SM OWNS ALL THINGS TWILIGHT.

AN; Big thanks as always all my regular and new readers. Couldn't do it without you. Please keep doing what you do. You guys are all big softies when it comes to babies Alice and Jasper thank you for your ! There is an M rating on this chapter for violence, language and dark images.

CARLISLE POV-July 3rd

"We can handle this." I had told the team…Mae…myself.

Talbot being found like he was, where he was, was a worrying development and a very loud wakeup call about what type of men we were facing. My team was the best and we were in the best physical shape we had been in for a long time, but we were, and if I hadn't been as guilty of it as my team were, I would have seen it sooner, too relaxed, too confident, too cocky and sure of ourselves. It had been a long while since we had been faced with a case, villains that could really challenge us. We had just gone along with people's assumptions and our own inflated senses of self belief, that we were the best and that we would catch them. And we would, I knew we would, but it was going to be a much harder fight than we expected.

As worried as I was about how Alice's news would affect Jasper, he loved her with a depth and passion that almost, matched what I felt for Mae and he was desperate to prove to himself that he was a better father than his had been, I was kind of glad that Alice had had her little melt down yesterday and that it had affected Mae in the way it had last night and today. It had broken my heart to see her so scared and to hear her screaming my name with such terror and desperate pleading in her voice. Being taken or separated from each other, was and I think always would be our greatest fear. But whilst we had taken steps to confront and destroy the thing responsible for that on a personal level, I had to come out of the next few days unharmed not only for Mae, but so I could be front and centre in the public gallery when Jane was forced through the humiliation of being back in the dock for a bail review on Friday morning! We hadn't really confronted the threats that our job held over us. Getting married-I'm a married man, she married me, she's mine…I'm hers…forever. I will be forever devoted to which ever deity made that possible! That had given us peace of mind, made our time together all the more special. But if we were both honest, we had both been taking the strength of professional relationship for granted, clinging to it as a steady constant whilst we were thrown about by the turmoil in our private life. We had been relying on the Agent Marshall and Carlisle Cullen of the past to protect us from harm professionally. And we were still the best at our jobs, but we weren't that those people anymore, we were more than that. Stronger in some ways, weaker in others as my stunt of going to confront Talbot alone and almost getting myself killed had proved.

What we had told each other was true, we did give each other the added incentive and strength to do what it took to come through battles, be it with villains or the suited blood suckers in the command corridor unharmed, but no amount of training could prepare us for the added sense of desperation, frustration and fear that came from seeing or imagining the other in physical danger. It had taken everything I had not to smash the soldier's we had been training with into pieces when I saw him really working Mae over and when that little shit Mitchell had spat in her face… Thierson was our professional nightmare, one we had to…we would overcome, I knew deep down that when it mattered, when it counted our strength wouldn't fail us, but it would be harder than we both had thought.

I had been so lost in my thoughts that it took me a minute to realize that my phone was ringing. I hit the button on the hands free kit and began tapping my hands impatiently on the steering wheel. The journey down to the military base was going to take longer than I would like, thanks to more bloody roadworks.

"Rose?"

"Um…hi Carlisle…I'm really sorry to bother you…but you haven't seen or heard from Emmett have you?" she asked quietly.

"He's still not shown?" I asked in concern. Shit! I really didn't need this now but I couldn't leave her or Emmett until I knew they were okay. After dealing with Talbot's body at the military base, where he had been very thorough, but brutally cold and sharp with everyone, including Rose, Emmett had roared off in his car to clear his head as he always did when he was faced with a hanging case. Poor Rose had ridden back to London with Mae and me to attend the briefing. I had assumed that Emmett would have been back by now and explained things to Rose. Obviously not. It wasn't really my place but the worry and fear in Rose's fear was heartbreaking.

"I just want to know he's okay…" her voice was impossibly soft. "I know I can bug him with the way I do things at a crime scene, but…it's more than that isn't it? He looked…haunted when he saw that body…" she sighed.

" That's a good choice of words…Rose can you hear me okay…I'm in the car?"

"You're fine, I always hold the phone to my good ear and it's a relatively small quiet space and I can understand you better than anyone really apart from maybe Edward. Your accents and diction are really clear…" she said warmly in answer to my unasked question.

"Finally, I get to use my overpriced education for something really important." I said sincerely. I didn't know her incredibly well yet, but from what I had seen and what Mae had told me, Rose may be complicated, but she was also a truly warm and beautiful person inside and out. She had totally changed Emmett's life.

"I've called everywhere I can think of…I even called your place, he said you gave him a spare key for emergencies…I ended up talking to your cleaner Mrs Doyle…she's lovely, her accent makes her a little hard to understand though."

"Mae wanted to do all the housework herself, but we work such crazy hours we decided to keep my old daily Mrs Doyle on three mornings a week…but Mae still insists on cleaning up as much as she can before Mrs Doyle comes! She doesn't want Mrs D thinking that she keeps a dirty house and that she's not looking after me." I said shaking my head in confusion at the strange logic.

"I can totally understand that." Rose said in a way that sounded like she was nodding.

"You can?"

"Carlisle…don't worry about it…it's a girl thing…" she said in a tone that pitied Mae having to deal with my ignorance.

Rose looked torn. She had been up as long as I had, had been just as busy and probably been too worried to eat.

"Rose…if Emmett is where I think he, is he's okay…"

"You guys…you didn't seem surprised at how Emmett was this morning…he was so cold, so distant…I've never seen him like that at a crime scene…" Rose sighed.

"And you won't at any other type of crime scene. Beatings, beheadings, dismemberings, some pretty nasty fires that have had seasoned firemen heaving…Em will handle them all in his own unique way…but hangings…they…you chose the right word earlier…they haunt him more than the rest. I really shouldn't be the one telling you this…" I could almost see her pleading with me down the phone line. "Emmett's best friend…Steven…he hung himself." I said finally.

Rose gasped.

"They had been best friends since they were children. They were both quite shy…"

Rose seemed to choke.

"I know, shy is not the first word that springs to mind when it comes to describing Emmett." "But according to his mum…have you met Fi yet?"

Rose shook her head.

"She's quite a character, she's barely five feet tall but she can reduce a room full of grown men to quivering wrecks with a look…Emmett was quite shy, he had a slight stammer, it still comes out sometimes when he's tired or really stressed."

"I..I thought he was putting that on." Rose squeaked.

"We all did at first, anyway Emmett and Steven did everything together until High School. One of his teachers encouraged him to join the drama club to help his speech and his confidence…well as we know it worked…" I said chuckling. "Emmett became really popular with the other guys and…girls…" I said feeling weirdly embarrassed. "He and Steven drifted apart as people do at that age. It was one of Emmett's first calls as a crime scene examiner and one of my first calls in CID…Steven's body was found hanging in his flat. It had been there…a while…Steven's life hadn't been easy, he found it even more difficult to make friends "

I thought I heard Rose mutter "my poor baby." But it was so quiet I wasn't sure. I couldn't help the shudder that passed over me as I remembered that day and the look on Emmett's face.

"Emmett and I went out that night and got very, very, drunk, he crashed out on my sofa and the rest as they say is history. Emmett can be loud, obnoxious and a bit much at times, but the only way he knows to cope with the guilt he still feels about Steven is to love his friends even more."

"But it wasn't his fault…" Rose said fiercely.

I shrugged as if to say 'I know that, you know that'.

"It's Emmett's way. Underneath all those muscles and that bluster…that big heart of his is very soft. When we get a hanging case, a lot of that old guilt hits him again. He'll be at Steven's grave…and then in the pub down the road."

I gave Rose the address of the cemetery and emailed her a map from my I-phone.

"Carlisle, was Mae okay after the BBQ yesterday…after Alice's little melt down?" Rose asked me a little nervously after a few minutes. She wasn't being nosy, there was genuine concern there.

"Eventually." I said carefully.

"Nightmare?"

Mae must have heard my sharp, surprised intake of breath.

"She had a lot of those…but I guess she had damn good reason." Rose said sharply, before muttering a sheepish apology.

"I totally agree…I will never truly forgive myself for not doing more to stop Mae being forced to endure…what she did…" I said trailing off.

"Carlisle…she's forgiven you…that's all that matters, what I think…"

"You're one of her best friends…you had to pick up the pieces."

Rose made a strange noise in her throat at my words.

"It was the least I could do after what she did, what she gave me…" Rose said roughly. " The worst was over when we met…until she was…hurt…she called for you a few times…sorry, this probably isn't the time."

She was probably right, but there was still so much about our time apart we hadn't discussed, that I wanted, but didn't want to know.

"Please." I whispered.

"The ones more recently…whilst we were in DC…when you…"

"Pulled my supercop shit." I offered. Rose chuckled.

"That day…that night…she really fell apart. She kept saying that she knew it was too good to be true…that she should have known that the two of you being back together…that it was really nothing but a beautiful nightmare…"

"Rose…I have to…I have to go…the traffic's moving…" I stammered cutting the connection. Oh Mae…my beautiful brave Mae…

"NO MORE!" I roared, slapping the steering wheel violently. Theirson had got under everyone's skin, put us all on edge and it had to stop, none of us deserved it. Mae and I were learning that no amount of training physical or otherwise could really prepare us for the emotions we had to face when it came to working together, but I knew we would face it and win because apart from the fact we both loved and were great at our jobs, we were tired of being scared, of the nightmares that saw us too afraid to enjoy what we have and the amazing life we had earned in the future. I chuckled lowly. Theirson may have on us on the back foot for the moment, but he was about learn the hard way, what happened when you pissed off or tried to separate Cullen and Marshall.

"Windows?" I snapped at Jake as we walked round the house where the Prince's lunch had been moved too for the fifth time.

"Fifteen upper, twenty seven lower."

"Exits?"

"Eight and yes I did include the cellar." Leah said wearily.

We entered the main dining room. There was a long main table running in front of the large French windows that covered most of the back wall. The room was large and long, but the amount of tables scattered about for the other guests would make space tight. I also didn't like the fact that depending on the weather tomorrow, the French windows that were half way down the room leading out onto the terrace that wrapped it's way around the building would be open.

Jake and I would be sat behind the Prince on either side of the doors behind the table. Harris and Tweed would be either side of the second set of windows which were now known as Position B, Leah and Emily who had been dubbed Cagney and Lacey by the others, would be by the main doors to the room. Jasper and Mae who would still be part of the convoy that escorted the Prince's car, would be outside overseeing Julian's men who were patrolling the perimeter.

"Attack from Position B!" I barked suddenly, hoping but failing to catch Harris and Tweed out. They moved easily into position weapons raised. After what they had been through getting shot, I had worried about them being on the team, but they had passed every test the shrinks could throw at them with flying colours. They had even faced down a gun man when a defendant in one of their cases had managed to sneak a weapon into court in an attempt to try and escape.

"Nicely done…" I remarked. I was standing near the centre of the room with my back towards position A, mine and Jake's position when I heard the door creak. I spun round dropping into a forward roll that had me infront of the table my weapon pointing at Julian from MI5's chest, whilst Jake who had sprinted to his other side had his pointed at the side of his head.

"Fuck Julian! Are you trying to get yourself killed?" I hissed as I stood and replaced my gun in the holster that I was wearing over my shoulders.

It took a few minutes for the colour to return to his chubby face and it was with violently shaking hands he removed his glasses and moped at his sweating face.

"My apologies Carlisle…I thought you would have heard me coming." He stammered as he lowered himself into a nearby chair.

"There's been some problem with the alarm connections in this room…"

"Serious?" he asked suddenly alert.

"No…something to do with the placement of one of the pressure pads or something…you must have passed the engineer on the way in through the door."

"Oh…yes…yes I did…he does have full…"

"Class A security clearance? Yes. I had everyone who was on the original security detail replaced first thing this morning."

"Good…good…very through…nobody will be able to accuse you of not doing everything by the book…" he mumbled. There was nothing wrong with what he said…more the way he said it. Damn it had been a long day…I was exhausted, edgy…missing Mae…

"You look exhausted my friend…are you sure that you won't reconsider and join me at the charming little guest house down the road?"

"I thought it was full?" I said running a weary hand through my hair.

"It is…but there are two single beds in my room…" he said sincerely, his eyes locking with mine.

Several members of the team behind me started simultaneously choking on the water they were drinking.

"You're very kind Julian…" I winced inwardly and prayed that the blush I could feel heating up my neck didn't show as Julian continued undressing me with his eyes. Did he know he was being so unprofessional? So shameless? In all the years I had known Julian, I had never seen him like this. This case was putting us all on edge. "But you know me…I like to lead from the front…can't leave the others here roughing it…"

"Of course…" Julian said shaking his head as if to clear it from whatever he was feeling. "Dinner then…"

"Great! I'm starving!" Jake bellowed suddenly, making both Julian and I jump. Julian didn't look overly thrilled at the prospect but I was delighted. Jake was so getting promoted.

We had dinner in a nearby village pub and Julian seemed to regain some of his control, preferring to sit with Leah and Emily, as he regaled them with one of his many stories. Our long day tomorrow and the early start we had had today, meant that we weren't out late and it wasn't long, before I was curled up in a sleeping bag listening to Jake snoring.

I wanted, needed to speak to Mae, but I knew that she would be exhausted and trying to focus her mind on the morning. Pulling out my phone I tapped out a quick text.

C- Dream peacefully my darling, safe in the knowledge I love you

Less than a minute later I received a reply.

M- Know that I will be by your side, ready to fight anyone or anything that tries to come between us and the forever I cannot wait to spend loving and being loved by you- Mx

I did.

JULY 4TH

ESME POV

"So Captain Cullen, your mission is to keep one hyperactive and hormonal little pixie calm…think you can handle it?" I chuckled.

Edward and I were out in the garden of Alice and Jasper's house having a cigarette whilst I waited for Jasper to be ready to start our very long, tough day.

Edward grinned, looking so much like Carlisle at that moment it caused my heart to spasm painfully in my chest. We lowered ourselves onto the edges of the lounges on the deck.

"It'll be tough, but I've got Emmett for back up…he and Rose are coming out with us." I must have looked surprised. "We tend to get together and do something when we know you guys have something big on. It helps us relax and Carlisle and Jazz say it helps them knowing we're together if…" Edward said trailing off and running a hand roughly through his hair.

"Edward, we're good…damn good…we'll get through this change of venue and all." I said sincerely, my heart clenching as I saw a flash of the little boy who was terrified that he was going to lose the big brother he adored. He took a long drag on his cigarette and closed his eyes as he attempted to let the nicotine sooth him.

"Alice freaked you out…with what she said about feeling something bad was going to happen and Jake's hand…" he said suddenly without opening his eyes, it was a statement not a question. "And no, Carlisle didn't say anything." He said opening his eyes in time to catch the surprise and annoyance at the thought that Carlisle would share something so personal even with his brother flash across my face.. What was I thinking! Carlisle would never do that!

"Alice rang me later that night." He explained.

"I guess…being married makes us stronger but also a little weaker if that makes any sense. We'll still do our jobs and do them well…but there's a new level of anxiety that wasn't there before…even when we were together the first time…" I admitted. That realization had bought up a host of new questions and feelings I couldn't, didn't want to think about now but it seemed like Edward had read my mind.

"This is just an observation…" Edward began. I nodded dumbly for him to continue. "What you had then…it was amazing, passionate, real love…but it wasn't real…it was a fairytale…complete with wicked witch…" he said his voice bitter. We both shuddered, involuntarily. "This, what you have now…although it hasn't been very long…it's been more real, there has been more to it than just work…you've fought, faced fears, cried, as well as doing all the usual couple stuff." He smirked but there was a cute blush heating his cheeks. "And real couples…the thought of something happening to the other, frightens them…but what you have to figure out is if you can live with that fear, learn to use it so you can carry on working together. Today I guess you find out and that only adds to the fear."

"Wow…sure you don't want to become a detective now you're out of the army?" I stammered as I processed his words and realized how true they were. He smiled

"Edward, I would never intentionally put his life in danger…if today proves too much for us…I will walk away…not from him." I said quickly as I saw the flash of panic on his face "God no, never…never again I don't think that's physically possible…" I chuckled. " No, if it's too much I'll walk from the SCI, I'll go play with the James Bond wannabe's at MI5."

"You'd do that." Edward said surprise and something I couldn't place in his tone. He knew I hated all the red tape that went with dealing with the Security Services as much as Carlisle did, and that any work I did there would be a hell of a lot less hands on than I was doing now. I turned to face him fully tucking a leg underneath me. His large green orbs were full a million emotions. I had wanted to try and tell Edward this for a long time.

"My career is important to me yes…but it's not everything…it's not my life, not anymore. I can't live without Carlisle in my life…I can't do it…I spent seven years trying…all I did was exsist. I never thought I would get a second chance with him, to love him, to be loved by him…to live a life with him, the good and the bad. I'm not going to throw away my chance. I love him" I said hiccoughing as I tried to wipe away the tears I felt pooling in the corner of my eyes.

"You do know he'd do exactly the same for you." Edward said roughly.

I nodded. Edward then leant over and pulled me into a one armed hug.

"Thank you." He growled in my ear.

"Well I'm hoping it won't come to that…we have much more fun together." I chuckled into his neck. I knew he was thanking me for more than that, but I couldn't let myself become too lost in those emotions now. And again, as if he'd been reading my mind Edward pulled away, dropping a kiss on the top of my head as he did so.

"Anyway… thanks to the decisions you made last night during your little wedding strategy session." He said brightly

"I know I've said before that Alice should come and work for us…but after last night I'm kind of glad she doesn't, any confessions she got out of criminals would be thrown out of court for being made under duress. She is good cop, bad cop, emotional blackmail cop all rolled into one." I chuckled glad of the lightening of mood. " I really can't remember what I agreed to last night." I said honestly. I had opened the door of the apartment last night to see a pile of bridal magazines tottering towards me in high heels. It was Alice's way of trying to distract herself and me, from our nerves over what was happening today. It had been nice, but I had been exhausted and too keyed up to really be much help, I had ended up going along with whatever she suggested.

"Well judging by the orders I was presented with this morning, we will be invading several caterers, florists, photographers and vintage car hire outlets, and if we get time after shopping for some necessary essentials, we will be interrogating some poor unsuspecting musicians about their repotoire. Emmett is already perfecting his Simon Cowell impression." Edward laughed.

"How is Em?" Alice had told me that Rose had bought a very subdued and drunk Emmett home with her yesterday. I knew about Steven and I wished I could have helped Rose more in locating him and understanding, but with Carlisle having to hit the base early Jasper and I were left having to deal with a very nervous Royal Protection team as well as general SCI business.

"Thanks to Rose, Em is…Em. Alice is Alice just even more hyper than normal thanks to the added hormones…" he said quietly. God I couldn't wait for this to be over, Alice had recovered from her little melt down and had become her usual supportive self, but I could still see that Jasper was worried about her and her odd behavior. It wasn't fair on either of them, missing out on what should be such a wonderful, happy, exciting time.

"How are you?" Edward asked pointedly.

"More than ready for this to be over." I admitted with a tight smile. Edward nodded.

"It's always the waiting that's the hard part. Gives you too much time to think." He said knowledgably. As a front line army medic, he may have been dealing with the fallout of chaos but the tension, the anticipation of the horror he was about to face was very similar to how we were feeling.

"MAAAEEE! EDDDDWAAARDDD!" Alice bellowed suddenly from inside the house, making us both jump.

We entered the kitchen to see Alice flapping about piling food down onto their large kitchen table in front of Jasper.

"So that's my breakfast sorted out…what are you guys having?" Emmett boomed as he entered the room casually dressed. Alice had barely glanced at him before declaring

"You will have to go home and change mister." in a tone that brokered no argument.

"Eat you two…you can't go catch bad guys on an empty stomach." She insisted moving dishes between Jasper and I. Jasper looked delighted but also a little confused at her mood.

"If she's like this now…can you imagine what she's going to be like when she actually has the baby?" Rose muttered to me as she sat down next to me. Jasper observed us threw narrowed eyes. We both smiled in a way we hoped was innocent.

We chatted for a little while longer and I nibbled at some toast, but I was too keyed up. I wanted, needed this over and I could see Jasper was feeling the same although he was hiding it, a hell of a lot better than I was managing to as he chatted with everyone and kept finding excuses to touch Alice. My body was aching with a need to touch, feel Carlisle, lose myself in the safety of his arms. It had been overwhelming exhaustion that had caused me to sleep last night, my phone his text still on the screen, clutched in my hand.

"Ready partner?" Jasper said suddenly, squeezing my shoulder.

The room had become deafeningly silent, four pairs of eyes focused on us as we stood.

"Let's get this done…" I said quietly

FELIX POV

"HAVE YOU SEEN HIM?" I bellowed into the girls face as I held her by the throat against the wall.

"NO…NOO…SWEAR…" she whimpered.

"What the fuck's your game pal?" her pimp demanded roughly from behind me.

Throwing the young hooker back onto the unmade bed I had dragged her from, I turned to face the thickset young man who was looming towards me machete in hand.

"If you know what's good for you…" I warned.

"If I know what's good for me?" he snorted. "You burst in here laying your hands on one of my best girls…"

Jesus you really couldn't get the staff these days I thought, not if that hard faced, undernourished skank was the best he could get. With a snarl of disgust, I threw what was left in my wallet onto the bed. As scared as she was, the girls grasping hands had shot out to snatch up the notes. This was the most expensive night out I would ever have I thought randomly. Dinner, the hotel, I had left a couple of hundred pounds on what was left of the bed I had destroyed getting free, Doc Palmer had charged extra for the "out of hours" call I had paid him to put a couple of stitches in my banging head, then had come the trawl through all the dives and holes that I thought a street rat like Talbot would hole up in if he wanted to hide. But it was no good, the little weasel really had disappeared, meaning that Christian was still in even more danger than he had been before.

It was the mixture of my anger at Talbot and my fear for Christian that saw me break the nose, arm and knee of the pimp who had lunged at me with his machete.

Damn it Felix focus! I told myself in desperation as I pounded my aching head with the palms of my hands in attempt to clear the fog around my brain. I knew the lunch was due to take place in the early afternoon and that Cullen would more than likely be down at the base for the Prince to arrive. All posh boys together. But I hadn't expected the American bird…what was her name? Marshall? I hadn't expected both her and the lanky cowboy Whitlock to be gone from the office and un- contactable so early. Although I suppose I should have done, they would be taking no chances, taking the long, scenic route down to the base. Talking to, helping, asking for help from the police went against everything I had been raised to believe in but I was desperate and running out of time. I didn't give a toss what happened to the Prince or Cullen and his firm for that matter, but they were the only ones who could do anything now to even try and get Christian away from those mad army bastards he had been talked into hiring by that fat little spook.

"Felix…where the hell have you been? What happened to your head?" Nessie demanded, her shrill high pitched voice drilling through my head.

"Have you touched anything in here?" I demanded as I rifled through the papers scattered across the desk in my home office.

"No, course not…" she pouted.

I had copied all the information about Cullen's brother…Eddie… off his lap top just in case, but where the fuck had I put it? Christmas? Why was I thinking of Christmas. That was it! I had told Christian that the pay day from the information on there would be like Christmas come early.

Nessie was still chattering away like some damn parrot but I just pushed her aside. I let out a noisy deep breath of relieve as my fingers closed round the small notebook I had hidden behind a loose brick in the rooms fake fire place.

"Where are you going now?" she whined after me.

"When will you be back?"

That was a very good question.

"Thank you god." I muttered as I saw Edward Cullen and what looked like Inspector Whitlock's wife climb out of a cab outside his place. I knew he was still being watched by the Spooks over what his mother had helped us do, and that he had to check in with them a couple of times a month, but it had still been a long shot, him actually being at home today of all days.

"Who the fuck…" I stammered in annoyance when I saw a giant of a man unfold himself from the cab, quickly followed by a leggy blonde. Well I'd seen bigger men than him crumble when he was looking down the barrel of a gun I thought savagely, as I ripped the pistol from its hiding place beneath the passenger seat.

"I'm sure in some cultures a woman throwing up all over you, is a sign of her intense attraction to you." I heard the big man say.

"Being that drunk at this time of the day." One of the women tutted.

"What the fuck…" the big man stammered as he finally opened the door to my knock.

"Who"? the leggy blonde began as she appeared over his shoulder. I waved the gun indicating we should move back inside.

"Don't even think about it big fella…" I growled at the big man who I could see in his eyes was preparing to try and take the gun from me.

"Emmett…please…" the leggy blonde whispered, eyes wide with fear as she clutched Whitlock's wife to her.

"Listen to the lady Emmett and sit down." I snapped.

He did, between the two women pulling them protectively to his sides. "Where's Cullen?"

"Right here…"

I turned to see Edward Cullen standing in the bedroom door behind me, toweling his hair.

"I know you!" Whitlock's wife squeaked suddenly.

"My wife really does love your jewelry." I sneered.

"What do you want?" Edward demanded.

"Your brother…I need to talk to him."

"Well you can't…he's busy trying to stop your boss's twisted little plan…" the big guy called Emmett growled.

"The plan's fucking changed…" I shot back.

"We kind of figured that when we found Talbot with his face smashed in hanging from a rafter." The blonde snarled.

I felt the uneasy knots of tension that had been forming in my stomach since Dean and his goons had taken Christian tighten painfully and my body shudder at confirmation of my worst fears. Christian wasn't running things anymore it was that fat little spook, and his pet little soldier Dean. As much as Christian hated Talbot, he would never have agreed to doing anything like that to him until after, he would never have risked his plan…

"If…if you want any chance of seeing Cullen, the American woman or Inspector Whitlock come out of this alive…call Cullen NOW!" I ground out.

"Edward, please…" Whitlock's wife had pleaded tearfully.

I could see Edward, Emmett and the blonde silently communicating as they tried to decide whether or not to believe me.

"Killing Talbot was not Christian…Theirson's idea. He would not want to change his plan…not this late in the game…the man he's working with…"

That focused their attention.

"There's someone else involved?" Edward said.

"Yep…a fat little spook who doesn't seem to realize that his job description was to protect Queen and Country."

There was no reply from Cullen, the American or Whitlock. Everyone in the room tried more than once…but they all received the same response even though Cullen and his team were all on different networks.

"This network is currently undergoing signaling problems."

CARLISLE POV

It was all going well. Too well.

Jasper and Mae had reported no problems during the convoy from London. The lunch was coming to an end, with the only unusual behavior coming from me and my team as we waited tensely for the trap we knew was waiting, to spring.

After another seemingly endless speech from the base commander, it was time to leave with a brief stop in the large reception hall for a final hand shaking session. A brief nod to Leah and Emily started the evacuation of the guests into the hall to await the Prince.

Jake and I rose as one and shadowed the Prince as he headed towards the door, our eyes constantly scanning the room and the people in it. As we approached we saw that Leah and Emily were having a hard time making the well fed and watered guests to move further into the hall. Jake and I stepped forward and began trying to clear a path for the Prince to the main doors.

"I don't like this." Jake hissed.

"Me either…where the fuck are the protection team? They were supposed to be out here in the hall on crowd control."

Suddenly, there were two loud thumps at the top of the staircase opposite us. Two masked men were standing there, Jake stepped to my side so we could block any shots at the Prince who was behind us. They fired into the air, sending people screaming and tripping over each other to find cover, but they weren't going to attack us with guns.

"GRENADES!" I screamed as I caught sight of the grenades being hurled towards us. Mae…oh god Mae I love you…I turned to fling myself over the prince but he wasn't there. He was being dragged backwards through the dining room towards an SUV that had been pulled up to the French Window's behind the main table we had just left engine running doors open. Why the hell hadn't the alarms gone off and where was Jake? In the split seconds I had before the men from the SUV started firing at me sending me diving for cover, I saw Jake staggering back towards me gasping for air, his eyes raw and streaming. The grenades had contained smoke and tear gas. I managed to grab him and pull him behind a table.

I felt rather than saw the hail of bullets richochet of the walls and table we had taken cover behind. I rose up as far as I could and joined Harris and Tweed in firing a volley of shots at the rapidly disappearing vehicle.

"THIS IS ALPHA…WE'RE BEING HIT! REPEAT WE'RE BEING HIT! THE CROWN HAS BEEN TAKEN!" I stammered into my ear piece, my voice becoming rough as the thick white smoke had begun to hit me.

ESME POV

"Jesus, how long does it take to eat lunch?" I demanded looking at my watch for the umpteenth time in five minutes.

Jasper chuckled.

"You'll have to get used to long boring lunches…Carlisle doesn't do a lot with his title but some of the causes he does support…you'd give them a blank check rather than suffer through one of their "events". He said drawing imaginary quotation marks in the air.

There was still so much I didn't know about the other side of Carlisle's life. Jasper's smile faded and his face became tense and serious as he turned in the driver's seat to face me.

"Mae…I know she's threatened you with death or worse…the most hideously poofy and flouncy wedding gown she can find, but please tell me…how worried do I need to be about Alice? She never, ever, in all the time we have been together, become hysterical over my safety on the job. She might have a little melt down after but…"

I held up my hand.

"Can you hear that?"

He rolled his eyes at what he thought was my attempt to change the subject, but then froze himself.

" Car…no engines too heavy…SUV?" he said, tilting his head slightly.

"We're not using SUV's…" I said, a cold chill spreading rapidly down my spine. We were using high powered, bullet proofed BMW's.

"Where's it coming from?" he said sticking his head out the driver's window.

"Behind us?" I said a little uncertainly. The convoy of cars was parked round the far side of the house. Suddenly a panicked looking protection officer came running towards us.

"Are your comms working? I've just tried to reach the house to get a time check, but there's nothing…it was fine five minutes ago" he panted.

"Alpha, this is Charlie 1 do you read me?" Jasper barked into his ear piece. It had been working fine a few minutes ago. "Alpha…I repeat, do you read…Carlisle…" he said insistently. There was nothing, not even static for about thirty seconds, but then we were all deafened by a high pitched whistle. I grabbed my cell.

"Network is down."

"Fuck! We've been…" Jasper began but was stopped by the sound of hysterical screaming, groaning and…coughing. The protection guy raced back to his car whilst Jasper raced us round to the front of the house, where we saw guests spilling out onto the drive, thick white smoke streaming out behind them.

There was no sign of Carlisle, Jake or the Prince.

"Emily…" I said jumping from the car as I saw her helping Leah out of the doors.

"We…we…were hit…two guys threw tear gas into the crowd whilst…" she broke off into a violent coughing fit.

"An SUV pulled up behind the dining room…they got the Prince…dragged him back through when he got separated from Carlisle and Jake." Leah coughed.

"Carlisle…Jake." I whispered. I swear my heart had stopped

"Tried to stop them…smoke was too thick…they were too damn fast…but Harris got one of the bastards in the arm." Tweed choked out as he staggered towards us.

And then as if he'd heard my internal pleas, Carlisle appeared in the doorway half supporting Jake. He looked pale, his chest was heaving, but he was alive. For a long moment my breathing was a ragged as his as I felt my heart start again. After sitting Jake down, Carlisle had bent double at the waist in an attempt to catch his breath. I was a little distance away, there were a hundred or so people between us and his eyes would be streaming and sore from the gas, so the chances of him actually seeing me would be impossibly small, but at that moment, Carlisle looked up and straight at me.

I mouthed a silent I love you to him before turning on my heel and jumping back into the BMW.

"I can't raise the units we've got patrolling the area…bastards have our comms well and truly jammed." Jasper snarled.

"They can't have gone that far…they wouldn't want to drive too fast through the village and they'd want to dump the SUV."

"So I guess it's time for me and you to go a huntin…" Jasper growled, a dangerous glint in his eye.

I knew it was risky heading out with no coms or way to call for back up, but time was against us.

We started from round the back of the house and followed the tyre tracks the SUV had left from travelling at such speed. It had torn up the lawn and crashed back through a small back gate that led onto a long and winding road surrounded on each side by forest. The road would eventually lead out into the village where it would only take minutes to reach the road to London.

"They're here…" Jasper said waving a hand towards the dense forest. "I can smell them…" he snarled.

"They'll want to ditch the SVU…to big, too obvious…they'll want to fit in…look like one of the guests from the base going home…" I agreed.

"…Can anyone hear us?..this is Zulu 5…we're in pursuit of target…but we could use some help…" came a frantic voice in our ears suddenly.

"Zulu this is Charlie 2, where are you?" I demanded. There was no reply for a long moment and then the silence was broken by the sound of yelling and…gunshots.

"Fuuuckk…" Jasper hissed as we knew what it could mean. Suddenly, his head snapped round to the side and he slammed the car into reverse.

"Alpha this is Charlie 2…" I gave our co-ordinates before adding "this would be a really good time for Supercop to make an appearance…" I muttered into my ear piece as Jasper and I dropped into low crouches and began to move as quietly as we could towards the small clearing where Jasper had seen the cars gathered. We split up, preparing to move in on either side. The voices of the people ahead of us echoed back to us.

"YOU BASTARD!" came an angry male voice.

"It's not personal…I swear…" another voice, which we would later find out belonged to Harry Dean, answered roughly before the air was torn by the sound of two deafeningly loud shots.

"This…this wasn't the plan…" Theirson stammered, his voice full of shock, confusion and fear as he realized…

"Hurry up and get rid of the sniveling little shit will ya…the comms are back on and I don't think the two Yanks were that far away from us…"

Jasper and I froze, our eyes locking in horror as we realized that, that was the voice of Zulu5. Before we could say or do anything, a flash of silver and a revving engine caught our attention as well as that of that of Dean, Zulu 5 and Theirson as it ploughed in from behind them. Jasper and I couldn't wait any longer, we had to take advantage of the confusion and try and if not rescue the Prince, then make sure his body came to no harm.

The silver car…a Volvo, which looked a hell of a lot like Edward's car had slammed into the SUV which had all it's doors open. There were two dead kidnappers in the driving and passenger seat, two slumped dead half in and out of the back and one, the one we must have heard, was slumped in front of the vehicle. The two man team of Zulu5 had fired at the windshield of the Volvo causing it to shatter and the occupants to duck. Dean had grabbed Thierson and was holding him in front of him as a shield as he began edging back towards the SUV which was nearest me. Jasper had moved to the other side and was approaching Zulu5.

It took me a minute, but I could just make out the twitching legs of the Prince who was laying on the floor of the SUV's back seat and was half buried beneath the body of one of the dead kidnappers. I couldn't get to him yet, but I could try and reassure the terrified Prince. Moving forward as silently as I could I approached the vehicle and whispered to the Prince to try and stay calm and that I would be back for him as soon as I could.

Dean had his back to me and Zulu5 were concentrating on the Volvo, the passenger door of which flew open to reveal Felix Cosgrove brandishing a mini machine pistol. The element of surprise meant that he was able to cut down the two man team of Zulu5 and Jasper before sagging as the bullets they had fired at him tore into his body.

"NOOO!"Theirson had screamed.

"Easy Juliet…you'll be joining Romeo in a minute…" Dean sneered as he pushed Theirson forward onto his knees. I stepped forward.

It would take Emmett almost a week to discover whether it was my bullets or the ones Felix Cosgrove had fired in a last burst of adrenaline and desperation to save the man he loved, that killed Harry Dean.

"MAE!" Carlisle's desperate call echoed with the force of an explosion round the quiet forest. Seconds later he burst through the trees followed by the rest of the team and some uniformed officers. His face was still pale and his breathing still a little ragged but I couldn't think of that now. I turned back to the SVU…the Prince was gone. Carlisle was issuing orders, including the restraint of a weeping Theirson who had crawled over to Felix.

"WILLIAM!" I yelled.

"He's here."

Edward emerged from the trees supporting a badly shocked Prince.

"Edward…what the fuck…" Carlisle and I said in unison as we approached them.

"Felix turned up at my place a couple of hours ago waving a gun about saying he needed to talk to you. The plan had changed…whoever Theirson is working with…he was calling the shots…he killed Talbot…got the location changed and…from what I saw…he wanted to do more than kidnap…" he trailed off looking at the shuddering Prince. Carlisle motioned to the Royal Protection team to take their charge to one of the waiting ambulances.

"Thankyou…all of you…" he stammered looking at Carlisle, Edward and I before being led away.

"We couldn't get through…"

"They jammed the comms…" I said.

"Well…Felix had obviously suffered some sort of head injury…he was in no fit state to drive and Alice was…"

"ALICE…WHAT DID THE FUCKER DO TO ALICE?" Jasper bellowed frantically from our left.

He was sat propped up against a tree, his face pale as blood seeped through the shoulder of his jacket. Paramedics were buzzing around him. In my panic to find the Prince I had forgotten that Jasper had been hit by Felix's bullets. Edward dropped to his knees by his side to take a look at the wound. He quickly announced to everyone's relief that Jasper would be okay. Jasper had been wearing Kevlar, but he had been half turned when Felix had fired and the bullet had entered the top of his shoulder from the side.

"Edward…"he pleaded.

"She's okay, I think she even frightened Felix with what she was threatening to do him if you were hurt… she's shaken up but okay…Emmett and Rose are with her and they were going to get her to the hospital for a check up as soon as we had gone…shit!" Edward hissed.

"Hospital? Why the fuck would she need the hospital? What did he do…get off me…what did that bastard do to my Alice?" Jasper demanded trying to struggle out of Edward and the Paramedic's grip and stand.

Carlisle pushed him down and crouched to face him.

"She's pregnant Jazz…and she's going to need you in one piece…" he said gently but firmly. Jazz looked stunned for a long moment.

"Pregnant…as in a baby…" he said finally

"Yep and knowing your luck…it'll be a girl who takes after her mother…"

" Beautiful and Perfect…" he breathed.

"She didn't want you to worry whilst we had this to deal with…it was the stress of everything that caused her to flip out at the barbeque…the fear of something happening to you…" I said.

" But she was right…" he said suddenly looking worried.

"Not quite…she was convinced you were going to die…I think she can live with your arm in a sling if it means you're their next Friday…"

He looked confused.

"You're first scan…you're going to see your baby…"

A wide, goofy smile that had nothing to do with the painkillers he had just been given spread across Jasper's face.

"I'll ride with Jazz…" Edward said.

"Are you okay?" Carlisle asked. Edward was pale and tense.

Edward nodded.

"I have seen worse…"

"I'll need you to give a statement later…explain how you came to be here…how you became the hero who rescued the Prince…" Carlisle said dryly.

"Well Mae and Jasper seemed a little busy… I managed to get out of the car in the chaos and then I saw Mae talking to someone in the SUV…I thought I'd make myself useful." He said with a small shrug and half smile. He made it sound like he had just set the table. I could see the tension and relief radiating from Carlisle as he saw that Edward and Jasper were okay. "Carlisle…" he said suddenly serious. " Felix said that Theirson was being helped by a fat little spook."

"Put the gun down!" Jake bellowed.

Carlisle and I spun round to see Thierson holding Jake's gun to his temple. Someone had made the mistake of cuffing Theirson with his hands in the front. This meant that he had been able to grab the weapon from Jake's holster.

"Mr Cullen…make sure you tell that traitorous bastard Viv that Felix and I will be waiting to greet him in hell…God save the Queen…"

I heard rather than saw the shot as Carlisle had pulled me into his arms and held my face against his chest.

AN; I know…Jasper got shot! Please don't shout too loudly…I promise that is all the drama for AXJ. I hope you can find something in there to like. Wanted to show how big operations like this and, the emotions they cause to resurface, effect the people around CXE. Some may think Edward getting involved was a bit much, but please indulge me a little further, I always loved the part in Twilight when E rescues B in Port Angeles. Theirson died because he felt like he lost everything…not least Felix. The fat man aka Viv aka Julian isn't that brave as we see next chap. Hope you don't mind the little bit of Emmett's background, just wanted to show how the case had got under everybody's skin.

Enjoy- Scribex

Oh yes, if you feel so inclined, I believe voting is still open for the Bring me to life awards.

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