Okay guys, I've figured out a kind of strategy to try and get you guys to review more. I'll discuss it further down the bottom, but I will say that it will make those few secodns it takes you to review worth you're while because no one seems to review otherwise :(

Here's the chappie


8. Negotiations

Alice was waiting on the couch, frowning at Rosalie and me as we entered. I sat beside her on the white couch, and as Rosalie left the room she pulled me to her so roughly I would have yelped had she not put her hand over my mouth.

I felt the tension in her from my gift, and felt how to control the arm restraining me. I almost used my gift when she pressed her lips to my ear, barely breathing the words she spoke.

"You shouldn't get her hopes up like that."

Then she released me, pushing me off her like I was dirty.

"I didn't," I mouthed. Alice glared harder. "Sorry," I mouthed.

"It's not me you need to be sorry to." She turned away, folding her arms and watching the flat screen I hadn't realized was turned on. Alice had tried not to listen, and obviously hadn't succeeded.

Was I really getting Rosalie's hopes up? I mean, I didn't set a time limit, who knows how strong I could grow with centuries of practice? Look what I could do now, as a human! Gifts only get stronger when you change.

I watched the TV without absorbing any of what was happening on the screen; my mind was elsewhere, on how I could possibly reverse the change.

I focused on Alice's body, using my gift to examine each part. It was weird, studying something this way, like I was blind and trying to feel how she was constructed. I'd never gone this far in depth, this vague in my studies. It hurt my brain to try and construct in my mind how it was all connected, find which part was the knee or the shin. I forgot as soon as I put a name to the area.

It was extremely frustrating and all I managed to do was give myself a headache. Using my gift without physical contact was even harder than with, I could not get... I guess... close enough to study the cell. It was like I couldn't zoom in further, it was the most frustrating part.

I hadn't realized how much time had passed until Alice moved. With me focusing so on her body, her ears by happenstance, I managed to detect the slight vibration in her eardrum. I couldn't know what she was hearing – it could have just been my breathing – but when her muscles tensed and flexed almost instantaneously and she was standing, I realized something was happening.

She turned to me. "If you're done daydreaming, Edward, Emmett, Carlisle and Esme will be here soon." Her eyes glazed for a moment and she smiled, "In thirty-two seconds actually."

I stood after her, smiling softly down at her.

She looked back up and rolled her eyes, placing her hands on her hips. "Don't worry; you can make it up to me by letting me dress you tomorrow. You're my sister too."

I groaned loudly, but grinned all the while. I was happy she was not angry at me for possibly hurting her sister anymore.

Then Edward was there, rather I hoped it was, because one moment I was smiling at my soon-to-be sister, the next I was off the floor and spinning around as my lips were attacked.

I laughed when my mouth was freed, grinning from my height - Edward still held me off the ground.

"It's good to see you too," I giggled.

Edward's grin was dazzling, his face more perfect than I could ever picture in my human mind. I was growing used to his looks; it now took him an effort to dazzle me into weak-kneed-hormone-driven-craziness.

Still, I made no objection that he kept his arms around me, even though I had to turn at an awkward angle to see the rest of the Cullen family watching our fiasco.

Emmett and Rosalie were in similar positions to me and Edward, except Emmett was stroking his mate's hair while she rested her head on his chest, mouth just barely moving. I guessed she was telling her mate of what had happened earlier this evening.

Carlisle held Esme's hand, both smiling warmly at us.

Jasper had come out from wherever he had hidden, and was now being wrapped in the pixie's little arms that seemed to have been forgiven for any bitchiness she had carried out that afternoon.

"Ready to go... Bella, you still want to come?" Carlisle asked, rather condescendingly, like it was detrimental to be losing sleep. It didn't matter, the teachers would probably prefer it if I was asleep in their classes.

"Definitely, someone has to stop you two attacking each other." The Cullens laughed: I wasn't joking.

888

We were meeting at the baseball clearing, of course – what major event didn't happen there? Edward ran me there, me straddling his shoulders and almost choking him (if her were human) with the strength I squeezed his neck between my thighs. I waved my hands above as I screamed/giggled in delight at the rush, while Edward laughed at my antics as he held onto my shins with an unshakeable grip.

I kept watching the low-growing branches that I was sure would hit me full in the stomach or my face vanish just after I had seen them.

The others had run ahead of us. I had to hang back to quickly but firmly warn Edward not to anger or be angered by Jacob, because I intended to spend the night not just with Edward holding me.

So all the other Cullens were at the baseball field by the time we arrived, me still sitting on Edward's shoulders, silently laughing as my head stopped spinning on my shoulders.

Then, of course, Emmett had to comment. "Don't turn your head, Eddie; we don't want you getting too excited for this meeting. What would the pack think?" Rosalie slapped his arm.

I laughed at that, still a little giddy and excitable from the ride over. I leaned over Edward's head to see his expression, my hair falling into his face just before he turned his glare away from the guffawing Emmett and back honed it on me.

"Sorry," I held up my hand's defensively.

Edward grumbled something under his breath and I was suddenly falling to the ground, landing hard on my ass. The rest of the Cullens laughed at me. I huffed and crossed my arms as well as my legs, turning my pouting face away from Edward who was smirking at my reaction.

He held a hand out for me to take. I sniffed and turned further. "You really want to spend all night down there?" Edward asked.

"So what if I do?"

Edward just laughed and moved his hand to where I could see it. "What if I bribe you with a kiss?"

Of course, I couldn't refuse that. "You better make it a good one!"

A couple of minutes later, with most of the Cullens politely averting their eyes apart from Emmett and Rosalie who seemed to be trying to beat us in the most cringe-worthy PDA.

When I caught sight of them, now on the floor, I had to stop kissing Edward to first laugh, then blush and turn away. I kind of wanted to have a shower now.

Edward wrapped his arms around my waist, resting them over my Belly button. He rested his chin on my shoulder, laughing quietly, the soft gust of air from his mouth blowing sweet smelling air through my hair, across my ear, and cooling my slowly paling red cheeks.

"I've had to live with them for years," Edward whispered.

"I heard that!" Emmett called, Edward laughed in response.

"Guys, stop fooling around, because our future disappears in exactly 4 minutes and 56 seconds."

Edward turned us both around, not releasing his hold on me in the slightest, instead lifting me up so my feet were on top of his. I had to smile at the straight legged gait he was adopting, how Alice jumped to do the same with Jasper, how Edward could barely see around my head with the few inches his feet gave my height.

I jumped off when we joined the others, and Alice pouted as Jasper bodily lifted her off him and placed her to his side.

"We have to look serious to the wolves, darling," Jasper drawled at his wife. "Otherwise they might try their luck on getting rid of us."

Alice still pouted, but stood straighter at his side.

Then all the Cullens moved to form a V-shape, Carlisle at the lead with Esme and Jasper beside him. Emmett stood beside his adoptive mother, with Rosalie holding the wing. Alice also stood beside her mate, and Edward reluctantly released me to stand beside her.

I moved forward, in front of the Cullens, and stood slightly off to the side so as to not obscure their view. I planned to stop any fighting before it happened, and I knew if I stood behind the Cullens not only would it seem as I was choosing sides (or more than usual) but Edward was also likely to hold me back or pick me up and run off than allow me to try and break the fight up.

Yes, there was a treaty, but I knew most of the wolves, they would take any chance they could to take a bite out of the Cullens.

"Edward," Carlisle said, only speaking aloud for my benefit, "you'll have to translate. I don't doubt they'll come as wolves."

Edward nodded, eyes flicking from me to the woods where most of the other Cullens peered, waiting for the first peak of the pack.

Then it was silent, the only sound was the wind through the trees, the rare call of an animal, and my own breathing and heartbeat.

Then Edward spoke, his voice a little irritated and slightly impressed. "Prepare yourselves – they've been holding out on us."

What!

Yes, I knew in the book there were more wolves, but not here, not now. In the book when the Cullens met the wolves it was after finding out there was a newborn army about to attack. There were barely any newborns yet, that had to mean not all of the Quileutes had phased.

But maybe they had changed, phased, much earlier than in the book. Actually, they had to have. I knew Leah and Seth phased at about the same time, which was months ago now, so Colin and Brady and all the others must have too.

"Damn," Emmett muttered/swore. "Did you ever see anything like it?"

I ignored the urge to turn and see the other Cullens reactions, instead squinting into the woods as hard as I could.

Truthfully, I felt them before I could see them. The moonlight, partly obscured by clouds, didn't provide much light for my eyes. Unlike Bella, who could only see the wolves by the twinkle in their eyes, I could feel them; feel them as they suddenly exerted their muscles by stopping.

Judging by the force they needed to break at, they moved just as fast as Jake always bragged.

Through the hazy gaze/feeling of my gift, I could count the vague shapes by feel even at this distance; my gift was growing stronger with use.

Ten, ten wolves, they had all changed.

I could pick out where Jake would be before I saw the glinting of their eyes through the trees. I knew he would be near Sam, as beta should be, but I could tell for another reason where he was. I had studied his body so many times before, if not in wolf form, that I knew instinctively which one he was.

So when he entered the clearing, his wolf eyes immediately found mine. I waved slightly at my side, smiling just slightly with the upturn of my lips.

Even with my gift and knowing exactly where the pack would be, they were still intimidating when they stepped out into the moonlight. Each wolf was as big as a horse, even more muscled, and was grimacing with their sharp teeth shining from their muzzles. I didn't know if they did it because of the smell, or to look more intimidating, showing their weapons.

The wolves all stopped their formation a V-shape as well, with Sam, Jacob and – it took me a moment to realize – Jarred at the front.

I turned my head to watch the Cullens. Most of them were stiff backed; legs tensed my gift told me, except for Carlisle and Esme. Esme was gripping Carlisle's hand with all her might, a small worried frown marring her perfect forehead.

Carlisle tried to detangle his hand from hers, and did or said something - I couldn't see from here- that made her sigh, nod, and let go.

Carlisle turned to the wolves, smiling as wide as he could without showing his teeth, and took a slow, deliberate step forward. "Welcome."

"Thank you," Edward said in an emotionless, monotone voice, speaking for Sam. A few of the wolves made a slight growling noise but made no other move of disdain. I could tell they didn't like Edward translating for them, but none were trusting enough to appear in human form.

Knowing Edward, he was probably just editing the ruder parts of Sam's speech. I would bet five dollars Sam had a blood-sucker or leach or something the like at the end of that 'thank you'.

Edward spoke again, or Sam did through him, either way. "We are here to discuss the treaty, and boundary lines. We believe that is what you wish too."

"Yes," Carlisle spoke warmly, as to friends. He was probably the only one to think of the other like that; even Esme seemed to think the wolves were a threat to her children. "We wish to make the patrolling of the area more efficient. I have just become aware that you are losing sleep, and I know there had been many times that we have gone without feed for far longer than is good for us."

At the word feed many of the wolves growled. They knew the Cullens didn't kill humans but they still were disgusted by the thought of their hunting. I didn't see why, it was the same as eating a steak, you still kill the animal, they just drink rather than eat.

"We do not sacrifice lives for a few more minutes lying down and doing nothing." The statement sounded strange in Edward's emotionless tone.

"Neither do we abandon our territory when we hunt. You may find it hard to believe, but we care for the humans too!" Carlisle made it sound more of a plead for peace than an argument. The other Cullens stood proud at the words, like military men being awarded medals.

It was about then, when both sides were becoming more and more tense in response to the other side, and when both really didn't seem to understand why they needed to change for the other side that I decided to step in.

"Nether-the-less, if your guys work together, you can still be more efficient, or at least get better rested. There are holes between you're territories, as Victoria showed us this weekend. Now I don't blame either side. Wait... scratch that; I blame you BOTH!"

The Cullens' eyes were wide, Emmett's mouth actually hanging down. The wolves were huffing, their haunches rising and standing so tall they were almost standing on their hind legs. One of the smaller ones even stepped back a little.

"No fighting, okay?" My voice was a little less snappy this time, a touch of embarrassment from my outburst audible in the tone. "I just want you all to be better off." My whisper brought a smile to Esme's face, and if Carlisle wasn't watching the wolves so hard I thought he would wear a similar expression.

One of the wolves – Paul I thought – barked a strange sound that sounded like a... sarcastic laugh. That was emphasised when he shook his head and rolled his eyes, both of which I felt rather than saw.

I glared at him. "Just because I'm human doesn't mean I'm blind. I can see the bags under your eyes; hear the yawns, when I go to La Push. I don't care if you heal so fast you only need a few hours sleep, I know for a fact many of you aren't getting sleep for days."

I rounded on the Cullens. "You too, you're all slower and weaker when you haven't hunted. If you had all been well fed," I held up my hand behind me at Paul's growl, "you could have probably caught Victoria by now; she can't be much faster than you all, even if she is more agile than the wolves." I ignored the round of growls that caused.

Instead I stepped back, walked a few steps behind me and sat on the ground. Each pair of eyes watched me, wolf and vampire alike. "Proceed," I made a little waving motion.

The rest of the night was spent negotiating boundary lines, and arguing for why each group should take this or that area and what they could do better than the others. I didn't step in again, at least not physically. A touch on this muscle, a poke on that, and they calmed down, or at least realized I was watching them and ready to try and incapacitate them as best I could. Paul growled the least after the first time that night I prodded him with my gift, he probably remembered what happened last time. I didn't need to tell him I could only be that strong with my powers on physical contact.

Honestly, most of the night I spent quite bored, mostly studying the difference in the wolves' musculature systems to the vampires' and vice versa.

It had been about an hour when the russet wolf, the second biggest, Jake of course, decided he would keep me company on the ground.

Everyone stopped negotiating for a second to watch him approach. Edward especially, it was harder to see in the dark, but I was sure his golden eyes were hard and shining in jealousy.

Truthfully, I do not see why he was jealous. Right now, Jake was a dog, and maybe I'm different but I'm not attracted to dogs. I don't exactly look at them and go 'Tap that!'

Sitting on the grassy ground, which was wet by the way and made my butt feel like I'd peed myself (I hadn't), Jake seemed even more massive in his wolf form. I kept thinking he was going to squish me with one of his paws.

I waved a little at Jake, and patted the ground beside me. He was at first grimacing at my smell, then forcibly ignoring it. So that was what all the hugging and kissing Edward was doing was about, scenting me. I don't see why he didn't just pee on me to mark his territory.

Then Jake grinned, his tongue rolling off to the side and eyes glinting in the moon light. He sat beside me, grinning his dog grin. I made sure my eyes averted his bottom end; it was unfortunate what dogs showed when they sat like that. It wasn't hard; his teeth were very big and right beside my face.

He turned his head to watch me straight on, dark eyes like massive orbs in his furry face.

It was late, and I wasn't thinking, and suddenly I was patting him, and scratching behind his ear. "Who's a good doggie?" I cooed.

Yes, I think I earned it when he gave me a massive doggy lick all up the side of my face. I heard a few wolf-growl-laughs and a guffaw from Emmett as well as a slapping sound I presumed came from Rosalie. I didn't bother to swat at Jake, instead laughing and wiping the slobber off my face onto his fur.

"At least you don't have dog breath," I commented, earning another goofy wolf grin.

I wrapped my arms around his hairy shoulders, barely managing even with my long arms. He crouched down so he was lying, crossing his front paws and resting his head on top of them. I leaned my head on his shoulder. He wasn't a bad pillow, if a little furry.

Jake could still hear the negotiations in his head, and was probably contributing silently, so I didn't feel the need to blabber pointlessly beside his ear. Instead I just enjoyed the moment, watching the moon slowly descend to the horizon.

"You know, I've never had a dog," I said once after my mind had trailed off in one of its random ways.

Jacob laughed underneath me, or he vibrated like he was laughing silently. I didn't say anything more until the discussions were over, both sides trying to hide their smiles from each other. It was kind of childish, pretending they didn't want to work with the other, but each side was obviously happy with the outcome of this meeting.

I had almost fallen asleep, was half dreaming half listening, so it scared me a little when Jake stood, and pulled me from the ground with him.

"See you this afternoon Jake," I said quietly when I extricated my arms from his neck. He nodded his massive russet head, then turned and trotted over to the pack which was all converging in a circle, Sam in the middle.

As soon as Jacob left Edward was standing beside me, pulling me for the ground and carrying me bridal style before taking off to the car while grimacing at my dog smell.

"You really shouldn't have been glaring at him the whole time, Edward. Yes, I noticed."

"You should have heard what he was thinking," his smile was a hard line.

"What was it?"

"Not very... good things. I will edit. When he first sat beside you he was grinning because he was technically naked next to you." I grinned, Edward frowned. "Then he was musing –he knew he was annoying me – that you were both technically sleeping together there, and I'd never be able to literally 'sleep' with you. Of course there were also his thoughts about licking you..."

"I think I've heard enough," I stopped him. It was still a little funny, but I didn't want Edward to string the joke out too long, I'd never take Jacob seriously again.


Jacob is a teenage boy, he does have thoughts like this. All the guys in my school seem to only talk and think about sex so be thankful I'm not speaking an eighth of what they say each day.

Okay, so I was thinking that I will have a cycle to convince you guys to review - Bribes and threats. The threats will be me demanding a certain amount of reviews before I will update - the bribes will be rewards either by previews of the next chapter or POV's of different characters in the chapters.

This week I might have a reward for this chapter - a preview into the next chapter. So make sure you enable your PM so I can send it to you.

REVIEW FOR YOUR REWARD!