*Disclaimer I own nothing recognizable, all those rights go to Stephenie Meyer. As all Song Rights go to the listed artist. I only own any original characters.

A/N: I want to thank everyone who reviewed, followed, and added this story to their favorites list.

IMPORTANT!

This chapter is taking place as the last one is coming to an end. Also remember Sam left Bella roughly mid June, so it has been about six and half months since they have seen each other.

With those little details shared, let the story carry on and lets see Billly's lies come to light.

Take A Bow

Well, it must have been slight of hand 'cause

I still can't understand

How I could never see, just what a fool believes

But the lies they start to show

Tell me how does it feel to know, right now

That I won't be around, so baby before I put you out

Take a bow 'cause you've taken everything else

You played the part, like a star you played it so well

Take a bow 'cause the scene is coming to an end

I gave you love, all you gave me was pretend, so now take a bow

Song-

Take a Bow

By Leona Lewis

Sarah smiled as she peered in from the doorway as she watched Sam sleeping in Jacob's bed. Jacob was staying with the Ateara's after plopping dead asleep in a pile with his two counterparts after the night's festivities. It was decided it was best to leave sleeping dogs lie and just collect Jacob in the morning.

Her heart ached a bit as she watched Sam's frowning face. 'Even in sleep he couldn't find a smile,' she whispered to herself. She knew how much Sam was breaking inside; it has been a hard six and half months and they were getting harder as Allison was constantly in and out of the hospital. Unfortunately instead of spending her first Christmas with her grandson she was spending it in the hospital as her disease was progressing.

Allison would constantly tell Sarah it was her punishment for her wrong doings; for her walking away and not fighting to show how her son was incorrigible and unable of change, for walking away without even meeting her granddaughter, and for not pushing the issue of the tribe taking Bella during the foster period. Sarah wished she could hold her friend and say that's not true but Sarah knew the Fates and the saying Fate can be cruel didn't come about for no reason. They handed out what they deemed punishment for a reason which Sarah knew all to well after she had been shown her demise that had been hand-picked by the Fates. Sarah couldn't help but feel Allison had been right in her musings as the doctors told them they have never seen it spread so quickly; Sarah knew Allison was being punished by the Fates. Allison wasn't the only one to come home from that trip with a plague; even Billy had found out not long after his return he had become a diabetic. He left a healthy man but no more than a week home he was violently ill from his new condition. Sarah blamed herself for her husband's turn in health seeing it as Fates' cruel way of punishing her further for what she had done by breaking the rules.

A soft whimper caused Sarah to look down at Sam as he tossed a bit in his sleep; these six and a half months were taking such a toll on him. While he seemed to thrive, he seemed in some ways to only be treading water; especially with everyday that passed and no word from or of Bella came. Everyone was shocked; here it was six and a half months later and Bella wasn't with them. Nobody believed that Joshua could have pulled it off or could have cleaned up his act to get custody of his daughter back, but the girl's absence seemed to have proved them all wrong.

About two and half months ago, Billy had taken the role of calling to check on the girl from Allison, stating that it was best for him to keep the situation in order seeing as even though his health wasn't excellent, it was better than Allison's and he could handle the stress better. With each call Billy would state Bella was fine and doing well, and would leave it at that. While it seemed that the news hurt Sam to think that his sister was doing fine without him; it seemed to be the only comfort keeping him from losing his mind with worry. Yet at the same time Sarah could see the guilt eating away at the boy for leaving her. She heard him once tell Jared that he believed Bella didn't talk to him because of his lies, and that it was his fault he didn't have her love anymore.

The chiming of the clock striking midnight broke Sarah from her thoughts and a smile to face, "Merry Christmas, little one," she whispered before turning and making her way down the hall. She paused as a small box inside her bedroom door caught her attention and for frustration to fill her as she remembered the box contained gifts from Allison for Sam, and that they still needed wrapped. Cursing under her breath, she lifted the box and carried it into the kitchen placing it down on a pulled out chair, allowing the table to have access for the wrapping that needed done.

"More gifts?" she heard the husky voice of her husband chuckle.

"Ones that need wrapped," she sighed.

"Well, better get to it Santa as there is only about six hours until a paper explosion," he laughed as he turned to leave his wife to it

"And where do you think you're off to?"

"Bed."

"Oh no! Since Santa has some last minute wrapping, you need to be a good little elf and get the gifts hidden in the trunk in the shed and neatly place them under the tree," She smirked.

"But it's raining."

"Your point?" she chuckled. "It's the Northwest. When isn't it raining? So put on your boots and jacket and hop to it."

"Hop to it? One minute you say I'm an elf the next you refer to me as the Easter Bunny; which is it woman?" he snickered only to stop when he saw the wicked gleam in his wife's eyes. "I'll, uh… Yeah just go get the gifts."

"Good idea," her voice stern but the mirth of her amusement still there as she watched her husband exit the house and into the rain. She hoped that he wouldn't drop any of the gifts in the mud covered ground as she had enough wrapping to do tonight. She really didn't want to add more to her list.

Turning on her heel Sarah darted down the hall and into the small room at the end of it. Over the years they had used it for storage, they even use to use it as a place to hid Jacob's gifts; but as he got older his curious nature and need to seek out his gifts finally led him to the promised land last year. After that lack luster of a Christmas morning, Sarah decided to make it a bit harder this year by using a water proof trunk to hide her son's gifts in their shed. Sarah pushed her way through boxes that were pulled out into the walk space proving her son had been on the hunt again this year as the neat nature of the room had been disturbed.

As Sarah rounded the last corner her hip caught the balancing box just right, causing it to topple over and spraying its contents all over the wooden floor. For a minute she thought of leaving it and coming back to the mess another day, but being the neat freak she was she couldn't suppress the need to clean up the mess. Bending down she noticed the contents of the box were old photos; photos she had forgot about a long time ago. 'When was the last time I cleaned out this room,' crossed through her mind before she shook the trivial thought as she lowered herself into a comfortable seating position as she prepared herself for a trip down memory lane. Lifting the first picture made her breath hitch at the sight, there staring back at her was not only herself but Renee as they sat on the beach both heavily pregnant with bows tied around their tummies. Renee of course with a pink one and herself with a blue one. Sarah never had many visions of Renee but she remembered seeing her having a girl clear as day and herself having a boy, which not long after the excitement of it caused her to tell Renee. Renee had been one of the few people she had entrusted with her ability to see visions, and Renee never once doubted it. Sarah remembered when she received the vision she could feel without a doubt that the Fates wanted Renee to know; so she told her.

It was a shock to see Renee with so many mixed signals in her eyes; sure she portrayed being thrilled for a baby girl but behind her eyes it was like it pained her at the same time. It wasn't long after finding out the sex of the baby, Renee started to slowly become ill more and more by each passing day, which caused her to spend a lot of time at Old Quil's home. Sarah remembered how she would joke with Rene about their children getting married and making them a family. Billy would chuckle at it while Joshua would brood over it like any father would, stating she wouldn't date until he was dead. Renee seemed passive almost nervous at the idea. 'Funny thing is, Jacob seems to be meant for Leah,' Sarah sighed as she laid that photo down. Yet even in her own mind that statement felt wrong, especially as she thought back to her vision for a moment before she pulled up the next photo. It brought tears to her eyes as she saw a wide smiling Joshua, his chin resting on Renee's shoulder as his arms came around and his large hands came to rest on his wife's swollen stomach. Sam stood there wide eyed with a large smile as he too had his small hand placed on the swollen stomach.

'Once such a happy family,' a pain filled whisper floated through her thoughts as she laid the photo down. Sarah couldn't help but think the box being knocked over was more than just a work of clumsiness, to her it seemed again as if the hands of the Fates were wanting her to find this box. Maybe it was to show Sam that there were happy times in his family once upon a time. Sarah pulled up the next photo with a wistful smile on her lips and as she flipped the photo over to reveal the image, the wistful smile fell and so did her stomach as her heart raced at what stared back at her. There staring back at her held securely in Sam's arms was a small baby with a little smile playing not only on Sam's lips but the baby's as well.

But what had Sarah's heart racing were the eyes that stared back at her; the peridot eyes from her vision, the peridot eyes of Isabella Uley. Her vision raced back at her with a vengeance. These eyes caused so much turmoil in the pack, the lack of imprint on Leah, the incomplete feeling as the eyes faded away, and the guilt in the black wolf's features. A wolf now known to be Sam, Jacob's wolf breakdown when the eyes met but then faded away, and then the vicious fight with Sam's wolf. Suddenly Sarah's own words came rushing back to her from the vision, 'Those eyes couldn't belong to a wolf? Leah was the she wolf, the alpha female. Right?'

Suddenly feeling as if she had been hit by a ton of bricks, it hit her. If Sam was half-blooded and able to shift, Bella could too. Bella was meant to be part of the pack and to be the alpha's mate. Sarah still didn't understand why Leah phased; but quickly pushed that riddle from her mind as it was one for another day. Right now all she knew was that Bella was meant to be the missing piece to the pack, but she wasn't here. Suddenly all thought process stopped as it hit her; Bella wasn't here. Suddenly guilt consumed her as Bella wasn't here because she let her fear override her and instead of doing what she should have done, she shared her vision with Billy.

Again as if hit by a ton of bricks, realization came crashing down onto her. Billy had gone to get the Uley children and Billy came home minus one Uley child, a child who owned the eyes he vowed before he left he would keep away from his son. Sarah knew in a way it was her fault for telling him without thought, but he knew she wasn't sure what the girl meant to the pack. Billy just went with it because to him Leah phased; therefore, she was his son's destiny. How wrong they both had been. Guilt started to seep away as rage filled her; he had purposely left the girl to God knows what. He had played games with Allison, Harry, Sam and most of all young, innocent Bella, all without talking to her. She was the seer after all; he made the decision on his own believing he knew what was best, never thinking outside his black and white views.

Launching herself to her feet, she barreled through the boxes, knocking them down in her wake and no longer caring about a messy house. That was trivial compared to the mess her husband and even herself had made of someone's life.

"I was starting to think you were lost back there," she heard him chuckle as he crouched by the tree.

Sarah said nothing as she bore down on him with nothing but rage and shoved him to the floor with a thud.

"What the hell," he shouted.

"You son of a bitch!" she roared.

Confusion crossed his face as he looked up at his wife, rage filled her always peaceful features as she glared down at him as if he was nothing more than a disgusting waste.

With a sneer she threw the glossy piece of paper towards him and as it fluttered to the ground, Billy grabbed it. As his eyes took in the image, he felt his heart rate spike and his throat run dry at what started back at him.

"Uh, Honey... What-".

"Really? Are we going to play that game, William? You really shouldn't because stupidity doesn't become you," she seethed through a clenched jaw.

"Sarah, Honey…."

"Don't you HONEY ME!" she sneered. "Now tell me what you did!"

"Sarah, I-".

"Don't give me any bullshit, William! I know what I told you and I know you acted off my vision, which I regret now more than ever sharing with you! But who the hell are you to play the role of a seer? Who are you to make judgment before speaking with the elders but in this case especially me."

"I'll tell you who! I'm the chief of this tribe and I needed to keep it safe; so I acted! And I did try to contact you and try to see if things changed. But you weren't home; you were off at you mother's so I needed to step up and be the chief that I am," he bit back.

"So it was that important you couldn't wait a few more damn days? You couldn't have stayed there and waited a few more days until I came home? Your actions prove to me it wouldn't have mattered what I said, because you know I would have told you to bring the girl home where she belongs and figure it out later. But that to you would have been to much of a risk to bring a seven year old girl back to her home. That's bullshit and you know it. You knew my vision wasn't fully deciphered and you didn't care; you acted out of your own authority and because of you, you just left your son without his mate!"

"Leah will be his mate and she is full blooded and she will phase. You have seen it."

"Leah is an oddity that I don't understand. Yes, I saw her phase but I have no doubt it ties into Isabella's-"

"She is a half breed."

"SHUT UP WILLAM! She might be but so is Sam and he will, I've seen it along with seeing that Isabella is meant for Jacob. I know what I've seen in my head; you do not!" Sarah screamed down at the man below her. "Tell me, Billy, tell me what you did to Isabella. Tell me how you kept her away from here and from her family. How did you get Joshua to agree; and don't you lie or leave a damn thing out," she harshly bit out.

Billy stared up into the eyes of his wife, who glared down with such intensity it made Billy tremble. He had never seen her so angry in his life; she was always so sweet natured but now he truly saw another side and it was absolutely terrifying. Billy sat up a bit and ran his hands down his face; he knew there was no point in lying anymore. He knew she would sense it; she was always good at that. When she knew something was up she could sense his lying. That is why he was truly shocked she didn't question him when he came home with only Sam; somehow she truly believed his ruse. But now she was onto him and like a bloodhound, there was nothing he could hide because she would find it and call him out on it.

"I went there with the full intent to bring her home. Honest I did, Sarah. When I got there I was so angry with Joshua and at what he had done to her. I was in with the doctor during her first per opt exam and when he lifted those closed lids and I saw those eyes, the eyes you described, I panicked. All I could see was the destruction you mentioned and I vowed to protect us from all you had seen, and it all focused around those eyes. I truly did call you; I wanted to know if you saw anything different. I will admit it frustrated me not being able to talk to you, yet a bigger part of me was glad because if you knew, like you said, you'd want me to bring her home; and I really didn't want to risk it."

He paused knowing the next part was going to be the hardest part of his confession. "Remember how I told you that the Cullen's showed up not long after our arrival and took over the care for Bella?" He paused as she nodded, "At first I did nothing because it seemed as if she was going to die of her injuries; but after the Cullen's showed up, it seemed that she was slowly improving. So," he stopped himself knowing this is where it was going to start to go downhill even quicker.

"Stop the shit, Billy. What did you do?"

"I pulled the good doctor aside and asked if Bella made it through her latest cardiac arrest; and when he said she had, I asked him to handle her."

"Handle her how?" she ground out.

"Drain her, change her, whatever would get her out of our hair and that he owed it to us due to my grandfather making a treaty with him instead of turning him into ash," he bit out in a shout. In that moment he felt something shatter across his face, causing droves of pain and a warm substance start to flow. As he brought himself out of the shock, he looked around to see the porcelain vase from the mantle now laid in shards around him. Lifting his hand slowly to his face, he winced from the pain; in that moment he realized his loving well- tempered Sarah had threw a vase, breaking it across his face.

"Did he do it?" she spat.

Wincing again as he looked up, "No, he said pretty much that how dare I call him a monster and that I was the pot calling the kettle black," he snorted at the memory.

"Who would have thought a vampire would have been right and the one with sense."

Her words shocked him; he knew she was angry but he never thought she would side with a vampire over him.

"Tell me the rest right now and no more stalling."

"You want to know? Fine!" he snapped. "After the bloodsucker said no, I was leaving the hospital when I overheard the nurses talking about how bad they felt for Mrs. Uley with her granddaughter being so ill, and now for the poor woman to have leukemia, which they found in her adoption physical. Right then and there plan B came to mind. I went to the jail and made a deal with Joshua. I would pay his bail once he did two things; he signed over his rights to Sam to the tribe because of his special ability, and that he play that he wanted to get better and keep his little girl to do right by her. He agreed and I paid his bail. I knew usually they would allow family to foster the child in the meantime but after learning of Allison's condition, I knew they wouldn't allow it. So that left her to the State's care and that is exactly how it worked out. I got Bella a new social worker almost instantly, someone who was on the take. I had to after the first one talked about giving Bella to the tribe after six months if things didn't work out with Joshua. Most of all, I had to keep Sam and Isabella at odds. So I bribed her to keep Sam's letters.

"Who the hell are you?" Sarah asked in shock at her husband's lies and deceit.

"I did what I thought was best."

"Always about you, isn't it?" she snapped, her fierce eyes meeting his. "What happened after she left the hospital? Did she leave the hospital, William?"

"Of course she did," he snapped

"Oh, don't act like that offends you. I mean, after all, you did ask a vampire to kill the girl," she scoffed in a sickly sweet voice.

Billy looked away as he felt some shame. Because she was right, who was he to act offended at her statement when he did ask that of a vampire. A snapping of fingers brought his attention back to her.

"Answer my question. What happened when she left the hospital?"

"Foster care," he sighed.

"Then in the morning you're going to call your little S.O.B on their private line, since I'm sure you have it; and you will tell them that since it's been six and a half months, the tribe is claiming the girl. Then SUE and I will be leaving right after that little call to pick her up. Is that understood? she sternly seethed

"I can't…"

"You mean, you won't!" she yelled.

"NO, I mean I can't…."

"What do you mean, you can't," her frustration rising again.

"I mean I can't call my contact. She's in jail for fraud and abuse," Billy mumbled.

"What a shame. So call whoever is in charge of her care now."

Billy sighed. "There isn't anyone in charge of her care."

"What the hell, William. Get to the point! Where is Bella?"

"I can't get in contact with anyone about her care because she doesn't have a case worker anymore; she hasn't for months. Two and a half months ago my contact got arrested because of the ties to the home she placed Bella in. I swear though, Sarah, I didn't know she was going to do this," he paused taking in his wife's expression.

"And what is that?"

"I thought she was just going to keep the letters away and keep Allison or the tribe from getting custody after the six months. I didn't know that she was taking the children she had in her care to an abusive home. I only found out, like I said, two and half months ago when she was arrested and they contacted me to tell me about the situation," he paused looking away from the anger filled eyes before him.

"A new social worker called to tell me that the family Bella was with was no more. The father was dead from a broken neck and multiple bruises from a server beating from someone; while the woman was beaten within an inch of her life and stuffed into a small animal cage that apparently they used to keep the children in. The woman couldn't identify her attackers, but she feared them enough and their promise to finish the job on her if she didn't tell the police everything. Short story, they kept the children locked in the basement that had stone walls and a dirt floor. Only allowing them upstairs to do chores. They fed them their scraps from their meals at the end of the day, they beat them psychically, they even went further by locking the kids in the animal cage, or pouring hot water down their bodies.

They were splitting the money from the children with my contact. The reason there is no social worker for Bella is when the police showed after the neighbors called the police at hearing all the screams that night, they only found two children, who were dead. One was pushed down the steps by his foster mother and his neck broke and the other died of pneumonia; but Bella... Bella wasn't there. The only thing they can guess is that she climbed through the broken basement window and had fled during the chaos. So that is why I can't do what you ask. Nobody knows where she is; nobody knows if she is alive or dead."

"I HATE YOU!" a sobbing voice caused Sarah and Billy to turn to see a disheveled looking Sam; Sarah in her moment of anger had forgotten the boy was in the house. Guilt filled her; she didn't want him to find any of this out in this manner. "YOU TRICKED ME, YOU MADE ME LIE TO MY SISTER, AND ALL THIS TIME YOU KNEW SHE WASN'T IGNORING MY LETTERS. YOU KNEW SHE WAS BEING BEATEN AGAIN, STARVED AGAIN, AND YOU KNEW SHE WAS MISSING!" Sam paused as he tried desperately to gain his breath between sobs. "I NEVER THOUGHT I'D MEET ANYONE WORSE THAN MY FATHER, BUT I WAS WRONG!" he ground out before running past them and out the side door into the freezing rain.

"GET OUT!" Sarah gritted out as she turned towards the kitchen and the phone to call the Ateara's, Cameron's and the Clearwater's. She knew she was going to need their help in finding the distraught boy.

Sarah quickly made the calls, not giving them any details other than the fact that Sam was missing and needed to be found. She knew explaining what happened right now would eat up precious time; time that she didn't have in this weather to find a boy who was only wearing thermal pajamas. Running her hands down her face she made her way into the living room, only to pause in shock that her husband was still here standing by the Christmas tree.

"I TOLD YOU TO GET OUT!"

"Sarah, please."

"GET OUT!" she screeched.

"Sarah," he tried again as he reached for her.

"DON'T TOUCH ME, DAMN IT!" her voice full of venom as she looked up into his eyes. "I get part of this is my fault, but you... you took something that wasn't yours to interpret and ran with it. Now I understand why Old Quil has been so angry with you. He knows."

"He's angry because when I was over at his house, I-"

"You what?"

"When you sent me over with that casserole, he told me to put it in the fridge; so I did. But when I was in there, I saw something, a bottle of slimly clear liquid marked Isabella Uley's injection in his herbal tribal medicine mumbo jumbo stuff he keeps on the one side. It bothered me to see her name on it and fearing for the tribe and knowing how forgetful he can be at times, I figured he wouldn't even remember it being in there or figure he'd lost it. So I poured the contents of the bottle down the sink, but as I was pocketing the vial to throw it away later, he caught me. He said I just unleashed a curse."

Sarah felt even more shocked as her vision was coming more true before her eyes - Old Quil's words plus the fact that he only ever kept things for the wolves in that part of the fridge. Sarah wasn't sure why there would be a vial for an injection for Isabella; but like Leah phasing that wasn't important right now. What was important was the man in front of her, the man she has been married to for ten years isn't anyone she knows. Before her now is a lying, deceitful man, who preaches what is best for the tribe but goes behind its back by not talking to the elders, going behind the shaman, Old Quil's, back, and most importantly behind her back and putting himself in her place to do what was her job to do; yet failed to do. And in the end all his self- righteousness only proved to make things worse for all involved. Old Quil wouldn't have said he had unleashed a curse unless his words rang true.

Billy mistook Sarah's silence as her calming and again he reached out taking her left forearm into his hand, causing her to act quickly as her right fist came crashing down onto his nose; breaking it instantly. "I SAID DO NOT TOUCH ME," she seethed.

Billy looked up from his hunched position desperately trying to get her to see his side and that he did what was for the best. He believed if she did, she would truly side with him.

A humorless chuckle rose from her throat as she glared at him. "I can see it in your eyes, you still feel you did right and you still do not feel remorse! All these months I blamed myself for your diabetes; thinking it was the Fates punishing me through you for breaking the rules. When the truth is it doesn't have anything to do with me, they are punishing you for your own actions, not mine. I can tell you now, I will never agree or side with you! I have never thought I would despise you... but I do. So get the hell out, you self-righteous bastard!" She paused as she met his eyes so he would get the point. "GET OUT AND STAY OUT. DO NOT COME BACK HERE UNTIL ISABELLA GETS TO COME HOME; BECAUSE AS LONG AS SHE IS AWAY FROM HER FAMILY, YOU WILL BE TOO!" she sneered with so much disdain.

"Sarah-"

"GET OUT. GET OUT. GET OUT," she shrieked as she started to throw everything that lined the mantel at him.

Finally with one last look, Billy ran from the house and into the rain. Not knowing where to go, because he knew once Sarah shared all this with the others he would be ostracized. Pulling his rain slicker tight around himself he made his way to his car, as he got in he knew a hotel would be the only place that would welcome him for a long time to come.

Sarah watched as Billy pulled out of the driveway and onto the road. Once his tail lights were out of sight, she dropped to the floor as tears started to pour from her eyes. Yes Billy pulled the strings to this situation, but guilt racked Sarah's soul because if she followed the rules and kept quiet none of this would have happened. So even though Billy was the mastermind in all the lies and deceit, Sarah knew this was ultimately her fault. As she sobbed she felt for the first time glad for the penance the Fates had handed her because, after all, this mess started with her; and now she would no longer dread her fate but gladly take the death she had been handed for her role in this charade her husband had made.

I hope you all enjoyed Sarah's reaction to Billy's lies. It doesn't end here for Billy, there is more on the way, as his lies are revealed to more then just Sarah and Sam next chapter. Also next chapter we will get to see into Sam's head a bit and get his thoughts on all this.

I just want to state for anyone who might be wondering about the vial that Billy disposed of... it was NOT Vampire Venom... So Bella is NOT part vampire... what was it? I can't just give away the answer now can I? I will say she can't ever reach her full potential without it.

Please review as they are appreciated, however as always flames are not.