Author's Note:

Here is the new chapter! I have been getting some postivie reviews so I thought I would update. This chapter is kind of long...and it's what you have all been waiting for. Claire sees Quil! KEEP reviewing, and I will keep updating. Thanks, and I won't hold you off any longer... enjoy the chapter!

Happy Reading!

I sadly do not own Twilight, or any of Stephanie's wonderful characters, but I do like to pretend I do on occasion.

What hurts the most was being so close

And having so much to say and watching you walk away

And never knowing

What could have been

-Rascal Flatts, What Hurts the Most

Ch.4 Him

I woke up with sunlight streaming through the dingy vinyl blinds. I almost fell out of the bed when it struck me that it wasn't cloudy. That was a rare event. Sunlight in La Push.

I slumped into the kitchen, not in the mood to care what I looked like. I could hear Emily's patient voice scolding a child outside in the backyard. The house was empty, aside from my uncle, who stood in the kitchen, chugging a enormous glass of water. I could hear the swallowing sound his throat made as the liquid slid down it.

I moved around him, opening the refrigerator to grab my yogurt and spoon. He moved out of my way, allowing me to get to into a chair, still chugging the water continuously. I peeled back the aluminum cover of my yogurt, and took a small bite.

"How are you doing Claire?" His voice startled me, but I gained my composure promptly.

"Okay." I tried to sound content, but he could tell I was miserable. Well, the one class in college I hadn't got an A in was theater...

"I'm sorry your not enjoying yourself. If you don't mind me asking, why did you come out here? You have never visited before." He looked a little disappointed at the lack of my visiting, but I wasn't about to apologize for staying away from this hideous place. I would however, apologize for coming back.

"My mom wanted me to come... and I have some news." I didn't want to give away the surprise now. I would rather only have to explain all of it once. And, I knew that if I told anybody before Emily, I would never hear the end of it.

"News?" He paused, analyzing the meaning. "Is everyone okay? No one's sick, right?" His voice was distressed now, thinking I came to tell Emily about my mother being deathly sick or something.

"No, nobody's sick." He looked relieved, and seemed to forget that he never ended up finding out what the news was. Works for me.

"Good. Well, I have some uh... pack stuff I gotta do, so I'll see you tonight at dinner." He turned around and jogged out the door, removing his shirt as he left. He definitely didn't look forty. More like twenty.

Once finished with my yogurt cup, I lagged around the small home for awhile, enjoying the peace and quiet, while Emily and the kid's played in the backyard. I hadn't had a 'lazy day' in a lengthy time. Being the CEO of a major corporation didn't leave much time for lounging around in your pajamas, watching old Turner Classic Movies and munching on raisins.

When I noticed Emily starting to gather the rambunctious, dark-haired children up from around the massive yard, I headed back towards the comfort and privacy of my room. Don't get me wrong, I didn't mind Emily, or family in general, I just wasn't so fond of the booger-nosed children climbing all over me, while overwhelming me with obnoxious questions.

I started in on my thick novel, just to hear the vibrating buzz of my Blackberry clack against the wood top of the nightstand. I threw the book out of sight, and practically fell off the bed reaching for it. I pressed talk.

"Hi Honey", my fiance cooed into the phone. He always had perfect timing.

"Hey babe. How's the deal going?" I felt as giddy as a toddler on Christmas morning. Dylan was everything. And more.

"A-Okay. They signed today, so everything's in ink", he tried to play it off as 'no big deal', but I knew the value that this deal held. It would be the defining deal of the year. 78.9 million dollars.

"Dylan, that's great! I am so happy for you. I love you." I toned my voice down at the end, realizing I had been practically screaming into the phone. He had that effect on me.

"I love you, too, Claire. I picked up your ring from the jeweler's today. It's gorgeous. I can't wait for June twenty-third..." I could almost see his smiling face as he mentioned our planned wedding date. Heck, I was smiling ear to ear.

"I miss you." I couldn't help myself. I wanted nothing more than to kiss his lips, even for a second.

"I miss you, too, honey. How's it been over there?" Bad. Horrible. Worse than you could ever imagine.

"Fine. It's...nice to see all my family again", I lied, not wanting to dampen his well-deserved, euphoric mood. He deserved to be happy.

"Good. I'm glad to hear it. Listen, Claire, I have to go now, my secretary needs me..."

"Of course. I'll talk to you soon." He hung up. I hung up. My heart ached.

The sky was getting darker and the afternoon dragged on. I pulled out the one dress I had brought (for any special occasions) and pulled it on. If I would have any reason to wear it while I was here, it would probably be tonight. Tonight...

I felt the butterflies swirl around in my stomach as I thought about it. I mean, I wasn't nervous or anything like that. I honestly couldn't care either way if my relatives approved of my fiance, or even wanted to come to the wedding. They weren't the reason for the knots twisting around in my abdomen.

The reason was joy. I was marrying the most amazing, handsome, and loving bachelor on planet Earth. He was perfect in every way. From his sandy blonde hair, to his tan body, to his business savvy mind, he was perfection incarnated. I had never felt like it, but I wanted to announce our engagement to the world, shouting it from mountain tops and shouting it threw open valleys. I wanted every single human on the Earth to know that he was mine, and I was his.

I know, it sounded totally cliche and absolutely ridiculous, but it was true. I loved him, and he loved me. We had so many things in common. We met in our Sophomore year at Harvard, and have been dating ever since. We both were workaholics. We both were clean-freaks. We both loved to play tennis, and even joined a couple's league together. We loved reading. Our favorite food was Caviar. We knew everything about each other. He was my true love, no doubt about it.

I snapped out of my trance, and stuffed the black phone back into my suitcase. I sauntered over into the terracotta bathroom, planning on redesigning my face. I applied some foundation (the purple bags that had started forming under my eyes weren't exactly attractive-looking), mascara, and a tiny hint of lipstick. Not too much though. Then I moved on to my frizzy hairdo, that looked more like an animal, rather than my hair. Yeah, that bad. I took out some of my hydrating products, applying goop and glop from roots to tips. Finally, when I felt satisfied enough with my appearance, I checked the clock. Six. They'd all be here any time now.

I put my makeup kit away and sauntered out into the living room, expecting to see a house stuffed full of loud-mouthed people, munching on Emily's array of food, and gossiping. But that wasn't what I found. Not even close.

I found a huddle of enormous, muscular, olive-skinned boys with their toned backs facing me. They were all whispering in a hushed tone, so I couldn't make out any words. I wandered in, trying to be as surreptitious as possible, and plopped down on the sofa, once again. I haven't watched the daily news in a few days, and felt a little out of the loop.

I switched on the static-filled television, slouching down on the sinking couch to watch. Just then, the whispering stopped, and I felt eyes on me. I didn't move an inch.

"Claire?" One of the large boys spoke, but I didn't recognize the voice. Suddenly, the row of boys got closer, but I still could only recognize one. Sam. This must be his pack.

"That's my name." I didn't move my gaze from the television.

I heard more hushed whispers, but they still weren't perceptible. I could feel their eyes on me the entire time though, and I felt my cheeks redden slightly. Who's wouldn't?

"Oh, hey boys. Where's Claire?" Emily! Thank god!

"Over here." I lifted my arm up from the couch, and she bustled over to me, weaving in between the large mass of tan skin. But not before planting a big one on her husband.

"You almost ready to eat?" What kind of question was that? There were ten half-naked boys in her living room, and she was concerned about dinner?

"Sure..." I propped myself up, unsure of what turn the night had taken. I was expecting crazy grandmothers, annoying children, and zit-faced teenagers. Normal family reunion members. I was not expecting a bunch of rowdy, half-naked werewolf boys.

Emily unloaded the fridge and stove, revealing an alarming amount of food. Enough to feed the entire town of La Push even. I helped her carry some of the dishes to the table, feeling out of place amongst all the exposed guests. They really should just put some shirts on. It wasn't that challenging.

"Okay, everyone can take a seat now", Emily called to the group of men, now watching ESPN on the petite television. Before she could even finish the statement, the dining room chairs were filled. I was in for one interesting dinner.

I wandered awkwardly over to the table, finding a seat that wasn't directly next to any of the unfamiliar guys. Emily followed me, shortly after, taking the seat right next to me, thankfully. I felt completely out of my element. I mean, I could sit in a conference room full of a hundred, gray-haired business snobs, and give a hour-long lecture, but yet, sitting here, I couldn't even bring myself to look away from my plate. Pathetic.

I let my gaze slowly linger up towards the mysterious faces around the pine table, sneaking small glances, when I was sure they weren't looking. I knew that many of these men had all been a part of my childhood, but I didn't recognize any of them. Not one bit.

"I propose a toast. To Claire and her coming home. May she have a magnificent time, and come back to see us all again", Sam's broad voice bounced off the walls. Then they all cheered. Cheered.

After the noise died down, everyone's eyes were motioned to me. Expecting a follow-up to Sam's toast. Great.

"Thank you all for being here." I kept it short and sweet, giving them what they wanted without babbling on aimlessly.

Another round of cheers followed my reply and before I knew it, the bountiful serving platters were empty. The feast that had just occupied the entire table was gone in a flash. I also noticed nearly every werewolf's plate was now piled high with delectable goodness.

I looked at Emily, who shot me a friendly smile. I could tell she was use to this kind of thing. Sam was the only guy that hadn't started digging into his mound of food, and he handed Emily some of his. Great, now I was the only person stuck without food. Just perfect.

But then I saw a large, copper hand reach out and drop some fried chicken on my plate. Then the hand recoiled back to it's owner, and I followed it back. And it hit me. I did know this man.

It was him. It was Quil. I hadn't thought about this boy in years. He had been everything to me as a child. He had been the moon and the sun. Everything had revolved around him. A thousand memories popped into my head, refreshing my brain. He and I on First Beach, picking rocks and then skipping them across the mild waves. Him pushing me on the swing at a park, giving me under-dogs whenever I asked and batted my eyelashes. He and I roasting hotdogs at a tribe bonfire.

Before I could even react to this sudden reunion, I noticed that the room had gone dead silent. You could hear a pin drop. Everyone's eyes were on us, and our eyes were on each other.

I had forgotten so much about this place, but I hadn't entirely forgotten Quil. He had took the most time to move on from. But I could never forget him completely. He had been my best friend for basically my entire life in Washington.

But what I felt now wasn't friendship. I must not have noticed when I was seven, but boy was this man handsome. He still looked like he always did, thanks to the perks of being a werewolf. His tan face was sculpted magnificently, reflecting the ceiling lights perfectly. His cheekbones were high and his eyebrows thick, both enveloping his chocolate brown eyes in shadow. His peach-colored lips were thick, set perpetually in a pout. And the look he was giving me right now, well, made the burning of my face redden even more.

"Quil?" I asked, so quiet that I wasn't sure he even heard me. I wasn't even sure if I heard me.

"Claire." His voice was great. Not too soft or sweet. Not too gruff or hard. Perfect.

I looked around briefly, and everyone's heads turned back to their food, shrugging it off with fake coughs and mindless babble. Quil's eyes never left my face though. Not for one second.

He gestured towards the back door, and I nodded, a little unsure of what I was doing. Why did he want to be alone? Why did I suddenly want to be alone with him?

Once we were both safely outside, out of the hearing of the nosy crowd inside, he finally spoke.

"How are you?" It was a simple question, but the way his lips moved as he spoke, and the way he made the words sound, it was the most difficult question in the world.

"I've been better." Back home, in Boston, in my penthouse...

"Hmm", he stuck his enormous hands into his jean pockets, rocking back and forth on his feet.

"You?" This conversation was already going downhill...

"Okay." But the look in his dark eyes didn't say 'okay'. They said miserable. I wonder what had happened to him.

"Still in Sam's pack, I see", stating the obvious because I couldn't come up with anything else.

"Yep. You work now?"

"I am the CEO of a petrol-chemical corporation." His eyebrows raised up into his hairline, surprised at my success. I couldn't help but smile a little. He was impressed.

"Wow. You made it far." He seemed honestly cheerful for me, but there was something else in his eyes that I couldn't recognize. Some other hidden emotion.

"You could say that." He laughed a little, removing the last bit of tension in the air. His ivory smile was a truly amazing sight. I felt a twinge of satisfaction knowing I put it there. "How's La Push been since I left?"

His face darkened again, and his eyes were grave. "Good." A monkey could have told you he was lying.

I didn't ask though, afraid to know the answer. I only had two weeks here, why should I bother with the bad?

"How's Boston been? Your family? You went to college, I assume?" He seemed better again, his eyes lighting up with every syllable. I thought about his questions, being sure to answer each one.

"It's been great. My parent's got divorced three years after we moved, and my dad got remarried and moved to San Antonio. My mom still lives in Boston. Laura went to Penn State and owns her own little hair salon in Philadelphia. She's married to a dentist. I went to college at Harvard, and have been working as the CEO for a year." I made sure to not include the engagement announcement, I wanted to save it for later tonight, when Emily was around.

"I'm sorry about your parents." It didn't bother me. I didn't talk to either one much anyway. My dad had a new family, new children. He didn't care about Laura and me anymore. My mom, well, she was quite a nut-job. After my dad left, she got into drugs and alcohol, and never looked back. She was in rehab for her fourth time, but she never seemed to kick the old habits. Laura visits her sometimes, but I don't. I just talk to her on the phone once in awhile. We don't have much to talk about though, other than the wedding planning. She loves weddings, just like Emily.

"Don't be. I'm not exactly close with either one." He looked a little taken aback by that comment.

Just then, the mass of men that had been jammed inside Emily and Sam's incredibly teensy house flew out the door, sending catcalls and whistles towards Quil and I. What was that about?

Quil blushed, and I could feel the color creep up on my cheeks, too. They kept running farther away, though. Then they stopped at a metal ring on the ground; a fire pit. A second later, it exploded in blue flames, and they burst out in low-pitched chuckles, slapping each other on the backs.

Emily and Sam walked out then, arms around each other, with a true love aura surrounding them. Again, I blushed. Just watching them together screamed romance.

Emily leaned out of Sam for a second as she passed my spot on the patio chair, sending me a quick smile. I didn't really understand why though. But then again, it was Emily. Did their have to be a reason to smile with her?

"You guys coming to the bonfire?" Sam asked a second later, looking more at Quil than me. He had this concerned look in his eyes, and again I felt out of the loop. Something was up.

"Yeah. You ready?" Quil's hand reached out for mine, offering help up off my chair. I took it, despite the screaming voices in my head saying not to. His hand was so warm!

He smiled, and we walked towards the fire. He didn't release my hand though. It felt weird. I didn't even hold hands with Dylan, and he was my fiance. This certainly felt far to intimate for old friends. But as soon as I was going to protest, we had reached the place where the dancing flames lit up our faces. We made our way over to an empty log bench. Then he let go. My hand felt cold and sweaty.

The crackling was barely audible over the many voices and laughs overpowering the fire. Quil and I were silent though. His brown eyes were staring deeply into the red embers. I tapped my foot nervously. I would make my announcement soon.

"Alright everyone quiet down. We are all very thankful that Claire will be joining us tonight for the histories." Oh no. Tribe stories. This was gonna be a long-ass night.

All the animated boys quickly quieted down, anticipating the start of the story. Sam readjusted his position, sliding Emily off his lap. She leaned into his side instead.

"Our tribe has always been a small one. But we have always had magic in our blood..." Sam's story-telling voice was thunderous and demanded attention.

The stories were simple, and were all true. Werewolves, vampires, the third wife. I had remembered some of the legends from bonfires I had attended in my childhood. Let's just say, when I was seven, they had made quite an impact on me.

When Sam finished though, the night was as dark as black could possibly get, without a shining moon or star. It had also become chilly out, but being surrounded by abnormally warm werewolves, and a giant bonfire, not one shiver ran through my spine. They were like space heaters.

Sam finished the last story, and all was soundless. I shot Sam a glance that told him I was ready to make my announcement. He nodded.

"Claire came here to tell us all something important. Please listen." He nodded towards me, and I felt everyone's eyes bore into me, full attention devoted to me. I took a deep, shaky breath.

"Well, the main reason I came here was to invite you all to a wedding. My wedding."

I waited.

I didn't hear squeals of excitement. I didn't hear gasps of surprise. I didn't feel warm arms wrapping around me in congratulations.

I didn't hear anything. Everyone's faces were blank. Except one.