Disclaimer: I really wish I had something witty to say. But I don't. So it is, plain and simple as the Vault stuck to the ceiling with duct tape: I haven't, do not, and will never own Twilight. Ever. Or as much as spiders scare the living shit out of me.
Dedicated to Just A Little Bit Dramatic. Hold on I need to rest my fingers that are cramping from writing all that out, Bellsey. She's the Red Bull queen, all hail her magnificence. (Just A Little Bit Dramatic: since when do I drink Red Bull? Nah, red soft drink for me!!!) And at least she doesn't drink soap. Like Bad Alice.
Last Time:
"Times are changing," Lazarus sighed. "With or without our permission." Caleb and I grimaced simultaneously, and then shot each other withering glares for sharing the same sentiment and the same time.
Charlie eyed him. "You seem pensive, my friend." He noted, concern filling every line of his face.
"That I am. But we have matters to attend to." Lazarus' eyes focused on the ground, then darted back up to Charlie's. There was a cough from behind; I turned to look toward it.
The Cullens looked exhausted, as though they had accepted that they were out of the loop, and would mostly likely stay there. All the werewolves, with the exception of Sam, who was impartial, and Jacob, who was fascinated, simply looked bored.
"Such as? Wait. There's no need to stand here in the damp forest, I have a perfectly decent house. Come inside, everyone." It was then Charlie noticed Caleb. "Caleb," he greeted resignedly, shaking his head tiredly.
"Yeah, good to see you too, Pops." Caleb grumbled as he traipsed inside.
Charlie looked aghast at being called "Pops". He sputtered and mumbled indignant curses under his breath, glaring at Caleb's retreating back.
I raised an eyebrow, something I have only recently learned to do. "What did you expect?" I inquired curiously. "Its Caleb. If he hadn't been rude in some form or fashion, I think I might have had a heart attack."
Charlie stared at me. "It wouldn't matter if you had a heart attack," he stated bluntly, frowning in confusion. Rolling my eyes, I spoke.
"Yeah I know," I grinned. "But it's the sentiment that counts." I winked at him with another radiant smile, and Charlie's frown vanished.
"I suppose. Well, now that Caleb has lead the way, is anyone coming inside?" Charlie asked. I glanced around.
"Yeah, yeah, keep your shorts on Pops. We're getting inside." Embry grumbled, his sour and impertinent tone tainted slightly with humor.
"What's with him and going inside?" Quil wondered.
"He just got his carpets clean," I said. "He wants to show them off." Charlie gave me a long look that I replied to with a shrug of the shoulders. "They're awfully nice carpets," I amended, peeking at him, checking his reaction. He snorted.
Lazarus waltzed to door and held it wide, gesturing with his arm as a butler. "Shall we?" He then turned around and promptly entered.
Jacob and Quil glanced at each other and shrugged. "If you can't beat 'em, join 'em. " Jacob said with a grin. Quil nodded, and the werewolves moved as one through the door.
Carlisle bowed his head to Charlie and led his family into the house, so that only the two of us were left. Charlie looked at me, and jerked his head in a 'go in' motion. I shook my head. "Oh no. After you." Charlie looked at the door, then at me, then at the door, and finally at me again.
He eyed, me suspiciously. "Have you cursed the door or something?" he questioned warily, eyes narrowed as he glanced from me to the door.
"Nope." I smiled. "Its one hundred percent hex-free. I promise." I nodded, smiling innocently.
"Well, alright." He examined the door, and then walked through, me on his heels. We found the two groups clustered in the living room, the werewolves seated on the couch and vampires on the other side. I may have suppressed their instincts, but that did nothing for their sense of smell. Embry was the exception, face down on the carpet, inhaling deeply. "Hmm…smells piney fresh," he breathed in contentment. Jacob and Quil nodded their agreement in unison. "Like a forest," the former added.
Caleb rolled his eyes in disgust. "Would you two boneheads knock it off?" he sneered from his place slouching on the banister.
Quil blinked. "Who put a snake down his shorts?" he muttered, his eyes gleaming at the idea of seeing Caleb squirm. Sam caught this thought and slowly shook his head, his face plainly saying, 'Don't even go there'.
Quil's shoulders sagged in disappointment, and Jacob patted his friend's back sympathetically. "There's always next time," he said comfortingly.
Carlisle coughed discreetly, slightly uneasy. "I believe we should be leaving now," he glanced at the remainder of his family and us.
Lazarus nodded his ascent. "Right. Best to strike while the iron's hot."
Caleb stared at him. "You know, sometimes its remarkably easy to believe you born several thousand years ago, with puns like that."
Charlie snorted. "And its easy to tell you weren't." he retorted, fed up with Caleb's attitude, and the way he retorted everything.
"If you are quite finished…?" Lazarus asked Caleb dryly. "We really must be on our way. Sam, Jared, and Embry for the werewolves, and Carlisle, Jasper, and Edward for the vampires. " he reiterated.
"On the La Push cliffs." Sam confirmed.
"How shall we be getting there?" I questioned.
Lazarus cocked an eyebrow. "What makes you think you're going?" he asked.
He had to be joking…not that he ever quite joked, or kidded in any manner. "What are you talking about?" My face blanched, and my eyes were wide as I stared at him.
"I, nor anyone else, ever indicated that you would be in attendance, or did I merely forget that part?" Lazarus stared at me meaningfully, and I shook my head, forcing a smile.
"I thought it was a given," I stated.
"You thought wrong- it is possible you know. You have heard the proverb about assuming…?" Lazarus trailed off. I glared at him.
"You mean to say that I'm not going with you." It wasn't a question, it was a statement. But I still hoped he would change his mind.
"No," he said bluntly.
My mouth fell open. Before I could comment, Caleb smirked and leapt down from his place on the rail. "Of course not." He chided mockingly. "You have to stay to baby-sit your lover's family to make sure they don't kill your pets. No that I would really blame them," he waved a hand in front of his nose. "The dogs are in need of a bath, in a bad way. The stench is horrid."
Only Sam remained calm, as five enraged werewolf growls reverberated through the house. Quil, as the least experienced, and Paul, as the one with the shortest temper, appeared to vibrate as their forms shook with the force of their transformation.
Caleb had pushed them too far too many times. Their changing was inevitable from the moment he opened his mouth…no force present could stop them. Charlie's face blanched in dismay.
"Nooo…" Charlie moaned. "The floors…for god's sake, I just redid them last week."
"Nothing ruins the upholstery like a werewolf's razor-like claws," Caleb agreed snidely. I rolled my eyes at his twisted sense of humor.
Charlie gave him an exasperated glance. "Do you ever shut up? It your garrulousness that got us into this mess in the first place."
Caleb frowned at him, then his face softened into affected solemnity. "Never. And might I recommend Bounty does great at cleaning up spills and all sorts of other messes."
"This is all well and good," Lazarus spoke up. "But I think we should deal with them." He pointed to the two gargantuan wolves snarling and snapping at his psychic restraints.
"Good idea." Charlie nodded. He sent Caleb a nasty look. "You made this mess, you fix it." He threatened.
Caleb sighed. "Fine," he huffed. He bit his lip, deep in thought. Suddenly, he smirked. "Try this on for size, doggies." The werewolves froze in place, not even breathing. Their forms started blurring, melting.
Fur turned to skin, muzzles to jaws, paws to hands, tails shrank into spines and their long, hard wolf nails softened into delicate fingernails, the entire process seeming like paint running down a three dimensional canvas. The now-human werewolves blinked and moaned, doubling over.
Charlie shook his head and walked over to them, placing his hand on each of their foreheads in turn, healing them. "That was cruel," he lamented.
Caleb scoffed. The Cullens seemed flabbergasted that their greatest enemy could be felled by a mere look from a person who seemed no older than twenty.
Lazarus glanced at the clock. "If this meeting is to take place, it must be now," he insisted.
"Of course." Sam agreed. "Are you ready to leave?" he directed the last bit to Jared and Embry, his selected delegates.
"Sure, sure." Jared aired. "Having your skin forcibly shrunk and bones re-shaped is nothing to worry about. We're fine. Really."
Sam sighed in exasperation. "Come on."
Embry shoved Jared forward. "Ooof!"
"Move it! You heard him. Obey our glorious leader."
"I'm goin', I'm goin." Jared grumbled.
They followed Sam out the door. Charlie smiled. Carlisle signaled Edward and Jasper, rather unnecessarily, and stood. Esme embraced Carlisle, burying her head in his chest. Alice did the same with Jasper. Vocalized or not, they still fretted something might happen.
I had no such worries. Even though I was not coming, Lazarus would prevent anything from happening to anyone. I moved over to Edward's side, wrapping my arms around him, smelling his sweet fragrance. He kissed the top of my head, and I craned my neck to see his face.
"No causing trouble for Lazarus," I smiled. His perfect eyes snapped to meet mine, and his lips curved into a wry smile.
"What? No concern for my safety?" he teased.
"No. None at all. You'll be fine. Now promise! I don't want him croaking on us,"
Lazarus frowned. "I heard that," he muttered, psychically of course.
"I wouldn't have it any other way."
"I swear," Edward said with humor dancing in his eyes. "On pain of death." I forced a smile at his extremely bad joke.
"Good." I laughed uneasily, and let go. Jasper and Carlisle released themselves from their wives, and the three moved like liquid into the night. "As to matter of my not going," I said, turning to Lazarus. "Why the hell aren't I going?" I hissed at Lazarus. I grit my teeth.
Lazarus frowned. "You need to stay here. I can deal with this on my own. There are only six of them, you have suppressed their instincts, and they want this." He argued.
"Very nice. Now may I have the real reason you don't want me there?"
"You want the truth?" I nodded. "As you wish. I don't think you can handle this. Not emotionally…you're too involved. You might pose a threat to all of us if you can't think rationally and use your judgment. Which you can't. So you are staying, and that is final."
I was stung. I inhaled sharply and looked away, blinking tears back rapidly. Lazarus never spoke to me that way, never, not even when I had been young and rash, in training. I snuck a look at him out of the corner of my eye, and really looked at him, for the first time since he had shown up seeking my help.
His face was harder, colder, tougher than it had been. Lines I had never seen before had drawn themselves on his face what felt like overnight. Where his eyes had crinkled in humor, now creased in suspension.
His forehead wrinkled in frown lines, and his mouth turned down slightly, his jaw always tight. He was ancient, but looked so much older. The years apart had been difficult for him. It had wounded him and scarred his soul in ways that twisted it. I prayed it wasn't permanent.
"That's right Isabella. Leave this to the men." Caleb jerked his thumb back at himself, then Lazarus.
"You're not going either." Lazarus said.
Caleb halted in tracks. "What?" I bit back a laugh, smiling smugly.
"You are staying here, for the same reason Bella is. You cannot control your emotions. Charlie will be coming with me."
Then it hit me: I'd have to spend time with him. I exploded. "I will not willingly spend time with that!" I waved an accusatory finger in Caleb's direction.
"I agree!" Caleb shouted. I blinked, this had to be the only time he'd ever agreed with me. So, naturally, I ruined it.
"How about this?" I suggested. "I go, Charlie stays here, and we ship Caleb to Australia and let them deal with him."
"How's about no?" Caleb sneered.
"Enough with your bickering!" Lazarus bellowed. "You both are staying here. Do you understand?" his tone turned low and threatening.
"Understood." I mumbled.
"Crystal clear," Caleb spat.
Lazarus looked at Charlie. "Lets go,"
"Right behind you." The door slammed, echoing in my ears.
I surveyed the scene. The werewolves had moved to the kitchen, attempting to scrounge up some food, their metabolisms getting the best of them. The Cullens relaxed idly in the living room; Esme perched neatly on the couch, Emmett leaning back on the remainder of it with Rosalie in his lap, and Alice in the recliner. Caleb was staring stonily at the door, solid in the entryway.
"Neither one of us are going," I called over my shoulder as I walked away. "So get over it."
I didn't see the malicious look he gave me as I strode up the stairs, taking them two at a time. I went into the bathroom, closing the door gently and flipping the light switch. I sighed and turned on the cold water tap, cupping my hands and filling them to splash my face.
I watched the water run, transfixed by it's flowing clearness as it pooled and swirled down the drain. I reached out my hand, spaying my fingers to savor the texture, then jerking it out abruptly and shutting it off.
Somewhat refreshed, I headed downstairs to the kitchen to see how the werewolves were faring with the painfully bare cabinets. Imagine my surprise when the sounds of happy munching spewed from the room. Each of the werewolves had a mountain of food, piled high with their personal favorites.
"How did you manage this?" I wondered.
"Caleb," Quil answered briefly between the mouthfuls he was inhaling. I was stunned. What had possessed Caleb to do something nice to somebody?
"Where is he?"
"I dunno. He left," was Quil's reply.
I wandered into the living room, finding the Cullens staring blankly at the television, which was playing some odious sitcom from the 1950s.
"I'm amazed this show's still on," I remarked. Alice and Esme looked at me, smiling momentarily before returning their attention to the aforementioned program.
"I'm not," Emmett remarked. "All Hollywood does is sequels and reruns."
"If you've seen it once, you've seen it all." Rosalie agreed, pecking him swiftly on the cheek.
"Have any of you seen Caleb?" I asked.
"I thought I saw him go upstairs," Rosalie said, grinning at me in a friendly way.
"Thanks," I smiled back. I moved my head, trying to sort his scent from the many here tonight. I followed it into my room, to see Caleb leaning against the windowsill, gazing outside. "What are you doing in here? You certainly aren't here to admire my decorating taste, nor to see my room."
"Oh?" he raised his eyebrows.
"You were here days ago, scoping the place out." I explained.
"That I was." Caleb agreed, for the second time that night. We were on a roll. He seemed unusually docile.
"What? No biting comeback?"
"No. Quite frankly, I don't enjoy being here, and the sooner this is over with, the sooner we can leave. So, I'm quietly biding my time."
"How wise. I didn't think you had it in you."
"I surprise a lot of people." We were silent, both looking out the window at nothing in particular.
"We should sleep." Caleb said suddenly, startling me. "To pass the time." He explained.
"Good idea." I lay down on the bed, sinking into the mattress, relishing the feeling. "Go into Charlie's room." I told him. He complied, and I drifted away into nothingness before I knew it.
When chayots dream, it is different from all other dreaming. Only our bodies sleep, while our consciences separate from them and move into other planes. I caught glimpses of scenes behind my eyelids, as my conscience moved away, of the good people of Forks, of other mythical creatures nearby, lastly coming to settle on Charlie, Lazarus, and the meeting.
Blurbs of words, distorted phrases, facial expressions, basic emotions were all that I got from the next plane. I could see Lazarus' blank, impartial look, and Carlisle's calm patience, and Sam's frustration. I could see Jared and Embry fighting to control themselves against their nature and their anger, and Jasper's influence.
The only clear bit I caught were the parting words, issued from Lazarus' mouth: "And thus, the gathering is concluded. Terms have been settled and agreed upon by both sides. Both are satisfied, and the old treaty has been demolished, replaced by the new. Vampires shall refrain from entering La Push territory, which has been expanded to suit their needs. Werewolves shall limit the size the size of their packs, and harm none the Cullens claim to be under their protection. The treaty is null if, and only if an innocent human is bitten and killed by the Vampires. Neither are to reveal the existence of the other. Werewolves may enter Vampire territory if they deem a threat is near, to them or their people. Alliances may be made in case of emergency or special circumstance."
The final words resounded loudly in my mind, ringing back and forth as my eyes snapped awake to Alice shaking me gently. "Bella, Bella! Time to get up, they're back."
"Thank you Alice."
"No problem."
I followed Alice down the stairs, curious as to when Caleb and Lazarus were leaving, now that the Gathering, as it had been named, was over. My heart panged violently as I realized that would include me too. I had agreed, but failed to comprehend that I would be leaving Edward here. I did not want him, or any of them, being entangled in my fight.
Esme was giving Carlisle a death hug, but Alice was only staring at Jasper with a happy, almost drugged, smile. Same with him.
I waltzed over to Edward, kissing his nose gently. "See? I told you you'd be fine."
"Remind me never to doubt you again."
"Oh I will. Frequently."
"I knew I could count on you."
"Never doubt me." My lips twitched as Edward's eyebrow rose. He opened his mouth to say something, but never got the chance before my lips crushed his.
"Whooooo!" Came the loud, raucous chorus from anyone below the age of fifty. And some of the mentally young vampires…like Emmett.
We broke apart with a sigh. "What a way to spoil the moment," I groaned in disappointment.
"There's always next time." Edward winked. I smiled and blushed, and then shot a death glare to our chorus, which shut them up quickly just as they were about to make an encore performance.
There was suddenly a loud, booming clapping, reverberating through the house, coming from everywhere and nowhere simultaneously. A deep, husky male voice followed in chilling laughter. "How sweet."
"Xavier."
OH MY GO-SH. I'M SOOOO SORRY FOR TAKING FOREVER AND A WEEK TO POST. It's the end of the year, so I've had project after project and finals and just plain busy-ness to contend with as well as my writing. But never fear, I'll NEVER abandon this story. I love it WAY too much. I wasn't planning on cutting it off there, but my original plan for this chapter was much longer. I'm being kidnapped this weekend, so it would have taken me a lot longer to post. The pacing won't be disrupted too terribly and the content will fit in.
Pleeasse review! The power of Christ compels you!
Stuck in the Middle With You – Stealers Wheel
The Coldest Heart – The Classic Crime
Should I Stay or Go Now – The Clash
Come On, Come In – Driving East
Breathe In – Frou Frou
Your Gravest Words – The Lawrence Arms
Just A Little Bit Dramatic: Turns out, people do read these. I know Audrey does. Can I just say, I do NOT want Caleb in Australia, as hot as he is. I'm bound to fight with him. Review you guys, or I'll be ranted to about no one loving this…save my ears! Please!
