Moving In

An early morning breeze blew in from the east, carrying the scent of rain and cool, damp foliage as it drifted in through my open bedroom windows. I inhaled the familiar, soothing aroma, ears tilting to listen to the subtle orchestra of the trees dancing just outside as I got dressed by the weak morning light; through my midnight blue curtains, the sky was overcast, blanketed in a near constant layer of multi-shaded gray clouds that was typical for the northwestern Washington town of Forks. It was in this little town, located in the heart of the Olympic Peninsula, that my family had made our home. 

This was the town in which my younger twin brothers, and I had been born, raised by our mother and my stepfather in a house my grandmother had built before my mother had been born. It'd been my grandmother's original home before she'd moved to the northeast and settled somewhere in New England, leaving the house to my mother after she'd married my birth father. From what my mother's told me, it was what they'd preferred, a quiet, comfortable life in a small town they both enjoyed. Growing up in said quiet, peaceful town and being able to enjoy its' many tranquil benefits for myself, I could understand how my mixed family would have chosen such a place to settle down in. Especially considering what my original family was before my birth father's death and what my current family is now. 

We aren't what you'd call human...well, not all of us, at least. My stepfather's human, but my birth father, mother, brothers, and I, we're all different. The term mixed family is different for us than it is for others, in we're not mixing race, nor just family, in terms of my stepfather adopting me as a child, but we're mixing species. My birth father had been a vampire, my mother what western culture would call a demon, and my brothers half demons. I am a half demon vampire. 

Now, before anyone starts freaking out, let me get one thing straight: when I say we're demons, I don't mean we're the kind of demons that fit the Christian definition. We don't worship Satan, we don't work for him, we're not from Hell. We are creatures of mythology, though, just of Asian origin, mainly from Japanese culture. We are what they call Yokai, supernatural monsters that make up Japanese folklore much in the same way vampires or werewolves do western folklore. And, like these other creatures, we do have human appearances, just with additional traits that make us our own apparitions. These traits often depended on the type of demon we are and, yes, there are different species of demons, shocking, I know. 

In my family's case, we're a pack of wolves, which means we have the senses, instincts, and traits of wolves, from our strong pack mentality right down to our love of wide-open spaces where we can throw our arms out wide and just run. A freedom Forks afforded us, with forests and meadows so endless it gives us just the right amount of room to run to our hearts' content and keep our secret tucked away so deeply within its' depth that humans are none the wiser. Well, ours and the secrets of the other supernatural families that called this place their home. 

My ears perked at the familiar high-pitched ding that filled the room, drawing my attention to the nightstand to the left of my bed, where my cell phone vibrated a couple of inches across the smooth wooden surface. 

(Speaking of other supernatural families.) Buttoning up my favorite pair of black jeans and smoothing the wrinkles out of my oversized violet sweater, I rounded the bed to unhook the device from its charger and unlock it. The name that rolled across the screen pulled the corners of my lips up in a quiet smile and I shook my head in bemusement as I slid the keyboard out to reply. (Even if she's already in class, Alice would never miss a chance to check in. She's sweet, but she doesn't have to worry so much about me. She knows I'm not fragile.) 

Sending the text, I slid the keyboard back into place and took a quick glance at the time before tucking my phone into the pocket of my jeans; I needed to hurry and get down to breakfast before it got too late, since my mother would need to head to work soon (she worked at the local hospital, as a nurse) and my brothers needed to leave for the school bus. Grabbing my iPod, earbuds, and wallet, I put my wallet with my phone, tucked my iPod and earbuds into my free pocket, and turned toward the full-length mirror next to my dresser. 

The young woman that stared back at me looked very much human, a near perfect clone of my mother, just with a few minor changes; while I had my mother's oval shaped face and slender frame, my complexion was a shade paler than hers', not enough to be noticeable at a glance but something I attributed to my vampiric side. My hair wasn't the straight midnight black hers' was, though it was a dark enough shade to bring emphasize to the natural chocolate brown highlights interwoven into my tresses as they fell in gentle waves over my shoulders and down my back. My eyes were hers' in shape, although the color was not quite the fiery blue lightning hers' were, but rather, a softer color, something of a mix of blue green, like a pond clouded with algae. 

It was the features I got from my demon side that broke the illusion; although my mother's ears pointed at the helix where a humans' didn't, she could pass for one since they sat on either side of her head like theirs. I set my brush back on the dresser beside me, eyes flickering up to the triangle-shaped wolf ears sat at the crown of my head as they inclined toward my reflection, watching the weak morning light bounce dully off the three silver studs and loop earring along the edge of each ear before my gaze was drawn down as something soft brushed against the back of my legs. My tail curled itself around my left thigh and I reached down to run my claws gently through it, brushing a few wayward strands of thick, black/brown hair back into place. It was these features that physically separated my brothers and I from looking human...or like demons like us. Our mother had a tail, too, of course, but even with the additional difficulty of hiding our ears, our family had always had a way of hiding ourselves in plain sight. 

The creak of an old floorboard drew my attention, my ears swiveling toward the noise as I turned away from the mirror, listening to the sound of sure, steady footsteps moving across the floorboards of the room on the other side of the navy-blue curtains that sectioned off my bedroom. As I listened, the familiar musk of a young male wolf intermixed with leather and denim filled my nose. 

Parting the curtains, I peered over the edge of my corner loft into the main room of the old attic library/renovated living space to where one of my younger brothers was crossing the floor. His stride slowed as I stepped into view, an easy smile tugging at the corners of his lips as he swept the brunette bangs out of his mischievous brown eyes. 

"We were starting to wonder if you'd died up there." He crossed his arms as I wrinkled my nose playfully at him, "Ma was just about to send a search party." 

"I'm not that late." Stepping over the edge of the loft, I dropped several stories from the top of my tower room to the floor, rolling my weight from my toes back onto the heels of my feet as I landed. Our house had been built with four bedrooms, with the library in the attic on the third floor to allow for more space; one of the bedrooms on the second floor had been turned into an office for my mother and stepfather, leaving three for us to use. It'd been an easy arrangement, since my stepsister only visited once a year, though things had changed once we found out my little brothers were on the way. My mother and Charlie, my stepfather, had offered to turn the office into another bedroom, but I'd decided to move into one of the two corner towers in the attic, where I'd spent so much of my childhood already our parents couldn't think of a reason to refuse it. I got the privacy of my own room with a floor between myself and the rest of my family, with the added bonus of an attached bathroom so I wouldn't have to share one with my younger brothers on a daily basis. It was every independence seeking teenagers' dream...a dream I was soon to be sharing. 

"You're cutting it pretty damn close, Dawn." I quirk a brow at the young man, who smirked back, knowing I wouldn't tattle on him for it unless we knew our mother was in earshot and would punish us both for it. It wasn't that bad a swear, but she didn't want him to get used to having such a bad habit. Shaking my head, I playfully tussle his hair and chuckle to myself when he ducked out from under my hand, muttering about how I'd messed up his 'do' while I mentally thanked whatever God out there that he had yet to hit his growth spurt and overtake me in height. It was bad enough the twins were growing up so fast without them being taller than me at twelve! "Ma wants to check in and make sure everything's been set up for Bella's arrival before she has to leave for her shift at the hospital." 

Bella was the stepsister I'd mentioned earlier, Charlie's daughter from his first marriage. She was about my age and lived with her mother, Renee, in Phoenix. Charlie had been born and raised here in Forks just as my brothers and I were, so he was quite attached to the town, although Renee, who'd hated being somewhere under a constant blanket of clouds, had left with Bella when she was just a few months old. Up until the age of fourteen, Bella had come to visit us here in Forks for a month every summer before she'd finally put her foot down and said enough. A new arrangement was made, and my family had instead spent the last three years visiting Bella and Renee in California for two weeks during the summer. However, due to Renee's recent marriage to a baseball player named Phil, who consequently travelled for work, Bella had made the decision to move to Forks with us, so her mother could be with her new husband. I would be sharing the attic with her now, as she would be moving into the empty tower at the other end of the room, which had been made up just for her arrival. Since we'd found out her intention to move here, my mother had gone to great lengths to get it ready for Bella, so she'd feel right at home. 

"We'd better get downstairs, then." Double checking to be sure I had everything, I ushered my younger brother toward the door, "C'mon, Henry, let's not keep everyone waiting." With a quiet chuckle, he led the way back across the room while I glanced back over my shoulder to be sure all the windows and the balcony were closed on our way out. Our mother was calling for us to come downstairs by the time we reached the second floor, and we hurried down the hall toward the front of the house so as not to keep her waiting. 

"Did you drag your feet the entire way up there?" Henry took his backpack from the identical looking young man that waited for us at the front door, his ears folded back against his neat brown hair and dark brown eyes narrowed behind a pair of black framed glasses. 

"I wouldn't've if you didn't ride me so much, Geo." Henry shrugged on his bag and bent to pull on his boots while Geoffrey rolled his eyes, "You're hilarious, Henry, I'm sure a snail would laugh, too, if they'd heard your joke yesterday." 

"Now boys, no fighting." Our mother interrupted as Henry opened his mouth to bite back a retort, snapping it shut at the look she shot him as she came out of the living room, tucking her keys and wallet into the pockets of her scrubs. "Thank you for getting Dawn, Henry, now hurry along before you and Geoffrey miss your buss." She shooed the twins out through the front doors, "And don't forget to turn on your charms!" 

Henry and Geoffrey kissed our mother on the cheeks as they left and the two of us watched them go until they'd disappeared through the trees surrounding the house. My mother then turned to me, tucking some hair back out of my face. 

"I'm sorry I can't stay long enough to see you and Charlie off, sweetheart." Her smile was sheepish, and I knew she wished she didn't have to work such an early shift today, so she could be here to help with Bella when we picked her up from the airport. I smiled in return, trying to reassure her that it couldn't be helped, though she sighed at the knowledge that she wouldn't be here to make sure things went smoothly, "Well...you and Charlie just be sure Bella gets comfortable and feels welcome here, okay? You did make room for her like I asked, didn't you?" 

I nodded, internally hoping my mother would be able to relax once my stepsister had settled in since she'd been running herself ragged getting things ready for Bella's arrive, "Yes mama, I made sure to clear half the shelves in the bathroom and her room is set up with everything from her old room when she used to visit. She might not have ever liked Forks, but she should be comfortable." I hugged mama tight, "Now please relax, it's going to be okay, mama. Dad and I will make sure Bella gets settled right in, okay?" I pulled away to meet her eye, smiling gently, reassuringly. She took a deep, steady breath and smiled gently in return. 

"Okay, baby girl." She cupped my cheeks and kissed my forehead before retreating fully, "You just be sure to call if you, Charlie, or Bella need anything." 

I couldn't help but roll my eyes in loving exasperation as I pulled my mother's jacket from the row of hooks by the door and helped her into it, "We know, mama, we know. If there's an emergency and we can't reach you by cell, we'll call the hospital. Now can you go? Carlisle might have endless patience from his centuries of life, but that doesn't mean you should keep him waiting, he's probably already wondering where you are as is!" She wrinkled her nose playfully at me over her shoulder, earning a snort of bemusement, "We'll see you tonight when you get home. I'll be sure to have dinner ready." 

"Thank you, Dawn." Mama kissed my cheek one last time before she pulled on her own boots and walked through the two sets of double doors that let out onto the porch before she paused, turning back, "Oh, and you be sure to have breakfast before you and Charlie go, too. I left a plate for you wrapped up on the table." 

Shaking my head, I started to swing the doors closed behind her, "Goodbye mother." I told her pointedly, watching as she pulled her hood up over her head before she left the screened in porch and I closed the doors fully. Her car reeved to life out in the driveway not a minute later, the sounds of dirt and gravel crunching under tire fading into the distance as I crossed the front hall back into the kitchen. 

Charlie was still seated at the kitchen table under the bay window in a corner of the room, reading the newspaper as he sipped his coffee. The table had already been cleared, the breakfast dishes drying in the rack alongside the basin sink, including the skillet and spatula my mother had used to cook. My plate had been left at my usual place at the table, covered in plastic wrap to keep it fresh with a pair of utensils alongside it. 

"Mornin' Dawn." Charlie didn't even look up as I rounded the kitchen island to grab a glass from the cabinet and pour myself some orange juice. I came around to the table, kissing the top of his head before I sat down, "Morning dad." 

"You slept in late today." This time he did glance up, one eyebrow quirked over the top of his newspaper; I shrugged as I unwrapped my breakfast, "Enjoying my day of hooky from school...which I never do unless it's for something like this." I grinned playfully at my stepfather around a forkful of egg as he gave me a stern look and nodded firmly. 

"That's right, young lady, you'd better not." His voice held the combined authority of a paternal figure and a man in uniform, "You need an education, not to ditch your classes to smoke or fool around." 

I ducked my head to hide my amusement as a corner of his lips twitched, showing the teasing undertones in his voice, stifling my laughter with a couple pieces of bacon I'd broken into pieces with my fingers, "Two things not even close to being on my agenda considering I hate the smell of cigarettes and haven't had a date, much less my first kiss." 

"Says the girl who stays out past curfew in La Push." Charlie folded up his paper and set it aside to look at me fully, "Dare I even ask what you and Jacob get up to when you're hanging out at his house?" 

Warmth rushed to my ears at the mention of the young man I'd been best friends with since we were both in diapers; Charlie had grown up with Jacob's father, Billy Black, and the pair of them were best friends, too, meaning our families had been close for most of our lives. My siblings and I had made friends with all three of the Black children, although Jacob and I had always been attached at the hip, practically since we'd first met. The Blacks lived in La Push, the tiny Indian reservation on the coast, just north of Forks. When we weren't hanging out here at my house, we were usually in the shed out behind his, his 'workshop' where he liked to work on cars. The last I'd seen Jacob had been a few days ago when he'd brought his dad's old truck over; Charlie had bought it from Billy as a 'homecoming' present for Bella since she didn't want to depend on either of our parents or me for transportation all the time. 

Unfortunately, in my family, the close relationship I had with my best friend, a guy (la gasp!) made for good teasing material that my family was not shy about using at any given opportunity. 

"Geeze, you miss curfew once and you never hear the end of it." I threw back the last of my juice and gathered my dishes, as well as Charlie's mug, together to wash, "And here I thought you liked Jacob." 

"I do, he's a good kid." Charlie agreed as he helped clear away the clean dishes to make room, "But I like him even more when he doesn't keep you over there at all hours on a school night." 

"It wasn't all hours, dad, and you know it." I glanced up at him out of the corner of my eye and he crossed his arms, "It wasn't like I got in at three in the morning, it was hardly even midnight. And I'd already explained how we'd ended up falling asleep watching TV in his living room, remember? It wasn't like we were out partying all night." 

Charlie sighed, conceding, "All right, let's not get into this whole thing again. So long as you got home safe and sound." He put the last dish away as I dried my hands and hung the dish towel over the side of the sink, "It hardly ever happens anyway." I hummed my agreement as he glanced at the digital neon green numbers of the clock on the stove, "C'mon, we don't want to be late picking Bella up from the airport." 

I nod and follow him out of the kitchen to the hall, where we grab our jackets and slip into our shoes, Charlie grabs his keys, and we head out. We locked up and left the cover of the porch for his cruiser, which waited for us in the gravel driveway leading up to the detached garage on the side of the house. Being the children of the chief of police to such a small town, I could understand my stepsister's motivation to want to get a car of her own; even if my own car were to break down, I would really rather avoid not driving around in a car equipped with its own flashing red and blue lights and siren. Don't get me wrong, I loved Charlie, he'd raised me from a toddler and treated me as his daughter just as much as he did Bella, but still...the only reason I'd agreed to use it today was because Charlie was used to being the one to drive in the car and it was an hour each to and from Port Angeles. Might as well try to save the gas if I can. 

"Hey dad?" I turned to him as he pulled around to drive the half mile to the main road; he hummed to let me know he was listening as I pulled my iPod out of my pocket, "'s alright if I listen to my music on the way?" 

He glanced at me as we reached the end of our road and checked both ways before pulling out, "Only if you hide your ears first." 

"What?" I reached up to touch the twitching appendages and curved under my breath, having forgotten to activate my charm before we'd left. It was a good thing we lived in such a remote location, so only Charlie had seen me. Unzipping the top of my jacket, I fished around under the collar of my shirt and my fingers curled around familiar cool metal as I pulled the charmed necklace out into view, flipping it around until the spindly silver tree crest of my mother's family stared back at me. It was a symbol unique to our family, a sign of our place in the supernatural world that connected all of us, showing what clan we belonged to and providing us the protection from prying eyes we needed to live, enchanted with magic to hide our inhumane features so we could better blend in in the human world. Magic that could only be activated by a customized word or phrase the wearer uttered whenever they wished to turn the charm on or off. 

"Into the burrow." I held the charm close to my lips as I whispered the phrase to it; a familiar shiver moved down my body as the charm took effect, a brief tingle, like gooseflesh, that made all my hair stand on end and then relax. I grabbed the sun visor and flipped open the mirror, tilting my head from one side to the other to check to make sure my 'human' ears were in place, still with their three studs and loop earrings. Sighing in relief, I flipped the visor up again and settled back into my seat, "thanks for reminding me, dad." 

"Hm mm." Charlie hummed quietly as I unfurled my headphones and plugged them into my iPod; he tuned the radio to his favorite station to listen to his own music and we lapsed into a comfortable silence. Charlie had never been much of a talker, at least, not in most situations, unless it was of great importance. My brothers and I knew this well about him and had grown used to it as we got older, knowing even if he didn't talk, he would still listen and be there for us when he needed to be. He usually didn't really mind if we listened to our music in the car, although we tried to extend courtesy in return by keeping at least one of our earbuds out, just in case he did want to talk. Like most rides with Charlie, though, the hour drive up to Port Angeles was quiet, spent listening to our own music while we were off in our own little world. 

Another advantage of riding along with Charlie to the airport was being able to admire the scenery outside without having to worry about focusing on the road and making sure I knew where I was going. Most of my life centered around being in the wide-open forest of Forks and the beaches of La Push, so I was used to the freedom and bliss of the quiet, clean atmosphere; I'd been up to Port Angeles a handful of times, so I knew the way there just as well as I knew my way around my hometown, but the sprawling hustle and bustle of the city was not something I really enjoyed; in fact, I usually preferred not to spend too much time there if I could avoid it. Being confined within the brick and concrete streets, among a population of billions made me feel caged, like a dog in an overpopulated pound, especially when the overstimulation of constant activity, the noises and sights, array of smells and movement was enough to make my head spin. 

Thankfully we wouldn't have to enter the city to pick up Bella today, though, since the small airport where she would be landing was on the outskirts. We got to the terminal just as the plane landed and only had to wait about five minutes before the passengers disembarked. 

"Hey Bells." Charlie smiled as his daughter stumbled off the plane; he reached out automatically to catch her before the two exchanged an awkward, one-armed hug, "You haven't changed. How's Renee?" 

"Mom's good." Bella muttered as she turned to hug me as well; Bella took a lot after Charlie, as neither were overtly affectionate people, though they always put in the effort when it came to the rest of our family. "It's good to see you both. Where's everyone else?" She glanced around, halfheartedly looking for my mother and our brothers. 

"They wanted to come, but we figured you wouldn't want everyone here." I gave her a reassuring smile, knowing she didn't like being the center of attention, "Besides, ma had an early shift, and you know how Geoffrey is about school." 

Bella nodded her head in understanding, trying, and failing, to hide her relief at knowing she wouldn't be fussed over as we went to collect her bag. A lot of the clothes she'd owned had belonged strictly in the warm weather of Arizona, although she and Renee had managed to scrape together some money to get her a few things to supplement her winter wardrobe. It wasn't much; we managed to fit everything in the trunk of the cruiser. 

I put my iPod away in favor of chatting with Bella as we shared the backseat on the way home; like Charlie, Bella wasn't much of a talker, though she did try to keep up a conversation. We'd gotten close over the years we knew each other, and we'd kept in close contact while living in different states. I was always the one she talked to when she had a problem, including everything that had gone on with Renee when she'd gotten remarried; Bella had been worried since her mother seemed miserable being separated from her new husband and I'd jokingly suggested she move in with us so Renee could be with Phil. At the time I'd never have thought she'd accept such a thing, knowing how much she hated it here. 

Now I was telling her how we would be sharing the attic and that I would be showing her around my high school the following morning. At least she seemed to feel better knowing she had someone she knew at a new school. 

"Oh, we've also got a surprise for you!" I beamed at Bella, who quirked a brow suspiciously in return; surprises were on her list of least favorites, right up there with rain and clouds. "It's nothing too bad, don't worry. We got you a good car, really cheap." 

Bella seemed to relax a little, "What kind of car is it?" 

"Well, it's really a truck," Charlie cleared his throat, watching us through the rear-view mirror, "A Chevy." 

"Where'd you two find a car like that for cheap?" Bella furrowed her brows this time, looking between the two of us. 

"Dad's old friend, Billy Black, the one who lives in La Push." I told her, knowing she wouldn't remember him since she tended to block out thoughts or memories she didn't want remembered, especially ones she'd made here in Forks. She cocked her head, still looking unsure who that could be, "He used to go fishing with all of us during the summer when you were here." Her nose scrunched at the memories, "But, Uncle Billy's in a wheelchair now, so he can't really drive anymore. When he found out you needed a car, he offered to sell the truck to dad cheap." 

"What year is it?" Charlie flinched subconsciously at the question, although he kept his eyes on the road. 

"Well...Billy had a lot of work done on the engine, it's just a couple years old, really." 

Bella pursed her lips, not ready to give up on the subject, "When did Billy buy the truck?" 

"1984, I think." 

"Was it new?" 

Charlie took a hand off the wheel to rub his neck, gathering his thoughts while I cocked my head, trying to remember what Jacob had told me about the car, "I think Jake said it was new in the late fifties to the early sixties." 

Bella's face immediately scrunched in displeasure, "Guys, I don't really know anything about cars, you know this." She looked pointedly at me as she spoke, "If something went wrong, I wouldn't be able to fix it nor would I be able to afford a mechanic." 

"The truck runs great, Bella, I promise." I smiled reassuringly, waving her concerns away, "There isn't a car built like this one anymore. Besides, if something goes wrong, I know enough about cars that I'd be able to help and, if it does break down, I can talk to Jake about fixing it. He's the one who rebuilt the engine." 

This seemed to appease her, if not somewhat, though her brows remained furrowed as she glanced between Charlie and me, "How cheap is cheap?" That was one thing I knew she didn't want to compromise on, especially if it meant she was getting a lemon. 

"Well..." Charlie and I exchanged a look through the rear-view mirror, "To be honest, honey, we kind of already bought it for you, as a homecoming gift." Bella's eyes widened, "Really? You guys didn't have to do that, I was going to save for it myself." 

"We really didn't mind, Bella." I purred as Charlie nodded his head in agreement, his eyes on the road once more; just as they were with affection, neither Charlie nor Bella were exactly good at showing their emotions. She smiled all the same as she turned back to me. 

"That's really nice, Dawn, dad, thank you." Putting her hand over mine, she squeezed, grateful, "I really appreciate it." 

I shrug, letting her know she didn't have to force herself to thank us, "We wanted to make you feel welcome and comfortable here." I kept the word 'happy' out knowing living in Forks wasn't her ideal choice; she always tried to hide her discomfort, especially if it meant her mother was happy. Turning my hand over, I squeezed hers' gently, letting her know she had someone here for her when needed. Her answering squeeze was tight, and I could see the gratitude in her eyes as she looked at me. 

Bella seemed relieved when we pulled onto our road and Charlie drove the cruiser up to the garage, where he parked in the empty space next to my midnight blue Toyota Camry. Her truck was parked on the other side, its old red paint faded and peeling, equipped with big, rounded fenders and a bulbous cab. It was a sturdy old truck with a solid iron frame that could withstand anything, the kind of car that could come out of a car crash completely unscratched, leaving the other car(s) in pieces. I could tell that as soon as Bella set eyes on it, she loved it. Even if she had a hard time expressing herself, her facial expressions made it as easy to read her as a book. 

"Wow." She breathed as we all climbed out of the cruiser; Charlie and I stood back to watch as she rounded my car for a better look, "I love it!" She turned back to the two of us, smiling. Behind her excitement and gratitude, I could see her relief at knowing she wouldn't have to choose between getting a ride in the cruiser with Charlie, asking me for a ride, or walking in the rain tomorrow, though she knew I'd never have allowed it. The school was five miles away and there was no way in hell I was going to let her walk, especially considering she would need to take the highway to get there, "Thank you." 

Charlie cleared his throat once more, a bit more gruffy this time as he glanced away, mumbling he was glad she liked it while he busied himself with getting Bella's suitcase out of the trunk. Rolling my eyes, I grinned playfully at my stepsister before glancing up at the rolling clouds as the drizzle was starting to pick up. Charlie ushered us through the screen door onto the porch and I let us into the front hall, where we hung up our jackets and set our shoes on a rack by the door to dry before heading upstairs to get Bella settled in the attic. 

The tower room that would be Bella's had been made up with everything that had been hers' when she used to come visit us as a kid, mementos from her first bedroom in the house Charlie had bought with Renee when they'd been newlyweds. It'd been painted the same light blue, the windows covered in the old white lace curtains and rocking chair, although her furniture had been updated, the bed from a twin to a queen and a full-length dresser and mirror, just like I had. We both had our own desks, and computers, too, for homework and so Bella could keep in contact with her mother through email. 

Charlie left us alone once we had Bella's bags in her room, something I knew she preferred, especially now, as it gave her room to settle in and come to terms with her decision. I stuck around long enough to show her where the hangers were in her new closet, how to start her computer, and let her know I'd left room on the shelves in the bathroom before telling her I'd be reading a book in my room and leaving her to her own thoughts. 

The attic was about the size of a two-bedroom apartment, with the two towers taking up the west and south corners of the house; my bedroom was in the west tower since the saltwater shores were on that side of the state and I'd always enjoyed the scent of the sea, which was visible through my windows, with the La Push reservation just to the north. Bella's view to the south/east would be of the alpine meadows and rainforest valleys. Views we could both enjoy together on the enclosed balcony under her room. The closet under mine was used mainly for storage, including extra chairs, blankets, pillows, and a couple of beanbags for when we had guests. The floor space between the closet and the stairs on the northeast wall leading back into the rest of the house was used as a TV area, complete with DVD/VCR and my old Nintendo 64 PlayStation. I had a variety of games Jake and I liked to play together whenever he hung out here, although our favorites were Super Mario 64 and Mario Kart, especially when our friends, Embry and Quil, decided to join us. The bathroom Bella and I would share was in the northern corner of the room, decorated in varying shades of blue and purple with separate shower and bathtub, as well as its own little closet for extra bathroom necessities. Our kitchenette, which was mainly used whenever I had guests or had to lock myself in the attic to study for mid-terms or finals, shared a wall with the bathroom sinks and the little area between that wall and the west tower was used for reading. 

Grabbing one of my favorites from the shelf along the way, I climbed the winding iron steps back up to my room, pushing up on the hatch until it swung open to catch on to the hook attached to the side of my wardrobe behind it. I paused briefly to eye the wide curtains that sectioned off my tower, wondering if I should open them so Bella knew she could talk to me if she needed to before deciding against it. Knowing her as well as I did, I knew my stepsister would want some time to herself to take in the gravity of her decision without someone constantly asking how she was feeling or if she was comfortable, no matter how well intentioned it was. As much as I wanted to try and offer an ear, especially knowing how much this much hurt to have to leave her mother and live somewhere she hated, I knew Bella didn't often like to lean on others, no matter how much she might need to. She was one of those 'suffer in silence' types, which frustrated me to no end, especially since I knew there wasn't anything I could do to help her so long as she kept her feelings to herself. 

(Sometimes I think Bella would sooner bite off her own tongue than emotionally depend on someone else.) I sighed as I turned away from the curtain to cross to my bed; grabbing one of the smaller pillows from the headboard, I climbed onto the hope chest and launched myself up into the rafters of the peaked tower, where I settled into the hammock, I'd made up there. Hopefully she would at least be comfortable in her new room, which had otherwise been used as a study area before she'd decided to move in. 

Both rooms had been made up almost the same way, with the beds and side tables fit snug between the pair of windows on the towers' outer walls, facing the open drop into the main room, although the rest of the furniture was arranged on opposite sides to work around the hatch. While Bella's stairs went counterclockwise and let out into her room on the right side, mine went clockwise and let out on the left. Behind my hatch was, of course, my wardrobe and a single plush blue chair, while my dresser, full length mirror, and desk/computer took up the opposite wall. Bella's room was a mirror image of mine, except she had her rocking chair instead of a regular chair and we'd had an iron banister installed at the edge of her room for safety, since she was notorious for being a klutz. She had a knack for tripping over thin air even when trying to be careful. 

I settled back into my hammock to read, though my mind was still preoccupied with thoughts of my stepsister, worried about how well she'd settle in here and how she would fit in at school, if she'd be comfortable with our blended family. How were we going to tell her about our secret without her freaking out? 

Despite our family being what it was since our parents had gotten together, Bella had never really been around long enough to figure out our secret. Charlie knew, of course, he'd found out just shortly after he and my mother started dating; she'd wanted to be forthright with them in their relationship and, surprisingly, he'd been very understanding about the whole thing, informing her he didn't care what we were, just that he loved us and wanted to be with us, readily accepting the supernatural world for my and my mother's sake, though he was more than content in just knowing our secret. He never pushed us to tell him if there were other supernatural families or creatures nearby unless it was of great importance. In Bella's case, our parents had decided to keep our secret under wraps for her safety, especially since she didn't use to spend a lot of time here with us before. But since she'd decided to move in, we've been debating whether we should let her in on it and, if we did, how we would go about it. You can't exactly just spring the face that half your relatives were a family of humanoid canines and expect that to go over well, especially when the one you're rooming with had to include blood in her diet to stay alive. 

We had to go about this carefully, find the right moment. Perhaps once Bella was settled in and a little more used to Forks. There was no use piling things on her all at once, not after she'd had to give up so much and change her entire life around. She'd just had to say goodbye to the place she loved and everything in it: her mother, school, her home. Her plate was already full enough moving into a new house and getting used to her new living arrangements with her father, stepmother/sister, and younger twin brothers. Not to mention she had to get used to a new school and a class of students who had known one another since we were in kindergarten. Hell, all the grandparents of the other kids in my Junior class had been toddlers together, for crying out loud! And that was damn intimidating for anyone to have to join in, even for someone outgoing and personable. 

And for someone like Bella? My stepsister, who had a hard time connecting with people, let alone teenagers her own age. In our entire lives, I'd been the closest friend she'd ever had, even when she'd been going to a school with three thousand other students back in Phoenix. Forks High School's pitiful total of three hundred and fifty-eight couldn't even compare to Bella's Junior class of over seven hundred students. Even if I was to introduce her to a couple friends of mine, I don't know if she'd be able to connect with them. 

(You could always introduce Bella to Alice and the rest of the Cullens.) I snorted aloud at my own thoughts. (Yeah, I'm sure that'll go over well. 'Bella, these are my friends, the Cullens and the Hales. Guys, this is my stepsister, she's new in town and could really use some friends, you think she could hang with us since she can't connect with normal people?') 

The sound of footsteps out in the main room drew my attention and I replaced my bookmark where it'd been before, thoughts too preoccupied to have made it past the first sentence on the page; leaving the book behind in my hammock, I crawled across the rafters, settling by the edge to watch Bella walk the length of the attic, carrying her toiletry bag to our shared bathroom. She was staring off into space, eyes blank, emotionless, and cheeks stained with the remnants of tears. I sat cross-legged on one of the rafters, the vice around my heart tightening. 

Never in our lives had I seen Bella look as empty as she did right now, not even during her summers here, though that could have been partially because she knew she didn't have to stay for more than a couple of weeks before she could go back to Phoenix. Now she just seemed like a shell of her former self, like all the life had been sucked out of her, even more so since Forks always seemed to suck what little color there was out of her skin. Even after living in the valley of the sun since she was six, Bella still retained a pale complexion that could rival my own, though hers' was softer, somehow, with a clear, translucent quality that contrasted well with her straight, dark brown hair, especially when it framed her heart-shaped face just right and made her bright, chocolate brown eyes pop. Bella could be quite attractive with the right light or if she wore the right colors, but now, she almost looked fluish. Part of it was most likely homesickness, but it probably didn't help matters that Bella had always been kinda tiny. And I don't mean short or anything, but rather, she was slender, with soft curves but no visible muscle or padding, for that matter. This could probably be, partially, attributed to her clumsiness since it left her without the necessary hand-eye coordination needed to play a sport. I was going to have to talk to our P.E. teacher tomorrow about that...I hated to think of the kind of damage Bella could do to herself or someone standing nearby. Hopefully I could save her a bit of humiliation on her first day, at least. 

(Well...even if I can't do much cheering her up, I can at least make her transition into school as painless as possible.) I leaned my head back into the wall as Bella disappeared around the bathroom room. (Please God, let everything go smoothly tomorrow...if not for my sake, then for Bella's. She deserves that much...)