AN- I do not own any of the characters from Twilight. They belong to Stephanie Meyers.
Chapter 9
Third Person POV
The afternoon passed with Tia trying to decide what to pack in her beach bag for the cook out. She knew that she would most likely need a change of clothes. Given that the ocean was within easy tossing distance, chances were good that she might end up wet. She packed a towel, her sketch pad, her charcoal and an extra pair of shoes. She also spent an hour or so with Uma talking about the photos of unfamiliar faces that were hanging in the living room. Tia felt like a whole new world was opening up to her, a world full of family that she never knew existed. She listened attentively as Uma shared stories of love, life troubles and tribal lore. It was all fascinating.
The phone rang at about 5 pm. As predicted, Emily invited Tia to come on down so that they could head for the beach.
TPOV
I walk in the door at Emily's to find her packing up a large cooler with food. She also had a large shopping bag full of sodas and paper plates.
"Geesh Emily! How much food do we really need?" I tease as I help her finish packing up the foods.
"T, you've not seen our boys eat. Bella and Kim will be bringing similar amounts of food with them." She laughed as Sam helped us carry everything out to the Jeep. Emily pointed to a couple of blankets sitting by the door saying that we would need those so I pick them up as we left the house for La Push.
When we arrived, Jared and Jacob had already started collecting wood for the evening's fire. Apparently this was a regular occurrence among them because it seemed like everyone knew what needed to be done and just did it. A table for food had been set off to the side of the fire. A grill had been prepped with charcoal. Someone even brought a stereo and the rock was rolling.
The wind was light and the waves called my name. After I helped Emily set up what she had brought, I dropped my bag over by the stereo and walked to the water's edge. I watched the waves digging my toes into the sand. I decided to walk up the beach just a ways to really get a better look at it. I began to see several vantage points that I needed to explore with my sketch pad. I had walked around a large boulder when I saw Seth approaching. He gave me a smile coming towards me.
"Hi T! I'm glad that you came." He walked with me in a companionable silence for a ways. Then, he stole a quick glance at me before he spoke. "I was hoping that we could hang out sometime next week now that you have settled in a bit. What do you think?"
I looked up at him considering his offer. "We could. I just need to find out if I have any tests coming up next week before we make any plans, ok?"
His eyes lit up at my answer and his excitement was written all over his face. "Great!" He turned his head to notice that a bunch of guys in our group had started playing football. One of them waved him over.
"Want to go play T?" he asked as he turned towards them.
I laughed and shook my head. "Seth, I'm terrible at football. Go have fun and pound them in the sand for me." I waved him on as he jogged over to the game.
I rejoined the group by the music. Emily was sitting on one of the blankets talking to Bella and another girl that I hadn't met before. Emily patted a spot by her. I took the offered spot brushing the sand off of my feet and legs.
"Tia, this is Kim, Jared's girlfriend. Kim, this is Tia, Sam's cousin that you've heard so much about." She added with a smile.
Kim looked up at me shyly saying "Hi.". I could tell that like me, she was the quiet one in the crowd. It's good to know that not everyone was a chatterbox. Bella and Emily were already talking again. This time their conversation was on wedding dresses which did not interest me in the least. I noticed that the guys had taken a break from their game and some were headed our way.
Quil and Jared decided that they needed to refuel before going back to the game. Jared grabbed a bag of chips before sitting down beside Kim. He fed her a couple of chips and kissed her on the nose sweetly. Quil had picked up a soda before sitting down beside me. As he opened the can, it spewed all over me. We were all laughing as he jumped up to take away the offending soda and bring me a towel. I was still laughing as I took the towel to wipe the soda off of my face and out of my hair. The game started back up, drawing them back to the insanity of it all.
I stretched out my legs and watched the football game. Actually, it was a cross somewhere between football and wrestling. Whenever someone was tackled, other team members just piled on top so that they all ended up rolling around laughing, obviously having a grand time. It was really nice to just watch them knowing that their friendship was one of a kind, unlike anything that I had ever seen before.
The sun would be setting soon so Sam started the charcoal in the grill to cook the burgers and hot dogs. Paul decided to get the fire going with entirely too much lighter fluid. The initial blaze was spectacular, to say the least. Everyone seemed to be settling down a bit.
Since it would be while yet until the food was ready, I grabbed my sketch pad and headed over to the boulder that I found earlier. I climbed to the top, took out my pad and began sketching the shoreline. I lost myself in my work for a few minutes, watching the scenery take shape as I worked. I put down my pad a moment just to look at it subjectively to see if it needed anything more for balance. However, instead of focusing on the shore line, I watched on the people in our group. Sam was talking quietly with Emily, holding her to his side with one hand as he flipped burgers with the other. Jacob, Bella, Kim and Jared were seated by the fire, laughing and talking. Their love was so real that I felt that I could Quil, Embry, Seth, and Paul were talking sports, joking about which team was better and why. The whole scene was just comfortable, the people, the fire, the food. I sighed to myself. I have wanted this very thing for myself for a very long time. I was tired of always feeling like I was on the outside looking in at something that I thought I couldn't have. I packed up my charcoal and pad, dropped down off of the boulder, and headed back to my friends. Dropping my bag over by Emily's, I walked over to Quil trying to make myself look calm and collected when in reality, my stomach was in my throat.
"Quil, can I talk to you for a moment?" I asked. He immediately stood and followed me away from the group.
QPOV
I had been watching Tia ever since she had arrived with Sam and Emily. I saw her smiling more, noticing that she looked more at ease around everyone. I felt bad for having tried to drown her with my soda but her laughter made up for it. I loved seeing her eyes light up when she was happy.
After the game broke up, I walked over thinking about sitting down next to her again, but I didn't want to push things. I told her that I would wait until she was ready. I just hoped that that moment would be soon. I found a spot by Embry and Seth.
Everyone found a sat around the fire and started talking. I see that Tia had hopped up with her sketch pad. She walked over to a nearby boulder. Finding a comfortable spot to sit, she began sketching. I tried not to be obvious, but I would glance over at her. Her face was focused on her work. The wind blew her hair gently. She stopped drawing to stare out over the beach. She seemed to be content. My wolf sighed and I turned back to the conversation between Embry and Seth. Those two were obsessed with sports. Listening to them bicker over whose team was better was almost as good as any comedy show out there.
All of a sudden, I look up and there she stands in front of me. "Quil, can I talk to you for a moment?"
Please, o please, let this be the answer that I've been waiting for. I hopped up and followed her as we walked down the beach.
Third Person POV
Eyebrows rose as soon as Tia and Quil were out of their line of vision. Embry smirked and Paul was about to make a comment when they heard Sam hiss. They dropped it and went back to their sports talk. Seth's normally happy face clouded over as he watched Tia walk out of sight.
TPOV
We walked in silence until we were out of earshot. I was trying to decide how to start this conversation as I drug my toes through the surf. Once I felt we were at a safe distance, I pointed at a large trunk of drift wood. We went over and sat down facing the waves.
"I spoke to mom today." I said trying to work my way into the real conversation that I wanted to have.
"Yeah? What did she say?" he asked.
"I asked her how long I would be here living with Uma. She told me that things in Vegas were not good at the moment, and that it was best for me to live here on the Res for the foreseeable future." I continued to watch the waves roll in, trying to work up my courage.
"Is she alright, T?" he looked concerned.
"I don't think so. I'm willing to bet her sleazy boyfriend Jim is the reason for her answer." I shudder as I think about him.
"So…what does this mean?"
I close my eyes and take a deep breath. It's time to try.
"Quil, I've been thinking about my life before coming here. I now realize that I wasn't living. I was frozen in limbo, not enjoying my life. I have always known that my life was missing something but I didn't know what until I moved in with Uma. I'm learning what it's like to have family around me, to feel like I belong, and to allow myself to feel." I scuff the sand with my toes trying to hide the fact that my eyes had teared up just a bit. This next step was huge for me.
"I would like very much to be your girlfriend Quil." There, I did it.
QPOV
Did she just say what I thought she said? She did! My wolf is jumping and yipping but I have to rein it in. I can't react that way at this moment. Not yet anyways…
I turn to face Tia. The wind is whipping her hair into her face. I reach up to push her hair back, brushing her cheek as I did.
"T, you have all of that and more here with the Tribe and especially with me." I see the unshed tears in her eyes. I use my thumb to wipe the tears away. "I promise you that what we have will move at your pace. I will never push you into anything. If you ever feel overwhelmed, you just need to tell me, ok?" She nods.
I lean forward to give her a gentle kiss on the cheek. I sat there a few minutes longer just looking at her. I could stay here in this moment for the rest of the night but I can smell the burgers coming off of the grill.
I stand up and hold my hand out to her. She takes mine and I entwine our fingers. We walk back to our friends.
Third Person POV
Sam looks up as Tia and Quil rejoin the group to see them holding hands. Emily elbows him in the ribs to say "Stop staring!" and looks up at him with a gleam in her eye. They sit back down side by side near Jacob and Bella. "Let's eat!" Emily said and everyone jumps up to get in line.
After everyone had loaded up their plates and gone back to their spots by the fire, Paul decided that it was time for some ghost stories. He had a low, melodic voice that when he wasn't being sarcastic, drew you into his tale and wrapped you up in it.
QPOV
Paul was about halfway through a story about a haunted cave located here on the res when I ran out of my drink. I gently nudge Tia who had forgotten her food. She was totally lost in the story. I asked her if she wanted another drink and she nodded.
I go over to the table to reach into the drink cooler. Embry sidles up beside me. He's so funny when he's trying to be nonchalant. "So…what did she say? Are you two a thing now?" he wiggled his eyebrows.
I flick ice water from the drink cooler at him laughing under my breath. "Yes, we are a thing now." My grin got bigger.
He shouldered me out of the way to grab a soda for himself. "About damn time!" He's happy for me.
I grab a bottle of water for Tia. Looking over at the food table, I see that Bella had made her famous decadent brownies. Knowing that T had a thing for chocolate, I pick up a couple for her. I walk back over to my spot, handing the water to Tia who is finally eating. Paul had taken a break in his story telling so that he could dig into thirds on hamburgers.
I hand a brownie to T and her eyes light up. I'll need to remember this for future reference. The way to my girl's heart is with chocolate. I laugh as she takes a bite of the brownie. She makes a contented sigh as she chews. I watch as she eats her brownie in moment of bliss. Gods, I love her.
Third Person POV
No one missed the "brownie moment" between Tia and Quil. They just didn't make it obvious that they were watching. Sam whispers in Emily's ear "He's totally whipped already." and Emily giggles. Paul finished his third burger and started another ghost story. The fire had burned down to a gentle blaze, rather than the blasting inferno that it had been earlier. Everyone snuggles down to listen to his tale. Tia lets the rhythm of Paul's voice lull her as she stares into the flames.
TPOV
I find Paul's voice relaxing as I stare into the fire. I watch the flames dance and hear the sizzle of the wood. My vision blurs around the edges and I no longer hear anything going on around me.
I was walking through the misty forest. I could hear the night time creatures stirring. My feet did not make a sound as I walked on. Then, I hear a rustling to my left. As I turn my head, I see a flash of red and hear a woman's laugh. Almost immediately, I hear the same laugh on my right. Suddenly, the laughter is circling me. "What is she, Edward?" I hear the laughing voice say. Fear of that voice takes over and I start to run. The mist that was once covering the ground changed into smoke, suffocating me, and then into fire. I can't escape the flames. I look around for a way out when I come face to face with a set of glowing gold eyes. I scream "NO!"
QPOV
I watch Tia stare into the fire and lose focus on the world around her. She seems lost in her own thoughts for a minute. Suddenly, she screams NO!
I turn to her trying to take her in my arms. At first, she starts fighting against me like she is trying to get away from some imaginary evil until I see her focus return. She looks up at me trembling.
"Who is Edward?" she asks quietly.
I look over at Sam with a look of concern on my face. Both Emily and Bella are staring at Tia. We'll need to be explaining some things to her soon.
Unknown POV
Bobbing in the waves about 500 yds from shore and watching the group by the fire, he waits. His anger grows. Those damn mutts, it's just a matter of time. Payback will be hell. As they settle into their meal, he sees the visions in her head. She could be dangerous to their plan. He needs to talk to Victoria. His head drops below the water line.
If you get a chance, I'd love hear what you all think of my story so far. I'm still working out some plot kinks and your comments might help me with those.
Thank you for reading!