~ Forks, Washington - September 13, 2004 ~

"Are you ready for this?" I asked Bella as we pulled up to her house.

"Sure, once I make sure I am presentable." Bella pulled down the visor and checked her appearance. After our rather amorous trip to the meadow, we were both a bit ruffled.

I scanned the minds of everyone in the backyard. Besides Charlie and my family, Reverend Weber, his wife, and Angela were waiting, along with Angela's grandmother, Betty. Unfortunately, Jacob Black was also waiting a bit too anxiously. He was with his father, Billy, as well as Harry Clearwater and his family, including Sue, Harry's wife, and his two kids, Leah and Seth. Billy was staring in disgust at my family, while Harry tried deflect his attention with tales of his latest fishing adventure.

"Well, I guess I am as ready as I will ever be. How do I look?" she asked. I quickly got out of the car and opened Bella's door. Offering my hand to her, I gave her sensual form quick glance from head to toe.

"You are perfect," I told her has she stood and faced the house. "Except for…" I paused and plucked piece of grass from the back of her hair. "..this!" I held the grass up for her to see which cause a beautiful blush to ghost her cheeks.

On queue, Alice skipped over to Charlie and let him know we had arrived. We paused for a moment to let Charlie get everyone in place before we entered the house. Bella looked around and I nodded towards the back of the house. It was time for Bella to do some playacting.

"Dad! We're home!" she called out.

"Out back, Bells! Come on out, I've got something to show you!" Charlie yelled back.

As we made our way out the back door, the assembled friends and family all cried out "Surprise!". Bella jumped and screeched in mock wonder, before leaving my side to playfully admonish and thank Charlie. As they hugged, I started singing Happy Birthday. For a split second my family was in shock over my joyful celebratory mood, before they joined, followed shortly by everyone else.

I watched as Bella made her way around to the guests and thanked them for celebrating her birthday. Jasper came over to join me and pointed to Emmett, although I already knew what he was going to do. Charlie was over at the grill tending the hamburgers and hotdogs. Emmett approached him and asked if Charlie could show him how to man the grill. Soon the two of them were chatting about sports while Emmett flipped the burgers. While Charlie took a sip of his beer, Emmett leaned in so only Charlie, and all of my family, could hear.

"So Chief, I'd like to volunteer my services on the shooting range. I'm dying to know what it feels like to get shot like Eddie did over there. What do you say?"

Before Emmett could even finish, Charlie spit out his mouthful of beer and started to cough. Rose marched over and slapped her mate upside the back of head.

"I'm so sorry, Chief Swan," Rose said while she placed herself between Emmett and the Charlie. "My idiot mate has no filter or discretion!"

She then pulled a smiling Emmett away, but before they got too far, Emmett turned around and said to Charlie, "Just think about it, ok?" Which elicited another smack by Rose.

After catching his breath, Charlie glanced over to me. "That brother of yours is nuts!" he thought to me. "Absolutely nuts!"

He had no idea.

Betty Weber had been watching Bella and I as we chatted with her granddaughter, Angela. As much as she wished I would have jumped at the chance to date her granddaughter, she had to admit to herself that Bella and I seemed to be made for each other. She also noticed that I had not had anything to eat the entire evening. She wrongfully assumed that I was waiting for everyone to have have their fill before I decided to eat, because as she thought to herself, "that Edward is such a sweet gentleman, he would think nothing of waiting to make sure everyone else was satisfied." Grabbing a the last remaining hamburger before Jacob Black could reach for it, she walked over to where Bella, Angela and I were standing.

"Edward, sweetie, you must eat something," she said handing me the plate. "You don't have to be so polite as to go hungry while others…" She paused and glared over at Jacob Black, whom she felt was being quite the glutton after already having had two plates full of food. "..have not the sense to see that not everyone has had a chance to eat!" She turned to Bella and Angela before continuing. "Even at the station, he always refuses to steal one of the cookies or brownies I bring in until everyone else has had their fill."

"Grandma," Angela interrupted, "maybe he is not hungry."

"Hush," Betty replied with the authority that only a family matriarch could pull off without sounding rude. "He's a growing boy, of course he's hungry."

My family had been following our conversation with some amusement. They all had been smart enough to walk around with a partially empty plate or glass in their hand to keep up the illusion for the humans. I, on the other hand, had been so busy watching my beautiful Bella all evening that I forgot to do the same.

"Thank you, Betty," I replied as I picked up the burger from the plate. "I am a bit hungry." With the echo of Emmett, Jasper, and even Carlisle laughing across the yard, I took a bite of the hamburger and swallowed it whole, trying to keep as much of the foul taste from registering. I was not very successful.

"Good," Betty said while she pointed to the plate. "If you want anything else just let me know and I'll see what else I can find that the Black boy has not already scarfed down."

Having said her peace and performed her good deed, Betty turned and walked away. Angela mouthed "sorry" before following her grandmother as she tried to hide he embarrassment.

"Edward!" Bella said as she looked incredulously between the plate and mouth. "I though you couldn't eat food?"

With a flick of my wrist I sent the remaining burger flying two hundred yards into the woods. "I can't," I replied hoarsely before turning my head and acting like I was coughing, instead of purging the lump of human food from my esophagus. After I was sure I had removed as much of the food out of me as possible, I looked down at an amused Bella.

Before I could tease Bella about finding my distress humorous, Charlie called out that it was time for cake and ice cream.

Bella did not want gifts for her birthday, but that did stop the assembled guests from getting her something. In the short time we had to prepare for this day, I had warned my family that Bella was more into experiences than baubles and other materialistic goods. Esme and Carlisle decided to give a donation in her name to the county library. Rose, Alice, Emmett, and Jasper gifted her an enrollment in a ballroom dancing course that, along with myself, all of my other family members were going attend as well. For my Bella, I got her and I passes to a photography exhibit at the Photographic Center Northwest in Seattle. However, out of all of the gifts that she received that evening, it was Charlie's that I thought was the best of all, even if I might have been a bit biased. He gave Bella five curfew exception passes that she could use on any non-school night. The best part was, each offered a no-questions-asked condition. To some it may not seem like much, but he wanted to show Bella that he trusted her, and I guess by extension, me as well. Although, because I was privy to his thoughts, I knew he also had a couple more gifts for her that she would receive later that evening.

After thanking everyone for the gifts, Bella made her way over to me. I had been standing off to the side allowing myself to enjoy watching Bella being so carefree and happy. Before I could whisper to her my own personal birthday well-wishes, I heard the thoughts of someone in distress.

"Unn..."

Quickly I found the source the groan. Harry Clearwater had slipped away into the house and way leaning against the family room wall. From his thoughts I could sense the intense pain he was feeling in his chest.

I grabbed Bella's elbow and started walking towards the house. "Bella," I said in a low tone but I knew my family would hear as well. "Harry Clearwater is having chest pains in the house." Her eyes dart up to the back door then over to Sue Clearwater.

"I'm already on my way," Carlisle said in his thoughts.

I paused Bella just outside the backdoor of the house. "Please go get Charlie and Sue as quietly as you can, ok?" Bella nodded and walked in their direction as Carlisle and I opened the door to go inside.

Entering the family room, we stopped and did our best to appraise Harry from where we were.

"Jasper, I'm going to need my medical bag and the portable AED defibrillator kit back at the house. Esme and Alice, keep the other guests outside if you can." Carlisle said in a tone too low for humans to hear.

"Mr. Clearwater?" I said softy we approached slowly.

Harry's eyes bolted open and glared at us in shock causing him even more distress so we stepped back.

"Wh…what do you want?" Harry asked shakily while trying to squash his fear of being alone while two vampires approached him.

"Mr. Clearwater, we mean you no harm, but I know you are hurting," I replied. "Carlisle is a doctor, will you let him help you?"

"No!" he gasped while shutting his eyes as another wave of pain set in. Unable to keep himself upright he slipped down the wall and slouched onto the floor.

Behind us Charlie, Sue, and Bella came into the room. Sue ran past us and kneeled next to Harry.

"Harry!" She cried, "What's wrong!" Harry tried to respond but the pain in his chest was too acute to talk through so he just pointed to his chest.

At that moment Billy Back wheeled himself in behind the group, he took one glance at his friend in pain, Sue sobbing at his side, along with Carlisle and I standing over him and started yelling. "What did you two bloodsuckers do to him! Get away you God-damned demons!" Billy pushed his wheelchair past Carlisle and I to act a shield between his friend and us.

Harry opened his eyes as the pain subsided a bit. He groaned at assembled audience before him including Billy's continued cursing my family's presence. "Billy!" he said hoarsely, "Will you shut up! It's my chest you idiot, not them!"

Sue begged her husband to remain calm as Billy spun around and took a moment to see that his friend was telling the truth. "I thought the rez doc gave you pills for that?" He asked.

Sue gasped and started to cry harder. From her thoughts I could read that she did not know Harry was having any health issues. From Harry's and Billy's thoughts I could see that for the past six months Harry has been having these reoccurring chest pains. Even though I could read it in his thoughts, everyone in the room could see from the look on Harry's face that he never went to see the doctor on the reservation.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Sue asked as she hugged her husband close. Harry winced in pain again as his only answer before Sue turned to Carlisle with tears in her eyes. "You! You are doctor aren't you or is that only pretend?"

"Yes, I am a doctor, Mrs. Clearwater. I have no need to pretend." Carlisle answered in his soothing bed side manner voice.

"Then help him!" She cried.

Billy and Harry both responded "No!" but for different reasons. Billy because of what Carlisle was. Harry because he was afraid of the answer he would receive.

"To hell with you both!" Sue spat back shooting them both daggers. Turning back to Carlisle he eyes softened. "Please, Dr. Cullen, ignore them and help my Harry?"

Carlisle nodded. "Of course, as long as the patient agrees. Mr. Clearwater?" Harry grunted in response, which earned him a disapproving look from Sue. "I'll take that as a yes. Mr. Clearwater I am going to approach you and take a look at your vitals. But before that, I think Mr. and Mrs. Clearwater need some privacy."

"I am not leaving!" Billy barked out.

"If I may?" Carlisle asked Sue, as it was clear to everyone in the room except for Billy, that Sue would be making the decision. Sue nodded. "I suggest that besides Mr. and Mrs. Clearwater, that Billy and Bella stay with me."

"Me?" Bella squeaked.

"Yes, I will need some assistance from someone with a light touch. Will you agree to assist me?" Carlisle responded.

"Um, okay. If you think I am best one to help?" She replied.

"I do. Any objections?" Carlisle looked around the room as everyone's head nodded in agreement including my own. As much as wanted to to help, I trusted Carlisle more in his assessment of the situation's medical and political needs.

"Edward normally I would not hesitate having you with me, but in this instance I need you outside to manage Charlie and the guests, plus I think Harry and Billy will be easier to manage." Carlisle spoke to me in his thoughts. I nodded my understanding. "But stay close just in case." he added with a slight smirk.

As Charlie and I filed out of the house, Jasper came in carrying Carlisle's medical bag and the AED. After a quick thank you from Carlisle, he joined us outside as well.

Charlie looked back at the house and I was shocked with the thoughts I saw. Although he was worried for his longtime friend, it was his thoughts and concerns for Sue Clearwater that were surprising. Charlie hated to see Sue so upset over Harry. His mind quickly drifted to a several scenes over his lifetime when he admired her from afar, knowing that she was in love with Harry, although always wishing she would notice him. As fast as the thoughts entered, they left before Charlie looked back to me with a pleading look.

"Dammit! I never wanted anyone to know!" Charlie thought. "Edward, you must believe me. I would never act on those feelings. I know she loves Harry and Harry loves her. It's just sometimes I wish she would have picked me instead of Harry. Seeing her in there upset and crying…it's just tough on me to take."

Charlie turned away in self loathing for slipping and showing me that he was all too human being jealous and bit lovelorn. I reached out and touched Charlie's shoulder in comfort. Sue's own thoughts during the evening betrayed that Charlie held a tender spot in her heart as well, but it would not be fair to Sue, Harry, or Charlie for me to openly disclose that. So I offered him the only comfort I could provide.

"Chief, you have nothing to be ashamed of. Caring for someone that belongs to another does not make you weak or a bad person. Also, please know that I would never disclose to anyone what I just saw, just as I would not disclose to you if someone else harbored similar thoughts."

Charlie looked at me while he wrestled with my words and the hidden meaning I implied in them. Finally he nodded his head allowing a sense of relief to wash through him knowing that in another time or place, things might have been different.

While Carlisle situated everyone in the house and explained to Sue and Harry that the AED was just a precaution, Charlie went over to speak with Reverend Weber and his family. Cautiously Leah approached me with her younger brother Seth behind her. Leah was aware of the her tribe's strong ill feelings towards my family, but not the history and actual story behind their hatred. Her and Seth's desire to know what was going on with their father was stronger than any fear they had in approaching me.

"How's my Dad doing?" She asked cautiously. It was clear from their thoughts that Leah and Seth were not aware of their father's reoccurring chest pains either.

"I don't know for sure. Your father was having some chest pains, so my father is going to take a look to see what he can find." I replied.

"Is he having a heart attack?" Seth asked.

"Unfortunately I don't know for sure, but my best guess is no, it was not a heart attack." I answered

At least not today.

Charlie then came over and collected Seth and Leah to help him setup the makeshift horseshoe pit. Everyone understood it was diversionary tactic to bide their time, but for Charlie he wanted me to be able to listen in with my gift in case something unexpected came up.

In the house, Harry's intermittent chest pain, as well as his surly attitude had subsided enough for him to answer some of Carlisle's preliminary questions. Carlisle then checked Harry's basic vitals while Billy questioned and monitored his every action.

"I would like to listen to your chest now," Carlisle said. Harry nodded so Carlisle retrieved his stethoscope and proceeded to listen to Harry's breathing and heart. To Carlisle, Harry's breathing was fine, but something was off about the heart. I was stunned with what Carlisle was going to do next. If someone told me about the next diagnostic procedure before I saw it in his thoughts, I would have claimed it to a product of make believe, but I would have been wrong.

"Bella, would you get me a cookie sheet form the kitchen?" Carlisle asked.

Although she, as well as Sue, Harry and Billy, looked totally confused, Bella dutifully returned with a cookie sheet. Carlisle then explained what he was going to do.

"Mr. Clearwater I am sure you have heard of the term ultrasound?" He asked. Harry nodded. "Good. So I am going to lightly tap on different parts of your chest while I listen through the stethoscope. The tapping will send sound waves into your body and they will reflect off your organs, bones, and other body parts. My ears are much more sensitive than yours, so I will be able to use the reflected sound waves, specifically the higher ordered harmonics, to help me paint a mental picture of your heart and arteries."

"What is the cookie sheet for?" Sue asked.

"Good question," Carlisle answered. "Bella, place the cookie sheet behind Mr. Clearwater's back on his lefthand side." Bella shrugged in confusion but did as she was told. "The cookie sheet, being metal, will give the sound waves a consistent and equally resilient surface to bounce off of. These reflected waves will create a small Doppler effect that will help me be more accurate with my assessment." From everyone's collective minds, except for my sweet Bella's, I registered a mixture of amazement and confusion. "Shall we begin?"

Carlisle positioned the stethoscope. "Bella, I want you to hold the stethoscope to Mr. Clearwater's chest right here. I am going tap lightly on Mr. Clearwater's chest. I promise this will not hurt, in fact given the speed at which I will be tapping, it may tickle.

Bella nodded and held the stethoscope as directed.

Carlisle nodded as He closed his eyes and started tapping. His pace increased until his movements could not be seen by the humans but they could hear a buzzing sound of his fingers. In his mind he started to visualize Harry's heart. He added a second hand and the mental picture filled in more. Carlisle moved around to different locations on Harry's chest, shoulder, and back. Each move brought more detail to what Carlisle was envisioning. It was amazing to witness it all in his thoughts.

After a few more seconds, Carlisle opened his eyes and pulled away from Harry. "You can remove the stethoscope, Bella. Thank you. I would like to try one more thing, but I will need your help as well Mr. Black. Will you assist us?"

By this point Billy was partially stunned by Carlisle's homegrown diagnostic procedure. He nodded and wheeled himself closer to Harry.

"This time, while I tap, I want you, Billy, to lightly place two fingers on Harry's radial artery in his left wrist. Then two fingers on his carotid artery on the left hand side of the neck. okay?"

Billy agreed and the three of them start the process again. This time, as Billy pressed on the artery pressure points, I could see in Carlisle's mental image how the blood become restricted with the associated pressure. This additional pressure caused portions of the coronary arteries to bulge and misshapen. Carlisle's mental image is not nearly as sharp as an echocardiogram or an intravascular ultrasound, but it was adequate to spot the possible problem.

After removing the stethoscope and placing it back in his bag, Carlisle delivered his verdict.

"The good news, Mr. Clearwater is that you were not having a heart attack today, but most likely an attack of angina, which however can be a precursor to having a heart attack if left untreated. From our little makeshift ultrasound test, I could sense that either your left circumflex or left marginal coronary artery has amassed a critical level of plaque build up. The angina is just the beginning, Mr. Clearwater. If you don't go and start getting treatment for moderate to advanced stage coronary artery disease, I predict you will most likely have a heart attack in the next two years. I am not saying this to unduly scare you. You are lucky that with proper medical care now, you can start reversing this chronic condition and lead a long and happy life."

Sue had started crying again as she hugged her husband, silently thanking the powers that be for this warning.

Carlisle wrote down some information on his medical pad. before handing it to Harry.

"Mr. Clearwater, although I would welcome advising you further on this matter, I certainly understand that you would not be comfortable with my involvement. Therefore, the name and number on that sheet is the head of cardiology at Olympic Memorial Hospital in Port Angeles. I know him personally, which hopefully you won't hold against him. He is one of the best cardiology specialists in the state. With your permission, I would like to tell him to expect your call. Oh, and I also believe Olympic still has a couple Masen patient grants available to assist in any of the medical costs. Just ask them about it."

Sue looked to Harry who just nodded back to his wife. "Dr. Cullen, thank you for today," Sue replied. Her voice was thick with emotion, but she managed an authentic smile. "Harry and I would indeed appreciate you giving your colleague a call for us. We won't be ignoring this any further."

Carlisle simply smiled back before he excused himself so that Sue and Harry could have their privacy. A few moments later, He and Bella came out to the backyard. Leah and Seth approached Carlisle for information about their father, while Bella came over to me with a big smile gracing her face.

"Hello, sweet girl. How was it?" I asked while reaching down to hold her hand.

"I'm sure you were paying close attention," she said while tapping her head, "but that was one of the most amazing things I have ever seen. Your father is amazing!" She looked around the yard until her eyes landed on Charlie, who was talking to Jacob, but was Iooking back at us. "This has been the best birthday ever!"

After about ten minutes, Sue, Harry, and Billy came back out. After getting a couple of big hugs from his kids, Harry announced that he had enough excitement for one day so he was going to head home. Since Billy and Jacob rode with the Clearwater's, they would be leaving too. The Clearwater's and Black's wished Bella a happy birthday and then made their way out front. The had parked down the street so Bella would not see their truck earlier. Sue gathered her kids and Jacob as they left to get their vehicle.

"Dr. Cullen, Edward, may we have a word?" Harry Clearwater asked as Billy wheeled up next to him.

Carlisle and I walked them to the front of the house to wait for Sue.

Once at the street's edge, Harry turned and stuck his hand out to Carlisle. "I owe you, and your family an apology, Dr. Cullen. As you may guess this does not come easy to me, but my family and I are grateful for you help. Thank you."

"You are very welcome, Mr. Clearwater. I do sincerely hope you are able to resolve these health issues. You have a terrific family, a loving wife, and a lot good friends to help support you along the way."

Emotion was starting to get the best of Harry as he thought about what he could have lost for being so pigheaded, so he just nodded and shook Carlisle's hand one more time.

"I also owe you and your family an apology," Billy Black said in strong voice that reminded me and Carlisle of his grandfather, Ephraim. "Edward, not too long ago you challenged me to look beyond my own hatred of your kind and see that your family is different. I didn't do that before, but today, you finally opened my eyes. We still hold you to the terms of the treaty you forged with my people, but I am willing to accept your presence here and work with your family to ensure the safety and well-being of the region. I don't know if we could ever be friends, but Harry, myself, and the tribe no longer see the Cullen family as our enemies." Billy reached out and shook each of our hands.

"We know that you do not give your acceptance or trust in us easily," Carlisle answered. "We will endeavor to live up to the terms of the treaty, and I fervently hope that someday we will be able to call each other friends. But until that time, I will gladly accept the title of non-enemies."

Author's Note:

Thank you for the many, many reviews! Also, I want to say "Hello!" to all of the new readers over the past week or so. I am humbled and grateful for everyone that is reading and reviewing.

Only 1 chapter tonight...sorry. Next week, October 31st is Halloween (aka All Hallows Eve) for the United States (as well as many other parts of the world). On Monday, we will take a little jump in time forward for a new chapter that was never part of the original story. The Cullens and Bella will celebrate Halloween together...any guesses on what will happen?