Author's Note: I do NOT own Twilight, it's world, or it's characters. They belong to Stephanie Meyer. The triplets are mine, though. Thanks for reading and reviewing!

Evening Stars

Chapter 9: Surprises

(Bella's POV)

Nessie and Jake arrived early the next moring with the triplets. The both looked stresssed, like they hadn't gotten any sleep last night. I hoped Nessie hadn't had another nightmare. I didn't think I could handle another one.

"Nessie, is everything okay?"

"Yeah, Mom. Everything's fine...We just found out our little angels have abilities."

"Abilities?...Like what?...Why didn't we notice it before?"

"I think the abilities are new. We'll have to ask Grampa Carlisle to be sure, though...Where's Dad?"

She was getting Jazzmine out of the car, while Jake was getting Swanson out.

"He went to drive around town. He wanted to see if anyone was getting suspicious of us yet. We don't exactly look our ages anymore."

Just then, Edward came running up. We always parked our cars in the garage at the main house and just ran to our house. It wasn't that far away, and we loved to run. Nessie and Jake were the only ones who used our remote driveway.

"Bella, why are you shielding Nessie, Jake, and the triplets?"

"I'm not...Nessie?"

"It's Swanson, Dad...From what we can tell, he seems to turn powers off."

"I didn't know he had an ability. We should go see Carlisle. Do Emma and Jazzmine have abilities as well?" - Edward

"Bells, would you mind taking Swanson?" - Jake

I took Swanson from Jake so that he could get Emma out of the car. He was struggling with her latch, and she was tugging on his hair, laughing as he answered Edward.

"Yeah...Emma has telekinesis and can start fires...and Jazzmine seems to have a shield of some sort." - Jake

Both Nessie and Jake looked completely drained. No one had even expected the triplets to have abilities. I guess they were more like Nessie than we had all originally thought.

Jake and Nessie decided to forgo strapping the triplets in and driving to Carlisle's, so we all walked along the path Edward had made a few years ago. As we made our way to the main house, Edward asked Jake what I was dying to know.

"Jake, how did you discover the triplets had abilities?"

"When we got back to the house yesterday, Seth and Leah came over, and we were all watching the triplets play. Emma must have wanted a toy that Jazzmine was playing with because she reached out her hand and the toy just came to her. At first we didn't believe what we had all just seen, but then she tried to take another toy from Jazzmine. I told her she had to share with her sister. She got mad, and the toy caught fire just a few inches away from Jazzmine."

"She set the toy on fire?!" - Bella

"Yeah...Bells, I was so scared at that moment. I was trying to grab Jazzmine up, when I noticed her shield. I couldn't touch her. I broke my fingers trying to get through to her. Seth got the fire out out and threw the toy away, and after a while, Jazzmine let her shield down, and they all started playing again. Then Swanson started laughing for no apparent reason. That's when we saw Emma's face. She was furious. Her little nose scrunched up, and her lips pursed...it was priceless. She was trying with all her might to get the toy Swanson was playing with, but it just wouldn't come to her. I was afraid she would start another fire, but nothing happened. Swanson just kept laughing and playing, and then Emma started crying and went to Seth."

"No wonder you both look so stressed." - Bella

"Yeah, it's been a long night, Bells. When Swanson would fall asleep, Emma would set little fires, and Jazzmine would bubble herself up. Then, when Swanson would wake up, he would to keep Emma's powers off...maybe Jazzmine's, too...It's hard to tell...I'm guessing right now, he's turning off everybody's power if you can't hear our thoughts, Edward." - Jake

"Hmm...Bella, may I hold Swanson for a minute?"

"Sure. Grampa wants to hold you for a minute. Okay, Swanson?" I cooed to Swanson before gently handing him over to Edward.

"Hey, Swanson. I hear you can do something very special."

Swanson just giggled as we reached the lawn of the main house. Edward's voice was soft and gentle as he spoke to little Swanson.

"Swanson do you think you could do me a favor? Do you think you could let me use my special abilities?"

We were already at the door when Edward sighed, "Thank you, Swanson."

Alice and Jasper were in the living room playing chess when we walked inside. Rose and Emmett were more than likely in the garage, and Carlisle was probably in his office. I wasn't sure where Esme was. Alice stood up, looking frustrated, and then saw us and smiled, "Hello everyone. What a nice surprise."

"Hey, Alice. Who won?" - Edward chuckled, and then said to me, "Esme is making another photo album for Nessie."

That's right. I remembered her saying she wanted to make another photo album because the triplets were growing so fast. They already looked like they were about a year old. I looked at Alice as she answered Edward, and wondered if the frustration I saw earlier was due to Swanson turning off her power.

"Oh, we haven't finished, Nessie, is everything okay? You and Jake look like you didnt sleep at all last night." - Alice

"Yeah, we didn't get any sleep...the triplets decided to unveil their abilities for us yesterday." - Nessie

Just then Edward started to laugh, and then looked at Jasper, "I think you might have a better chance of winning now, Jasper."

At first Jasper looked confused, and then he started laughing. A few seconds later, he quit laughing, looked at Nessie, and asked, "Does one of them have an ability to stop her visions?"

"Yeah...Swanson seems to be able to turn off abilities, and evidently he can pick and decide who's to turn off and who's to leave on." - Nessie

Jasper raised an eyebrow and looked at Edward. Edward nodded before saying, "Carlisle."

He didn't need to raise his voice, Carlisle would be able to hear him from his office. Sure enough, a second later, Carlisle was in front of us. Esme also appeared, carrying the new photo album.

"Yes, Edward? Is everything okay?" - Carlise

He looked at Nessie and Jake, and I could see a sliver of worry cross over his face. Edward smiled as he told him the story Jake told us on our way. When he was finished, he asked Carlisle why their abilities developed late insted of being present when they were born.

"Hmm...that's a good question. I would have to do some tests, but I'm pretty sure it's the same reason their growth rate is so accelerated. The pack-calling, as I'm calling it, would explain both their growth rate and their latent abilities. Renesmee's nightmare could have been the trigger for the growth rate, and I believe Zafrina and her coven are probably the trigger for the abilities."

"Thank you, Carlisle. Nessie, Jake, do you mind if Carlisle runs some tests on the triplets?" - Edward

"That's why we came, Edward." - Jake

Edward handed Swanson to Carlisle, and then Jake and Nessie followed Carlisle up to his office with Jazzmine and Emma.

"Why don't you finish you game with Jasper, Alice?" - Edward

"In a bit...I want to see Esme's new photo album for Nessie." - Alice

Jasper just smiled and shook his head as Esme and Alice went to sit on the sofa to look at the photo album. Edward leaned down and whispered in my ear, loud enough, though, for Alice to hear.

"You're were right before. She was frustrated because she couldn't use her ability. She doesn't want to finish playing right now because she can't see who wins anymore." - Edward chuckled, knowing Alice had heard him.

At first I was shocked, how could he have heard my thoughts? Then, I remembered, he got Swanson to allow him to use his ability. I wondered, though, if Edward could still hear my thoughts now that Swanson was in Carlisle's office and not focused on us.

Edward didn't respond to that thought, so I figured Swanson's ability was similar to mine and many others. He could do an area effect black-out, turning off every ability in a certain radius, or he could turn off select people, if he could see to target them.

I looked up, smiled at Edward, and then went to sit beside Alice on the sofa. I looked at Edward to see he was completely confused. Then whispered to Alice so low only she could hear.

"Alice, I think you should try again to see who wins your chess game."

She looked at me, confused as well, but shrugged before closing her eyes. I knew as soon as she smiled that I was right.

"Esme, I'm sorry. I believe it was very rude of me to leave my game with Jasper. I should really finish it."

"That's fine, dear. I still need some more pictures of the triplets before this album is complete."

Alice led Jasper back to the chess table to finish their game. Edward was looking at me the way he did when we first met - confused as to why he couldn't hear my thoughts. I smiled as I went to sit by him at the piano. He laughed his wonderful laugh when I smiled, and then whispered to me as I sat down next to him.

"You have your shield back, don't you?" - Edward

"Yep." - Bella

"And Alice?" - Edward

"Can see the outcome of their game again." - Bella

Edward just shook his head, and we both laughed. He started playing my lullaby and asked, "Alice, can you see if we'll have baseball weather anytime soon?"

"Sure...next friday should be a good day for baseball. Will you join us this time, Bella?"

Edward and I laughed again. Jasper was now aware that Alice could use her ability again.

"I don't know Alice. I'm not any good."

"Alice, I believe it's your move." - Jasper

Alice shut her eyes for a second, then said, "You win, Jazz."

Just then Alice froze, staring off into the distance.

"Alice? What is it? What do you see?" Jasper was already by her side, holding her hand.

"Something's changed. Demetri and his hunting party have added someone new to their group. Everytime I try to see the new addition, though, he changes...or maybe he's a she...I just can't tell."

"Is the addition a half-vampire, like Nessie?" - Jasper

"...No, it's a full vampire...I'm sorry. That's all I can tell about him...or her."

"That's fine, Alice. Edward, I think the Voulturi may have found what they were waiting for." - Jasper

"Oh, dear. I'll go get Carlisle. Edward, would you mind telling Rose and Emmett?" - Esme

A few seconds later Carlisle, Esmee, Nessie, Jake, and the triplets came down the stairs, and Edward, Rose, and Emmett came in from the garage. Then, Alice explained her vision to everyone.

"Wonderful, can we start asking for help, now?" - Rose

"I hate to agree with Blondie, but I think help is exactly what we need." - Jake

"Well, I guess you can teach a dog new tricks." - Rose

"Yeah, too bad the same doesn't go for blonde leeches." - Jake

Rose growled, and Emmett grabbed her shoulder to hold her down.

"Rose, Jake, please. This isn't helping." Bella

"Sure, Sure. Anyways, I think there's something we should discuss in addition to getting help." - Jake

"What else could we possibly need to discuss, mutt." - Rose

"Well, blondie, Sam had an observation when I told him about Nessie's first nightmare. He thinks Edward and I may be the key to changing the outcome of the nightmare. Since we weren't in it, maybe our presence, and the presence of others not in the nightmare, could change it." - Jake

"That was very astute of Sam, and I believe he may be right, at least I hope he is. We'll start calling our friends. They need to know the Volturi haven't given up on collecting and seperating our family." - Carlisle

"Well, I guess it's good that we came, when we did."

We all turned to face the open door. There standing in the doorway were Peter and Charlotte, Jasper's friends.

Peter and Charlotte stayed at Carlisle's for a few days. We discussed our current situation and watched the triplets play. They both thought it would be a good idea to start informing our other friends. Everyone agreed the Volturi were over-stepping their power by targeting us for no legitimate reason. The Volturi saw us as a threat because we were a large, close family with many abilities they coveted.

There weren't many large covens, even less so closely bonded, and even fewer with multiple abilities. Our family was rare; our lifestyle allowed us to have more bonds than just the one between our mate. That's why we didn't consider ourselves a coven; we were a family, and hopefully, with the help of our friends, we would be able to stay that way.