AN: Ouch! Three days! I'm sorry it took so long, family drama has distracted me. But there is Quil! And even flashback Quil! I kind of rushed through this whole thing so if I messed anything up, just point it out and I'll fix it on the quick! Thank you all for all the reviews, again, they are really great and they keep me writing! I hope you all enjoy this chapter.
Chapter Twenty-Two
You're A What?
I slept nicely, no nightmares but before I did fall asleep I tried to find Quil in the woods, which I couldn't, but then again it was so dark I couldn't see most of the trees. I woke up a little earlier than I thought I would out of sheer nervousness. I was a little anxious to talk to Nessie and figure out who and what she was. Hopefully I didn't make a fool of myself while I learned this next truth.
This place is really nothing but secrets, I wonder what happens when the weather gets bad.
I went and got breakfast just as the sun was lighting the sky. Wow, way earlier than I wanted to be up. I got a bowl of cereal and disappeared back into my room, wondering what I should wear. It would probably be safe to go with one of the dresses Nessie picked out. She might be more pliable if I'm wearing what she wants me to wear.
By the time I was dressed in my white summer dress with purple flower print cascading down the skirt that came to just below my knee it was over an hour before Quil was going to come and pick me up and I had already had breakfast and was dressed. I could probably do something with my hair… or not. It's most likely going to get wet, so there is really no reason for me to try and do it. I do, however, need something to fill my time so I might as well put on some makeup. I have a little bit of my makeup that I was able to bring with me and it was really all I wear.
I walked to the bathroom and heard gagging from the bathroom. Dad has his own bathroom in the basement, so it has to be Willa. "Willa, are you okay?" I asked worryingly as I poked my head into the bathroom.
"I'm puking, what do you think?" She spat as she flushed the toilet and staggered to the sink to rinse out her mouth and wash her face.
"Are you sick?" I asked taking half a step back. I did not want to get sick.
She dried off her face and hands and turned to face me. "Probably just ate something bad, nothing good comes out of gas station tacos." She groaned, slipping passed me and back to her room.
"I'll remember that." I said fearfully. I hate puking. I think I hate puking more then driving. I would probably drive to avoid puking.
After spraying some disinfectant around the bathroom I washed my face and started putting on makeup. I applied a little bit of brown eye shadow that was just a little darker than my own skin, I didn't need any mascara or eyeliner because of my thick lashes and brushed a little bit of blush across my cheekbones so no one would be able to see my blush. I only had my nude lip gloss so I smoothed a little of that over my lips and checked myself in the mirror.
I didn't look like I had makeup on, and that's usually what I went for, I just want to highlight my eyes a little more and make my continuous copper skin have a little bit of color. Of course, when I checked on the time I still had half an hour so I wrote a note for Dad and posted it on his car door and waited outside for Quil. He showed up ten minutes early with a cocked brow and looked particularly rested.
"Morning," He said curiously as he walked out of the truck. He was probably wondering why I was sitting on the edge of the only step outside the house, with my arms wrapped around my knees.
"Morning, did you actually sleep in your bed?" I asked teasingly.
"Maybe," He said smiling at me with a laugh in his eyes. "Ready to go?" He asked nodding back to his truck.
I sighed and stood, smoothing out my dress as I did. "I think so," I said not all that sure of myself.
"Don't worry, she only bites Jake." He said smirking. I don't doubt that.
I slipped into the truck but kept my body turned toward Quil as he leaned over the door. "Is that supposed to ease my fears?" I asked worryingly. He is not good with soothing people.
He reached out and held my shoulders tightly. "Seriously Claire, nothing has changed, just relax." He pled. Okay, he's not good with words, but those big dark eyes of his could calm a wild bear.
I smiled weakly. "Alright," I said as I twisted my body into the car and let Quil close the door. Quil walked around the truck and took his seat on the driver's side.
He started the car and looked at me for a moment, smirking. "Beside's she likes you too much to hurt you." He said truthfully as he pulled out of the driveway.
"Quil, I say stupid things a lot." I pointed out bluntly. It was true. He should know that best of all.
He laughed at that. "Trust me, you'll be fine." He said amused.
"Alright, I trust you." I said defeatedly. He seemed pleased at that. "For now." I added with narrowed eyes.
Quil continued to drive out of the Rez with no radio on. It was odd. I was kind of expecting music from him, but there was nothing. He had a content smile on his face so he wasn't doing it for my sake. It's weird, I guess, knowing someone that doesn't need blaring music to drown out their boredom as they drive. I could care less myself, but I always appreciate a step outside of the norm.
Of course it didn't take long for Quil to reach Nessie's outlandish home. The blue Bronco was in the drive way and so was Alice's shiny Mercedes.
"Maybe I should come back, Alice is still here, she's here to visit I shouldn't take her away." I said anxiously, buckling my seat belt back across my chest.
Quil sighed and exited the truck and walked around to open my door and stand impatiently. "Claire, Alice and Jasper have a place in Seattle and two in Vancouver, they can come when ever they please." He informed me as he reached over to take off my seatbelt. When he leaned back and waited for me to get out of the truck, I did nothing. "Don't make me carry you." He said warningly.
That really wasn't a bad thought, I mean, getting carried around by those muscles sounds like a new form of heaven.
"What are you so scared of?" He asked worryingly.
I slumped my shoulders and looked at my knees. "She's the only friend I have here." I said sadly.
"Gee thanks," He muttered offended.
I rolled my eyes. "Girl friend, I don't want to screw that up." I amended firmly. Quil was really a pain in the ass sometimes.
"You won't, come on." He promised, taking my hand swiftly and pulling me out of the truck.
I let him drag me up to the front door because his warm hand was very comforting and it made me a little calmer than this whole situation was letting me be. We walked up to the door and he knocked loudly.
Nessie bounced up to the door, as I could see through the windows on the side of the door, and opened in within thirty seconds. "Claire, Quil! What a surprise!" She called out happily.
"Hi Nessie," I croaked.
"Come in!" She ordered, moving to open the door wider and let us through. Nessie corralled us toward the living room where Jacob was waiting with a grin.
"Hey Quil, come on, Grand Theft Auto." He said nodding toward the stairs.
I looked up at Quil fearfully and gripped his forearm. He covered my hand with his and gently pried my fingers off his arm with a warm smile down at me as he did. "You'll be fine." He said knowingly before disappearing up the stairs with Jacob. If this goes badly, I'm kicking both of them in the place no man wants to be kicked.
Nessie guided me to the comfiest couch in the room and we sat next to each other. My leg was bouncing I was so nervous. "Where's Alice, I saw her car?" I asked suddenly.
"Oh, her and Jasper are out for a walk, they won't be back for a while." She answered still smiling.
"Nessie, Quil told me the truth. About everything." I blurted out rather rudely. She looked at me confused. "There is a lot of confusion surrounding you that no one will tell me." I added hopefully.
"Good, my threats worked, Daddy will be proud." She said triumphantly. I stared at her baffled.
"You're meaner than you look." I noted quietly.
"I know," She answered simply with a shrug. "What do you want to know?" She asked almost excited.
I was stammering even before I spoke. "Well, I… Its just-… What are you?" I sputtered.
"I'm half vampire, half human. My father impregnated my mother before he was going to turn her and I was the outcome." She answered easily.
"Wow," I gasped.
"I can live off blood, human and animal, as well as food. I prefer to hunt with Jacob." She added without me asking. That would have been awkward.
I couldn't help but wonder what she meant by hunting. "Animal's right?" I asked fearfully.
"Right," She affirmed. "The pack doesn't attack humans, they are supposed protect them." She elaborated. I don't really know if that makes me feel better because it would have been nice to have some huge guys put the smack-down on some annoying people.
"How old are you really?" I asked suspiciously. No one here looks their age. At all. I don't expect her too.
"I'm really fifteen." She answered somewhat timidly.
"Wait, what? You're younger than me?" I asked shocked. She looked just as old as I did.
"I was born when you were three, but I aged rapidly for six years before I stopped aging at eighteen and I've been that way for the past nine years." She explained coolly.
"That's just… Wow." I murmured. I couldn't help but wonder if I could remember her. "WAIT! You were the girl with the curly hair!" I exclaimed just as I thought of it. That explains why they had the same exact hair.
She giggled. "Yeah and Dana was there too, we were playing tag, it was your turn to be it." She answered guiltily.
"And it was Quil, the arms that were holding me?" I asked even though I knew it was true. There was something about Quil's embrace that I had learned to distinguish from everyone else's hugs.
"I think so, it's a fair bet." She said nodding.
"How come you're not cold like Alice?" I asked suddenly far more brave than I had been all day.
"It's the half human thing, it makes me warmer than normal for some reason. Carlisle still hasn't figured it out." She explained as her face twisted into a slight frown.
"Is Alice really your cousin?" I asked suspiciously.
"No, I think of her more as my aunt." She said with a smile.
"My dad says he likes Jasper best." I noted, trying to see what her thoughts were on the matter.
She nodded. "Jasper likes your father, he's been comfortable with Jasper's company for the past ten years." She said surely.
"So, when do I get to meet your family?" I asked almost excited. I wanted to meet the vampire my father would willingly keep company with.
"Well, they will probably be coming out soon, but they haven't given me a time. They would love to see you again, you always loved be around Emmett when you were little." She giggled and I couldn't help but wonder who Emmett was but I was suddenly more concerned with something else.
"Do you remember everything?" I asked trying to hide my jealousy. I really wanted to remember my time here and she remembers things from when she was two?!
"Yep," She answered proudly. I growled a little and she seemed to pick up on it because she looked down at her hands as she twisted her fingers. "I have a gift as well. And so does the rest of my family." She added hesitantly.
"Gift? Like power?" I asked still slightly confused.
"Yes," She answered quietly.
"What is it?" I asked curiously.
"It's easier to show, would it be okay if I showed you?" She asked timidly.
"Does it hurt?" I asked worryingly.
"No," She said knowingly, shaking her head.
I nodded. "Okay," I said surely. Her tiny pale hand reached out to couch my cheek gently.
I was suddenly sucked into what felt like a memory, but it definitely wasn't mine because I was seeing my five-year-old self through someone else's eyes. I was crouched in a tree with someone else and I heard in the distance loud foot falls.
"CLAIRE!" Quil sounded the same but was desperately worried.
Little Claire whimpered. "Shush, Claire, we don't want them to find us." The high pitched voice ordered quietly, I think it was Nessie.
"But Quil's mad." I whispered sadly. I was so small and so upset at the fact that Quil was worried, it was insanely cute.
"NESSIE! You better have Claire with you!" That was definitely Jacob and he was mad at I'm guessing the young Nessie's eyes I'm seeing through.
"Okay, maybe they are." She said fearfully. We heard them getting closer to us. "Jump when I tell you to." She said deviously. I can tell I used to be a pain in the ass as a child because I smiled right along with her.
It didn't take long for Jacob and Quil to come running up to the tree we were in. They both looked frantic and seriously angered. When they were lined up perfectly my surrogate eyes looked back to my tiny self.
"Jump!" She whispered. We both jumped. I landed on Quil while she landed on Jacob. The eyes I saw through looked at Jacob for a moment before they were back on me and Quil.
"Claire! Don't do that, you can get hurt!" Quil chided seriously. Poor guy looked like he was ready to have a coronary.
My cunning little self must have known his weakness because I nestled my head under Quil's chin. "You won't let me get hurt." I mumbled happily. Quil let out a long sigh and held me close to him as he muttered something about little girls and trouble.
The scene started to fade and the only thing I heard was Jacob's stern tone. "Nessie, you are in big trouble."
The vision was gone all together and I was back to looking at Nessie in her storybook home. "What was that?!" I demanded astounded.
"I can show people what I want. Feelings, thoughts or even entire memories." She explained calmly.
"Really?" I asked shocked. I wonder if she would show me all the things I can't remember, seeing as how she has a friggin awesome power.
"Well, you did just see." She pointed out. See, I had almost gone through this whole conversation without saying something stupid and I just blew it.
"That was impressive." I mumbled, falling back against the couch to stare out at nothing.
"Your not afraid of me are you?" She asked sadly after a few tense moments.
"No, but its kind of hard to get used to it all in one day." I said with a small smile.
"I don't blame you." She said with a chuckle. She stood quickly and nodded toward the stairs. "Want to go upstairs and distract them?" She asked smirking.
I laughed. "Sure," I said happily, jumping to my feet to follow her up the stairs, grinning like a mad woman as I realized we were still the same little girls that loved to be nuances' to the Quileute men.
AN: Review!