Chapter Seven

Happy Happy Birthday

Nessie

When I awoke that morning I had the sense I had forgotten something. Something very important to me, but I couldn't remember what it was. I looked over and saw my calender saw the x's marking the date, only I had forgotten to fill in the last six in a row. It was Claire's birthday today luckily I had, had the dress for several weeks.

I went over to the box in the corner marked Claire's birthday and was wondering what exactly Alice had gotten for me for the enchanted theme. I smiled as I pulled out the purple sparkly ball gown and was surprised to find a wrapped package underneath. A note had been placed on it and I opened it.

I left my room taking the wrapped package with me. Nahuel and Alex were both up and Nahuel stared at me in astonishment.

"Wow Claire what have you got on?"

"Its a ball gown." I replied and he smiled.

"Its amazing, what is the occasion?"

"A friend of mine is turning ten. Sam said that I could bring 'guests' if I wanted to, I suppose he means Alex, but would you like to come as well?" I asked and smiled.

"I would be delighted to accompany you." He replied and I smiled. "Just let me get changed." He said and slipped back into his room handing me Alex. He came out a moment later in a velvet suit complete with a cape and fake fangs. "Would you care to drop by for a bite?" He asked and I laughed.

"Do you have more of those." I asked him and he nodded.

"I like to wear them for fun, I love plastic fangs." He said. "Now do you think I am a match for the count?" He asked and covered his mouth with his cape.

"Very scary." I agreed and he laughed.

"I got another one when we went to the toystore yesterday, your welcome to them. I even got this for Alex." He said and pulled out a binky with little white fangs attached to it. Alex grabbed the binky and put it into his mouth.

"Very fearsome." I said and he growled through a mouthful of binky. I laughed and smiled at Nahuel as he gave me the plastic fangs. "Thank you." I said, getting out my shoes. "Lets go." I said and put in the rubber fangs. He laughed as we walked to my car and drove to Claire's house. We got out of the car and knocked on the door, Claire's mother Amelia answered it smiling.

"Hello Nessie." Amelia said smiling, she was wearing a light blue dress and a little tiarra.

"Hello Amelia, this is Nahuel and Alex." I said smiling.

"Oh what are you?"

"A vampire family." Nahuel replied smiling. "Living in the sixteenth century."

"I want to give Claire her present." I said and she smiled.

"Come this way then." She said and took me to Claire's room.

"Nessie!" She said and hugged me enthusiastically. She was wearing a white dress that fell about her ankels with poofy sleeves.

"Hello Claire, well now your in the double digits." I said and she smiled at me. "I wanted to give you your present now as apposed to later." I told her and got out the dress, I smiled as her eyes went wide as she opened it.

"Its the same as yours." She said and I nodded, she hugged me tightly and I smiled at her as she put it on along with the shoes.

"Come on I want you to meet Nahuel and his nephew." I said and she smiled taking my hand we went down the staircase just in time to see the pack and their imprints arrive as well as the original pack from back when Quil first imprinted.. Jacob and Nahuel were actually growling at each other when we came down but stopped as soon as they heard our steps.

"Good Morn, we are here to celebrate the most momentous of occasions, the Princess Claire is turning ten today. People have gathered throughout the land to celebrate this most marvelous of occations." I smiled seeing a small boy behind the members of the two packs with a gift, I supposed that if Claire invited both packs there wouldn't be much room for anyone else. "There shall be dancing and feasting and much merriment." I said and then I smiled. "At least there will be if people stop growling at each other." Claire and some of the pack laughed at this. I smiled, it wasn't very many things that could get the packs into fancy dress but they all agreed to it today.

"Refreshments are out back." Amelia said. "Along with games." I grinned as everyone went outside. I was however suprised by the two crates and swimming floaties that the pack and I called noodles. Amelia smiled at us and said. "There are several games that Claire picked out with me, a crate joust, pin the tail on the werewolf..." There were some howls on that one.

"You aren't pinning a tail on me!" Embry said and clutched his backside making both Claire and I laugh.

"Uh Embry its a painted werewolf, mommy made it." Claire said and Embry relaxed his hold.

"Anyway there is also face painting and the cannonball of doom toss, as you can see, Claire has already made the castles." I smiled at the castles made of plastic storage boxes, they might have worked for a ten year old but there was no way the pack was fitting under those things. "So Claire what do you want to do first?"

"Water balloon fight." Claire replied and I smiled.

"You heard the princess now Claire you must choose your knights." I said and smiled. "Or ladies."

"Alright." She replied. "I want Nessie to be on my team." She said and I stood beside her smiling. "You can pick someone if you like Nessie." She said and I smiled.

"Nahuel and the wee babe." I replied and he stood beside me smiling.

"Embry." Claire said grinning as Embry flounced over trying to make his walk as funny as possible. "Freddy." The boy grinned and stood beside Claire. "You can pick someone if you want Freddy."

"Who's the big man?" He asked and I couldn't help laughing.

"Well all my Uncles aren't exactly small." Claire replied smiling. "But the one you are pointing to is Paul." Paul went over to where we were standing. "Quil." She said and Quil smiling came over to stand beside her. "You may choose someone if you wish to Paul.

"Well then I suppose that it will have to be my fair lady Rachel." He said and Rachel smiled coming over to stand beside him, I smiled as he kissed her hand. Claire also grinned as we got behind our fort. We waited for a few minutes and I smiled realizing that Embry and Paul were both hanging off the end of the castle.

"To arms my country men to arms!" I cried and Claire laughed as I tossed a water balloon over to the other side. A most satisfying yell showed that my aim was true but in the next moment the fire was returned and Embry got quite wet. "A comrade had fallen let his death not be in vain, let him not go to his watery grave alone but with others." I said and we started throwing water balloons together, the others returned fire although some fell short and I smiled. We continued to let fly until Leah came up from the fort.

"Will you not parlay?" She asked and I smiled.

"For what course is the parlay?" I asked standing up.

"For our surrender, we are out of ammo you are the victors." She replied and I smiled.

"Victory is ours Claire, victory is ours." I said and she laughed as I picked her up and whirled her around upsetting our fort. "Although the castle has fallen victory is still ours." She laughed again and hugged me before standing besides me as the rest of our team rose. I knew that the pack had most probably made the victory easier so that Claire would win but I smiled down at her all the same and realized how much she glowed, as if it was her and not I who was the half vampire. "Would the lady Claire accompany me in a dance?" I asked and she grinned.

"I would be delighted." She replied and I smiled taking out the cd I had burned from my father's supply. Soon classical music filled the garden and I smiled bowing as she curtsied. I then took her hand and led her in a waltz. She smiled and then laughed having fun as we spun round and round in elegant moves. Pretty soon the rest of the pack joined us dancing for the most part with their imprints.

"May I cut in?" Nahuel asked giving a bow to Claire after the first song was finished. She giggled and nodded as he took me by the shoulders. Dancing with Nahuel was so much fun, he was as skilled as Jasper at the old dances perhaps because they were popular in his time. I smiled feeling as light as air as we went through the complected steps, my dress whirling about as we spun. The song ended eventually and Jake walked up to us.

"Er-Would you like to dance with me Nessie?" Jake asked and I smiled, Jacob was always making sure I was alright and having fun. I loved him even though he might be gay, I wasn't that sure of it.

"I would love to Jake." I replied and Nahuel bowed and sat down on one of the chairs. Jake wasn't well the most graceful of dancers lets be kind to him and say that. When we backsteped his food connected with my toe. I smiled at him and saw that strange gleam to his eyes, his eyes were always enchanting to me, despite them being black they had more expression in them then in any other person I had ever met. "Jake look." I said smiling at where both Sammeth and Alex were not so much dancing but leaping at each other. Jake laughed.

"I wonder if that's what this looks like to them." He said and I smiled.

"Maybe." I replied as we continued. The song ended eventually and I smiled at Claire who was dancing with her Cousin Quil or at least that's what she called him. Their bond was like mine and Jake's, he had been in her life forever. She smiled back as they whirled one last time, her head barely coming up past his stomach.

I smiled and sat down watching the rest of the pack dance. It was interesting to say the least as Embry had given up on the more classical and was dancing Embry style. Which essentially meant a whole lot of funky chicken. Claire came over and sat beside me laughing at Embry who's dancing did not fit the music. Aware that he had an audience Embry started to attempt to break dance which lead to his hand being accidentally stepped on by Quil, who was dancing with Leah.

"Sorry." Quil said. "I thought you were a snake." Everyone burst into laughter including Jake who didn't seem to like the dancing very much and was standing over in the corner and talking with Sam. I went over there and smiled at both of them.

"I am sure pack business is very vital, but its Claire's birthday." I said and took both Sam and Jake by the arm as Claire's mom put away the CD.

"Hey Claire Bear what do you want to do now?" I asked and she smiled at me.

"Pin the tail on the wolf." She said and Embry clamped his hands to his backside.

"Not on this wolf you aren't." He said again and I smiled, so Embry.

"I told you it was painted by my Mom." She said. "See?" She asked showing a drawing of a wolf on a twenty sheet spread of printer paper taped together.

"Oh right." Embry says and she laughs as her Mom tapes the drawing to a tree.

"Alright time for you to be spun." I say to her and smile taking her by the shoulders. "One, Two, Three, Four, Five, Six, Seven, Eight, Nine!, TEN!" I said and let her go in the direction of the target. I smiled as seemed a bit unsteady and pinned the tail as close as possible to the wolf. She took off the blindfold and smiled before turning to me.

"Your turn." She said and approached me with another tail, I glanced around saw where Embry was standing and smiled. The blindfold fell over my eyes and I was spun around seven times but knew where I would land. I stumbled around for a minute pretending to be dizzy before I walked into Embry and touched his clothes. I nodded and stuck the tail on his back. I then took off the blindfold.

"Your not the tree!" I said and Embry pretended to be angry.

"Do I look like a tree?" He demanded. "I think not, no I am not a tree and yet you stuck a tail on me." He started to do a classic Embry pout, lip jutted out, you want puppy dog eyes try werewolves now they can do full blown puppy dog eyes.

"I'm sorry Embry, I won't mistake you for a tree again." I said and tossed him the blindfold. He smiled and put it over his eyes, spinning around and around before coming to a stop and trying to pin the tail on the picture, he missed it entirely and gave the blindfold to someone else. We continued to play until the doorbell rang and Claire's mom brought pizza which was a clear sign to the guys to drop the game and eat. I smiled and took two pieces. "Hey Alex, you hungry?" I asked him and he nodded, I gave him one of the pieces and he devoured it, he smiled up at me and I smiled back.

"Som'i." He said and I gave the other piece I had grabbed to Som'i who got pizza sauce and cheese all over her muzzle but seemed to enjoy it. I smiled and stayed with them, surprised when they both climbed into my lap and fell asleep. I gently stroked Sammy's fur it was warm and soft. Leah came over and sat beside me holding two sodas I smiled at her and took one opening it. Sammy's claws were sharp as she kicked in her sleep. I gently picked up Alex and handed him to Leah smiling despite that my legs felt like they were becoming string cheese.

"Her claws are sharp aren't they?" Leah asked. "Sam was thinking about clipping them as she doesn't need them that sharp for now." I winced nodding and looked down at Sammeth, she was curled up in a small black ball, in my lap. I loved the feel of her fur soft smooth and silky, I wouldn't ever dare to stroke the others like this.

"She is so beautiful." I said and Leah smiled.

"You sound like Collin." She said and I laughed. "I swear, I think Alex is the most beautiful baby I have ever seen but I don't go on about it like he does. It seems whenever I see him its Sammy this, Sammy that."

"They talk to each other, Sammy and Alex." I said and she stared at me.

"Really?" She asked.

"Yes in their minds, they can even do it when Sammy isn't in wolf form." I replied.

"I don't know how that is possible." Leah said and I smiled.

"Well Leah, technically speaking if we went by the possible, everyone here today with the exception of Claire, her boy friend and her family wouldn't exist." I said and she laughed nodding.

"Nessie." Nahuel said sitting down with a slice of pizza. "I was wondering if you would like to share this with me, I almost bled for it."

"Hey the pack isn't that bad!" Leah said and Nahuel smiled.

"Really? I don't think your the one who is bruised from the side jabs. I'm not a macho man never pretended to be, but getting a slice is like an all out wrestling match." He said and handed over the pizza. I took out my fangs took a bite and passed it back. Human food is hard to describe, for some reason it all tastes a lot like playdough. I swallowed my bite watching as Nahuel took a bite and grimaced before passing it back to me. We continued to pass it back and forth until we finished it.

"How can you eat that little?" Leah asked and we both shrugged.

"Well, if it tasted like playdough would you eat it, and we 'eat' other things to make up for it." I replied and Leah grimaced then hid it pretty well.

"So, are you ready for the joust, test your strength and courage." Claire's mother said and smiled. "Step up and don't be shy."

"I wonder how long before those pillows are gone." I said as Quil and Embry started 'jousting' each other. Feathers were flying everywhere and by the end the pillow stuffing was mostly on the ground and both of them were still on the crates.

Claire giggled and went over to Quil. "Its not supposed to be pillow demolition." She said and he smiled in reply.

"Sorry fair maiden will you forgive me?" He asked and she smiled.

"Always noble knight." She replied and then I noticed that the party was starting to break up. Jake and Seth both had already left and several of the pack looked like they were about to do the same. I smiled and gently held Sammeth in my arms before going over to Emily and handing her to her mother. Emily smiled and put her in a sling careful not to wake her.

"We should get going as well." Nahuel said and I nodded, it was only two but it seemed much later then that somehow. "Could I have my nephew?" He asked and Leah handed him Alex, she looked at him like I saw Jared gaze at Kim sometimes. Jake looked at me like that sometimes, I suppose it was just a way that werewolves showed they cared about you.

We left in the car and Nahuel turned to me before we were even completely away. "What is with you and Jacob?"

"Nothing, he's just my friend." I replied.

"He seemed jealous of me, I think he wants more then friendship." He said and I shook my head a part of me wishing that it were true.

"Jake is gay." I said and he stared at me. "I heard him and Leah talking about telling me."

"Oh, a bit of a hard way to find out." He said and I nodded. "Nessie, I... that is to say... I really like you."

"I really like you too Nahuel." I replied smiling.

"I was wondering, the way you look at Alex sometimes, do you want a family?" He asked and I smiled.

"I do want kids and someone who loves me and that I love." I replied, I already felt warm just being besides him."

"Good because I was wondering, after you stop aging if you would like to be my mate?" He asked and I felt so happy in that moment I hugged him even though he was driving a car.

"Oh Nahuel I would love to." I replied and he grinned.

"Instead of going to the house why don't we drive to Port Angelos and watch a movie?" He asked and I grinned, I would be forever with this man, one of my own kind.

"I would love that." I replied. "Something suitable for Alex though. How about Alvin and The Chipmunks?" I asked and he grinned.

"Sounds great." He replied and we drove to the theater together. The movie was great but I couldn't help but see the pack in the computer generated chipmunks somehow I don't know why but it was there. The movie finished, Alex had slept through the whole thing, I bet he was tired from playing with Sammy. We got back around five and Alex woke up.

"Hey there sleepy." I said and he smiled at me as my family came in from picking up my parents. They had gone to south america for a second honeymoon. "Hi guys." I said "Have fun?"

"Yes we did." My Mom replied and I smiled at her. I went up to her and gave her a hug.

"So did I." I replied and Alex giggled. "When do you think Alice and Abigale will be back?"

"Most probably in two or three days. I missed you while I was gone."

"Missed you too Mom although I had fun with Alex and Nahuel." I said and Nahuel smiled at me.

"Moo'i." Alex said and I smiled.

"Alright." I replied and put in Finding Nemo. Alex seemed entranced by it and we watched it together. "Moo'i?" Alex asked and I grinned.

"One more alright?" I asked and he nodded. I put in Toy Story and after that I turned off the TV. I picked up Alex who yawned and realized that Nahuel must have dozed off during the movie. I shook him gently awake and he smiled groggily at me.

"It's over?" He asked and I nodded smiling as he got up and we walked back to the cottage. Nahuel went into his room with Alex and I went into mine. I got undressed and practically fell upon the bed it had been a fun day but also very long and I was tired.

AN: And so another child becomes addicted to televison, honestly bookaholics are the minority but nerds like us shall rule the world one day!