I'll be home for Christmas

Chapter 12

Chapter 12

Disclaimer: the characters and all recognisable situations belong to Stephenie Meyer - this is a work of fan fiction, except for the legends and histories of the Quileute that, of course, belong to them. I pay my respects to their gods.

Charlie and Seth were about to leave when they remembered that Lucas would need some clothing too. The tattered clothes indicated that he had phased on the fly, as Seth called it.

"I'll just grab something from the house." He darted inside while Charlie rang Sam.

"Parents phasing," Charlie said when Sam answered. "Jake's away."

"Shit. Who?"

"Sue and her younger brother so far."

"Wow."

"Seth won't phase; muttered something about parental brain."

Silence.

"Sam?"

"Crap. I'm not sure any of us have thought about that. Good point."

"I'll call Billy, too. You call some others."

"Thanks, Charlie, I'm on it."

Charlie huffed out a breath and started dialing. This was what he did for a living; co-ordinated a crisis. Next call.

"Billy? Sue phased."

"You're okay?"

"Yeah… shocked. She whatevered on me."

"Right. Good."

"And her brother went, too."

"Lucas is here?"

"Forgot to tell you, sorry. Called Sam already."

"Thanks. Lucas said he was never coming back."

"Why?" It seemed important to Charlie, Sue had mentioned that as well, and Charlie wanted to know why. Was there going to be a problem with someone?

"Ah," said Billy. "I'm not sure that I can say."

"But you know?" Charlie pressed.

He heard a noise behind him and turned around to look at Seth. He was waiting for Charlie to finish on the phone.

"Don't worry," Charlie said. "I think I know why he left." He took another breath. "Seth thinks it might be all of the pack parents phasing. We need to warn people."

"That makes perfect sense. I don't know why we hadn't thought of it before. Tell him, thanks."

"Will do. Later." Charlie hung up. He studied Seth. He was nineteen now but still a rez boy. He was holding a bright pink polo shirt; cerise Renee would have called it, and the shortest pair of shorts he had ever seen.

"Find some other trousers. He doesn't have some jeans or a pair of workout pants?"

"I'll look."

Charlie followed him into the cabin. Seth had Lucas' bags open and was rifling through them.

"Hey, what's this?" Seth asked. Seth was holding it up with a quizzical look on his face.

Now that was the icing on the gay cake. "Butt plug," said Charlie. Two words he had not actually thought about ever saying in the hearing of his almost stepson.

"Aiihhh," squealed Seth and dropped it on the floor. "I need to wash my hands."

Charlie picked it up and tossed it back into the open bag. "I think Uncle Lucas might be gay." He pointed at the bag. "Put all this stuff back."