Sleeping Dogs

Chapter 4: Don't Let the Door Hit You

Chapter Four:
Don't Let the Door Hit You On the Way Out
also known as: I Hope that Door Hits You Five Ways to Sunday on the Way Out

Caroline's car search was not going as smoothly as she would have hoped. The only things even remotely in her price range were fixer-uppers and had some problem or other that she didn't understand. And although she had a good enough understanding of cars to know what sounds they should be making and what sounds they shouldn't be making, she was otherwise way out of her element.

The Cullens had left town to visit some friends and Bella insisted that Caroline keep the car as long as she needed it. But she finally got a good look at Bella's old truck when she came over for lunch on Monday and she had a feeling that car was on its way out and she would be needing her Benz back sooner than Caroline was ready to part with it. Driving a nice car was beginning to get to her head.

According to Emily, Quil, Embry and Jake would all be more than willing to help her fix up a set of wheels for her, but Caroline didn't make habits of asking for favors from people, especially people she didn't know well - or at all in Jacob's case.

By the time Thursday rolled around Caroline was exhausted from taking care of Charles - and sometimes Charlie, working day shifts at the bar with Sam - Paul was out of town with Jake so Sam would be covering for him until they got back, and trying to find a car that she almost decided to skip out on game night at Emily's. Of course, Caroline, who had to make a big deal about not being a flake when she first met all of them, had an anti-skip reputation to uphold.

She had spent most of the day researching into the animal attacks around Forks and La Push, but, to no surprise, it all came up empty. There hadn't been any incidents with hikers since the young woman was attacked a week ago and she still didn't have any memory of the attack - and she likely never would. The snow had mostly melted and she once Sam started to put her for night shift at the bar again, she was going to try to take some day trips into the forest to try to do some field research.

When Caroline rolled up to Emily's house, she made sure to park a little ways down the street and on the other side. Emily didn't have any close next door neighbors, so Bella's car looked out of place parked seemingly on the side of an empty road. Emily lived in a five bedroom house with Sam, so it wasn't small by any means, and it didn't seem to ever be empty. The only other car was the one Emily and Sam shared, although Caroline never saw Sam drive it. She was afraid she was early but when she checked her watch she was, without any surprise, late as always.

She grabbed her expansion pack set of Cards Against Humanity. Everyone was required to bring a game that night and it was the only game that made it through her purge after her move to Forks. She stood outside the front door for a moment, trying to collect herself. The purge consisted donating many of her own things as well as most of her father's belongings. Her chest ached to think about it. With a deep breath, she rolled back her shoulders and lifted her chin. The world still turns, she told herself.

A chorus of hellos greeted her as she entered, most of the voices coming from the table where Jared, Kim, Shawn and two other shirtless boys sat playing the same game she brought. She held up her expansion pack with a knowing smile and the boys around the table cheered. "I should have known this game would be a favorite around here." She rolled her eyes, tossing the expansion back to Embry before making her way to the kitchen as Emily put a plate of cookies into the oven. "Those better be chocolate chip and they better be for me."

"They're for everyone," Emily said in a motherly tone, "but I'll give you a five minute head start. These guys eat like you wouldn't believe."

Two younger, but equally as large, shirtless boys she hadn't met before came up to her from their seats at the game table, "yeah, it looks like they eat like pigs." She winked at Emily before putting one hand on her hip and another on her chin. "Don't tell me... Brady," she pointed to one of the boys, "And Colin?"