AN – I don't own any of the Twilight characters. They belong to Stephanie Meyers. I just borrowed them for a bit. ;)

Chapter 12

TPOV

These past few days have been wonderful. I've spent most every minute of my free time with Quil when he wasn't on patrol. As soon as school let out, we would end up at one or the other's house to fly through our homework so that we could focus on each other rather than Calculus or Edgar Allen Poe. Winter weather had finally set in so we spent our evenings watching a movie, listening to music or reading.

The only dark cloud moments came when I tried calling mom but I only did so when Quil was by my side. He didn't want a repeat of that last text message. She never answered my calls. My worries increased but he would hold me until I felt them pass. I had to accept that mom was an adult making her own decisions.

One particular quiet afternoon, Quil was especially tired and fell asleep on the couch beside me. I reached into my book bag, grabbing my sketch pad. I quietly drew his peaceful face, his soft lips and his cropped black hair. I put my pad away so that I could do the detail work later. Uma had gone down to Sam's for the evening so it was just the two of us. I leaned over his face to kiss him on the nose. He snored softly. I moved to kiss his cheek, still no response. I planted a kiss on his lips and he responded. His arms came up around me, pulling me to his chest. I pulled away from his face just enough to see his grin.

"You may wake me up like that any time T." he sighed kissing me again as I settle down on the couch beside him.

He takes my hand. "Can I ask you a question? It's sort of a serious one."

"Sure, but only if I get to ask one next."

He looks down at his feet for a moment, trying to find the words. "Tia, I need to know if your mom's boyfriend was the only one to lay his hands on you." He asks quietly.

"Oh, you meant really serious." I swallow and close my eyes. This is my Quil. I can answer him. "No, he wasn't, but nothing ever scared me the way that night did. There have been several guys in mom's life, none like Jim though, who thought it was ok to back me into a corner or try to feel me up. I was always able to get away though, at least until that last night." I start to tremble at the memories.

He pulls me into his arms for a comforting hug. I can feel his warmth. I can feel his love pouring out for me. "I'm sorry that happened. You should never have been treated that way." He hugs me tighter burying his face in my hair, his breathing ragged. He pulls back to look me in the eyes. "I love you and no one will ever put their hands on you again. I promise." His face is solemn.

"I believe you Quil." I breathe. I lay my head on his shoulder, feeling loved and safe in his embrace. We sit in silence for a moment allowing our emotions to steady.

Feeling better, I ask my question. "About your wolf, is he a separate entity from you? How does this work?"

Quil laughs "No, we're not separate. We're one and the same. It's like Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. I can feel my wolf inside of me when I'm in this form, just as I am a part of his mind when he's present. We think and act in unison."

"That day at the waterfall, you said that your wolf was happy. What did you mean?"

"He had been nagging for a while. He wanted you to see him. He is the source of our imprint, our bond. His heart swelled with pride when you accepted him."

"Could I see him again sometime soon? I'd love to draw him at a different angle."

"Oh, I think that can be arranged." He pulled me in for another kiss. We spent the next hour or so, just holding each other on the couch without any other concerns on our mind.

QPOV

Thursday afternoon came too quickly for my liking. I had received a call from Sam yesterday afternoon saying that the Council would be waiting for us at Uma's after school let out. I feel nervous for Tia. I know that whatever this is, it could be rough for her. I'm determined to stay by her side through it all though.

We pull up to the house and Tia notices that there are a couple of cars out front. She's curious as to what is going on. We walk in the door hand in hand to see that my Grandfather, Harry Clearwater, Billy Black, Sam, Uma and Emily are waiting for us in the living room. Uma smiles and asks us to have a seat. They have left room on the couch for us. Tia sits down beside Emily and I sit on her other side, taking her hand in mine.

Billy Black speaks first "Tia Walker, your dreams have come to our notice and we have gone back through our Tribe's legends to find the answer to them for you. It is not often that a Quileute has an ability such as yours, in fact it skips a generation."

Uma, her eyes gentle as always, adds "You are a fire dreamer, Tia, just like me."

"I'm a what?" she's confused. I feel her start to tremble.

Grandfather then steps up. "The fire dreamer has always held an important role among our people. It is through you that we can see into the future if ever there is a need. You can look into the flames for what is to come in hopes of preparing our people for their own survival."

Tia starts to shake her head slightly. Her trembling has increased. Emily puts a comforting arm around her shoulders and I put my other hand over ours.

"I don't understand. Why me?"

"This gift was handed down by the Great Spirit; only he knows why you were chosen." answers Uma. "You will need some training but you are well on your way to seeing your full potential. I will help you with this."

Tia looks down at her lap. She's overwhelmed and feeling a bit lost. I lean over to her ear. "Tia, this doesn't change who you are inside, only what you can do. I think that your training will help you get over the nightmares that you've been having." She hears the truth in my words and looks up at me with a tremulous smile.

Sam stands "The Council will now give you time to discuss this with Uma." Billy Black, Grandfather Quil and Harry Clearwater say goodbye and head out the door.

"Tia, do you want to the rest of us to leave? We can come back later after you've talked to Uma." Sam asks.

"No, I want you to stay, all of you." she replied.

TPOV

I'm a what? This can't be happening. There's nothing that interesting about me. My mind races after hearing the words fire dreamer. However, I can't deny that I want to believe this. It makes me a true member of the Tribe. Having lived away from the Reservation for most of my life, this could be the connection that I've needed to feel like I really belong here.

I give the Council leaders my thanks as they head out the door. Once the door is shut, Sam sits down again and Uma begins to talk.

"I've been waiting for this day to come, my child. What I didn't know was that it could carry so much sorrow for you in its wake." She picks up her tea to take a sip. "Tia, when I told you about your father's passing and that your mother left us because she couldn't take the daily reminders of him, I told you only part of the story. She also left with you because she feared that you too would be a fire dreamer. Your mother knew that I was a dreamer. I had stood up for our Tribe whenever needed. She had seen my powers at work many times."

Uma sighed sadly "One day, she was here with you while your father was out on his hunting trip. I looked into the fire and saw at a glance an event that would change our lives forever. I saw your father, my son, get killed by the bear. We had no way of warning the hunting party. It was too late."

I started crying silently. I couldn't imagine what this must have done to my mother or my Uma. Sam's face is awash in pain. He was a bit older than me but he was young when this happened so he can barely remember that day. I feel Emily's arm rubbing my back and Quil is still holding on to my hand like it's a lifeline.

"Your mother could not bear to have you become a dreamer like me so she took you away in hopes that your gift would never be revealed." Uma finished her tale.

I look out the window for a moment. Then I breathe in, finding strength that I never knew I had. "I think I understand mom a bit better now. She never talked about her life here, or dad. She never attempted to teach me about the Tribe. She was trying to protect me in her own way." My tears are falling again. I feel Quil's hand touch my face, wiping the tears away and smoothing back my hair.

Sam, Emily and Uma go down the hill for dinner to allow me some time to think about what I had just been told. Honestly, I was completely overwhelmed; so many pieces of my past had fallen into place. Once we are alone, Quil pulls me into his arms and I laid on his chest softly crying as the reality of what I am washed over me.

QPOV

I held her in my arms wishing I could make her sadness go away. I know that she will come around. Tia just needs to accept her place in the Tribe. My arms tighten around her. I let her cry until she is done.

When I finally feel the tears stop, I smooth her hair back from her face, kissing her forehead. "Tia, what are you thinking?" She shifts to be able to see my face. Her eyes are red and puffy.

"Finding out about my dad's death is really hard Quil." She breathes in shakily. "…but what's worse is the fact that mom thought that by running away, she could change me and what I was meant to become. Huh…didn't work, did it?" She closes her eyes again.

I reach up to brush my hand across her cheek. "I think she was just doing the best that she knew how, given her situation. I don't think that there was any malice in her doing. You've got to remember that she was grieving too." Tia sighs and nods in agreement. Unfortunately, it doesn't make her sorrow any less.

Sam brings Uma back after dinner with plates for each of us. Tia doesn't want anything. She looks drained. Uma tucks her in bed for the night. I can't stand the thought of leaving her. "Uma, can I stay the night here? I don't think I can leave her alone."

She smiles at me and nods. "Let me get you some blankets and a pillow."

I pull a chair into Tia's room, next to her. She's already asleep, emotionally exhausted. I sit by her bedside with my hand holding hers, laying my head down next to her. I want to make this pain go away but only time can do that now. Eventually, I drift off.

A couple of hours later, I wake to see her watching me. She is crying again. I watch her for a moment.

"What if I see something bad happen to you Quil? I don't know if I could…" she sobs. I give up on the chair, crawl into bed beside her and pull her into my arms. My wolf whimpers. I can feel it pacing, not knowing how to help her.

"Tia, it is a possibility but a remote one. Let's just take this one day at a time." I tighten my arms around her. She snuggles into her pillow and her breathing begins to slow down.

"Let's go out for dinner after school tomorrow and then stop over at Sam's. He'll be able to give you some more of the answers that you want. What do you think?" She nods as she falls asleep.

TPOV

Quil walked me home the next day after school saying that he would pick me up at 5:30 for dinner. As I walked through the door, I found that Uma had been waiting for me. She took my hand and led me to the couch.

"Tia, how are you? I've thought about you all day."

"I'm doing better Uma. Quil helped me think through things last night. Thank you for letting him stay the night." I gave her a hand a squeeze.

"As he should, Quil will always be there for you, as long as you let him. Now, I'm sure that you have some questions for me. Would you like to talk now or wait until later?"

"I thought about this a lot today at school and I do have a few." I pause trying to decide which question to ask first. "Are the dreams always frightening?"

"No, you weren't trying to dream so you weren't in control. With each new dreamer, your gift first comes while you are sleeping. Have you noticed a pattern in your dreams? Something that happens in every one?"

I nodded.

"All of your dreams will begin and end with the same pattern. You will grow accustomed to this and with time, you will also be able to control when you dream as well as how far into the future you will be able to see. Because you're still learning how to dream, you can only see the very immediate future, what is happening at that very moment. You will need to practice to get used to dreaming, to stop fighting it, to be able to see further."

"So practice makes perfect?" I ask.

"Yes, if you are scared of what you might see, you could always have someone sitting next to you as you look into the flames. They can help calm you down, ground you."

My next question comes to mind. "How will I know when I'm ready to be the fire dreamer for the Tribe?

Uma sighs. "I wish I had an easy answer for this one, but I don't. I can only tell you what my grandmother told me when we had this conversation. She told me that I had to pass through the flames. She also told me that this passage meant something different for each dreamer. You will notice when your time has come."

"Uma, what if I see something bad?" I ask quietly. This has been on my mind all day long.

"Child, this is the reason for your gift, to protect our people, to prevent those bad things from happening at all if possible."

Even quieter still, I ask my last question. "Then, why did my dad die?" I felt tears blurring my vision.

Uma places both hands over mine and looks off into the distance. "We had no way of contacting the hunting party, no cell phones and no pack member readily on hand, when it happened." She blinked back her own tears as she added. "Watching your father, my son, die was the hardest thing that I have ever done."

I pull my grandmother into my arms. "I'll learn to control my dreaming Uma. I'll make sure that I prevent these things from happening." We hold each other until our tears subside.

I had about an hour to get ready for dinner with Quil. Knowing that I could be ready in 20 minutes, I took a moment to call my mom. I hadn't spoken to her in several days. I dial and she answered.

"Hey mom."

"Hi Tia." She whispers as if she doesn't want anyone to hear our conversation. She sounded scared.

"I've been worried about you lately. Are you sure that you are all right?"

"Tia, I'll be ok but…" she hesitated. "I don't think that it will ever be safe for you to come back to Vegas. You have settled in on the Reservation. You sound happy just as you deserve to be. You need to stay with Uma." She finished speaking softly and quickly.

My jaw dropped. She didn't want me with her. My heart squeezed in pain.

"But mom…"

"Honey, I have to go now." She hung up but not before I heard the catch in her voice. She was crying.

I sat on the side of my bed staring at my phone. My mind was blank. She didn't want me. My mom was pushing me away for a final time. I dropped my head in my hands, pulling at my hair in frustration. Tears rolled down my face.

QPOV

I arrived at Uma's a few minutes early. I had the oddest sensation about 30 minutes ago. I felt a sadness overwhelm me. It had to be coming from Tia. I knocked at the door and Uma let me in. She pointed back to Tia's room. When I walked in, I saw her quietly crying on the side of her bed. I walked over, sat down beside her, and pulled her into my arms. I didn't ask why she cried. She would tell me when she was ready.

After a few minutes, I said "Let's go get some dinner." I helped her to her feet and brought my arms around her. Gently hugging her, I heard her sigh as she relaxed. "I need just a moment to get ready, ok?"

I shut the bedroom door behind me as I walked to the living room allowing Tia a chance to get dressed.

Dinner was lighthearted. I would wink at Tia just to get her to giggle which worked wonders. She would flirt back shyly with me. As we worked our way through our pizza, she smiled more. She had forgotten her earlier tears, or at least for the time being. We headed over to the ice cream shop afterwards to get dessert. I had rocky road while she chose Triple Fudge Blast. After a bite of her ice cream cone, she managed to get whipped cream on her nose. I just had to indulge my wolf just a bit but licking it off. We laughed some more as we headed for my truck hand in hand.

The drive back to the Res was quick. We pulled up to Sam's place to see that the pack hadn't taken over as they usually did on a Saturday night. I had spoken to Sam earlier about stopping by this evening so he must have put the word out to the others. I helped Tia out of the truck and the door opened to Emily waiting for us as we walked inside. She pulled Tia into hug. I could tell on her face that she has been worried about her.

Sam walks up to the dining room table and invites us to sit down. Emily had made some drinks and cookies for us. Tia sits down and I pulled my chair closer to hers so that I could hold her hand. Sam starts "Tia, I'm sure by now that you have some questions for me or the pack. Since I'm the Alpha, it's my job to answer, not just because you're soon to be the new fire dreamer but because you're an Imprint. What would you like to know?"

Tia stares into her glass of tea for a moment. "Will I be expected to dream whenever someone asks me to? Will I have any control over when and if I want to dream?"

"You will never be asked to dream unless there's a need. The Tribe knows that your gift is just that and not a toy to be played with." Tia relaxed a bit at his answer.

"Who does the pack protect us from?" she continued on.

"You haven't heard our tribe's legends yet, but you soon will. I'll tell you the shortened version for now. We safeguard our people from the Cold Ones. Nowadays, they are referred to as vampires."

I feel her tense up again. Her hands are wrapped around mine very tightly. "So my dreams can help you fight the vampires?"

"Yes, you can. Once you have learned to control your gift, you will be able to tell us when and where to find them. The safety of our people is one of our most important jobs."

"What is your most important one then?

"Protecting our Imprints, Tia. You now have an entire pack of wolves along with their Imprints who will always be by your side, whenever you have need of us." Sam reached across the table, to place his hand reassuringly on Tia's arm.

Tia smiles up at Sam. "I have one last question, a request actually…"

"Oh?" asked Sam.

"Can I see Quil's wolf?" her eyes shining with anticipation.

"Well, I don't see why not. Come on Quil." Sam and I had out the back door. I wasn't sure that he would agree to this but then again, I'll be phased next to my Alpha so I can't hurt her.

Emily holds Tia's hand as they walk out on the back porch. Emily remembers the first time that she saw Sam's wolf, the fear and awe. "They will go out into the woods to phase, and then, walk up to us here." She explained.

TPOV

I heard a rustling in the woods as the guys walked a bit further out. It was dark outside; only the lights burning inside of the house lit the back yard. Looking out into the trees, I waited.

Then, I saw the glowing golden eyes staring at me from the dark, just like in my dream. Slowly, those eyes approached, walking straight towards me. My chocolate colored wolf stood before me. I smiled from ear to ear with this realization. I had been dreaming about Quil all along, even before he came into my life.

He walked towards me carefully. I reach out a hand to touch his fur. It was so soft and warm. I laughed. I rubbed him behind the ear and much to my surprise; he let out a huff of happiness. I looked into his big brown eyes. He brought his nose up to my hair to sniff. His breath was warm as he nuzzled my neck. Sighing, I hugged my wolf before letting him head back to the woods to phase back.

He was simply amazing.