dangled a little photo in front of her. It was a picture of her and Finn. "Who's the boy candy?" With a pout, Meredith yanked the photo away.

"My boyfriend," she said pointedly. She smiled then and put the photo aside.

"Really? Well that's something new." He gave her an odd look. "So… you two are trying out a long-distance thing?"

"I guess so…" She let her fingers tap the back of her desk chair. Shaking her head, she looked back up to him. "What about you? Any girls in the world of Mark Sloan?" He laughed at that and looked out the window.

"Well, I tried once, but she was a little too… obsessive for me."

"How do you mean?"

Mark turned to her. "If I missed her call, she'd accuse me of cheating. She also answered my texts."

"Ouch…" She shook her head. "Sorry to hear that."

"Yeah… women are nuts." He paused. "No offence."

"None taken." She took her place back on her bed as Mark sat backwards in her chair. Thus, began a back and forth conversation between the two. What they were into now, if their tastes had changed… Once everything had been covered, it had really only been forty minutes. Considering that Thatcher liked to watch the pre-game show, they probably had a good deal of time to waste still. Meredith looked out the window.

"It's such a nice day," she commented. "Why don't we go do something?"

"Like what?"

"How about the beach?" she suggested. It was a common favorite of hers whenever she came up for visits. An idea seemed to dawn on him.

"Wait… I know what we can do." He stood. "I was meaning to show you last time you came up, but we didn't really have the time…"

"Show me what?" He didn't answer, but instead, motioned for her to follow and grab her car keys as well. They headed downstairs where Billy and Thatcher were watching the game, a bowl of nachos between them.

"Dad?" Billy looked up. "Meredith and I are gonna head out for a bit. Maybe go to the beach."

"Fine by me." He looked to his companion, but Thatcher gave no objection. "Just don't be back too late."

"Right, right…" With a wave, Mark lead Meredith out of the house and over to her own truck. Meredith got in and buckled her seat belt.

"So… we are going to the beach then?" she clarified as Mark got himself situated.

"Sort of," Mark said with a sly smile. "Just head over to First Beach." She tried to see just what he was hiding by the look on his face but found it to be quite illegible. So instead, she followed his direction, driving through Forks to the shoreline. Once parked, she and Mark got out of the car. Despite the sun, it was still quite nippy on the beach, so she pulled out her white jacket that she had stowed away in her truck for emergencies. Mark seemed to be excited as he walked along the shore. Quite quick, too. Meredith had to stride to keep up.

"Where are we going?" she asked, hands in her pockets to keep them warm. He smirked at her and gestured out to the water. Perched on the horizon, as always, was James Island. It was a noble, silent island that slightly resembled a shoe and was decorated with several trees that lined the top rocks. She had never been there, but she remembered a few of Billy's stories about it. "

"Mark continued walking along the beach, Meredith hurrying to catch up with him. They walked until they came upon a small, boat rental shack that sat behind a wooden dock. They had just enough cash to rent a rowboat and hopped in, paddling out from the shore.

"What do you want to show me?" she asked in between rows. "Is there something special there?" He didn't answer, but instead, hummed merrily to himself, taunting her almost. James Island was much farther away then it seemed, and soon, Meredith's arms began to tire. But she kept at it until the boat pushed up against the shoreline of the island. Up close, it was much more massive than expected. The rock was a similar color to the desert sands of Meredith's beloved Boston, and ancient trails twisted this way and that, leading to different parts of the island. Currently, they stood on the flat, beach like surface that split the island into two large parts. It watched them like a resting beast, waiting for them to make their move. Mark took Meredith's hand, leading her to the larger of the two portions of island.

"This place also used to be a fortress," Mark explained, moving the two down a trail. "Dad showed me last year, and I wanted to show you, but you never came for a visit." Meredith felt a bit guilty for that, but things had been busy up until then. "He walked her up a ways until coming upon two large rocks, in between them a small hole, big enough for someone to squeeze through if bent down. Mark slipped inside, as did Meredith. She looked around, the darkness of the cave daunting. The only real light was coming through the small hole that the two had entered from. Thankfully, Mark had a small flashlight which was surprisingly strong. Meredith kept close to Mark, afraid that she would lose him in the cavern, as the two descended into the darkness.

The tunnel they walked down was a dark place, the smell of mildew in the tunnel. Every once and a while, Meredith could hear the sound of a squeaking mouse or scurrying rat. Meredith kept as far away from the walls as she could. Finally, the claustrophobic feeling left her as they exited the tunnel. By then, her eyes had slightly adjusted to the light, but not enough to where she could see perfectly. That's when she felt Mark leave her side. She watched as his dark silhouette moved over to the side. There was a moment's pause, when suddenly, the room filled with light. Meredith blinked, shielding her eyes for a moment before she realized what Mark had done.

There was a system of mirrors all around the cave, and Mark had placed his flashlight in front of one of them, causing the light to be reflected by the mirrors, giving the entire cave a gentle, natural light. Meredith moved around, the first thing she noticed was how incredibly large the inside of the cave was. It stretched high above the two and had the diameter to incorporate a small house with a front and back yard. Meredith noticed faded paintings on the dusty walls. She walked over to one of them, hand laying on the rough surface.

"These weren't always here." Meredith turned to Mark. "The mirrors, I mean. My grandpa put these in to make it easier to see in here." Meredith nodded and looked back up to the paintings. Her eyes lingered on one in particular. It was a portrait of a man. He stood much like the Egyptian figures in hieroglyphics. There was something interesting about this man. He didn't stand like a regular man did. He hunched over slightly, his hands splayed like claws. Behind him curled up what seemed to be a tail of a wolf, of which he also sported similar ears and a nose. Meredith tilted her head to the side. Mark, noticing her curiosity, walked up beside her.

"Legend has it," he began, "the first Quileute native to ever exist was a wolf who became a man." Meredith smiled. She had heard this story countless times before. However, it never hurt her to hear it again.

"Like a werewolf," she joked, nudging him. He laughed and looked back to the picture.

"More like a shape shifter." He put his hands behind his head. Meredith thought for a moment, going back to the stories told to her by Billy.

"Hey Mark?" He looked to her. "In quileute legend… everyone has their own god that's unique to them, right?" Mark smiled, revealing his slightly sharpened canines.

"Yup. Dad's an eagle, I'm a wolf. I think Rachael's a stork, but I'm not sure… I'll have to double check."

Meredith nodded. "Well… just out of curiosity… what am I?" Mark looked at her, a bit surprised at the question. She smiled. "Or rather, what would I be?"

"You? Hm…" He thought, tapping his chin and surveying her. "I think… you'd be a cat." Meredith snorted.

"A cat?" It somewhat surprised her. She wasn't exactly graceful the way felines were. Mark shrugged.

"You just seem like yours would be a cat, that's all."

Meredith laughed. "Whatever…" She turned to look at some others, when she noticed another painting. It was a drawing of white, sinister creatures with large teeth, standing nude in a large red blotch. She walked over to it, her eyes roaming each detail. "What's this…?"

"Oh, that…" Mark walked up beside her. He put his hands in his pockets. "The white demons." Meredith looked to him.

"White demons?" she repeated. Her eyes turned back up to the picture. "Billy's never told a story about them before…"

"He wouldn't," said Mark with a furrow of his brow. "It's not one he really likes to tell…" There was a silence as they stared at the panting.

"So… what are they?" Meredith asked.

"Well… the Quileutes didn't get along very well with European settlers. A lot of us think that this is just a depiction of them." Meredith nodded. That made sense, anyway. She was about to speak when Mark continued. "But… that's not how Dad sees them…" She turned back to Mark.

"What do you mean?" she asked. Mark glanced at her and continued to focus on the picture.

"He says… that the white demons were much more than just white settlers. They were monsters… Beasts that fed off of human life. They needed other lives in order to live. They were parasites who feasted off of my ancestors. And though they looked like humans… they were far from them." Meredith stared at him, her lips parted and her breathing faint. He turned and caught her gaze, giving a cheery smile. "If you believe that kind of stuff, anyway."

Meredith shook her head. "O-oh… Yeah, right…" She chuckled nervously, trying to ignore the squirming sensation in the pit of her gut. "We should probably get out of here. I don't want Dad to get angry because we were out too late."

Mark nodded. "They'll probably be done by the time we get there." Taking his flashlight, and her hand. They headed out of James Island. Meredith glanced behind her shoulder to get one last look at the white demon.


Please read and review..

~ Charlie xoxo