Chap. 12:

A/N: Again, I apologize for not getting this chapter out any sooner. I know it's not much of an excuse but this chapter didn't come easy, after several attempts to get it right, here it is hope you enjoy it. My sincere thanks to those of you who have been following or favorited this story and to the reviewers my heartfelt thanks.

Bella looked into Brady's eyes...her own welling up and threatening to spill over. "You want to marry me, really?" Not daring to look away from his face, lest she miss some telltale sign that he was just teasing her.

"Honestly sweetheart, say yes and make me the happiest man you will ever know. You are my very best friend, my lover, my helpmate in all things; do me the honor of now becoming my wife and the mother of our children. Please…. say yes."

"Yes, I love you more than you will ever know and I would be honored to become your wife." Bella couldn't stop the tears from finally falling as she pressed kisses all over Brady's face repeating yes, with each touch of her lips to his skin.

They made love through the night and into the next morning before finally succumbing to some much-needed sleep. It was later that evening before they finally woke showered, ate and crawled back into bed to sleep some more.

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Monday morning found six hungry wolves and two elders showing up one by one in the Fullers kitchen, each looking hopefully to Bella to be fed. Which of course she was only too happy and willing to oblige them, they were having an impromptu meeting of sorts around the dining table as she went about the business of preparing copious amounts of food to fill their bottomless pits.

Brady looked over to Jake. "Go get Billy and bring him here. He needs to start taking measures to correct his mistakes and sitting feeling sorry for himself doesn't cut it now."

Jake returned with Billy in tow about twenty minutes later. Brady looked at the former chief, "Billy in spite of the mess you have helped create you are very knowledgeable about how to deal with the BIA. I would like you to work directly with Harry and shaman Ateara showing them not only how it operates but finding out everything the three of you can, about any and all programs and aide available to the tribe. Once we get things up and rolling once again...You will start teaching the young ones all about our legends and tribal traditions...We need to find volunteers among the elder tribal members to teach the old forms of Quileute crafts these things should not be lost as we move forward into this century."

Billy spoke up. "I didn't think anyone would want me involved in tribal affairs any longer?"

"Were you planning on hiding Billy, leaving us to clean up the disaster you helped to create?" Harry gave his oldest friend an incredulous look.

"No, I just didn't think anyone would be too thrilled at having to see my face around the reservation knowing that most of their suffering is due to me."

"They probably won't be," replied Harry while Old Quil sat nodding agreement. "However that doesn't matter you will roll up your sleeves like the rest of us and if it's to your dying breath you will work tirelessly to help us set things to right. Are we understood?" Brady had continued speaking.

"Yes. I will do everything in my power to help."

"Good, Jake you will bring your dad with you every morning as we gather here to plan our day. Now there is one more thing Bella and I would like to discuss with you all. I have asked Bella to marry me and she has consented to becoming my wife officially."

Cheers and congratulations spread throughout the kitchen and dining area, Brady was given manly half hugs and pats on the back while Bella was picked up and twirled from one set of arms to the next, ending with her grandfather.

Old Quil embraced her and told her this was what he had been hoping for the couple. Of course, everyone wanted to know if they were going to have to dress up in monkey suits once again like they did for Sam's wedding that never took place.

Bella looked at them all before taking Brady's hand in hers and saying, "I would like to have a traditional tribal ceremony this Saturday night at the bonfire with the people I love and the entire village as witness.

We can wear the traditional dress we received when we were with the spirit warriors. I would like permission from the council to include the Malvone family in the celebration...they already know of the wolves and if it weren't for their kindness and love I never would have met the other half of my soul. Please say yes, it would mean so very much to me."

Grandfather spoke up first, "While this is a highly unusual request, under the circumstances I have no problem including them." None of the other council members had a problem with this either, knowing how much this family had done to help Bella to become the confident and loving woman she had turned into.

They sat for a while going through the questionnaires they had handed out to the tribal members on Saturday, looking for the most pressing problems first. There were quite a few of the elderly who were in need of medication they no longer could afford. With virtually no medical assistance from the clinic that was drowning in a lack of funding for staff and supplies.

Others were in need of having utilities restored for lack of payment. So with their first two priorities in place, they had to now work out how they were going to accomplish this task. Only around twenty five thousand dollars of the recovered money remained, not nearly enough to get anything headed in the right direction.

Bella asked to speak to Brady outside...moving themselves into the woods far enough to remain unheard by the others. Bella spoke first. "I need your opinion on something and I want you to be very honest with me, don't try sparing my feelings or doing what you think I want if you don't agree a hundred percent."

"Alright let's hear your ideas."

"I still have most of the money I earned and saved through investments the last four years; I made good tips plus my salary. The only expenses I had were tuition and books most of which were used, some clothes and gas in the truck. Oh and an occasional gift for one of the family or the girls, otherwise my money is pretty much intact.'

"How much exactly are you talking about Bella?"

Bella looked at him sheepishly….."Close to a hundred thousand?"

Brady eyed her incredulously, "How close?"

"About 72 cents short of."

"You count your money down to the penny?" He started laughing.

"I know it sounds weird to you, but I never had money to speak of, Brady try to understand if it wasn't for babysitting money, half the time with Renee I wouldn't have had food to eat. That's why I am so careful with it. That's another reason I hurt so badly for our people, I know what it's like to do without, to be hungry or have your water and lights cut off cause you can't pay the bills."

Brady wrapped her up in his arms pulling her closer so she could rest her head against his chest. "What did Renee do with the money she earned teaching?"

"She was always out buying new clothes and makeup. Trying to snag the perfect man to take care of her, mostly she found a string of one night stands, some real losers she would drag home with her to spend the night. Those were the nights I was afraid to close my eyes to sleep, afraid one of them would creep into my room."

"Oh baby, I didn't know things were that bad for you. How you turned out to be the beautiful person you are I just don't understand, but I am so grateful to the spirits for bringing you into my life. Tell me baby what do you want to do?"

"Well I was thinking since we are getting married, we could maybe put yours and my money in a joint account. Then I would take the money I inherited from my grandma Marie and use it to jump start the tribe in the right direction, I don't need that money, I lived without it all these years and it would make me so happy to use it for something good. I think it would have made my grandma happy too."

Brady looked at her with a new sense of awe and wonder, he felt truly blessed that she was soon to be his wife. "Sweetheart I think that is a wonderful idea, if you are sure that's what you want to do I have no objection. Do you want to go tell the other's and then we can go to the bank this afternoon and take care of changing the accounts around, and picking up a marriage license." He lowered his face to hers and kissed her with all the love he felt in his heart.

Arriving back to their house they walked into a room full of tension, everyone looking frustrated trying to figure out how to do so much with so little.

Brady settled in a chair and looked around at the faces of the others in the room. "Bella has something she needs to tell you all, take a seat and listen to what she has to say, go ahead Bella."

"We have mountains to climb to get this reservation and the families that live here back to anything that resembles normal. What I am proposing is that we need a jump-start so to speak, to get over the first foothills we encounter. With that in mind I am giving the reservation and it's people the inheritance I received from my grandmother, when I say giving I don't mean that I am handing the funds over, this is where I will put my business management degree to work for all our benefit. I still have over nine hundred thousand dollars, not much over but it should be enough to get things really rolling in the right direction to start with.

This is where I need all the rest of you to pitch in and help me get this done, tell me if I am missing things that need to be addressed immediately. Okay, so first off we are going to proceed like we are getting a successful business venture off the ground. I need two volunteers familiar with construction to go out and house by house list the repairs and estimated costs to fix them if we provide the labor. I want you to canvas any tribal members who have skills in this area, who would be willing to donate their labor in exchange for us paying their utilities and groceries.

Billy and Harry I need you to immediately tackle calling the BIA and putting out the call for a doctor, tell them we need this doctor like yesterday we are in dire need. Also, find out what they can tell us about getting medical supplies and additional staff if we need them….in, other words we need to know pretty much everything, because right now we are playing blind.

Next, I need volunteers for several things….One to go through the questionnaires, putting down the names and addresses of all who need their utility bills paid then when the list is compiled, go to the homes gather the bills and bring them back to me. I need someone to pick up the elderly and bring them to Joy's store to pick out their food,, then you can bring them home and put it away for them...take notice of their living conditions, many times the elderly are in need of help they have too much pride to ask for. You need to be our eyes.

Let's head out to the clinic and see what we are facing, so you can start making phone calls."

For the rest of the morning and part of the afternoon The Elders and pack put everything in motion, visiting the clinic. Making phone calls, gathering information. Bella had returned to the house earlier to prepare a supper that could be tossed into the oven when they got back from the bank, she couldn't let her brothers go hungry.

They stopped first at city hall to get their marriage license and then moved on to the bank to take care of business there….Mrs. Stanley was the person who helped them get things done, all the time priming the pump to garner whatever gossip she could to the rest of her cronies…"So Bella how is your dad doing? I know he must be excited having you back since you've been gone what is it now almost four years. Were you away at college all this while?" She was practically vibrating with anticipation, no one loved new news like Julia Stanley did.

Bella looked to Brady to see what she should say and watched as he gave her an almost imperceptible nod. "Mrs. Stanley it's nice of you to inquire about my dad but I think you are under some mistaken notions. My dad died while I was only a toddler and I never knew him."

Mrs. Stanley sputtered and looked at Bella as if she had three heads each of which were spinning. "I don't understand aren't you Charlie Swan's daughter?"

"No actually I am not; I was lied to all my life by my biological mother and only recently found out the truth of my heritage and who my father was."

"I'm so sorry she said with a gleam in her eye, hmm...I wonder why Charlie lied to the townsfolk all these years unless of course he didn't know."

"Oh there's no way he didn't know since he and my mother hadn't had relations in some time as he was too busy having an affair with a longtime lover."

"I see." replied the woman who then proceeded to hurry things along so she could start making phone calls.

Mrs. Stanley handed them each their completed paperwork and new account information, stating their cards both debit and credit along with new checks would be to them in about two weeks. She wished them well and headed for the closest telephone.

On their way home Bella called Mama Tessa. She told her all about the plans for her and Brady to marry this Saturday at the bonfire and inviting the entire family. "Mama I know it would be hard for you with the business but it wouldn't be right for you not to be there, sharing in our joy...You're really the only one I have ever considered a mother."

"Bambino, I wouldn't miss this for the whole world...We have people who can run the business just fine without us here, don't you worry your little head you hear me?" Bella nodded her head and then realized Mama couldn't see her. "Yes mama, I hear you."

"Good, now tell me what all is planned and how I can help, what about food?"

"Well we were just going to have a barbecue and potluck, what our people call a potlatch where everyone brings something for all to share. Since the entire tribe will be present."

"How many people are we talking about? Cause I have an idea."

"I guess at around three hundred, give or take a few. It's actually a very big deal that your family will be allowed to join us for this, since you already know about the wolves and you are the reason Brady and I found each other. The elders and acting chief would be honored for your family to be present to listen to the legends and celebrate our wedding."

"Then my idea will be perfect and I don't want any arguments about it. This is our family's wedding gift to you and a thank you to your people for letting us be a part of the festivities, we will supply all the food. We have close friends who do catering on a large scale so they are used to big numbers of people. None of you will lift a finger and it will be a wonderful menu. They are very good, trust me."

Bella sucked in a deep breath in total surprise. "Mama I can't let you do this it's too much...I wouldn't feel right and I'm sure Brady wouldn't either...it's too extravagant and would cost a fortune."

"Isabella listen to me….I have all sons...while I have wonderful memories of their weddings, it was the girls family that took care of everything. I never had a daughter before you, I love you like you came from my own body...instead you were born in my heart. Honor me by allowing me to give this to my daughter, yes?"

"Yes Mama I love you so much, thank you." She gave Carmine all the information they would need for Saturday and closed the phone turning to Brady and burying her head into his shoulder, she cried happy heartfelt tears all the way home.

When they arrived home Bella placed all the previously prepared trays in the oven to begin cooking, while she set about making dessert her delicious banana pudding she hadn't made in a few years at the very least. Once that was done she handed the bowl and beaters over to Brady to lick, he rolled his eyes, as his tongue tasted what could only be described as a mouthful of heaven.

"You have to promise to make that at least once every couple of weeks babe, and make extra so you can put some aside for me...that is the very best banana pudding I ever had in my life. That's because it is made with homemade custard instead of packaged pudding mix. The longer it sits in the fridge the more the tastes blend and it really becomes sinfully good. It's my grandma Maries recipe passed down from her mother. You can't eat it too often you'll get fat"

"Babe, he looked at her with a smirk, wolf...no fat ever...one of the many perks. He walked towards her waggling his eyebrows just as Quil and Embry walked through the door. Oh look who's here Bells, the cockblocker twins."

She started giggling at their newly inherited title, "Oh Brady it's just their priorities lie a little closer to their stomachs than yours do at the moment. Guys hate to break your bubble but at least two more hours till dinner, pull up a chair and tell us what all you did since we left this morning."

Embry and Quil had taxied the elderly citizens to the Ateara store and helped them to choose their food items. Returning them to their homes they put stuff away within easy reach and taking note of the conditions which these elderly lived they sat with each person and made detailed lists of their needs for themselves and for the repairs their housing was desperately in need of. Some fared better than others due to age and health and their ability to move around freely. They also inquired as to their interests and any talents they had to pass along in their knowledge of the old ways.

Bella and Brady were very impressed with the way the guys had handled their task and set the sheets aside for the time being praising the both of them.

Everyone showed up at their place again for dinner including the elders and even Leah and Kim joined them.

Harry told all of them that The BIA had been very helpful and that they had a doctor in mind who happened to be Quileute. His name was Gordon Redfeather, the elders remembered the Redfeather family but they had chosen to move away from the tribe more than twenty years previously. He promised to pass the information of to Dr. Redfeather and get back with them with news one way or the other. When asked where he had been all this while he was told he had volunteering his services at a tribal clinic in Alaska currently, but had little information prior to that.

Sam and Paul relayed their findings about repairs but had not had time to figure out estimated costs yet, they found fifteen skilled craftsmen in construction who were willing to donate their services in exchange for utilities and food for their families. They handed over the stacks of bills they had received at each of the homes they had visited. They also relayed to everyone that some of the house were literally ready to fall down around the ears of the residents and would probably need to be torn down for safety's sake.

Both of the men were unusually quiet...when Brady inquired of them Paul looked up with tears in his eyes. I feel so ashamed to have walked among these people, our people... every day and never noticed how they were suffering from neglect and need.

Brady rested his hand on Paul's shoulder and began to tell him, "Brother, we have all been guilty of the same thing. It's very easy to get caught up in our own lives and not pay attention to what is going on around us or waiting for someone else to do something about it if we do notice. Now we do everything in our power to make better lives for everyone. No more tears will be shed...now we look towards better times and things to celebrate."