The White Feather
Disclaimer: all characters and copyright belong to SM.
Chapter Eleven
Charlie relit the fire. The flames began to lick at the wood as he added more fuel. As warmth began to return to the room he focused his attention on Billy. His friend was cradling a glass of warm milk in his hands. "Do you need to get closer to the fire?" Charlie asked gruffly.
"I'm alright now, Chief." Billy thanked him. He had a thick blanket wrapped around him that Charlie had brought in from his bedroom.
"Good." Charlie smiled tiredly as he pulled up a chair and sat opposite his friend. His troubled face was half in shadow as he stared into the depths of the fire. "Something has to be done, Billy. The children cannot continue living like this. There has to be a solution."
Billy's expression turned grave. He didn't have any answers to give. Charlie knew everything he knew. In fact, probably more now. He was the only one who had witnessed the strange phenomenon of Jacob and Bella mixing with a pack of mortal wolves. It was unheard of. When his friend had first begun to spin his fantastical tale about the wolf pack after rescuing his son from the stormy night, Billy had been too overwhelmed to think straight. His blood sugar levels had dipped alarmingly and he had been hours away from slipping into a diabetic coma. He had messed up his medication and nearly paid the price. Charlie's quick intervention had saved him. Billy had a lot to thank his friend for.
"I don't know what to do, Chief." Billy replied, despairing. "Jacob won't talk about what happened. Bella refuses to speak at all." He kneaded his aching forehead with trembling fingers. "If you hadn't come home when you did and found Jake...or if the wolves hadn't been there to protect him..." He couldn't continue.
"Calm yourself, Billy." Charlie cautioned him. He didn't want his friend to get worked up again. Stress only made his condition worse. He sighed and leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees as he pondered what to do now. The hard part was not knowing what had happened to Jacob. Had he transformed into the wolf like they suspected, or had something spooked him into running out into the wild storm? The fact that the poor kid was naked when Charlie found him gave credence to the fact that he had indeed changed. It just didn't bear thinking about.
"I want to protect him, Charlie." Billy's voice cracked. "But I don't know how. I feel so weak and useless." He shielded his eyes with his hand as he began to cry.
"Stop this." Charlie reached out and pulled Billy's hand away from his face. He understood his despair, but he couldn't allow him to give into it. Charlie didn't want to be harsh but he needed Billy to pull himself together. "What would Sarah say right now if she saw you, huh? She would be ashamed. Stop wallowing, Billy, and help me come up with a plan to keep our kids safe."
Red bloomed on Billy's cheeks. He glared at Charlie, angry that he was using Sarah to get to him. He hated that his friend was right. He was feeling weak because he had been neglecting his health since Sarah was taken from him. Now Jacob and his daughters were suffering the consequences of his inability to care for any of them properly. The twins were getting so settled at the Clearwater's that he doubted that they would want to come back to this gloomy house. Billy knew he had been abusing the Clearwater's generosity. Harry was his friend just like Charlie, but even so he couldn't expect Harry to keep providing for his daughters financially while he struggled to pull himself together.
"I hate that you're right." Billy said bitterly. He rubbed a hand over his face wearily. "Sarah would be ashamed of me."
"Then you need to do something about it." Charlie stood up. "I'm going to check on Jake and Bells."
Billy watched his friend walk away. Charlie was trying to hide it but he was completely exhausted. Between work, stressing about the kids, Billy, as well as trying to deal with his own grief, it was all taking its toll. Billy wondered how much longer they could all continue to coast along like this before all of them reached the point of no return.
Charlie slept on the floor in Jacob's room. Jake and Bella were sleeping in the bed. Jacob had been so distressed after his ordeal that only having Bella with him enabled him to sleep. Charlie decided to stay with them in case they woke up during what was left of the night. The last thing he wanted was to discover that either one of them had wandered off again. The floor was hard and there wasn't much room but Charlie was so exhausted that he fell asleep anyway. He woke up to the sun shining in his eyes. Charlie yawned as he rolled onto his side and massaged his aching back. If the sun was out, it meant that the storm was over. That was one bit of good news. He sat up and glanced toward the bed, expecting to find Jacob and Bella still asleep. It was empty.
"Shit." Charlie scrambled to his feet. This couldn't be happening. How had they gotten past him for goodness sake? He stumbled as he ran out of the room calling their names. He was in a blind panic.
He found them in the kitchen. His relief was compounded by incredulity as he stared at the odd domestic scene in front of him. Jacob was sitting at the kitchen table, calmly chomping his way through a plate of toast. He had a glass of milk in front of him which he sipped from time to time. And Bella - tiny little Bella - was standing on an upturned crate in front of the stove making pancakes of all things. Charlie couldn't believe it. When had his precious little girl learned how to cook pancakes or anything else for that matter? Had Renee taught her? Charlie winced as he thought about his ex-wife. No, he couldn't imagine Bella's mother teaching her anything so useful. Renee had always been an awful cook. So how?
"Bells..." Charlie said huskily.
Bella turned around at the sound of her name. She looked at her father and smiled briefly. Her face was hot from being so near the stove. She flicked her long fringe out of her eyes before hopping down off the crate. Charlie thought she was coming over to him, but instead he saw her push the crate over to the kitchen counter and climb onto it again. Then she was loading up the toaster again. She switched the kettle on to boil the water, while simultaneously keeping one eye on the pancakes. Charlie was entranced as he watched his small daughter make him a coffee. Jacob had finished his toast and had come over to help her. He took the coffee from Bella and dumped it on the table along with some more toast before settling down in his chair again. Jacob pushed the coffee mug toward Charlie as he looked at the police chief expectantly.
In a daze Charlie took his seat at the table. Jacob had reluctantly given up a half a slice of the toast and he grudgingly held it toward Charlie, who took it absently. Bella had finished cooking the pancakes now. Charlie continued to watch in fascination as Bella piled the pancakes clumsily on another plate. She then climbed down from the crate holding the plate unsteadily in her hands. Charlie assumed they were for him. But suddenly his daughter scampered off toward the hallway and moments later he heard Billy's cries of surprise as Bella served him pancakes in bed.
"She did the same yesterday." Billy confided as he helped Charlie clear up the breakfast dishes. He was feeling stronger today. He had made sure to take his meds on time and eating a hearty breakfast had also helped. "Seeing your tiny daughter trying to take care of everyone brought tears to my eyes. I felt so guilty and ashamed."
"Me too." Charlie agreed. He glanced toward the front room. Jacob and Bella were perched on the old couch eating bowls of ice cream and watching some old cartoons. Charlie had practically chased his daughter out of the kitchen before she washed up as well as everything else she had done that morning. A lump lodged in his throat as he observed them doing something normal for a change. Something had to be done. "We need to find out what happened to Jake during that storm. It's the only way we're ever gonna be able to begin helping him." He whispered to Billy. "And I need to get my little girl to start talking again."
Billy chewed on his lower lip as something suddenly occurred to him. "You don't think the kids are scared to tell us what has been going on because they think we won't believe them, do you?" He asked his friend guiltily.
"I don't know." Charlie finished drying up the last plate and then stowed it away. "I would hate to think that's the reason but it wouldn't surprise me. Their whole world has been turned upside down in a matter of weeks."
"Then we need to start showing them that they can turn to us for help." Billy continued determinedly. "You were right last night when you said that Sarah would be ashamed of me."
Charlie felt a flash of guilt. "I shouldn't have said that." He apologised.
"Yes, you should. It's true. I have been wallowing. But today it ends."
Charlie was pleased to see that Billy had gotten his fighting spirit back again. He put his hand on his friend's shoulder for a moment in solidarity and squeezed.
Bella gazed up at her father from under her long fringe. He had taken her aside into the twins room so they could have a private chat. In the front room a similar conversation was going on between Billy and his son. "So, Bells..." Charlie began as he scratched his chin awkwardly. He was struggling to start the conversation. He just didn't have the right words. "You know you can speak to me about anything, right?"
Bella sucked in her lower lip as she nodded. Her fingers found a lock of her hair and she began to chew on the ends nervously. Charlie could see she was tense. He gently reached out and eased the hair out of his daughter's mouth. "Can you speak to me, Bells?" He pleaded.
She opened her mouth but nothing came out. Tears pooled in her eyes as she shook her head instead. Her long, shiny brown hair fell around her face, hiding her expression from him. Charlie sighed as he gently parted it so he could see her properly. He really needed to get her hair cut. "Are you able to speak to Jake?" He asked instead.
Bella considered this question carefully before eventually nodding her head. Charlie's heart sank. So, his daughter could speak, just not to him. "Are you afraid, Bells? Are you scared that I might be angry or something if you tell me what's been going on?"
There was a long pause. Bella stared up at him with her wide, soulful eyes. She was fiddling with her hair again, a sign that she was very anxious. It about broke Charlie's heart. "You can trust me, kiddo. I swear. I'm your dad and I love you very much. Please open up to me."
Bella chewed on the ends of her hair again as she looked at the man glaring at her evilly from the corner of the room. It was the same man from the night of the storm. Jacob's wolf had killed him before he had a chance to kill her. But now his bad soul was haunting her. Bella couldn't explain this to Charlie because she didn't understand herself. She wished that Sarah's angelic soul would return and chase the bad man away. He was scaring her with his cruel eyes and taunting smile. His mate was on the hunt, seeking revenge against Jacob's wolf for killing him. Bella could feel the evil invading the res like an angry snake. She blinked a few times and slowly his image faded into the worn wallpaper hanging on the walls. He was gone now but he was never far away.
A/N-thanks for reading!