Tribal Relations: Bella found out she was ⅛ Quileute when she was 13. Discovering herself and gaining all of the information she could about Native American Culture, Bella was urged to return to La Push by the Apache Tribe she had grown close to. Now that she is in La Push, she finds herself trying to improve the tribe she knows to be home, and hopes to find her place among them. Bella/Wolf

AN: This idea just wouldn't get out of my head! I would love a Beta and/or co-writer for this project. I know where I'm going, but I need some help getting there. Please let me know how you like the story, and which wolf you think should imprint on Bella in the comments.

Bella POV

I was thirteen when Renee was on one of her new fads and this time she dragged me along. Normally I could escape with telling her I needed to balance the checkbook, clean something around the house, or make up a large meal, but this fad came out of nowhere. Renee was in for her yearly physical and had picked me up early from school so she didn't have to go alone. She only saw the cover of a science magazine about genetic testing and decided that is where we were going next. We got home at 8 at night and life continued as normal, minus the $422.78 from our budget that month.

Two weeks later my life changed. Renee found out she was a half Native American. I had a quarter from my mom's side and a surprising ⅛ from my dad's side. I called him up almost immediately to find out what he knew, after some grunting I finally got out of him that my great grandma Molly was Quil III first wife. He didn't really know much, but he told me he would get Old Quil's number from Billy when he talked to him next.

For the next month Renee went to every pow wow, museum, and Native American activity she could find in a two state radius. I joined her to everything she went, monitoring her money and making sure she came home with enough time to eat and sleep before work the next morning. I got seperated from her at one Apache pow wow and ended up wandering into a formal meeting. I apologise as quickly as I could and tried to backtrack and ended up slipping and hitting my head.

I woke up after midnight and Renee left without me, thinking I walked home without her. I stayed on the reservation for three days with the Medicine man, his wife, their 4 kids, their spouses, and their 5 grandchildren. Jan, the medicine man's wife, was upset that my mom would leave me, and urged her husband to bring me with him and show me around. I explained why my mom was on this new fad and explained everything we had seen so far. The whole family could see I was enraptured by the culture. A man from Native American Affairs was visiting the Apache tribe to try and encourage new businesses and speaking to the youth about the different grants available to them as Native Americans.

For three days I gathered as much information as I could. My camera was full of pictures from the pow wow and meetings that followed. When Renee came to pick me up, Jan had a few words with her. Instead of visiting Charlie, my dad, that summer, I went back to visit the medicine man and Jan's family. I developed a plan.

I started to take college courses as soon as I could, taking online and night classes from local colleges at the beginning of my freshman (9th grade) year. By the time I graduated high school I almost completed two bachelor's degrees and started taking graduate level courses, was a published author, and had some of my photos in magazines. Renee had found someone and married Phil last year. I encouraged her to travel with him, and stayed with Jan and her family when she was out of town for longer than a week. Jan talked to me about Charlie a lot. She even invited him to visit, since I hadn't seen him since I was twelve, but he could never get off the time.

When I got offered a position at National Geographic's for a short spread on Native American Tribes, I asked the Apache tribe for their blessing. My published works were based around their legends and tribal stories, so half of my profits when directly to the tribe, so I was surprised when they said no.

"Little Swan," the medicine man spoke, "we appreciate your love for this tribe, but to allow you to do this, would take you away from your tribe."

I sat confused, "My tribe? But Renee doesn't know which tribe she is a part of."

Jan wrapped her arm around me, "But your dad does know what tribe he is a part of."

Tears started to well up in my eyes, did they not want me?

"You are always welcome here, but the spirits have seen greater things for you." The Chief spoke, "We have already kept you too long."

"But college.. My degrees?" I was stalling, they knew it and I knew it.

"You can complete them anywhere." Jan rubbed her hand up and down my arm. "Go find your destiny."

Less than a week later I was gone. Renee and Phil had already sold the house and were waiting for me in Florida. When I said I wasn't going she cried and tried to guilt me into going. "I need to see Dad." My voice broke, I missed him, but I was terrified. We talked on the phone about every other week, but I knew he had a whole life without me. He talked about two kids as if they were his own, he had been in a relationship with a woman from the tribe for almost a year now. He moved on, and part of me felt like I didn't have a home.

If the tribe I had been a part of for the last five years wanted me to move on, Renee was starting a new life, and Charlie had a family I wasn't a part of, where did I belong? When I called him asking if I could stay with him for a while, he sounded thrilled, thrown for a loop, but thrilled nonetheless. He asked me if I was okay, or if something happened to Renee, or if her new husband wasn't treating me right, but I did my best to reassure him.

When he picked me up from the airport a large Native Man was next to him. Charlie swung me up into a hug, quickly putting me down when his back cracked. "You okay?" My face must have shown my worry, the man and Charlie started to laugh.

"I'm good Bells." Charlie patted my back and went for my bag, but the man beat him too it.

"I'm Seth," the man, well Seth, smiled at me. His brown eyes looked at me and he got a sort of crooked grin as he put my bag over his shoulder, "Ready for a brother?"

I shook my head a little, "What?"

"Oh crap. Nothing. Charlie is going to kill me." Seth looked scared, bowing his head down and avoiding the glare coming from Charlie.

People started to stare, but I couldn't move. "What does he mean dad?"

"Let's get to the car," Charlie gruffled, "I'll explain on the way."

When we pilled into the cruiser, Seth stuffed in back, Charlie started to explain. "I'm getting married Bells."

Seth and Charlie talked over one another the whole way. I have never heard Charlie talk so much in my life. Together they told me about almost everyone on the reservation, some names I recognized from when I talked to Grandpa Quil. I tried to take in information, but my mind was stuck on Charlie getting married to Sue. They just lost Harry a year and a half ago, but apparently, when it's love, it's love. But that wasn't what was keeping my mind occupied, I couldn't focus. I knew we were going through Forks, but we had passed our house and kept going.

I tried to point out the fact that we missed the house, but figured we were going to drop Seth off. They pointed out the different family houses on the reservation, the Aleara General Store, even the school that had k-12. When we pulled up to a white two story house, about the same size as Charlie's, I turned to say goodbye to Seth, when he went and started to take my stuff out of the cruiser. I started to protest, but then Charlie surprised me again, "Welcome home Bells!"

He slipped out of the car and jogged to get ahead of Seth to hold the door open. My jaw was dropped as I watched as he embraced the woman I know from pictures to be Sue. I didn't move. I just watched them interact. Charlie waved me forwards and I slowly crept out of the car. We talk every other week. I knew he had been getting close to Sue. I knew they were dating, but he moved. He moved and was engaged. Why didn't he tell me?

They were all watching me with different expressions. I could even see Leah standing in the livingroom watch me as I moved slowly closer to the house. I was trying to process my emotions, but I didn't know where to start. I was hugged by everyone, welcomed, told dinner was in a few hours, and Seth brought by suitcase to a room where my three boxes I mailed prior were waiting for me. I checked the address I sent them to, FORKS. I took a deep breath and sank down to the bed.

"Bella? Bella?" A tanned hand waved in front of my face. "Charlie!"

"Bells? Bella?" I could hear Charlie's voice, but I just couldn't respond. "Sue!"

Sue came into view, she was rubbing her hands over my shoulders as if she was trying to warm me up. She sent Seth away or something, my dad, Charlie, started to pace. I looked up to Sue's face, "How long have you been engaged?"

"Charlie!" Sue shouted, and Charlie explained Seth's slip. Seth appeared at the door with a glass of something, only to back up when Charlie and Sue looked at him.

"Bella.." Sue started to explain in a warm motherly voice. But I cut her off, turning my face to Charlie, "You moved."

Charlie looked shocked, like he just forgot to tell me.

"Charlie? What do you talk to her about?" Sue stood up tall, staring at him.

Leah walked past Seth, taking the glass from his hand and gave it to Bella, "Drink this. Mom thinks you're going into shock." Leah rolled her eyes at Sue shaming Charlie. I drank the whole glass and started to stand back up.

"I think I need a minute to process things." I blinked and waited for everyone to leave. Sue and Charlie tried to say a few words, but I couldn't hear them. I layed on the bed and started to question everything: Did I have a home? Was it my fault? Charlie never fought for me. He couldn't even take a week off of work to visit me. Even on the reservation back in Arizona I felt like an outsider. But here?

I woke up a little after 5 am, according to the alarm clock next to the bed. Fully dressed and not a thing unpacked, I woke up like a robot. Grabbing for my bag I took out the basic toiletries and my outfit for today. I found the bathroom with little difficulty and hurried through the process. After 20 minutes I was ready for the day. I put everything back in my suitcase; grabbed my phone, camera, and my three ring binder; and started to head outside. I pulled out my cell phone and found my way to Old Quil's place, juggling snapping pictures and the three-ring binder. I didn't even have to knock on the door, he was expecting me.

Old Quil and I had talked on the phone every week. He even read my book about the Apache Legends before I sent it off to the publisher. We talked about the Quileute as a tribe and about our legends. We talked about my great grandma Molly Swan and what she meant to him and how she married into the tribe. But today I had a surprise for him, "Hey Grandpa." I smiled and hugged him, the binder slipping from my hand and the camera laying on my chest, "Can we grab some tea and talk?"

He nodded at me and held the door open. We grabbed our tea together and I started to grab things out of my binder when a teenager ran down the steps, "I'll be back before supper. I got patrol with… Oh." He saw me and looked from Gramps to me, "Hi."

"This is your cousin, Isabella Swan," Old Quil rose one eyebrow at his grandson.

"Nice to meet you, Quil," I smiled and waved at him but he was wide eyed staring at the ground.

"Hi." He said again.

He stood there for a few minutes, looking like a kid who got caught sticking their hand in the cookie jar.

"Don't you have to go? Patrol?" I questioned him, my hand firmly covering the information I pulled out of my binder.

"Yeah, later tonight, I'm going to Seth's right now," He smiled seeing I was giving him and out of this awkward situation, "Bye!" He shouted already out of the door.

I smiled back at Gramps, "He seems nice. So… at the Apache Tribe I was visiting in Arizona has done some amazing things over the last ten years. And I think the tribal council needs to look into some of this," I gestured at my documents spread across the table at this point.

Gramps started to look at the first document before he sighed, "Bella, I appreciate the thought you've put into this, but these projects aren't in the budget."

I was thrown, "Grampa, you only looked at one project. And I have applications for the funds…"

He cut me off, "We do not take handouts…."

It was my turn to cut him off, "It's not a hand-out. Its money they owe us, that when we don't apply for it, it goes back to the government!" And I was off. I went on a rampage about how our funds should be higher, how I filled out the documents with the information online, how much the Quileute qualify for as a tribe, and then I paused, "These plans aren't just flippant thoughts. You've told me about the tribe and I can help."

"Okay Little Swan," He smiled, "Let me hear them before we take them to the council."

"Okay," I smiled and grabbed our empty tea cups. As I refilled them I talked about one of my first ideas, "You told me about a man named Sam Uley, he does construction work for a company based in Port Angeles, but it sounds to me like enough of the boys work up there with them and they are undercutting them," I held out a few forms to him as I continued, "Sam should have his own company, right here in La Push!" I was beyond ecstatic. "I'm almost done with my Bachelors in Native American Affairs, and my Bachelors in Business just needs an internship, I want that internship to be here for the council. I've started taking Master's courses, but I need to get my Bachelors first." I explained everything Sam would have to do and what I need from the Tribe. Grampa was glowing. "And the best part is if they give back, and they should, to the community here in La Push, they can write off most of the work and be making a major profit over the first two years."

"That's wonderful News," Gramps eyes were shining with unshed tears.

"That's not all. The school needs to be updated, the clinic needs major work done, the community center should be moved to a safer area, and the tribe needs a library, even the old store need updates, and the government is supposed to be keeping most of those places up to date. If we get Sam's business started and filed before bringing in a N.A.A. agent, we can make sure the profits go right back into the tribe! And that's just Sam!"

"What do you mean, that's just Sam?" Old Quil looked at my binder, every document was spread out on the table in front of us.

"This is just my binder on Sam. You've told me all about this tribe. I have more ideas. His wife, Emily, you said she cooks for most of the boys already," I waited for him to react. When he gave me a grunt I continued, "She should open a Diner. Forks is the only Diner, and that is really more of a Cafe. The tribe needs a Daycare here in La Push and if we expand the community center most of it can be paid for by the government funds, the two in Forks are over crowded as it is, you mentioned a few women who could head that up. Leah wanted to follow in Sue's footsteps, but really she should be reaching farther. The clinic is understaffed, and we can get people here and paid well, once they have the facilities we deserve." I smiled at him again, putting all the documents away in the binder, "And that's just what we need to do before the end of the year. I have people waiting for me to submit these forms so we can rush them. It's getting close to September, we need to get the work started before school is back in session."

"Can I see the rest?" Gramps looked at me.

"Of course!" I jumped up to run back to Sue's, but I paused halfway to the door. "Charlie didn't tell me he was engaged." I looked up to Old Quil, aware my whole demeanor changed, "Or that he moved." I paused, "And I don't know why." I took a deep breath. " I know I need to talk to him, but right now, this tribe needs this more."

He nodded at me in understanding, and I took off once more.

I ran into Sue's house, ignoring any of the looks I got from the filled living room. I took the stairs one at a time, for my own safety, but hurried to grab a large box full of three ring binders. On my way back down I slipped about halfway down and landed on my butt at the bottom of the stairs, the box spilling out on the floor. I'm positive my red face was glowing as everyone rushed towards me. Closing my eyes I answered everyone's question all at once, "I'm fine. Just a klutz."

Looking down I went over to where Leah and a guy were putting together my box, "Hey Bella. What is all this?" Leah motioned to the binders with a binder that had Emily Uley's name on it.

"Just some forms and outlines," I grabbed the binder from her hand and placed it in the box. Picking up the large box, I tried to move around people to get back to the door.

"Lunch is ready," a strange voice called from where I guess the kitchen is.

"Come eat Bella." Seth looped his arm through mine and jerked me in the direction of the kitchen. The box dropped again from my hands as the boys, or men, around me started to run towards the food.

"No thanks," I got my arm away from Seth, "I'm meeting up with Old Quil." I quickly picked up the box and started to run, well my kind of running, out of the house. It wasn't that I didn't like Seth, I just, feel uncomfortable. It's not my house, and they are not really my family.

By the time I got back to Old Quil's house he had a few sandwiches set aside for us. We ate as I went through each plan. I was dark out before he stopped me. "Little Swan, I think that if the rest of the plans are like these, then we should go to the council. I'll put them on the next meetings list to address." He stood up and went to an old book on the bookcase. "Next Friday is an open meeting for new business. We can talk about your plans then."

"That sounds great!" I hugged him as he wrote, "Is there anyway we can have a closed meeting this week, to get Sam's plan off and running. We should really get the paperwork in before the end of this week."

Old Quil smiled at her and nodded, "I'll call Billy and set up the meeting for tonight. Why don't you start something for dinner. I need to see if Sam is available."

"How many people?"

"Make dinner for about twenty people. We only have six council members on the res, including Sam, Fuller is visiting relatives, but it will all get eaten." Gramps smiled almost deviously.

In the kitchen I started to shuffle through the pots and pans. Pulling out a rough plan of fish, potatoes, vegetables, and two fruit pies for dessert, I got started. The pie's were ready for the oven, and the fish was minutes away from being finished when Quil V walked into the kitchen nose first, following the smells. "Mom?"

I laughed, seeing his eyes still closed, "Nope."

His eyes sprang open, "Hi Bella." He looked me in the eye as he snatched a glazed carrot from the bowl on the counter before my spoon could hit his hand. He smiled but his shoulders fell, seeing my glare. "Need help?"

I looked around me, what is there left to do? "Could you take out the trash?"

He snorted and got to work, "So why didn't you stay for lunch?"

"I was busy," my voice even sounded shocked, I didn't notice him there.

"I was the one that offered you my hand to stand up when you took your dive on the steps." He laughed this time hearing my exasperated sigh.

"I'm gravitationally challenged. The floor really loves me." I answered. "I don't really like to be the center of attention. Having everyone buzz around me when I fell," I sighed and shrugged.

He ran outside with the trash before running back in, "So who are you all cooking for?" He snuck another carrot before I got to him. I glared, moving the bowl out of his reach.

"I asked for a council meeting. Grandpa is getting them all together now." I smiled.

He looked thrown, "What happened? Are you hurt? What can I do?" He was by my side in a second, checking me over, lifting my arms looking for wounds. A large man came barreling into the kitchen, eyes searching. He looked directly at Quil, then looked me over before relaxing.

"W-what?" I finally stuttered out, pulling myself out of his grip. "I'm fine."

They both looked at me, "So what is the meeting about?" the new man asked, his voice full of worry.

"Who are you?" What is going on here?

"I'm Sam Uley," He held out his hand across the counter that is the breakfast bar separating him from us.

"Bella," I reached my hand over the counter before a loud buzzer when off and scared me. Jumping into the air, my elbow connected with the hot stove. "Hisss…" I pushed Quil away, as he advanced towards me, flinging on the cold water I stuck my elbow under the water. After them asking me many times if I was okay, I finally got to answer. "It's just a kitchen burn, i'll be fine. Can you take the fish out Quil?" Quil started to move to the oven and Sam took out some frozen peas for me, "And to answer your question, the meeting is about Sam." They both froze.

"What?" They both asked.

"Let's wait for the rest of the council." I nodded deciding that was the best course of action.

"We're here," Billy Black called from his wheelchair as he came into the kitchen.

They all started taking their seats at the kitchen table as I directed Quil and Sam on what was left to be done. The pies replaced the fish in the oven, and supper was served. We ate quite quickly, Quil sitting at the breakfast bar as I forgot he was going to be home. When we finished, Quil and Sam started to clean up when Billy started the meeting.

Billy began by introducing the members of the council. Himself, Old Quil, and Sue, who was running late, I knew. Then he introduced, John Cameron, Sam Uley, and Henry Littlesea. Normally a Lahote would also be on the council, but Paul has not been welcomed as a full council member yet.

Sue came into the kitchen apologizing for being late.

Billy continued, "Isabella Swan has asked us here to address one of her plans to better the tribe." He motioned for me to start.

Being surrounded by the six council members, and Quil who I could see still listening on the stairs, I started to fidget. I took a deep breath and started to outline my plan for Sam, and what he could do for the tribe when he has his own company. I explained that I filled out the paperwork, and would like to continue to follow Sam's progress as an intern for the council. I explained how he would get the money for the start up and what he is entitled to as a member of this tribe from the government.

Many of the first grunts, or side comments were the same as Gramps earlier worried, so I shut them down quickly, "You all are entitled to many things that you just aren't getting right now." Grabbed my binder of pictures.

I opened up the first page and showed the council a picture of the Apache's school cafeteria. "That looks pretty good," Sam smiled.

"No Sam," I frowned and turned the page, "This looks pretty good." On the new page you can see the updated cafeteria, on the third page I had a list of changes that were made and what the government out-right paid for.

I showed them the rest of the pictures and how the changes could be made, but how much more it could benefit the tribe if Sam's company were to be the one to make the changes. "It may seem unrealistic to you right now, but I have people at the N.A.A. who will help me push this through." I looked at their faces, a mixture of disbelief and hope. "I'll get us pie."