@HotHeadSheWolf
< to see them sick or hurt.” Them being the humans she loved. “It make sense… mostof your family is essentially indestructible. But you love harder than anyone i have ever met Little One. And every single human you’ve ever met is the better just for knowing you.”

She sniffled now and I squeezed her a little. ‘But what do we do when they’re gone?’

“We hurt… until remembing them doesn’t hurt as much. And we love them anyway. We make them proud to have loved us when they were >

@HotHeadSheWolf
< with us and remember everything they taught us.”

She sniffled again and pushed me away. ‘I hate you sometimes, you know that.’ She wiped away her tears, but a weak smile broke through I could tell she was breaking through the dark cloud.

“No, you don’t.” I teased her.

‘You should go before you’re late.’ She swiped at her face again.

“Do you need me to call someone to keep you company? #Kim id home today…” I offered but she cut me off.

‘Quil is bringing Claire over… >

@HotHeadSheWolf
< We’re going to make jewellery.’ She laughed and I started the optimistic Ness again.

“As long as it's not leather…” I pointed to the cuffs on her wrists. “I think Quil would kill you.”

She shook her head and laughed. ‘No… she had a beading project for school. I said I would teach her since #Emily is so busy.’

“Awesome… Get her to make something pink and sparkle for Leah… she could use the laugh and she can’t say no to that girl.” Then I headed for the trees with the >

@BadBoyEmbryCall

With Ma settled in bed, I left her with #TheKid to get started on making some dinner. I knew that even one night away from home would had been hard on her. So, it would be best not to make her eat anything from outside. And really, I wanted to cook. Ma had always been in love with cooking, for her it was a art form that she would feed those who she loved with. She never backed down from feeding anyone who stepped foot into her home, or if she found out they were -

@BadBoyEmbryCall -

under the weather.

She had a fresh chicken and vegetables in her fridge, which meant I got to work on a soup. The chicken went into the oven to roast with some herbs, onion, garlic, and butter. And the veggies I began to clean and chop.

#TheKid came down some time into the day to take ma up some tea, and then returned to help. ‘Ma’s sleeping. She cannot keep her eyes open.’

“It’s been a lot on her body. Sometimes… I guess we forget just how human she really is.”
-

@BadBoyEmbryCall -

We didn’t say anything else. I cooked and he baked. He wanted to make something, anything, it was more about doing something without time, because if we stopped, we would think, and if that happened. Then we would… I didn’t want to think about it.

Two hours later there was a knock on the door, we found #MsC and #Emily came in with a bag filled with food.

‘Leah. You should be sleeping. We have dinner made.’ I could hear the sounds of a kiddo in the bad, and then -

@BadBoyEmbryCall -

he was rushed in on the shoulders of #TheKid making my lips curl up into a smirk.

“I needed something to do.” I told them shredding the chicken.

‘Let’s face it. This house is going to be busy for the next few days. It will add be eaten.’ #MsC said as she was about to sit down on the table. I stopped her.

“No. In the living room. Or you can go and climb into bed with Ma. Your choice.” She smiled patting my cheek.

-

@BadBoyEmbryCall -

‘With Sue.’ She said. #The Kid handed the kiddo over to me and helped #MsC up to settle her with Ma.

‘Leelee.’ The Kiddo asked.

“Hmm?”

‘Where Ulisi Sue?’ (Grandmother)

“She’s not feeling well kiddo. She’s resting. You can play with Uncle Seth for now, and then later you can see her. Okay?”

‘They—’ I cut #TheKid off.

-

@BadBoyEmbryCall -

“Want tea.” Handing the kiddo back over I let #Emily do, her thing I told her she should be resting. And she said the same back to me. As I got to boiling some water for the tea and finish off the big pot of chicken soup.

@HotHeadSheWolf
After my run, I spent a few minutes with Claire at the Black's house, with ended with me covered head to toe in glitter and sporting a fabulous new red and black bracelet.

I made my way home to shower and shave (which I really needed). I knew I wouldn't need to leave out food for #Quil, he mostly ate at Emily's when he had #Bear. Then I changed into my uniform and shot off a text to Leah.

[𝙻𝚎𝚊𝚟𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝙹𝚎𝚎𝚙 𝚑𝚘𝚖𝚎 𝚝𝚘𝚗𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚝 𝚓𝚞𝚜𝚝 𝚒𝚗 𝚌𝚊𝚜𝚎. 𝙸 𝚔𝚗𝚘𝚠 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚑𝚊𝚝𝚎 𝚍𝚛𝚒𝚟𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚋𝚞𝚝 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚌𝚊𝚗'𝚝 >

@HotHeadSheWolf
< 𝚎𝚡𝚊𝚌𝚝𝚕𝚢 𝚐𝚎𝚝 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚖𝚘𝚖 𝚘𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚋𝚊𝚌𝚔 𝚘𝚏 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚋𝚒𝚔𝚎. 𝚈𝚘𝚞 𝚠𝚘𝚗'𝚝 𝚗𝚎𝚎𝚍 𝚒𝚝, 𝚋𝚞𝚝 𝚓𝚞𝚜𝚝 𝚒𝚗 𝚌𝚊𝚜𝚎. 𝚈𝚘𝚞 𝚔𝚗𝚘𝚠 𝚠𝚑𝚎𝚛𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚔𝚎𝚢𝚜 𝚊𝚛𝚎.]

I took my bike to my Mom's but the house was locked up and there was a note on the fridge - she was just as bad at texting as I was - saying Emily had taken her to #Sue's the help 𝓣𝓱𝓮 𝓚𝓲𝓭𝓼. I laughed and stuffed that into my pocket because would get a kick out of being called a kid. The note also mentioned a language and specific instructions to reheat it in >

@HotHeadSheWolf
< The oven and not the microwave. So. I naturally put a 𝕤𝕝𝕚𝕔𝕖 (half) of it into the microwave for five minutes. How had fifteen minutes to wait for a lasagna?

I poured a glass of milk and sorted through the mail. checking on Mom's pill organisers and checking to see which of her prescription needed to be refilled. Until the timer went off and then I sat at the table to eat with my music as loud as my phone would go.

I fucking hated eating alone. Guilt crept in at the >

@BadBoyEmbryCall

The mom’s ate their dinner in Ma’s room. The two were catching in low whispers the last time I listened to see if they needed anything. It was a little tricky with #MsC here, Ma couldn’t just say she needed some water and then have me or #TheKid show up with a bottle. So, we had to listen and then go up asking if we heard them in need.

‘I cannot believe even Sue’s frozen soups taste this good.’ #Sam said standing from the table. -

@BadBoyEmbryCall -

He has arrived here from his run, to check in and then take his wife and son home. However, with dinner on the go. He wasn’t going to leave without eating.

‘No matter what she makes, it’s like eating in the land of the spirits.’ #Emily tasted her husband.

#TheKid glanced up at me from where he stood refilling his and #Sam’s bowl but didn’t say anything to the two. ‘Yeah, The Clearwater’s have magic in their hands.’ He finally said sitting down with the two bowls. -

@BadBoyEmbryCall -

Once dinner was over, Sam said that he would drive #MsC home, however I frowned. Going upstairs to the two. “Hey Beautiful, why don’t you stay here the night? I can make up my bed for you. It would help the Kid and me a lot as your friend here will never listen to us.” Giving her the biggest ‘You would be saving me’ look I could. She had her evening meds with her, and I could drive her back home in the morning in time for her morning ones. -

@BadBoyEmbryCall -

Telling the others of the change of plans, I set my room up for #MsC, giving it a quick dust, changing the covers, and making sure she had everything she needed for a comfortable night. I didn’t know why, But knowing that Embry was working tonight, I just needed these two women where I could see them.

‘I’ll take them up some tea.’ #TheKid told me when I came back down, the house was quite again with the little one gone. -

@BadBoyEmbryCall -

Giving me a moment to check my phone. It had buzzed which I was changing the bed.

Glancing over my shoulder, I stood reading his reply once again before replying.

[𝙸𝚏 𝙸 𝚗𝚎𝚎𝚍 𝚒𝚝, 𝙸 𝚠𝚒𝚕𝚕 𝚝𝚊𝚔𝚎 𝚒𝚝. 𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝙺𝚒𝚍 𝚒𝚜 𝚑𝚎𝚛𝚎 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚗𝚘𝚠, 𝚜𝚘 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐𝚜 𝚜𝚑𝚘𝚞𝚕𝚍 𝚋𝚎 𝚘𝚔𝚊𝚢. 𝙸 𝚊𝚖 𝚔𝚎𝚎𝚙𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚖𝚘𝚖 𝚑𝚎𝚛𝚎 𝚝𝚘𝚘. 𝙸 𝚗𝚎𝚎𝚍 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚖 𝚋𝚘𝚝𝚑 𝚠𝚑𝚎𝚛𝚎 𝙸 𝚌𝚊𝚗 𝚜𝚎𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚖. 𝙳𝚘𝚗’𝚝 𝚠𝚘𝚛𝚔 𝚝𝚘𝚘 𝚑𝚊𝚛𝚍. -𝙻]

Unsure how he would take the fact that I have kidnapped his mom, my eyes were on the back yard and the shed. -

@BadBoyEmbryCall -

Slight scent of blood still in the air, however #Jacob and #Ness had done a good job with the clean-up. I knew I would have another go at cleaning in the morning.

‘Hey, are you heading home?’ #TheKid came back into the kitchen with the used cups from the Moms.

“No. I am staying,” I told him.

‘Sis, you were at the hospital last night. Go home, shower, change, sleep. I will be here all night. I am not going anywhere. I got this.’ I knew he did. -

@BadBoyEmbryCall -

But I couldn’t leave. I just couldn’t.

@HotHeadSheWolf

I looked down at my phone reading her message as I slide the rest of the lasagna back into the oven. The only reason I left any; was so mom would have food when she came home.

[𝚃𝚑𝚊𝚗𝚔𝚜 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚕𝚘𝚘𝚔𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚘𝚞𝚝 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚑𝚎𝚛 𝚝𝚘𝚘. 𝙻𝚎𝚝 𝙼𝚘𝚖 𝚑𝚎𝚕𝚙 𝚢𝚘𝚞, 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚔𝚗𝚘𝚠 𝚑𝚘𝚠 𝚖𝚞𝚌𝚑 𝚜𝚑𝚎 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎𝚜 𝚝𝚘 𝚏𝚎𝚎𝚕 𝚗𝚎𝚎𝚍𝚎𝚍. 𝙰𝚗𝚍 𝙸 𝚗𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛 𝚍𝚘... 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚝𝚘𝚘. 𝙴𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚢𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚒𝚜 𝚐𝚘𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚝𝚘 𝚋𝚎 𝚏𝚒𝚗𝚎, 𝙻𝚎𝚊𝚑.]

I cleaned my plate and glass and scrawled

𝒯𝒽𝒶𝓃𝓀𝓈 𝑀𝑜𝓂, 𝐼 𝓁𝑜𝓋𝑒 𝓎𝑜𝓊.

On the back of the note that she had written for me.... because I >

@HotHeadSheWolf
< was just as bad at the texting thing as she was.

I climbed into my Jeep and pulled out my phone again to text Leah... now that texting was on my mind.

[𝙰𝚗𝚍 𝚐𝚎𝚝 𝚜𝚘𝚖𝚎 𝚜𝚕𝚎𝚎𝚙, 𝚃𝚛𝚘𝚞𝚋𝚕𝚎. #𝚂𝚎𝚝𝚑 𝚌𝚊𝚗 𝚑𝚊𝚗𝚍𝚕𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚗𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚝 𝚜𝚑𝚒𝚏𝚝. 𝚂𝚕𝚎𝚎𝚙... 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝙼𝚘𝚖 𝚒𝚜 𝚐𝚘𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚝𝚘 𝚗𝚎𝚎𝚍 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚖𝚎𝚊𝚗𝚜 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚗𝚎𝚎𝚍 𝚝𝚘 𝚋𝚎 𝚏𝚎𝚍 𝚠𝚊𝚝𝚎𝚛𝚎𝚍 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚛𝚎𝚜𝚝𝚎𝚍. 𝚃𝚛𝚞𝚜𝚝 𝚖𝚎... 𝙸'𝚟𝚎 𝚋𝚞𝚛𝚗𝚝 𝚘𝚞𝚝, 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚒𝚝 𝚎𝚗𝚍𝚜 𝚋𝚊𝚍𝚕𝚢 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚢𝚘𝚗𝚎. 𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝙺𝚒𝚍 𝚑𝚊𝚜 𝚐𝚘𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚜.]

Then I started the engine and made my way to the club.

@BadBoyEmbryCall

‘Who is that?’ #TheKid asked as my phone went off again. He wasn’t used to hearing the sound of my phone, which remined me to set it too silent.

“Call, I told him were keeping his mom for the night.” He nodded handing me a cup of coffee before coming to sit on the floor of the living room beside me. We sat there drinking our coffee’s before he spoke.

‘Aren’t you going to reply to ‘Bry?’ Pushing my phone towards me.

“Do I need to?” I asked with my eyes on -

@BadBoyEmbryCall -

the cup in my hands.

‘Sis…’ He could feel his eyes burning into me. Picking up my phone I replied.

[𝙼𝚜 𝙲 𝚒𝚜 𝚑𝚎𝚕𝚙𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚖𝚘𝚛𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚗 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚌𝚊𝚗 𝚒𝚖𝚊𝚐𝚒𝚗𝚎. 𝙰𝚗𝚍 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚊𝚛𝚎 𝚘𝚗𝚕𝚢 𝚐𝚎𝚝𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚛𝚎𝚙𝚕𝚢 𝚋𝚎𝚌𝚊𝚞𝚜𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝙺𝚒𝚍 𝚒𝚜 𝚖𝚊𝚔𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚖𝚎. 𝙽𝚘𝚠 𝚐𝚎𝚝 𝚝𝚘 𝚠𝚘𝚛𝚔. 𝙸 𝚊𝚖 𝚏𝚒𝚗𝚎. -𝙻]

“Happy?” I pushed my phone to the far side out of the way. He turned himself around, laying down with his head in my lap.
-

@BadBoyEmbryCall -

‘I was so scared sis.’ He finally said. One hand moved to stroke his hair, listening to him. ‘When I came here, and the scent of the blood…. The… sight of it… it wasn’t so much… but… it… it was… hers….’ I felt his tears fall into my lap and soak into my jeans. ‘I… I couldn’t think… I was….’ I knew what he was trying to say.

@HotHeadSheWolf
One Republic blared through my stereo as I drove to Forks. I felt my phone vibrate in my pocket and I figured it was Leah. I didn’t try to reach for it while I drove. I’d reply when I got to work.

I pulled into the staff-only car park behind the club and spotted #JoeWalker’s car… he wasn’t supposed to be here today at all after swapping shifts with me yesterday. The sight distracted me enough that I didn’t stop to check the text message on my phone before I went inside to see >

@HotHeadSheWolf
< what was going on. I found him inside chatting up one of the bartenders. But he excused himself the second he saw me.

“I didn’t think you’d be here today.” I said, stuffing my keys into my pocket.

‘I just wanted to pop in and see if everything was okay.’ Joe replied. ‘What happened?’

I explained to him that my Auntie hurt herself and ended up in the hospital overnight I was helping out her kids. That ended with me needing to explain to him that on the Rez most elders were <

@HotHeadSheWolf
< Auntie and Uncle and the Chief was Uncle or Grandfather depending on your age. I told him that everything was going to be okay and that it was Mom, but she was with the family now helping out. This made Joe chuckle.

‘She’s some woman.” He said as though he knew her well. “Sick herself and still lending a hand to a friend in need.’

“That’s my Mom… I have a feeling she’ll be spending the night there.” We walked to the office together and I cocked in.

‘Will she be okay? >

@HotHeadSheWolf
< ‘Will she be okay?
Doesn’t she have meds to take?’ He asked.

“She’ll be fine Leah will make sure she has everything she needs.” I realised my slip immediately. I had only given him vague details, adding in just enough small ones to discourage too many questions.

‘Oh… This is Leah’s mother then? The lady that got hurt?’ He gave me a knowing smirk. ‘The knight in shining armour routine. Why didn’t you just tell me that on the phone.’ >

@HotHeadSheWolf
< I shook my head and laughed. “It wasn’t like that… her brother and I are close friends, he called me asking for help so I helped.”

‘So, she didn’t call you, the bother did?’ He tutted shaking his head. ‘You have so much work to do on that one, Call.’

“You’re an arsehole.” I laughed and elbowed him. “Now fuck off, it's supposed to be your night off.”

Joe finished up a few things that really could have waited until tomorrow while I started the fire check. After >

@HotHeadSheWolf
< checking the last door, I remembered my phone. I replied to Leah:

[𝙰𝚕𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚍𝚢 𝚑𝚎𝚛𝚎. 𝙷𝚎'𝚜 𝚊 𝚐𝚘𝚘𝚍 𝚔𝚒𝚍... 𝚂𝚕𝚎𝚎𝚙, 𝙲𝚕𝚎𝚊𝚛𝚠𝚊𝚝𝚎𝚛.]

Then I text Seth. [𝙼𝚊𝚔𝚎 𝚜𝚞𝚛𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚜𝚝𝚞𝚋𝚋𝚘𝚛𝚗 𝚜𝚒𝚜𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝚘𝚏 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛𝚜 𝚐𝚎𝚝𝚜 𝚜𝚘𝚖𝚎 𝚜𝚕𝚎𝚎𝚙. 𝚃𝚎𝚡𝚝 𝙹𝚊𝚔𝚎 𝚒𝚏 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚗𝚎𝚎𝚍 𝚊𝚗𝚢𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚝𝚘𝚗𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚝. 𝙷𝚎'𝚕𝚕 𝚋𝚎 𝚊𝚛𝚘𝚞𝚗𝚍]

I had no guilt volunteering Jake’s time just like he would none volunteering mine. I would have offered up #Quil’s too if it wasn’t his night with #Bear.

@BadBoyEmbryCall

The house was quiet, the light out. The windows in the living room opened by the kid because he knew the song of the spirits would help to settle me. I didn’t need to ask, or say anything. He had just gotten up, opened them and then curled back down with his jeans on my lap.

My phone flashed on the floor beside me, with Embry’s name and message. And then #TheKid’s phone buzzed next to mine with his name and message on it. Embry Call was in his way looking out -

@BadBoyEmbryCall -

for the Clearwaters. Slowly I shifted #TheKids head off my lap, and onto a pillow under him. Slipping out of the living room, listening to the two breathing waves from upstairs.

It was the best sound I could hear. Ma, #MsC and #TheKid fast sleep.

Looking at the time I went into the kitchen looking at the pain meds for Ma, taking the ones she needed to take, and then I looked over the med bag for #MsC. -

@BadBoyEmbryCall -

Two glasses of water in a tray, the meds I went up softly waking them for them and then letting them go back to sleep.

I didn’t know how they did it, but this wasn’t the first time they had slept like this. It mostly happened when #MsC had bad nights. With Embry working night at the club, Ma would find reasons to stay over. Even if they lived close.

When I made my way back downstairs, I scented them outside in the back. Opening the back door, to walk to the back of Ma’s -

@BadBoyEmbryCall -

yard with my hands pushed into my back pocket.

To anyone looking at me they would think I was talking to the trees, but hidden in there stood a dark, ashy-brown furred wolf. And a reddish-brown patch work furred wolf.

“She is okay pups, you shouldn’t be here. Your petrol is due to the far side of the cliffs tonight.” They whimpered and I knew why. “You can come see her tomorrow, she is asleep right now.” -

@BadBoyEmbryCall -

Theirs brown eyes moved to the top floor of Ma’s home. To her window, before they both nodded, stepping back into the woods.

@HotHeadSheWolf
The hours dragged by… I mean, slow nights happened but tonight I felt like I needed to be somewhere else. It was even longer. I knew that I couldn't drag her to bed with me so that she would finally sleep, so the heat and heartbeats or whatever it was when we were together could lull her into a real sleep. But even if I could just... be there... It wouldn't be suspicious. I always made myself annoyingly present when shit like this happened.

On my break a replied to a few >

@HotHeadSheWolf
< texts from the pups telling that had dropped by and that Leah told them Auntie Sue was okay. I replied to them all saying the best thing they could do for the Clearwaters right now was to fulfil their duties and be ready to help if they were needed.

Because I couldn't help myself I text Leah while I was sitting on the loading dock getting some sir before I had to go back inside.

[𝙷𝚘𝚠 𝚊𝚛𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚙𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚎𝚗𝚝𝚜?]

Then added
[𝙸𝚏 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚛𝚎𝚙𝚕𝚢 𝚝𝚘 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝙸'𝚕𝚕 𝚋𝚎 𝚙𝚒𝚜𝚜𝚎𝚍 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚊𝚛𝚎𝚗'𝚝 >

@HotHeadSheWolf
< 𝚜𝚕𝚎𝚎𝚙𝚒𝚗𝚐]

I laughed at myself. "Way send mixed signals, Call." I swigged the last of my beer and chucked my pizza box into the dumpster nearby before heading back inside to take up my least favourite post, Joe's usual role... manning the door.