Chapter 20~

Part 1:Lyle House once again(We're going to flash back a few months to when Chloe, Derek and company are still in Lyle House…Izzy comes to visit)

Part 2:Family Ties(Going to flash forward to before the funeral but after the events in chapter 19)

Quote of the Chapter: "Camouflage is a game we all like to play, but our secrets are as surely revealed by what we want to seem to be as by what we want to conceal." ~Russell Lynes

Song of the Chapter: Numb by Linkin Park

Derek: Age 16

Chloe: Age 15

Derek's POV

I stared out of the window of the living room. White fluffy clouds floated by; it was a seemingly perfect day…except for the fact that I was caught in Hell's waiting room. I sighed as I smelled Tori walk into the room with my brother.

"I can get my mom to let us go to a movie. What do you think, Simon?" she asked, trying to…I don't know, sound sexy or flirt, either way it was disgusting. This was just another ditch attempt to get a date with my brother. Tori was the type of girl that needed a boyfriend, someone attractive to have on her arm.

"I think that's a horrible idea. Besides, I need an adult's consent to go anywhere," Simon said; I smirked as I imaged the angry yet hurt look on Tori's face. She huffed and walked out of the room. The couch dipped beside me as Simon sat down. "So how are you doing?" he asked as he turned on the TV. "Are you excited?" I nodded, a full smile gracing my lips. Izzy was coming to visit me. I hadn't seen her in years so when she called and told me that she was taking me for lunch today I was extremely happy. Simon smiled, "Good. Tell her I said hey and bring me back something." I nodded and stood up, she would be here in two minutes. About the same time it would take me to get to the front entrance.

Walking out of the room I saw Chloe walking down the hall toward the living room. She looked happier than usual since she came here two weeks ago. I wondered if her Aunt had come to see her again. Then I remembered I wasn't supposed to be near her and I quietly stepped farther away from her as we passed each other. "Hi Derek." her voice flowed like a soft breeze; I nodded slightly in her direction and kept walking. I had become terrified of his reactions of being around her. As I rounded the corner I saw her. She had grown to an amazing height at least 2 inches taller than my 6'1". Other than her height and the obvious signs of puberty, she hadn't changed at all.

"Remember, Ms. Swan, that you need to have him back before dinner," Mrs. Talbot said as I approached.

"Yeah yeah, okay. Come on D." She said turning to me. She smiled and we walked out the door. Once we were in the car and a good mile from the house Izzy turned down the blaring radio and turned to me "Derek…it's time," she said, her eyes never leaving the road. I nodded. About a month before Chloe had come to Lyle House, Izzy had called and told me to start thinking of an escape plan, that something would come to me eventually. And she was right; the moment I saw that Simon was interested in Chloe, I came up with a plan to use Chloe…It would probably make her mad, but she'd thank me later, I think. Izzy smiled. "Good. I'm almost done finding a safe place for us; it'll be a few more days…maybe weeks. Just wait for the signal." I nodded again as she turned a corner

"I'll be ready."

Part 2~Family Ties (The Funeral will be in the outtakes)

Sue POV

"I'm worried about the kids, Billy, " I said as I poured him more coffee.

"Which kids?" he asked jokingly, but his eyes were creased with worry. I turned back to the sink and started water for the dishes. Jake had dropped his father and Old Quil at my house about an hour ago so we could have a meeting with the other Elders.

I continued as I washed. "I should say the pack; nothing seems to be going right. Yes, there are imprints, but then you have Emily who's not an imprint being involved with the pack. Honestly Billy, you should see how she guilt trips him into everything. Because he scarred her face, she claims he should stay with her. And the other imprints, they hate Emily, and two are her relatives. What should we do?" I asked turning to the others.

"How about counseling?" Billy suggested.

"Yes but with whom? I asked. "We haven't had a Shaman since Marie left," I said putting up the dishes.

Old Quil spoke up "There is one Shaman in the area, who knows of us…." He was interrupted by a knocking at the door. Thinking it was one of the pack members I shouted "It's open!"

The door creaked open and Isabella walked in. "Hi, Billy told me to come over with some of Uncle Charlie's stuff when I was finished cleaning up."

I smiled sadly, "Oh sweetie we could have helped you clean up, I know it's hard.

Isabella shook her head, "No, it's fine. Uncle Charlie didn't have a lot of things in the house that I would get rid of, just fishing poles I brought for Billy to look at and some clothes."

I nodded; Charlie had been in the process of moving in with me when he died. "I still can't believe he wanted to be cremated," Billy said as he took some fishing rods from Isabella.

"I won't say tradition, but it has been a pattern; my grandparents and mother were cremated, and so was my dad," Isabella said, sitting next to Old Quil.

Quil sighed, "Dear, there's something you need to know. I was the second child and only boy of my family. I had an older sister named Marie. She had the same eyes as you, right down to the light green diamond flecks in your iris." Isabella's eyes widened and Quil continued, "When Marie was 18, she met a white man named Charles and fell in love with him. My father who was an elder and wanted to preserve the Indian blood and my mother was just narrow minded and old-fashioned. I was just happy she had met someone that made her happy. A year later, she married Charles and my parents disowned her. When I visited her and Charles in Alaska 5 years later, I met my niece and nephew Renee and Charlie Swan. Isabella, you are my great-niece, Marie was this tribe's Shaman. You aren't under any obligation to do so, since you were inducted into our sister tribe, but during your stay, we as the council and I as your family, would be grateful if you would provide spiritual guidance to the Wolf Pack of this Tribe." Isabella was silent, staring at Old Quil. "I know this is a lot to take in so if you want we can continue th-"

"I'll do it. I'll call Dean and get him to arrange the blessing." Isabella stood up and smiled at us, "Thank you for telling me, Uncle Quil." She grinned and walked out the door.

Quil laughed, "She's Marie's granddaughter alright, a whirlwind in and out of situations." Old Quil smiled in a way I hadn't seen in years.

It was a nice change.