[Dave]

The small sachet Bella left me was on the table, and I was still staring at it and wondering how that little thing could actually work. I bashed myself shortly after. It was my Bella I was doubting, my best friend and a Whisperer, no less… but every time I was going to take it, I was assaulted by more doubts. I didn't even notice it was clear outside, but when I did I had to watch the clock on the wall twice to actually believe it. But since I wasn't that convinced yet and that clock – some heirloom my father insisted on giving me – was so ugly I started hoping it would break the moment I hung it at that wall, maybe I just got lucky… it was worth checking.

"Grace, honey? What time is it? For real? That clock must be broken."

"It's time for you to get up from that couch and stop staring at the void. And about the clock… that hideous thing still works."

I gave a look to that beautiful, sarcastic creature that also happened to be my wife, and for a second I wondered why in the hell I married her.

"Sorry, I feel a little pressured up at the moment."

"Bella gave you a way out of this. Twelve hours ago. Try that damn talisman and see what happens!"

"You heard her, she wasn't sure of what could happen!"

Grace sighed and sat next to me, taking my hand in hers. She still looked like she had just turned 20, more or less like me, but her eyes revealed her real age. No twenty-year-old could have that look. When we both were younger and completely under the imprinting influence I couldn't help but find her beautiful and desirable, no matter what she did or looked like. After a few years – well, decades – of married life I could tell for sure… and this was the scary part… that it wasn't the imprinting that make me feel that way for her. Not just that, anyway. Julie had been my first girlfriend, my first lover, my first everything. And Grace was always there too, with her quiet presence and her sense of humor. When Bella went away, I grew closer to her… she was one of the few that voted against Bella's kidnapping, standing up against her beloved father. I didn't know how she knew about us werewolves, Sam would have never broken the vow of secrecy for her, but in that moment… it was probably in that moment I fell in love with her. Imprinting followed a few months later, when Grace phased just after her birthday. Everyone thought I betrayed my soon-to-be wife because of that… wrong motivation, wrong time.

"Since when don't you trust Bella Black?"

"Cullen. She hates to hear that surname. And I trust her, I do. But…"

"You're scared to see her again."

The unfaithful fiancé and the treacherous best friend, that was what we were called back in the day. Julie had always been the big elephant in the room during all our marriage. Hell, even at our wedding. And now that I knew for a fact that Julie had been here all the time I wondered how much was our imagination and how much was real.

"Of course I am. Look at what she did to those poor men. She might not be solely responsible, but you can see her hand behind this. She always said she would've killed me if I betrayed her."

"Well, she's always been a woman of her word. But you have a way to save yourself now."

"Hiding," I reminded her.

"Isn't a little too late for your male pride to show up?" said Grace, obliging me to look at her. "Dave, listen. You need to do this. Call me selfish, but I'd like to get old one day, with you."

I already heard something like that before. Every girlfriend, fiancée and wife of a La Push werewolf said it at least once in their lives, before the men they loved would phase and disappear in the woods. You could never know what could hide there now. When the Cullens lived here, the number of nomadic vampires crossing our land was close to zero. Now there was always someone that tried to pass the treaty line, as we still call that place in the forest, and most of times they weren't friendly at all. That was what I was ready to fight. But an enemy no one but Bella could see… not so much.

I took a deep breath. "Well, here goes nothing…" I said, and before I could change my mind, I took Bella's talisman and wore it around my neck. I was ready to feel anything, to anything to happen…

Nothing.

Nothing happened.

I was still on the couch, with Grace holding my hand, and she was looking straight at me.

I sighed again. "Seems like Bella has to take her Witchcraft class again. Well, it was worth trying…"

I frowned. And observed my wife more attentively. Grace wasn't looking at me. She looked more like she was looking through me… and she probably was.

"D-Dave?" she whispered. "Dave, are you still here?"

I held her hand tighter, and Grace visibly relaxed.

"Oh thank God, I was so scared! One second you were there and the second after… are you alright? Can you talk?"

"Do you hear me? Grace?"

"Dave? Are you still here?"

I sighed. Clearly she couldn't hear me, but she could feel me. I clutched her hand again, and Grace slowly nodded.

"Ok. One for yes, two for no. Are you fine?"

With that system, my clever wife also made me promise to stay inside the house and not to go wander for the reservation. I was invisible, but not intangible. I could still get hurt, and it was better not to raise suspicions.

Of course, the next thing I did was to get out of the house the moment Grace left my hand. She would probably kill me once this was over, but the last thing I wanted was to stay home sitting on my thumbs.

But once I got outside… Well, to say I wasn't prepared to this is an understatement. I could seeeverything. All the living creatures, and the ones that weren't alive any longer. Some of them were old, others were faces I knew. I couldn't believe my eyes… I never imagined there were so many ghosts in the reservation. Sure, Bella explained me last night all the reasons why a ghost would stay in the land of living, but to think of something was not exactly like seeing it in front of your eyes.

Like Bella, I couldn't help but think. That was what my friend had seen all the time for the past 20 years. Again, I felt my respect for her grow. She was a good person that decided to devote her entire existence to help people… and it's not something anyone can do. Not for eternity, at least.

Now that I knew human and werewolves couldn't see me (that, or it was the 'Ignore Dave Call' Day), I decided to make another test and go to Bella's. I also wanted to see how she was coping with her friend's death. The moment Bella came back the situation changed… Jacob disappearing, Charlie, Bella's friend sudden death. It was like someone was trying to get back at the reservation, yes, but hurting Bella at the same time. But no one knew she was coming, except me…

Whatever. I started to run in the forest and I phased before I could even realize. Habit. I had been a werewolf for half of my life, and that way I could get there faster. Again, no one saw me. I was actually starting to find the situation fun. Where the hell was this thing when I was in high school and there were all those cheerleaders…

Ahem.

I was one of the fastest runners in the pack; reaching the Swan residence was really easy. I took again my human form when I was still in the forest, and for once I didn't have to worry about what I was wearing – or not wearing. But there was just one thing to do to be certain, and I stepped inside the house.

Bella was sitting on the couch, and looked like a perfect, polished marble statue. She was perfectly still, she wasn't even blinking. Bella just sat there, staring at the void, with the saddest expression I ever saw on her face – and I had seen many.

"Bells?"

Nothing.

"Isabella?"

No reaction.

"Isabella Marie Black?"

When she didn't flinch at the sound of her old surname I was certain she couldn't see or hear me. While I stood relieved – I didn't want my best friend to know methatgood- , I also felt a little scared. Bella was the only one that really knew what was going on. Not being able to talk to her wasn't exactly a good thing…

Then Bella slightly frowned and started again to look like a human being, scanning the room like she expected to see something.

"Is there someone here?"

Thank God, for giving her all those psychic abilities!

Now, I had to make her aware of my presence… but Bella, once again, was quicker than me.

"Dave?"

I moved closer and touched her shoulder. She turned her head to look at me, and touched my hand with hers. She sighed, visibly relieved.

"At least one thing went according to plan."

But I couldn't go on like this, I needed another way of communication… I had eyed pencils and a notebook near the phone in the entrance, it was worth a try.

[Bella]

Finally. Finally some good news. As soon as that situation was over, I had to make sure to call Eamonn and thank him for, like, hours. I couldn't dream of a better help.

Dave touched my shoulder again, then he removed the hand and for a few minutes I had no idea of where he was. I could feel a presence, yes, but nothing too precise… like the shadows at the corner of my eyes when I was still alive and my ability hadn't kicked in yet. Then I saw a pencil and a notebook floating in the air, and coming in my direction.

"What do you want to know, Dave?"

The pencil began to move quickly on the paper, and an instant later Dave turned it so I could see.

How did you know it was me?

"Who else could it be? I see pretty much everything… you were the only thing I wasn't sure I could. Guess I am, now."

More writing.

Sorry for your friend. Where is she?

"Upstairs. Edward is still with her… he feels responsible. As I do."

Stop it right now. You can't foresee anything!

"Doesn't help, but thanks anyway…"

I wanted to tell him what was really going on with Elizabeth, but if I opened my mouth he would've felt compelled to do something. I knew that. So when he scribbled something about me not telling him something, with three question marks and underlined three times…

"My friend is not dead. Not really… But it's just a matter of time."

What? Bella, I don't understand.

"Go upstairs, and take a good look at her. You'll understand."

[Dave]

I frowned. What was Bella trying to say?

For a second I thought about asking her, but then I just decided to do as I was told, and I went upstairs. The door was already open, and I just stepped inside. I didn't know if Edward could sense me as well – God knew how much vampire senses could be acute – but after I moved closer to the bed where Elizabeth was, I realized that wasn't a problem. Edward looked exactly like Bella did before she noticed my presence. A perfect, shining, incredibly sad marble statue. I gave him a long look. So that was the infamous Edward Cullen, the never forgotten first love of the late Mrs. Black. In that moment I wished Jacob would never find out of his presence there. Beside fighting against a ghost for years, there was another reason why Jacob hated that bronze-haired guy… I saw something in Jacob's and Sam's head, something about Bella being completely devastated by Edward's departure, but nothing more. And I couldn't bring out the subject myself, cause I valued my life too much and everyone would know I paid too much attention to shared memories during our time as wolves.

And the girl, Elizabeth… with that skin and those hair, she looked as close as a vampire a human could be. And beautiful, even with that broken arm and those bumps and bruises on her skin. I made a mental note to ask Bella what happened to her friend before coming here, why she was helping her… but first things first, I promised to take a closer look at that girl. So I did.

I wasn't an expert – obviously; the expert was sitting on the couch downstairs – but that body didn't look like it had been dead for 12 hours. Even I knew about rigor mortis and stuff – god bless Discovery Channel – and the way Edward was holding her hand… in a nutshell: Elizabeth looked more comatose than dead. But she was dead, because she wasn't breathing…

I felt Bella climbing the stairs a few moments after, and I stepped out of the way before she could bump into me. She gave me a short glance, and then walked to Edward, putting her hands on his shoulders.

"Edward, let's go. We must feed."

"I'm not thirsty."

"Yes, you are. We didn't feed that much before leaving Chicago, and we can't allow ourselves to get weak. Not now."

"Do you really believe we can make her come back?"

At that point, Bella glanced again in my direction. With the same look she had when she needed me to do something for her, and she really didn't want to ask for my help.

"We must find her first. And ghosts… they won't tell me that. I'm the enemy after all."

But I could spy them for her. Good plan, Bella.

"But I won't ask anyone to do my job in my place."

Edward was too concentrated on his own guilt and pain to catch the sense of that sentence, but I just wanted to shout at Bella and tell her to stop acting like that. It wasn't just her battle, it was mine, too. And I would've fight it till the end.

"I'll go downstairs now… don't wait too long," she said, hugging Edward's shoulders for an instant and then letting him go. I followed her downstairs, where I found my pencil and notebook, but Bella motioned me to wait until we were outside of this house.

What's wrong with your friend and how can I help you?

"You will keep yourself from getting killed, that's how you can help me."

Bella, you know I can help your friend. And you know I know that you know.

"And I hate myself for this! Dave, I can't lose another friend. Forget I ever suggested you this!"

Or what? You will turn me into a frog?

"No, but I sure know someone who could."

Nice try, but I'm doing it anyway.

I threw the notebook at her, and I ran away in the forest before she could do anything about it. Except shouting my name, and what an utter idiot I was being, something she did since we were children… something I fiercely missed in these twenty years of separation.

If Elizabeth's soul was still around here, I would've found her. Bella maybe forgave me long ago, but that was my chance to finally make things even with my betrayal, when I indirectly helped Charlie and Josh kidnap her from Forks once the pack learned she was a Whisperer. I would've moved the mountains, if that could help me achievethat.

But first… Clothes.

***

[Elizabeth]

There was just one thing worse than being helpless: being helpless and obliged to listen to a crazy woman's ramblings all night long. Claire clearly wanted to be sure I understood the reasons why she wanted to destroy the reservation and had killed all those men. I was wrong: Julie was indeed dangerous, but it was Claire that summoned her, longing to see her daughter again. Claire wanted revenge and told the daughter how to become a Lady in White, or something like that. And again, it was Claire that came out with the plan and found a way to build her army. Claire also wanted to hurt Bella, and I had no idea why. Bella didn't tell me the details of what happened in La Push when we left Chicago – I was too sedated and too scared, and even if she did I wouldn't remember anyway. But now I was scared. For me, obviously, but also for her. Bella…

How Bella could be part of this equation was beyond me, but it was true that her father was taken just a few hours after her arrival. And that ghost guy – Charlie – was just too happy to tell me he was Bella's brother and that he hoped to see her sister burn to death, the same way he died. Julie… well, she wanted to kill Dave and let Grace watch every single second of his death. Bella was just an afterthought for her, or so she made it seem. I knew better, though. Mick and I had the same tight relationship; every girlfriend would be mortally jealous of that.

These two had a reason to hate Bella, but I couldn't understand Claire's. Like I couldn't understand how and where she could've learned all that stuff. Grandma Helena believed in many things and tried to get me into that stuff when I was a kid, since my mother didn't want to have anything to do with that. I thought it was just a game… God, I so wished I had paid more attention to her tales now.

I slightly moved, and the chains produced an almost musical sound. Charlie and Julie smirked.

"Uncomfortable? Wait until this is over… then we can start having fun."

I shot them a death glare, and I asked myself for the millionth time how chains that didn't exist could be so damn heavy. And tight. And why I was so restricted to begin with. I was alone with Charlie and Julie in that moment, Claire disappeared in her secret room a few moments earlier. And I decided it was the right time to strike back.

My grandmother always told me two things: One was that there is nothing in this world, real or unreal, that once done can't be undone, probably the only witchcraft notion she had ever managed to teach me. The other one was that I could've charmed the Devil itself, had the Devil something I wanted. The latter was extremely true. I would've smiled, wept, flattered and pleaded to achieve my goals back in the day when I was the queen bee of my school… and now my goal was to get rid of those chains and warn Bella, cause Bella surely had no idea of who was really behind this.

What could be the best way to start?

Tears, I thought after a second. Yeah… Tears would do nicely.

"Aw, look, we made her cry," Julie said with a childish voice, when she saw a big tear rolling down my cheek. I let them taunt me for a few minutes, then I asked God for forgiveness and moved to the second phase of my plan.

"There was no need to do this to me. It's not like Bella can put on that much of a fight…"

"I beg to differ. She could put one hell of a fight when she was alive.. she probably just got worse with the years."

I chuckled. "Someone that needs a bodyguard every time she steps in a cemetery? Really?"

Well, the bodyguard's name was Jasper and it wasn't like Bella really wanted him there cause she could take care of herself, but there was no need for them to know.

"We heard different things," said Julie. "Demons, exorcisms…"

Of course they did. "Cause she knows the right people to ask for help. That guy in Ireland, demon hunters, witches… she would never do that thing for herself. Bella doesn't have it in her."

"You were so sure she could kick our ass…"

"Well, not anymore. Plus… If you are someone so skilled, so good at witchcraft, then why you take your friend that has been stalked by a psychopath for months here in the woods instead of sorting things out yourself?"

I faked a little anger, and cursed Bella because she didn't do enough to help me. More than enough to make them less suspicious against me, but they would never tell me how to free myself. Then Charlie, thank the Lord, came out with something I wasn't expecting.

"Listen, Jules… she could become one of us, after this is over. And you will be done with your punishment, of course."

"Of course," I replied, trying to figure out my next moves. I watched Bella's brother, and wondered how the two could really be related. Something, I supposed, both Bella and Charlie had often wondered as well.

"We'll see," was Julie's laconic answer. "It's not like she's going anywhere, is it?"

"Ok, you two," I said, trying to think quickly. "If you knew me a little better than this you would already see the chance in front of you, but since you don't…"

It was a total, absolute, giant leap of faith, and I prayed Grandma got the story right cause my life depended on it. Literally.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"I'm a Kalderash. A Kotlyary," I said, and then looked on their faces for signs of reaction. I had to bite my cheek not to smile at their rage… So even that story was true? I couldn't believe it. When she told me about vampires, grandma also told me about the raging hate my family felt against werewolves. One of her story – the only one really involving witchcraft – was about how our family, just arrived from Europe, was still moving from place to place, trying to find a place to live. When they moved in the Washington state they settled near the La Push reservation, without knowing the double nature of its inhabitants. When a clan of vampires arrived there too – maybe the Cullens, maybe others… grandmother was still a child at the time and she didn't know yet about Carlisle – it became clear the three minorities couldn't live near each other. The wolves attacked the camp looking for the vampires, but they accidentally killed a couple of little girls… and one of the Gipsy women cursed them all out of revenge.

Judging by what happened to the reservation just in the last years, she must've been one hell of a witch.

"Gipsy people are not welcome here," Julie hissed. "At all."

Hoping that my grandmother wouldn't fulminate me, I proceeded telling them the biggest lie ever.

"Gipsy stories and vampires got me here where I'm standing, sweetheart. Do you think I care for them now? They took away my life. Now I just want revenge on them… exactly like you."

There… I could see it, I just said the magic words.

"I know where the nomadic branch of the family is," I continued. "I can guide you there if you want to get your revenge on them, too."

"This is surely interesting," said Charlie. The prospect of hurting someone else once they were done with the reservation was already making him smile… Ok, I reminded myself. Just playing them, nothing would happen to the only family I got left because they would never know where they were. End of story.

"Interesting enough to be used as leverage," continued Julie. The girl was clever, I had to give her that. I made the chains tinkle and gave her an eloquent look.

Julie and Charlie exchanged a look, and Julie took one of the glowing globes from the basket. With her hand. How in the hell…?

Julie put the globe on another table near me. It was slightly different from the others… smaller, irradiating a faint, purple glow. I watched the globe and then I watched Julie, frowning.

"Break it and the chains will disappear."

Ok, if she could do it… I tried to catch the small sphere, but my hand just passed through it and the table's surface. Julie and Charlie burst out laughing like it was the funniest thing they ever saw. I just wanted to kill them all over again.

"It took mefour years to learn that trick," she sneered. "But maybe a Kalderash can master it sooner…"

Oh God, I was that close to my boiling point, and being restrained without a chance to get free was really, really frustrating. I tried another couple of times, much to Julie and Charlie's amusement… Then I raised my eyes, and my anger vanished.

The cavalry was finally there.

Sort of.

Who the hell was that guy outside the window, and more important question…How could he see me?