Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight not me.
Authors Note: Apologies for the extended absence I had a note put up on my other story as to why I hadn't uploaded lately, but to those of you that didn't know this already there were quite a few deaths amongst my family and friends recently so I needed a bit of a break from everything...I didn't realise though that it had been a month and I'm horrified that its been that long I used to upload more than once a day at one stage!! :O
To answer all your questions which largely revolve around Quill teaching Claire to drive...well I'm afraid that that will be out of the question...I though about it or about a second when I realised that it would be completely impractical for that to happen. I mean Claire was told by Emily not to mention meeting Quill..but not just Quill..older men in general, now if Sam were to bail then for Quill to take over Claire would have to keep quiet for them to continue and Jane would be bound to ask how they were going...and since Claire is not supposed to see Quill then it wouldn't really work...Emily could hardly tell Claire not to mention something like that to her mother without going into some detail which is for now too early for Claire and not practical! So sorry no Quill won't be teaching Claire but he will be playing part in her day to day lessons :P
Anyways please don't give up on the story I will try to upkeep the uploads I'll upload a few today!! Thanks for all the reviews, alerts and everything your all great!! Please if your not to annoyed at having to wait keep reading and reviewing!!
Chapter Twenty
Q.P.O.V
Dinner at Sam's had been awkward, when I had got there everyone had been gathering around the table, Caleb and Emily were in the kitchen serving the dinner. Sam had answered the door, his expression was easily read and he looked excited, I frowned at Sam in an attempt to make him calm down if at all possible. Sam had always felt guilty about Claire and I, and now that she was back and living near by he was trying his hardest to make it possible for me to spend time with her. Now that we were going to have dinner together and he could see us both in the one room together, he seemed even more excited than I felt. Hannah, Reilly and most importantly Claire weren't there yet, still upstairs getting ready I assumed.
Sam waved to the seat beside him and Emily put our plates on the table, everyone else quickly sitting down at the table, I swallowed loudly when I realised that the only free seat left was beside me. I saw Sam smirk at me slightly when Claire sat down beside me, I knew she was in the room before I even heard her, the familiar tug at the end of my stomach working as an alarm of sorts. Once Claire was beside me I had to use my complete concentration to do the simplest things, like bringing my glass of water to my mouth without it spilling it everywhere. I could feel my muscles bunch together at how close she was to me, everyone else seemed to notice too and to my relief no one remarked on it or even spoke to me for that matter, they didn't speak to Claire either and I noticed when I braved a glance in her direction that she seemed to be feeling rather awkward. It took a great effort to fight the compulsion that I felt to reach out and comfort her, it almost tore me apart to know that I was the source of this discomfort. I also noticed that tonight she was wearing make-up, something that she hadn't been wearing this morning, and it made her look even more beautiful than before, I found that it made my already confused thoughts and movements increasingly difficult to control and cursed myself slightly for my suddenly depleting self-control.
Eventually the twins and Hannah left for a night class at the community center leaving just Sam, Emily, Claire and I. Emily made some coffee for us all,I was still finding it difficult to concentrate on the smallest movements, spilling my coffee several times. Emily noticed and smiled reassuringly at me, I could feel myself blush at this point, just hoping that Claire hadn't noticed. But she probably hadn't she hadn't looked in my direction since she had first sat beside me. I wanted her to look at me, I wanted to see her face, but instead she sat there with her hair hanging down covering her from my gaze.
"So Quill.." Sam began, "How are things in the garage?" attempting to make some small talk, since no one at the table was talking. My thoughts were completely disorientated and I managed a grunt like "Fine" before returning to my coffee, but Sam persisted, "and is Stanley getting on okay?" I threw him an exasperated expression before answering this question, "Okay.." Claire and Emily were talking and I wanted to hear Claire's voice, and Sam was distracting me. Apparently Sam had understood my glance as a signal not to ask me questions, or talk about anything that warranted a response as he was rambling on about some new generator he was installing at some house in Forks.
Claire's voice was quiet and melodic, her accent was strong, and I was listening to the different ways she said things to me. I was so caught up in listening to Claire that I almost didn't realise for a moment what she had said and choked on the coffee I had just swallowed. Claire had said that she might be going back to London again. I turned and stared at her for a moment, Claire turning to me her expression at first surprised then changing to what I thought was curiosity.
At this point Sam took me into the living room, there was a match on that he said he wanted to watch, although I got the feeling it was more of an excuse to talk to me in private away from the girls that were now washing the dishes. Sam sat on the couch nearest the TV whilst I sat closer to the girls, constantly looking between them and the game, which I couldn't follow the players merely blurred objects flitting across the screen. I thought about what she had said, she couldn't leave again...I couldn't take it not so soon, not when she had only just come back. I reminded myself then that she had said that she would have stay here if her mother settled down near here. I had never been religious but I prayed silently to whatever God was listening to get Jane the job that she had gone to the interview for. Like before my life rested upon a decision made by one of Claire's parents, people that didn't care that they had almost killed me when they had left before. People that thought that I would hurt their daughter, a dangerous monster that needed to be kept from Claire, the one person that I would never could never hurt.
Sam didn't dare speak to me the during our pretense at watching the football match, he seemed to realise that I wasn't capable of normal human interaction at the moment, and I was hugely grateful for this. When Emily came to inform us that she was taking Claire to the bus stop she had smiled at me sympathetically before leading Claire outside. Sam had called out goodbye to Claire as she left, I didn't trust myself to speak so instead I waved quickly, unsure if Claire even saw the motion or not. I felt completely depressed seeing her leave and wanted to go after her and tell her everything, tell her that I loved her, that I had been waiting fourteen years for her to come home to me, but I remained seated mostly due to Sam placing his hand on my forearm, calming as ever. It was only when the sound of Emily and Claire's voices could no longer be heard that Sam spoke to me.
"Quill are you alright?" Sam asked tentatively, the way he was positioned beside me looked as though thought he was disarming a bomb or something equally dangerous. "Sam.." I began shrugging slightly my mouth slightly hanging open, unsure of what I ought to say, "What if Claire leaves again?" I finally managed to stutter out. Sam put his hand on my shoulder sympathetically, "Quill I can't say that she wont...because I can't be certain..but remember she wants to stay here she said as much herself..." he trailed off, pausing for a moment, "Besides Quill I think that you have to give Claire a little more credit than you have.." Sam began. My head snapped up at this point, "What do you mean?" I demanded, glaring at Sam. "Quill calm down, and let me finish.." Sam replied in his always calm voice, "Our Claire is a little more resourceful than you think...do you really think that Jane gave her permission to come here unaccompanied tonight?" Sam asked a broad smile stretching across his face.
I stared back at Sam, "Claire came here without...without telling Jane?" I asked surprised. Sam nodded, "Yes she couldn't wait to come back Quill and just took matters into her own hands.." Sam finished grinning at me. I couldn't help but feel a littl more hopeful at this point. Even if Jane was against Claire coming here to La Push, Claire would find a way anyway regardless, I almost laughed in relief at the thought. It reminded me a little of myself pre- the pack, she had sneaked here, unaware of the reasons why her mother didn't want her to come. I got the impression that Claire although not knowing much was perceptive and did what she wanted regardless.
Soon after I had left to go home for the night, my thoughts filled with the different pieces of information that Sam had told me about Claire once our discussion was over, from her relationship with the rest of her family down to her asthma. When I got home my thoughts were filled with nothing but Claire, always Claire
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
I could hardly bring myself to believe what Sam had told me, it didn't seem possible or real. When he had come by to the garage today, he was completely flustered and out of breathe because he had run there. At first I had panicked afraid that it was something to do with Claire, thinking the worst straight away, and had to quickly calm myself when I felt a tremor run through my body; she was having such an effect on my carefully crafted resolution. When Sam had told me what he had been coming to tell me I almost cried with joy, much to the others amusement and the confusion of Stanley the only non-pack member working in the garage. Sam had told me that Claire and her mother were staying nearby, Jane had bought a house and Claire would be attending Oak Falls Academy the nearby private school. All of this had been music to my ears, but it was Sam said last that had caused me to actually laugh with relief. Jane wanted Sam to teach Claire how to drive, it was only so she would be able to drive herself to school when it started.
Jane had compiled a list of rules though, apparently she felt that Sam was trustworthy since none of his children had ever been harmed by him. When Sam had told Jane that he was no longer in the pack it had sealed the deal, and Claire would be allowed to call by whenever she wanted, although I didn't think Claire was aware of this fact. Sam had also mentioned that he didn't ask Jane about what her conditions were about me, so he was assuming that they would still stand without question; but apparently Claire hadn't mentioned our previous meeting after Emily had asked, and I was hoping that this might continue.
Now all I had to do was be patient, there was no immediate danger of me being separated from Claire, and this fact alone made me all the more capable of controlling my emotions and behaviour. I hoped that this newfound control would give me the ability to speak with Claire now, I needed to get to know her, for her to know me at this point I couldn't think of anything more important than that.