Disclaimer: I do not own the Twilight Saga.
The next couple hours were awkward. Paul, my grandparents, my father and I sat in the living room around the small coffee table. Harry had been sent to bed hours ago. I avoided eye contact with everyone. My dad and Paul seemed to be having a glare off and my grandparents, if possible, looked more awkward than I did.
My dad, between glaring at Paul, would stare at me with a mix of pain and love. I wasn't sure if he was happy to have found me or not. He'd been looking for 20 years, that must have meant something. Right?
Paul cleared his throat, meaning to speak first. But my grandfather must have seen Paul's expression, because he spoke up first.
"Well boys," he paused, glancing between his son and Paul. "What happens now?"
My father stood up, his voice firm when he spoke. "She stays here."
I groaned as Paul jumped up, almost flipping over the table as he did.
"Over my dead body." They growled at each other, their hands trembling together.
"That can be arranged." Now I stood up, stepping in front of them before they tried to kill each other.
"Paul," I muttered, facing him and trying to ignore all the other eyes staring at me. "Calm the hell down." His eyes snapped down to glare at me.
"You want me to calm down? So he can take you away from me?" His eyes went over me again, his face went back into his it's angry mask. "Not again. I'm not losing you again." I looked down, deciding that trying to reason with Paul was a lost cause. But he was right. I couldn't live here. This wasn't my home. These people weren't my family.
I cleared my throat, turning slowly to face the man who said he was my father. Despite that fact, I didn't trust him. Not once in the last three hours had he mentioned my mother. Wasn't she kind of important? Didn't he think I'd want to know about her?
"I-I can't stay here," I muttered, keeping my eyes low. Paul snickered behind me, obviously feeling as if he had won.
"Kelly…" I looked up at Neala's pained expression and guilt ripped through me.
"I'm sorry. I just…"
"It's not your home." John looked at me, his face blank yet understanding. He would let me go.
I nodded, still avoiding eye contact with my still silent father.
"You've made your home somewhere else." Naela smiled at me, but she still looked hurt. "With someone else." Her eyes flashed behind me before returning to gaze at me. She took John's hand. "I understand."
"I don't." Paul growled from behind me and John sighed. My father ignored that and continued speaking. "How did some prepubescent dog become more important than your family?"
"Dog? Did he just call me a dog?!" I stiffened and turned back to Paul. His eyes were flashing in anger and it didn't look like anything I could say would change that.
"Paul," I whispered, stepping towards his carefully. I went to take my second step, when someone grabbed my arm, stopping me. I looked back in alarm at my father.
"Are you serious? You are protecting her from me?" Paul's voice jumped a couple octaves as he speak. His skin darkened.
"It's my job." My jaw clenched and I tried to pull away from his grasp.
Paul scoffed and grabbed my free hand. I clung to it like my life depended on it.
"Some employee you are. Where the hell have you been the last twenty years?" My father's hand dropped like Paul had electrocuted him.
I took the chance and ran the couple steps to Paul. He was still shaking, but he still seemed like the safest option.
"Kelly?" I was the only one who turned to look at Harry. He rubbed his eyes, trying to remove the sleep from them. "What's going on?" He glared at my father through sleepy eyes. Surprisingly enough, Harry had followed Paul's footsteps and taken an instant dislike to the man who had lost me so many years ago. Surprisingly.
"Nothing Harry…" I glanced back at my grandparents standing solemnly by the fireplace. By all those pictures. I kept my eyes on them as I spoke again. "Paul, Harry… Put your shoes on, we're leaving." John sighed and I could literally see Neala's face drain of any colour.
"Already?" Neala took a step forward, but Paul and Harry had already started for the door. "It's dark, couldn't you stay the night?" I looked down at my toes curling and uncurling in the carpet.
"No." I sighed. "No. It was really…nice to find out where I came from. I thought I'd find out who I really was. Why I couldn't remember…"
"Kelly?" Paul had returned in a much calmer state. He was holding my shoes. "We called for a cab…" I didn't bother asking how he'd managed to do that in the last minute.
"One second." Paul stayed in the doorway and waited while I faced my grandparents again. I took a deep breath. "I couldn't remember because I didn't want to. Whatever led me to run away all those years ago…" I shook my head, trying to imagine a six year old me running off on her own. Whatever the reason was… "The point is, I don't want to remember it. You both seem like wonderful people. And we are family, but I think I want to go home." I took my shoes from Paul and followed him to the door.
Harry was already inside the cab when Paul and I finally left the house.
"Kelly, wait!" Neala came running towards me, her fist clenched tightly around something in her hand.
"Neala?" She stopped in front of me and took both my hands.
"It was your mother's," she whispered, placing something cold in my hand.
"My mother's? How did you…?" She put a finger to her lips to quiet me.
"You will always have a family here." She nodded solemnly before taking a step away from me. She waved me towards the cab and I backed towards the open door obediently.
"Goodbye." She smiled and blew me a kiss like I'd always imagined a grandmother would. I could still see her as the cab pulled away. I was sure she would be watching until we were just a dot on the horizon…
"I miss your grandma," Harry muttered once we got back to the hotel room. Paul punched him before I could.
"Not the time." Harry grimaced in response, rubbing his shoulder.
"Well, my bad then."
I fell onto the couch of our hotel room immediately, looking at the little bracelet Neala had given to me.
Paul sat down beside me and peered into my palm. "What's that?"
"It was my mom's." Paul nodded thoughtfully, but didn't say anything else. I held the bracelet up, watching the way the light bounced off its silver surface.
There was one little heart charm with a small clasp on its side. Out of curiosity, I pushed on it, and the little heart popped open.
"Is that..?" I nodded at Paul, squinting at the little picture of my mother, my father and I.
"I wonder what happened. What made him phase?" Paul shrugged beside, closing his eyes and leaning back into the couch. "Why did you phase?"
He chuckled. "Stupid reasons." He opened one eye to look at me. "My mom kicked me out of the house. She'd done it hundreds of times before, but I just lost it." He chuckled again, darkly. "Sam found me in seconds." He frowned. "I'm sure that's not what happened with your dad though."
I nodded slowly, still staring at the picture.
"Where do you think she is?" Paul swallowed and looked away. He'd thought about it.
"I don't know Kell…" Harry emerged from inside the mini fridge then, nibbling on a bowl of Smarties.
"Didn't you say you thought she was… In a "better place"?" I glanced at Paul's suddenly deathly pale face.
"You're so lucky I like you Harry." He grinned and sat down at my feet.
"If it makes you feel better Paul, I kinda think so too. No offence Kells." I shook my head.
"No. No, I feel that she is too. Neala did say that this was my mom's…" I bit my lip and stared at the picture again. "It would have been nice to meet her though. In person."
Paul wrapped an arm around me, and Harry nudged my leg affectionately.
"Hey, you still have us. And your grandparents. Besides, I'm sure your mom would have sent a sign if things weren't going exactly as she'd planned them." I nodded and smiled slightly at Paul.
"Yeah, I guess you're right." I clutched the necklace in hand and stood up. Harry looked up at me from the floor, his mouth full of candy. Paul watched me from the couch, a slight smirk on his face.
"What now?" I smiled at Paul's question.
"I was serious about going home."
"Home, as in…?" Harry put his candy down and stared up at me. "Are we actually going to stay? No random moving? No hiding?" I shook my head at my brother, but kept my eyes on Paul.
"No moving. No hiding. We're going home to stay."
"And by home," Harry was getting excited now, "you mean…?" I laughed, wrapping my arms around my ridiculously tall younger brother.
"Yes! Gosh, Harry, we're going back to La Push." He cheered, even letting me get away with hugging him, before running off to get all his stuff.
"Hey Kell. Remember the first day we met?" I looked down at Paul, still sitting on the couch, his eyes closed and his hands behind his head.
"In the store?" He shook his head.
"Before that." I frowned at him and started shaking my head. "It was in the grocery store. I had watched you come in. Kim said hi to you, and acted like a scared squirrel before you said hi back. You looked like you wanted to hide." He smiled, but I just stared at his peaceful face in a daze. I had no idea…
"You walked around in the store like a lost little girl. You were so distracted, so lost… So distracting. I couldn't get anything done… You bumped into me and I dropped my basket. I hadn't even noticed you walk down my aisle."
"Meat. Your basket was full of meat." He opened his eyes to look up at me. I sank down beside him on the couch.
"You said you were sorry, really sorry and I said-"
"I'm fine." I looked up at him with what must have been the most bewildered expression. He chuckled and took both my hands in his.
"You helped me pick up my stuff and I looked into you r eyes," He paused to look into my eyes again." I said "Excuse me" and ran off."
"And Kim! Kim called after you. She screamed your name." He nodded encouragingly. "I thought I would never see you again, but I wanted to." I frowned at him.
"And aren't you glad you did?" He smirked and kissed my forehead before pulling me into his arms.
I nodded.
"I knew you would be important. I knew it."
Done.
That's right people. I am done. No more. Sorry for the crap ending! But there is still the interview coming! Any last questions? Anything that you think was left unknown? Leave a question, PM me a question, heck tweet me a question for all I care~
Le sigh, I've done it! ^ ^ And yes, I am still alive!
JustcallmeRiley: *spazz attack* That's sounds like the most adorable thing in the whole wide world!
Clarinetgoddess92: Interesting is good, right? And I am, kinda, sorta back… Not really…
SkullKey4758: Woo! Mom's thinking your crazy is exactly what I was hoping for! Yes, now I'm not the only one..
1h2a34: Bah! I'm sorry! I tried! I just lost inspiration… I was quite upset with myself really…
glowgreen4me: Teehee, cute is one of my many talents~
TreePeckinHuman: Yay~ New readers are always fabutastic! Welcome (to the Ant Farm, whaaat?)! The story kinda ended once you got here though…
Stargazer1364: I should hope there never will be a second impression… But is there is, I'm sure Paul will do much better (note the sarcasm). Yes, yes, I'm alive! And super hyper…
Sugar Sweet Attack: Aw, well thanks hun! I stayed up till 1:30 writing this, but you're a lot more fabulous! And never ever blame yourself! I tend to make a lot of mistakes so things don't make sense… And I'm too lazy to figure out how beta readers work. It's been three years.. -.-
Stark-Lannister: Aw, thanks sweetie!
I just want to say a HUGE thank you to everyone who has reviewed this story and dealt with my horrible updating skills! I hope you guys read my other stories (if you haven't already). Maybe you'll like them too?(: Last reminder that I am still taking questions for the character interview and that will be the LAST thing for Loving the Unknown!
So long my lovely readers~ I must sleep now.. It's kinda late… OTL
Oh right! One last time…
Review ?(:
