Title: Protected

Rating: T

Summary: If you find out that someone's been protecting you from harm all your life, you start to wonder why. Why are you so important? Why are you the only one who needs protection? Or are you really the only one?

Disclaimer: Twilight belongs to Stephenie Meyer, Doctor Who belongs to the BBC. Other characters are my own and should not be used without my permission!

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"Mr Smith, this is Mr Cullen. He's a new member of the staff, just like yourself."

There was a quick handshake, two men exchanging dry smiles before turning away from one another, once again facing the headmaster. He didn't seem to have noticed the bad feelings between his two new employees, instead he continued to talk about the school; its modern design with light colours that stimulated the students, couches and tables where you could sit and talk, the closeness between teachers and students…

It was obvious that he was very proud of his school that, in his words, was unique. And even though neither of the men listened too closely to his talking, they listened just enough to ignore one another.

"Well, Mr Cullen, this will be your office."

They stopped in front of a white door close to the stairs that led up to the second floor. The headmaster unlocked it and showed them both in. The room was divided in two; the half to the right was like a regular hospital-room with two beds and equipment, while the left half, hidden behind a wall of glass, was an office with a desk, a computer and a large book-shelf. Cullen smiled to himself when he remembered that he'd asked for such a book-shelf.

"This might not be what you are used to, considering your previous works", the headmaster said, sounding slightly nervous. Mr Cullen gave him a smile.

"No, it's absolutely perfect. Thank you."

The headmaster smiled and nodded.

"Well, I'll show you, Mr Smith, where your office will be. Hope you'll feel at home here."

He walked past the blond man with pale skin. Mr Smith followed, but right before walking out through the door he shot Cullen another glance of pure hate.

It was Friday night and he was one of the last ones at school. He had no intentions to leave, though. He knew that he needed to sort things out with Mr Smith. In this fight they shouldn't be enemies as they had a common enemy to fight and a common object to protect.

He could still hear the heartbeat of the teacher in Advanced English. His heartbeat was easy to hear, considering the simple fact that he wasn't human. He looked human, yes, but he wasn't; he had two hearts to prove that.

The double heartbeat was moving on the floor above him and he heard it getting closer. It stopped right above his office before it continued down the stairs. He counted the steps that he could easily hear Smith take.

Then the door opened and Smith stepped inside, dressed in his usual type of clothing; a brown coat on top of a suit. This day the suit was brown. He also noted that Smith's dark hair was in a complete mess and that is eyes were really annoyed.

"Well then, Cullen, speak up", he said.

"Why don't you take a seat?" Cullen answered and nodded at the chair in front of his desk. Mr Smith didn't even look at the chair; he stood still in the opening in the glass-wall. Cullen sighed.

"Personally I do not understand why we continue to act like enemies", he said and rose, putting the book he'd been reading back in the shelf. "I know that it is the natural thing to do, but in this case it could actually be something bad."

"My kind has never been able to cooperate with your kind, Cullen", Smith said.

"But your kind has never faced one of my kind, Smith", Cullen answered sharply. "Me and my family are unique and we have never been in contact with your kind before. We've only heard about you, read about you in the archives of Volterra, nothing more."

"What difference does it make?"

"A big difference, Smith!"

Cullen slammed his hand in the desk, but it was only a slam to Smith's ears. Cullen had actually forced himself to take it easy and not break the furniture if the old hatred existed inside of him as well. And he quickly realised that some of it existed, both because of the way he'd acted when he'd first met Smith and the way he acted now. That was not the way he usually acted around people.

He took a deep breath before he continued, calmer this time.

"Me and my family are vegetarians, Smith", he said. "We live alongside the humans, not as their enemies. We act human. We move around to hide what we really are. We are not like the Volturi..."

Smith winced.

"You know that that new tracker of theirs can sense if someone mentions their name with hate", he hissed. "They have been looking for an excuse to come here ever since they were born!"

"The more reason that we stand together", Cullen answered. "The Volturi have been attacking my family before and even though I used to feel that they were necessary for our world, I doubt they are now."

Mr Smith's look changed slightly. He no longer looked angry and his hearts slowed down to a calmer beating. With a deep sigh, he put his briefcase on the empty chair and walked over to the window, his hands stuffed into the pockets of his trousers.

"I will stand together with you and your family in this case, Cullen", he said after a while. "After all of this, I do not know, but as long as I have to stand beside you and fight a common enemy, I will."

"That is all that we need right now", Cullen said and offered him his hand. Smith looked at it for a moment before he accepted it and gave it a quick shake.

"We'd better get going", he said as he released the paler hand. "I doubt this storm is going to get any better during the coming minutes."