A/N: Sorry It's been so long. I suck, and that's how it is. I've had real life things to worry about, but thats not a good excuse.
Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight, if I did I wouldn't be writing fanfiction.
As annoying as he was, Embry was right. No sooner had we rounded the corner than we saw a beautiful two story house. It was blue and the mailbox said 'Sam and Emily Uley' in faded red letters.
We stepped up the little, wooden steps and onto a very welcoming welcome mat. I reached out to ring the doorbell.
Embry snickered –I was going to kill him if he did that again- and grabbed the doorknob.
"Nobody rings the bell" he said as he opened the door.
We walked inside.
I took in the bright, airy entryway and living room, which I could see through a door to my left. The inside of the house was like a cross between a mall and a grandmother's house; young and exciting, but at the same time warm and comforting, with the smell of baked goods in the air.
Embry noticed the baked goods smell before I did and began dragging me toward what I could only assume was the kitchen.
"Emily!" he yelled as we neared the entrance to the kitchen.
"There are muffins and cookies on the table" called a feminine voice.
Recognition hit me. It was her… no doubt about it. This was the voice of the Emily I had driven all those miles to find. However crazy this trip was, I was finally going to get some answers.
Embry made a sound that could either have been the word 'muffins' or a low moan. He practically shoved me into the kitchen and was at the table before I could take a breath.
I looked around the room. It was small, but clean, with that look that told you it was used often. Apart from the table there was a counter and an island. In the far end of the room a staircase disappeared into the second story of the house.
Emily stood, facing away from us, stirring something on the stove.
"Save some for your brothers, Embry.' She called out.
If Embry heard her he didn't obey.
I coughed awkwardly.
This got Embry's attention. He swallowed a mouthful of cookie and spoke.
"Emily," he said "look who's here."
"Who?" She asked, still not turning around.
"Well, look." Said Embry his voice half irritated, half amused.
Emily turned, when I saw her face I had to restrain myself from gasping.
Three long scars marked one side of her face, pulling at the corners of her eye and mouth. Once I got over the initial shock I noticed that her face was round and tan, with big, brown, almond-shaped eyes. The scars didn't detract from her beauty, but they were surprising.
The gasp still came out, but more like a muffled cough. If she noticed, Emily said nothing.
She just looked at Embry, mouth hanging slightly agape.
"Is- Embry, is that-"She seemed to be having a hard time getting the words out.
Embry finished her sentence for her.
"It's Claire."
For the second time that day I was swept into an unexpected hug. When she pulled away Emily wiped a tear from her face.
"Oh, Claire, it's been so long." She said tearfully. "You've grown up so pretty. I can't believe you're here."
When I didn't say anything she seemed to remember something.
"I'm sorry," she said, "You probably have no idea who I am. My name is Emily; I'm your mother's sister."
I nodded; I'd figured she was probably something like that, an aunt or a cousin. I'd never been around any extended family, I kind of liked the idea.
We stood quietly for a moment, before Emily offered me a cookie (or anything I might want, if I didn't want a cookie) and sat me down at the table.
"How did you get here?" she asked.
I related my trip from finding the phone to finding Embry, leaving out the part about the odd pull I had felt… still felt.
Emily nodded once I had finished my story.
"Well," she said standing up and straightening her clothes "You'll just have to stay here until you've found whatever it is you're looking for."
She crossed back to the stove and tutted at the mixture she'd been stirring.
"well, this is ruined." She said, changing the topic to how hard it was to keep glaze from burning onto the bottom of a pan.
The quick subject change left no room for me to argue about staying in her house when I could easily (well, not really) find a hotel. I thought that might have been her intention.
A few minutes later Emily was remaking the glaze she'd been working on and she and I were comfortably chatting while Embry ate.
I was halfway through telling her about the drama club I was in at school when we heard a thumping from the far side of the room. When I glanced over I saw someone coming down the stairs.
He looked very similar to Embry, but taller, with more solid muscles. He crossed the kitchen in three strides and kissed Emily's cheek.
"Claire's here." She said, pointing to me with a wooden spoon.
He turned to stare at me and then copied the other two by pulling me into a hug, it was a lot quicker than the others had been, and uncomfortably warm, like Embry's had been… If this was going to keep happening I seriously needed to shower.
"This is my husband; your uncle, Sam" Emily chimed in at my confused look.
I laughed lightly.
"Uncle Sam?" I asked, the joke obvious in my voice.
"Just call me Sam." He said, pleadingly.
I nodded and smiled.
Emily gave Sam the Reader's Digest version of what I'd told her and explained that I would be staying with them indefinitely.
"Sounds great," Sam said once she had finished "Everyone is coming over in a little bit to discuss the Seth situation."
Emily nodded, her face grave. I wanted to ask who Seth was and what his situation might be, but it seemed a little personal.
"Well, honey, why don't you and Embry go and get your things?" suggested Emily.
Embry complained briefly about having to carry my things like a pack mule, but followed me back down the street to my car.
I popped the trunk and Embry grabbed my small, but heavy duffle bag, lifting it out of the trunk like it was a pillow.
"This is it?" he asked, searching the trunk for other bags.
I nodded.
"Well, you didn't really need my help, now did you?" he grumbled.
I chuckled lightly.
"Don't laugh at me, missy!" Embry said.
We both burst out laughing.
I knew that the 'everyone' to which Sam had referred must have arrived from the moment we walked through the door.
When I'd first arrived, the house was quiet and peaceful, now loud voices could be heard from the direction of the kitchen and I could hear people moving around.
Embry tossed my bag into the living room and we followed the noise into the kitchen.
When we stepped into the kitchen it looked much smaller than it had before, although, that could be attributed to the fact that there were now half a dozen more people then there had been before. They were all roughly the same size as Sam and Embry.
They must have already heard the tale of my unexpected arrival, because the second they saw me I was surrounded. I was traded from person to person, my feet barely touching the ground between each tight and hot hug.
My 120-pound, 5-foot-4 form suddenly seemed very small in comparison with these giants. I was told a list of names, I only caught a few of them.
The tallest was called Jacob, one of the smallest (oh yeah, 6'2, so small) was named Colin, the only woman, a beautifully tanned Amazonian looking girl was Leah, although she didn't swarm me with the rest.
Once the crowed of giant Indian men had taken their seats, looking very cramped all sitting around the kitchen table (which had seemed so large before.)
"Claire, sweetie, they've got some business to disucuss, why don't you come upstairs with me and get all settled?" said Emily, gesturing to the stairs.
I nodded, telling her, I'd be right back. I hurried out to the living room. I took a deep breath and stood in front of my bag for a few seconds.
Overwelmed didn't begin to cover it. My mind was racing with emotions, I was excited and confused, happy that I had actually found something, there was still a twinge of anger when I remembered that my dad had been keeping this from me.
I allowed the warm air and homey smells wash over me, allowing my mind to be calmed by the buzzing of voices in the kitchen.
With one last deep breath I picked up the duffle bag and walked back to the kitchen. As soon as I was noticed all conversation stopped.
Well, that was weird, I thought to myself as I followed Emily up the stairs.
I heard the low buzz of conversation pick back up. I was about to ask Emily about it when she stopped in front of a closed door.
"This was your mom's room" she said, twisting the handle. "she came to stay with us after you and your dad left; didn't want to be alone."
Emily pushed the door open. The room was small, but cozy. It had a fluffy looking bed and a dresser with a mirror hung on the wall above it, there was a pink arm chair in the corner. That was pretty much all that could have fit in the tiny room.
It somehow managed to look like it was being lived in and like no one had entered it in many years, all at the same time.
I set my bag down on the bed and turned to face Emily.
"Where is she now?" I asked "My mom, I mean."
I was sort of afraid of the answer; I had noticed a hint of sadness in Emily's voice when she'd mentioned my mom.
She sighed and sat down on the bed, patting the spot beside her. I took a seat and waited for Emily to speak.
"Claire, you have to understand that Monica's family was her life. She loved you and your father more than anything and when you were gone she didn't respond well."
I nodded, not entirely sure that I wanted to hear this.
"Your mom moved in with us, but mostly she just sat up here, she was sick, depressed, but she wouldn't let anyone help her."
Emily took a deep breath, she sounded close to tears.
"Monica killed herself, almost a year after… after everything."
A/N: Ok, so was it worth the wait? At all?
Reviews are like sleeping late on the weekend: Fun, warm and exactly what you need to make it through the week.