Love Comes from Unexpected Places

Chapter Twenty-Five: Unwanted Visitor

"I am so sorry Uncle Charlie," Sophia said softly wrapping her arms around him and hugged him, she knew that Harry had been one of his best friends and now he was gone. 

They had known that Harry had heart problems and had very high cholesterol but they hadn't thought that he would just drop dead like that. 

Sophia felt her heart go out to Leah and Seth as she held her uncle, she had noticed that the two of them were missing; Sue was crying softly to herself across the room from them. 

"Thanks kiddo," Charlie whispered allowing Sophia to step back, he offered a weak smile at Paul who was holding Mia in his arms. 

Charlie hated to admit it but he was grateful that his niece had someone like Paul right now; he seemed to be looking after her and Mia. 

Paul nodded at Charlie as he looked over at Sue, he felt his heart go out to her knowing that not only was she having to deal with the sudden loss of her husband but she also now had to deal with Leah and Seth joining the pack. 

"Do you need anything?" Sophia asked softly as she turned to look at Sue, she really wanted to do something for the family that had just lost a husband and father. 

Sophia didn't really know the Clearwater's as well as her uncle or cousin since she had been in Forks for just over a month but she wanted to help in any way that she could. 

"No thank you," Sue said offering Sophia a watery smile, she sniffled as Charlie moved to sit next to her; she couldn't believe that Harry was gone like that. 

Charlie wrapped his arms around Sue in comfort as he thought about how much needed to be done; they would have to organise the funeral and he wasn't looking forward to it. 

"Okay I'll make a bacon and sausage casserole and send it over," Sophia replied automatically, she chewed on her lip hoping the casserole would be enough; she wanted to do something for the Clearwaters. 

Sophia doubted that Sue would be in the mood to cook anything right now and she was going to need to keep her strength up. 

Sue blinked a little taken back that Sophia would do something like that for her, she didn't really know Charlie's niece; but she was sort of glad to see that Sophia wasn't like Bella, who had yet to make an appearance. 

"Soph likes to cook when people are sad," Charlie explained with a shrug smiling at his niece, he knew that it was her go to thing and something that she had been taught by her nanny from a young age. 

Sophia nodded her head, it was her thing and she liked cooking since it was something that took her mind off the problems that she was facing. 

"I'll give you a lift home," Paul insisted knowing that Sophia's car wasn't finished yet, he wanted to make sure that she was home safely; he didn't want anything happening to her or Mia until everything had settled down. 

***

"Leah and Seth phased today," Paul revealed carefully driving Sophia home, he knew that she was going to be curious about why they hadn't been with their mother while they grieved. 

Sophia looked at him surprised with the news, she had wondered where they were when they had gone to the Clearwater house to check on Sue and Charlie; it had been a shock for everyone to lose Harry. 

"I thought only male tribal members could phase?" Sophia asked confused wondering how this would change things, she had heard what had happened between Emily, Leah and Sam. 

It made Sophia wonder how everything would change now that Leah knew what had really happened; she felt her stomach churn knowing it probably wouldn't be pleasant. 

Paul nodded his head, they had all assumed the same thing as well since there was no documentation of their being another female wolf. 

"Leah phased in front of Harry, causing him to have the heart attack... thus causing Seth to phase as well," Paul explained glancing at his imprint, he knew that everyone was in shock from Leah phasing and no one was quite sure what would happen now that Leah was a member of the pack. 

Sam had been shocked and horrified that his ex-girlfriend was now a pack member, it was the last thing that he had been expecting to ever have to deal with.

"Poor Leah," Sophia whispered as her heart went out to the new she-wolf, she not only had her world ripped from under her feet but would now have to carry the guilt that she was the reason that her father was gone. 

Sophia couldn't help but wonder if there was any way that Leah would ever recover from that, she doubted that she would forgive herself if something happened to her own father. 

Sophia made a mental note to call her parents in New York, she knew that she couldn't bear the thought of losing either of them even if they had sort of disowned her because of Mia; she only had one set of parents. 

"Will you be okay when I drop you off? I have to head out on patrol," Paul said knowing that he couldn't stick around, he glanced at his imprint knowing that he wouldn't be far if she needed him. 

Sophia nodded her head, she would be making the bacon and sausage casserole for Sue since she knew that she had to do something for her even if it was just making some dinner. 

"I'll be fine... Mia needs a nap anyway," Sophia said with a shrug of her shoulder, she smiled at Paul knowing that she would use the time that she had wisely since Bella still hadn't shown up. 

Sophia had no doubt that her cousin was only thinking of herself again, she hadn't even called to check on Charlie since Sophia knew her cousin was still on the reservation; everyone would have heard by now that Harry had passed away. 

"I was wondering if you'd go on a date with me?" Paul asked as he pulled up outside of Charlie's house, he turned off the engine to his truck before he looked at Sophia nervously. 

Paul had been thinking about this since he had told her about the imprinting and he knew that with everything that had happened that day that he wasn't going to waste a moment. 

"I would love to," Sophia replied with a smile before she pressed a kiss to Paul's cheek, she pulled back before she climbed out of the truck and moved to collect Mia knowing that Paul couldn't be late for his patrol shift.

Balancing Mia on her hip, Sophia cooed at her daughter as she walked up the path and prepared to head inside. 

Sophia fished the keys out of her bag and moved to unlock the door as she offered Paul a slightly wave before he drove his truck away and headed back to La Push. 

Stepping into the foyer, Sophia frowned as she closed the door behind her and felt a cold shiver run down her back; Mia whimpered in her mother's arms as if she too sensed something. 

"Who are you?" demanded the figure stepping out of the lounge and looked at the blonde confused wondering who she was and why she was in Bella's home. 

"I think the question is. Who are you? And how did you get in here?" Sophia demanded wondering how someone had broken into the house of the Chief of Police; the blonde held Mia close to her as she prepared to back a break for it. 

"I'm Alice Cullen," the woman introduced herself making the colour drain from Sophia's face as she realised what she was.