One - Now and Forever

by S.H.Walker

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

3. Chapter 3

~1

"What happened?" Harkoni asked straining to control his voice.

"Leilei and Jacob came to a little celebration that we'd arranged with Seth and Nessie here at our house in Shelton. They arrived on the big new motorcycle that Jacob has. Jacob got off of the bike and Leilei followed. And Emmett went to her to greet her. He gave her a hug to welcome her . . . and then . . . then."

"Then what?" Harkoni roared.

"I wasn't looking her way but when I turned around Jasper was on the ground and Alice was on Emmett pulling his arms away from Leilei. Jacob raced to Leilei as she crumpled to the ground like a broken doll. After the snarling stopped I offered to have Leilei stay here while she recovered. Jacob refused. He demanded that I take them back to Seattle. I insisted on x-rays and saw that Leilei had some broken ribs and possibly a punctured lung. I offered to help anyway I could and Jacob insisted that he knew people that could help but in Seattle. That's what happened."

"You alone bear the responsibility for this and I will not forget or forgive this ever Carlisle."

"It was unintentional. I promise you," Carlisle tried to reassure him.

"It was unintentional when your daughter, Bella, found herself at a pack meeting with a cell phone. It was unintentional when your daughters went to the pack neighborhood in Vancouver and outted the Quileute and Leilei to strangers. Unintentional . . . is a problem you have with your children. And now you don't have an answer why your son tried to crush the life out of my daughter," the wounded father said.

"Harkoni . . . Please . . . Listen . . ."

"Listen to what? We dirty animals understand the power we hold. And we only allow those who wield it properly to have it. We kill our own. You know this. But you turned teenagers. And they will remain teenagers forever. You are the father of this and any other havoc they will cause from now until the end of time. And what will be his punishment for the attempted murder of my daughter? You won't let him play baseball for 2 weeks? 3 maybe?"

"I offered to make it right, to help Leilei," Carlisle interjected.

"I'm sure you did. But your plan has failed. Jacob understands what it is to be one of us, which is why you did not have the opportunity to turn Leilei into your newest daughter."

"No? No! That never crossed my mind."

"Prove it . . . Isn't it convenient that the only person in that part of the world who could determine what is true or not is in a coma fighting for her life?"

"Emmett just made a mistake," Esme lamented.

"Esme, you have 3 daughters. Kolohe could make a 'mistake' also. Would you accept that? I understand that Aoki told you if Leilei is paralyzed Emmett will die. I also know he said if she dies, so will you all. Believe that as the truth. I am in anguish now. I cannot be with my daughter in her time of need. If she dies, I will mourn her passing. She is in many ways the love of my life. Then I will thirst for revenge and I will have it. Do not doubt that. Carlisle, if you believe that God still hears your prayers, pray for my little girl with all of your un-beating heart."

"What's up Kolohe? You look like shit," Roan said has he watched Kolohe enter their living room and collapse on the couch.

"Where is Noah?" he asked quickly.

"Out at the library. He'll be back later," Roan answered. "Action? What's up?"

"Emmett attacked Leilei at the Cullen house tonight about 7. She's back in Seattle now. Jacob has call in all of the pack members that can get there for her healing. I'm leaving as soon as I can get the fuck out of here."

"We're in too. What the hell happened?" Jamie asked.

"Lei got off of Jacobs' bike, you know the one. Emmett, he walked up and hugged her almost to death. She started screaming. Jasper dropped to the ground and Alice almost took Emmett's head off to get him to let her go. Jacob made Carlisle drive them back to Seattle. Seth went with."

"What did your dad say?"

"I haven't tried to get in touch with him yet. Their phone lines are all going directly into voice mail. I'll call my mom on the emergency line at 11."

"What about the rez? Are they on lock down?" Cody asked.

"Probably. Tara was in Seattle shopping. That's good for us. So she will be there for her."

"What happens at a healing?" Roan asked.

"Well, Leilei is drugged out of her mind at the moment because of the pain. When we get there we'll share her pain and let the acupuncturist stick her where it will help her most. She's healing the way we do but slower. Having us there will make it easier for her. We'll go as soon as we can get out of here."

~2

"I'm going to go and tell Charlie what's happened. He should know," Bella said after she was told what happened. She and Edward weren't at home when the Emmett incident happened.

"No going to Forks. That's not the best idea," Carlisle said.

"He's my father. I'm going . . ."

"We're going straight there and back here," Edward said knowing that Bella would go without him if necessary.

"The rest of you decide who's going hunting. And do so in pairs," Esme said to the kids in the house. Then she turned to Carlisle, "If I tell you not to go to work will it do any good?"

"No . . . Love," Carlisle turned to his wife to ease her distress. "Love, there have been trying moments in the past. This is one of them."

"Harkoni wouldn't . . . would he?"

"Would he?"

"He's a samurai. Yes, he would," Jasper ventured. "But there are probably hundreds of others that would do the deed to earn his appreciation. Seth might even do it."

"Was what he said true?"

"No!" Rosalie snapped. "Goddamn it! It's not true. We are not immature babies."

"No, not that," Alice changed the subject. "Do we appreciate and understand our power? Not are we spoiled brats?"

"We are spoiled," Jasper echoed.

"We are not," Rosalie stated. "We just have everything we should."

"The Kai have exactly what they need. Jacob and Leilei both work for money. All the pack members that we know about work or go to school or both," Jasper tried to prove his point.

"What about the money we paid them for the treaty violation?" Rosalie snapped back at him.

"They have generations to plan for. College scholarships, mortgages stuff like that."

"How do you know?"

Jasper continued, "You don't read their websites do you?"

"It's all, 'Yeah! Hoku Ao!'"

"Well it is but there are like life lessons and things for them to do, lists of long range plans. Their elders watch them to make sure that they achieve what they set out to do."

"Sam, can I have a word?" Charlie called him into his office. Having Bella and Edward run over with the news that Leilei was hurt again but this time it was Emmett was a shock. And the fact that the threat from Harkoni was being taken seriously worried him.

"Sure Charlie," Sam said as he entered the office.

"What can you tell me?"

"Nothing."

"What do you mean, 'Nothing!' "

"This is a Kai –Cullen matter. We Quileute . . . we're out of it. If Leilei dies – they, the Cullens are gone," Sam said with a little bit of satisfaction. Living with the threat of the Volturi because of the Cullens never sat well with Sam.

"Talk to them please. Bella is my daughter," Charlie plead.

"Until she got turned. Now she's Carlisle's daughter. I don't know what or who told you what but I was told Jacob and Leilei arrived at their house. And Emmett went to hug Leilei broke 3 or 4 ribs and punctured a lung and fucked up some internal organs. She's in pretty bad shape."

"So why the hell isn't she at Carlisle's healing?"

"Why should she be there? Emmett tried to kill her and you want Carlisle to help her. He could have decided to save her life he would have to turn her into one of them. Then he would his spy on the pack council. That's not gonna happen. In their history some of the Kai have been turned and they are celebrated because they always kill who turned them and then allow themselves to be killed or burn themselves alive."

"No Kai is a vampire?"

"Leilei will be healed their way or die. So you better pray she gets better and quick. It all happened last night so there are probably lots of them here by now."

"They'll take her to a hospital right?"

"She's like half werewolf with body temp of 108˚. The blood transfusion . . . remember? Have a good day chief," Sam called as he opened the door to go to work.

"What's gonna happen?" Mari asked.

"A medical aspect healing," Kolohe answered. "There aren't many medical aspects so this is a big deal. A medical aspect is like 70% wolfie. Her body is healing unevenly. Things will need to be re-broken so they can heal correctly."

"Could Carlisle have done it?"

"The physical manipulations and stuff sure but not really understand what she is/was going thru. And Jacob decided not to trust him. Emmett attacks Leilei and Carlisle is there to offer support. They know you Quileute aren't going to let Charlie on the pack council ever. So maybe their answer was to turn Leilei. If Carlisle saves Leilei after an 'unintentional attack' by Emmett because there's so much damage the only way to heal her correctly would be to ask Jacob if he could turn her. Jacob didn't take the bait."

"What did your dad say?" Mari asked. The guys were scared to ask.

"He told Carlisle to pray she recovers or else."

"Or else what?" Jamie asked.

"Harkoni can take any of them of them 1 on 1 without shifting."

~3

"We're going to start a few minutes late. Chaska is coming," Tara said as she met them in the parking lot outside the apartment. "Jacob wants to get married before we start. Harkoni, Nona and Billy will be on Skype. He's afraid she might not make it."

"She's that bad?" Kolohe asked.

A quick head nod from Tara, "And she's scared, poor thing."

"I've seen . . . been with her when she was with Bleys. She was great," Mari said. "Is great!"

"She was untrained then but all she did was take his pain. This is a full-fledged healing. She's gonna need to have some bones broken and reset. Doing all that will be painful. Here eat this." Tara handed them what looked like cookie dough that contained some herbs to help them be calm. "No one react to how she looks. The smell isn't the greatest either. You all are here for her. I know Harkoni and Nona and Billy appreciate everything that you will do to help her."

"What do I do?" Mari wondered.

"Stand with me and let Koren do his job. He'll tell us what he needs. Her jaw is dislocated so her face is swollen and she's holding lots of fluid. Most of the damage is on her left side. She's sitting on Jacobs' lap and she's on oxygen and on morphine."

"Tara?" the soft spoken healer who was approaching the group of people in the parking lot whispered.

"Koren. Nice to meet you. Thank you for coming," Tara said hugging him warmly. "This way," she led everyone upstairs.

"There you are! Leilei, I was wondering why you missed class today," he said cheerfully. "Open the windows and turn that fan on," he pointed at Greg. "Let's get started. Let me see how you are." He paused to take her pulses and listened to her breath and her heartbeat.

"We're waiting for my husband," Tara interrupted. "Her parents have given their permission. They will be married before you start. Just so you know Leilei, I'm your matron of honor."

"And I'll be your bridesmaid," Mari added.

"Baby don't cry. We'll get married all over again after I build you a house," Jacob cooed to her.

"Ok, the Skype is on and everyone is here," Tara said sounding upbeat.

"Don't worry honey your hair looks fine," Nona said shaking her head at what she was seeing.

"Thanks mom," Leilei mumbled.

"Dearly beloved," Chaska recited in a practiced way. "We gather today join this man Jacob Black and this woman Leilei Honshiro in the bonds of matrimony. We are here to witness this in the eyes of truth and our communities. Jacob do you take this woman Leilei to be your wife now and forever?"

"I do."

"Leilei do you take this man Jacob to be your husband now and forever?"

"I . . . I . . .do."

"Place the ring on her finger. By the power invested in me by the Kai council of Hawaii I pronounce you husband and wife."

"Thank you Mom . . . Dad . . . Daddy."

"No honeymooning until next month. Call when you can," Nona said hoping everything would work out so there would be a next month.

Leilei nodded in tears. "Don't give up. You're my wife now. I need you."

"Congratulations Mrs. Black. Mouth guards in everyone please. Leilei don't hold your pain. It isn't yours," Koren said. "Give it away. These men are here to help you."

"I can't . . ."

"She's having trouble breathing," Jacob said.

"Squeeze my hand. Not working well either. I'll take care of that. Jacob lean back in that chair. Kolohe touch her face. Better now? Jamie, Cody each take a hand. If she can hold your hand she will but if she can't just touch her hands. Aoki and Seth take her boots off and touch her feet. Ladies, please start tea #1. The directions are on the bag."

Roan asked, "What about me?"

"You're my bridge. I'm going to tell you to whom to touch, when and where. Right now touch Leilei's and Jacobs heads lightly for right now."

"This is weird," he said.

"You're a werewolf and this is weird."

"What is that? That smell," Roan asked.

"The ladies have started the tea," Koren said.

"It stinks," he continued.

"Leilei, let go of the pain baby. These men love and support you and Jacob. They can take whatever you can hit them with. Good. I want her left hand please. He paused for a moment and then gave her a little massage. Good. Right hand now. Mari – is it? Give me that package of needles. You can hand these to me just like this. Jacob, give me your left hand. Needle please. Because Jacob is Leilei's donor they are linked and ticking him in a place where she is hurt can help to heal her too. Oh that blue/black blood blister on her calf. That fine she's healing. It's just a bruise. Where's the icy spray? Is that better Leilei? Ok. You're gonna hear a snap, needle please. One more . . . relax. Roan, touch her knees now please. Kolohe take a breath, you need to breathe too. Now relax. Snap. Collar bone . . . fixed."

"I thought you'd be going for the ribs?" Kolohe asked.

"Ribs later. For right now, that's it. Thank you all. It's tea time," Koren said. They were all tired; they just didn't know it yet. It had taken longer than they noticed.

"That's bad. It smells like skunk vomit. Aged skunk vomit," Kolohe turned his nose up as the tea was poured and given to Leilei.

"Kolohe!" Tara snapped at him. She didn't want him to upset her at all.

"Don't make me laugh it hurts," Leilei mumbled.

"You see! I know my sister!" Kolohe laughed relieved that Leilei was trying not to laugh. That proved she was better. Better was good.

"Let me work on that jaw," Koren said and he looked at her face and made a few adjustments.

"That's my phone," Mari said with the sound interrupting the focused quiet.

"You are free to do whatever you want to but I'm sure Esme called your mom. I'm not asking you to lie but . . ." Kolohe reasoned hoping that she would back him up.

"So where are we?" Mari asked.

"Out camping for the weekend. Out of range until Sunday alright? Do the Brits know where you are?" Mari's roommates wouldn't know how to keep a secret if they had one to share.

"Nope. Just gone for the weekend. I'm ok with not answering until Sunday," she said putting her phone away.

~4

"How does that taste?" Tara asked knowing that the tea did smell like skunk vomit on steroids as she held the mug of tea for Leilei.

"Ok."

"When you finish that I'll make a smoothie for you. Some raw macadamia nut butter in coconut milk with some honey," Tara promised hoping that a good bribe would help with making the stinky tea go down.

"While you're resting do some tai chi in your head. It will help," Koren said taking a break.

"She's not doing that . . . she's doing 'Jaguar'," Jacob stated unconvinced whether or not it was the correct thing for her to be doing.

"That's my sister! Carlos Castaneda. Let's go outside and I'll teach you guys how to do it. It helps with speed and ferocity," Kolohe offered to get away from the smell too.

"Good. We'll start again in 4 hours. Leilei if you want to nap – go ahead. And it will be ribs I'll be working on next," Koren said as he took Tara by the hand to explain what he needed.

"It's not that I don't love you honey but I'd like to take a shower and eat," Jacob sent quietly. He'd had just about enough for one evening. Jacob's request stopped Koren from leaving with Tara for their talk.

"Go."

"Can you sit upright unaided Leilei? Get my massage chair," Koren motioned to Aoki. "Let's try this. Good. Tomorrow, I'll tune her like a violin." All day Saturday there were more needles and stretching and finally a Thai massage on the living room floor. Sunday morning started with Leilei taking her first unaided steps.

Then there was a knock on the door about 10 am. "Come in daddy!"

"Lei Baby!" Harkoni said glad to see his little girl up on her feet.

"How did she know? Her eyes are still covered," Greg asked.

"I'd know my dad's smell anywhere. It's like English leather."

"The blindfold should come off before I go and see Carlisle," Harkoni said taking into account what needed to be done.

"I'm going with," Leilei added.

"No you're not," Jacob said.

"Yes I am."

"That's my girl," Harkoni nodded.

"Why is it I'm always waiting to look into your big brown eyes to know I'm ok?" Leilei sent to Jacob as he was unbinding her eyes.

"From now on every day for the rest of your life Mrs. Black. Her eyes are red!" he gasped.

"Alien eyes! The whites of your eyes are red. Not the iris," Harkoni said to reassure everyone.

"Hi dad. Thank you," Leilei smiled at her dad. "Thank you everyone," she turned to look at everyone in her living room.

"No problem. We serve our own," Jamie said smiling.

"Seth head out now. We'll be a couple of hours behind you." Then he turned to Leilei, "Can you eat?"

"Just smoothies and soup for a while," Tara answered glad to have been there to help.

"You'll lose weight," Kolohe said.

"Tara is making everything with coconut milk or nut butter or both," Leilei smiled back taking a seat.

"Get cleaned up. We'll leave as soon as you're ready to go," Harkoni said taking stock that the Kai that were there would be joined by others by the time they got to Shelton.

~5

"Nobody move. Nobody Move," Edward said. "There are lots of them here. I hear them saying, 'Nobody move'. I'm taking it as a warning," as the family Cullen headed outside of their house.

"You don't have to get out of the car," Harkoni said hoping that Leilei wouldn't listen to him.

"I know but I am," Leilei pulled all of her strength to say that.

"My baby thru and thru," Harkoni sent to Jacob with a touch.

"Harkoni."

"Carlisle," the men faced each other across the driveway. "Emmett," Harkoni beckoned.

They stood about 6 ft. apart as Emmett said, "Harkoni. . . Mr. Honshiro . . . sir. Excuse me."

"Emmett," Harkoni said. Then 1 leg sweep and his right hand on Emmett's neck. Emmett went down on his back on the driveway. Harkoni slammed him 6 inches deep in the driveway asphalt. "My daughter will live. She will heal. Her bruises will clear. The scars will fade. She may even forgive you, in time. I will not." With that Harkoni stood. "Carlisle, my blood debt to you is paid." He stood and glowered at Carlisle for a moment. Carlisle nodded. Harkoni turned and walked back to the group that came by caravan from Seattle. A head bow from Leilei, Kolohe, Mari and Jacob and it was over.

"Anything else?" Jacob asked.

"How has the Quileute and Cullen treaty changed?" Jasper asked.

"It hasn't been affected at all other than this: Leilei and I were married 2 days ago."

"Congratulations!" Esme spat before thinking.

"Yes, it was wonderful," Leilei snarked back at Esme. "My eyes were taped shut. My jaw was still dislocated. And where it was broken I was bleeding into my mouth. My mom, dad and Billy joined us on Skype. It's what every girl wants on her special day."

"We should go now," Jacob said feeling the tension. Then they returned to the cars.

"Ok so we're all done here . . . I'll take everyone back to school," Kolohe said.

"We're heading to the rez. I've got to meet my new father," Leilei said with an approving nod from Harkoni.

"What's with the check from your dad?" Mari asked when they were back in the truck headed to school.

"He appreciates your helping. I told him you were Leilei's kaikuahine, her sister. You were here for her and for me, no questions."

"Esme is calling me," Mari said looking at her phone. "Hello?"

"What's wrong with Leilei beside the obvious?" Esme asked

"Controlling the pain takes energy so she's lost lots of body fat. Tara has her on a high fat and protein diet. So she can regain those 30 lbs. soon, hopefully. The healer said she'd probably lose her hair too, from the shock of her injuries."

"Where is she going to recover?"

"Billy's house on the rez. She's family now," Mari said thinking that sounded right.

"You're family now too," Esme said to her.

"Well yes. It's not every day you get invited to a healing. I'm glad I came with Kolohe."

"Do your parents know where you were?"

"Yes, I went camping with Kolohe," Mari said sticking with the story that was decided upon.

"Young lady!"

"Leilei told me Bella lied to her father about you Cullens and what she's was doing with you and now you're . . ."

"I see . . . I see I'm being hypocritical. Bella was 16 when she became involved with us. Have a good trip back to school dear. Take care."

~6

"What the fuck was that? Why didn't you do something? Carlisle Damn you!" Rosalie snapped at him in the dining room family meeting.

"Are you finished yet Rosalie? What would you have me do? Emmett almost killed his daughter. Harkoni showed us he was not to be played with. He could have killed Emmett. Harkoni put us on notice. He and Emmett didn't plan that stunt. That was raw power. I didn't know they could be that strong on 2 feet. He was letting us know he is formidable in either form. He is not to be played with. Rosalie if you want to ask him about his motivation call him or Jacob or Leilei. Or call your favorite person, Kolohe. We are still a family still here. But our relationship with the Kai is over. Let's give Leilei and Jacob time to settle in as a newly married couple and try to rebuild our relationship with them."

"But!" Alice began a rant.

"No! No Alice. No house warming party. No fancy lingerie for a honeymoon. No honeymoon trip, anything. Leave them alone. Everyone. They said they're on the rez and we can't go there," Carlisle hoped his kids would listen.

"They didn't have any of the normal . . ."

"Because he thought she was dying," Esme said to emphasize the seriousness of the situation.

"But why not here? Why wasn't she 'healed' here?" Edward wondered aloud.

"They still think we want to know what the council is up to," Jasper answered.

"Charlie is still meddling trying to get an in. They assumed that I would turn Leilei if she was here healing . . ." Carlisle answered his family.

"What?!" the room erupted.

"That's why Jacob insisted they go back to Seattle," Carlisle continued.

"The fact Leilei is a medical aspect. Her situation is complicated, like Cheyenne. Her physical healing is was uneven. Somewhere between human normal," Seth added to explain.

"I see . . . so what did their healer do to her?" Carlisle wondered aloud to Seth.

"We held acupressure points. He, Koren used needles and herbs. It was kinda weird but it worked. She went from on morphine with her jaw and other bones broken to walking and talking today. What was that 2 days? Leilei said you wouldn't understand it. It's living medicine for living bodies. It's a different medical philosophy."

"Really how is she?" Esme asked.

"Black and blue from her neck to her knees. The Kevlar took most of the impact, it probably saved her life," Seth admitted.

"Kevlar?"

"She was wearing it under her leathers to protect her."

"From what?" Rosalie remarked.

"A motorcycle accident at 140 mph. It could kill her if she fell off the bike at that speed. They left her in them until we were together to heal her. Koren cut them off of her and he used needles and Rescue Remedy."

"I've heard of it . . . it works?" Carlisle asked. Maybe he could learn something from this tragedy.

"Seems to. It kept everyone calm," Seth said shaking his head. "She was ugly. It's why they had her eyes bandaged."

"So she wouldn't go into shock if she saw herself. What is she eating?" Carlisle answered nodding in agreement.

"Tea that smells like skunk vomit to help clear the bruises and smoothies. She needs to visit a dentist too," Seth added.

"Harkoni didn't drag her here. She came. She's his daughter. It's an honor thing. She would have crawled here and not complained," Jasper stated as fact.

"This is the file from her healing. A picture file of her injuries. They will show her this later when she's healed so she'll know."

"So why isn't Cheyenne all better yet?" Rosalie asked holding her husband. He hadn't said a word yet.

"She was injured a long time ago. Maybe they didn't know what to do then," Carlisle guessed. "Well only God knows maybe some time in the future she'll tell me what they did."

"I wish I could cry," Esme whined looking at the file of Leilei's wounds. "Nona must be devastated. Look at her."

"They took these pictures for the same reason we documented Nessie as she grew," Carlisle remarked after looking at the pictures.

"We're still in danger aren't we?" Esme asked her mate.

"No, Harkoni said his piece. I doubt any of his people would defy him," Carlisle comforted his mate.

"I mean it's terrible. Things are just as bad. Things were better before," Bella said.

"When?" Carlisle asked not understanding where this was heading. "When Jacob was laying in our family room miserable, jealous of what we all had and he didn't. When he and Leilei found each other he asked me not to say anything. He wanted to announce Leilei to us so we could share his happiness after Billy said he wasn't happy with her. And all of you criticized her for being what she was, human. What each of you were at one time. Harkoni is correct, I am the father of all this. You all are spoiled. Can't you see how important she is to him? How disappointed he was when you didn't want to welcome her into what we have? How disappointed he was when our first real meeting was with her injured? She's not like us and she doesn't want to be like us. She wants to be what her father wants her to be and that's the perfect pack leaders' wife. Jacob has responsibilities and can't spend his life watching pygmy wrestling on TV. He has pack members to mentor and to be a son for his father. The Kai have made the Quileute stronger and more organized and all of that has helped Jacob mature from that 15 year old boy who had a crush on Bella into a man who is looking forward to his own life with his new wife. We should give them the time they need to become a couple. Like each of us is a couple," Carlisle finished the riot act to his family.

"What did Harkoni mean I won't ever grow into a man?" Emmett finally asked.

"He didn't say that," Jasper confirmed to Emmett. "He just said that Leilei was fine and he didn't owe Carlisle for her life anyone."

"Then he sent that to me. He said I was a boy in the body of a monster unable to become a man. And that was your fault Carlisle," Emmett said sheepishly.

~7

"Hello . . . Good morning," was followed by the door closing.

"Oh My God! You're him! Them! Please . . . please don't eat me," Koren said backing up against the wall in his office.

"Please don't be alarmed. We mean you no harm. Yes I am him, Carlisle. This is my wife Esme. Please sit down," Carlisle said taking a seat in his office.

"Don't mind fuck me either!" The man squealed.

"We want . . . We only came to express our gratitude to you. For your skill. Leilei looks wonderful. Thank you so much," and then he smiled remembering not to show his teeth. "I . . . we appreciate your efforts on her behalf. This is for you. It was your skill that saved us. On behalf of our entire family, thank you," as he placed an envelope on the desk between them.

"You can leave now," Aoki echoed Tara entering the room from the other door. "Don't look at them Koren. You both appear like a nightmare. Are you here to kill him too?"

"We are here just to say thank you. We are still alive because of his skill. We were sure Harkoni's threat was genuine. Esme, let's go dear. I'm sure these gentlemen have things to do. Have a good day," Carlisle ended trying to be cordial.

"Just out of curiosity why didn't Emmett attack Leilei at Christmas? I had money on Jacob wasn't there to ask if it was ok to turn her."

"Stop it! Stop it!" Carlisle fought his temper . . . his anger at being considered to be a monster and sought a way to tell the truth. "I know what I have done and it was all done in the name of love. I wanted a family, to be part of a family. A wife and children. I didn't want to spend my life alone. Good day." The door closed behind him and they made their way out of the building.

"Harkoni said he was honorable but stupid. He was right," Aoki said turning to Koren to check to see if he was mind fucked.

"Are we stopping there on the way back?" Leilei asked Jacob as they were heading back home to Seattle after 3 weeks on the rez living in Billy's house.

"Yes, honey. You'll be in the truck. With a gun and back up."

"What's that I smell?" Rosalie asked for the first time in a long while.

"Visitors," Seth hopefully. "Maybe Leilei will visit."

"So where are they?" She snapped.

"Waiting, I guess. Jacob and Leilei are due here in like 15 or 20 minutes. She's going to stay in the car if Carlisle isn't here."

"So why visit?"

"Because we're trying to be friends, playing nice is part of that," Seth tried to explain to her.

"Jacob! Leilei! How are you?" Rosalie called as she walked outside to the driveway for the 'chat'.

"Fine, just fine."

"Heading back to the city?"

"Yup. I've got to go work tomorrow," Jacob left the opening for more conversation.

"How is that 'working' working out?"

"It's ok. I understand why people get upset working every day but there are times when it's fun. And it is fun to leave and come back home. You know the wife, the little woman putting dinner on the table," Jacob kidded.

"Oh! You just need to stop that Mr.! You're sounding way too domestic . . . but not domesticated," Leilei laughed and sounded relaxed.

"Tell Esme and Carlisle we stopped by. See ya," Jacob said laughing getting back in the truck for the ride home.

"Thanks for playing nice."

"They played nice. And I was in the truck with a gun."

"It was good to see your parents act just like parents," Jacob said remembering all of the conversations that happened in Billy's little house over the last weeks as he headed out of the Cullen driveway.

"Our wedding. How long has your mother been planning it? What? 20 years?" Jacob asked to keep Leilei's mind off the pain as her bones reknit together after Koren re-broken them to heal correctly. "I have to go there honey, how old is your mother?"

"She's way older than you think. So is my dad," Leilei wanted to tease him. There were things he still didn't know. Maybe now was the time.

"So Harkoni is . . . was a samurai."

"Yup."

"What else can you tell me?"

"Mom was Hawaiian royalty and a bodyguard of our last Queen Liliuokalani. She came from a long line of bodyguards. She was stung by an irukangi, a very deadly jellyfish, she was young like 12. They attempted to heal her and it worked. They found the eldest shifter they could to donate some blood to her to save her."

"Tokar?"

"Bishop."

"That's big."

"He cut her and allowed his blood to drip into her. She got a little too much but death from the jellyfish was certain."

"So she's a medical aspect like you? That makes Bishop your pack grandfather. How long will I be a pack member? Do you know?"

"It's unknown," Leilei lied to him.

"What's Cheyenne's best guess?"

"Why do you want to know?"

"I want to ask your dad what to get you for our 300th wedding anniversary?"

"Diamonds. I'm sure it's diamonds."

"So what's your dad's story?"

"He's an old genetic mutant shifter not allowed to be a pack member. There is no herding cats in any form. He traveled and met others and formed alliances from China to Hawaii."

"He and Tokar are good friends."

"From what he told me their first meeting was not the best. But after Harkoni fazed and then Tokar fazed they became friends. Then they had to learn to talk with each other."

"Ok so how many wives does Tokar have anyway?"

"I have 3 aunties – his wives. There were 5 or 6 originally. There is his imprint and her sister first. And a couple of their cousins and one of their best friends. Times were different then. If a man was a good provider, build nice houses and was honorable and fathered kids – he could have more than one wife cousin or not. Men that were men could and did have more than one wife. The missionaries put a stop to most of that but not all. I've noticed that there are other Quileute girls that are looking at you."

"Me? I don't see any of that," Jacob joked. He'd been the center of attention for a few years from girls that didn't say anything to him before he went all wolfie. With Leilei in his life now he appeared to be settled but some of the girls didn't like that.

"You are so the man that any woman would want to marry and have kids with."

"Are you feeling better? You're talking crazy?"

"Well the drugs the dentist gave me were ok. And now that I'm eating soft foods I'm happier. No more tea!"

"Why did Bella and Edward come here for the 4th of July?" Leilei asked the man as she was dishing ice cream at the town picnic. It was a fund raiser for a new fire truck.

"Reporting to Carlisle how you are?"

"I'm fine. Ice cream sundae?" Leilei offered Bella vanilla ice cream. She passed on the cold, white, hard stuff.

"So how's married life?" Bella asked trying to sound happy, lighthearted and concerned.

"We don't have a marriage license, so we're not really really married. We're married just in their eyes of our people, but just those that know. You know what I mean. Not everyone does know about us," Leilei whispered trying not to be overheard.

"You're eating a second sundae?"

"Actually this is my third. I'm supposed to eat like 10,000 calories a day. I've got to bulk back up," Leilei teased Bella. Never to eat ice cream again for Edward? Edward? Fuck NO!

"Is that a wig?"

"So what's up with the interrogation? Nope. It's growing in fast. Shoulder length is nice."

"How long until you're my little geisha again?" Jacob jumped in to help with the 'happy' conversation.

"Christmas maybe," Leilei giggled back at him.

~8

"Skinheads?" Charlie questioned.

He knew the story. Why ask about it? "Well you know what happened don't you?" Leilei said grabbing his arm a bit too hard. "Do you want me to tell Steve what happened? What your daughter is? Your granddaughter is? But well, skinheads exist. And I'm not white. So it all fits."

"Skinheads . . . ok. I'll buy that but why is Nessie wearing bells?"

"So I don't jump out of my skin. Nessie smells like them and I want some warning when they are near so she's agreed to wear something that makes noise near me. Kinda like fairy bells."

"Are there fairies?" he asked.

REALLY! "No, not that I know of."

"Carlisle and Esme are coming here today," he said.

"Carlisle called Jacob to say they might stop by," Leilei told Charlie.

"So how are things between you and them?" He pushed.

"Well . . . not good. Emmett wasn't punished for almost killing me. He said he was sorry but couldn't explain why he almost popped my head off like a pez dispenser. I heard Rosalie was upset the driveway was messed up until Esme fixed it. Bitch!"

"What?"

"I hear you two got married. Congratulations!" Charlie tried to pass off much he knew.

"It's a pack marriage not sanctioned by the state of WA. Only by us. We could tell Pastor Jamison and watch him have a heart attack," Leilei giggled. Maybe finally getting married would get him off Billy's back about them living together.

"Where is she?" Rosalie asked Bella.

"Over there with Jacob," came the answer as she pointed. "Rosalie don't!"

Rosalie marched over like she was on a mission. Leilei saw her coming and got ready. Those who knew were all watching closely as Leilei walked out of the site line of most of the people.

Rosalie snapped, "How are you really?"

No hello. No hi. No hey what's up? "My ribs are still sore. I'm still clearing my bruises and my hair is growing back in."

"Bruises?"

So Leilei took off her tee shirt, "Bruises. I'm still black and blue. Running is hard and my bones are still mending. But I'd be all healed and perfectly brand new if Carlisle turned me into your little sister h'uh? Bitch!"

"You're the daughter of a Kai warrior. You would have killed us all," Rosalie countered.

"Damn right!"

"I can say it forever and I know you won't ever believe me, Emmett is so sorry," she plead her case for her love.

"Right bitch!"

"Rosalie, we should go," Jasper called across the street. "Damn, she's tough she's still in pain. But they want to see her up and around so she is."

~9

"The Cullens are upset," Jacob started on the way back to the farm for the night.

"They should be. If I died they'd all be dead. That didn't happen so we're all alive. So to speak," Leilei answered.

"They want to make nice," he continued.

"When I'm all healed and I'm not so twitchy maybe. We can do a sit down in a neutral place with Kolohe, Aoki and who else really big . . . Roan. They'll invite Charlie won't they?"

"Probably."

"Good evening," everyone said kinda at that same time to open our little meeting.

"There shouldn't be a problem. Since they're married, she's Quileute not Kai anymore," Rosalie whispered in the vampire rapid speak that Esme didn't like them to use in front of pack members. Especially since they all could understand it.

"I will be Kai until I die. I'm married to a chief of the Quileute," Leilei said loud enough to be heard clearly.

"She always has to say something," Rosalie continued until Esme looked at her hard.

"3 year olds do that. That's why they're not allowed to sit at the adult table," Leilei countered.

"Why is he here?" Rosalie spat after seeing who came to the meeting.

"I invited him. If he leaves I do," Leilei said knowing Rosalie was upset about Kolohe being there. He might kill Emmett and she was worried about that.

Jacob added, "If Kolohe leaves we do. Is there a problem?"

"No, there isn't a problem," Carlisle graciously offered. "How are you feeling Leilei?"

"Getting back to normal. I'm behind in my school work but what's 3 months in forever."

"Kolohe, are you empowered to speak for the Kai in Washington State?" Carlisle asked wanting to know how the landscape had changed. Seth and Nessie only knew so much.

"No, just for those of us who headquarter at our farm. The group that's moved into Seattle or Port Angeles? No, I do not speak for them although if you'd like me to relay messages, I can," Kolohe said aloud to amuse Leilei.

"WHAT! More of you are moving here?" Rosalie shuttered in disgust.

"It's a free country. Isn't it?"

"Leilei . . . I'm so sorry. I don't know what to say. . . To make you understand," Emmett plead his case to her. He considered her a friend. A good friend that something bad happened to and he was the cause.

"There is one thing that would convince me," Leilei said trying not to be afraid of him.

"Please . . . what is it?"

"Your memory of that day."

He extended his left hand and with Jacob and Roan between them, Leilei touched his arm. His skin so to speak was cold and hard. "Leilei I'm so sorry," he said.

"I get that. You hurt me. You almost fucking killed me! Whose idea was that?"

"No one's idea. I just wanted to hug you. I know I forgot you were . . . breakable. Leilei?"

"What?"

"Emmett . . . Remember that day . . ." she said aloud and he started to remember when he heard the motorcycle drive up the driveway.

Leilei said, "He's a Great Dane puppy. No malice at all. He was just excited to see us looking all 'Bad Ass'. He didn't mean any harm."

"Leilei do you believe me? Please say yes?" Emmett begged after having had his memories walked thru.

"I told you he wasn't trying to kill you," Rosalie spat trying to keep under control.

"No, he wasn't trying to kill me but it still almost happened. I'm human . . . well . . . mostly human anyway. I am still breakable."

"I apologize. Leilei, I am so sorry," he continued almost in a whimper.

Leilei left space for a dramatic pause, "I accept your apology. Emmett, you are an honorable man who just doesn't know your own strength."

Then everyone sighed relief, "So are we all ok again?" He asked.

"Within reason," Leilei countered standing with the guys that were there to protect her from him.

"Nicely put," Jacob sent.

"Will you come in for snacks?" Esme offered as she wanted this to all be over.

"Sorry we can't. We have Secret Santa things to do. Have a good evening. Merry Christmas. We'll see you soon," Jacob answered. The plans have been made already.

"Nessie what did they say?" Alice asked.

"Why just let them leave? Carlisle?" Rosalie questioned.

"It's something I've learned from Harkoni," Carlisle started on his little story. "Have a nice short wonderful conversation and leave it at that. Everything ended well. On their way back to Seattle they'll stop by and have some tea and cookies. That's how a Harkoni helped to form the Kai. He traveled from place to place finding shifters and making friends. One small conversation at a time."

"What did they say? Nessie?" Alice asked again.

"Uncle Emmett was a Great Dane," she answered. It was what they said in Quileute. "Leilei said he just doesn't know his own strength. That you thought they looked; 'Bad Ass' and you just hugged her. Leilei said she'd go back to the 'Farmer Girl' look if that would keep you from thinking it make her look too good."

"So it's all ok?" Rosalie asked. She was more worried about Emmett than she was about having to host the smelly people for a luncheon with Esme.

"Probably," Carlisle ventured.

"What are they going to do?" Alice asked being able to see things looked better now.

"Decorate the tree in the Jackson front yard," Nessie said smiling. Thinking that decorating the house in Shelton should be on their list of things to do too.

"But," Rosalie started on a rant.

"For now it's over. Enjoy the quiet," Esme said glad that everyone was still alive.

"So what's the farmer girl bike outfit going to look like?" Rosalie asked Alice.

~10

"What's going on?" Jacob asked aloud relaxing on the farm after delivering Christmas presents. The farm was quiet in the winter. Many of the guys were on vacation, taking time in Vancouver, Seattle or Tacoma. That left space for Jacob and Leilei to be back in the yurt for a day or 2. Alone.

"We're getting in the tub tonight Mr."

"Whatcha doing?" Jacob asked as he turned to make some space for Leilei in the furo.

"Letting you know I'm making the first move. Chaska and Tara are in Vancouver BC until New Year's. And the farm guys will be running the show until they get back so we have as much time as we want. We don't have to but we can if you'd like to try." Jacob had been patient, very patient. All of the time we've been together: in the puppy palace and in our yurt and in the apartment when it was quiet. He'd never made the first move. Leilei decided to make the first move. To let him know that they were supposed to be one body and soul. And they were one body and soul.

"Let's just enjoy the night . . . together ok? I love you. You know that. We don't have to do anything to prove anything to anyone," Jacob said aloud. Just in case someone was listening. And he was sure someone was. "Baby . . . its ok. I don't mind waiting. We'll wait until we both are ready. Promise."

"So did you? What am I saying?" Kolohe smacked himself on the side of his face. "This is so fucked up. I can't advise they guy who's married to my sister. Well Leilei knows what to do. Mom shared memories of what to do."

"So she knows – God?!" Jacob shuddered. "Everything!"

"Where is Chaska for the talk? Well anyway you 2 have forever and you're engaged. I'm not comfortable with the topic. Ok I'm on Christmas cookie delivery. I'm going," Kolohe excused himself. He didn't want to have that talk with Jacob. Anything else. Just not that. His completely healed sister with her husband and sex. Not the topic he wanted to breach.

"How does he know we didn't?" Jacob sent watching Kolohe leave quickly.

"You looked him in the face. He didn't think it would be like this for me. We're fine."

~11

Knock Knock

"Hello! Come in," Esme gushed. Nothing would change her love of house guests. "So how was Christmas?"

"Nice," Leilei answered taking a seat. "I miss being in the yurt. Living in an apartment is noisy. Being on the farm or on the rez is great. Oatmeal coconut cookies. Carlisle!"

"They have good fiber and no chocolate," he smiled in return.

"Hey Emmett, Rosalie I'd like your help," Jacob was making a big offer back to normal. "My bike, the Ducati, got scratched up. I'd like to bring it here and fix it. Say the weekend after next. Can you help me please?"

"Sure," Emmett jumped at the chance. "Let me know what parts you need and we'll get them."

"I'll have them delivered to Seattle and have Seth bring them up here. I don't want lots of people to know about it," Jacob outlined what he wanted to happen. He would pay for the parts and just have help with the installation.

"Sure, no problem," Emmett said trying to keep his 'happy' under control.

"We might have to stay overnight. Would that be a problem?" Jacob asked in conjunction to helping to fix his bike.

"No dear not at all," Esme said placing another plate of cookies in front of Leilei.

"Nessie, we'll be having a sleep over in the TV room. Yeah! Thanks Esme," Leilei said eating another cookie.

"Dinner's in the kitchen and I'll make breakfast in the morning. Carlisle and I are going to the movies tonight," Esme said as they were leaving for the evening. It was 3 weeks later. The parts were late coming in but everything was ready.

"Date night? I get that," Leilei said after giving Esme a hug as they headed out for the evening.

"You make Jacob take you out?" Nessie asked.

"Yup, once a month," Leilei nodded.

"Date night? Hmmm. Seth honey? Are you listening?" Nessie called all sweetly.

"Sorry no. I'm helping Jacob with the bike I can't hear you."

Emmett, Jacob, Seth and Rosalie and Jasper went in to the garage. 4 hours later the banging was over, Nessie and Leilei had eaten the medium rare rib roast with the potatoes. They'd left the boys more than enough to have for dinner.

"So how's married life treating you?" Nessie asked. She and Seth weren't married yet but they were living together with the Cullen family. About once every 3 months they'd spend some time on the rez. Seth still had pack responsibilities'.

"It's ok. It's like it was before. We don't have a marriage license so it doesn't really count," Leilei giggled.

"But you were married by Chaska right?"

"So the Kai and our pack considers us married, no one else," she answered.

"So you guys are still just playing house," Rosalie concluded correctly.

"Yup," Jacob answered the same questions that Nessie was asking Leilei. "I have class, she has class. She works, I work. We'll get back to our normal life when we get back to the rez."

"Won't that be work too?" Jasper asked.

"Actually it will be . . . building my wife's house," Jacob mentioned the next project of his life.

"Has she decided what it will look like?" Rosalie asked pulling the stripped bolts off the headers.

"Kinda like her mom's house in Hawaii. Open concept with lots of bedrooms for guests. A big kitchen dining room. She wants a hot tub and a fireplace," he listed everything that he could remember. "Just a regular house. Somewhere we can be comfortable. Pack meetings, halo celebrations, bachelor parties' retirement ceremonies. Pack parties. Having the in-laws come and visit and anyone else in that relative category. Harkoni and Nona have lots of friends and we'd be expecting to offer hospitality to guests and them to when they visit."

"Overalls? She's wearing leather overalls," Alice lamented. She hoped that Leilei would try to stay upscale but that didn't seem work for her. "Buffalo hide bike leathers."

"Really? Well, it isn't as bad-ass as her first outfit," Jasper remarked.

"That outfit is gone. They cut them off of her when they were healing her," Seth reminded them as Leilei and Jacob headed back out to Seattle.

~12

"I'm purrfect," Yutan said grinning ear to ear on Skype.

"OMG really. Yes I'm so happy for you," Leilei giggled back over the Skype. Looking at her brother, kinda all grown up, a full family member now.

"I'm happy for me too. So we'll all be family for a good long time," Yutan said relieved. We'd get to be a family like other families but with a life time that would be measured in centuries. "Dad said I should come and visit."

"When? Tomorrow?" Leilei gushed.

"And I'd like to meet your Dr. and Mrs. Cullen and thank them for the shirt," he said. "It pretty much drove me over the deep end but in a good way."

"I promise we'll stop by and see them when you get here," Leilei winked at him. Her little brother who was lucky enough to have the human childhood and a shifter legacy of almost forever.

"Thanks for letting me stay here," Yutan said in person after all of the bro hugs.

"You're family. Always," Leilei hugged him. And he was taller than her. "Damn, I'm still the shortest. So . . . You're happy about everything?"

"Yup, everything. Except the imprint thing."

"Yeah, it's scary and crazy but it ensures we move into the future. It is wonderful after you get over the fear of it. I kinda knew it was Leilei," Jacob confessed.

"And I kinda knew it was Jacob but eventually we got together."

"Don't worry about that now. You've got training to do. Lots of training. And some painting and some drywall hanging," Kolohe said laughing at his younger brother.

"Do we let him come to the night dance? How about the next dance at the high school?" Leilei asked as they headed inside the farmhouse.

"What happens if I imprint?"

"Then you imprint," Travis said jumping on his brother. "And you schedule a wedding sometime."

"TRAVIS!"

"YUTAN!"

"Damn! You're big BOY!"

"Yeah, I grew a bit. I'm over 6 feet tall now. Sorry Leilei."

"Girls!" Tara said, "Come with me. They're gonna do that all night."

"What?" Mari asked while Rehka took her arm.

"Arm wrestle, fart and burp: be boys. Come into the TV room. I'll make snacks," Tara said. And we went into the house for ice cream sundaes and cupcakes.

"You guys are still living in the yurt on the farm?" Yutan asked over breakfast the next morning.

"And Kolohe and Mari are still in school," Jacob said reaching for more toast.

"From what I hear Univ of WA is the place to go to school now. And exchange is being set up 2 yrs. in Hawaii and 2 yrs. here with Christmas wherever your home is. That sounds good," Travis fed the new pack line about education.

"So there is a college plan if you want to go Yutan. Think about it," Chaska urged. "Think about it."

"From here? . . . We can smell them from here?" Yutan said turning up his nose. We were down wind of the house in Shelton but his senses were sharper than the rest of us. He didn't live with that smell.

"Yes, you can. And they can smell you too," Leilei warned him. "They're used to wolves. You smell so different so they will know you're like dad."

"Jacob what's up?" Emmett greeted him after everyone was assembled. Leilei, Rehka and Mari came in her truck. The guys came in Kolohe's truck.

"The sky, nothing but the sky," Jacob answered.

"Does Yutan know?" Emmett asked when he and Leilei high fived each other the way they did now. Leilei's full hand and 1 of Emmett's fingers.

"He knows and it's not a problem because there is never a problem with the truth. And I said so."

"Is he like Kolohe or like your dad?" Rosalie asked.

"Dad," Yutan answered proudly and then he got to show off. He stripped off his clothing to show off some new ink and went all new kitten fuzzy. He was all black and white and grey with the iconic big blue eyes.

"Oh my," Esme gasped aloud when he roared. But Yutan let Esme scritch him under his chin. Just like an overgrown saber toothed leopard with 6 inch canines that were capable of snapping her head off.

"Yes, he knows he's gorgeous. Just like a new kitten. All fuzzy and beautiful," Leilei cooed to her baby brother.

"So I hugged her. How long did I stink?" Yutan moved to Leilei to ask.

"3 days."

"Sorry . . ."

"No problem. We found a soap."

"You are very impressive young man," Carlisle said watching the large cat in his front yard.

"Thank you Dr. Cullen," he said after shifting back.

"Carlisle, please call me Carlisle. So how is it? Do you like being a member of your family?"

"I finally feel complete in a weird way. How like I always wanted to be special and now I am. And I'm special to the people who count. The people it's important to be special for. My parents, sister. To be able to back up Kolohe and Travis when they need me. Jacob too. It feels good."

"But, your mom? How's she handling it?" Rosalie asked. She couldn't fathom wanting to be one of them. Let alone being one of a house full.

"She's doubled her orders for kitty litter. I always wondered why she bought so much," Yutan managed to say with a straight face.

"LUNCH!" Esme interjected before Rosalie figured out that he'd taken a shot and landed a clean hit.

"Be careful Esme he's got an appetite. Mom says he's still growing," Leilei teased. But not really. Yutan was in the 'eat everything in sight' phase. His appetite might lessen but it wasn't going to do it for a while. They were still waiting for Kolohe's appetite to wane.

"I have to ask?" Alice started to question.

"Yes, on the scratching post. No on hair balls," that left Alice's mouth open. "This is delicious Mrs. C," he continued eating the ciabatta loaf of Philly steak and cheese sandwich.

"You weren't kidding. He's hollow," Esme said removing the empty plates from the table. "I see why your mother sent him to visit."

"Your eyes?" Carlisle mentioned.

"Yes. It takes some time for them to complete the change from blue back to brown. Mom says they might just change to hazel."

"And you cut your hair."

"Well I had to. Kinda didn't want to but for now this is ok," Yutan ran his hand thru his short hair. "I'll give a braid to Leilei when I formally make up my mind to be pack."

"So how did it happen? I mean," Esme wanted to know.

"I know what you mean; Mom left the house on the second day when I couldn't sleep. When dad told me I got so angry. He said, 'I guess she was right. I'll never hear the end of it.' Then he slapped me. He'd never hit me before and then crack. He hit me right across the face. Then I jumped him. I was so angry I went to holler at him and ask him why? Why he hit me. And the only thing that came out was 'meow'. No, it's ok," Yutan chuckled as Kolohe started to laugh aloud. "It's funny . . . now. Then . . . not so much. Then he stripped and changed too. And I fainted. When I woke up I was sure I'd be me again and I was still on all 4's. He told me to calm down and he'd show me how to get back on all 2's. And it worked and I told him I'd never do that again. Then he said Leilei would kill for the chance to just do that once. So we spent the rest of the day talking and then he talked me into shifting again and we went out into the forest at night . . . Yeah it was mind blowing. I could hear things and almost see things. I was still having a little bit of trouble seeing in the dark then but not now. When mom came back home and she did just what Leilei did, she ooooh'd and aaahhhh'd about how cute I was. Am. Then she told me to get on Skype and let everyone know immediately."

"Why?"

"So things can get finished," Travis said.

"What things?" Esme questioned.

"Weddings plans," Travis and Rehka said at the same time.

"You haven't finished your wedding plans?" Yutan wondered aloud. "You've been planning this for how long now?"

"No, we all decided that we'd wait until we knew one way or the other about you before we'd set dates," Travis said.

"You all have been waiting for me to go fuzzy or not? I'm sorry," Yutan lamented.

"Oh don't worry about it Yutan. Family means being a family," Rehka gave him a hug. "There are parties and things that happen. We needed to know to include you or not. So now the plans are full speed ahead."

"Yes! We're getting married first," Travis beamed.

"What I want and what will happen are 2 different things but they'll both be beautiful. I want our wedding in my homeland. At night in the snow," Rehka said all dreamy eyed.

"You're Suomi right?" Alice asked thinking about the color schemes.

"Lighting candles on my way to the altar on the night of the full moon with the aurora borealis dancing in the night air. But . . . our wedding will happen at Midsummer's Eve in June at Noon," Rehka finished as reality struck home.

"Is that the day when the sun doesn't set?" Mari asked.

"Wildflowers and 3 days of parties like usual," Travis said.

"Have you thought about your honeymoon?" Carlisle asked ready to offer his special place in Brazil.

"We've been saving for New Zealand: Christchurch, Wellington and Hobart," they said together.

"Tasmania?" Leilei filled in those who didn't know where Hobart was.

"If you're going all the way to New Zealand why not Tasmania," Rehka added.

"Spring for them fall you two?" Esme asked looking at Leilei and Jacob.

"Yes and no. Fall but the following year. Flying around the world isn't cheap. We can't have people fly from there to here. Only 1 major wedding of this scale a year," Jacob admitted.

"So? You're going to wait another whole year?" Rosalie showed her dislike for the planning.

"So what? The, our house gets finished. We'll save more money," Leilei explained.

~13

"Did he take a shot at me? Yutan, I mean?" Rosalie asked when the smelly wolves were out of ear shod.

"More than one. And he landed them too honey," Emmett admitted. He'd decided to just tell Rosalie the truth when he couldn't get away with lying to her. "He's young. But old in a weird way."

"A lot is expected of from those to whom much is given. It looks like he's living up to the expectations his parents have for him," Carlisle mused.

"He's trying. I think that they have him visiting his relatives to learn how to act. This is his pact training," Jasper said.

"He can't pack . . . he's a cat. So he's just here to play," Rosalie began to discuss.

"No, he's here to get put in his place by the big guys. Then he'll probably take over for his dad when Harkoni retires," Jasper interjected. "He'll be on call for the Seer council. So he'll just lie around and wait for the women to call him and say, 'We're going to Sweden'. And he shows up to carry their bags."

"What's wrong?" Esme asked Carlisle after the kids decided to go and wash off the 'kitten' smell.

"Well, I fear that they've figured out that Bella and Edward were missing . . . again. It looks weird. Bella wanted Jacob to accept her and Edward. Now, they are trying to include us and they are noticeable in their absent."

"Is this a major issue?" Esme asked.

"It will become one if those two keep not showing up for family outings. Well, not meetings but you know what I mean."

~14

"Where are we headed?" Yutan asked. This ride was further south than normal.

"We're gonna overnight with Kolohe at school and then head to Vegas for the car show. We're playing hide and seek in the woods with Emmett first," Jacob said. "You need to see what the university looks like."

"Great, I like him." Yutan said. Since Kolohe called Carlisle to tell him that things seemed funny in the bad way in the woods near Olympia the boys had gotten together to have picnics in the woods about once a month. And invited one of the Cullen couples to join them, this week it was supposed to be Emmett and Rosalie but she wasn't getting dirty so Emmett came alone. She said she'd meet Emmett in Vegas for the car show. So off into the woods we went. We pic'd and we nic'd and as Mari and Leilei were heading back to her truck fan and shit hit.

"Stay here. And get one of my guns. Do you know how?" Leilei asked Mari.

"Oh hell yes. Kolohe taught me. I want to come with you," Mari insisted.

Got to love her enthusiasm but Kolohe would kill me if she got hurt Leilei thought then she said, "Not this time. It's on. Roan is missing. In 10 minutes fire 3 bullets up in the air and if Yutan or Kolohe come back here and say, 'Leave' go back to Forks. Not campus, you go home. Got that. And don't stop anywhere in between. Got it?"

"Got it? What's going on out there?"

Leilei answered, "Roan smelled something and it wasn't Emmett. And they have him."

"Roan . . . Roan . . . You win. Man you are the best hide and seek player ever. You win," Emmett said hunting thru the woods heading to where he could smell something that wasn't Roan or any of the other wolves.

When Emmett and Leilei found him he was with a guy and a girl. Roan was on his hands and knees in the dirt with a rope around his neck. They, that pair looked like they could use a bath but the stink wasn't coming from them. There were others in the woods behind them. 4 from the chatter I could hear. Damn.

"Hold it together Leilei. We have this. They don't seem to know about Roan," Jacob sent as the guys looked for an advantage.

"Are the girls ok?" Roan asked before the rope around his neck got pulled.

"They're fine. They're in my truck."

"Truck?" Mr. Human asked.

"Yup, a big red tundra."

Then Emmett's phone began to ring. "I've got to take this. It's the little woman. Yes, yes dear," he said nodding at her questions that he couldn't answer. He didn't want to be overheard.

"No name," Leilei sent to him with a touch.

"Fine. Vegas. Yes darling . . . We'll be there."

"Your wife?" Mr. Human asked.

"Yup. We were headed to Vegas for the car show. All of us. Are you gonna let our friend go?" Emmett asked him.

"Fuck off!"

"What happens now?" Emmett asked.

"You know what happens now," Leilei said looking at Emmett. "Are you gonna be ok with this? It's about to get ugly."

"Car. . . Big Daddy won't like the fact I didn't ask."

"Go ahead and ask them then."

"You don't have to do this," Emmett started with the plea to not do what they were planning at least. Come and join the Cullens at the most. "We are all friends here, really. There is another way. I live with my family and,"

"Oh Shut the Fuck up!" Ms. Human spat at us.

"See you in Vegas," Leilei said patting Emmett on the shoulder. "This will only take a few minutes. Whistle while you walk." Then she turned her attention back to the guy holding leash on Roan. "Are you gonna let my friend go?" That was followed by a scream. One of the vamps that she couldn't see headed in the direction that she came from she guessed. No guessing actually, he ran into Kolohe and Yutan playing protect the woman and he lost. Or maybe it was Emmett. It didn't matter. "Oh! That doesn't sound good at all."

"What are you?" The woman asked Leilei.

"You can't be that dumb really? Did you think you could play this stupid game without anyone noticing?"

"Noticing what?" Then a vamp head rolled into the clearing where we were having our little chat. "What the fuck is that?"

"You're playing with vampires and you didn't think there would be werewolves," Leilei said as Jacob walked into view on all fours. For a moment things didn't move. It was still . . . then everyone moved. Roan fazed and swiped at the guy who held the leash around his neck and his face just flew off.

Jacob screamed, "Down" and Leilei and Roan both went to the ground as a vamp headed to the faceless body that was falling to the ground.

"Steve! . . . Steve?" The vamp screamed as the faceless guy gushed blood.

Leilei shot her gun just above Roan and hit that vamp on his chest. The vamp knocked the girl and Roan out of the way as he headed to the body.

"I want him!" Roan snarled.

"Let's get him!" Jacob said. Cody, Jamie, Quil, Embry and Seth headed toward the 2 remaining as Jacob let Roan sink his teeth into the vamp on the ground. From out of nowhere I hear Yutan roar. It wasn't like our dad but it was probably the first time he did so in battle. It was still impressive.

"What's the count?" Yutan asked climbing down from a tree.

"4 heads and a dead human male. Where's the other one?" Jacob asked.

"Here!" Cody called. "Leilei help!" There spiked on a tree was the girl that was with Mr. Human.

"Keep back," Leilei said. "She's still alive." Leilei touched her forehead. "Hello?"

"I can't see. What's happening?"

"What's your name? Who are you?" Leilei asked. "I'm the girl that was with the werewolves. Who are you?"

"Why can't I see?"

"You're dying. That vampire pushed you out of the way and you got spiked on a tree. You're dying."

"I can't. No. I can't . . . I can't move. What happened?"

"The guy on the leash turned into a werewolf and slapped the guy who was holding it. He fell to the ground. Some vamp . . ."

"Tony," she said.

"Pushed you out of the way as he was heading to the body and you ended up here. Stuck on a tree."

"Get me to a hospital."

"I can't. You won't make it. You'll be dead soon."

"I can't be dying! I've got kids!"

"They will grow up without you."

"Don't get lost."

"Who's that?"

"Head of the werewolf pack, my boyfriend."

"I can't die . . ."

"You made that decision when you decided to befriend the vampires."

"I wanted to become one of them."

"Dying is how you become one of them too. I'm sorry. Be at peace," Leilei ended chatting with her. "I've got a headache. Wait a few minutes. She's not gone yet. No Roan, you didn't," she said looking at him. The fear in his eyes. He needed to know if he killed a human in battle.

"It was the vamp that headed to the faceless guy. The one Leilei shot. It wasn't you." Jacob confirmed to his pack member. "We should take her down and put them together. And get rid of the bodies."

"She said she had kids."

"It was her decision . . . her choice. Roan needs you. He's got a cut on his side."

"So how long have you been hunting them?" Leilei sent to Roan. Roan was always smart and cautious. A bit of a loner but always loyal and hard working.

"Not really hunting but I knew something wasn't right out here. I could smell them. I didn't know that tonight there was a meeting going on," Roan sent back.

"So you'll have a scar now."

Cody added, "Me too."

"OMG! You got scratched. Get over here." Leilei would scan each of them to look for broken bones or hurt organs that could lead to problems later.

"Lei, we're gonna move her," Jacob said aloud so everyone could hear that her life was over.

"Her name was Tracy," Leilei said. We burned her body with her boyfriend. We left the area looking like it was a meth head party gone bad. 2 days later it made the paper and people stopped disappearing from Olympia.

~15

"It's not fair," Lori whined.

So Leilei took the bait, "What's not fair?" she could guess but she wanted Lori to say it already.

"Mari is talking about going to Sweden with Kolohe for the wedding."

"It's one of our family weddings. Our brother Travis and Rehka are getting married. She's Swedish." Say it already Lori. Say it.

"But I don't get to go anywhere. I have to stay in this stupid little town," Lori whined.

So there it was finally. She didn't ask to come to the farm often. This trip didn't seem to have a reason and now Leilei knew what the problem was. "Nothing is fair but there are things you can do you now. You're 15 now."

"16 in a few weeks."

"Ok 16 then. And I know I shouldn't be telling you this but Kolohe wants to take Mari to Hawaii for a graduation present. And then we'll all be heading to Sweden for the wedding. Do you have a passport?"

"No, why do I need one? I'm never going anywhere," the teen lamented again.

"Ok you'll need to get one. If my mother comes here to visit and she wants to go to Vancouver shopping I'd ask you to go with us so you'll need a passport. But . . . but listen. Please! If you start acting like a responsible teenager maybe your parents will begin to treat you like a responsible teenager. I live here on a farm. We always have work that needs to be done. If you come to the farm on Fridays about 4 pm and work until like 9 or so I'll pay you $25.00 plus I'll throw in dinner."

"What?!" Lori said with shock and horror. $25.00 wasn't money.

"You'll be baking cookies and helping me with dinner."

"How am I supposed to save money for a trip to Hawaii if I'm only making $25.00 a week?"

"Calm down, please! If you decide to work the Friday and Saturday together then you'll make about $125.00 cash for the weekend."

Now her ears perked up. "OK . . . So what do I have to do?"

"On the Friday, it will be baking and wrapping up the cookies. I make the dough on Wednesdays. You'll fresh bake the cookies on Friday and we sell them at the farmers market in Port Angeles for the Quileute school fund. We buy notebooks and pens and school stuff with the money. The leftover money goes into a scholarship fund. We bake and sell about 12 dozen cookies. So on the Saturday we leave here about 7:30 in the morning. Get to Port Angeles and set up our tables and sell at the market until like 2 pm then clean up. I'll spot you the $10 for lunch, we eat out. Then we go to the restaurant supply store, Costco and Staples. Come back to the Quileute School and drop off their stuff and then back here. We'd get you back home about 8 at night. It's an all-day thing."

"All of that for $125.00 in cash . . . hmmmmm."

"If you work, yes. There are girls and some guys from the rez who do that on a rotating basis, so you can't do it every weekend. Maybe once or twice a month. But there are other things you can do to make money to buy the plane ticket. Ask your parents first. Like tomorrow, so they can get used to the idea."

"Yeah, my dad has been really weird since Mari went away to school."

"He just worries. So you could end up banking $100.00 a month. Plane fare and spending money. If you want, I'll come and talk with your parents too. Remember ask your parents and tell then you have a plan to get the money and you'd like their permission to go," Leilei schooled the teenager whose father knew way way too much about everything.

"So Kolohe . . . are you a PhD candidate?" Steve Jackson asked.

"No sir. I don't think so. The farm needs me," Kolohe didn't want to explain to him but he had to.

"Hold it! No PhD. Not working in your field?"

"Daddy!" Mari said.

"Mr. Jackson. I'm fuzzy . . . remember? We hang in groups living near each other for safety and to help our people."

"So you're going to come back here . . . And run the farm?"

"Mari is looking at teaching computer tech either at a community college or high school or maybe even at the rez," Kolohe said to appease his 'hopefully' father in law.

"Mari may move back here?" Steve jumped to the conclusion.

"Maybe?"

~16

"So what do I do Esme? You're the only person I know who might understand."

"What's wrong Mari?" Esme asked.

"Travis is getting married and Kolohe wants me to go to the wedding. With him."

"I understand that Sweden is lovely. What's the problem dear?" Esme continued.

"Well Kolohe wants us to think about starting the marriage planning stuff that Jacob and Leilei had been doing. That's. ."

"Oh, what is the problem?" Pre-engagement classes. It was something that she and Carlisle didn't think about when it came to Bella and seeing that the Kai had classes for their youth seemed sensible to her.

" . . I don't think I could act like Leilei. Just accept a man as my husband with 4 feet and now he's hinting that maybe we should and I can't . . . "

"Oh my . . . Mari. Calm down. Have you talked about this with Kolohe? You've got cold feet. Making major decisions always causes concern dear. Sleep on it. Things will look better in the morning."

~17

"He's fuzzy and he stinks. He's arrogant and snotty," Rosalie began to list Kolohe's good features.

"Rosalie. Please. Enough. We know you hate him but poor Mari. She's in the same situation Bella was in," Esme explained because Rosalie overheard her on the phone.

"But she isn't Bella. Bella knew what she wanted. Mari doesn't know what she wants. She's just scared to make the first step. That's because it isn't a clear step. It's not like – well . . . you know. Being turned. It's a gradual thing like being seduced."

"How? . . . .What?" Esme asked looking at her daughter strangely.

"You, as a woman aren't really a pack member. You just get to sit on the sidelines and watch. It isn't much of a sacrifice in the real sense. But you do get seduced into the Kai lifestyle. You see how they live. All warm and fuzzy family style. They, the Kai anyway have money. They all went to the wedding and everyone was wearing silk kimonos and they were there for what 3 weeks and they took Billy, Paul and Rachel. They are doing what they accuse us of doing to Bella."

"What are you talking about?"

"They think we glamoured Bella into wanting to become one of us and they are doing the same to Mari," Rosalie spat.

"You've never told me that," Carlisle said.

"They think it. They've never said it aloud but they think it. Edward knows it. He told us," she admitted.

"Why didn't you tell me that?" Bella demanded.

"It didn't seem to be important," Edward said. It was important but he decided to keep it a secret from Carlisle and Esme.

"Why did Mari call you?" Carlisle asked his mate.

"Who else can she call? Not her mother and not her grandmother. She's thinking about doing to Kolohe what her grandmother did to Simon, leave him."

"Would they just all pack up and leave if she left him?" Rosalie asked trying to get her hopes up.

"No, they've bought the farm. Leilei's back from school and the family is getting ready for the wedding in Sweden and then her wedding to Jacob when their house is finished. Why is all of this happening now?" Carlisle wondered.

"Mari's nearly finished with school. She's scared . . . Weren't we all at one time?" Esme finished.

~18

"I know I wasn't supposed to tell anyone but Lori was getting on my nerves. Having her think about going to Hawaii may give her some focus. Yes, I gave in after hours of 'How come Mari gets to go to Sweden and not me . . . I don't get to do anything. . .' I told her to ask her parents first and then she'd have to earn the plane fare and spending money. She can work for me here at the farm. And at the farmers market," Leilei said chatting with her best friend. "What's bothering you?"

"It's Lori. I'm worried about her," Mari admitted.

"About her what? What's wrong? I'm worried about you? What's up?"

"I've been thinking. I don't want Lori in this life."

"What life?"

"The life you, we Kai live. I don't want it for her."

"What the fuck! Ok what's wrong with us? NOW!"

"You're dangerous. I don't want Lori in this at all. I want to keep her safe."

"You can't keep her safe. You know that right? There is no 'safe'. There is just safer. Hawaii is safer than here. You get that right? Sorry . . . What's so wrong with our life?" Leilei asked again.

"Kolohe told me all about the aspect thing and then we'd be like you and Jacob. And . . . I can't leave her."

"Oh fuck me. Your life is yours. Her life is hers. You know what's out there and so does your dad, now. We saved him or would you rather that not happened? What will happen, will happen. You can't control anything."

"How can you think like that?"

"You must understand you have no control especially if you give up. Don't give up. One of the Quileute boys could imprint on her tomorrow or that could happen when we go to Hawaii. Or she could die in a car accident in the high school parking lot. You can't control any of that. The Volturi will be here tomorrow or in 100 years. You don't control that either. So worry when you need to. You need to understand I'm scared too. I want to sit with our kids and my parents and my brothers and their kids celebrate our 100 wedding anniversary. But all of our kids may not be alive for that or my parents and Billy for sure. But that doesn't mean I'm not going to enjoy my life and make sure Billy has a wonderful life while I'm here to share it with him. Maybe you should chat with my mom before you go to Hawaii. You have her number right?"

"So what you're saying is you want Kolohe to give up his ability, to become human again so you two can live an ordinary life, a normal life. My son was not born to be ordinary or normal. There is no magic chamber like in the movies when he gives up his ability . . . it's gone forever. Your sons will probably have that ability whether or not Kolohe has kept his. His father was not a pack member but his grandsons were and he used them to try to kill Leilei. You've known that what, 5 or 6 years ago when Kolohe and the pack saved your life. You made the decision then to learn about your people and what have you learned?" Nona asked the woman who was her sons imprint. Now, after 6 years she had cold feet. What was it about the Momoa that made them get all flighty about being married to other Kai? Nona didn't know.

"Your history is full of stories of people being killed by vampires and surviving," Mari told her mother in law to be, maybe.

"Not surviving, thriving in the midst of the danger. We are who we are in spite of being hunted by the vamps, persecuted and brutalized. We are strong not because we are big; we are strong because we are united. Leilei is scared of her new life in Forks, I know this. It's my job as her mother to be there for her. Teach her what I think she needs to know, let her make mistakes and learn from them and watch her move from the job of being a pack leader's wife into her life as a pack leader's wife. She's doing a good job. I'm very proud."

"You see I can't do that."

"No one is asking you to do that. Kolohe is pack leader material but he doesn't have a pack. He's an engineer, he's helping draw up the plans for Leilei's house. He's making plans for a flood control project on the rez and another one outside the Makah reservation. He is much more than a pack member. You should know this by now." There might be a pack leadership in his future, just not right now.

"So what mom? Does she have cold feet?" Leilei asked.

"She has cold everything," Nona concluded. "It seems she was ok with Kolohe when he was there to back her up but now she's seeing her future and she's scared. I'll talk with her when they get here. Will Lori come too?"

"She's been working hard to make money I hope her mother will let her go." Leilei mentioned the trip to Grace Jackson and she didn't seem to want to talk about it. Not a good sign but . . . Leilei could talk with Steve.

"I'll call what's her name again, Grace, and tell her all about the parental supervision and tourist excursions. ~$500.00 for the plane ticket sound right to you?"

"Yeah. They'll check the websites and see it's more than fair," Leilei finished with her mom.

~19

"Mari, how are you? Really?" Nona asked. The trip from Seattle wasn't anything special. Lori was a little white knuckle on the flight but by the time they got out to the homeland the girls were all tired but happy to be somewhere new. After dinner and a shower Lori went to bed early. Kolohe had a Hoku Ao meeting. That left time for Mari and Nona to chat.

"Is he going to ask me?"

"Yes. Do you understand what you mean to him?" Nona asked knowing that by now she should know.

Mari sat for a moment and then said, "I need to know what happened to Simon after my gran left."

"Do I tell you and scare you or not?"

"Scare me," Mari insisted.

"It was not easy. Things got ugly . . . very ugly. He survived it. We survived it. I won't say anything else about it. We know what's out there. We carry our burden. We take care of each other. You're worried about your sister. I had 2 sisters too. 1 was human, married a human and had kids and died with grandchildren. The other died when her husband died. There was a large battle when 1 very large British ship came to Kona. I've seen some of my children die. It's hard . . . very hard but the one thing I've had our community and their love. I owe my life to my people, that's why I serve them. I'm bound to Harkoni. He explained he was dedicated to his people, our people to the end of his life."

"That's what scares me."

"We rarely go to war any more. The Volturi is a concern. But we are preparing," Nona backed off the on scaring her. She was still very new to all of this.

"How do you stand it?"

"What? What will happen, will happen. I want to see Leilei's children and grandchildren and great grand. But tomorrow isn't promised to anyone. I love the man, our life and our kids and you too Mari. I miss my sisters and my brothers that are gone and the girls that I've trained that are no longer alive but they live in my heart. Come in and we will support you and love you and be with you forever. Either you are all in or out completely. If you plan to leave Kolohe, don't come to the wedding in Sweden. It would embarrass him and I will not have that happen to my son. If you're together at the wedding it will be assumed that you're together forever."

A long silence followed Nona's speech, and then Mari asked, "Will I have to invite them to my wedding? All of these people, pack members?"

"No, you are, will be the bride. Your traditions will be followed. Although Kolohe is obligated to invite them. If you want a 20 minute church ceremony followed by a 3 hour reception then that's what it will be. Our traditions are ours. Leilei's wedding will be a thank you to all of our extended family for all of their help and assistance past and present. It will also show off Jacob, the new young Quileute chief to our extended family. It's as much political as it is wedding."

~20

"So, you wouldn't mind me asking your father if I could marry your sister?" Kolohe asked Lori when Mari was out of the room.

"Do I get to be a bride's maid?" she asked back. No hesitation. Kolohe liked that.

"That's for Mari to decide. Not me."

"Would you and Mari live like Leilei and Jacob?"

"No, we wouldn't live like them. Jacob is a tribal chief and he and Leilei have responsibilities' for the tribe. That's why the live like they do."

"Like the Sunday dinner thing I mean?" Lori said with a calmness that scared him.

"Have you been to one of the Sunday dinners at Chief Blacks' house?"

"Yeah, it was fun. The Quileute guys didn't want to look at me at first but then later they did. They were weird about it but they're ok now. They wave and dad looks at them strange sometimes. But he doesn't mind so much now."

"You're a girl and those guys are guys and your dad is a dad like any other dad," Kolohe decided to change the subject.

Later out on a walk Mari admitted, "I'm scared about the future. It's pretty much guaranteed that I'll get your aspect?"

"Yes. And you'll probably be 23 or so. You'll spend a couple hundred years as Leilei's older sister."

"But . . . But what about Lori?" Mari snapped in shock. She never considered that she'd be a in her 20's for a hundred years. Or longer.

"Let her live her own life. She seems happy. College will be a big test. Your parents' will be home alone."

"She'll be watched won't she?" Mari said on the brink of tears.

"If she goes to Univ of Hawaii or WA. Yes. Please don't worry so much."

"So you're moving back to the farm?" Mari asked a pause that made Kolohe worry again.

"Would you like to move in with me? You don't need to answer me right now. Let's finish this vacation and get back to Forks. Then we can head to Sweden."

"I'm surprised that Lori didn't want to go. Sweden, I mean."

"Hawaii was more important than Sweden to her. It's the homeland. She's been dancing and practicing for years," Kolohe smiled wanting the stress that Mari was feeling to be over.

"I'm glad Leilei helped her to come."

"Lori worked, she earned her way here. She's Momoa Kai thru and thru." Shit. That was the wrong thing to say. Mari's eyes narrowed and she shook her head. It was the word 'Momoa'.

"Does she know, you know, fuzzy?"

"No, I don't think so. Leilei wouldn't have told her unless her life was in danger. The Quileute boys are careful."

"What do I tell my dad?"

"He knows some. We'll tell him everything you think he can handle. Nothing more."

~21

"Young lady!"

"I'm sorry. I didn't know," Lori stammered.

"I don't blame you entirely. Cameron is a smooth talker but do your parents let you go and drink alcohol young lady?" Nona went all mother on her.

"No ma'am."

"Do your parents let you go wandering off with strange men at night?"

"No ma'am. I'll pack. When will you send me home?" Lori knew this was the biggest screw up of her life. Her parents would never let her forget this.

"I'm not sending you home. I'm letting you know I'm watching you more closely from now on," Nona said. Lori had no idea.

"I thought Cameron was Hoku Ao."

"Being here on the homeland doesn't make you Hoku Ao. Being Hoku Ao make you Hoku Ao. I'm glad you remembered your self-defense. I'd hate to make that phone call to your parents and tell them any bad news. So tomorrow you and Mari and Kolohe are going to Kona for a few days so see your tutus' relatives."

"Grandma is from here? It's beautiful," Lori said getting off the boat. A plane would have been faster but the boat was more traditional.

"Kolohe!"

"Kami!" the pack members called to each other.

"God you're big," Kami said giving Kolohe a hug.

"White lei for the little one in red, Lori. Great to see you again. My Man!"

"So your grandmother is Kaleki Tanaka. Outstanding! Welcome to your ancestral land," Kami welcomed them into a guest house with orchids leis. The girls would be staying in a cottage nearby with Kolohe staying in the pack house.

"Is Kolohe going to do boy stuff tonight?" Lori asked when they were eating dinner. "Like he did out on the homeland."

"The Hoku Ao land is called Kumukula, the teacher. This is the land of Thunder women. So it will be Hekili stuff tonight," Kolohe told the girls.

"So what happened last night?" Mari asked her sister when they were sitting outside to enjoy the sunset.

"Well I met Cameron at the Crossroads and he asked me if I wanted to have a drink at the dance. I thought he meant juice. Ok, so I'm dumb. And then he got a little touchy. And I hit him a couple of times and then Kemo and Big Tiny showed up to bring me back to the fire," Lori told her sister.

"Mrs. H. was upset. I was wondering why," Mari finished. And then started to worry when she saw Kolohe's face. He was upset. He had the same look as the day at the soccer field when the vamps appeared.

~22

"Mrs. Harkoni wouldn't tell me what happened when my gran left so, do you know what happened?" Mari asked Kami when she was sure Lori wasn't anywhere nearby.

Kami paused and decided maybe Mari should know, "Nona told me you might ask. Well we looked for her for months. We wondered if some vamps were loose here in the islands. We didn't know what happened. It was terrible . . . just terrible. She'd spent time training with Nona, to learn how to be a pack leaders' wife. Simon was in line to be a pack leader. When she disappeared so did all of his dreams, so did his sanity for much of that time. It was about 5 years before he would even speak with us about it and how much it hurt him. His pack wouldn't let him shift when they would because they could feel his pain, since he made the decision to live thru it."

"Could he have just not fazed and become human again, right?"

"His honor and respect was lost when she left him. It was concluded after 2 years she left him so, how horrible a person was he that she left him at the altar? It would have just added more insult to his injury. So after 10 years with all of the healers helping him he made it thru. The day his pack welcomed him back he relinquished his status as pack leader. He was asked by some 30 different women to marry. He picked a woman whose fiancé died; he was killed in a vamp attack after marriage and before she acquired his aspect. He told her he might not love her, ever. She said that was ok. They have 5 kids together: 3 boys and 2 girls. The boys are all pack members the girls are all married and happy," then there was a long pause. That was the story. Now for the ending, "What happened when they saw each other?"

"My gran, Tutu she almost had a heart attack. She recognized him. She was shocked and surprised to see him again. All of everything came flooding back."

"Did she have any other children? Any boys?" Kami was looking for another pack member.

"No, just our mom. But when they saw each other he didn't act like Kolohe acts toward me."

"She's past her ability to have kids, so the attraction isn't what it was. It dissipates with age. Have you and Kolohe started the marriage classes?" Kami jumped to the conclusion she wasn't sure about yet.

"No, not yet."

"You're scared. I smell your fear. What are you afraid of?"

"My parents, Lori I don't want to leave her."

"We all grow up and away from our families of origin. Leilei is leaving her family to move to the . . . What is that place, what is it called?"

"The Reservation. The rez. La Push. She likes it there. Well . . . she says she does. She likes the family pack thing," Mari said when she saw Lori turn the corner.

"What do you know about the packs?" Kami asked not knowing the limit of what Mari knew.

"Tara told me everything," Lori boasted thinking the question was for her.

"Everything?!" Mari screeched.

"Yup," she said confidently. "How Sam and Jacob started the pack structure again to help the guys. So they realize that they were special and how they needed to remember that. What I find funny is that the Quileute stories and the Hawaiian stories are pretty much alike."

"What do you mean?" Mari chuckled. Lori didn't know anything. She hoped that Kami understood that too.

"Well, the stories Pele changing into a white dog and the Hawaiian warriors that changed into dogs. But what were they smoking to come up with those stories?" Lori giggled.

"The same stuff the Quileute were smoking when they believed that they turned into wolves," Mari added to calm herself down.

"Lori, would you get upset if Kolohe married Mari?" Kami asked while Mari looked like she was gonna faint.

"Are you kidding? I'd love it. One of those 3 day weddings like the one Leilei's parents had. We can invite everyone. It would be great!" Lori gushed.

"Would you be upset if we had to move away?" Kolohe followed up. This seemed to be the time. It might not come again.

"We all grow up. Hopefully, I'll be going away to college soon. Maybe at the Univ of Hawaii hopefully."

"Claim Hawaiian ancestry, it helps with the application. Lots, too many people apply to go to school here," Kami added.

"Great! We'll make sure you get to visit the campus while you're here," Kolohe promised.

~23

"Mom, dad. Tutu. It was great. It's sooooo beautiful," Lori gushed for hours. "You told me but I didn't think it was true. Oh I'm so glad I went."

"So, what did you do?" Steve asked.

"Babysat kids and played in the taro fields. I went swimming in the ocean and the lagoon. We went horseback riding and I can almost surf. Hank and Koni held me up on the surfboard. We went to the Univ of Hawaii campus. We went up to the observatory on Momoa Loa and watched the moon rise."

"Who are Hank and Koni?" Steve asked more than once trying to get his daughter to explain them to him.

"Hank is Jacobs' nephew and Koni is Leilei's god son. They know each other and were hanging out with the Hoku Ao on Oahu. Dad! They're both like 10 years old. I really want to go to the Univ of Hawaii. Can I? Can I can I please!"

"You're all calm now. So you've made a decision. Can I know what it is?" Kolohe decided to ask Mari what she was thinking. "You were so antsy on the plane on the way back from Hawaii," Kolohe picked at her for an explanation.

"Well . . . Well . . . Yes," she said. "The answer is yes. Can you and I tell my dad about you and your aspect and stuff?"

"We . . . us . . . together? Sure. You changed your mind. How? What? Why?"

"I called Esme. She said I needed to be sure what I wanted in my life. She said I needed to know in my heart what I wanted: you in my life or you gone forever. And I had to decide would I regret you and I not being together forever. I'm scared but I can't see me without you. Esme said it's like what happened with Bella. She didn't know everything about being a Cullen before she decided to become one of them but she knew she wanted to be with Edward and if that meant becoming a Cullen, then so be it. I want to be with you. I'm not crazy about the vampire fighting but it's part of you. It's what you do. It's what you're born to do and I'm grateful for that. I do like living. I like the fact my dad is still alive. Thank you. I'm scared for the future. But I love you more than I am scared."

"Thank you so much baby. I'll have Leilei ask your dad to come to the farm for a chat."

"Leilei! You did this," Steve announced himself into the kitchen like he owned the place.

"No sir you did. You let her go if she earned the money to go. You let her go," Leilei countered.

"What does Lori know now?"

"That her grandmother was Hekili – that means thunder. That her people live on the big island – Hawaii," Leilei paused and didn't have anything else to say.

"But how about the 'fuzzy' issue?"

"Oh nothing. She's still a virgin. . . . She still doesn't know about us," Oops.

"And my other daughter? When are you leaving for Sweden?"

They'd been back from Hawaii for about a week. "Next week and we'll be gone for 2 weeks," Leilei sighed. A vacation away.

"For a wedding?"

"We'll spend 4 days in Stockholm to sightsee and then up north for the wedding and then a little more sightseeing before we come back," she just gave him the highlights.

"Does the bride know about you all?"

"She's one of us, Northern European version. He dad is a leader like Chaska. You didn't meet her when she was here with Travis? Oh well."

"So this is a big deal. What will Mari have to do?"

"Walk down the aisle and stand on the groom side of the venue. You know stand up nice and look pretty."

"Not in a church?" Steve asked after he poured himself a cup of coffee.

"We're not the 'going to church' type of people."

"Mari will be married in a church," Steve stated firmly.

"We can walk inside a church. We don't go up in smoke," Leilei told him. She decided maybe he was worried that they couldn't walk inside.

"So, it's you and Jacob next year maybe?"

Leilei paused. She knew Steve wouldn't want to hear, "it's our tradition that the woman gets a house as a present. So we'll get married after the house gets finished. Jacob wants to be traditional."

"Hey you!" Jacob called to Leilei as he walked into the kitchen.

"So her house gets finished before your wedding officiated by Pastor Jamison?" Steve wanted to be filled in.

"Not a chance, Bishop Price," Jacob said knowing that those details were settled already.

"A Bishop?"

"No, Bishop is his name. He's the man who married my parents," Leilei clarified. "My mom has most of my wedding planned already."

"So you asked me here, why?" Steve finally got to the point.

"You need to know more of the truth," Kolohe said with Chaska there as backup. This wasn't going to be easy.

"Oh God what now?" He cried putting his hands down on the counter to brace himself.

"There are the things we tell the Kai or the Quileute parents who don't know our stories. Only to the people we are sure will keep our secrets," Chaska started. Then he nodded to Kolohe.

"Oh God what now? Are you pregnant Mari?" Steve asked.

"Dad! No. I. We haven't. No! Dad! Kolohe and I are thinking about getting married. We wanted to tell you first. But there are things you need to know in addition to the fact he's fuzzy," Mari sputtered.

"Oh God what now? I know he doesn't eat dog chow. . . . Are the babies' puppies or something?"

"We fuzzy men have extended lifetimes, just like the vampires," Kolohe started slowly.

"What! Vampires have lifetimes? Extended lifetimes?"

Chaska spoke, "Some of the vamps we've killed were very old. Hundreds of years. Some of our pack members are old also."

"What? Chaska! What? Ok then, how old are you?" Steve snapped.

"157 years old."

"No! Really?"

"157 last June."

"Not in months."

"I was born in a time in Hawaii when some of the native people counted time by your calendar. So they know and recorded my birth in 1856."

"You're serious," Steve said as he slid onto one of the kitchen stools.

"Yes."

"You can't be."

"I am. A few of us have a longevity gene with the fuzzy genes."

"So you'll live a long time?" Steve asked Kolohe beginning to understand.

"Yes, way past human normal," Kolohe answered his potential father in law. He hadn't even responded to the 'Mari and I are thinking about getting married' part of the pronouncement. Good.

"But you aren't old," Steve questioned.

"No, I'm not 156 old and grey."

"You look like you're in your 40's. You stop aging?" Steve asked trying to work it all thru.

"No, we don't stop aging. We just age slowly," Chaska fed him the truth of life as a shifter slowly.

"So you've just aged slowly over the last 130 years," Steve nodded making it make sense. "Ok, So Kolohe how old are you right now?"

"37."

"WHAT! Mari is 22. You're too old for her."

"Mari is my perfect everything. You know this already," Kolohe insisted firmly.

Jacob looked at Steve and added, "I'm 25."

"Hold it, hold it. What you're telling me is if Mari marries Kolohe, he'll outlive her by what? 100 or 200 years?"

"No sir. Mari may acquire my longevity gene from me. A gift to my wife maybe acquiring the longevity gene. So as long as I'm a pack member, going fuzzy on a regular basis, we will be linked. That is the gift to the woman who is the mother of my sons. Increased health and lifespan for however long my life will be," Kolohe said his practiced speech in a relaxed manner.

"So it's pretty much guaranteed that will happen to Mari since you are imprinted on Mari. So what does that mean...?" Steve wanted it to be clarified again. Just so he'd know what would happen.

"I'll outlive you and mom," Mari said.

"That's as it should be."

"But I also won't age from the time of the birth of our first pack member son. So when you and mom are in your 80's, I'll still look the same as I do now, I guess. I'll age but you won't see it."

Now he understood what he was being told. She'd be young for his lifetime, "That will be hard on your mother," Steve said finally getting it straight in his mind.

"But I'll, we'll always be there to take care of you and your wife and Lori," Kolohe said taking Mari's hand.

"We won't tell her . . ." Steve said and then the boys' heads snapped to look out the door.

"What?" Mari asked. Leilei's index finger went up. That meant quiet. The chickens were screaming in the background.

"Vamps?" Steve asked.

"Not hardly . . . Earthquake." Leilei said while the pans in the kitchen started to bang together. After a minute and a half total it was over.

"We'll, we've had drills before so now the first time, a real emergency," Jacob said. We all pulled out our phones and waited for them to ring.

"The house is fine," Tara said smiling as she walked into the kitchen. "I miss doing the hula in a house doing the hula too."

"Where's your mom and tutu?" Kolohe asked Mari.

"Port Angeles," Steve said. "With Lori out shopping."

Jacob jumped into action, "I'll take the bike and call when I know what's what."

"Let me know what you need and I'll load the truck and head to the school," Leilei called after him.

"Where were we?" Chaska asked to bring us back to the topic.

"You know knew this all the time and you didn't tell me?" Steve asked his daughter. "So if . . ." he interrupted Mari's protestations. "When you have a baby boy that will be fuzzy then you'll stop aging. Leilei you already have Jacobs' aspect. Do you 2 have a . . ."

"No sir, we don't. I got a blood transfusion from Jacob after the attack. I caught a disease from the attacker. So the blood transfusion from Jacob saved me and I have his aspect. Being linked this way to your husband is called having his aspect," Leilei explained with Tara touching her to help with the right words.

"So you're 16 forever?"

"No, I'll look 16 until I don't. What that means is I won't look 20 until I'm 80 maybe."

"So you and Jacob aren't . . . beside the fact you two live together," Steve said incredulously. That cannot be true.

"No sir. I've told you before my mom has magic too. And she can read my mind. If we did, she'd know."

"WHAT! Your mom can? You grew up with her being able to do that?"

"Yeah," Leilei nodded. And so did, Tara. "It sucks to be me but that's the way it was. Is."

"But you sleep together . . ." He started on a rant.

"We do, but no. We don't . . . sorry, my phone. Hello Mrs. Cullen. We're fine. Thank you for calling. Ok, when Jacob calls me I'll let you know. Thank you again. Bye Mrs. C. What? Dr. C. will be available if we need him. Seth is on his way. I'll call when I have something to tell you."

"Be careful," Leilei called to Jacob. He'd gotten all suited up for the ride to the rez on his trail bike.

"Does he really need to be careful?"

"Yes, if he dies, so do I. We're linked for his lifetime. Yes, for as long as he's a pack member," the end of the truth story was out now.

"What about the kids?" A question out of blue from Steve.

"The kids will be fine. My grandfather died in a tsunami in Samoa, his wife was linked to him. My father was fine," Kolohe clarified.

"Your father, that's the man whose name you don't say. Your father's not a fuzzy, you are and your brothers?"

"Yutan yes. Not the others, but some of their sons . . . were. But those others aren't my mother's kids. There's a higher chance of fuzziness if . . ." Kolohe tried to explain something very complicated without using any names.

"Ok, I get that both parents have a genetic history. So Leilei and Jacob will have fuzzy boys and magic girls. And so will you and Mari when . . ." then it hit him. His little girl was going to become one of them. "So is this what you want?"

"I want to know you and mom are ok. I want to know Lori is ok," Mari tried not to cry.

"We can't tell your mother now, I know that. I feel better knowing but I don't want you putting your life in danger," Steve said pounding his fingers into Kolohe's chest. "You will not hurt my baby. Do you understand me?"

"Yes sir."

"Will you be with her forever?"

"Forever! And I pledge on my honor and on my blood to protect her and you and your family for as long as I live! Forever Mr. Jackson!" Kolohe pledged to his new father in law to be. "I'll come to dinner and ask you for her hand in marriage formally on Friday."

"Your mother is going to love this," Steve said giving his daughter a hug. The scream was heard all over town. Mari and Kolohe got engaged. And the ring had a nice little diamond in it.