Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight but I what happens to the character here is all mine!
Authors Note: Thanks you for the reviews and the alerts something that I always forget to thank people for! Please continuing to review good or bad:D
Chapter Three
When we got back I could hear Claire crying still and almost ran to her. Sam chuckled at my reaction "This should be interesting….you do know that little kids cry over just about everything?". I scowled at Sam and grimaced at the thought of feeling the compulsion to run to Claire every time that she cried. I didn't mind going to her on the contrary it was something that made me happy to think of, if not a little impractical. I could only imagine the teasing the rest of the pack would have in-store for me . Almost as though he had read my thoughts Sam started to speak again. " Quill don't worry about the others they'll understand….and if they say anything you know it's not meant in disrespect your our brother now don't forget that". I smiled at this, it made me feel better to think of that and I knew then that it would be fine and that the others would just leave me be.
As we walked onto the porch I could here Emily pleading with Claire to calm down but to no avail. Susan could be heard teasing Claire calling her a big baby which set her off into another round of sobs. This time I couldn't help but run in to see if she was alright; no sooner was I in the door than Claire had ran to me and was sitting on my lap on the couch. I was surprised at the speed in which I did it as was Emily who was looking at me as though I had sprouted an extra head and I blushed. Sam came in behind me and laughed at the sight. Emily looked up at him enquiringly, Sam went to her and whispered to her what had just happened. Emily looked up at me and for the first time I felt nervous, "I thought as much…" she started "why else would you bolt out of here like that , and Claire throw a tantrum befitting a teenager .." Emily looked at me for a moment, and then smiled. "Its alright Quill, I'm not angry at you…Claire was the one who threw the tantrum not you!"
I exhaled relieved that Emily wasn't angry and looked down at Claire who was looking up at my face, scrutinising my features. I stared back and smiled at her, after considering this for a moment Claire smiled back up at me and her eyes lit up as she did this; my heart jumped and I hugged her closer to me. Claire hugged me closer greedily and closed her eyes and from what I could tell fell asleep. Emily watched me with a strange expression, "Quill…..you had better stay until she goes to bed later alright?…." Emily trailed off before continuing, "I don't think that I could handle another one of little Claire's outbursts again". I nodded at her cautious of waking Claire. But when I looked down Claire was still asleep and breathing steadily, I thought that she might be slightly too warm so I loosened my grip on her which made her hug closer to me still. I was surprised by everything she did, I had never been so interested in what a child or any other person did for that matter in my life and I almost laughed at the irony.
Emily and Sam went into the kitchen obviously talking about what had just happened and also attempting to keep the noise levels down in case Claire woke again. Susan had retreated to the guest room where before leaving she had announced to me, she was organising a wedding between her rag doll Annie and teddy bear Fred. I had smiled at this and shook my head at the thought. Soon the place grew very quiet, all except for Claire's breathing and the occasional hint of a whisper from the kitchen. I could feel myself getting drowsy and soon I was asleep.
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I wasn't sure if it had been minutes or hours that I had been asleep, but I was awoken by a sharp tapping on my shoulder. Unwillingly I opened my eyes to see a startling pair of blue eyes staring back at me, Claire had a fierce expression on her face, almost as though she were annoyed at me and had been trying to wake me for some time. I smiled at her and she thought about this before smiling back at me.
"Claire" she said simply, pointing to herself. I was surprised by her speaking and didn't answer at first, she tapped me impatiently again waiting for a response. I laughed at this and spoke to her, I pointed to myself and said "Quill". Claire's eyes tightened at this and her lips moved slightly as thought she were almost trying to fit the word in her mouth. "Quill" she said simply and smiled. I again smiled back, it was strange but I felt elatedly happy over something so small, her voice was a pleasant soft voice which had a demanding note to it, she must be demanding I thought to myself. Pulling at my hand the introductions apparently completed Claire jumped onto the floor and moved toward a group of small to cars against the wall on the opposite side of the room. We made our way over and sat there and played.
I was right, Claire was demanding and knew exactly what she wanted, she couldn't really say much except "Claire", "Quill", "Mine" and "No"; four of the most beautiful words in the English language now as far as I was concerned. Later Emily and Sam walked back into the living room having attended Annie and Fred's wedding and smiled at the spectacle before them. Claire had built up some plastic tracks around me which she was using as the road for her cars and I was playing with them too.
"Awww Quill look at you playing with the cars" Sam cajoled, " She has you wrapped around her little finger already." Emily threw him a warning look but I just threw a teddy bear at him full force in the face, now it was Emily's turn to laugh as Claire looking affronted at the abuse of her teddy bear slapped my forearm angrily and wagged her finger at me accusingly, "Sorry" I exclaimed seriously before Sam burst out laughing, and I blushed despite myself. Emily walked into the kitchen offering me something to eat or drink as she went, "No Emily I'm fine thanks" I said smiling at her. Emily paused and looked at me "Quill you're positively beaming…do you know that?" Emily said her expression somewhat amazed. I considered this for a moment and simply smiled back at her not caring or feeling the need to explain myself. I honestly could not remember a time when I had felt this happy before, and didn't feel the need to do anything to change this.
Sam sat down on the couch and spoke to me as I continued to play with Claire, "Emily is planning on telling Claire's parents about this…" he began uncertainly " I mean you're probably going to want to be around her aren't you?" I thought about this and considered not seeing Claire; I knew that wasn't an option if I couldn't see Claire I didn't think I could cope; it was like she was a part or extension of me. I looked up and nodded "Do you think there going to mind?" I asked hesitantly, afraid of what Sam's answer was going to be.
Sam looked at the ground for a moment and bit his lip before continuing, a solemn expression on his face. "Honestly Quill I don't know…. I hope they don't obviously for your sake as well as Claire's ….but they don't know anything about us and I'm not sure if they will take it very well…" Sam trailed of and I gulped feeling a familiar rise of panic swelling up inside me. I looked down at Claire and couldn't imagine not being able to see her, "How likely do you think it is that they won't let me be near her?" I managed to blurt out nervously. Sam looked at me sympathetically before continuing, "Well Emily's sister isn't exactly tribe orientated…..she married a man from London, and her parents didn't approve of it… she lives outside of the tribe now and refuses to play a part in their customs.." Sam looked at his hands before continuing. "They could be accepting….but Quill I can't make any promises you realise that don't you?". Sam finished uncertainly.
Sam's little speech didn't help me in any way I now felt truly panicked and looked at Claire with a slight desperation. I wanted to pull her to me and run with her; run and never look back. Sam who had until then been sitting stood up and moved towards me almost hesitantly as though he could read my mind again. I recoiled slightly away from him although I had no real reason to. "Quill it's alright you know… I'm sure that we'll be able to sort it out… sort something out…" Sam trailed off again increasing my panic. Claire looked at me and seeing my nervous state walked up to me and hugged me tightly. I was taken aback at this gesture and her concern for me, and hesitantly hugged her back gently. Not for the fist time that day I felt like crying, this little girl had such power over me; how could I bare being made stay apart from her.
I let Claire go reluctantly, and despite her protests stood up, "well when are you going to speak with them?" I asked apprehensively. Sam looked at me steadily "When they come to pick them up….we thought that it would be best to tell them in person". I nodded slowly in agreement, distracted again by Claire gripping onto my leg tightly like before. "There coming the day after tomorrow…." Sam finished. My head snapped up "What so soon?" I ran my hand over my hair and breathing grew short. "I'm sorry Quill…." Sam finished.
"I think that I'd better leave now…" I said quickly, I needed time to think, to myself. Sam took a step towards me looking as though he would reach out to me stopping himself before the gesture ever really came to being. His expression looked troubled for a minute, but then he stood back again. I made to move but forgot about Claire gripping onto my leg so when I lifted mine she wrapped her own legs around my leg and moved with me. "Claire sweetie please let go of my leg.." I pleaded, Claire just looked up at me and shook her head. I smiled despite myself, she was a stubborn little thing she reminded me of myself. Claire gripped on tighter still to me and I had to bend over in order to prise her hands off of me. As I did this she looked me in the eyes and practically shouted "MINE", this knocked the wind right out of me and I just nodded my head, kissed her in her hair and whispered back "mine". It seemed perfectly natural to me and I smiled at her feeling completely at ease again, that is until I looked up and saw Sam and Emily looking at both of us. Sam was looking at me with a pitiful expression whilst Emily was looking at her niece in what could only be described as amazement.
I stood up again quickly, Claire seemingly comforted by my words let go of my leg and seemed happy to stand beside me. "Right well I'll see you later then….ummm yeah…" I said , half mumbling. Before Sam or Emily could say anything I quickly made my way out the door and ran away from the house and for the second time that day I changed when I hit the forest border, running to help heal the pain, running to try and forget the small child who had stolen my heart….