One - Now and Forever

by S.H.Walker

The third and final story of Leilei and Jacob. No lemons but adult language.

2. Chapter 2

~10

"Tokar said he was proud of you. You are so the man. Both you and Paul made really good impressions down south," Leilei sent to her man as they were heading back south.

"We'll be back in a few days. Don't have too much fun without me."

"Miss you already. And you guys haven't even left."

"I missed the summer when things were calm," Jacob sent wistfully. "This is it." He nodded knowing others were watching them and knowing that they were sending to each other. "But I do miss the summer back when things were calmer."

Tahiti. Jacob was still a white knuckle flyer looking out of the plane window for hours looking for land. Way way out there. "Take it easy. We'll be landing soon."

"It looks like Hawaii," he said.

"But it smells like Tahiti," Leilei said. We were met after customs by Simon's brother Etienne. After big hugs and kisses on both cheeks we got in the van and headed out to where the people live.

"They're gonna feed us aren't they?"

"Yup, we're been getting ready for days," Etienne laughed. "Don't worry; you won't have to eat everything."

Yutan looked tired being tatted in the old way without electricity. It was hard and painful. Leilei was here to help hold him down.

"Jacob!" Yutan said, "Don't hug me man. I'm sore. Just a high 5."

"How are you handling it?"

"Leilei, how did you handle it?" Yutan asked checking out his sisters' ink with a more experienced eye now.

"I cried a lot. I was really glad when it was over. A family of warriors demands a lot," Leilei answered her brother.

"Am I warrior material?" Yutan asked.

"You are here and you are your parent's kid and you ask that question? Ok so it hurts and that's what making you crazy. I'll give you that," Jacob teased. Dinner was sushi and poke (raw fish salad) rice and sweet potatoes. I kept either one hand or foot on my brother to take his pain.

"You two should crash too. No tatting tomorrow. Just hang with your brother and enjoy," Nona said after she watched her youngest fall into a deep sleep. We spend 2 days lounging on the beach. Jacob went on a boar hunt. 3 days were spent holding my baby brothers hand while sharks were being tattooed on him.

"How is it you're better at this that most people?" Yutan asked noticing that it didn't hurt as much with me holding him than the others.

"Everyone has something that they do well. This is mine," I smiled back trying to gauge how much pain to take. I didn't want to take too much and make him aware that I was way more special than I was.

"So now I get to be considered to be a man now?"

"More of a man but you'll always be my little brother."

"Mom says she thinks I'll get taller."

"I'm sure you'll get taller. I just like you just as you are." Nona was sure he was exactly like Harkoni. It would just be a matter of time before we knew what was what.

"So are you and Jacob engaged?" A question way off topic.

That came out of left field. Damn little brother, "Kinda. Why are you asking?"

"Mom likes Jacob a lot. She asked me to be nice to him and not laugh too much when he's trying to surf. So why does Jacob call mom 'Mom'?"

"His mom passed away when he was young. He missed having a mom so having a mom again for him is nice." Enough of the younger brother understanding how painful life can be on to other things. "What did you and Kolohe and Travis do? I know it was a weird male bonding thing? So spill what was it?"

"Honshiro man thing! I can't tell ya!" He said followed by a wise ass smile.

"Please?"

"Woman! NO! Not even you. And I love you like a sister. But NO!"

"Fine! I've braided your hair. Now go."

"Mom, where are they going?"

"I don't know. It's a guy thing. Kolohe and Travis did it to Yutan. Now Yutan and your dad are doing it to Jacob. They'll be back by in the morning."

"Jacob, come here. You, at some time think you will marry my daughter. Well we'll see about that," Harkoni started his prepared speech.

"And since you will be marrying a Honshiro, you should become a man in our eyes, a Honshiro man. Last week it was Travis and Kolohe with me and now it's me and dad with you," Yutan finished.

"Ok, so what is it? What do I have to do?"

"Pledge to be a man from this day forth. To protect women and children from harm. Feed and take care of them first. Help boys to become men," he said as he nodded at Yutan as an example. "Be honest and honorable in everything that you do. Honor your people first and your people will take care if you," they said in unison.

"And take care of my sister . . . she likes you . . . a lot," Yutan grinned.

"Kneel Jacob Brandon Black, hereditary war chief of the Quileute, the son of Billy, the grandson of Ephraim, son of the wolf spirit that guides your tribe. If you are a man, stand in the knowledge that we expect no less of ourselves than we expect of you."

"Are you a man?"

"Yes."

"Then stand as a man with other men."

"Let's go." They went down to the beach to join the others that had pledged to be men. There were fires burning and the newly pledged men were deciding what to do. Fishing was the answer.

"No more drama please? . . . Promise?" Jacob asked.

"Promise."

"Did you hear that?" Leilei asked standing on a rock looking down into a gully for the wild pig they were hunting.

"Yup. We're on it." Jacob sent, "Lei . . . get on my back!"

"What?"

"I'm faster than you are . . . honey."

Leilei answered, "Ok. Let's go then."

"What the Fuck!" Jacob sent in the link. "What?" Jacob answered not sure how that car got down where it was.

"That's Mr. Jackson's car," Leilei recognized the Avalon. "What's it doing way down here? Where are we anyway?"

"Quil is up on the road. This is Rte. 32 on the slip side," Roan said in the link.

"I've got to get in there," Leilei said aloud.

"I'm on it." And poof Jacob fazed and opened the door.

"Probably a concussion. We need to get him to the hospital," she said after a moment of touching him.

"We need to get the car back up on the road first," Jacob said looking at the area. "Stage the accident then we call the ambulance." By the time the ambulance got there Jacob and Leilei were dressed and on a motorcycle claiming to have found Mr. Jackson after he hit a patch on the black ice and hit a tree. Leilei agreed to ride in the ambulance with Mr. Jackson. Jacob said he'd get Kolohe and the wrecker out to get the car and take it into town.

"Mari? Where are you? Where are you and your mom?" I tried not to let the fear get into my voice. "Your dad had a car accident and I'm in the ambulance heading into Forks now. Tell your mom to get to the hospital and don't have an accident getting there."

"You're kidding right?" Mari asked.

"I'm as serious as a heart attack. I'm in the ambulance now, they've got him stabilized. You've got about 30 minutes or so. I'll call Carlisle and Kolohe in that order. Get your mom, get to the hospital."

~11

Carlisle met Mrs. Jackson and Mari at the hospital. "Leilei called me and I was coming in anyway. We're getting info from the ambulance. He's stable. Things look good."

1 day later . . . "Leilei he's been mumbling . . . I think he saw something. You might want to talk to him," Carlisle said wolfie soft as he let me into the room.

"Thanks." Oh holy shit. What now? "Hello Mr. Jackson may I come in?"

"Yes . . . Come on in," he said looking much better. His color was back and he looked a bit bruised like he'd been bounced around in a car that slid off a road.

"How are you feeling?"

"Ok, I guess . . . Oh and thank you by the way. Mari told me you found me after the accident."

"Mr. Jackson, calm down. Your heart monitor is speeding up," I said touched him. He was scared and he wasn't getting enough pain killers. "What's the problem?"

"I think I saw . . ." he said narrowing his eyes at me.

"You saw dogs maybe?"

"Maybe . . . but they were huge. Then I saw Jacob . . . I think," he started fishing.

I held his hand . . . "Do you want to know the truth?"

"How can you do that?"

"Magic," I answered.

"Yes . . . I saw . . ."

"Lower your voice and stay calm. What did you see?"

"I think I saw . . . Jacob turn into a wolf and back again. He was naked." There, he said it.

"If you say that out loud they'll think you're crazy," I answered him trying not to smile.

"You didn't deny what I just said."

"No . . . I didn't. But you can't talk about it."

"No! What?! So Jacob is a . . ."

"Say it . . . You've seen the tribal symbols. How long have you lived in Forks?"

"Jacob Black is a . . . werewolf?"

"Yes. Calm down or the nurse will come in here."

"You know he's a . . ."

D'oh. "Well . . . yes . . . Of course."

He sat quietly for a while. Furrowed brow with a focused stare. "Does your father know?"

"Yes."

"And your mom?"

"Yes, of course. If dad knows then mom knows."

"Kolohe? . . . Well . . . He probably is one. They are the same size. Oh my God . . . Is the whole town is overrun with them?" And there he went way over the edge.

"No it isn't. And lower your voice."

"The rez then? Hold it! You aren't Quileute?" Then he was quiet again for a while. "You're native Hawaiian, you and your family."

"Lower your voice," I said. He was being rational and making sense and working it thru. Programming computers helps makes your thinking logical.

"Hello Mr. Jackson."

"Hello Dr. Cullen."

"How are you today?" Carlisle asked taking his wrist to take his pulse.

"When can I go home?"

"You took a nasty bump on the head. One more day of monitoring is in order. Tomorrow. Get home early Leilei . . ." Carlisle said acting all fatherly.

"Yes. Thank you," I smiled at Carlisle as he left us alone.

"Does he know?"

"No."

"How can he not know?"

"You didn't know until 5 minutes ago." Snap and snap back.

"Are you one?"

"No. Only boys."

"Got to break up Mari and Kolohe," he thought he was just saying to himself.

"No please. Not that. Kolohe likes Mari. They, we form matched pairs with their perfect mates so breaking up a couple is hard." Oh fuck me now.

"You and Jacob?" He asked aloud and I nodded.

"Does my wife know?"

"What do you think? She nearly had a heart attack when we spent the night at the rez during the storm. So . . . do you really want to know what happened?" He nodded yes. "So ok . . . Jacob heard the crash. Your car was down in the brush about 150 yards off the road."

"My car was leaning up against a tree," he countered.

"It was found leaning up against a tree."

"Oh."

"He . . . Jacob brought all by himself?"

"They did. They carried it up the hill. There was more than one of them there. If they weren't what they are you might not have been found so quickly. Things would be different. They found you and your safe now. And they've put pea gravel on the road. A railing is going up just in case."

"So what do I do?" the confused man asked.

"Just say thanks when you can. Kolohe brought your car into town. Your wife is pretty scrambled at the moment but when you get back home things should be settled."

"Was the moon full?" he asked.

"Propaganda. The moon doesn't have anything to do with it . . . You know you can't tell anyone? Right?" I said getting up to leave.

"I know. Leilei, if I didn't say anything would you have said anything?"

"No sir. Good night Mr. Jackson."

"Good morning Mr. Jackson. What can I do for you today?" Leilei asked him. He looked better. He was walking stiff. Physical shock does that to your body.

"Good morning Leilei. Is Jacob here? I'd like to talk with him man to man."

"Come on back to the kitchen. And what you see and hear stays here," she answered him from the farm stand at the street.

"I understand. Just like Vegas."

"Mr. Jackson, this is Simon, Bleys, Embry and Jamie. They're having breakfast. This is Mari's dad and he's waiting for Jacob. Would you care for breakfast? Believe me there's plenty." She was making omelets and there were stacks of bacon and toast on the table.

Mr. Jackson just smiled, "Just coffee thanks."

"Hey Boo," Jacob said entering the kitchen from the yard.

"Hey You. Mr. Jackson is here to see you," as she nodded toward him sitting at the breakfast table.

"Thanks," Jacob smiled. "This will be fun fun fun."

"Parao?" Mr. Jackson asked. Possibly knowing the answer.

"Well, I just ran over for breakfast, Jacob quipped. It seemed to be the right answer."

"Literally?"

"Yes. My normal breakfast please, Lei."

"So that explains the farm." Mr. Jackson was filling in information in his new werewolf file.

"Well . . . kinda," she admitted. They needed the farm as a cover. A place to have for training, a place to make money and a place to be safe.

"I need to understand why you are what you are?" Mr. Jackson started.

"DNA. It's genetics," Jacob answered between bites.

"Can I see just once up close?"

"No, sorry."

"And you brought my car up the hill by yourself?"

"No, me and a few others. Your car was heavy," Jacob answered smiling. He wished he was strong enough to carry that Avalon up the hill alone. Even Emmett couldn't do it all alone.

"Thank you for that. I don't know what . . ."

"We will deny everything you say if you go public," Jacob said not in a threatening voice.

"Yeah, Leilei explained that to me. Your secret is safe with me."

"Thank you. Is that all you wanted Mr. Jackson?"

"Yes. I think that's all. But . . . Are you a wolf too Kolohe?" Mr. Jackson asked as Kolohe walked into the kitchen.

Kolohe was dressed for the trip to Port Angeles for the farmers market. He pulled out his ID folder. 1 side was his drivers' license and the other side was a picture of his favorite dog.

"But . . ." Mr. Jackson started after staring at the picture for a moment or three. Then Kolohe pulled off 1 contact lens. The one that made his blue eye brown. Smiled and put the lens back in.

"Does Mari know?"

"No sir, she doesn't," Kolohe lied to his potential father in law.

"We will need to have a talk young man," he said all fatherly and attempting to be all intimidating.

"Yes sir."

"And I'll need to speak with your father also," Mr. Jackson trying to sound parental to the assembled werewolves.

"Yes sir. He plans to be here for the graduation in June. He'll be in Hawaii, Oahu for Christmas if you're planning a trip. I'll give you his number if you like but he won't talk about it on the phone. Only in person."

"Hi Dad!" Mari called as she walked into the kitchen.

"Oh hi baby! Mari! Honey what are you . . . you doing here?" Mr. Jackson stuttered not knowing she was coming to the farm today.

"Leilei and I are going shopping with mom in Port Angeles," Mari said aloud so everyone would know what the story was supposed to be.

"What are you doing here? Steve honey!" Mrs. Jackson asked not expecting to see her husband at the farm.

Kolohe spoke up quickly, "He's deciding if he wants a goose or a turkey for Thanksgiving. Supporting the local agriculture. I'm still pushing for the goose. It's all dark meat."

"We'll decide later. Ready girls? Take care honey," Mrs. J said moving to take a piece of toast from the pile.

Kolohe continued, "We'll deliver it brined and ready to cook. About 15 lbs. should be enough for your family."

"I think we should invite Kolohe and Leilei to dinner," Mari added.

"Just Kolohe, I'll be with Jacob on the rez this Thanksgiving," Leilei added relieved to be going to the rez this year. No Alaskan family dinner interrogation this year.

"What about the Cullens?" Mr. Jackson asked.

"They're going to NYC I think," Leilei lied. "Alice and Jasper are hosting Thanksgiving this year. Later, let's go shopping," she added quickly.

"What did my dad want?" Mari asked touching Leilei as they headed to the car.

"To know if he's was crazy. He saw Jacob faze."

"What? So what happens now?"

"We head to Port Angeles and go shopping," Leilei responded.

"What happens now?"

"If your dad asks, you know nothing. Yes ma'am, I have lunch money. Chinese is fine," Leilei managed to continue 2 conversations at the same time.

"Mari honey, let's have talk," Steve started with his daughter when he was sure the wife couldn't hear them. "Did Leilei tell you what happened? The car accident I mean."

"Yes she did."

"Mari . . . I don't want you to spend time with Leilei and Kolohe and any of those people from the rez any longer. No more. I don't want you to go to the farm or the rez either."

"Dad!"

"You heard me young lady! Werewolves!" What the hell was she thinking? Werewolves!

"What's wrong with Mari? She just ran up to her room. What's wrong? Steve?" Grace demanded.

"I told her not to spend time with Leilei or Kolohe anymore. She should spend more time with her studies." Yeah, that was the answer he'd tell his wife.

"Honey, she's actually done with school. She's going to graduate."

"We should have pushed her harder. If she graduated with honors it would have gotten her into a better school." The further away from them the better.

~12

"What are you still doing here?" Steve asked Mari as she was still in the kitchen as he was getting ready for work.

"Leilei used to bring me to school since like school opened this fall," she snapped back.

"Oh . . . I'll drop you off." And they headed to the garage and got into the car for the short drive across town to the high school in the cold quiet car. "Have a good day honey," Steve called as Mari got out of the car. "How are you going to get home?"

"I'll take the bus." The week of silent treatment lead Mr. Jackson calling Carlisle for advice.

"Well Mr. Jackson. What can I help you with?" Carlisle was surprised by the call.

"Well you are Leilei's guardian," Steve started.

"In name only. Kolohe is her brother and there is Tokar, their uncle. What's the problem?" Carlisle had been let in on what Steve knew and didn't know for which Carlisle was grateful. Steve was a bit high strung and was going to need some 'assistance' in understanding the larger world around him. Father to father with Charlie had given Carlisle some insight into how to handle him but Steve was Steve.

"Well, I think that Leilei and Jacob and Kolohe are well . . . Maybe not the right kind of people for Mari to spend time with," he concluded without saying what he wanted to say.

"To the contrary, I find them to be respectful and thoughtful young people."

"Dr. Cullen,"

"Please, call me Carlisle."

"There are things about Leilei and the Quileute you don't know," Steve tried to imply without saying what he really meant. How could he explain that Leilei knew about werewolves and she was related to some?

"Tell me then. What is it about Leilei that I don't know? Jacob was with her when the house exploded. He brought her here to my house to be safe. When Kolohe got here initially, there was some head butting between Jacob and Kolohe but since they both loved Leilei, things worked themselves out. Her parents showed up a few days later. They are such wonderful people, Nona and Harkoni. You've met them right?"

"You see there! Her parents. Where do they get their money from? They took Mari to Las Vegas," Steve interjected not understanding that implication.

"You let Mari go to Las Vegas with them didn't you? And their money . . . actually I don't know. But there was probably life insurance money from the accident and the settlement with the gas company. I know Leilei works on the farm, so does Jacob and lots of boys from the rez," Carlisle said trying to calm the poor man. He wasn't handling the expanded world he was not aware of well.

"They make that kind of money selling apples?" That question came after some thought.

"They sell much more than apples."

"Has Chief Swan been out there to investigate? I think I was wrong about them. They seemed to be good people and all but now I'm not so sure. How did your kids get along with Leilei and Kolohe?"

There was a pause . . . then Carlisle said to him, "Leilei and Kolohe are younger than my own kids. So there was a bit of energetic discussion but the kids settled down." It wasn't a lie just a stretch of the truth.

"They had fights?"

"Nothing knock down drag out but they're all friends now," Carlisle lied just a bit.

"Thank you for your time Carlisle."

"Hello Charlie! Coffee?" Leilei called. He'd been seen heading down the street and whenever he came down the street. He came to the kitchen.

"So people are getting wise to you. Someone came to see me about you."

"What does Steve Jackson want?" she responded.

"What? No! There have been questions and people are asking how you make money here on the farm. The stand isn't even open anymore," Charlie said trying hard not to snicker out loud.

"Nosy fucking idiot. Heritage chickens, ducks and turkeys and apples. And there are Leilei's pigs," Kolohe snapped. He didn't like the changes to his life with Mari.

"What?"

"Leilei's dad brought her a pair of Korabutas. Japanese black pigs," Kolohe said.

"Pigs?"

"They're worth about $30,000 and she's breeding them. All the stuff we grow is specialty market stuff. We have restaurants and some families that like our transitional to organic spray free food. Talk to Frank the butcher at Simons, the grocery store. We hire him to do all of the butchering. He's FDA certified. We pay him to do that . . . Ask around," Kolohe spat at Charlie.

We all settled into a new new normal. Mari and Kolohe talked on the phone at school and on the bus home. When Mr. and Mrs. weren't home Tutu let them talk. Everyone held the line Mr. Jackson drew in the sand until the day the septic tank broke open. Gran called the police when she discovered that smell. Clark Evers another of Forks police dept. came out. He decided that a real plumber needed to be called. But he was away with his wife visiting her sister. Jonathan Banks, the off again on again handy man suggested getting in touch with those construction workers at the Wind Run Farm. They were building a house, they had to have a plumber or know something about plumbing. Mr. Jackson got home about the same time as his wife and Mari got home from school to see Tutu upset as part of the retaining wall fell into the drive way.

Sherriff Evers asked, "When was the last time you had it pumped? I think your septic tank is spilling over."

"We have city sewage," Steve said with confidence.

"Uh . . . No you don't," Evers said turning up his nose.

"Yes we do. I asked before we bought this house," Steve insisted.

"Then someone lied to you," Evers said knowing what that smell meant. "Did you call the plumber?"

"Did you call Kolohe or anyone over at the farm?" Mrs. Jackson asked nose turned up against the smell.

"No . . . I didn't want to," Steve admitted.

"It'll take someone at least an hour from Port Angeles and you'll have to pay for the trip out. Call the farm. Maybe it's something simple and cheap to fix," Evers held out the last bit of hope.

Tokar arrived and headed to the collection of people standing on the driveway, "Mr. Jackson. Oh my God! I smell your problem. Backed up septic tank," he said wincing against the pain of the smell.

"We don't have a septic tank," Steve said for the fourth time.

"With all due respect, look at how wet your lawn is. Breathe deep. Look at the retaining wall. It's too bad you don't know any farm workers with house building experience that might be able to help with digging out that tank and putting in a new one and re-grading your yard," Tokar teased.

"I have city sewer service."

"Repeating that won't make it so. I'd move your family into a hotel or with a friend for a while. This will take 2 or 3 weeks for fix," Tokar poured the fuel on the fire. He knew that Steve had a thing about money.

"Weeks? WHAT! You're kidding right?" Mrs. Jackson asked.

"No. I'd plan on spending about $40,000 at least," Tokar continued.

"WHAT?" Mr. and Mrs. Jackson both said.

"Take down that wall. Dig up the old tank. It looks like it settled and started to spill. New sod and a new retaining wall. 3 weeks easy," Tokar guessed.

"What are we going to do? Oh My God, Steve!" Grace called in desperation.

Tokar stepped away and took out his phone. "You're leaving!?" Steve followed him.

"What do you want me to do?" Tokar asked aloud. Then followed quietly, "I'm just a stinky animal like my nephew and Jacob. You choose not to associate with us remember? Have a good evening folks," he called as he walked away.

"Tokar, it's Mr. Jackson, Steve. I'm sorry for my temper yesterday. This all was unexpected. And I over reacted. I've got a septic specialist coming out here to look at our problem. They said they'd be here about noon. Can you stop by please?"

"I'll be there at noon," he answered.

"Who's that?"

"Friends I've called. I don't have any expertise in this kind of problem," Steve answered the man standing in his front yard.

"I won't say anything else while they're here. Either they go or we leave now. You heard what I said," he continued as Kolohe and Tokar walked over toward them.

Tokar said, "What you've got here is someone who wanted to rip you off. Did you sign anything?" he asked Steve.

"No," he answered not sure who he should be believing.

"Are you leaving?" the man shouted at Tokar.

"No."

"Listen you . . ." the man started.

"I'm a lawyer! Who are you threatening?"

"Dave . . . DAVE! Get in the truck. We're out of here. Good luck with your sewer problem asshole," he spat at Steve.

"What was that about?" The tired homeowner asked watching the men drive away.

"The idea was to lie to you about how much it would cost to fix. Overcharge you. Get you to sign a contract. If you didn't pay, put a lien on your house. In other words extortion," Tokar explained.

"So what do I do now?"

"Call this guy. He's the one they use on the rez now. We've checked them out. They are fair. If you want I'll be here when they arrive," Tokar said in a mild voice to the scared man whose yard was beginning to look like a mud pit and smelled like a pig sty.

Kolohe added, "I'll even stop by from time to time to check the quality of work if you like."

"A lien on our house?" Steve was still processing. His wife loved that house. If they lost it she'd be lost.

"Probably. He was counting on you being tired, over your head and desperate. Because once you've signed the contract you'd be stuck," Tokar continued with the explanation.

"Thank you. Thank you both."

"Don't let them in your house without you being with them," Tokar warned Steve as the people he'd told him about drove up to his house. "I know you'd blame us if something is stolen from you while they are here. They do their work well but I don't know what they might do if they got into your house. Lock all the doors and windows."

"Bruce Turner," Tokar introduced the men to each other. "Hi. This is the homeowner Steve Jackson."

"Sir, nice to meet you sir. And yes, you do have a problem. A big one. Do you have any schematics or drawings of your yard?" Bruce got to work right away.

"No . . . I don't," Steve stuttered.

"Gene, Little T put on your boots and hunt the yard. I wish this was on the rez," Bruce lamented for just a moment.

"I know what you want. Leilei sent over doughnuts and coffee," Tokar said offering both to the men assembled there.

"I love her," Bruce said after piping hot coffee and cinnamon crullers. Then the men got to work. They found the tank, pumped it and figured out that the tank was tilted and cracked.

"Ok, so what happens now?" Steve asked feeling better. One thing down.

"Ok, you can hire us to dig out the old tank if you want or you can hire guys from the rez. I'd do that since the guys on the rez are closer. And have them drag it away to the local dump. I can order a new tank, one big enough for your family and bring it out here and install it when the hole is ready to drop it in and hook it up. I can dig the hole too. But it would be cheaper if the local guys did that too. I'll email you estimates of the parts, but time and labor is iffy. How long it takes to dig a hole? I can't quantify that. I don't know any landscapers that will come all the way out here. I don't mean to be such a drag . . . but that's the way it is."

"So . . . How much for today?" Steve asked with his head still spinning.

"2,000.00 for the tank pumping. I'll email you with the rest," Bruce answered all business.

"Is a credit card ok?" Steve answered.

"I can swipe your card right here."

"You may have to rent a crane. Our bobcat wouldn't be able to lift the new tank off the truck," Kolohe said helping with details they may not have considered yet.

"Thanks, I'll include that rental in our estimate and by the way your downspout needs some work. That may be where some of the overflowing water came from. Grade that side of the yard toward the west a bit more. Thank you Mr. Jackson. You'll get my email in a day or two. Tokar, Kolohe, I'll see you guys in February right? And tell Leilei I still want to marry her," Bruce finished heading back to his trucks.

"Thanks. Have a good trip home," Tokar waved to Bruce as they left heading back to Port Angeles. When they were out of ear shod, "Steve, if you'd like some assistance with anything else you have our numbers."

"Thank you. I don't know if I were you if I'd be able to just . . ."

"You're a neighbor," Tokar answered knowing Kolohe was just about losing his mind without being able to spend time with Mari the way he wanted to.

"Have them bring the tank on Thursday the 10th," Kolohe told Mr. Jackson as the plans got finalized.

"But . . ."

"I have it on good authority it will rain on Sunday . . . Then one day to dry out and 2 days to dig and get the old tank out. The new one goes in on Thursday."

"Ok, if you insist," Steve agreed. Alice was right about the weather, of course. Tokar negotiated $300.00 per day demo/tank diggers per day. Leilei would provide lunch for the guys.

Tuesday

Mr. Jackson was shocked at how strong there were and how much they ate. "Do they . . . you always eat like this?"

"Usually," Tokar answered knowing where this conversation was headed. He decided that he'd let Steve get there on his own.

"So they always work like this? I mean so hard." Steve was not trying to be patronizing but he was.

"Usually."

Then Mr. Jackson watched Kolohe after he finished eating lunch pick up the retaining wall railroad ties and lean them next to his truck. "How much does that weigh?" Steve asked him.

"About 150 lbs.," Kolohe estimated on the railroad tie weight on the low side just to make him feel better. And then Steve tried to lift one.

"And you're taking them?"

"Yes. I'll dry them out and sell them for laminate flooring. This is American chestnut. It's worth about $80.00 per square foot."

"So what's going there in place of the ties?"

"Stone. You approved the drawings," Kolohe reminded him. It took almost a day and a half for him to decide on exactly what he wanted.

"Yeah, but I can't see it yet."

"After the new tank goes in you'll see it better," Kolohe confirmed to him. With the yard in shambles it was hard to see the future.

"You're not working with the guys?"

"Tokar and I offered the job to anyone who didn't have to go to school and who wanted the money. Digging up a septic tank . . . not exactly fun."

"Oh hello Leilei!" Steve called cheerfully when she arrived. "Where's Mari?"

"Mari was told not to associate with Kolohe and I or any of those people from the rez. Mrs. Jackson picked up her after school. Excuse me." She moved away from him to the where the rez guys standing. "Did you guys get enough to eat today?"

"You know I'd like to wet kiss you for lunch today. It was great," Quil said. She made mufflettas and Italian smoked pork cold cuts sub sandwiches. Potato chips and chips and salsa. "So what's for lunch tomorrow?"

"I've got hot sauce and buttermilk on chicken thighs right now. And it's beef stew and bacon cheddar cheese biscuits for dinner tonight. I'm also making apple crullers. I've got a new recipe," she boasted while Steve could hear.

"Please forgive Leilei she's young. It's hard for her to understand why you decided we're ok the day she and Jacob saved your life. You could have died, you know. If they didn't decide to go and take a look, your wife would be here up to her eyeballs literally in your old shit. And today, we're ok digging in your shit but she and Mari can't do homework together. She assumed incorrectly when she told you the truth that you'd do what most people do . . . just say thank you. Be appreciative. And be glad you know someone who was strong enough to save your ass when you needed it. Hypocrisy is new to her," Tokar finished his summation to Steve.

"Leilei?"

"Mr. Jackson?" she answered as Tokar motioned to her to come back to them.

"Yes, when did . . . How did you find out?"

"About who? What?" Define what you're asking. He wasn't being clear and Leilei wasn't going to answer anything until he explained himself.

"About them, I mean. How did you find out? In your family. I feel so sorry for you."

"Goddamn! Why does everyone say that? They protect us and you. Leilei! They are taught to run toward danger. Jacob heard the accident and ran to you in your car. He had me call for help." Tokar decided to breathe again. Leilei answered the question correctly.

"Did you use your magic to do that?"

"I'm a teenage girl. I have a cell phone! You idiot! My magic only works if I touch you."

"But . . . they are . . ." Steve said looking at the guys who just all turned to look at him as he was speaking.

"Is there any crime in this town? There are meth busts all around this town. There isn't even any pot growing here. Ever wonder about that?" Tokar shot back.

Wednesday

"Why does she cook so much food?" Mr. Jackson said eating his second chicken thigh. "Wouldn't it be easier for her to just make . . . You know something easy . . . like . . .?"

"Are you talking about Puppy Chow?" Tokar asked sounding pissed off.

"Well . . . have you ever . . ." he ventured.

"I've eaten on all fours if you will. Raw meat? Yes. Deer, boar, whatever. But since I prefer Leilei's fried chicken I choose to eat that instead. Mr. Jackson, you don't understand. Each of them volunteered to come here and help to build the farm as a favor to her father. Harkoni is well respected in our community but the explosion happened and so we've volunteered to help with all of the rebuilding. She would embarrass her father if she didn't do her best to help take care of us, so she does. Most mornings, she leaves us food for breakfast and lunch. And there is always a hot dinner. She even makes dinner for Jacob and his family on Sunday. It was something we always did at home. We pay her for that. She could be doing something else but we're family."

"Why isn't the rebuild further along? On the farmhouse, I mean?" Steve asked after a thoughtful moment.

"Why? If we finished the rebuild on the farmhouse in like 2 months like I'm sure we could have, people in this town would be looking at us strangely. This way no one thinks anything strange is going on," Tokar told him truthfully.

"You're pretending to be human," Steve concluded.

"We are human. We're pretending to be normal," Tokar said quietly.

Thursday

"Is Leilei here today?" Bruce asked.

"In high school. She's 17," Tokar answered him.

"I still want to marry that girl."

"Yeah, I know," Tokar chuckled. That would be a match. Horny older guy vs. Leilei. He knew Leilei could kill him easily. And she'd probably barbeque the body and make pot stickers out of it.

"Morning Mr. Jackson. It looks like Kolohe was right. Today looks to be dry up here. Let's haul that old tank out of there and get the new one in," Bruce said starting to work.

About noon Tokar arrived with lunch. "You've made good progress. Do you have enough chop saws for it?"

"We've got 2. We'll handle it," Kolohe answered him.

"Is that little sister of yours coming today? Sometime?" Bruce asked again.

"She stops by after school to see if she sent enough food for lunch."

"God! Have you seen her?"

"Don't you worry about him? He seems . . ." Steve whispered to Kolohe.

"Well . . . he is kinda obsessed. I'd be worried if he talked that way about Mari. But Leilei can take care of herself."

"Was that something she had to learn because of you guys?"

"Her dad teaches karate. Harkoni made sure she took lessons from the time she could walk. She was taking lessons from him before she took hula or English lessons. Before she could count even," Tokar filled him in.

"Hey girl!"

"Hi Mr. Turner," Leilei called to him when she arrived. "Was there enough food for lunch?"

"Yup!" was the response when someone what an empty mouth.

"Where's Mari?" Steve asked.

"I suggested she and Mrs. Jackson not come here today. Mr. Turner is an old horn dog. If he touched me, I'd hurt him and I wouldn't apologize for it. That's why I show up, do what I have to do, then leave. Excuse me Mr. Jackson."

"She's not subtle."

"Like I said before she's young. She'll learn. Excuse me please." Tokar walked away too.

"Honey!" Steve called when he saw his wife's car drive up. "Grace what are you doing here?"

"I came to see it. . . Our house. . . Oh my God! Steve what are we going to do with that?" she screeched looking at the yard and the tank that was not quite in place yet. The piles of dirt.

"Honey . . . Grace," he called getting her to look at him. "It will be fine. It'll be fine. All of that gets covered up. Then they put grass on it."

"I've even got you a Japanese maple tree like you wanted," Kolohe said ruining the surprise. She seemed to need some reassurance.

"How did you know?"

"Mari told me. Mrs. Jackson, give it 3 days. On Saturday night you'll be able to take a hot bath in your own house."

"Honey, go back to the motel. I'll be there after a while. Things just need to be buttoned down. I'll meet you at Simons to pick up dinner."

Tokar whispered, "Leilei . . . be nice. Yes he's an idiot but you do love your brother? What's for dinner tonight?"

"Pasta fagioli with wild boar bits." Leilei told him in the same language.

"You can knock out some corn bread with jalapenos. And maybe some plain cake for dessert. Cookies for Lori right?" Tokar implored her to see the way forward and be nice to Kolohe's potential father in law.

"Mrs. Jackson . . . Mrs. Jackson! Come to the farm tonight for dinner," Leilei called as she walked over to them. "Kolohe has a mockup of what your yard will look like. Say about 7? Ring the bell at the farm stand and someone will come and bring you back to the kitchen."

"How about us me? Leilei! What about me?"

"Go home to your wife. And I'll make whatever Lori wants to eat. Dinner is pasta fagioli and I don't many kids that like it. I'll make waffles for her if she wants them."

~13

Ding Ding

"Hi! Come on back. This way."

"Hi Leilei! Waffles? . . . Really just for me?" Lori asked smiling like a kid does when they are getting their way.

"You've got flagstones down now," tutu Tanaka said.

"There will be a few guys here for dinner is that ok?" She asked looking at Mrs. Tanaka knowing that there might be some, a little tension between her and Simon.

"Is Kolohe here? Mari kinda likes him, I think," Lori said interrupting the little eye contact meeting between the tutu and Leilei.

"Shhh don't say that too loud," Leilei whispered to Lori as they started to giggle. "This is Kini, Simon and Bleys. Mr. and Mrs. Jackson, Mari, Lori and Grandma Tanaka," she made introductions.

Kolohe spoke to his maybe mother in law, "Mrs. Jackson, I've put this together for you to see. Mari and I bought the maple tree for you since she said you wanted one. This is what it will look like when it's finished." He opened the laptop and ran thru the drawings and schematics for her to see.

"But why the stone thing?"

"The tank has to breathe and the big pillar thing will cover the gas pipe. We've saved the grass. It will be fine." Everyone ate bowls of hot soup with garlic bread or cornbread muffins. Leilei made maple bacon waffles for Lori and cooked off the rest of the batter to freeze so there would be something to eat for breakfast.

"This soup is wonderful," Mrs. Jackson complimented the cook.

"Thank you. There is more . . . you don't think you have to act all polite. Eat," Leilei encouraged them to be at home.

"Hey Boo!"

"Hey you."

"Good evening everyone. Mr. and Mrs. Jackson. Tutu Tanaka," Jacob said as he entered the kitchen for dinner.

"I didn't hear you drive up," Mrs. Jackson asked.

"I didn't drive my car, I was on my motorcycle. Us guys from the rez made a trail that runs from the rez here across country. Leilei on Sunday it's a football game in the afternoon."

"Yeah!"

"Football?"

"Yes Mr. Jackson. The guys on the rez get together to play a game of touch."

"Or tackle sometime," Kolohe kidded him.

"This will be our last game for the season I think. Thanksgiving is right around the corner."

"What's for dinner tomorrow?" Lori asked.

"That's not polite. Lori!" Mrs. Jackson snapped.

"It's ok. Let's see? The menu says lasagna for dinner. Waffles for breakfast. Baked beans and hotdogs for lunch," Leilei said after a moment.

"Mom, can we please?"

"You're welcome to join us. I made the lasagna myself. We bought a cow not too long ago. We've got lots of ground meat."

"Thanks for the offer but no," Mr. Jackson said looking at his youngest.

"Dessert? I have oatmeal ice cream sandwiches," Leilei poured it on.

"Do you always have dessert?" Mr. Jackson asked.

"Yes," everyone answered. And the oatmeal ice cream sandwiches were distributed.

"Did Tokar eat? I don't remember seeing him," Mr. Jackson asked.

"He ate early. He said he had things to do," Leilei said offhandedly. "Just call Kolohe or me if you decide to come to dinner tomorrow." A hug from tutu meant the word, "Ohana," was sent between them.

"We should consider taking them up on their offer, homemade lasagna. You know she can cook," Mrs. Tanaka said on the ride home.

"They bought a cow. And entire cow! You mentioned they eat a lot. That explains a lot," Grace said in the car on the way back to the motel. "Mari, does Leilei shop at Simons a lot? I've seen her there sometime."

"I know she shops there like once a week but they also go to Costco in Port Angeles. And like fill the trucks up. Canned goods and beans and stuff," Mari answered feeling better. Everyone seemed to like being together and spending time with Kolohe even with the parents there was ok.

"Does that Tokar live there, at the farm?" Steve questioned. There were things he didn't understand and he was determined to figure it all out.

"I think so. So do the rest of the guys I think. I know they spend lots of time on the rez too."

"Mommy can we please go there for dinner tomorrow?"

"No Lori. We can't just come over here to eat every night."

"We should have them over when this is all to thank them," Mrs. Jackson mused.

"You've already had them for dinner remember? The dinner that ended when Jon mentioned tattoos," Tutu Tanaka said.

"Do you think he's told her?" Kolohe asked Leilei after watching them drive away.

"Oh hell no. if he did she would have been looking for dog hair in the food. Where did Tokar go?"

"Back to the house to babysit until midnight," he said before heading back to the kitchen to eat another 2 bowls of soup. He ate the 'polite amount' with the parents around.

"Hey what are you doing there?" Tokar called in the darkness to the humans that couldn't see him.

"Nothing . . . I forgot my key," some guy answered.

"I know who lives here and you ain't him."

"Who the hell are you?" the guy asked.

"Tokar," he answered. "Gene leave now! Don't make me hurt you."

"Shut up old man!" he answered followed by a swing to his stomach. "What the fuck?" he said aloud because usually the guy fell down. Tokar was still just standing there.

"Leave now and I won't hurt you or tell your boss. You're here to steal from the homeowner. And I won't let that happen."

"I think my hand is broken!"

"Gene . . . Gene . . . Man? What are you doing?"

"Leave here NOW!" Tokar roared at them.

"Help me. This animal has me!"

"Oh, you have no idea," Tokar laughed. Then he threw Gene toward the guy who had already started to run. "Go Home! NOW!" As they both got up to run.

"Let's get out of here," the one said to the other.

Tokar said, "He fell and broke his arm he shouldn't be in a work site drunk. Go home I said."

"What happened?" Kini asked. He'd been on the other side of the house when the ruckus started. But was behind him when Tokar thru Gene to the other guy.

"I think the other guy didn't know what Gene had planned. Steve didn't double check to see if the cellar door was locked after they checked the sub pump today. Gene came back. Idiot!" Tokar swore.

"Are you going to call Steve now?"

"No. I'll tell him tomorrow."

Friday.

"Where's Gene?" Bruce asked wanting to get started.

"No idea. He didn't come to be picked up for the ride out here," Little T answered his boss.

"What?" Bruce asked. "Have you seen him Kolohe?"

"Steve, can I have a word?" Tokar asked quietly. "Gene isn't here today because I caught him trying to break into your house last night. Don't say anything. I'm sure Bruce didn't know anything about it. But I told you to make sure all of your doors and windows were locked. You left the cellar door, the hatch unlocked."

"You were here last night?"

"Do you have any idea how expensive all of that equipment is? We weren't going to just leave it out here unprotected all night," Tokar explained.

Saturday morning.

"Leilei, thank you again for the doughnuts. What time did you get up?" Steve asked trying to be cordial. Today was the day his family got their house back.

"About 6 am. All I did was cook them."

"Where are you going?"

"Back to the farm to work. The guys are going to Port Angeles to drop off farm produce and pick up stuff for us for the next 2 weeks. Have a nice day," she said as she headed away again.

"Why did she do that?"

"You told her she can't talk with her best friend they can't hang out together anymore. She's still upset. I apologize," Tokar said smiling to himself.

"Back so soon?" Steve tried to engage her again.

"It's lunch time."

"Bring that into the house to warm it up," he offered.

"Today is cheeseburger day. So I'm cooking out here. And I don't want to track dirt into your house. I'll stay outside like the pets should." We all gathered in the space across the street for freshly cooked hamburgers, potato chips and soda by the bottle while Mari stood in the house watching her friends outside eating and having fun.

"You can go out there if you want to," Mr. Jackson said to his daughter. The one that wasn't talking to him.

"You told me I couldn't spend time with her . . .Them. I should spend my time doing something more productive. Excuse me," she snapped trying to find something constructive to do.

"What's up with you two? All of a sudden you two hate each other," Mrs. Jackson asked.

"She doesn't like the fact I've told her not to hang out with Leilei and she's right over there."

"So let her go over there! I'll tell her its ok," Mrs. Jackson offered.

"I just told her that but, she's stubborn," Steve stammered.

"So are you."

"And you too," he half admitted.

"Go and tell her she and Leilei can be friends again," his better half said to him.

"But . . ."

"But what honey? What's the problem? You two have been at each other's throats since the car accident. What happened?" she demanded.

"Nothing . . . I'll talk with Mari." Do I tell her? He asked himself as he climbed the stairs. Werewolves? REALLY! Big furry things. How big are they really? They wouldn't show him. That's not right. Did Mari know how big they were? "Mari . . . honey . . . Mari?"

"Yes dad?"

He closed the door to her room. No need for her mother to hear. "You're not happy and that makes your mom upset. And I don't like it when your mom is upset. It's not that your mother being upset is more important than you being upset but . . . I'm not good at this. They scare me," he said looking out the window into his yard that was crawling with werewolves in overalls covering up his new septic tank.

"They saved your life. We're still a family because of them. Kolohe took me to the spot where the car went off the road. I asked him to," she shot back at her father with a look that he knew was like the one he was used to get from her mother. "It was so scary and then you tell me I can't . . ."

"Honey, you know what they are," he answered watching his daughter shake off the fear of thinking of him dying in that lonely place.

"I do and they saved you from dying and you won't let me walk across the street to eat a hamburger with them. I can't catch 'the fuzzy' from them, you know."

"No, your mother says you can go have a burger with them but I didn't want you and Kolohe spending any more time dating," he said the wrong way. But it's what he wanted to say to keep his wife happy.

"So it's true. They're good enough to dig your shit but not good enough to date me," Mari snapped at her father.

"Young lady! Your language!"

"So it's true. You're only worried about my language. Not with that I said." Mari and Leilei had a chat about what was bothering Steve and why he was acting the way he was. Trying to keep Kolohe and Mari apart and making sure that things didn't progress any more that it had.

"I didn't come in here to have a fight with you Mari. Your mother thinks I should let you go outside and have a cheeseburger with Leilei and the guys but now? I don't know."

"In 7 months I'll be graduating from high school and if I can get all my financial aid info filed I can be emancipated as an adult at 18. Then I can do what I want," Mari answered him with the same volume and anger.

"Why would you say something like that? My God Mari!"

"Dad, we owe them your life and you won't let me talk with them and just hang out!"

"Hang out doing what?" he snapped at his older daughter.

"Teaching me to drive, hula and even ride a motorcycle. Homework," she listed just a few of the things she'd been learning at the farm. Karate and speaking Kai were things she knew not to tell him.

"Young lady?"

"Dad!"

"What?"

"What's going on in here?" Mrs. Jackson interrupted. They were loud enough for the boys outside to hear but they didn't let on.

"Oh nothing! Dad just wants to run my life. That's all. I'm not a baby anymore."

"Young lady!"

"Let her go. What's happening here? Tell me Steve?"

"Grace, I . . . I. Things were so simple once and now . . ." he lamented.

"Well yes honey. They do grow up. Let her be for a while. Let her have her friends. She won't be with us for much longer," Mrs. Jackson said looking out the window into their yard.

"What? What do you mean by that?" he snapped in an irritated way.

"Well, college is right around the corner. She'll be away for most of the year."

"Oh . . . maybe she won't get accepted," he said halfheartedly.

"You know she will. She's smarter than both of us," his wife teased. But she did understand Mari was smart and she'd be leaving soon.

"But honey."

"Steve, trust her. She's our daughter. She isn't stupid," his wife said hoping that the fire between them was out for a while.

~14

"So, you see Carlisle? What do I do?" Steve ended his question wanting help with this 'problem' he'd never completely explain to Carlisle because it was something that he could never understand.

"Has Leilei or Kolohe for that matter done anything for you not to trust them?" Carlisle asked knowing everything that happened. "Is Mari going to college? Then she may need some support away from home. How many of her friends from here are going to Olympia with her?"

"Just a few from here I guess . . . I'm not sure," Steve didn't want to admit to not knowing as much about his little girl as he should.

"How close is Mari with them?" Steve shrugged. He didn't really know any of her friends other than Leilei. "Everything changes when kids go off to college . . . maybe when she's there things will change. They usually do. It's always hard with teenagers. I know," Carlisle said to calm the human father before him talking about his little girl. The imprint of a werewolf. "Maybe a chat with Tokar might be more helpful," was the last thing Carlisle said to him as Steve left for home.

"Hello Mr. Jackson," Leilei said happily.

"You're here alone?"

"No, never."

"I didn't see anyone," he said looking around.

"That doesn't mean they didn't see you."

"Is Tokar here?" He asked looking around as she was just sitting looking at recipes.

"He's on the rez I think... will Kolohe do?"

"Can you call him, Tokar I mean?"

"Uh nope. I don't think he's got a phone with him, if you get my drift. He's on all 4's. But he is heading this way, I think."

"Oh hello Mr. Jackson," Kolohe said has he entered the kitchen. It was lunch time as he started to make himself a plate, chicken a la king on biscuits with stewed flat beans on the side." The Kolohe serving was 3 biscuits halved and covered with 3 ladles of a la king and a side bowl of flat stewed Italian long beans.

"Oh good lord really?" Steve asked watching him sit and start to eat.

"High metabolism. Would you care for some lunch?" It was polite to ask even though we knew he wasn't going to say yes.

"Thank you, no."

"Coffee? Dessert?" He nodded no and watched Kolohe eat. About 10 minutes later Tokar walked into the kitchen, parao and flip flops on.

"Oh hello Steve. Good evening. Leilei this is for you. He handed her a bag of Clearwater fish fry. And Leah says call her about the kids say out."

"Fine. I'm gonna call her now," and she headed out to make call.

"Steve, what's on your mind?" Tokar asked making himself a plate about the same size that Kolohe made for himself.

"I was watching TV last night with Lori and she channel surfed past some werewolf movie where there was a vampire fighting a werewolf. Are there vampires? Do any live here?"

"No. We killed them all." Tokar said with a straight face.

"What?"

"I said we killed them. Not a single vampire here in Forks." Technically speaking he was correct. All of the Cullens were married and Nessie wasn't really a vampire. She ate food.

"So there are vampires?" The stressed out father asked.

"Yes," Tokar said calmly.

"God Damn It!"

"Here," Tokar handed Steve a shot of brandy. "We don't drink but Leilei uses this when she cooks."

"Have you ever . . . killed one?"

"Yes I have."

"Me too. Kolohe showed the bite mark on his right arm."

"He's figured out where there are werewolves, there are vampires," Tokar said to Seth as he walked into the kitchen.

"What did you just say to him?" Steve said placing the empty shot glass on the table.

"I told him you just made the vamp/werewolf link. This is Seth Clearwater of the Quileute."

"He's huge too! So he's one of you guys too."

"It's a genetic thing. I am Quileute and yes, I've killed vamps too," Seth said making himself a plate too.

Tokar raised his hand to allow Mr. Jackson to think in peace. "Another brandy?"

Steve waved him off. "Jesus Christ! Vampires really?"

"Yes, but not where we live. And we live here," Kolohe said getting just one more biscuit covered with chicken a la king.

"In Olympia?" Steve's voice quivered.

Tokar answered him calmly, "None that we know of at the moment."

"And we're safe here?"

"Yes," Tokar answered with a slight smile.

"So if you . . . Kolohe, if you go to Olympia to finish your studies you'd be there to watch out for my little girl?"

"And I wouldn't be there alone," Kolohe continued. "There are at least 3 guys from the rez who we're pretty sure will get accepted to the main campus too."

"You've already been accepted?"

"Yes. And since I'm older I'll be living off campus but yes I'll be there," Kolohe reassured him.

"Who else is going?" Steve demanded. He wanted to be sure that nothing was going to happen to his little girl. If he could help it.

"We won't tell you," Tokar said quietly. "You know enough."

"Tokar, can I have a word in private please." The nervous father looked outside to the porch. Like that little distance would be out of Kolohe's ear shod. He didn't know that it wasn't.

"Yes. This way please," and they headed to the back porch outside the kitchen door.

"How strong is Kolohe? Could he hurt my little girl?" The worried father asked.

"We are all capable of hurting someone or something . . . For what's it worth to you Kolohe would die before he allowed anyone or anything to hurt Mari."

"Why isn't Kolohe a leader?"

"We're expanding into new areas. When he gets settled, he'll be a leader like his father. Harkoni is a great man among our people."

"Mari and Kolohe, are they a pair like Jacob and Leilei?" Steve began to work thru how this could work to his advantage.

"Yes."

"Jacob's going to Seattle to be with Leilei . . . to protect her?"

"She's got magic. It's rare and she's Harkoni and Nona's only daughter. She's special . . . Jacob knows this. So yes, he's there to protect her. And to go to school himself."

"You're a lawyer right? How did you go to college when you are a . . ?"

"It's not that hard," Tokar chuckled. But then he regretted it. It seemed to worry the nervous father even more. "You just need some time alone. A weekend every once in a while. It was easy. The Quileute boys will be able to say they need to go to the rez or just spend some time with Kolohe in his apt. Another brandy?"

"No, thanks. I'm ok. So what do they look like? The vampires I mean?" Steve pressed.

"You don't need to worry about that. We don't need any help finding vampires. We're ok on that."

"Hello Mr. Jackson," Jacob said on his way into the kitchen to eat as he was wrapping a parao around himself.

"Jacob?"

"We let the pack members eat here," Tokar interjected. "Big appetites and high metabolisms need lots of food. So if the guys are hungry, they know they can come here and eat," Tokar explained as he held open the door for him.

"Is everything ok?" Leilei asked coming back into the kitchen.

"You didn't tell me about the vampires, young lady!" Steve snapped at her.

"You didn't ask," Leilei answered without too much smack back.

"Oh. If I asked . . . would you have told me?"

"No. I answer to Tokar then my dad."

"Until we get married," Jacob cued in right on time.

"Married when?" Steve asked. Kids getting married too soon. Leading to too many divorces and all of those problems.

"A few years after high school graduation," the young couple answered at the same time.

"After I get her house built. The houses belong to the women I've been told," Jacob answered.

"You have it all planned?" Steve asked astonished. It all seemed to be planned.

"That's why I'm here," Tokar answered him. "Well, one of the reasons. I'm here to help these kids plan their future."

"Are you helping Kolohe and Mari with their planning?"

"No, not yet. They're not a couple in the formal sense. I'd help them with planning if they were a formal couple. I have Jacob and Leilei make budgets and make plans for their future together. Talk about insurance, finance. You know how to run a household."

"So you're running them thru the ringer about her going to Seattle for school?"

"Kolohe has offered to co-sign the lease for the apartment, if that doesn't work Carlisle said he'd sign for the apartment and utilities. They, Jacob and Leilei will be responsible for paying Kolohe or Carlisle on time. Working to support themselves, buy groceries, doing laundry . . . you know living life," Tokar added logically.

"Are you worried about them you know . . ?" Steve added motioning and wiggling his eyebrows.

"They will both be adults then. Harkoni is trusting Jacob to help look after Leilei. I trust Jacob. Kolohe trusts Jacob. What adults choose to do . . .?"

"Or not do," Jacob said.

"Is their business," Leilei said. "My dad trusts me and he trusts Jacob."

"And he could kill me if I hurt his daughter," Jacob finished.

"Well, there is that," Steve said trying to remember how big Harkoni was.

"We expect those chosen, if you will, to step up and act like adults earlier than they have to. Leilei has proven we can trust her to act like an adult. To make the correct decisions, to understand what is expected of her. And what is important Jacob has already proven himself. Anything else Steve?"

"No, thanks. Have a good evening," Steve said as he headed back into a world that was larger than he wanted it to be.

"What? You've changed your mind about them?" Carlisle asked Steve as they sat together in his office in the hospital.

"I've spent some time talking with Tokar about Jacob and Leilei. You know he's making them plan their lives together?"

"The acupuncture school in Seattle. Yes, I know," Carlisle confirmed.

"Leilei's she's really mature for her age," Steve acknowledged.

"Yes, I agree."

"Maybe that might rub off on Mari. There are times she acts like Lori."

"Your youngest? Maybe dad, you don't want to see her all grown up. You see what she does as childish. If you've decided that Leilei and Kolohe are ok, tell Mari. And set limits. Midnight curfew Friday and Saturday. 10 pm on school nights. 2 am on the nights they have the dance parties on the rez, if you let her go to those things or the prom for that matter. Make sure she respects your rules. She'll step up to show you she's ready for more responsibility. Have faith dad, Mari seems like a good girl."

"Thank you Carlisle. That's what I needed to hear."

"Thank you Mr. Jackson," Leilei said waving from her truck in the drive way as Mari got in.

"You didn't tell him about the Cullens?"

"Nope. Tokar said that there wasn't a 'single' vampire in town. And there isn't a single vampire in town. They're all married and live together," Leilei finished laughing.

"Do you still have that turkey for Thanksgiving? Mom's back to full steam ahead on turkey day."

"I'll talk to the man. I'm sure we'll have 1 for you guys." Thanksgiving was the new normal. The Quileute that wanted to gathered at the school complex. They had a big big family meal. Turkeys, chickens, venison and fish. Potatoes, stuffing gravy beans, peas and rice. Days were spent making all of the desserts for after dinner. The chokecherry Marion berry sauce for the ice cream on the pound cake was voted the best dessert. Kolohe went to dinner at the Jackson's house. He sent the turkey 2 days earlier. He brought a macadamia nut pound cake Leilei made for dessert.

"What's wrong?" Grace asked watching her husband peek out the window in the front of the house.

"Someone's outside. Get the phone and stand by. Who's out there?" Steve called thru the door.

"It's us. Leilei and Kolohe."

"What are you two doing?" He said opening the door the day after Thanksgiving to find them on the front porch with a big lawn and leaf bag.

"Decorating your yard for Christmas," Kolohe answered as Steve turned on the outside lights and saw little Japanese lanterns hanging on the maple tree limbs and the 2 stone pillars.

"Shhh don't tell Lori," Leilei giggled as they continued.

"Why do this?"

"It's Christmas. Everything should be decorated to be pretty."

"I didn't know you were Christians?"

"We celebrate Christmas but we're not Christians," Kolohe said. "That's got to be another can of whoop ass that just got opened." Kolohe sent to his sister by touching her foot with his.

"So you're not Christians? Really?"

"No sir. Why would we be? It's like when I was explaining why we don't celebrate Thanksgiving the way you do . . . We eat the traditional dinner with family and friends but we don't celebrate the pilgrims coming and bringing civilization, measles, smallpox, typhus and . . . " then Leilei whispered, "The V-people."

"V-people? Oh . . ." Steve nodded.

"Our Hawaiian ancestors went as far east across the Pacific as they could to get away from the V-people. And the V-people came with the pirates and missionaries. In those olden days my magic was called witchcraft. I would have been killed for just being who I was," Leilei whispered.

"You wouldn't even be alive. They would have killed mom first. Magic runs in our mothers' family," Kolohe added just as quietly. "The V-people that made it to Hawaii were really surprised. The furries were there and they tried to have the missionaries try to get rid of us so they could have the islands to themselves, but that didn't work. The same thing happened with the pilgrims on the east coast," Kolohe filled him in.

"I never thought about it that way . . . so what are you doing?"

"Well, Santa Claus is for everyone. There isn't anything wrong with presents. Go back inside before you catch cold. Good night Mr. Jackson."

"My mom didn't know you weren't right with God. She's gonna try to get you to come to church with us sometime," Mari said knowing that would be a weird conversation. How does a werewolf explain their religion? Do they even have a religion?

"Wonderful," Leilei whined. She knew Kolohe would handle it better than she would. He was in 'imprint love' and so he'd put up with just about anything.

"You're tough. You can do that right? You're not gonna go up in smoke are you? I mean if you walk into the church you won't . . . PooF!" Mari asked actually worried. All of this werewolf vampire Cullen stuff was still pretty new to her. Maybe there was even more than that to consider.

"No. No poofing into ashes in church but I don't wear dresses. Just so you know."

"No dresses ever?" Mari clarified.

"No dresses ever. Ask Alice if you want to but do it on the phone. She might get bit furniture crushy if you mention how I dress to her," Leilei answered laughing.

"So you're not going to the prom?"

"No. I'd only want to go with Jacob and he's too old." Logic ruled. "He's was way way too old to go to a high school dance and so no. No, it's not gonna happen," Leilei continued watching the look on her face. "I'll make sure there's a tribal function on the rez I have to attend that night anyway."

"I want to go with Kolohe. Do you think he'll go with me?"

Stupid question. OMG. "You've seen pictures of him in a tux. He owns his. He loves getting dressed up. As long as they don't know how old he is, he'll be fine."

"So if you could bring Jacob, would you go to the prom?"

Why beat this dead horse? Woman! "I'd need it in writing from the principal. I'm sure Charlie will be there checking people and he might freak out."

"What should I get Kolohe for Christmas?" Mari asked to change the subject.

"He'll love whatever you get him. Don't worry. We aren't that way about Christmas. If we need something we just buy it. A great present would be dinner in Port Angeles. Just you two. And you can tell Jacob that too."

On December 22nd we put Paul, Rachel, Quil, Billy and Old Quil on a plane headed to Hawaii for the holidays. They would stay in Nona's house for the holidays together. Billy fussed about how expensive it would be but changed his mind when we reminded him of his grand kids and Christmas. We paid for Mr. and Mrs. Jackson to go to Port Angeles for dinner as a present. Leilei babysat for RJ so Sam and Emily could go out to dinner in Port Angeles too. Seth and Nessie went out to dinner with Sue in Port Angeles. We're sure Petrini's was tired of seeing people from the rez coming to dinner.

~15

"You what?!" Leilei screeched so loud glass almost broke. It had been a few months so she thought Mari forgot all about the 'prom' thing.

"That's right. I got it. And exemption just for Jacob to come to the prom. So you have 4 weeks to get something dress to wear," Mari said triumphantly.

"Esme! . . . Esme? I need help please. The senior prom is in 4 weeks and Mari has gotten permission for Jacob to attend. And I promised her I'd go if he could and now . . . " Leilei whined trying to elicit sympathy.

"And now she came thru. And you're stuck, what do you want dear?" Esme asked calmly. She knew what was planned.

"I need something to wear. Not a dress . . . Something to wear over the eyelet pants you made for me."

"I may need Alice for this . . . I'm warning you," Esme said calmly.

"Can't you calm her down with something a shot of some kind?" Leilei whined hoping for some help but still not wanting to ask Alice. She would be unstoppable. And that just means nothing but trouble.

"That doesn't work with us . . . sorry. It's only 1 night. You'll be fine," Esme tried to re-assure her.

"Come on in Mrs. Cullen," Mrs. Jackson said holding the door open to her house. The doctors' wife in her house. How did Mari get to be friends with Leilei and then end up friends with the Cullens?

"Oh please call me Esme," she gushed back at Mari's mother. A 'normal' mother/daughter thing. She was attending a 'normal' mother/daughter thing as Leilei's mother.

"Who's that with you?"

"My daughters, Alice and Rosalie," Esme said as the girls entered the house.

"Come in. Come in I'm so glad you're here," Mrs. Jackson gushed. Finally she got to meet the people Leilei lived with. "Leilei! Mari! They're here. This is my mother Mrs. Tanaka. And this is Lori, my 11 year old. And a couple of her friends, Brittany and Shari. "

"Are the girls ready? Did you do what I asked?" Alice asked unpacking just 1 of the 3 suitcases she brought. Just the basics to help the girls get ready for the prom. "Hair washed and conditioned on Wednesday." Alice asked us to wash and use a special conditioner to be all soft and manageable.

"Sit," Alice said, "I need to trim your ends."

"How much are you cutting off?" Leilei asked not really trusting her motivation. Alice had threatened to cut her hair in the midst of one of their screaming matches. Leilei always won those. She knew how to scream. Alice didn't win that fight and now . . . she was standing there with scissors and witnesses.

"Just an inch or so," she said with a sly smile clicking her scissors together.

"Ok, ladies . . . lunch? What will you have?" Mrs. Jackson asked as everyone was together.

"Nothing," Mari said first. "I can't eat anything and get into that dress. So nothing for me."

"Me either. After the pictures maybe," Leilei added.

"My husband is taking me out for dinner after we get them dressed and made up," Alice quipped. Mari and Leilei stifled giggles. A deer and a mountain lion were gonna disappear and Mrs. Jackson was thinking of lamb chops. A little depressed Mrs. Jackson nodded to Lori who'd been waiting to nibble on the snacks. Leilei made a point of eating something when Mrs. Jackson wasn't looking and leaving half eaten stuff on plates making it look like the Cullen girls had been snacking.

"Do you think the conditioner worked?" Alice asked while the scissors clicked in her hands.

"I had my head wrapped up mummy like for about an hour. I guess so. It does feel softer," Leilei answered.

"Are you going Hawaiian or Japanese tonight?"

"Japanese, I think."

"What does that mean?" Mrs. Jackson asked watching Alice ever so slightly trim her ends.

"Ironed flat," Alice giggled.

"I need to thread your eyebrows too. You've got a little Frieda Kahlo working here. Now that's better," she smiled as she finished with her eyebrows. Alice planned to do a really great job getting Leilei all dressed up. Maybe if Leilei got all done up she might like it.

"Hands," Rosalie asked. Leilei got manicured too.

"Leilei, are these your shoes?" Mrs. Jackson asked looking at what Alice was unpacking.

"Yes ma'am," she answered Mrs. Jackson.

"Leilei . . . I didn't think you had . . ."

"Alice bought them for me. She's got great taste." Rosalie paused while working on her left hand for just a second at the compliment.

"Rosalie dear, Leilei told me your husband was an historian. What does he study?" Mrs. Jackson tried to keep the conversation going.

"I'm sorry Mrs. Jackson, it's Alice's husband is the historian, Jasper. Rosalie is married to Emmett and he's the material scientist. He tests and designs metal structures." I thought Rosalie was gonna burst out laughing. Esme just winked at me.

Esme decided to go there. I didn't think that she would but she said she would, "Have you seen Leilei's tattoos?" she whispered to Grace when they were putting the iron away.

"I was shocked. Her mother did that to her. Oh My God!" Grace whispered.

"That's what I thought at first too. But she sees them as beautiful," Esme interrupted her. "I've seen her enough so I don't know if she'd look like herself without them. They just got their youngest tattooed. Yutan, what a great young man."

"But . . ."

"In their family it's a tradition. It signals that you're not a child any longer. Leilei told me this was the first year he helped with the Christmas holiday gift giving not just as a recipient. For them it's a part of their culture. They're a family. I don't agree . . . but they are a wonderfully close and supportive family. She once told me it feels like armor. Like their parents have surrounded her with their strength and love."

"I like our traditional family best," Grace said pausing to think. How would Mari or Lori look with tattoos? "By the way Esme I love your cologne. What are you wearing?"

"It's called Blue Lotus," Alice said grinning as she was finishing makeup on Lori and her friends Brittany and Shari.

"Finished," Rosalie said as she finished straightening Leilei's hair. Not quite a snap but abrupt and held a mirror so she could see the back of her hair. There were little wisps of hair from the front braided and attached to another braid in the back of her head.

"Whoa!" Leilei paused and caught Rosalie's eye. "Thank you. It's beautiful." Rosalie blew her off.

"No really it's beautiful. But I think I need . . ."

"I have it on good authority orchids will appear for your hair," Rosalie said with a small smile. Maybe Alice's plan was working.

"It's almost 7. Get ready ladies," Alice chirped.

"Leilei, are you sure you don't want to wear a dress?" Mrs. Jackson asked after seeing Mari in her dress. "Oh my God that is very nice!" she exclaimed looking at Leilei.

"I know. Alice made it for me," Leilei gushed.

"It's pink," Lori said looking at the pant suit.

"It's dusty rose," Leilei said. It was sleeveless like the kata jacked from the funeral. Close fitted in silk with gathered pleats on the small of her back. With a small flair for hip wiggle room and a single button in the middle.

"You need a stole," Alice mentioned. She had a few packed just in case.

"No, thank you. Jacob will take off his coat if I get cold." Fat chance she'd get cold.

"Just a second," Alice squealed. "Leilei you need some too!" as she pulled a small bottle from another of the bags that she brought with her.

"I am not glittering like a fairy!"

"This isn't like 'GLITTER!' This is 'glitter'. It will be fine trust me. Now get back upstairs so you can make an entrance," she cooed. She was enjoying this way too much. Leilei decided that she'd have to get her back . . . somehow. But in a way that wouldn't get her killed.

Knock Knock

"Oh Steve! This is Mrs. Cullen and her daughters, Alice and Rosalie. They helped the girls get ready. What's going on outside?" Grace asked looking at the traffic on her street. Normally there wasn't any traffic.

"The whole neighborhood is outside watching he kids leave for the dance."

Knock . . . knock

"Come on in Kolohe, Jacob." Both were in the tuxedos that they wore to the wedding. Kolohe with a bronze shirt to match Mari's dress. Which was an off the rack dress from Port Angeles altered by Alice.

"Hi," she smiled at him with her hair pulled back and held with a crystal comb. Kolohe smiled. The dress was perfect. Strapless with a fitted bodice A-line. With the spray glitter she sparkled. An orchid corsage was for her hair.

Alice squeaked, "Picture time!" Click click

"Leilei please," Alice called. So she walked down the stairs.

"Hey Boo!"

"Hey you! Are those for me, I hope," Leilei smiled at the boy holding a box with an orchid.

"Yeah I . . ."

Rosalie said, "I'll handle this." And she put the flowers in her hair.

"Which?" Alice asked holding pocket books.

"Clutch please."

"Picture time," Alice called again.

Now outside Mr. Jackson asked, "What's in the purse?"

"Phone, lipstick, some money, keys and a stun gun."

"Hold it. I want you back here before 5:42 am. Promise?" Carlisle had talked with Steve and convinced him that the kids could go to the prom and to the rez for a dance party both on the same night. Carlisle insisted that he set a curfew and hold Mari to it.

"We promise," we all said at the same time trying not to sound like snotty teenagers.

"Why so late?" Esme asked. She wasn't in the loop.

"Tonight on the rez, the outgoing seniors invited all of the incoming freshmen to their first monthly dance. They will be welcomed into high school. We're gonna be there to clean up like usual," Jacob said.

"More pictures," Alice continued as Rosalie and Esme got the makeup bags and turned to leave.

Outside Steve had hung up some twinkle Christmas lights on the maple tree for the picture background . . . Leilei and Jacob went over to Billy who drove up and was parked heading the wrong way to see Jacob and Leilei off to the prom. As Esme and Alice got in the Audi we waved and blew air kisses to them and the Jacksons' as we got into Kolohe's truck as they headed to the high school for the dance.

~16

"Is Mari back home? I fell asleep," Steve said getting up to look outside for a truck in the driveway.

"She got in about 3:30 am. And you did fall asleep," Grace said to reassure her husband. "They're all in the living room asleep."

"All of them?"

"Yup, I'm thinking about making pancakes for breakfast," she said getting up. It was 7:30 after all.

"Honey, there are 2 boys down there. They eat a lot."

"Steve, they're just kids," she said smiling. Everything went well. The kids were all home safe and sound. Mari and Steve were getting along better. And he's worried about how much boys eat. Easy peasy.

"Graduating from high school? This wasn't in my plans for you," Nona told her daughter fixing her graduation gown. It was June in Forks and high school was over for her daughter.

"Mine either."

"Did your father and I make a mistake about leaving you with the Cullens?" This was very important for the Kai universe. Vegetarian vampires? In small doses they were almost human but then again there were the other times and they were decidedly not human like at all.

"No, I think it was," Leilei paused to consider everything that had happened. "I think it worked out fine. They learned we won't take any shit from them. And we've learned that all vamps aren't bad."

"Vamps are bad, still. The Cullens aren't vamps and they've learned respect. Good. What did you learn?"

"Makeup won't kill me," she smiled at her mother stifling the laugh out loud.

"Good. When does your school start?"

"After Labor Day. We'll get everyone in college and then we go." Moving to Seattle with Jacob. Us together. We'd done that before but to be so far away. In a city. Alone alone.

"Chaska and Tara said they are available and would like vacation here in Forks for a while so they're coming to babysit the farm," Nona informed her daughter. Finally another guardian family in the house in Forks. Tara and Chaska would set the house up right and keep the boys in line.

"Then we better get the house finished. We've got about a month then right?"

"Steve! Grace! Wonderful to see you again. I'm so glad you came," Carlisle called to the other parents. The Cullens were hosting a graduation party for Leilei their ward.

"The girls looked lovely. Congratulations. Are Nona and Harkoni here?"

"They're outside. I'll show you," Carlisle, the party host offered.

"It's good to see you again," Harkoni greeted Steve with a big handshake and a 'gentle' slap on the back. "Congratulations. Mari looked lovely. So now that's over. Are you ready for freshman orientation?"

"There's that and then getting them there," Steve answered not wanting to go there yet. His baby just graduated from high school. Freshman orientation was months . . . no weeks away. "Any help you can give about my first going off to college?"

"Rent a storage space near campus. Unless you want to haul stuff back and forth for 4 or more years. And they don't really need a car if they have a friend with one. Get Mari a locking trunk and a safe for her laptop computer and get a LoJack on it too. Just in case," Harkoni answered him.

"I want to outfit her room like her room at home," Grace said thinking how cute it could be.

"Honey, she may not want . . ."

"I've already gotten the Ikea catalogue?" Grace countered. "It's a catalogue of furniture and furnishings that are reasonably priced. Everything," she said looking at Nona.

"Harkoni, can we talk?" Steve asked as the women got together to talk about bedspreads and lamp shades.

"Of course. Kolohe and Tokar told me you might want to talk," Harkoni responded as they walked away.

So outside far enough away from everyone Steve finally stopped to say, "So you're a ."

"Yes I am," Harkoni answered him.

"Really?"

"Yes. I have been since I was a teenager."

"And your father?"

"Grandfather actually. Sometime it skips a generation. It's genetic."

"So, you're fuzzy and you're married to a magician?" Steve asked trying to clarify things for himself.

"The magic is genetic too, in my wives family."

"And Jacob and Leilei are a pair," Steve began to work thru everything.

"A matched pair. Yes, I'm very proud. Jacob is a wonderful young man," Harkoni said looking in the crowd for his kids at the party.

"Mari and Kolohe . . . Are they like that too?"

"Well yes and no. They don't have to marry. Nothing is mandatory," Harkoni said to calm the outsider father.

"So Jacob just fell in love with her at first sight?" Steve asked sounding astounded.

"Yes."

"Did you know him then?"

Ah yes the interrogation begins. "No, I didn't. But I allowed her mother to rake him over the coals. Just because."

"And did she?"

"No, not really. Jacob's mother was killed in the car accident that crippled his father so she just hugged him and thanked him for helping to save Leilei's life after the accident," Harkoni smiled to himself. Nona wanted to scare the boy out of his socks but when she saw them together sitting in the diner she couldn't. Jacob looked scared but happy, he was worried. Leilei did have his aspect but she was alive. And she was taller than she was before. But now she looked like she fit in with her family. Perfect.

"What did Billy say?"

"He was relieved that Leilei didn't have a problem with whom and what Jacob was . . . is."

"What! No problem? But!"

"Quiet, Steve. Billy is a tribal chief. That means Jacob is too. Leilei would have to move and live there on the rez to be with him. There isn't any taking him away from his people. That was a sacrifice Billy and Jacob were unsure that Leilei would make. But . . . she fits right in," Harkoni said proudly. He did make Leilei tell him what happened on their first meeting. Billy snapped at her that she'd never fit in. She should just get her little Hawaiian ass back to the islands. Leilei remained respectful but stated firmly that she grew up on a homeland which was just like a reservation. That she loved it in Forks. That she could love living on La Push too.

"No, that won't happen. Ever. You . . . no," Billy stated firmly.

"Dad!"

"Jacob. You know what is expected of you. You know. I don't think, actually I'm sure she isn't the right girl for you. Stay with your own people," Billy finished. He just didn't know that Leilei was his own people.

Then Steve began to nod, "All of that stuff with the kids on the rez. The kid's day out?"

"Just like in Hawaii on our homeland. Ohana, family helping each other."

Then there was a pause, "Yutan, you're youngest . . . Does he know?"

"No . . . we haven't told him."

Steve just rolled his eyes. "How does he not know?"

"He's 11. What no . . . he's 12 now. He keeps busy. Surfing, school, hula, karate. He's a normal kid. We like to be sure that the kids are happy and have a normal childhood."

"How can you 'people' live like that?"

"We do. Our people always have. There are enough things to worry about beside all that."

Then there was a long pause, "Are Leilei and Jacob going to get married?"

"Jacob hasn't formally asked for her hand but Nona is planning everything anyway. It will happen and be perfect. But first things first. Acupuncture school for her first. Excuse me. That is the wife signaling for me. She who must be obeyed," Harkoni nodded at his wife and headed to her side.

"So how is he?" Nona sent when she gave Harkoni a little hug as the couples switched partners.

"Well concerned about everything. Yutan too, but oh well. I don't think he'll out us. But he is very curious."

"Problem?"

"No, if he sees some snarling he'll back down and sit," Harkoni said turning away from Steve to chat with his wife. "And, the wife?"

"She, Grace, the wife doesn't know anything and I don't think she should know," Nona said looking at Carlisle and Esme hosting the graduation party. The Cullen kids wanted to party with the high school kids. But no one knew who they were. Jacob and Leilei stayed to help clean up. The Cullens were 'moving' a week later. We didn't leave quickly enough and we ended up needing to have a chat with Bella and Edward.

"Congratulations Leilei!" Bella said helping us to clean up the back patio.

"Thank you. Thank you," Leilei smiled.

"Aren't you glad you went to high school?" Edward asked.

"For Kolohe's sake, yes. Everything else not so much."

"What's not to like?" he continued.

"I've never been to school so I didn't know what to expect. I was about a foot taller than most of the boys and like all of the girls. I have tattoos. The white people don't like the Quileute too much. It was . . . 2 years of my life, maybe it will seem better later. Much later."

"So when does school start?" Bella asked wanting to keep the conversation going.

"The middle of September. Eek, it's so close now," Leilei giggled. A new newer adventure.

"So you're leaving Billy alone?" Bella questioned Jacob.

"No, not ever. Paul and Rachel are getting married, finally. So they are planning to stay with dad until they build a house near his," Jacob spoke up defending the decision to go to the big city. At least for a while.

"Congratulations! Jacob, are you the best man?"

"No, I'm not. I'll be walking the bride down the aisle."

"So you're a bridesmaid Leilei?" Bella asked getting all excited.

"No. Rachel has her own friends."

"But you're her friend. Right?"

"She didn't ask me to be in her wedding. But I get to go, so what?" Leilei shot back. It's a wedding and being on the arm of a tribal chief. Watch out. "It's her wedding she can do what she wants to do. Brides get what they want."

"Who's gonna run the farm while you and Kolohe are away?" Edward asked changing the subject.

"We've got volunteers from the Hoku Ao to be here while we're at school. And we'll be back for Thanksgiving, Christmas and breaks. And stuff," she answered again. Yeah we Hoku Ao aren't going anywhere.

"If your program runs for 18 months, then you'll be back early," Edward guessed.

"Nope, our lease will run for 2 years. And I'll need a 6 month apprenticeship so I can get licensed. So we'll be playing Mr. and Mrs. Black in the big city," Leilei finished followed by a big smile that she hoped would unnerve the duo that was acting nosy.

"Nope, that's Chief and Mrs. Black. Your mom is way too excited about setting our apt up for us," Jacob added changing the subject again. "We should leave now. Good night Bella, Edward," Jacob said as he moved Leilei in front of him.

"Thanks again," Jacob and Leilei chimed together. It was a bad signal that they were sending to each other.

"That was awkward. What did they want?" Leilei sent.

"You're not upset about the wedding are you?"

"No. She's your sister and older than me. If it works out right I get to hold Sarah during the ceremony. It's your sisters day not mine."

~17

On the second Saturday in July we gathered on the rez at the school complex for a wedding. Leilei allowed herself to be seen in a dress. In what she called a 'Lucy Lucy' dress. A mid length shirt dress with a wide belt. A garland of orchids woven into a halo in her hair. Rachel wore an off white floor length gown. She pulled her hair up in a bun and carried a big bouquet of white and pink roses. And she had a grip on Jacob that even made him wince. But he was in his tux and Paul wore Kolohe's tux and looked great. Not scarried at all. Billy was waiting at the altar with Pastor Jamison. Jacob said he wasn't too happy with how long Paul and Rebecca lived together without being married. But oh well. After the ceremony and pictures were taken we headed inside for the reception. It was buffet style and the cake we got from Port Angeles was great. They were going to honeymoon in Hawaii. So Paul had to live thru another plane flight to the islands.

"Mom . . . Mom!"

"Leilei it's not gonna work. Let it go," Jacob sent laughing.

"Yes mom. Coming." We got out of our trucks and headed upstairs. The landlord looked concerned. Seth, Nessie, Jamie, Roan, Embry, Quil and Leah were all there to help us move in. And to enjoy my mother's crazy. She calmed down after she cleared the space, our space with sage and sweet grass. We went out to eat, went to Ikea and came back. We, all of us, slumber partied on the floor after eating popcorn and telling stories most of the night.

"Come home tomorrow," Nona said. "Remember to lock up before you two leave."

"Yes mom. And thanks," Leilei giggled silently. "So we're all alone in our own little place. Let's play house." She made dinner while the man cleared up the leftover boxes and stuff. After dinner they went for walk around the neighborhood and found the coffee shop, a bakery and the bus stop. The good grocery store was 2 blocks away. Then they went back home . . . hooked up the TV and pretended to be a 'normal' couple.

"That sounded great. What's the problem?" Kolohe asked.

"The neighbors. We can hear everything. We heard them boinking. Everything. We're hoping for more street noise," Jacob said embarrassed. We still hadn't done the deed but we didn't need to hear the neighbors. It was something we didn't think about. The yurt was our little place and we didn't have 'neighbors' to worry about.

"Ok. So you all have your dorm assignments. And you 3 are in the same dorm suite, good. So we can caravan from here to there. Kolohe is going with the Jacksons on the same day we're going," Leilei told the guys getting ready for the trip to the Univ. of WA, Olympia.

"Mrs. Parker, Gran and Jamie in 1 car," Kolohe started the run down. He was the man with the plans. "Cody and his parents and 2 brothers. Roan, his dad and his sister in their truck. I'll be in my truck and Leilei is driving hers."

"Did you already?"

"Yes of course."

"What?" Jacob asked.

"He made lunch reservations. Is there a swimming pool at the hotel?"

"Yup."

"Perfection."

"So this is the place huh guys? Hurley house. Ok guys go and find out where we need to go and set up," Jacob directed his guys.

"I'm glad we requested to be together. Room 210," Cody said looking at the quad and the other students. They headed upstairs as Leilei got the cleaning equipment. The 3 guys were in one of the suites. 1 apt with 2 bedrooms, 1 bathroom. Each bedroom had 2XL twin beds with a central living dining and kitchen area. Leilei found the room by following the smell of sweet grass and sage. Grandma Parker was blessing the room and the boys.

"Why were you late?"

"You will not believe what happened! . . . Some woman saw me and wanted me to clean her sons' room. She thought I was a maid."

"Is she still alive?"

"Just barely."

"Hi! I'm Peter James. Who's the student here?" The blond hair blue eyed 5'8" student asked.

"It looks like me I guess. I'm your roommate. I'm Jamie Parker. This is Cody and Roan," the guys introduced themselves.

"And you're what?" An older woman asked. She had to be the mother.

"Quileute. From our rez up north," Jacob answered. "I'm Jacob Black, their tribal chief. Nice to meet you Mrs. James is it?"

"You have tattoos?"

"They're considered to be men in our tribe and in good standing with our people. By the way, we're inviting your son Peter and you and your husband to have lunch with us. We're going to a local restaurant. We'll be leaving for lunch about 2 pm if you'd like to join us."

"ANDREW!" She called aloud looking for someone. The husband I guess.

"What am I thinking? NOT!" Leilei snarked as she got back to work. Sometime later she said, "Ok, let's get ready to go to lunch. Shia with me. We're going to the ladies room," Leilei said taking charge of the youngest tribal visitor to the college.

"Did you see what see what that girl was wearing? My God! She should be taken from her parents if she has any."

"My sweet lord! Those kids! The whole group needs a good . . ." And then there was silence. "Stella . . . Stella! What's wrong?" The woman called from the stall.

"The problem is she just realized I've heard, we've heard, everything you just said about us. We'll wait for you to get out of there. Don't be ashamed Shia. Hold your head high," Leilei said knowing this happened and she'd take it head on.

"I'm so . . ."

"No, you're not, so don't lie. I'm Leilei Honshiro. I'm half Japanese and half Hawaiian. My brother is a graduate student here. This is Shia Mankiller. Her brother is Roan is an incoming freshman double major in math and physics. He's brilliant and a well-respected member of the Quileute people. You can tell because he's has a tattoo of a wolf pack on his arm. It's their tribal protector. Shia has also earned recognition in the tribe. Notice the beautiful wolf charm on her necklace. And by the way the guy in the white wife beater is my boyfriend Jacob Black, one of the hereditary tribal chiefs of the Quileute. The offer to have lunch with us is still open. Excuse us ladies."

"Leilei?"

"Momma James got caught running down you Quileute. I set her straight. Peter will be out of this room before we get back from lunch."

"Are you a freshman here? The basketball team could use you," some guy asked looking up at Leilei after we got back from lunch. "I'm the Resident Assistant Mikey Harris by the way."

"Sorry, I'm not a student," she smiled back at him.

"Ok, how about him?" he was still looking up at her.

"He's my brother but he's a grad student. This guy is my boyfriend and not a student either. 3 of the guys in 210 are tribe members. We came here for support," she said trying not to dampen his dreams.

"So do the guys play any sports?"

"Sports? I know they fish," Leilei grinned back at him. "Is hunting vampires a sport?"

"Fishing isn't a sport," Mikey lamented.

"It is where we live. I'm Cody by the way," he said shaking hands with the RA.

"You guys don't play football or soccer or what is it . . . lacrosse?" Mikey still hunting for the school teams.

"We run. It's a tribal thing. I'm Jamie Parker," he introduced himself.

"Who's that?" Roan asked. A man was standing over under a tree with a clip board.

Kolohe said, "The football strength coach. Who else? Remember guys no sports. So you guys are gonna be ok?"

"We're fine," they all agreed. We were heading back to the motel for the night. The parents were going to parent for a while longer and then meet us for dinner.

The next morning as we were preparing to leave Jacob said, "I'm so proud of all of you. Do your best. That's all we can ask. Remember Kolohe is here. And . . ."

Roan looking side to side nervously asked, "Are we really gonna do this? Here? With all of them watching?"

Cody and Jamie said, "Oh Hell Yes!"

"Right here and right now." Then Jacob said aloud, "Leilei please."

"Circle up guys. Hold hands. There is strength in unity. And you are the center of universe. Hey HEY! Kora WA!" Leilei started the haka. The guys decided they would be tribal with their chief and in public. After a good 5 minutes. It ended with most of the guys in the dorm staring at the Quileute boys.

"Don't hurt them too much. Later guys," Jacob said giving bro hugs to them all.

"Mom! Dad! Time to go before it gets too late," Mari said to her parents. They stood and watched the Quileute guys stand there and slap their thighs and elbows in unison chanting in Quileute.

"If you need anything honey . . . Anything. . ." Mrs. Jackson said.

"Call Kolohe for money. Call us for anything else." Mr. Jackson said feeling better. Those Quileute guys were big. Mari wouldn't have any problems with vampires in college, he hoped.

~18

"Just breakfast dear?" The cafeteria lady asked.

"Yes ma'am," Leilei answered.

"$5.50."

Jacob went thru the serving line on the other side of the cafeteria. They'd planned to meet in the middle. They knew Jamie was working in the kitchen as a food runner. "Do you have any peanut butter?" Leilei asked on her way out into the dining room.

"In the dining room dear. Next to the toasters." She smelled Jamie or some other fuzzy boy and called 'Aloha'.

"Lei?"

"Who else?"

Jamie walked around the corner, "Great to see you."

"You too. We're here. Me and Jacob all day. I'm making dinner," Leilei said proudly.

"Where's Jacob?"

She nodded toward the dining hall. "Go back to work. Thanks." She found the man sitting at a table in the middle and they sat for a few minutes looking at how it was done.

"Jacob!" was called as he walked over and then there was a big man hug and an imprint hug for me. Cody.

"Where's Roan?"

"He'll be down in a minute or 2. So what's going on boss? Action?"

"Dinner?" Leilei said after a spoon or 2 of oatmeal.

"What?"

"Dinner. It's Canadian Thanksgiving. So I'm making dinner," Leilei said proudly.

"What's for dinner boss man?" Roan asked followed by a bro hug. "Leilei," he nodded, "This is Noah Chandler." She was introduced to the other guy who walked up to the table. No one else wandered over. No surprise there. The Quileute boys had a reputation. They didn't deserve it but then again it kept the others from bothering them.

"Morning. So you're the chief?" Noah said looking up at Jacob.

"Yeah, I'm Jacob. This is Leilei Honshiro."

"Who's he?" Leilei asked. She knew Jacob had heard about him.

"Norm from Avatar," Roan answered with nods from Cody.

"Nice to meet you Noah," Leilei answered with a smile.

"What?" Noah asked not knowing what was going on there. There was smiling and nodding.

"I told her you were ok. Definitely not PJ," Roan answered him. "Why visit?"

"Dinner. We brought dinner. Is he ok enough to invite to dinner?"

"Yeah, he's ok," Cody said.

"We bought a couple salmon, Chinook," Jacob said between bites.

"Can I bring something?" Noah asked.

"I like him already. Baked beans. Like 5 of the big cans. Mari and her 3 roommates will be bringing salad material and drinks. You guys are washing dishes ok? At Kolohe's about 5ish. Rain or shine," Leilei answered between bites too.

"So how is everything: school, dorm, life, everything," Jacob asked.

"School is ok. You know school. And then there is, was the Peter James, PJ. He's a church boy. And at first he wanted all of us to be moved out of his suite," Cody answered between bites.

"Come again?" Leilei asked.

"Yes, he wanted us 3 to move. When the RA said no, since he was the one having the problem it would be easier to move 1 instead of 3. He's was the one that would be moving. Then he decided that we weren't that bad. His preacher told him he was with us to be a shepherd. That we were just lost sheep and he was there to shepherd us unto the lord," Cody said in a tone that mocked Pastor Jamison. "Then Roan piped up with, 'That wasn't going to work, because we're Quileute and we're wolves. And wolves eat sheep'."

"Oh snap! 3 points Roan. Don't be late to class because of us," Jacob nearly spat out his eggs.

"We've got time. How's school for you two?" Cody asked.

"The Tokar pre marriage budget stuff makes accounting easy. The software in class not so much . . . but it's better," Jacob admitted. He didn't really like Quicken.

"Lei?"

"Chinese is kicking my ass," she admitted.

"I thought Chinese – Japanese?" Roan queried.

"Nope, not even close."

"So how's college really?" Leilei asked Mari sitting on one of the picnic tables over at the grad school apartment complex.

"It's like boarding high school," Mari said after thinking about it. "It's nice not to be home. Sometime but I miss Lori. How did you . . . that's right. You were used to not being at home. It's alright."

"So how you are you and Kolohe? Really?" Leilei wanted to dig just a bit. Kolohe and Mari weren't taking the pre-marriage classes that Tokar offered. Steve objected, so they weren't doing that, but they were talking about what happened after college.

"We're good. I think we're good. We study in the library together. And we meet for lunch. Dinner on the weekends when he's not teaching or correcting homework. I have time with my friends and stuff. But I like knowing someone, some people here."

"Are you in an all-girl dorm?"

"Nope, it's co-ed like the boys dorm. College is fun. You should think about it." We had cedar planked salmon with mache choux, roasted sweet and white potatoes. Baked beans and salad with hush puppies. We were outside and it tried to sprinkle we played music and watched Brittany and Brit-Brit try to show off the rez boys. Cody had a late class, so Leilei saved him a big plate of food and he made it by the time we were eating dessert. The only thing that was funnier than Noah trying to eat as much as the rez boys was him trying to join in on the haka they performed as Jacob and Leilei left to head back to Seattle the next morning.

Heading to Forks for Thanksgiving break, Jacob and Leilei, Roan and Noah were in his little Rabbit. Kolohe had Jamie and Cody and Mari in his truck. 2.5 hours later they pulled up the drive way of a secluded house outside Shelton about an hour south of Forks. "Mrs. Cullen!" Leilei said getting out of the car. "Feet," Leilei said to the boys pointing at the door mat. Air kisses with hugs were exchanged to all. "Mrs. Cullen, This is Noah Chandler, college student."

"Come in all of you. I'm so glad you stopped by. I miss you," Esme gushed as she escorted everyone into her perfect house into the kitchen for snacks.

"Me too," Leilei said. They ate little bbq pork sliders and little cheesesteak sliders with sweet tea.

About 10 minutes later in walked Emmett. So after the man hug with Jacob, Rosalie peeked around the corner not approving of stinky wolves in her house but Esme was happy so she was alright. "So how's college?" she asked.

"Sucks!" Cody said. "I mean it's hard. Harder than high school."

"Everyone! You remember Nessie? Right?" Seth called to distract Noah. I noticed that Emmett was palming the little sandwiches like he practiced.

"Don't ruin your dinner. I'm sure you're taking Rosalie out for dinner," Jacob said trying to keep a straight face. Jasper and Alice walked in for a few minutes and then Carlisle got home. About 20 minutes later it was time for goodbye hugs and waves.

So just outside the planning happened in earnest. "I'll drop off Jamie and Cody home first, and then I'll go and drop off Mari. Then home to the farm," Kolohe said as they got ready to leave first.

Jacob said, "Ok I'll drop of Roan and then stop by to see my dad, then to the farm. And we'll call Tara to let her know we're close by so she'll start dinner."

"Welcome to La Push," Jacob said to Noah as he pulled into his own yard. "That is my brother in law Paul. Where's Rebecca?" He called as they got out after having dropped off Roan at his house 8 miles up the road.

"Working late tonight. You'll see her at Thanksgiving. Your dad's inside," Paul called back from the front porch where he was stacking wood.

"Come here girl?" Billy called to Leilei for a welcome home hug.

"Dad, this is Noah Chandler, a human visitor for the weekend," Leilei sent to her father in law.

"Nice to meet you young man," Billy said with a handshake. Noah didn't have the money to go home for the Thanksgiving holiday. He was going to stay on campus, alone. Cody asked that since he was such a good guy if something could be worked out for him. So a deal got worked out. Some work for dinner.

"Honey, I'll stay for a while," Jacob smiled at Leilei. They were going to have a pack status chat and girls weren't allowed. "Head back to the farm. I'll meet ya later."

"Ok, here we are," Leilei said pulling on to the road to the back of the farm house.

"Did I miss the town?" Noah asked looking around.

"It's small. If you blinked then you did miss it. This is the Wind Run Farm," she said pulling the driveway.

"Leilei!" The call went up from the house.

"Tara! Chaska! This is Noah Chandler. Our helper for the weekend," she introduced him to them.

"Thank you for letting me come to your home," Noah said before Tara hugged him. "Sir," he said after Chaska slapped him on the back.

"Aloha!" Chaska gave Leilei a big hug. "Was Esme happy to see you guys?"

"Was she? Sliders and cookies."

"That was hours ago. Dinner's in the fridge. And the water is warm. And there is lots of dry wood," Tara said as she finished wiping down the table in the kitchen.

"Jacob will be here about midnight," Leilei called to them as they headed back into the house. "I'll show Noah around in the dark. This is the farmhouse and we have Wi-Fi. This is the code for on line TV. If you need to wash clothes, let me know. I'll wash for you. Bathrooms are here. There are 3 inside the house but we live kinda out here so there are bathrooms outside too. The first yurt is where Jacob and I will be. You are Kolohe are in yurt #2. Tara has breakfast ready about 6 am. But I'm not planning on being up then. Some of the farm guys will be here, they know you're here so don't worry. They're big too. Here, take a lantern unless you can see in the dark."

"What's that? A hot tub?"

"Yup, I'm gonna start a fire to heat the water. This is your yurt. Please leave your shoes on the mat. The light switch is here. The heater's pilot is lit. Just turn it on and pick a bed. Remember to bring the lantern back to the kitchen when you leave in the morning unless you can see in the dark. That is the shower house. Use it before you get into the hot tub. There are towels. Take like 3 with you, 1 for after your shower. 2 for the tub. And it is clothing optional after 10 pm, just so you know. You're from California right?"

"What kind of work are we doing on the rez?" Noah asked after he swallowed hard.

"Helping to get ready for Thanksgiving," Leilei smiled.

"Killing turkeys or something like that?" There was fear in that question.

Leilei shook her head no, "Peeling potatoes, wiping tables stuff like that. Using your muscles and not too much flirting with the girls on the rez. No food in the yurts, please. We don't want mice. Relax and enjoy."

"Listen," Leilei said to Jacob.

"What? What's wrong?" Jacob said.

"Quiet," she sighed.

Kolohe hit Noah, "Let's leave them alone." We all ended up in the hot tub after getting all settled in after midnight.

"Man, she's your sister," Noah whispered.

"I know. But . . . They are engaged. Jacob is alright in my book. They live together in Seattle. Our mom moved them in August."

"Your dad lets them live together?" Noah half asked climbing out of the hot tub wondering what kind of parents did that?

"My dad is a karate master. So Jacob is ok."

"Damn! You people . . ." he swore quietly.

"Yeah we know. Jacob said the same thing. Night guys," Kolohe said making sure that Noah got into the right yurt.

"I'll give you the tour of Forks today," Leilei said after flipping pancakes for Noah's breakfast. "Then we'll go and see Emily and RJ then to the school."

Noah nodded when looking at the truck Leilei got into. Then he asked, "The dinner is at the school?"

"In the cafeteria. It's the biggest kitchen. The biggest place for everyone to sit."

"How many potatoes are we talking about?" Noah kidded.

"100 lbs. maybe. Ok, the tour begins. Mari lives here," she pointed out the window.

"Kolohe having dinner there?"

"Yup, with the Jacksons."

"Will Chaska and Tara will be having dinner on the rez?"

"Yes and no. They will probably be with Emily and Sam and RJ. Did you see it? That was the town."

"That was it?" He turned to look back over his shoulder.

"Please, don't stare. It bothers Sam," Leilei said. This was always a test. Pack members didn't mind. They always passed the test.

"Hey Leilei? Who's that?" A man called from the front porch of the house.

"Noah Chandler. He's a student in the same room as Cody, Jamie and Roan. This is Sam. And yes he's another of the Quileute chiefs. And yes there are lots of them. It's all hereditary." After a hug, "Good morning Sam. How's my boy?" she said.

"Well, my boy is great. Walking and talking. Have a good day," Sam chuckled as he headed out to work.

I noticed Noah didn't twinge when Emily came outside carrying RJ. I liked that. Back inside the house RJ waddled over to look but didn't come to me. "I'm sorry Leilei," Emily smiled as us. It had been a while. He was being cautious.

"No, that's ok. I have the secret," and she pulled a bottle of bubbles out of her pocket.

"He's too young to blow bubbles."

"I know but he's not too young to pop them." So she blew some bubbles and he walked into them and laughed.

"I'm not sure to thank you or not. I think I'll be spending the next few hours blowing bubbles for him," Emily smiled at her baby boy.

"I'm sorry. Not!"

"Nice to have met you Noah," she said taking the bubble wand from Leilei. "Get her out of here," Emily kidded.

"She's really nice," he said after Leilei started her truck.

"Leilei, Noah! Great! Here's the menu for the rest of the weekend. Thursday is the dinner. Friday and Saturday are Kids' Day Out," Jamie said handing out papers to explain, "The parents can drop the kids off to be babysat for $10.00 per day including meals. So we work with the leftovers and what people donate. So save the potato peels. We're gonna use them on Friday."

"What?" Noah questioned.

"On Friday: Grilled cheese and tomato soup for breakfast. Tuna melts with fried potato skins for lunch. Popcorn for snacks and meatloaf for dinner. Saturday: Bacon pancakes for breakfast. Soup for lunch. And turkey potpie or Shepard's pie for dinner. Get aprons people, get washed up and let's go."

In the middle of making turkey stock, Leilei stopped to leave for a break. "School's out. I'm gonna go and see Kimmy."

"Who?" Noah's furrowed brow asked without being vocalized.

"Leilei was here on a Saturday when a storm blew thru and knocked out the lights. Kimmy glommed on to her because she was scared. And Leilei became her 'big sister'. With Leilei away at school they write letters and Leilei calls her from time to time," Jamie explained.

"How old is Kimmy?"

"Like 8 I think. She's in my mom's class. My mom teaches 3rd grade."

"See we're working really hard," Leilei said as she brought the girls into the kitchen.

"What are those?" Kimmy asked. It was Mary who nudged her to speak but, then again there were cookies just sitting on the cooling rack.

"Those are cookies . . . ok. I didn't see anything but you can take 2 each. I'll come and sit with you for a while during dinner. Now get on the bus and go home." About 5 pm Jamie broke off to finish making our dinner. Sausage Jambalaya with red rice and beans for dinner. Just as we sat to eat Kolohe and Mari walked in with Jacob.

"So what's up for tonight?" Noah asked after getting a second plate like Kolohe.

"A little dancing on First Beach tonight in the moonlight. Starting about 8:30 pm or so. Put it on your list of things the Quileute do. I dub you honorary Quileute for the weekend," Jacob told him. We went to First Beach and started a fire, hooked up the boom boxes to an iPod and we danced until 10:30 or so.

~19

"So what happens today?" Noah asked getting back in the truck as we headed back to the rez for Thanksgiving dinner.

"Smashing potatoes and heating casseroles. Lots of people make hot dishes to share. Finish making the gravy and roasting the meat. Making blueberry acai or orange mango drink for the kids. And regular iced tea for the adults. Oops, I almost forgot the cake for Emily," Leilei said. "I don't care what she said. And she knows I'm gonna do it, so."

"So you're gonna put the kids at kids tables like usual?" Noah asked.

"Of course. Sam will show up when the kids will do their Quileute presentation. Then there'll be dessert."

"Ah yes, the traditional Pilgrim Parade," Noah remembered his school days.

"Not hardly. We're natives remember. I'm Hawaiian but still a native. You guys showing up wasn't the bestest thing to happen. Diseases, you stole the land and you killed most of the animals. You changed how we were with ourselves I won't even mention the vampires. But we're tough. We're still here. But, I wouldn't repeat that crack in the cafeteria today."

"Sorry . . . I never thought about it that way."

So after a big kiss from RJ, "So now you love me." And a scolding from Emily, "I said no cake."

"It isn't a cake. It's more like a big muffin. I'm gonna steal your baby boy you know that right? But after he's toilet trained," Leilei kidded liking that RJ liked her now.

"Leilei, leave now and don't be late. Jamie's depending on you," Emily said on the porch as they left for the school.

Jamie was waiting and there were turkeys going into and out of the ovens. Potatoes were being mashed and hot dishes were being reheated. About 4 pm everyone began to gather and the kids started singing. So we knew it was time.

It was Old Quil that started with, "Family, friends, it's time to celebrate." We were all gathered in the cafeteria to hold hands for the invocation. "Friends, family we gather today to remember those who have come before us, our ancestors from whom we draw our strength. We look to each other in the knowledge we will stand together. For we know this is where our strength lies. And finally we look to the future, our children. In them we place all of our hopes and dreams and we know the best is yet to come." And we all applauded. "So now as a family, as a tribe and as a people we celebrate. Kids first." We got the kids thru the line and seated and drinks and rolls. Then the adults went thru the line to be served dinner, elders first as usual.

"Leilei go. I've got this," Jamie said so I got a dessert plate. Hit the line for round 1 and went and sat for a moment with Old Quil and Billy and Sue.

Sue was there without Charlie, again. He still wanted in with the packs, like that was ever going to happen. We Hawaiian Kai still didn't completely trust Bella but Carlisle did come thru with the money for the fine without wincing so . . . he was pretty much ok but we didn't really know about Bella. Everyone was still on alert so the Volturi could be dealt with one way or the other. Charlie still showed up when he wasn't invited and still made himself into a pain in the ass but that was him. I figured he'd stop when the Cullens moved away. But NO. But then again about 100 miles really isn't that far when you can run at like 40 mph. Leah encouraged her mother to go to Hawaii and see the place and clear her head. Nona told her that the house in Hawaii was hers whenever she wanted it. But she hadn't taken them up on the offer.

"A call might go to the Cullens saying that you were found dead of a heart attack out hunting," Tokar told Charlie.

"You wouldn't!" He snapped attempting to jump into Tokar's face. To jump up into Tokar's face.

"Yes I would. I've done it before and I'm sure in my life I'll to do it again. The Cullens don't live here and they don't have your back. You've pissed off your second wife. And your daughter lives over 100 miles away. You have fucked up your life so much I'm not sure even Sue should take you back. What you should do is know your place and your place isn't at a pack meeting."

We'd given permission for Nessie to accompany Seth while everything was in flux. And she understood that the situation wasn't good. She knew the Kai didn't trust her mother and that would make her behavior always be in question. Sam wasn't that sure about Bella either but Nessie walked that line with ease. Charlie on the other hand got off to a bad start with Chaska when he and Tara came to replace Tokar. He tried lying to Chaska about how much he knew about the pack activities. And Chaska called him on that immediately. "Human, go home. Don't make me hurt you. You let your daughter become one of them and you come into this house and try to lecture me about being responsible. Leave now before my wife hears you. She'd hit you just for being stupid."

After everyone eaten almost way too much we all moved into the auditorium for the Fall Holiday Pageant. There were Quileute stories and songs and skits and the story of why the tribal protectors were wolves. Then it was time for dessert. And there were cookies and pies and cakes.

"Noah, do you want something? They're taking the leftovers. Do you want me to make you a sandwich? White meat and mayo?"

"White meat with butter on whole grain. What's up with the cupcakes?" He asked looking in back where they were hidden.

"Shhh . . . The teenagers are having a dance here after we clear out," Leilei giggled making sandwiches, 1 for Noah, 3 for Jacob, 5 for Kolohe.

Jacob leaned over to Noah, "You can stay and dance if you'd like. Kolohe and Mari will be heading back to town after they finish playing chaperone. Leilei and I are heading to my dad's for a while and then back to the farm."

"I think I'll stay and dance," Noah said looking at Cody and Jamie and the girls they were talking to. Way after midnight we could here Noah stumbling in the dark with Kolohe.

About 10 am Noah and Kolohe pulled into the cafeteria on the rez for breakfast. "Is there anything left?"

"Grilled cheese or tuna melts?"

"Both," Kolohe said.

"So what's up for today?" Noah asked before the food got to the table.

"Hanging drywall. Do you know how?" Kolohe asked waiting for an answer.

"Nope," Noah said grinning.

"You'll know by the end of today. We're hanging it in the 2nd and 3rd grade classrooms. When we're finished eating we'll hit it," Kolohe said pouring coffee.

"So I've heard that there are secret tribal meetings. What do you do in your secret tribal meetings?" Noah asked, kidding I hoped.

"Secret tribal things what else? Oh by the way we're heading to Old Quil's barn after we clean up here. There's an epic football game on," Roan said taking seconds on the grilled cheese sandwiches.

"So you guys do watch football."

"Yeah, we do watch. But after the drywall," Kolohe warned the guys.

"I kinda like this . . . the way you guys live," Noah said carrying a sheet of drywall into the classroom.

"The way we live around here isn't easy," Jamie said helping with the construction work. "Jobs are hard to find and hard to keep. Logging is hard work but seasonal. The rez is not in the center of the universe to go anywhere is a trip. College is a luxury but necessary if our tribe it to survive. And we will." There were nods all around when Jamie finished.

"That's not what I mean . . . You're all really close, like a big family," Noah explained.

"Well, we are," the guys nervously laughed together.

"Now back to work," Kolohe said

"Ok, these pancakes with the bacon in them are really good. And today we're doing what?" Noah asked the next morning at breakfast.

"Painting. Do you know how to use a brush?" Kolohe kidded him.

"Back to school tomorrow?" Noah said not sounding happy.

"We'll leave about 10 am. And get you guys back south in time for lunch. We'll be taking Leilei's truck so there will be more leg room. We're gonna meet at my dad's for second breakfast. Kolohe's eating at Mari's," Jacob said taking a seat before starting work for the day.

"So what are you guys doing at Christmas?" Noah asked with a big grin on his face. Hinting.

"Hello dad," we called as we came into Billy's little house for second breakfast. He knew that we were coming and just had freshly roasted sardines and crackers.

"Are we gonna stop at the Cullen house again?" Cody asked when we were back on the road south. Snacks for werewolf boys were necessary sometimes.

"Nope. Straight thru to school, sorry," Jacob said. "Plans have been made people. Let's head out. The next time we'll be together will be Christmas."

~20

Knock Knock

"Hello!"

"Hi! What are you doing here?" Rosalie asked shocked. There wasn't a werewolf visit scheduled for at least a week. And there was one standing at her door. Well . . . half a wolf anyway.

"I'm Santa's little helper elf bringing presents for Esme. Can I bring in the orchids?" Leilei asked.

"Where's Jacob?"

"He's with the guys on a training run here. They just ran into snow and they stopped to play," Leilei answered making herself at home.

Rosalie put her hand on her hip, "Boys," she spat after an eye roll.

"Yeah. What ya gonna do? And they just ran into Esme and Carlisle up in the mountains."

"How long are you staying?" Alice asked.

"Is the weather going to hold?" Leilei asked knowing that Alice said the weather was supposed to get bad.

"If you leave about 7pm then you'll beat the storm into Seattle," Alice answered arranging the orchids. The big phalaenopsis got a new home with the vampire family.

"Good. Esme wants me to start the sliders and warming towels," Leilei giggled as she headed to the kitchen. The boys and Esme and Carlisle would be there in about 20 minutes if the guys didn't get sidetracked again.

"So . . . How's life in the big city?" Emmett asked sitting at the counter.

"School is ok. Life . . . Well . . . living in a city isn't like living near the forests. It doesn't smell right. A park isn't the forest."

"Is Nessie with the boys?" Rosalie asked.

"Yup."

There were hugs and air kisses from Esme and Carlisle. "You look great in that cape," Leilei complimented Esme. She was dressed like a Victorian lady of the last century for some reason she didn't explain.

"Thank you for the sweater," Leilei gushed. Esme understood her condition and knitted an angora and silk sweater. Very very light but it appeared to be heavy and warm to keep everyone fooled.

"The snow bunny look suits you." So for the next 3 hours was talking and chatting.

"Where's Kolohe? Carlisle asked.

"With the woman. He's got the entire Christmas break off," Jacob said slightly jealous. School didn't start for the college kids until mid-January.

Spring break was the way Jacob planned. Roan and Noah came for Sunday, Monday and Tuesday. Cody and Jamie for Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. All of their travel was by bus. Then 2 weeks later there was a phone call.

"Leilei, I don't . . . we don't know what to do?" A panicked werewolf voice on the other end of the phone.

"What? Cody, tell me what happened?"

"We were out kinda on the wrong side of town and we stopped someone from beating someone up. And Jamie got stabbed and the knife broke off in him."

"Ok, first calm down," Leilei didn't know that wolfie boys got nervous but then again this was out of the ordinary. Usually it was vampires and this time it wasn't. "And get Jamie to Kolohe's apt. You've got a key right? Don't go to the hospital. Look under Kolohe's bed for the medical kit. It's locked. The code is 001. Get him some heroin for the pain.1 of the small vials should do it. Jacob and I will be there in under an hour. Really! I promise. We did it once."

Jacob threw his bag in the back seat of the truck. We'd gotten a storage unit and kept his motorcycle in it, the bike that Rosalie and Jasper helped him build with the extra heavy shocks and suspension. Jacob was about 200 all muscle at 15 when he first fazed but he'd grown into a 290 lb. man with Leilei and her 6ft frame about 175 the bike was twice as strong as she was fast and she was fast. He dropped his clothes put on his leathers. Leilei was already in hers. With her med pack on her back it was 60 mph to the highway. 140 cruising speed to Olympia. Leilei didn't lie to the guys. "Go!" Jacob said. "Go I'll hide the bike."

"Damn," Roan said. "What is it? A Ducati?"

"How?" Noah questioned. "How did you get here so fast?"

"We flew. So what happened?"

"Jamie insisted on helping this guy who was getting teased and beaten up by a couple of guys. And Jamie karate chopped one of them and Cody moved to get another of them. There were 3 and after . . . and after there was Jamie standing there with a knife handle in his hand," Cody explained aloud.

"He wouldn't go to the hospital. What are we gonna do?" Noah pushed.

"Calm down everything's fine. Where's Jamie?" Leilei asked.

"In here. They . . . Cody gave him something," Noah almost half dragged her into the room.

"Look at the blood," Noah said and Leilei knocked him out with a touch.

"I'll tell him it was the blood. Put him on the couch. Most guys get a little woozy about blood. Jamie. Jamie do you still have the handle?"

"Cody does," Jamie said looking worried.

"8 inch hunting most likely straight edge. Ok, I'm gonna have to reopen the wound to get the blade out. You'll heal no problem. Take your shirt and pants off and do what I say." I hid the scalpel I'd use to re-open the wound. "What's gonna happen is I'm gonna re-open the wound and you're gonna faze. It should just drop out or I should be able catch the end of the blade before you hit form and pull it out. This should happen in 5 maybe 6 tries." After the first try failed Jamie figured out how to push the knife blade out. "You'll be fine by morning. You can't catch any diseases from it being old and whatever. You'll be fine. The story is I used some surgical grabbers and got the blade out."

"When will he wake up?" Jamie asked.

"When I tell him to."

"Now is good," Jacob said as I was bandaging Jamie.

"By the way good job on the fight. Not so good on the knife." Leilei walked over to Noah and touched Noah on the forehead for a moment or 2 thinking 'Wake up'. Then she moved back over to Jamie and resumed with, "Pain hurts."

"Yeah it does," Jamie nodded.

"Ok, why not the hospital?" Noah asked looking a little pale.

"We lied on their applications. Their blood type isn't O+ they're Quileute +," Leilei started the lie she knew the boys would remember from now on.

"You've got it out?"

"I'm in fake medical school. Isn't that what you called it? A couple of needles to loosen him up and it just slipped right out," the lie continued.

"Needles?"

"Acupuncture school boy. Needles. I have to buy my own. Want to see them?"

"Uh . . . Nope," Mr. Non-Wolf that hung with the werewolves said.

"You'll be sore for about 2 weeks. If he starts acting weird let me know. We'll have Kolohe smack him around," Leilei continued with the medical information.

"What is she doing now?" Noah asked as Leilei started doing reiki on Jamie and chanting in Japanese just to freak him out.

"Some of that hippy dippy healing stuff she can do. Shhh, let's go in the living room and let her finish. Snacks?" Jacob asked knowing that food might make Noah feel better.

Yup. 2 days later Jamie had a just black a blue bruise that started to go away with arnica. He kept it wrapped up to keep Noah happy. As the semester ended stuff went into storage and the boys went home for the summer. The summer was kinda hot and sticky. Leilei had to retake herbology. At least now she knew that it worked.

"Goddamn! What happened this time?" Esme gasped.

"I don't know," Carlisle answered his wife. "What did you do?" he asked his children that were standing there in shock.

"I helped her off the bike. I gave her a hug," Emmett said. "Then she vomited all over me."

"You broke her ribs," Jacob screamed at Emmett. "What the fuck! She can't breathe. Stand her up. Move away."

"Get away from her. Air! She needs air," Jasper repeated. He could feel what she could not say.

"Jasper?!" Alice screamed as she watched her husband crumple to the ground in agony.

"Get him away from Leilei. She can't control the pain and so he's feeling it," Carlisle shouted moving to Leilei to help. "Jacob! Get her inside!

"NO!" Jacob shouted back.

"X-rays," Carlisle begged. "She needs x-rays. That's all. Get Emmett out of here."

"She has 2 maybe 3 broken ribs on 1 side and 3 on the other. It's the leather that's holding her together. Upstairs . . . take her upstairs."

"No. I'm taking her home," Jacob stated with conviction. "Ice packs she wants ice packs. On her left side. We're going home to Seattle, Carlisle!" The men stared at each other for a very quick moment or 2. Then Jacob went back to shouting orders. "Where's Seth? He can ride my bike back to home. She wants some morphine for the pain. Only a little, she's scared to fall asleep. She doesn't want that to happen right now."

"Get cleaned up," Esme shouted at her kids as she got in the car to go with Carlisle. "Clean this up now. Not a word. Not 1. Have you ever touched her before? Why NOW! Oh, for the love of God. Never mind," she sputtered confused and angry.

"What can you do for her in Seattle that I can't do here?" Carlisle tried to reason with Jacob.

"I've . . . We've made some friends. I know they can help." They got Leilei on Jacob's lap in the Mercedes. Then they headed to the highway south – Cullen style.

"What time is it now?" Jacob asked sitting in the apartment living room that Carlisle and Esme hadn't seen until tonight. "After 10 pm. Jacob please let me . . . I'm begging you . . ."

Knock Knock.

"Thank you . . . You can go now," Tara snapped at Carlisle and Esme. She entered the living room with two others, Greg and Aoki.

"How did you get . . . Never mind," Carlisle wanted to know how they got there so fast but knew this was not the time.

They walked in with a trunk and 1 suitcase. "Use this for her oxygen. That little tank has to be empty by now. You should get her out of those leathers," Tara said as they moved some of the furniture out of the way to make a workspace for the healing to happen.

"I think they're the only things that are holding her together," Carlisle said hoping that they would listen to him.

"Set up guys. Carlisle, one question is she paralyzed or just broken?" Tara snapped at him.

"I'm not sure. Honestly, I'm not sure."

"You can leave now," Tara said cutting her eyes at them. "Jacob you did the right thing. We'll take care of Leilei. Our way."

Aoki escorted Carlisle and Esme back to their car and started smiling as he said, "If she is paralyzed . . . I'll kill your son, Emmett, is it? If she dies there is no place on earth you can hide from us," Aoki grinned in the way Carlisle knew it was the truth.

"Emmett is one of the gentlest souls I know," Esme said in her son's defense.

"So he lives on cranberry or cherry juice? Which is it? Or is it the deer just walk up to him and fall down on their knees. Has he ever touched her before? So what was different tonight? He just felt like killing her. It's Thursday . . . What! How many people did he kill before he went 'veggie'? What is it? . . . Every once in a while he just goes, and I am going to say it, off the reservation and he just needs to go and kill a human? He just needs to kill a werewolf? Something to keep his woman happy? Yeah, we know about her and Leilei . . ."

"Bears? He feeds on bears," Carlisle volunteered.

"So he though Leilei was a bear attacking Jacob from the back of his bike."

"What?"

"Then what happened? I'm waiting . . . Why did he attack her? No answer? Good night. Remember what I said," Aoki said still smiling as he walked away.

"Seth, do you know them?" Carlisle asked sitting behind the wheel as they got ready to go back to Shelton.

"Aoki and Greg are teachers here in the school that Harkoni wanted Leilei to attend. They know things," Seth shrugged. He didn't understand it all but . . . Leilei did.

"She needs help. I'm a medical doctor!"

"Carlisle, this is medicine too. It's just a different type."

"What happens now?" Esme asked.

"I don't know. Have a good trip home. I'll be back when I can," Seth finished looking over his shoulder. Greg was waiting for him to come back upstairs.

"Ok . . . what happened?" Alice asked.

"I just hugged her. She looked so good. I like Leilei. She's a friend," Emmett began to relate what happened.

"She was a friend," Alice corrected him.

"I'm sure they're conspiracy theorizing about something. About why Emmett attacked her," Rosalie spat.

"I Did Not Attack Her! I just hugged her!" Emmett insisted.

"You hugged the breath out of her, cracked 3 ribs and made her vomit all over you to stop," Jasper corrected his brother. "Jake isn't answering," he relayed the info just for general knowledge.

"He's with his woman. And whatever they are doing to save her life," Alice hoped it would be alright. She could see that Carlisle and Esme just made a decision.

"I didn't mean to baby . . . Baby, it's ok," Emmett tried to comfort his wife.

"No, it's not. Carlisle and Esme are on their way back," Alice finished.

"What happened? Please tell us?"

"Well, I heard the bike and I saw it pull up. The kick stand when down and then I saw that there were 2 of them on the bike. She was on the back. She patted Jacob on the back. Jasper and Rosalie were walking toward him and I moved to say hi to Leilei and I grabbed her and gave her a little squeeze. Then all hell broke loose. Jasper began to scream that she'd just lost her breath. I turned my head and saw Jasper down on the ground and he was pointing to me. Then Alice was on me and Leilei vomited on me and I let her go. And that's when the snarling started."

"Carlisle," Alice said. "It's Harkoni on Skype."