A/N: I don't own any part of Twilight...

Thank you to my beta GoOasis726! She definitely makes this better!

~*~*~*Solace*~*~*~

Giggles filled the air as Bella sat on the mossy earth, the spongy tongue of Sam's wolf swiping along her injured ankle and tickling her skin. When she finally stopped laughing, she asked him, "How long do you think you need to lick me?"

Sam's wolf huffed in what sounded like laughter. "Jeez, Sam. Your mind is in the gutter today." She winked at him, letting him know she didn't really mind.

She ran her fingers through his fur and scratched behind his ears. "So, You imprinted on me? And that means we're soulmates, huh?" Looking into his eyes as the wolf was still a crazy feeling to her. They were still Sam's sable eyes but relocated to the wolf's body. When he nodded his massive head, she continued, "We should probably talk about that, don't you think?"

In a blink, Sam disappeared behind a tree. When he returned, he was human again, settling the elastic of his shorts on his hips. He picked her up again, but she made a noise of protest. "I want to see if that worked." Looking up at him, she smiled, letting him know she would be okay either way.

When her feet hit the ground, she took a tentative step forward. Holding Sam's arm, she took another step and another. While it still hurt, it wasn't sharp shooting pains anymore. Letting Sam know how she was feeling, she gripped his arm and allowed him to assist her into his house.

Once settled on the couch, Sam sat close to her. "Do you want to talk about it now?" His words were quiet as if he feared what she might say.

"Sam, you know I like you. I don't make out with every stranger I meet, 'kay?"

Letting out a puff of air, Sam responded, "I guess that's true. It's just… I don't have the answers either."

Bella grabbed his hand and laced their fingers together. "Then let's find the answers together. Where are the journals? We can look to see what information there is about it?"

Sam leaned over and kissed her on the cheek. "You're a genius. I'll grab the backpack."

As Sam disappeared around the corner, Bella limped to the kitchen to find snacks. She already knew Sam would be hungry. Opening and shutting cabinet doors, Bella found a bag of chips and dumped them in a big bowl. Carrying them into the living room with two cold cokes from the fridge, she settled beside Sam on the floor with his help.

She curled her good leg under her and placed the bowl between them. Handing Sam a soda, she picked up an old book. Opening it, she found it filled with ancient writing, but she couldn't understand it as it was all written in Quileute.

She handed it to Sam and shrugged in a silent apology. "I don't know how much help I will be." She looked down and picked at her thumbnail.

Sam lifted her face to his with a finger under her chin. "Hey, just having you here is more than enough help." Smiling tentatively, Sam added, "I can read them out loud to you so you know what they say, too?"

Bella nodded her reply. Leaning into his side, she asked, "Will more guys change?"

"I don't know. Probably. The last time there were three. That much I know from the stories. I don't know if there are outside forces that affect it or not."

"Does everyone in the tribe know how to read and speak your native language? Do you guys learn that in school?"

"No. In fact, I'd guess it's safe to say that number grows smaller with each generation."

She watched as his thumb caressed the edge of one of the old books. The leather appeared cracked and worn. "Should we translate them? You can read them to me, and I can type them. Then each wolf that phases can read them. Not to mention those look like they might fall apart with another few good reads."

She was getting nervous with her suggestion, and her words spewed out in a rush. She watched as Sam sat the journal down and turned to face her. Her eyes slid shut as she finally stopped talking. She was slightly startled as she felt Sam's lips on hers again.

"You are a genius," he said when he pulled back. "That's a great idea, Bella. Seriously."

Smiling shyly at him, Bella felt the blush heat her cheeks again. Quietly, she suggested, "If we go to my house, I can make lunch. And, we can use my laptop?" Sam reached a hand out to trail his fingers down her arm. A shiver ran through her as she added, "I can save everything, and then we can print copies for each pack member as they phase. Then each wolf will have one." She leaned into his touch, enjoying feeling his hands on her skin.

"That's a great idea. I should probably talk to the council about it, but I don't see why anyone would object. Each wolf will need these journals just as much as I do."

Bella grew excited when she continued, "Oh, Sam! You should also keep a journal yourself. What your first phase was like, and how imprinting feels. All of the experiences you had could be beneficial for future packs, right?"

She watched as Sam smiled at her, his eyes sparkling. "You should keep one, too, Bella. You are an imprint, after all. It makes sense." He drew lazy patterns on the back of her hand. "You might have insight that can help others."

"You really think that they will care about what I think? About my experiences?" Her uncertainty made her voice shake slightly. At Sam's nod, she said, "Let's go!"

Bella hurried to return the journals to the backpack. She stood up and let Sam take the pack from her. She carried the bowl to the sink and went to wait for Sam by the door. When he finally returned to the room, he asked her, "So, how does your ankle feel?"

Surprise shone in her eyes as she replied, "Oh my goodness! It's fine. It doesn't hurt a bit!"

To prove her point, she gave a little hop on one foot. Sam's grin split his face. He hugged her, and she relished in his warmth. She pulled his face down and kissed him lightly. Not wasting another minute, they hurried to her house to get started on the translations.

When they arrived, Bella fetched the laptop from her bedroom and placed it on the kitchen table. She handed it to Sam to power up and started pulling things from the cabinets and fridge.

Sam's deep voice rumbled behind her as he asked, "Do you want me to help you, Bella?"

"Nah, I'm just going to throw some sandwiches together. But then I figured I'd throw stuff for chicken enchiladas in the crockpot. We won't have to stop for me to make dinner that way." She kept working, throwing ingredients in the crock. Then made several sandwiches so Sam would have enough.

She set the plate on the table between them and picked one up to take a bite. As she chewed, she pulled up her Word program to start transcribing.

When Bella finished her sandwich, she looked at the plate where one sandwich remained. Her eyebrows shot up in surprise. Sam had inhaled six sandwiches while she'd eaten one. Giggles pealed through the air as she looked at him. He looked a little embarrassed, though that wasn't her intention. She would never want him to feel bad.

Sliding the plate closer to him, she gave him the go-ahead to eat the last one. "You probably need this one, Bella. One can't be enough to satisfy you."

"Sam, I appreciate it, but I am totally okay. You go ahead." He stared at her for a few extended seconds as if to measure her sincerity. He finally ate the last one, once reassured she didn't want it.

As they started on the journals, Bella was only a little disappointed when the first book they'd chosen didn't have information on imprinting. However, it had plenty of information that helped Sam. Insights to help make phasing easier and the importance of uniting man and wolf rather than attempting to hold two separate entities in one body. The journal documented one wolf's struggle to accept his spirit warrior and how it weakened the wolf and man. It put the rest of the pack in danger, as they were concerned with protecting their brother and the tribe when fighting the cold ones.

It took the better part of the day to make it through the first journal.

"Sam, do you know how to accept the wolf as a part of you? I don't want you to struggle as Nayati did."

"I don't yet. I'm hoping we will find more information on that in one of these." Sam motioned to the books on the table.

"Should we start another one? Or do we need to do something with dinner?" He grinned as his stomach growled and said, "Sorry, it just smells so good."

Bella rubbed his arm as she walked past him. "I think I'm just going to check the chicken. Tortillas are on the shelf, so we can just make what we want. I've got a salad in the fridge to go with it." Taking the lid off, she stirred the mixture.

"If that tastes as good as it smells… I'm gonna be a very fat wolf," Sam laughed.

"Doubtful," she told him, "But I'll still like you, even if you are chubby." After putting the lid back on, she went to stand in front of him.

He pulled her closer to stand between his legs, then lifted his hands, one to a belt loop on her jeans and the other to her face. He leaned forward, and she closed the distance between them. Her hands grasped onto his shoulders, and she pulled him closer. Her lips moved with his as she opened to him, their tongues moving together. Growing weak in the knees, she straddled his lap and pulled herself as close to him as possible until their bodies were flush against each other. She loved the feeling of his hands moving over her back and shoulders. She shivered in response to his roving hands.

She was surprised when he pulled back abruptly. "Sam?" She could tell her lips were swollen from his kisses, and she reached to touch them. Sam pushed his chair back and stood quickly.

"Your dad is home."

Bella felt her eyes flare wide as she scrambled to smooth her hair behind her. Moving to the fridge, she grabbed two sodas from inside and handed one to Sam. She popped the top on hers and took a long drink.

When the door opened, Bella felt like she was somewhat back in control of her breathing.

"Hey, Bells, I'm home!" Charlie hollered into the house.

"I'm in the kitchen, Dad," she told him.

He rounded the corner, and his eyebrows raised in surprise. "I didn't know we had company."

"Dad, this is Sam Uley. He's…" she trailed off, unsure how to finish her statement. They were so much more than friends if they were soulmates, but they hadn't discussed how to define their relationship.

Sam stood and extended his hand to shake Charlie's. "Hi, Chief. As Bella said, I'm Sam Uley. I'm her boyfriend." Sam's smile stretched across his face as he said the word boyfriend.

Charlie raised one eyebrow as he looked at Bella, "I didn't know you were seeing anyone, Bells."

"It's still kinda new, Dad. That's why Sam is here now. So he could meet you."

Charlie grunted in response. "Dinner smells great. What is it?"

"Chicken enchiladas. It was quick and easy." Bella pushed her hair back over her shoulders and took another small sip of her soda.

She watched as his eyes took in the books and laptop spread across the table. "Whatcha working on? Looks like a big project."

"Oh, we're helping the Chief with a project. All of these old books needed to be transcribed, and I offered to help Sam since I have a laptop for school assignments."

Charlie hummed, his face etched with disbelief. "That's nice of you, Bells. Seems a bit odd since we don't have much Quileute in us. My great-grandpa married an Ateara, but…" his voice trailed off, and Bella watched his internal struggle. She'd heard Billy's reply of tribal business on more than one occasion when Charlie asked a question. So she could understand his hesitancy to believe them.

Changing the subject, Charlie asked,"Well, Sam, are ya staying for dinner?" .

"I'd love to, if that's alright with both of you?"

"I made plenty, Sam," Bella told him, smiling shyly.

As Sam moved to clean up their mess on the table, Bella gathered dishes to set the table while Charlie stowed his work gear and gun belt in the appropriate places.

When dinner was finished, Bella said goodnight to Sam, though it was only for Charlie's benefit.

Before Bella went upstairs, Charlie called her name.

"Yeah, Dad?"

"Sam seems like a nice enough guy, Bells. I'm okay with you seeing him, I guess. Just do me a favor?" He seemed uncomfortable as he rubbed his thumb and pointer finger across his mustache. "Just don't rush into things, and be safe." Charlie's ears and cheeks were as red as Bella's felt.

"God, Dad! Please–we don't need to have the talk, okay? I promise. I'm-I'm" Her hesitation made Charlie raise his eyebrows as he waited for her to continue. "You're really going to make me say it, aren't you?" When his reply was only to nod, she whispered, "I'm a virgin, Dad."

Then she ran up the stairs taking two at a time and hoping she wouldn't trip up them.

Sam had sneaked into her window and was waiting for her. His smile told her he had heard the conversation with her dad, and she flushed again from the embarrassment of it all.

Sam hugged her close and then moved to tuck her into bed. "I need to run a few laps around the perimeter of the tribal lands. And I'm going to circle your house a few times. Try to lay down my scent. Hopefully, it will keep your nighttime visitor away."

Bella pulled him close, hugging him tightly. "Please, be safe, Sam." Kissing him chastely, she whispered, "I need you to come back to me."

"Always, Bella," he whispered before catapulting himself out her window.

Bella sat beside Sam, a picnic spread on the blanket between them. A babbling brook trickled at the edges of the meadow.

Bella laughed at something Sam said, and he smiled back at her. He reached his hand out and wove it into her hair at the nape of her neck. She allowed him to pull her closer to him, sliding on her knees until she was close enough to settle into his lap.

Her lips found his, and she kissed him with all the passion she felt pent-up inside. She wanted to melt into him. "Sam…" she sighed into his mouth.

Keeping one hand in her hair, he moved his other hand to trace the edge of her shirt, lifting it higher and higher with each pass across her back. She shivered in response. Pulling at his hair, Bella poured herself into the kiss.

Suddenly Sam was standing, fully alert, Bella sitting sprawled at his feet. Growls emanated from deep within his chest.

"Sam?"

His eyes met hers, and she gasped at the golden ring around his irises. "I-is ev-everything okay?"

"Stay right here," he ordered. His kind voice was uncharacteristically harsh in his insistence, and Bella was afraid to move a muscle.

Suddenly a maniacal laugh cut through the air around them, and Bella felt the hair on the back of her neck stand up.

"Here, puppy," the high-pitched, almost childlike voice called out. "I just want to play."

Sam's answering roar split the air as he suddenly transformed into the giant black wolf.

He rushedto Bella and briefly nuzzled her shoulder before launching himself into the air. Bella couldn't hold back her scream, even though she knew she would distract Sam. They still didn't know enough yet. They hadn't read through all the journals. Would Sam figure out how to dismember this threat?

Tears poured from her eyes as she tried to follow Sam's movements, but his black fur was lost in the shadows of the surrounding forest. Occasionally, Bella would glimpse fiery-red hair dancing in the trees above Sam. Suddenly Bella was jerked upright by her hair, her scalp tingling at the assault.

"Stop, please," she said as her voice shook in desperation.

The blonde pony-tailed man stood before her. Leaning forward, his breath infusing the air with his smell, he said, "Oh, poppet. We just want to have a good time. Don't you want to play with us?"

Instinct urged herto try to dispel his fragrance. Bella's next inhale was shallow, taking in just enough air to allow her to reply. "No, I don't want to play with you."

"Ah, poppet, don't be like that. You'll have a good time until it's over."

Hearing a high-pitched, childish shriek, Bella was thankful when the man dropped her to the ground, her breath heaving in her chest as she fought back her panic.

The smell of death and the purplish flume of smoke over the trees gave Bella a sense of relief until there was a human roar from the edge of the meadow. Suddenly the blonde man was back, ripping her shirt from her body, the cloth leaving welts on her skin. She begged him to stop, to leave her alone, but her pleas fell on deaf ears, and she wondered where her Sam could be.

"Please, God, let him be okay," she prayed.

Suddenly, the blonde man was ripped from her, but Bella could feel the burn inside her veins, and she screamed again.

~*~*~*Solace*~*~*~

A/N: I did find the name Nayati on a Native American names website. It means to wrestle… it seemed fitting since he wrestled with uniting man and wolf.