Before the Storm

"Althea? Honey, do you think you're going to be okay?" Emily walked into her bedroom and closed the door quietly behind her. Althea looked over at the would-be beautiful girl and nodded her head. She threw the shirt she was holding into her suitcase and closed it.

"I'll be okay, Em," she pulled the zippers together and set it on the floor, "besides, I'm sure I'll be back here all the time. No matter what happens, you'll always be my family."

"We feel the same way," Emily smiled and sat on the chair Althea had facing the window. Her face suddenly became serious, "but we still worry about you. That's why the boys will be keeping an eye on you when you get to your new home. They'll follow your scent."

"Is-is there something out there that I should be worried about?" Emily hesitated in answering and Althea received her answer.

"They think it's gone, but you know them. They'd feel better if they knew you were safe,"

"Is it what killed my mother?"

"Yes," Althea turned her back to Emily so she wouldn't see the tears that had suddenly sprung into her eyes. She busied herself and grabbed the remainder of her things off the dresser, "I'll see you in the morning then. Paul will keep an eye on the house tonight."

"Thanks, Emily," she responded without facing her. The door clicked shut and Althea let her tears flow freely down her always pink cheeks. She saw a sweater peeking out of her closet. She grabbed it and inhaled the ocean breeze off of it. Without thinking, she pulled it on and crept onto her bed. She pulled the only remaining blanket over her small body and tried to fall asleep.

The wind whistled through the trees as the sky turned from the day's dull gray into a starry, inky blue blanket. Her window rattled with the breeze as she closed her eyes and listened to the fading howls she thought she had heard. Sleep, though, wasn't her friend that night. As soon as her thoughts had disappeared her dreams were consumed by dark, evil creatures with piercing red eyes. She was running through an endless forest trying to escape them. Whenever one got close to her, the werewolves would appear and save her. By the time she woke up, she felt no more rested than before she went to bed.

"Thea? Are you ready to go?" Paul's voice drifted up to her. She tried to rub the last of the sleep from her eyes and stood up.

"I'll be ready to go in a few minutes," she called back down. She got up, stretched and surveyed her outfit. She had the same clothes on as yesterday. She shrugged and decided that they would be okay. She walked to the bathroom and splashed her face with water, tied up her hair, and absentmindedly brushed her teeth. She grabbed her few remaining things and tossed them into her suitcase. She took one last look around and dragged her stuff downstairs with her.

"Ready to go?" Paul asked as Althea arrived downstairs. She took a long look at him and realized how much she'd miss him.

"As I'll ever be," she sighed as he took her suitcase and walked out to the awaiting taxi. Althea took one last look around her home. It was the only home she had ever had, and now it wasn't hers anymore. She sighed and walked outside to where they were waiting for her.

"You'll be okay, Thea," Paul reassured her and gave her a quick hug.

"I hope so," she agreed.

"If anythings wrong, we'll be right there," he hugged her and she sat down in the backseat.

"I know," she almost laughed.

"Emily?!"

"Who else?"

"Ahh," he mock cringed, "we'll see you soon, Thea. Take care."

"I'll miss you guys," the tears from last were threatening to spill over again. She was glad she'd only have to say goodbye to him and not the whole reservation. She didn't know of she could handle that, "tell them all I said bye. And I'll see you soon."

"Soon," he promised and shut the door. Paul watched the taxi drive off and cursed himself for not telling her. Maybe this would be better; them being apart. He could learn to get over her, and if things went well, maybe he would tell her one day.

_____

Althea watched the trees fly by as the taxi sped past the small town of Forks and into the surrounding woods.

"I thought the family lived in Forks?"

"No, miss. They leave in the woods right outside the town," the small driver grunted from the front seat.

"Oh, I see," she bit her lip as the sky realized a light drizzle, "do you know anything about them?"

"They're the Cullens. Husbands a doctor, wifes a homemaker. They got five kids, adopted o' course. Awful young too, but they sure are loaded," he commented as he flourished his hand towards the house that was coming into view. Althea almost gasped when she saw the beautiful glass house. They sure were loaded!

"Here we are," he shook her out of her day dreams as he put the car in park. He got out, opened her door, and grabbed her suitcase.

"Thanks," she said quietly as she took her suitcase and headed toward the door. The man nodded, got back into his car and drove away, leaving Althea to her own devices. She weighed her options: run back to La Push, runaway and make a new life, or take a stab at this. She opted to try it out. She took her things and headed to the door and rang the bell. Within seconds she heard sounds from inside as someone approached the door. It was slowly opened and a man appeared. He was the most beautiful man Althea had ever seen.

"H-hi. I'm Althea Willow," she stuttered as she took in his golden eyes, pale skin, and warm smile.

"Hello, Althea. We're very glad to welcome you into our home," he reached for her bag and invite her in.

Althea wasn't sure what was more beautiful: the doctor's family or his home.