Chapter One, Recovery

"Easy. Easy." Charlie muttered anxiously, hovering over his niece, Calliope Runa Swan
or Callie, transferred from the hospital bed - with help from both Paul and Charlie who each had an arm around their shoulders - and into the wheelchair she would be using for a while. Emily had been here early that morning helping Callie change into some comfy casual clothing which was just an oversized red jumper, black leggings and white trainers. However, Callie made sure to wear sexy lingerie underneath even if she didn't expect anything to happen - she was in too much pain and dozy on high painkillers - it just helped her feel confident in her body and in herself; something that she needed after what happened.

Emily, sort of knowing how she was feeling, also gave Callie a golden smokey eyeshadow with winged eyeliner and red lip gloss, and also done her hair for her in a messy bun with some pale blonde strands to frame Callie's heart shaped face and blue eyes. Callie had finished off the look with her mother's rings, a moon and stars choker and the double wolf's head necklace that Paul had made and gifted to her as their first anniversary present before he had even shifted.
"Are you okay, baby?"
"Are you okay, sweetheart?"
Came both Paul's and Charlie's worried questions the second Callie had let out a soft groan of pain; both fearing they'd hurt her.

"Yeah." Callie sighed, her good arm - her right arm - lifted her right leg onto the elevated attachment the wheelchair had instead of a right footplate. "I'm okay, I promise." Callie promised when neither Charlie or Paul looked convinced. "I'm sorry about Uncle Harry, and I'm sorry Bella did her normal and ran out when things got tough and when you needed her the most, Uncle Charlie." Callie said sadly, while trying to hold back her scathing remarks and her anger towards her cousin.

It wasn't fair! It's not fair she lost both her Dad and Uncle Harry in a matter of hours; the voices for both of their impending deaths one after another had caused her a nosebleed and a severe migraine, when the vampires arrived. It was her fault. Her father died as he had been protecting her, until it got too much and she Screamed. It wasn't fair her Uncle Charlie lost his younger brother and one of his best friends on the same day, that Bella had run off once again; but this time to a different county.

It wasn't fair the Tribe had lost a well respected Elder, friend and Council Member; that Sue had lost her husband and Seth and Leah had lost their father and were now forced to phase because of vampires. Seth was only fourteen. And apparently he wasn't even the youngest.
"It's okay, sweetie." Charlie murmured, kissing her forehead. "Don't worry about it now. Let's just get you home. We just -" Charlie trailed off, looking around for something.
"- I've got all of Callie's medication here, Charlie." Paul interrupted, patting his rucksack that also had Callie's toiletries. "I love you, baby." Paul whispered emotionally to Callie, his chocolate brown eyes full of tears that broke Callie's heart. "I'm so sorry -"

"Paul, my love," Callie whispered, resting her good hand on his warm cheek, tenderly brushing his cheekbone with her thumb brushing away the tears, while leaning forwards to kiss him. "It was never your fault. I never blamed you. Uncle Charlie doesn't and neither..." stealing herself blinking back the tears she continued. "Neither w-would D-Dad. Please don't blame yourself, babe. I love you, always."

"Always." Paul returned happily, pecking her lips once more. "Let's go home." Feeling reassured - while quietly blaming Jacob and Bella - Paul stood from his crouched position walking beside Callie as Charlie pushed her wheelchair. With every other step Paul and Callie's pinkies brushed against each other as if to reassure each other that the other was okay. That they were safe.

* * *

It wasn't long into the journey back to Forks that Callie fell asleep on Paul's shoulder in the back of her Uncle's blue Ford truck - Miles' Impala which was now Callie's had already been driven back to Forks sometime in the last few days - her wheelchair and bags were in the bed of the truck beneath a waterproof tarp. Smiling softly at his Imprint, Paul pulled her as close as her seatbelt would allow, pressing a loving kiss to her forehead.

He felt like he could finally breathe at last with Callie safe in his arms healing and far away from the vampires of Seattle. But while Callie had been out, Paul had gone to the apartment to help pack up the remaining belongings of Callie's, Miles' (for Charlie and Callie to sort out when they were ready, which included Miles' shot gun), and a few belongings of Kimberley's, (Callie's mother, that Miles has kept for his daughter); but to also take in all the vampire scents so if he or the others came across them again they could kill them before they got to either Callie or Charlie.

"Everything's going to be alright, Charlie." Paul assured the man, catching him staring at his niece worriedly, concern shining upon his face like a bell caught in sunlight. "I promise. We won't let any of them get to any of you."
"I know." Charlie sighed, glancing at Paul in the rear view mirror briefly before returning his eyes to the wet road, the storm beating down upon them as they drove towards home. "She's just been through a lot and I worry for her. I also appreciate that you're willing to stay with us but just know you try anything with my niece while she's healing or at all it doesn't matter how much I like you, Paul, I have a gun closest and I'm not afraid to use one of them."

"I know and you have nothing to worry about, Charlie. I swear." Paul assured him quickly, a slither of fear going down his spine. He remembered when both Miles and Charlie threatened him with their shotguns when he first started dating Callie. Who knew two mild and rather calm men could turn into Papa bears.
"Good." Charlie grunted, a small smile on his lips.
"Callie's strong." Paul commented, not so subtly changing the subject as he smiled so lovingly at Callie that it made Charlie smile.

"But she has us all here for her and for you Charlie." Paul told him sincerely.
"I appreciate that." Charlie said gratefully, smiling a tiny smile at his future nephew-in-law. The rest of the drive after that was spent in companionable silence as both Paul and Charlie absorbed everything that had happened the last few days. It seemed bizarre that just a week previously Callie and Miles were excited about the move back to Forks and had been looking for a new home in between Charlie's and La Push.

Paul shook himself out of his reverie when he heard the engine turn off, looking up he noticed that they were parked in the drive of the Swan residence, the white four bedroom, two-storey building standing out against the lush green forest that surrounded it.
"Sweetheart. Baby girl, it's time to wake up. You're home." Paul coaxed, peppering her face in kisses to rouse her from sleep; his heart melting but had never felt so full when she let out sleepy giggles. "Why hello there Sleeping Beauty." Paul teased.
"Shh." Callie groaned, stretching as much as she could without hurting herself and while she was in the car.

With both her uncle and Paul's help Callie exit the truck and into the wheelchair which Paul pushed this time, up the newly installed ramp and into the dark home when a sudden shout startled her; only for the lights to turn on revealing all of the pack - including new members Leah and Seth Clearwater, Quil Ateara, Jamie-Lee Cameron, Jason Young, Taylor Benally, and poor thirteen year olds; Jack and Brady Fuller and Collin Littlesea.

The pack now consisted of Sam Uley, Jared Cameron, Paul (obviously), Alyssa and Embry Call (Sam's half siblings), a grouchy Jacob - who was sulking in an armchair and hadn't come to greet Callie like everyone else - and the nine new members who had all phased in the last week alone, starting with Leah and Seth when Harry died. It has been a long few days as they got their new members accustomed to the change and helped with moving Callie's belongings to Forks from Seattle and visiting her in hospital and covering Paul's patrols as he refused to leave Callie while she was in hospital. Not that anyone - not including Jacob - could blame him.

Also with the pack were Emily Young, Rachel Black and Kimana or Kim Connweller (three of the four current human Imprints, Alyssa Call being the fifth and Quil the sixth Imprints as they had Imprinted on each other), and Billy Black the Chief of the Quileute Tribe, 'Old' Quil Ateara, Joy Ateara, Tiffany Call and Sue Clearwater who were all the Tribal Elders. Hanging behind them from the arch separating the hall from the kitchen was a homemade banner saying, 'Welcome Home', and a spread of finger foods on several platters could be seen in the kitchen as well as the sweet aroma of Sue's homemade soup and Harry's fish fry that caused everyone's heart to clench in pain but the sweet Seth had wanted his Dad's special meal to welcome Callie home and followed the recipe to a 'T'.

"This is amazing! Thank you, all of you." Callie beamed, but her beautiful blue eyes were still dim with pain, grief and tiredness as the painkillers were beginning to wear off.
"It was Paul's idea." Jared pointed out, hugging his best friend tightly as if scared she'd disappear as he smirked at Paul who was glaring at him with a light pink dusting to his cheeks.
"Really?" Callie asked, smiling at her boyfriend who was rubbing the back of his neck bashfully. "Thank you, my goofy wolf." Giggling at Paul's groan when she called him by the nickname she gave him when he did his goofy victory dance.

"Anything for you, baby girl." Paul returned with a loving smile and sweet kisses to her face as he stuck his middle finger up in the direction of Embry who had shouted at them to get a room much to Charlie's displeasure.
For the rest of the afternoon, until Callie fell asleep at around three curled into Paul once more on the sofa beneath a blanket, with Seth on her other side, the Pack and Elders had been taking Callie's mind off of what had happened as well as distracting themselves with stories and laughter.

At least for the time being.
So, it was for the first time since their fathers had passed that Leah, Callie and Seth felt like they could get past this double tragedy. And with the help, love and support from their families, the Pack and the Tribal Elders then they just might. But first they have the funerals of Harry Clearwater and Miles Swan to deal with to say goodbye to two wonderful men and start the healing process. However, they didn't know the storm they felt brewing would soon come to a head when Bella returned to Forks from swanning off to Italy on the arm of her vampire boyfriend and his family and with them; something more painful for those who are close to and who love Miles Swan.

—————————————————————————

Author's note: DO NOT ask me to update in any way shape or form. There are other ways of telling me what you thought of this.

Who should be the Imprints of the following (no vampires please);

• Seth Clearwater

• Jacob Black

• Jason Young

• Jamie-Lee Cameron

• Taylor Benally

• Jack Fuller

• Brady Fuller

• Collin Littlesea