A/N: I don't own Twilight...
Thank you to my beta, GoOasis726, she makes this sound so pretty. :) Also, if you haven't you should check out her stories! They are amazing!
Dinner was an awkward affair at first. Charlie seemed embarrassed to see Bella holding hands with Sam when he got home. As he got closer, he realized Sam looked like a grown man and couldn't help but wonder if he was trying to take advantage of his daughter. He had been overwhelmed with work and should have paid closer attention when the man had stayed for dinner before. "How old are you, anyway?"
"Nineteen, sir." Sam put his hands behind his back and hunched his shoulders, trying to make himself appear smaller.
"Nineteen?" Charlie grunted a little. At Sam's answering nod, Charlie said, "Alright, then. Let's go get some dinner, kids."
Charlie observed Sam while the three of them ate an appetizer. When the entrees came, Charlie turned his attention to Bella, asking her about school and if she was ready.
Hesitantly, Bella said, "About school, Dad…"
"Yeah, about that. Funny thing, too. Harry and Billy ganged up on me while we were fishing. Harry said there was some tribal business that deemed it necessary for you to go to school on the reservation. Seems a might odd to me." Charlie stroked his finger and thumb over his mustache twice before he continued, "Billy said you would be able to tutor the other kids and will apprentice with Old Quil?"
Bella replied quietly, taking time to think through her answer, "In the past couple of days, hanging out with Sam and helping with the old journals, I discovered we're related to the Atearas. I think he said it was your great-granddad who married his grandma or something like that."
"You're close enough," Charlie said with a chuckle. "But how did you get chosen to apprentice with Quil? I'm not trying to sound judgmental or suspicious, but we're not Quileute enough to register with the tribe. So, why did they pick you?"
"Actually, Dad, Quil said that traditionally, the tribe healer was an Ateara female, making it my birthright as the only living female descendent."
Raising his eyebrow, Charlie looked suspicious, but then his expression smoothed out as he asked, "Is that what you wanna do, Bells? Go to school on the reservation, tutor, and study to be the healer?"
"Yeah, I really do, Dad."
Charlie eyeballed her speculatively for a long moment, making sure his friends hadn't coerced her the way they had tried to him. The fact was, many strange happenings around the reservation and in Forks concerned him. Charlie Swan aimed to understand it. He still couldn't fathom what might be killing all those animals, and the strangest part of all was how they'd died from exsanguination. He'd seen nothing like it in thirty-nine years of life.
"If you're sure, I'll call the schools Monday morning and have everything transferred around. The Tribal school starts two weeks later than Forks, so you'll have a few extra weeks of summer break. That'll be nice, right?"
"I am really excited for that part." Bella giggled.
Charlie turned to Sam, "Tell me about yourself, Sam. Are ya taking college classes or working?"
Trying to answer as honestly as possible, Sam explained, "I work security for the reservation. I also help the council and volunteer at the youth center there when I can. Someday, I'd like to take college classes, but first, I gotta rearrange my work schedule. We need a few more personnel."
Charlie offered, "I could send you some retired officers I know if you think that might help?"
"I appreciate that, Chief, but I'm pretty sure the council would like to extend the offers to our tribesmen first."
Sam grinned as Bella pushed her plate away, "You finished already? You barely ate half of that burger."
"It's huge!" Bella replied, eyes wide, her hand on her stomach. "Besides, I ate all those french fries. There is no way I can finish this, too." She slid her plate Sam's way. "Here, you can have it."
Sam wasted no time in downing the rest of her meal. Ignoring Charlie's shocked expression, Sam asked, "How's work going? Do you have a lot of cases you're working on?"
"Nothing too interesting, now." Charlie's reply couldn't have been more vague. Bella looked at Sam skeptically, wondering if he was trying to get information from her father.
Knowing he would give her no indication of affirmation or denial, she changed the subject. "Dad, how was the trip? Did you guys catch a lot of fish?"
The trio finished dinner with light conversation. Eventually, Charlie paid the bill, and they left the restaurant.
Since it was only 8 PM when they returned to the house, Charlie suggested a movie before Sam left.
Bella knew that Sam would have to say no. He needed to run a perimeter check. Rather than wait for him to answer, she interjected, "Sam has to work tonight. I don't know if he has time to watch a movie, Dad."
"I appreciate the offer, Chief, but Bella's right. I have to be going soon so I can work. I'd hate to be late."
Charlie stuck his hand out, and Sam shook it. "Well, you seem like an alright guy, Sam. But you better treat my baby girl right."
"I wouldn't dream of anything else, sir." With a long, affectionate look at Bella, Sam turned and left. Thankfully, a preoccupied Charlie hadn't noticed Sam had no car. He would run home on four paws instead.
Bella went upstairs to change into her pajama pants and an oversized t-shirt. She returned to settle into a corner of the couch to watch a movie with her dad.
Bella ignored what Charlie was watching, preoccupied and pondering the last few days. She never thought she would be the kind of girl who gave everything she had after a few days and some promises. But here they were, and something inside her knew Sam was honest. He would never leave her. Bella would always be enough for him.
She vowed, then and there, not to take advantage of Sam or his devotion. Bella would care for him and be what he needed as much as possible. She hoped she would never become fickle or manipulative and that they would have an honest, healthy partnership - whatever that might be.
Despite her misgivings about the timing and how fast it had all happened, she didn't regret it. Something clicked within her when they became one, making her whole, replacing every broken or missing piece of her soul.
Yawning and stretching, Bella bid her dad good night, kissed his cheek, and went to bed. She was asleep seconds after her head hit the pillow.
Black paws pounded the forest floor, leaves and brush scattering from the wind as he whipped by. The stench of the being in front of him burned his nose. He chased him from the edges of the reservation, away from his people and family.
As he was getting ready to latch onto an ankle to shred the red-eyed monster, a new howl ripped through the air, and panic flooded his mind. Trying to focus, Sam ordered, "Quiet!"
The vampire pushed itself harder, dreadlocks flying in the air, bare feet digging deeper into the earth. Sam launched himself through the air, jaws closing around the leech's shoulder before dragging him to the ground. The vampire tried to get his arms around Sam and free himself, but Sam refused to let him up. His claws dug into the marble flesh.
A silver streak of fur entered the clearing and helped Sam shred the stone-cold body. When finished, Sam phased and stacked the pieces into a pile before finding his flint and lighting the offensive remains on fire. Purple smoke filled the air, making the wolves nauseous.
Returning to his wolf form, Sam found that the newly phased wolf was Paul Lahote, and he was furious. After guiding Paul through phasing human again, he led him to his house.
Bella sat up, rubbed her eyes, and picked up her phone, shooting off a text requesting Sam call her as soon as he saw her message. She paced in her room, unable to soothe the nervous anxiety rolling through her body. Bella didn't know if what she had witnessed – dreamed?- happened or if it was a premonition.
Remembering her journal, she started writing it down, only to startle after a few moments when her phone buzzed on the bedside table. Scrambling to answer it, Bella said, "Sam?"
"Bella? Are you okay? What's happening, baby?"
"I'm not sure. I had a-a- I don't know. I can't tell if it was real or precognition."
"Did you see me and a silver wolf take down a vampire with dreads?"
Sucking in a sharp breath, she waited a beat before replying, "Y-yes. So that happened?"
"Yeah, babe. I'm fine. It's okay. I got a scratch or two, but they healed already. I promise."
"I'm holding you to that. If I find bruises or cuts, I might have to practice my healing abilities." She sighed and shoved her hand through her hair. "How's Paul? Did he take it okay? I mean, I know I don't know him, but…"
"Yeah, Paul is okay, too. He's pissed as hell, but he's pack now. He'll be alright."
"Part of me is glad that you have help now, but a bigger part of me is sad that this will happen to more, most likely. I don't know how many. I just know more."
"Did you see it?"
"No, I haven't had any visions or whatever you want to call them about that, but I just have this gut feeling that there will be more."
Sam sighed into the phone. He sounded exhausted. "I know. I feel it, too."
"What can I do? What do you guys need?"
"I'm gonna make some sandwiches for the two of us and go to sleep. I'll have to work with Paul some in the morning, but you know I want to see you."
"Okay. I'll bring groceries and make some food. I can at least do that while you guys are out patrolling. Depending on the timing, I might visit Old Quil and see what other information he has for me."
"That sounds good, babe. Get some sleep. I'll see you in the morning."
"Night, Sam."
A/N: Let me know what you think! Also, bear with me as FAGE is underway. I have a story to write for that. I will still be working on Solace, and Ch 14 is written... I just don't know how much attention I can give to two stories at the same time. BUT I will still be updating Solace and working on it, the chapters just might continue to be slower.