I figured out a long time ago that life, never goes as planned, constantly weaving in the unexpected to knock you off your feet when you…well when you least expect it.

If it had gone as I planned, I would be twenty-eight, partner in a prestigious law firm, own my own condo, with floor to ceiling windows with a view that spanned the entire city and I would well on my way to being ridiculously wealthy. As it stood, I was right back where I started; I was everything I tried to get away from.

It wasn't what I had planned, but would I change it? Hell no!

June 2007.

"Rachel Black" The announcer called, and Rachel made sure her mortarboard was securely placed on her head and the dark crimson robes were smooth as she ascended the small set of steps at the base of the stage and walked across to the podium as gracefully as she could manage.

She reached for the paper scroll with one hand, firmly grasping the dean's pale and slightly sweaty hand in the other in a congratulatory handshake.

"That's my girl!" A gruff voice rang out, as Rachel shifted the yellow tassel of her cap from one side to the other before she left the stage. She glanced down into the front row to find her father, sat in his wheelchair at the end, clapping rather loudly and voraciously. She smiled, grateful that at least one member of her family had been able to make the trip for her graduation, and squeezed his shoulder as she passed him on the way back to her seat. As the lengthy ceremony continued, she clapped when everybody else did but her mind was else where.

Her dad looked well enough, but he seemed to have aged decades in the year since she'd last visited. Harry Clearwater's death had shocked them all and, although he was a picture of unwavering strength through it all, she knew how much it had broken him.

And her little brother Jacob? Well she knew that something was going on with him, and it wasn't helping the situation. Billy had said something about falling in with a new crowd, a demanding job and a girl…apparently the latter had worked out so well, and he'd decided to take off for a while.

Rachel scoffed to herself. When she had been accepted on scholarship to attend Washington State, she'd thought that her father would be proud. After all, it wasn't like she was moving to the other side of the country to marry a surfer on a whim like Rebecca had! Oh no, the reckless half of the gene pool was all her twin sister, Rachel was the level headed one who knew where her life was going and exactly how she would get there- But he'd made such a fuss about her moving into dorms, and whether he meant to or not, made her feel impossibly guilty about it.

Yet when he had informed her of Jake's virtual disappearance, he shrugged it off and told her it was just something he needed to do.

She shook her head, dislodging the niggling anger that was working its way in. The past was past, her dad was here now and he was proud of her.

"Hey, daddy!" She beamed as she approached him, her ceremonial robes tossed over her arm.

"Hey sweetheart." He smiled back, grabbing her hand and pulling her to him, his rough cheek resting against hers as he hugged her neck tightly. "I'm so proud of you, little girl."

"Thanks, dad," she blushed, taking the seat next to him and glancing around, taking a moment to wave to a passing classmate, "you on your own?"

Billy nodded, "guy from the Rez gave me a ride but, Jake's still off being…well you know how he gets, except this time I couldn't exactly force him to stay. You spoke to Beck's, right?"

"Yeah, end of the third trimester no air travel." Rachel sighed. "Still kinda bummed about it though."

"You know she'd be here if she could." Billy squeezed her hand, and she nodded "You got any plans for the summer?" He asked hopefully.

She stood and gripped the handles on his chair, waiting for him to release the brake before pushing him across the grounds towards the car park. "Well I have to pack up my room, pick a place to go and find a job. I'm thinking somewhere warm, with beaches, high class restaurants and an even higher divorce rate."

Billy chuckled, "sounds like you might need more than the summer!" He paused when they reached a waiting car. Rachel glanced at the driver who nodded politely in acknowledgement and opened his door. "You remember Sam?" He asked shifting his head towards the huge man as he walked around the car.

Rachel's mouth dropped open. "Sam Uley?"

"Hey Rach," he drawled, "It's been a while, huh?"

"I'll say!" she snorted as she gave her old high school lab partner the once over, "I mean you're like…and you used to be…" Rachel leveled her hand with the bottom of her ear.

"Honestly, fast track through college and she can't even complete a sentence." Billy chuckled and Sam joined in.

"Well I don't remember being that short, but I see what you mean." He grinned, "Oh congratulations, by the way, college girl!" He clapped her on the shoulder and she had to catch herself at the unexpected force of it.

"Sorry about that." Sam winced, and Rachel waved him off. "Ready to go?"

Billy nodded, and Sam opened the passenger door, waiting for him to maneuver himself into the seat before folding up the chair and placing it in the trunk.

"Nice seeing you again," Sam smiled as he walked around to his side of the car "if you come visit, you should come over, meet my girl Emily. I think you'd get along."

"I'd like that." Rachel nodded and turned to where her dad was leaning out of the window.

"Will you come and visit?" He asked, "I mean, once you've packed up and everything. You can search for a place to live and a job over the internet and you can store your stuff in the garage, save the money on storage…You won't need to rush anywhere, and who knows, your brother might actually pull his head out of his ass long enough to say hi!"

Rachel thought she heard Sam scoff at that. "I'll see how long it takes to get organized, okay? Have a safe trip, love you daddy…oh and if you do see Jake, smack him for me. Or better still get Sam to do it."

"Pleasure!" Sam grinned, as he started the car.

Rachel stood waving until they were out of sight. "Summer in La Push? Huh!" She mumbled turning back towards her dorms.

When she reached her room she opened the door to find her room mate camped out in front of their shared vanity surrounded by various cosmetics.

"Hey!" She smiled, catching Rachel's eye in the mirror as she rubbed a cream into her face. "So Elsie called just now, said she saw you in the parking lot with some guy. Anything you feel like sharing?"

Rachel rolled her eyes and sighed, perching herself on the edge of her bed and kicking off her shoes. "It's nothing to get excited about Gem, it was my dad."

"I've seen your dad in some of your pictures; he's in a wheel chair right?" She asked and Rachel nodded. "Well then I don't think he's who Els' was talking about? She said, and I quote, 'Oh my god! This guy was all kinds of tall, dark and do-able, you need to find out who he is so I can take him home to meet my mother!' So let's try again, Rachel? Do you have anything to share?"

"That was Sam!" Rachel exclaimed, picking her shoes from the floor and walking to her closet to throw them inside. "I've known him practically my whole life, we grew up together, went to school together- he even singed my eyebrows off in tenth grade during a chemistry lab. It would be like looking at my brother and saying he's hot- all kinds of wrong, plus he has a girlfriend."

Gem cocked an eyebrow and grinned as she grabbed a recent photo of Jake and their dad. "I've seen your brother, he's definitely hot, totally wouldn't hold that against you!"

"Eww," She scrunched up her nose as her room mate chuckled quietly "don't go there, he's like six years younger than you!"

Gem turned the frame to face Rachel and pulled it to her chest with a pained look on her face. "But god he looks good for his age! Why couldn't there be two of him instead of two of you?"

"The Chief of Police from back home is a friend of the family," Rachel scowled as she pulled the picture from her giggling friend's hand "remind me to give him your details in case you decide to show your face there, protect all the rez boys from your cougar ways!"

"I am not a cougar!" Gem blanched. "You telling me you've never looked at anybody younger than you and just thought 'damn!'"

"Not at a teenager!" Rachel scoffed. "Now what the hell are you doing and…why do you have my Clinique stuff out? That shit costs tonnes!"

"Oh don't get your panties in a twist; I only used a little bit!" She exclaimed putting the bottle back in Rachel's drawer. "And seeing as you asked so nicely, I'm getting ready to go to a party. You want to come? Adrian will be there!"

"Thanks, but no thanks." Rachel growled. "If I ever see him again it'll be too soon."

"What happened, I thought you guy's were all amicable and shit?" Gem asked, flipping her hair down in front of her and brushing it.

"We were until he decided he wanted to be friends with benefits, now he won't leave me alone!" She sighed. "I'm all for a bit of fun, but if I'm completely honest I wouldn't exactly call it a benefit and he just won't take no for an answer!"

"Really? He's like…" Her room mate flipped her head back up and wiggled her little finger and Rachel nodded with a blush. "Well someone should let Elsie know, she's been barking after him since you guy's split."

"Or not?" Rachel shrugged and Gem chuckled.

"Oh hey, you got a message." She pointed to Rachel's desk with a grin.

"Oh my god, it's that law firm in Atlanta! They want to interview me next week!" Rachel squealed.

"That's great! Now we have to go out and celebrate." Gem insisted, running towards the closet and throwing out some clothes. "I mean this could be one of the last time's we get to hang out before you move…"

"I haven't even had the interview yet," Rachel said cutting her off "it's unlikely I'll even get the job!"

"Who are you trying to kid, that job is as good as yours!" She exclaimed tossing her a shirt. "And you'll be over two and half thousand miles away and I'll probably never get to see you, so get dressed and let's get drunk!"

"Really, two and half thousand miles? I didn't realize it was that far." Rachel whispered, looking down at the picture in her hands. "I barely get to see my family as it is, if I go to Atlanta…"

"This is the opportunity of a life time." Gem said grabbing her shoulders. "There will be other chances to visit your dad, but this is a one time offer!"

"Yeah," She nodded slowly "I guess."