Okay so some idiot locked themselves out of their own account for about a week because they were dumb enough to forget the password they use for absolutely everything...
Also I think there's a little bit of bad language in this one, you've been warned.
I stayed with Carlisle for about an hour just listening to Alistair abuse Liam. Most of it seemed verbal but I didn't have any doubt he would have torn off a limb or sink his teeth into him if he got the chance. Eventually I couldn't stand it anymore. I wasn't a violent person, but seeing the person who had just hurt my husband in pain didn't sound like such a bad idea. I crept to the top of the stair case and looked down at the scene below me, positioning myself so I could still see Carlisle in case he bolted. Although he couldn't see anything he was defiantly on edge.
Alistair lunged at him, still screaming blue murder, and threw him against the wall.
Liam's head ricocheted off it with a satisfying crack.
Siobhan just watched with her arms folded while Maggie kept glancing at her as if to confirm what she was seeing. She seemed very reluctant to defend her mate.
"You wouldn't actually hit me," Liam smirked confidently.
Alistair punched him, absolutely boiling with rage.
Siobhan flinched subtly but still didn't stop him.
Tanya and Garrett came in from hunting, not hearing the former argument.
"Alistair!" she growled, stalking forward. Siobhan held her arm, stopping her.
"He deserves it," she told her tightly. "Just…Don't let him kill him." With that she quickly left the room, not being able to watch any longer.
It just seemed to go on and on, slowly becoming more violent. The abuse now flew from both directions, both of them furious.
"You don't even know it was me!" Liam screamed, only inches from Alistair's face.
"I know god damn well it was you!" he shrieked, his voice ripping through several octaves.
"I didn't touch him!" He fisted the collar of Alistair's shirt, effectively holding him above the ground and disabling his attack.
He sunk his teeth deep into his hand and seized the opportunity to wriggle from his grasp, dropping to the floor.
"Stop," Tanya interrupted, reaching to pull one of them back.
She was ignored and they continued to struggle against each other.
"STOP." She had everyone else's attention but they didn't seem to realise she had spoken.
Alistair bit him every time one of Liam's hands came to close. Now he looked vulnerable rather than mad, having found himself backed into a corner by the stronger man.
"Liam get away from him!" Tanya yelped, trying to find a way to catch his attention without getting between them. She wouldn't have stood a chance if he decided to attack her.
Garrett growled and crouched but Alistair shook his head at him, discouraging him from springing. "Back off," he hissed at Siobhan's husband, creeping closer.
"Emmett," I whispered urgently, trying to get his attention. He needed to stop Garrett before he attacked; he would only get hurt. "Emmett!"
He couldn't hear me over the raucous.
Liam roared and flung Alistair across the room in one swift blow. He flew through the window, landing hard on the gravel. Liam stalked out after him, clenching his fists.
Panic rang in the air but I couldn't figure out why Emmett and Jasper hadn't done anything. Then I realised. They were scared too. I stepped back to watch helplessly out the window as he pummelled him, Alistair curling up to try and shield himself from the blows.
He kicked him hard but didn't get any response from the former nomad. To our horror he then crouched, firmly placing his hands on either side of Alistair's head and started to twist.
Alistair snarled and struggled against him but he had no hope.
"Get away from him or I swear to god I will cut you." His voice was quiet but laced with venom.
I glanced back to the bedroom to make sure I wasn't seeing things but it was real; my husband stood facing Liam holding a butchers knife and a lighter. He was at least half a foot shorter than him and I had no doubt that Liam could crush him easily. He slowly positioned himself so he was in front of Alistair, protecting him.
"Carlisle," I pleaded, begging him to move. Part of me knew he wouldn't leave his friend but I prayed like anything he would surrender. I couldn't see him get hurt, not again.
Liam glanced up at me and a sick smile slid across his face. He slowly began moving backwards.
As soon as he gone back a few feet Carlisle crouched beside Alistair, making him sit up and quickly checking him over.
I watched them, sort of fascinated; in all the years we had been married I had never seen Carlisle use any of his medical training. He'd never had to with our family. The only time we ever heard anything about what he did at the hospital was when Charlie came around to visit Bella while we still lived in Forks, and even then it wasn't much; Carlisle would usually distract him before he got too far. I smiled to myself; he looked so relaxed doing it, almost as if it was natural to him. He didn't work now since we had moved house, although I wasn't sure why.
I was abruptly pulled out of my thoughts by a looming presence behind me. I spun around to come face to face with Liam. He still wore the same grin and his eyes held a mean glint.
He grabbed me roughly, his fingers squeezing the tops of my arms until they ached under the pressure.
Suddenly Liam screamed in pain. He released and clutched his shoulder, growingly and snarling to try and cover the fact he would have been crying had he been human.
Carlisle ripped the heated blade out from where he plunged it between his collarbone and shoulder blade before wrapping his arm around my middle, pulling me closer to him and putting more distance between me and Liam. His eyes were completely black.
"You're a little braver with a weapon, Cullen," Liam snapped, nursing his wound. He tried to creep close but Carlisle flicked the lighter, threatening him with the flame. "Really?" he scoffed. "A lighter, Carlisle? Is that the best you can do? You cant honestly think that you can do any damage with that, do you?" He raised his hand toward me.
In one swift movement his arm was detached from his body, crashing across the hallway. "Touch her again and it will be your head, Liam," Carlisle told him coldly.
"You wouldn't-"
"Do you want to fucking try it?" he growled, moving as if he was about to spring at him. He brought the tip of the knife down hard against his extended wrist. The blade can't have been hot anymore but it still would have stung. "Back off."
Liam's smile faulted and he took a step back, followed by another and another until he was on the other side of the room. He scooped up his arm, holding it against him and watching my husband cautiously.
"What did you do?!" Siobhan shrieked, brought in by her mate's cry. She glanced from Carlisle to Liam and back again. "WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU?!" she screamed at my husband, flying into a fit of rage.
"Are goddamn blind?" he asked her bluntly, a sharp edge to his voice. "He would have killed Alistair…and probably Esme." As he said my name he squeezed my hand tighter as if he was still afraid of it happening.
"SO YOU RIPPED OFF HIS ARM?!"
"…He cut me…" Liam added like a child telling tales.
In the spur of the moment her hand whipped out from her side and she slapped Carlisle hard across the face.
He looked shocked that she'd hit him and reached up to touch where her hand had met. His expression changed from one of anger to hurt.
I knew she saw this but she didn't seem to feel any remorse.
"Who else did you piss off?" she asked harshly, yanking back the collar of his shirt.
He watched her for a moment. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you."
That pulled her up short. "Liam did this?" All the rage was gone from her voice, leaving only shock.
He started to say something before closing his mouth again. He shook his head 'no'.
She relaxed a little. "You fix him. Now." She pointed to her husband and wore a stern expression.
Carlisle gritted his teeth. "I'm not doing that."
She sighed angrily. "Look, I know you're not feeling…like yourself at the moment, but that doesn't give you any reason to act like a sadist, Carlisle Cullen. You did that, so you fix it."
He shook his head, turning away.
"Carlisle!"
"I need to help Alistair," he mumbled, pushing past her. Already I could see him withdrawing again.
"Cant you just-" she started yelling again but Tanya interrupted.
"I think it might be best if your coven goes home now, Siobhan," Tanya told her nervously, struggling to keep her voice light.
"I think so too," she muttered tightly. She carefully took Liam's good hand and all but stomped down the stairs before disappearing into the forest line, Maggie trailing behind them.
"Look up," Carlisle instructed Alistair, gently tilting his chin upwards so he was looking at the ceiling. He spoke very quietly, almost shyly. It worried me; he never used to be like this around his friends, especially Alistair.
"Okay that hurts," he admitted, squinting into the light. He shifted in the chair he was sitting in before glancing up at my husband who stood in front of him.
"What does? Your neck or the brightness?"
"Ah, the light…it gives me a headache…"
"Are you dizzy?"
Alistair gritted his teeth, biting his lip. "A little."
Even to me he seemed unsteady.
"Just a little?" Carlisle smiled but it faded quickly.
"Maybe a lot…" he mumbled uncomfortably. "…And I feel kind of like I'm going to throw up…"
"I think you might have concussion," he murmured as he reached up and touched the scratches on the side of his friend's face, the marks where the gravel had dug into his skin.
"Concussion?" he asked tiredly.
"From hitting your head."
"Oh." He offered his a shaky smile.
"Now stand up." He slowly helped him to his feet, holding him upright when he swayed slightly.
Alistair squeezed his eyes shut, trying to get the room to stop spinning.
"It's okay, I won't let you fall," Carlisle assured him.
The next hour was spent removing the glass from the window out of poor Alistair. He remained silent the entire time but I could see it was hurting him. I held the bowl, trying not to squirm as Carlisle dug the pieces out of him.
"Are you okay?" my husband asked softly, turning to me after he sent Alistair to bed. He ran his hand down the side of my face before gently touching where Liam had grabbed me.
I caught his hand, winding my fingers though his. "I'm perfectly fine, Carlisle," I smiled. "He barely had time to touch me before you stopped him."
"But he didn't…um…" he let out a breath I didn't know he was holding, glancing at the floor before back at me. "Charles…he didn't make you remember…"
I shook my head, wrapping my arms around his waist. "He hardly did anything at all."
He hugged me unexpectedly, closing the space between us. "…You're not scared?"
"Carlisle," I pulled back, holding his face in my hands and kissing him lightly. "I'm okay. Stop worrying."
He nodded, leaning to kiss me again.
"And if you have to worry about something, worry about Alistair."
"Alistair is fine."
"Well worry about yourself then, okay?" I teased, knowing he still wouldn't believe me no matter how many times I told him I was alright. I wasn't quite sure what he thought happened, but it was obvious a lot more than what actually did.
He nodded anyway, starting to smile a little bit.
My happiness faded when I glanced down and realised that he was still covered in bruises from before, marks of a different battle. "You've been in the wars a bit lately, haven't you…" I ran my thumb over them but he squirmed, pulling away. I held his hand instead, not ready to let him go yet.
"What do you mean?"
"Ever since you got sick the first time you're always getting hurt or sick." Even now he wasn't entirely normal. I guess once everything died down again he would return to how he was before but I prayed otherwise. "Maybe I need to wrap you in bubble wrap," I giggled, all the while thinking if I could I probably would; at least then I would know he was safe.
"Well, pretty much nothing can happen that hasn't already happened, so I think we'll be okay, Esme."
"Always the optimist," I chuckled, teasing him again but desperately wanting it to be true.
"I'm serious. Everything will be fine." He kissed me again.
I just wished he was right.
