At the End of the Tunnel

by gempire

This is a sequel to 'Uncertainty' and 'In Darkness', so the summary's inside to avoid spoilers. You could choose to read this first, there's no problem with that, but it's always better to get the story from the beginning

21. Chapter 20

Disclaimer: Twilight is the property of Stephenie Meyer

This chapter is dedicated to Noble, Fadewind and bibika94

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The weeks leading up to the cheerleading finals seemed to fly by and we all seemed to fall into a routine. I mean, after I confessed all my dark deeds to my children. Both of them were a little reluctant to accept what I said at first, but in the end they accepted it because it was the truth. They went off to think it over for a while before they decided that given the circumstances I could have been a lot worse and as long as I promised to never be that way again they could forgive me. Since I didn't intend on giving into the cold and becoming Esther-Marie again it was an easy enough to promise.

In their various pairs the Cullens and the Hannigans left over the weeks and vowed to return during the summer when the twins wouldn't be busy with school. Esme and Carlisle remained of course, but they were the twins' legal guardians. I didn't want everyone to leave anyway, actually it would have been nice if some of the others could stay, but they all had things to be getting back to.

Grace's parents got back two weeks after Mrs Fabregas death and they came over for dinner. I didn't get the Pearsons one bit, how could they just go off like that for months at a time and leave their kids with someone else just to have some fun? If they wanted a jet-setting lifestyle they shouldn't have had kids. And I really didn't like how they acted all parental in front of us when they knew we more or less knew this wasn't the case. Did they have to insult our intelligence on top of everything else?

So anyway, after that Grace went home. Tony accompanied her to the funeral but I think the Pearsons only allowed it to make up the numbers, I had a feeling they didn't like to think of Tony being anything to Grace. They had plans for their blue-eyed blonde, if they could just get her to dress up a little more and not revel in her geekdom. I wondered if they realised how wealthy Tony was they'd overlook any other problem they had with him to allow their daughter to be happy?

Jane was still here of course, although that wasn't surprising since she didn't really have anywhere to go and was still in my employ although she'd stopped following me around so that was something. In fact she spent most of her time in her room with a laptop as she collected evidence to back her theory that she hadn't thought to enlighten us with yet. Other times she spent out back talking to Fred, which really surprised me considering his justifiable animosity toward her. They seemed to have reached an agreement about something, but I wasn't sure, I just hoped it didn't involve me or mine.

Other than that one little annoyance life at Tregarran Hall seemed to be chugging along nicely. And even though there was the minor fly of Geraldine in the ointment, I was excited about the road trip. I'd never been to LA before and now I was driving down with my daughter. The only downside was having to leave Tobias and Tony behind, but then again we could do a load of these little road trips during the summer.

Liza and I were ready to set off at six. We'd head to the school where everyone was meeting up to drive down in convoy; that was another downside since I just knew the humans would keep to the speed limit. I was expecting to be transporting six girls, but it turned out that two of them were boys. Not that it mattered much; I'd just never met male cheerleaders before.

We encountered a problem when we entered the garage; Jane was sitting in the Escalade.

"What do you think you're doing?" I asked.

"Coming with you." She replied. "I haven't been to LA for decades."

"You can't come." I said firmly. "There's just enough room in the Escalade and besides it's gonna be sunny in LA all week, Alice said. That's why Esme couldn't go."

"I'll stay in the hotel room during the day and only come out at night." She said earnestly.

"Won't it seem strange that you travelled all that way just to hide away in the hotel? Besides, who do we say you are? And you look like a school kid, but you can't go to school. How do we explain that one?" I demanded.

"But I…" Jane began to protest, but then she relented. "You're right, I didn't think this through." She murmured as she slid out of the Escalade. "I'll see you when you come back. I hope you have fun."

"Yeah." I said, frowning slightly as I wondered if she'd given in too easily, but I pushed it from my mind since I really couldn't see what LA had to offer Jane.

Then I more or less forgot about her as the others came down to greet us. I gave Tobias a hug and a kiss while the twins said their goodbye. It was a bit of a wrench for them to part, I'd never really thought of that before. For a long time they'd been the only constant in each others lives so when they did have to part for whatever reason it affected them.

Liza and I got in the Escalade and waved goodbye to the others. Liza managed to keep her smile up as far as the end of the drive when she became a little subdued.

"This is the only bit I hate about going away for the competition." She stated softly.

"Having to separate from Tony?" I asked.

"Yes." Liza replied. "It feels as if I leave a part of me behind. One would think it would become easier over time, but that is not the case."

"Well twins always have a strong bond, even human ones reckon they're telepathic. I know Susie and Sammie have a silent way of communicating that had nothing to do with mind speak, whereas you and Tony really do have a telepathic bond, one you were both aware of even before you were born. You said yourself you're used to always feeling his mind. I guess it would feel like leaving a bit of yourself behind when you don't feel it."

"Yes." Liza agreed sadly. "Do you feel a wrench when you must leave Father?"

"Every time." I admitted. "It's the thought of him not being close enough for me to get to him if he's in trouble. I've also got Tony factoring into that as well now. But I can over look it because it's an important reason that we're being separated for a few days. And we'll only be in LA, we could run back from there if worse came to the worse. And it's not like when Tobias used to be sent away on Volturi errands and I wouldn't see or hear from him for the whole time, I can phone him and actually talk to him."

"You find the positive side." Liza surmised.

"Always the best place to look." I observed.

"Yes." Liza agreed, then she pulled up a smile because we were turning into the school parking lot.

We were the first to arrive after Coach Tulsa and I pulled up beside her Ford Ka. She was parked up by the stand of trees in the student lot today rather than up near the school like she usually did.

"Hey Essie, glad you could make it." She called as I got out of the Escalade.

"Well Liza needs me." I said with a shrug.

"Yeah. You're keen too, you're the first one here." She stated.

"It would not do for me to arrive late since I am captain, Coach Tulsa." Liza said smoothly as she came to stand next to me.

"And that's what I like about you Summers. You got dedication most kids your age lack. Either of your ages." She said and winked.

I chuckled a little nervously.

"If you got any more jokes along those lines do you maybe want to get them out of your system now?" I asked.

"Don't worry. I won't make any more statements like that. It was only cause there's no one else here. I don't want them to think I'm crazy." She chuckled. "I'm just happy you got here before Mrs Geraldine Ingles. That woman just rubs me up the wrong way. This should have been a simple bus journey like every other year, but no, she had kick up a stink with the board of governors about the Muses' 'moral well being' and now I'm stuck with baby sitting the 'Muse Moms' and having to make sure the whole convoy makes it safely to LA rather than putting my mind to the important things like any last minuet alterations I might have to make."

"Yeah. I know one thing, she's going the wrong way about supervising the kids, she's just making them more inclined to rebel. At least I know I would have gone out of my way to see what all the fuss about 'duvet diving' was if I'd had everyone telling me it was a terribly naughty thing to do." I stated.

"And I did it all the time and I turned out ok." Coach Tulsa said with a shrug.

Just then a little red mini van pulled into the space on the other side of Coach Tulsa's Ka. Geraldine climbed out and walked up to Coach Tulsa brandishing a clipboard with ineffectual efficiency. I thought I should get Tobias to give her some pointers on the best way to organise, but she'd just dismiss his advice because he's a man.

"Good morning Coach Tulsa." She said in a brusque manner, although she thought she was being efficient but affable. "So glad you're here already. Maybe we could go over a few things before any of the others arrive."

"Mrs Ingles…" Tulsa began.

"Please call me Geraldine." Geraldine said, cutting her off rudely.

"Mrs Ingles." Coach Tulsa said curtly. "I'm sure whatever you've got to say we've already been over ten times already. Now you got your way. You got your free trip to LA, stop pretending this is some kind of moral crusade because I really couldn't give a damn. All I care about is my Muses winning, and having you there stressing them out is really gonna hinder their chances. So why don't you take your little clipboard and go organise somewhere that's away from me."

"Excuse me!" Geraldine demanded.

"Yeah. You're excused." Coach Tulsa said firmly.

Geraldine stood there gaping, but seemed to rally and turned to me.

"Have you got everything you need Essie?" She asked.

"Yeah." I said.

"Have you got enough food, how about enough to drink? This journey will be very long and you need some liquid in you." She said with an encouraging smile.

I regarded her for a moment as I wondered if she'd thought about what she'd just said. Surely a Mary Whitehouse wannabe like her would be wary of such an obviously insidious innuendo? I also got from her mind that what she'd packed was mostly coke.

"Well I got enough food to last the two days, and I got enough water. The human body doesn't need as much as you might think and I'd rather ration it out a little." I replied.

"But we'll be driving in the heat." Geraldine said as if I was too thick to grasp the concept.

"Once we get south." I pointed out. "Besides I don't want to make too many toilet breaks if I can help, which you will be doing if you drink all that coke. You do know caffeine is a diuretic right? That means it makes you want to wee and it also draws water from your blood. So even though it might make you feel more refreshed when you first drink it, you'll soon be thirsty again. And wanting the bathroom."

"But you need to stay hydrated." Geraldine said, keeping with her planned arguments although they no longer applied.

"And we will keep hydrated. Look Geraldine, I really don't want to argue with you, but I do know a thing or too about surviving heat. I lived in Tuscany for twelve years and in the height of summer it can get pretty intense there. I know how to stay healthy in that heat and I hope you can trust me on that." I said in a steady voice.

"I…" Geraldine trailed off as another car pulled into the lot.

She didn't bother finishing that sentence; she just went off to pester the newcomer instead.

"Well at least you're on my side." Coach Tulsa said in a low voice.

"Quite a few of the Moms are. You'd be surprised how many of them are going along with it cause they've got no other choice in the wake of Geraldine's bulldozer." I confided.

"She's an idiot. If she'd kept her mouth shut I could have wrangled two buses out of the board, but now we have to go in convoy and I just know someone will break down or get lost and I'll be liable and get sued for money I don't have when this wasn't even my idea in the first place." Tulsa said with a sigh.

I looked at her for a moment and I realised just how stressed this whole thing was making her. As mad as it was to think it, but I really didn't want her to suffer. Especially since we needed her sane to lead our kids to victory.

"I'll bring up the rear." I promised her. "That way I can keep an eye out for stragglers. I got the route well memorised so even if we end up falling behind I'll get them there."

"I should do it." Tulsa insisted.

"Look Ol…Elle, you need to concentrate on your game and you can't do that if you're worrying about people who couldn't navigate their way out of a paper bag. I'll cruise along at the back and they won't get lost. I promise." I sighed and looked over to where Geraldine was harassing Deryn and Becky. "If I'd sorted this out I would have at least kitted us all out with a CB so we could stay in touch."

"It would have made sense." Tulsa agreed. "But I guess it's too late to sort that out now."

"Yeah, but I've still got…" I could keep tabs on them all. I won't read their minds I promise, I'll just be keeping a note of where their minds are in relation to me.

Tulsa looked at me a moment, wondering how to answer.

Just think it toward me and I'll hear. I informed her.

I think it could work. Just don't let anyone know you're doing it. She said, giving me a warning look as if she was talking aloud.

As if I would. I countered.

You're safety depends on it. She observed as if she'd only just figured out the reason I didn't let on that I was a telepath.

I decided not to comment on it and there was a little awkward silence. We looked up to find that the kids were now milling around in the car park while Geraldine was keeping the moms busy.

"Right Muses, fall in." Coach Tulsa called and the kids immediately stood before her in obedient silence as they waited for her orders. "Summers, is everyone present?"

"Yes Coach Tulsa!" Liza replied.

"Good. Now I know things are a little different this year, we're heading down in separate vehicles, but I still expect you to show the same amount of discipline before and during performances. There'll be no slacking off just cause your parents are here. You're still answerable to me. Is that clear?"

"Yes Coach Tulsa." The Muses chorused.

"Good. Now fall out." The Muses began to break up. "Mourinho, Thornton, Waverly, Morris, Bernstein, gather your things and take it to the Escalade." She ordered, pointing to the car.

I opened the little trunk space, but before I could tell the kids to dump their stuff I got surrounded by the parents who couldn't make it. After a brief conversation where they got the measure of me and decided I was ok, I turned to the kids and told them to load everything.

As they were doing so I caught a shimmer out of the corner of my eye and when I tried to look at the trees beyond the signpost my eyes wouldn't focus. I went to the side of the Escalade and squatted as if I was checking the tyres.

Fred? What are you doing here? I asked.

I came to see you and Liza off. I didn't get chance at the house. I figured no one can see me, but I knew you'd know I was here. He explained.

Oh. Right. Well thanks. I'll let Liza know you said bye. I replied.

Ok. Have a nice trip. He said pleasantly.

I will. I assured him before straightening up and going around to the back of the Escalade to find it jam-packed with suitcases.

They each had a garment bag too and I placed them carefully on the one free seat, which happened to be the front passenger seat. I didn't mind that Liza wanted to ride in the back with her friends; it meant I could concentrate more on driving and keeping my mind on the other Muse Moms. To that end I made sure I went around the parking lot shaking hands so I could get a lock on all their minds. I kept those tendrils on them while I made sure I had enough of my own mind available to drive.

I got into the Escalade and waited for everyone to pull out. Surprise, surprise Geraldine was leading. Once the last car was in line I pulled up behind it and we were off.

I got to say that first day didn't go too bad. We rode for thirteen and a half hours, but an hour and half of that was given over to stops. The stops were agreed for every three hours or so along the route. Our first break was a fifteen-minuet bathroom break. I made everyone try and see if they needed to go because I didn't want to make any impromptu stops. Geraldine took a role call before we set off again and with that I conceded she wasn't such a lost cause after all.

I reinforced my links to the other moms, made sure all the kids were back on board, and brought up the rear again. If things continued this way I was sure the journey would go smoothly since other than if we had to go through a junction our convoy remained more or less uninterrupted, even when we pulled into this little town for lunch three hours after the first stop. Geraldine had used her contacts in the industry to book a load of tables at the Goat's Head Tavern and we got to eat a good meal and the Muses got to chat with one and other. I spent the hour talking to Deryn and Desiree and we compared how the trip was going so far.

Then it was back on the road and we had one more fifteen-minuet bathroom break before we finished the final leg for the day and we reached our motel a little after seven that evening. Well I was expecting some dingy little thing on the side of the interstate, but one of the other mothers worked for a big chain and managed to get the company to foot half the bill for a two-page ad in the yearbook and the Olympic High Sport Annual.

It was a lot better than I expected from all the movies I'd seen. So it wasn't the Ritz or the Hilton or anything fancy like that, but the beds were clean, the water hot, the TV was free for standard channels and there was food. We got a meal that night and then a big breakfast before setting off the next morning, so that was just grand in my opinion.

We set off a little later the next day, nine o'clock after breakfast was finished, and it was another uneventful journey. We had a fifteen-minuet bathroom break four hours in. It was more or less six and a half hours from the motel to the hotel in LA, but since we couldn't be sure of the traffic once we hit the city it was better to have the bathroom break a little later.

The traffic in LA wasn't that bad and we arrived at our hotel around half past five. There was a lot of processing involved, but a lot of other groups had a big parental presence so I didn't feel like we were overstepping our bounds or anything. Finally we got the keys sorted out and Liza and I would be sharing our room with Maya and Drue. The arrangement seemed to be that there was at least one parent in every room.

We had enough time to unpack before we went to dinner, then it was agreed that we'd all have early nights because Tulsa wanted the Muses early in the morning so they could start going over their routines.

There wasn't much for me to do the next morning because the Muses were practicing and they didn't have any competitions until Wednesday. Geraldine decided that we should all go on an open bus tour of LA the travel company that owned the hotel was laying on daily and we had no choice but be whisked along with her that afternoon. It seemed she had a whole itinerary planned for the times the Muses weren't busy and I just couldn't handle it so I vowed I'd get Liza and me out of it somehow. We'd had our own plans for our spare time, including visiting Simon at college so Liza could get the chance to see him before the final on Friday.

The Muses were doing great, they won every round and they were tipped the favourites, which made everyone excited, but despite this the Muses proved they were disciplined by turning in early every night. Which is more than can be said for the moms who spent every night down in the hotel bar. I joined them on the Monday night, but there's something kinda depressing when everyone around you is drinking and you're not. Despite the fact that I could have let go and joined in their merriment I didn't want to risk it, so after that I went to sleep not long after the girls.

After they finished with their competition on Thursday I decided that Liza and I should sneak off to visit Simon. He hadn't managed to get time away from college, but he had promised to make the final for sure, he even had his ticket ready. Liza had wanted to meet with Simon and so I was determined that we'd go meet him at the university.

To my surprise Liza had already looked into public transport and had looked up the best routes for us to take, and since I didn't know my way around LA to risk driving we set off and an hour later we were jumping off a bus at the curb outside the campus.

I felt excited as I looked around me. I'd never been on a university campus before so this was something as new to me as it was to Liza. The dorms were located toward the back of campus. Simon's room was in a group of three identical buildings and on the third floor. After asking a few people we soon located his room and Liza was nervously excited as she knocked on the door.

It was answered by a girl who had was taking the laid back college look to heart with her multi dyed hair that was plaited here and there. She wore a tight t-shirt that showed she wasn't wearing a bra, not that I could make much comment on that, and skinny jeans with a pair of brown sandals. She wore a plaid shirt open over the top of it all and accessorised with a lot of beads and pendants.

"Is Simon here please?" Liza asked.

"I recognise that voice." The girl said with a smile. "It's nice to finally put a face to it Liza."

"Likewise Racks." Liza said as she shook the girl's hand. "And may I introduce Essie."

"Hey." Racks said as she shook my hand. "Simon is in the bathroom at the moment but you can wait inside. I'll go out and pretend to get coffee to give y'all some space."

"How very tactful of you." Liza said with a giggle.

"You bet'cha." Racks said, as she let us into the little room.

She picked up a bag and slung it over her body and put a pair of shades ready on her head.

"Catch you later." She said with a very lazy salute.

"Hopefully." Liza said with a smile.

"Yeah." I agreed.

Racks grinned then left.

I felt little awkward left alone in the room like this since I didn't know either Simon or Racks and I didn't know if I was allowed to sit, or should I stay standing? Would Simon find me intimidating if I was standing or presumptuous if I was sitting?

I told Liza my concerns since she was better at this etiquette stuff than me, not to mention Simon was her best friend.

"I think it would have been more apt to have asked Racks to send him to us in the common room." Liza conceded. "But since we are now ensconced in his room I do not see the harm in sitting on the chairs. At least we will not crowd the room when he enters if we do so."

I agreed and I sat on one desk chair while Liza sat on the other. We sat in silence, mainly because Liza was too tense to keep up a conversation. She was really looking forward to meeting up with Simon again even though she'd spoke to him just before we left home. But then talking over the phone and seeing someone face to face were two different things.

She perked up when footsteps sounded in the hallway and I guessed that it was Simon. This was confirmed when the person reached the door and stepped inside. Liza jumped to her feet and flung her arms around him.

"Elizabeth?" He said in surprise.

"Dear Boy it's so good to see you again." She said as they hugged.

"Yeah. I missed you too Baby Doll." He replied.

Liza pulled away from him and looked up into his face a foot above her own.

"Simon, I would like you to meet someone." She announced.

"Yeah." He said, his eyes gliding to me.

"Yes. This is my mother, Essie." Liza said proudly.

I was stumped for a moment because I wasn't expecting her to introduce me like that.

"Hi." I managed to say, and rose to my feet. "It's nice to finally meet you Simon."

Simon shook my hand and I got a very sharp flash of his curiosity about me. He had mixed feelings about me, he was happy Liza had her parents back, but annoyed that we'd stayed out of her life so long. He had been prepared to hate me if Liza had wanted him too, but he knew Liza was as happy about me being here as she was to reunite with him. For that reason he decided that whatever reason I'd been absent all the years, Liza had accepted me and that was good enough for him.

The boy had a loud mind and I doubled my shield because I didn't want to catch stray thoughts and answer them inadvertently.

"It's good to meet you too, and that Liza finally got you back." He said with a smile.

"Well it's good to be able to get back." I replied.

"Yeah. I didn't quite get what Liza meant, that you were held hostage or something?" He asked with a frown.

"Being held hostage would imply the people intended to release me for a price." I said before I could stop myself.

"What, you were held prisoner? A slave?" Simon exclaimed, looking incredulous.

"Let's just say that officially I'm Liza's aunt and I've been working over seas for the last twelve years. Don't dig." I said the latter firmly, just short of using the alpha voice.

"Ok. I won't." Simon promised, giving me a wary look, then he frowned as he looked into my eyes. "What have you been through?" He asked in shock.

"Simon, it is best not to pry." Liza said taking his hand and drawing his attention back to her. "If the need ever arises, and I hope to god that day never comes, then I will explain all to you, but for the sake of your own safety and those you love it is best not to dwell on where my parents have been these past seventeen years and instead rejoice in the fact that they are returned to me. Could you join me in such celebration without wondering the reason why?"

Simon gave me one last curious look before he turned his attention back to Liza.

"For you Baby Doll? Of course I can." He said with smile.

"Thank you Simon." Liza said solemnly.

I felt relieved that minefield had been navigated, Simon wasn't anything more than a friend to Liza, a best friend yes, but there was no loophole to exploit in telling him the whole truth. I doubt he would believe it anyway, and if he did would he feel freaked out by Liza?

"Now Dear Boy," Liza announced, her face lighting up as she led him to perch on the edge of his bed, "tell me everything that has transpired over the last few days."

"Well there's not much to tell. I've handed all my papers in and I'm just waiting for feedback to find out if I've done enough to come back next year. Now we're just trying to relax while worrying big time that we didn't do well enough."

"I am sure you have done well." Liza stated emphatically.

"I sure hope so Baby Doll." He said with a sigh. "So how about you? How was the journey down?"

"Good. It was most similar to the bus for there were several of us. I feel sympathy for Tia for having to endure her mother the whole way. Jules was travelling with them since his parents were unable to book the time off, and he said that for the entire journey she either lectured them on the evils of alcohol, the folly of sexual relations when not in a committed relationship and for a bit of healthy honest fun they had to sing a few rounds of one hundred bottles of root beer on the wall, with emphasis on the root."

I snorted and shook my head.

"It is very amusing I agree." Liza said with a grin.

"It sure is." I said with a chuckle. "And personally, having to sit through a hundred rounds of that would drive anyone to drink, even me, and I don't touch the stuff. And really, she's taking the moral highroad and then singing a song about sharing bottles of beer around the group. No matter if you add in the root, it's still got beer in it."

"You got something against her?" Simon asked.

"She just has a weird moral code. I'm all for giving kids boundaries, but as a kid I regularly disregarded the ones I thought were unfair or pathetic. And also as a kid I was generally good at knowing those adults who only thought they had authority, and boy did I run rings around them. On top of that she has double standards, getting all on your cases for a few crafty sips of beer when she runs a bar. Not that I agree with drinking as such, but kids are gonna do it, especially when it's seen as something forbidden."

"So you were a rebel kid?"

"The biggest rebel there was." I said with a grin, "And contrary to boot. But this ain't about me. Just pretend I'm not here."

Simon really didn't know how to take me now and that was ok I guess. I was just here as a chaperone.

"Have you had lunch?" He asked Liza.

"No." She replied, we'd come straight from the morning's competition and hadn't stopped on the way.

"Then let's go grab something to eat."

"That would be most enjoyable." Liza said, rising to her feet.

I followed them out and I got to admit I was feeling hungry. Simon led us down a little path between two buildings and out onto a street of shops. He led us to a little café and it was clear he came here often because the proprietor greeted him by name. He even realised that Liza was Simon's 'princess' and I really didn't know how to feel about the fact that everyone seemed to know about her.

I was greeted with a lot of enthusiasm too, Pepe, the little round owner, obviously loved people and he ushered me to a single table when I decided to give Liza and Simon some space. I ordered a sandwich and a cup of hot chocolate and snagged a book from the borrow-or-swap shelf. I sat reading for an hour as I ate the sandwich, a bag of chips and drank two hot chocolates. I got through quite a lot of the book too.

Finally Liza and Simon finished their food and he decided to take us on a tour to show us his favourite haunts. It was fun, but lasted hours. In fact I had to drag Liza away in case we missed the last bus and it was dusk by the time we reached the stop nearest the hotel complex.

The city looked different in the dark between the buildings and we took a wrong turning somewhere because suddenly we were in a network of alleys and I had no idea how we were gonna get out. We turned around to head back the way we'd come, but it didn't help, I felt like Sarah in the Labyrinth.

Suddenly the hairs on my arms stood on end and if I'd been Miss Wolf my hackles would raise. I grabbed Liza's hand and tried to consider our best option, up over the roof might offer us a better escape route, at least we'd know which direction to go in. I began loosening my clothes in case I needed to phase, I could feel vamps somewhere around here and I was sure we were heading toward them blind.

I think we should head back to the main street and find another way to the hotel. I said to Liza.

I thought that was the intention. Liza said in puzzlement.

Yeah, but this whole place looks the same in the dark and the city smells are really screwing up my nose. I knew we shouldn't have stayed so long. I moaned.

Sorry Mother. Liza said sadly.

I'm not blaming you. I stated. You should spend time with Simon when you can. I should have made sure to memorise the route back to the hotel.

My mind voice trailed off as we rounded a corner to witness a scene of devastation. I'd never really witnessed a vamp feast before, at least not in real life and now I felt my stomach roll to see all those twisted bits of body and miscellaneous organs strewed in a bloody mess on the floor. I put my hand over Liza's eyes, but she'd already seen it and I hoped she could forget it. I didn't think I ever would.

I tried to back out of the scene before we got noticed, but as I began to move I sensed something behind me and I knew one of the vampires had penned us in.

"You know I'm not human." I said aloud.

"Yeah. I figured that." The vampire said and he poked my back, urging me to step forward.

I moved my hand to clasp Liza's and I tried to be strong for her even though all I wanted to do was run and hide. I had scoped out the minds around me, there were five, and four of them were newborns. I could probably get the upper hand in technique, but they'd out muscle me and with their being four of them easily overcome me. Especially since I had Liza to protect.

The lead vamp, a man who must have been around forty when he was turned, herded Liza and me against a wall. That was good, at least our back was covered and I tucked Liza behind me and let her hand go so I was free to fight if needs be.

"Which is why you're still alive. For now." He said. "My kids need a little lesson here."

He gave a sharp whistle with his teeth pressed to his lower lip and the four newborns fell in around him. I felt those red eyes focus on me, and there's nothing creepier than being caught in the attention of four hungry newborns. How much of the wolf would register about me to prevent them from going after my human blood? What about Liza, would the vamp in her register?

"Now what we have here my dears," the vampire said as he scratched the scalp of the small Hispanic boy who crouched on his left, "is a werewolf. This is a real treat for you, because they are rare these days. Especially in the New World. But in, oh…" He checked his watch. "About ten minuets when the moon rises this Indian beauty will be on all fours and howling at the moon."

"You wanna put money on that?" I asked with a laugh.

"Hush dog." The vampire said in an almost calm voice. "Don't make me kill you before the big change."

"You've never met a Child of the Moon before have you?" I asked, and I looked into his mind and grinned. "You smelt one once, back in Hungary. The one who made you told you to remember the scent and if you ever come across it run the other way."

The vampire gave me a level look before he shrugged. "He also said that if I had enough vampires with me I should destroy the creature and the Volturi would reward me handsomely. I hear they're not keen on the Children of the Moon. I wonder how much they'll pay me for a fine specimen such as you."

"And there you are wrong for Mother is not a Child of the Moon!" Liza raged, charging from behind me before I could stop her and she landed a punch on the vampire, but he grabbed her fists and laughed in her face.

"Now what are you?" He asked.

"Get your hands off my daughter." I growled, letting Miss Vampire take over before I surged forward.

There was a struggle, I managed to get Liza away, but we were backed to the wall yet again and now the newborns were full of battle lust. I'd have to fight and I was sure I wouldn't win. I was too low on juice to try and get a good lock on their minds thanks to my stand-in as a CB on the way down and then not having fed in nearly a week. I didn't want to risk a power drain by over exerting my mental power if it would leave me vulnerable to a physical attack.

"Well now." The leader said, trying to straighten out his suit jacket, although it got torn in the scuffle. "I thought werewolves went all hairy in the moonlight. I didn't think they turned into vampires."

I glared at him, trying to press my will on him but my power was a little on the frits and I couldn't quite dominate him.

"So you smell like a wolf, but you turn into a vampire, which is what you smell like now. And this little girl, who I think might be one of these half bloods I've heard about, called you Mother. I'm going to have so much fun figuring this one out." He said gleefully. "You are…"

"Volturi." A cold voice cut him off.

He turned to the alley's entrance and I looked too and felt the shock hit me when Jane stepped into the light decked out in her Volturi robes.

"Olaf Sigurdsson I arrest you on suspicion of conspiring to create a newborn army and for not protecting the secret to the best of your ability. After reviewing the situation of the aforementioned crimes I find you guilty of all charges. Now by the power granted to me by the Volturi elders I here by sentence you to death." Jane said in a flat voice, her eyes locked on Olaf and she didn't blink once.

Olaf chuckled as he turned to face Jane, leaving the newborns guarding Liza and me. I eyed them warily waiting for them to attack while I looked for my own opening.

"Who are you little girl to challenge me?" He demanded and from his swagger I guessed his sire should have told him a little more about the Volturi other than the fact they liked you to kill werewolves.

"Jane." Jane said simply and she flicked her gaze to the blonde who was about to break rank.

The girl fell to the floor, screaming and writhing in agony.

"You are going to die." Jane said smoothly and without emotion, and I took that as my cue to spring into action.

I jumped at the newborn nearest me and I grabbed his arm, swinging him into Olaf before I spun and grabbed the Hispanic boy in a headlock and a quick tug decapitated him. I lobbed the head at the fourth newborn who was going to flank Liza and followed the trajectory to decapitate him too as Liza took advantage of the blonde's distraction to incapacitate her further before going in for the kill. I felt pleased in that moment that Liza could take care of herself as I went in to take out the newborn I'd flung Olaf's way. Liza and I tag teamed him while Jane used her power to keep Olaf down. I noticed she hadn't done anything physical herself. It was up to me to put Olaf out of his misery.

Finally the fight was over and now vampire rubble mixed in with the bits of human. Liza and I were in panic mode, but Jane was in her element.

"That was fun." She said with an angelic smile.

"Yeah. And what the hell?" I demanded, waving my arms about to indicate the state of the alley and the fact that she was here all in one gesture.

"This is part of my project." She said, poking her toe at a dismembered ear. "I took on board what your uncle said about the Volturi being absent for a long while and I decided this state of affairs could not be allowed to continue. I had noted the flutter of reports from LA and realised what was growing on here."

"Actually, it might be better if you explain this back at the hotel. We should probably clean this mess up right now." I said, looking around at the apocalyptic scene.

"Most definitely." Liza agreed.

At least Jane mucked in with the clean up and after we'd finished you couldn't tell anything had gone down there. We hadn't left it too clean either as to be suspicious. Thanks to all our efforts Liza and I were now grubby and there was blood on our clothes, we had to sneak into the hotel via the employee entrance. Thankfully Drue and Maya hadn't come up from dinner so we had a chance to change and stuff the ruined clothing into my holdall.

We'd just finished changing when Maya entered the room.

"Well Liza, I hope I can trust you to go to sleep on time tonight, you have a big day tomorrow." I said in a stern but friendly voice.

"Yes Aunt Essie." Liza said.

"That goes for you too Maya." I said, shooting her a grin.

"I always sleep before a big competition." Maya said smoothly.

"But not afterwards?" I asked.

"Well we had to celebrate." She said with a shrug. "Not that we'll get much chance this year."

"I wouldn't worry too much about Geraldine." I said. "If she goes by the pattern of every other night this week she'll be three sheets to the wind by nine."

"There was no point in them insisting upon chaperoning us." Liza said sourly.

"Yeah. Well they did and we're here. Like I said, I'm heading down to the bar tonight, make sure you get your sleep."

I left and past Drue in the hallway and told her to turn in early too. I waited until she'd gone past me. Finally I could let go of some of the calm I'd managed to pull about me and let the panic set in. It had been so close tonight, if Jane hadn't shown up…

And I had to train Liza to keep more of a check of her emotions during a standoff, she'd only been defending me, but she'd accidentally heightened the tension. And in a sense I was to blame, I'd taught her how to perform physically, but I hadn't thought to teach her how to behave in a battle. Well I didn't think we'd walk right in to one so soon and Liza usually carried herself with decorum, I never would have pegged her for a hothead. On top of that I was seriously pissed at Jane for not warning me that things were so bad here in Los Angeles that she thought she had to intervene like that. She could have told me, explained everything instead of just sneaking down here. If she'd told me Saturday morning that was the reason she was in the Escalade then I would have made up some excuse for her presence.

I had to adjust my mental gears, calm down again and build up my shield because I was about to enter the din of the bar. It had seemed the best place to send Jane and we could find a quiet corner to talk without being disturbed.

Or so I thought.

When I entered the bar Jane was front and centre and drawing attention. Not because she looked underage, I don't know how she'd managed it but how she'd styled her hair and applied her makeup made her appear to be a very youthful twenty something and the air of authority that surrounded her from her years as a Volturi was enough to put anyone off questioning her.

She had a cocktail in front of her and she waved to me when she noticed me. The guy who was entering at the same time waved back but turned it quickly into a nonchalant checking his slicked back hair was neat when he realised Jane was flagging me. I walked over to the table and sat reluctantly.

"Shouldn't we be in a booth or something?" I asked.

"On the contrary, it's much better to hold a clandestine conversation out here in the open. No one will hear what you have to say, we are just friends having a chat, not conspirators whispering in the shadows." Jane said lightly and her whole manner seemed to indicate that we were having a frivolous chat about nothing important.

I was annoyed that she'd take it so lightly until I realised that she was putting on an act to make it seem like our chat was just two friends in a bar. Underneath it all this was very serious to her. I also realised she had a point, why would someone try and listen in on our girly chat?

"I guess no one will know what we're saying." I conceded.

"Not one bit." Jane said looking amused. "Here, a drink to calm your nerves." She said, pushing the cocktail toward me.

"I don't think it's such a good idea." I said.

"Maybe not." Jane said with a shrug as she pulled the drink back to her and began to play with the straw. "So what is it you wish to know Mistress?"

"Jane, you know I don't like you calling me that at home, never mind out in public." I chastised.

"Sorry. Force of habit." Jane said, contriving to look guilty, but she wasn't.

"Why didn't you warn me there were bad vamps in LA?" I asked.

"Because I didn't think you would come across them." Jane said, and she was being honest about that. "I thought you were staying within the confines of these hotels and not embarking on an excursion to the darker side of town."

"I took Liza to see her friend Simon." I stated, wanting to make it clear that we weren't in they alley just for the fun of it.

"Right. I wish I'd informed you now, but I didn't think you'd believe me." She said sadly.

"Why would you think that?" I asked because I was sure I'd believe her over something as serious as this.

"You would have declared it nothing more than a projection of my want to burn people." She stated and I guess that would have crossed my mind.

"I would have maybe questioned you, but if you had enough from the news to deduce there was something going down here then I would have believed you." I stated.

Jane gave me a doubtful look.

"You should at least order a fruit juice or a mineral water." She said, clearly putting a roadblock on that line of conversation.

"Ok. I will. And when I come back I want a full explanation starting with how you got down here in the first place." I said firmly, not letting her derail the conversation like that.

"Yes Essie." Jane said a little subdued.

I was gonna order a water but I caught the drinks list and there were virgin cocktails which were mostly just mixed fruit juice so I ordered one of them. I carried it back to the table where Jane was revelling in the fact that a group of men were giving her appreciative glances while she pretended not to notice.

"How did you get down here?" I asked.

"I rode with you." She said with a shrug.

"What?" I exclaimed because I hadn't sensed her at all.

"Yes." Jane said with a small laugh. "I allowed you to find me in the car in case you detected my scent and then you would link it to that. I relied on the hope that having a car-full of teenagers you would close off your mind to save you a headache and so I would go undetected that way too."

"But what if I caught a hint of you on the way to the school?" I pointed out.

"I wasn't in the car then." She said in a matter of fact voice. "I hid myself under the back seat when you opened the trunk at the school."

"What if someone had seen you sneaking in…" I slapped myself on the head. "That's why Fred was there." I stated.

"Yes. He gave me a bit of camouflage." Jane replied with a smile.

"But I only left the trunk because the parents ganged up on me." I stated, finding another hole in her plan. She'd left a lot to chance.

"I would have found the right time to sneak inside, and if not I would have clung underneath and snuck inside at the first opportunity." She said with a minimal shrug and I realised I'd never really given much thought to the different ways a vampire could travel if they were really desperate.

"So you had it all planned out?" I asked, realising that as many holes there was in her plan she'd obviously thought of how to deal with them.

"Yes. I never intended for you and Liza to fall right into the middle of it."

Well obviously there were a few things she hadn't compensated for.

"I had hoped to clear out the coven alone and bring back photographic evidence to prove we have to do something." She stated.

"Do something?"

"Yes. We should become a militia, a…a citizens' guard. If the masters in Volterra don't see fit to protect the New World any more then we should protect it ourselves." She said a little over zealously since we got looks from people around us.

"I think you need to turn the volume down and I think this is something we need to discuss at home with everyone else." I said in low, urgent whisper. "And we don't even know if the Volturi are ignoring things that are going down here. Maybe this was just a one off."

"I knew you wouldn't believe me." Jane said petulantly.

"Look, it's not that I don't believe you, but it might have just been here in LA and the brothers haven't caught wind of it yet." I pointed out.

"Essie, if I managed to deduce it from news articles I could readily access don't you think Acanthus would have come across them by now?" She countered.

"I guess." I conceded. "How long do they usually monitor a situation for?" I asked because this wasn't something I'd paid much attention to in Volterra, Esther-Marie was only interested in what was happening on the brothers' home turf.

"It depends." Jane said. "But given all the clues in the deaths then this would have attracted our…their attention immediately and a contingent of the guard would have been deployed here to inspect things at close quarters and determine the guilt of those involved."

"Ok. I guess you would know that more than anyone." Since she had been the main enforcer and so it was part of her department.

"I am…was one of their key members." She said, stuttering slightly over the tense.

"Maybe that's the problem." I pointed out. "Aro's lost his best gal for the job."

"My power may be unique, but even I knew I wasn't indispensable." Jane said, giving me a wary look and I knew how much it killed her to have to admit that so she was obviously serious about her suggestion. "To Aro, everybody is expendable, some are more useful than others, but everyone can be replaced."

"I know." I said, tapping her hand. "But you were still his best gal for the job and now he's worried about sending Alec in case he decides to go AWOL since he'd be so close to you. That means he has to get other vamps ready, make sure they're competent in the field and can do what he needs them to do. It might just be a bit of teething problems."

"That is not the case." Jane said firmly. "Jasper was right in his accusation that the Volturi haven't been doing a good job in policing this area for a couple of years now. There are factions building, thinking America is a free for all. Soon the covens of the South will raise newborn armies again and it will be a complete mess and not so easy to cover up in these media happy times."

"You think it could get that bad?" I asked.

"Are you willing to bet that it won't?" She asked in a steady voice.

Well that stumped me.

"I don't know." I replied. "This isn't something I can just give an answer to without some serious thought first, and a lot of talking. This will affect all of us you know. You should have said you planned to take on this coven. What if you hadn't been successful and they followed your scent back to the hotel? They would have scented Liza and me out as something other."

"I knew they couldn't be more than ten at the most or the devastation would have been more." She stated.

"Wait a minuet? Ten?" I exclaimed. "But there was only five in the alley."

"Yes, they were what remained of the coven. I took care of their nest earlier in the evening." She said matter of fact.

"You took them all out?" I asked in awe.

"It was easy. They didn't guard their perimeter well, and the fact that I was Volturi gave them pause for thought." She said in amusement.

"But you're not Volturi anymore." I pointed out, hoping that I was right.

"I know, but I was confident they didn't know." She said with a bright smile.

"You were?"

"You said it yourself Essie, I'm Aro's best gal. He's hardly going to let it get around that I'm no longer with them. How weak their position is at this point in time." She said almost gleefully. "They're brought to their knees by the wolf girl, their most feared minion defects, while her twin proves disobedient and through jumping the gun brings this entire situation to fruition in the first place."

"What do you mean Alec was disobedient?" I asked.

"He wasn't supposed to bring the twins. At least not yet, not when you still had a fighting spark inside you. I was in Aro's Court long enough to know when he's taken by surprise, and not in the good way." Jane replied.

"He was surprised the twins were there?" I asked, unable to quite grasp the concept.

"Yes. He said, 'Alec, you have brought guests. What a surprise.' Without trying to wrap the words in chocolate."

"But… if he wasn't supposed to take the twins there why did he?"

Jane shrugged.

"Beats me." She observed, "I have long given up on trying to figure out what's going on in that mind of his. Maybe he really did love Liza."

I nearly spat my drink over her. Even though I'd read it in Alec's mind in Volterra, it was still shocking to hear it spoken out loud.

"The thought of that scares you." Jane said intrigued.

"Well yeah. Alec is one and a half thousand years old, he's got no business buzzing around Liza." I snapped.

"But Tobias is twice Alec's age but you like him buzzing around you." Jane said and I realised she was pushing me now, analysing my reaction.

"Yeah, but I'm not seven years of age, and I knew exactly who Tobias was when we got together. Liza didn't even know 'Sasha's' real name was Alec. She didn't even know he was a vampire for crying out loud! How did he manage to dupe her senses like that anyway? I thought his powers worked on all or nothing."

"It not widely known because it's an ace up Aro's sleeve, but when Alec really concentrates and is well fed he can manipulate just one or two of the senses. I thought you were well aware of that fact, I recall you informed the twins of it." Jane said, frowning as she stated the latter.

"I said I thought it might have been him screwing with their senses but I wasn't sure if he could actually manipulate individual senses like that, I was just theorising." I replied.

"It's a well kept secret." Jane said with a shrug.

I gave her a look, but it was clear that was all she was gonna say on the matter. I chose to change the subject.

"How did you get Fred to help you anyway?" I asked, because it was the one thing I really didn't get in all this.

"Oh, I can be quite persuasive when the mood takes me." She said with a grin.

"You burned him?" I exclaimed.

"You wound me Essie, always assuming the worst." Jane said sadly. "I would not have tried that tactic with Fred because he would have sooner died knowing me to be the monster he thought than to help me. I thought I should apply honey to entice him into helping me and it has worked well. He is, almost a friend."

"Just a friend?" I asked as I visited a scary visual place.

"Yes." Jane said, giving me an amused look that reminded me that she was a lot older than I was. "I don't mix business with pleasure. Unless it's called for." She added with a grin. "I merely gave him an incentive to help me make amends by ridding those who mindlessly create newborn armies."

"And he was ok with the thought of you killing newborns?"

"If they are irredeemable then yes." Jane said with a nod of her head.

"But you didn't really give those ones in the alley a chance to prove either way." I pointed out.

"They were about to kill you and Liza, there was hardly time to hold a Q&A. Besides, I believe it was you and Liza who did the killing. I merely burned one who was about to attack you and the bastard who instigated the whole thing." Jane said innocently.

I felt my mouth fall open as I stared at her in appalled amazement.

"You bitch!" I gasped. "That's why you were just standing there. I thought it was cause that's how things usually went down with you. You burned while the muscle did the tearing. You just didn't want to be implicated."

"I may be a bitch, but at least I'm on your side now." Jane said serenely unrepentant.

"Yeah." I said, not adding that I wasn't sure if that was good or bad.

"Anyway, how is my little niece doing in her competition?" Jane asked eagerly and I frowned, when had she started referring to Liza as her niece?

"They've won everything so far." I replied, wondering why the change of subject, but also relieved that she was willing to let go of whatever…that was she was trying to get at. "The final is tomorrow, and if they win that they'll be champions."

"If?" Tulsa demanded as she dropped into the spare chair at the table. "Don't you mean when?"

"Yeah. Sorry Elle, I forgot. When they win tomorrow they'll be champions." I said with a grin as I suddenly realised why Jane had changed the subject.

"That will be most satisfying. Perhaps I'll go and have a look for myself." She mused.

"Yeah. Well the doors open at nine and the final is at eleven." I told Jane pointedly to let her know there was no way she could get to the arena at that time of day because there wouldn't be any cover, even over the doors.

"I'll be there on time since my schedule has suddenly opened right up." She informed me and I figured she probably had a plan in mind.

"Well I hope you are on time because you shouldn't make promises you can't keep. You know Liza will be disappointed if you say you'll be there and then you don't turn up."

Suddenly I got a flicker of recognition in Olivia's mind.

Don't let her know you recognise her and for god's sake don't try and get her to remember you. I said urgently into Olivia's mind.

The curiosity was rushing through her brain.

I'll tell you when she's not here, but you have to act as if you've never met her before and you might just get away with being a faceless human.

"So Ess, who's your friend?" Tulsa asked without a flicker on her face that I'd spoken to her.

"I am Jane, another of Liza's many aunts." She said with a grin. "I don't often get to visit since I live in Sacramento and my schedule is rather full. But as fate would have it I had a business trip here in LA at the same time as Liza's competition and since things wrapped up sooner than expected I've got a few days to spare and what better way to spend them than to see my niece lead her team to glorious victory yet again."

"Well they say seven's the charm." Tulsa said, toasting with her mineral water. "I'm Coach Tulsa by the way."

"Their brilliant instructor." Jane observed. "Liza has told me much about you."

"All good I hope." Tulsa said with a smile.

"I would expect nothing less of one who has care of my favourite niece." Jane said sweetly.

"Ok." I said, cutting in. "You looking forward to tomorrow Elle?"

"Course I am. We're defending champions and it's always a sweeter victory because you have to prove yourself better than last year. Also knowing the others are all gunning for you." She chuckled. "Well would you look at the time?" She said suddenly and I saw that she was looking at Geraldine heading toward us. "Well I guess I'd better hit the hay. Early morning and a long day ahead tomorrow."

Without waiting for a reply she left, just as Geraldine reached the table.

"Oh, she's gone. I wanted to talk to her about the routine tomorrow. Today's routine was far too provocative." Geraldine said, and she was serious.

"Did they do a strip tease in the middle of it?" Jane asked.

"What?" Geraldine asked with a frown, "Of course not."

"Hmmm…. Were the moves suggestive in anyway?" Jane inquired as she regarded Geraldine with her head on one side.

"Not really." I chimed in because I didn't see what Geraldine's gripe was; I thought she just wanted to complain about something.

"Then how was it provocative?" Jane asked, giving Geraldine one of her best stares and Geraldine proved wise for once by shrinking away.

"Maybe I overreacted." She said with a nervous chuckle.

"Yes you did." Jane said flatly. "Well Ess, this has been fun, but I really should be getting some sleep if I'm to make the performance tomorrow."

"Yeah. I'm turning in too." I replied.

"I'll see you in the morning." Jane promised.

"Yeah."

We both said goodnight, and goodnight to Geraldine too.

I felt glad to be heading back up to bed and also happy Jane wasn't following me. Hopefully she was making sure that nothing was gonna come back to bite us on the ass after her little vigilante mission. Honestly, it would have been so much easier if she'd just told us what she planned. Or even a warning would have been nice so I could make doubly sure Liza and I got back before dark and I would have really studied the route back.

I laughed as I walked along the corridor to my room, put me in the middle of the forest where most people couldn't tell one tree from the other and I could navigate no problem. Stick me in the middle of a city and I was hopeless. I was clearly a rural person and maybe I should leave the urban places to other. More vampires sure hunted here.

I shivered, as I stepped into the room where the three girls were breathing steadily, they were asleep. I tried not to make too much noise as I changed into my pyjamas and washed for the night.

I climbed into bed and closed my eyes. Suddenly the evening came back to me in a sickening whirr and I couldn't help think that Jane had a lot to do with it. Why did she have to come along and muck things up? Why hadn't any one told me she was missing?

I was angry now. The anger felt good since it stopped me obsessing about the scene in the alley, the one Liza and me had walked in on. I felt my stomach roll again so I focused on my anger.

I knew I couldn't sleep and I wanted answers.

I grabbed my phone and headed back to the bathroom. I closed the door and turned on the light. I looked really afraid when I caught my reflection, but I managed to bring my anger back to the surface as I dialled Tobias because he should have let me known Jane wasn't there. We'd spoken every night and I would think that would be a big enough deal that he'd let me know.

The phone rang on the other end, one ring before Tobias answered.

"Why didn't you tell me Jane had gone AWOL?" I demanded.

"Excuse me?" Tobias asked and I could tell by the tone of his voice that this outburst had come from nowhere.

"Why didn't you tell me Jane has been missing since Saturday?" I clarified.

"But she hasn't been missing. Fred said she was busy in her room and was communicating through him." Tobias said.

"Didn't you think that was a little weird?" I asked.

"Perhaps, but who am I to know the mind of Jane?" Tobias demanded. "And why do you ask these questions?"

"Because Jane is here." I replied. "Fred helped her sneak into the Escalade at the school. She's been here all week taking out a coven that was creating a newborn army. And Liza and me nearly became vamp chow." I broke down on the last statement and I hadn't realised it had upset me so much.

"What?" Tobias gasped. "How?"

"We went to visit Simon at his dorm and when we were coming back we walked right into the killing zone. Oh god Tobias it was awful. All those poor people just mangled like that. I know I'm not gonna sleep tonight." I whispered as I sank to the floor with my back against the sink stand.

"You walked in on feeding newborns?" Tobias gasped and I knew that if he'd been here he would have pulled me into an embrace.

"Yeah." I replied, trying to hold back the sob.

"Oh dear. How did it pan out? Are you injured? What of Liza?" He said in a rush and I knew he would have given anything in that moment to be with me so he could see for himself.

"I'm not hurt, neither is Liza. I don't think she's thought about it enough to be freaked out just yet. I'm dreading when it hits her. It was just…just bad. All that blood and then getting cornered and I couldn't even alpha them cause I'm so low at the moment. God I wish I'd fed at some point so I knew for definite I could control them. But I couldn't risk it and black out and leave Liza unprotected. It was too close in there to phase, so that was out of the question, and besides there were five of them. Four of them were fricking newborns and I maybe could have taken them if I'd been on my own, but I couldn't when I had to protect Liza. The only thing I could have used was a distraction, which Jane provided. She knew they were here."

"And did not think to mention it?" Tobias snapped, angry with Jane.

"She said she didn't know that me and Liza would be heading out of the safety of the hotel. I think she hoped to get the job done then return to Olympic Pines with her evidence. I wish I'd known the coven here was so bad that I had to watch my back. I mean I guessed there would be a coven here and they'd be carnivore, but I didn't expect the beginnings of a newborn army." I said, my sentences all over the place as I spoke my fears aloud.

"A newborn army?" Tobias asked in concern.

"That's what Jane said was going down here. The LA coven was raising an army and weren't being exactly quiet about it either. Stuff had got into the press, but the Volturi didn't stop it. Jane decided to do it herself." I explained.

"Is this the project she's been working on?" Tobias asked as he put two and two together.

"Yep." And I explained everything Jane had told me earlier.

"This is very serious." Tobias said after I'd finished, "And Jane may be meddling."

"Or doing the right thing." I pointed. "Even if she is going the wrong way about it. We really need to discuss this as a family."

"Yes." Tobias agreed.

"Do you know my biggest fear? That Jane is right and the Volturi have pulled out of America and we're gonna end up having to do their job for them when all I want to do is get on with just living my life with my husband and kids and not have to worry any more about vampire politics and all the crap that goes with it. Does it make me a bad person to want a quiet life and not have to keep fighting or submitting for the sake of peace?"

"No Essie. I want the same thing too. I am tired of fighting in all aspects of our lives. If it were possible I would remove us all from this world to somewhere else entirely where we would never be bothered ever again."

"That would be wonderful." I said with a sigh. "But not even just me, you and the kids, but all of our family. Just all us veggies and no carnie in sight."

"It is a nice flight of fancy." Tobias mused.

"Yeah." I agreed sadly, knowing that would never happen, but couldn't we at least have a year without any crap happening to us?

I wanted to forget everything for a while, but I knew I wasn't gonna sleep tonight. Every time I closed my eyes I saw those mangled bodies and now they were morphing to resemble humans I know and love. At one point it was Billy, Charlie and Renee. Another time it was people in Olympic pines. The worst was when I saw Harry, Sammie and Susie and it brought a terrible flashback to a dream I'd had years ago when I was convinced I'd killed them. Then I started to think that maybe I'd killed those people, that if I'd been sooner I could have saved them.

I needed distracting and I didn't want to close my eyes.

"So where are you?" I asked.

"In our bedroom. I had stopped in to see if there was anything we required from the store tomorrow, because Tony and I are going to do the shopping for Esme, when you rang me."

"I wish I was back there now." I said. "Snuggled in your arms."

"I would like that too, your heat pressed against me as you drift to sleep and I hope you bring me into your dream." He said wistfully.

"I was thinking of it being more a prelude to something else." I joked, wanting to get away from the whole area of sleep and dreams.

"Really Miss Esther? And what would this snuggling prelude?" He teased.

"Oh I don't know, I might just twist my fingers in your hair." I said, lying back on the bathroom tiles as I wiggled my fingers above me and watched the light dance through them. "I love how soft it feels, and I get a little thrill because your hair is getting messy as you start to loosen up."

Tobias laughed and the sounds on the other end suggested that he was sitting on the bed.

"I love the feel of your hot fingers moving so carelessly in my hair and I have no choice but to kiss you." He said, as his voice became a purr.

"Oh yeah." I agreed as I felt a thrill at the sound of his voice. "Gentle at first, your lips just brushing mine, before you put your hand to my cheek and your lips part and then you're kissing me intensely, but oh so slow. I love your intense slow kisses as your other hand begins to explore, your fingers tracing their familiar path but no less…" I sighed slightly; I could almost feel his fingers moving over me. "Pleasurable for their familiarity."

"The familiarity only heightens the pleasure, and stokes the fire hotter as you inevitably move your lips from mine and begin to nibble at my ear."

"You really like that." I agreed. "And in response you start to run your hand up my side, and instead of being ticklish it is oh so enticing and I can feel the tingling begin as you come to cup my breast and…" I moaned and then blinked before I cleared my throat in embarrassment as I realised I'd actually been doing the actions I'd been describing.

I forced my arm down to my side and rested it against the cold bathroom tiles as I tried to get my composure back.

"Essie?" Tobias sounded concerned.

"Oops." I managed. "I think I was getting a little…"

"Oh." Tobias remarked. "You were…"

"Acting on the words of a certain Divinyls song. Although it wasn't intentional, it just sort of…happened." I finished lamely.

"Really?" Tobias asked and I could tell from his voice that he was grinning widely.

"Yeah." I said, feeling embarrassed.

"Well feel free to continue." He said suggestively. "Perhaps I'll join you."

"Tobias!" I gasped, wondering at this because it would be new ground.

"What?" He asked unashamed. "A lot of couples use this substitute if they have to be away from each other."

"I guess." I said, feeling my cheeks burn. "But it might not be a good idea at the moment."

"Why not?"

"Because I'm in the bathroom and Liza and her friends are asleep in the room next door. The walls are a little thin and I think it would be inappropriate regardless." I pointed out.

"You are right of course my love." Tobias said with a sigh. "However, if you change your mind don't hesitate to talk dirty to me."

I laughed as I hid my eyes, my cheeks getting even hotter.

"Now you're just making it worse." I complained.

"Sorry." He said with a laugh. "I promise to behave myself."

"Yeah, sure Fang Boy." I said and rolled my eyes.

"I will search for a safe subject." Tobias said, and there was a lot of amusement in his voice and I decided I'd give him hell for it when I got back. "Why are you in the bathroom?"

"I had to speak to you. And it was too private to hold out in the corridor. I'm just hoping none of them wake up wanting to use the toilet." I said with a sigh.

"You are planning to sit awake all night?"

"Well technically I'm lying down with my legs propped up on the toilet lid, but yeah, I don't plan to sleep tonight. You don't mind talking to me all night do you?"

"You really need to ask that question?" Tobias asked sounding a little offended.

"I guess not, but you did say you were compiling a shopping list for tomorrow." I said apologetically.

"Yes. But it can wait. You are more important than whether we have enough shampoo to last the week. I will stay on for as long as you want me to."

"Thanks Tobias." I said softly.

Tobias didn't respond, but I could imagine him giving his little smile and that made me feel light.

"What would you like to discuss?" He asked after a few moments silence.

"I don't know, maybe we could work out what we want to do over the summer when the twins haven't got school." I suggested.

"I thought we were to spend it on the Res." Tobias stated.

"Well yeah, but there must be something you'd like to do just the four of us?" I asked.

"There is many a thing." Tobias replied and I wished I was next to him to see the ideas flow through his mind.

"Then let's discuss that." I said with a smile.

And that's what we discussed before we moved on to reminiscing about old times. I was happy that Tobias helped me forget what had happened in the alley, if only for a while. And strange as it sounds, lying there talking all night to Tobias was almost as relaxing as if I'd had a full night's sleep. Well I didn't feel tired at all by six o'clock the next morning. I was surprised that was the time when Tobias pointed out because Liza would be up soon.

We said goodbye and I got up for the day.

I went back out into the room and grabbed the clothes I'd laid out for the big final before I went and had a quick shower. Liza went in after me since the other girls were still sleeping. I began waking them because I knew they'd want time to come round and to dress before we had to go meet Tulsa at half seven.

The rest of the morning was a blur before I found myself in a vast auditorium. Sections had been assigned to each squad and I made my way toward the one for Olympic High.

"Hi Essie." A cheerful voice said at my side.

I looked down to find Jane smiling at me brightly. The way she was dressed now she could have infiltrated any one of the squads and nobody would have been any of the wiser.

"How did you get in?" I whispered.

"I snuck in last night and hid up in the ventilation shaft until there were enough people milling about so I could slip between them." She said matter of fact.

"Ok. Well I guess it's good you could come see Liza perform, but will you get out again tonight? Because you know we're heading home first thing tomorrow morning and unless you want to run home…"

"I will be in the Escalade." Jane promised.

"Make sure you are." I said firmly.

"Hey, Essie? Is that you?"

I turned to find that Simon was approaching us.

"Hey Simon." I said with a smile. "I see you made it."

"Well I got to show support for my old team." He replied, smiling back. "Just wish I could be up there with them."

"You miss it?" I asked.

"Yeah. I like performing I guess. Especially with Liza. She's the best dance partner you could want. She weighs next to nothing, kinda like a baby doll, and yet she's so strong and talented that she can hold her own in any routine you care to throw at her. She's a strong leader too, even if she hasn't got the psycho edge of Prue."

I regarded Simon for a moment as I tried to evaluate the extent of his affection for Liza. They really were best friends. He loved her as much as that. He adored her deeply, but I couldn't figure if it was platonic or if he had deeper feelings that he kept hidden in respect for Liza's views on intimacy.

"Is that why you call her Baby Doll, cause she weighs next to nothing?" I asked.

"Yeah." He replied a little sheepishly.

"And Princess?" I prompted.

"Because she's like a little lady, all polite and elegant, like a real princess, not a spoilt brat daddy's princess." He clarified.

"Good." I said with a smile and Simon seemed to relax a little, as if he felt he'd passed some kind of test. "And I'm not giving you twenty questions, I was just curious." I assured him.

"Essie is a very curious person." Jane said firmly to remind us she was there.

Simon looked at her.

"Yeah?" He said.

"Absolutely." Jane replied. "And I'm Jane by the way. One of Liza's many aunts."

"She got lots?" Simon asked with a frown.

"You'd be surprised." Jane said with a grin.

"There's a lot of friends who get called aunt." I clarified. "Jane just likes teasing people, don't you?"

"Oh yes. I'm the biggest kidder of them all. Maybe you'd like to find out just how much some time?" She said with a grin.

"Nah, I'm good." Simon said with a smile and Jane scowled a second before she corrected her expression to one of good-natured fun.

"Maybe it's for the best. Nobody ever gets my brand of humour." She said with a playful pout.

I nonchalantly kicked Jane's foot in the hope that she'd stop being so creepy.

"Maybe we should sit down." I suggested.

I sat between Jane and Simon, which I thought was for the best. We sat in the second row since the Muses would take the front row. I was the first of the Muse Moms to arrive, but the others weren't too far behind and they greeted Simon affably, except for Geraldine who gave him a dirty look.

"You think she'd have let it go by now." Simon whispered.

"Let what go?" I asked.

"Not taking Crystal to the dance last year." He replied and rolled his eyes.

"Crystal being?"

"Her daughter. My cousin." Simon stated. "Geraldine thought it was my duty, but mainly it was to stop Crystal going with her boyfriend Lloyd because Geraldine thought he was a no hope slacker. I pointed out that if I did take Crystal to the dance she'd still be with Lloyd, besides, it would just be weird taking my cousin and I'd already asked Liza. Now Geraldine blames me for Crystal getting knocked up, but the girl was three months gone before the prom and Lloyd is supporting them well, so I don't know what's to gripe about."

"If they're coping then there's nothing to complain about, although I think I'm starting to see why she took up this crusade. Poor woman." I said, looking over to Geraldine in sympathy.

"Yeah." Simon said with a sigh.

A rumble of feet indicated the entrance of the Muses and they were all happy to see Simon. The girls kissed his cheek while the boys grabbed in his hand in that macho no shaking way. Liza was overjoyed to see that he'd made it and they kissed on the lips. I frowned slightly until I realised it was a show for the others because they had been in a committed relationship for nearly two years and were only on a bit of a break when he was in college.

Soon the babble was starting to wind down and it was clear the competition was about to begin. After a middle-aged man with salt and pepper hair and a skeletal woman with too much botox, both of whom I vaguely recognised from TV, gave a speech to open proceedings, the competition kicked off. One by one the teams came on to do their bit. By this stage they were all pretty good, but three teams outshone the rest, and the Muses were best of all. I couldn't believe how well they did, that Liza could let herself be thrown around like that. It all looked so effortless and there wasn't one missed step, something that nearly all the other squads had done. It was clear the Muses were in a league of their own and I had to hand to Tulsa, she sure knew how to get the best out of her kids.

And our kids won and we cheered loudly, much to the chagrin of the other troupes who cheered out of courtesy, but I caught one or two comments along the lines of someone else should be given the chance to win. The Pearl Town Panthers were ecstatic that they came in second. They were going along the line of, 'everyone knows the Muses will be first, what matters now is ranking second, because that proves you're the best among mortals because the Muses obviously came from Olympus rather than the Olympics.'

That became a bit of a soundbite and I wondered how long the Panther's coach had been working on it. It stopped the people bitching about the Muses coming first again though because coming second to them put you at the top because they were invincible and in a completely different league to everyone else.

The trophies were handed out and Liza beamed among her teammates as they had their picture taken for several different newspapers. It was clear it would be big news because seven years undefeated was a new record. There was talk that they should try-out for the adult league next year but the idea was laughed away since it wouldn't be the same team next year. That was the point of high school squads, every year they were different. Of course if Tulsa could make it to the ten-year mark I was sure it would bring her enough celebrity to live comfortably for the rest of her life.

We had a meal that evening to celebrate and everyone was in good spirits, but since we had to set off bright and early I convinced Maya and Drue to turn in early. There was no need to with Liza. She was practical.

We were all settled in by ten but I couldn't drop off to sleep. I'd hoped the merriment of the day would have been enough to quash the horrors of the day before, but every time I closed my eyes I could see that bloody alley and I could feel the wraiths pull at me.

When I was sure the girls were asleep I grabbed my phone and a pillow and locked myself in the bathroom again. I lay down and propped my feet up on the toilet while I phoned Tobias.

"Can't sleep?" He asked.

"Not until I'm home with you." I replied.

"Perhaps you should at least try since you have two long days of travel ahead of you." He pointed out.

"I think I'll be better just lying here talking to you than going to sleep and suffering the nightmares. I know I'm gonna have one. I can feel it waiting for me. When I get back we're gonna do some wraith busting, get rid of every last one of them so I don't have to worry about this ever again."

"I had hoped that being rid of Darius would have freed you from their hold." He stated.

"Me too. But Darius was the strongest of them, that's all. They're just waiting for my guard to get low again before they attack." I said miserably.

"We'll sort them out." Tobias said firmly.

"Thanks." I said languidly.

"It was good news of Liza." Tobias said, changing the subject.

"Yeah. She was brilliant, they all were. I'll have to show you when I get back." I promised.

"Yet another reason to visit the dreamscape?" Tobias said hopefully.

"Of course." I said. "And all the more reason to make it safe from the wraiths."

"Liza was very excitable on the phone." Tobias said fondly. "She almost damaged my hearing with all her delighted keening."

"Hey, you should have been here and had it in stereo from all the Muses." I joked.

"I was overjoyed that she thought to phone me directly on my cell phone. It was more heartening. It made me feel special, that she should phone me personally." Tobias said conspiratorially, as if he couldn't quite believe it.

"Liza's considerate like that. You were the second person she phoned since she wanted to let Tony know first, but then he is her twin. Then she phoned you." I replied.

"Before Esme or Carlisle?" He asked in shock.

"Yeah."

"I know not whether to feel pleased by that, or if I should feel guilty because she should have phoned one of them before me." He muttered.

"You're her father Tobias, and she wanted to share this great news with you for the first time. Maybe she'll phone Esme first next time." I said.

"Yes." Tobias said and I wasn't sure how he'd taken that from the tone of his voice and it was probably something we should cover face to face so I looked for something to talk about.

"So how's Tony holding up? Hasn't he got debate team and mathletes coming up?" I asked.

"Yes. And he has asked me to accompany him to the mathlete tournament for it is being held in Tacoma so weather will be no hindrance."

"Well that should be good for you both. Boys out on a road trip. Albeit a very short road trip." I said with a chuckle.

"Yes. But he is hesitant to ask if you will go to his debate meet to cheer him on." Tobias informed me.

"Of course I will. Why would he hesitate? I'd love to see how he does." I declared.

"Then you should tell him." Tobias advised.

"I will, but wait? Do you think he thinks I've been neglecting him?" I asked, feeling a little hurt if he did think this.

"I doubt he thinks that, but you have been rather preoccupied with Liza's cheerleading these past few weeks." Tobias said carefully and I had a feeling he was intervening before Tony could develop a sense that I was neglecting him, but I had a good reason why I'd been preoccupied these last few weeks.

"That's because of all the Muse Mom crap." I pointed out. "Oh god! I'll have to make it up to him. I thought he preferred me keeping a little distance, although come to think of it I took that step back originally because Grace was staying with us and I didn't want to get in his way and then I forgot to step forward again once she'd gone. I'll have to do something with him when I get back and I'll definitely go to the debate meet with him. Err, where is it anyway?"

"Billings. Montana." Tobias said promptly.

"Oh. Another road trip then." I said with a laugh.

"Yes."

"Cool." I observed. "So where are you tonight?"

"I am in the library, although I can move somewhere else if you wish to indulge in a little risqué talk once more." He said with a chuckle.

"No. Still have the same problem as last night." I said with my own chuckle. "But then the waiting will make it all the better when I get back to you."

"I like your point of view Wolf Girl." Tobias stated flirtatiously.

"You'd better Fang Boy." I countered.

"That made little sense." Tobias chuckled.

"I know. I think I'm getting incoherent." I murmured.

"Are you sure you do not wish to try sleep?" He asked, suddenly serious.

"I don't want to risk the wraiths." I admitted.

"But once Liza helped you." He pointed out.

"I don't want to put her through that again if I can help it. Especially since she'll be facing something she actually witnessed." I replied.

"How about if I call you back and then I chat to you as you fall asleep. I will stay on this end and speak now and then to soothe you if I think you have need of it."

"Well that works up to the point where I actually fall asleep and drop the phone." I said sourly.

"It was only a suggestion." Tobias said softly.

"Yeah. Sorry. Maybe I should try sleeping. But I don't want to dream." I stated sadly.

"It's a conundrum indeed."

We fell into silence for a moment while we thought.

"I could…maybe I could turn into Miss Wolf to sleep. She doesn't dream nearly as much as me." I said after a while.

"Have you enough room?"

"Yeah."

"What if one of them wishes to use the bathroom?" Tobias asked, covering all the problems that could arise from me turning wolf in here.

"I'll change quick and stall them." I assured him.

"Very well, but will you leave your phone on so that I will hear if something happens." He requested.

"Sure." I said. "Well goodnight, I'll speak to you tomorrow. I'm gonna put the phone on the toilet lid and then I'm gonna change."

"Very well. Goodnight Essie."

"Night Tobias."

I put the phone on the toilet lid and stood up. I removed my pyjamas and placed them next to the phone. I made sure that I stuffed the pillow along the bottom of the door before I stood with my back to the door facing the longest patch of floor. I let the heat surge through me. It was a bit of a squeeze in my wolf body, but I managed to lie down and I buried my nose in my paws.

I drifted to sleep and I didn't dream.

Luckily I awoke before the others and I phased back while I was still lying on the floor. I stood up and pulled my pyjamas back on before I picked up the phone.

"Tobias? You still there?" I asked.

"Yes. Did you sleep well?" He replied and it was almost as if a couple of hours hadn't passed since the last time we spoke.

"Yes I did. I should be good for the journey now."

"Good."

"Do you know if it wasn't for the fact that I was going by someone else's schedule I'd floor it straight home. I'd make Olympic Pines by tonight and I'd be back with you and not have to worry about sleep." I grouched.

"I would like that too, but it may not be a good idea to speed while you are in charge of other people's children. They may take offence." Tobias stated.

"I guess you're right." I said with a sigh. "Well I guess I should go get dressed now."

"Yes. And I look forward to our conversation this evening."

"Me too Fang Boy." I said.

After a few more goodbyes we hung up and I set about getting ready for the day.

Everyone had breakfast and we were ready to go at nine. The schedule was a little different on the way back, more equal between the two days, which meant we'd be back in Olympic Pines sometime tomorrow evening. I just wanted to be back already and I guess I was a little miserable on the drive back.

I didn't keep tabs this time cause I figured everyone knew the way and I really didn't have the juice anyway. We got to the motel around nine that evening and since there wasn't a branch of that nice motel chain in this area of the interstate we were left in a ramshackle place that brought up visions of The Palms Motel, but I guess it was better then staying in Bates' Motel.

God, I really didn't want to stop here, I would have preferred to drive all night, but Geraldine scoffed and said it was very dangerous. I had no choice but comply to stopping, but it didn't mean I had to sleep.

I decided to chat to Tobias outside tonight, besides I could let Jane out for an airing since I knew she was there now. I went out to the Escalade and opened up the back and peered under the back seat where it looked as if a load of black material had been stuffed.

I pulled at it and I uncovered Jane's face. She had her eyes shut and kept perfectly still. A human might have mistaken her for some weird marble sculpture, although they'd be at a loss wondering how we got it in there.

"You know, you could make a lot of money as a contortionist in Las Vegas." I commented.

Jane's nostrils quivered and her eyes snapped open. The red of her eyes came as a shock and it only then hit me that she'd been wearing coloured contacts around the hotel.

"Essie?" She said in confusion. "We're not back yet."

"No. But I thought you'd like to stretch your legs. Just don't go too far away. There might be a coyote or two around here."

"A carnivore." Jane said happily as she began to pull herself from the Escalade. "I'll see if I can track one, perhaps I'll bring you back a morsel?"

"Don't worry about me. I'll feed when we get home." I assured her.

"Ok. Then I'll leave you to phone Tobias." She said with a grin and I scowled slightly wondering how she knew.

"Yeah. I have to let him know we got here ok." I stated.

"I could guard Liza if you like?" She offered.

"Is there danger around here?" I asked, suddenly on alert.

"Not that I know of. I won't go far and keep my senses open to others of our kind."

"Thanks." I said.

Jane bowed her head before she ghosted away.

I dialled Tobias.

"How was the journey?" He asked.

"Ok. Guess it would have been better if I weren't feeling so miserable. I'd rather be on my way home than stopping here a couple of hours." I sighed. "So what did you do today?"

"I went to watch Tony play American Football. The team won, although I wasn't sure at first, I had to work out the scoring system."

"I guess it can be confusing." I said. "Want to give me a full rundown of the game?"

"I'd love to, but I know someone who would love it even more." He stated.

"Is Tony there with you?" I asked, feeling excited.

"Yes. He wished to phone you earlier but we weren't sure if you were driving so I suggested he wait until you phoned."

"Yeah." I said impatiently since I guessed that was the case. "Put him on."

There was the sound of the phone being passed over.

"Hey Mom." Tony said cheerfully.

"Hey Champ." I said brightly. "So come on, I want to know everything."

"Ok."

Tony launched into all the plays and I felt as excited as if I'd been there watching him. I wish I had been there to watch him and I decided that I'd go to his next home game.

"So you and Liza back tomorrow?" He asked after he'd finished.

"Yeah."

"What time?"

"I don't know. I might floor it after the lunch stop all the way back to the Pines. I'll tell the others, cause I just want to be back now." I said sadly.

"I know. I want you and Liza back. It's like twice as hard now. Before I always felt a little unstable when Liza went away because I miss her so much, but now I'm missing you too it's worse. Like the other day I'm sure I was having a panic attack." He babbled.

"What do you mean?" I asked over his latter statement.

"Oh, well…" He trailed off and I realised he hadn't meant to admit that. "Well I just felt scared all of a sudden, for no reason whatsoever."

"When was this exactly?" I asked. "Was it Thursday?"

"Yeah. I'd just settled down to watch Tales of Badlington when I suddenly freaked out."

"So around about ten then?" I summarised.

"Yeah."

"Did…was it…did it feel like your own fear?" I asked as I suddenly had a weird idea.

"What do you mean?"

"Tony, you're a mind reader, you know what it feels like when someone's giving off strong enough vibes of a particular emotion and it feels like your own." I stated.

"I guess."

"Did it feel like that?"

"I…" He stopped and I heard him gasp. "It wasn't my fear. It was…it was Liza's! I guess I didn't get it right away cause she's so far away, but I did feel her. What happened on Thursday?"

"We ran across a newborn army and almost became lunch."

"Ah right. Dad just showed me it all in his mind." Tony said. "So Jane's down there with you?"

"Yeah."

"And Fred's been lying for her?" He asked incredulously.

"I know. It's weird."

"Yeah." Tony agreed. "Well now I got some freaky stuff to think about, I'll hand you back to Dad."

"Ok. See tomorrow."

"See you tomorrow Mom. Love you."

The 'love you' was a quick whisper and I smiled as I heard the phone being handed over.

"Love you too Tony." I called in the hope he'd hear.

"Mother loves you too." Tobias said with a chuckle, and I could imagine Tony dropping his head as his cheeks darkened a little.

"Don't tease him." I chastised.

"He chuckled and shook his head at me as he left. He was not offended." Tobias countered.

"Really?" I asked, laughing myself.

"Yes."

"Oh well. So what are you up to now?"

"I am going up to our bedroom with a book should I have need to read it."

"What book?" I asked with interest.

"One of the vampire books Tony has collected and I am yet to read."

"Maybe you could read it to me." I suggested. "That way we're still in contact and you still get to read your book."

"A good idea." Tobias said and I heard him close the door.

As I waited for Tobias to settle I closed the back of the Escalade and climbed into the centre where there were three seats in a row. I tucked a rolled up blanket behind me as a cushion and I leant against the door as I propped my legs up on the seats.

"Are you sitting comfortably?" He asked.

"Sure am Fang Boy." I said with a chuckle.

"Then I shall begin…"

It was a great way to kill a few hours and I really enjoyed Tobias reading to me. He was enjoying it himself doing all the different voices for the different characters. I really liked the story, but I thought I'd get him to read me the rest of it when I got back. Or maybe…yeah, maybe he could read it to me when I took Tony to Billings. That made me smile.

Jane arrived back just before dawn. I asked Tobias to hold a moment while I made sure she was back in her little space and covered so the others wouldn't see her, then I got back into the middle.

Tobias continued to read to me until six, then I went back to the room in order to shower and dress for another day of travelling. There was no breakfast at this dump so we had to grab food at a rest stop. I made up my mind that I really couldn't handle the slow pace and after consulting the kids in the car I informed Geraldine that I'd be travelling on ahead. She didn't seem too happy, but I was in no mood to please her now.

I travelled just over the limit and the time I was making was great. We stopped only once, for lunch, and we arrived back in Olympic Pines around four in the afternoon, which would turn out to be a good three hours before everyone else.

I dropped everyone off at their own homes. After we dropped Maya off I pulled over in a secluded area and let Jane out. Liza climbed into the front with me while Jane sat just behind us. Jane decided to spend the ten minuets home chatting about what she thought of the kids who'd been in the car from what she'd overheard.

I can't tell you how relieved I was to see Tregarran Hall, especially when Tony and Tobias were waiting on the steps for us. Fred too, I could just make out the area my eyes didn't want to focus on. I decided I'd leave it until I'd had a sleep and a shower and spent some time with my family before I questioned what he was up to with Jane. For now I'd just treat him as invisible as he wanted to be.

I pulled up to the steps as Esme emerged from the house. She hugged me, and then Liza before she said she'd take the Escalade around to the garage.

That left Jane to slink off into the protective bubble of Fred while I gave Tobias an enthusiastic hug, taking advantage of the fact that he was level with me standing on the step, while Liza and Tony hugged in a way that looked almost ritual, they were joining back together after their separation.

"Welcome home." Tobias said and I buried my nose in his neck for a moment.

"It's good to be back." I murmured. "Do you think, before we do anything else, we could go hunt?"

"Oh yes please." Liza muttered and I pulled away from Tobias to look at her. "My vampire side is famished."

"I haven't hunted yet either." Tony stated.

"Then we should go." Tobias agreed. "Although we should inform Esme first."

After we let Esme know we headed into the woods and hunted near the house. The blood was good and I felt my power settle back on me as strongly as I wish it had been down in LA, but then again it was my fault for not feeding. I could have found a window for Liza and me to head out, even if we had to settle for rats, it would have been something. Well it was too late to think about that now and I just wanted to get back to our reunion.

And it was a good quiet family thing, Esme and Carlisle joined us when we got back to the house and we had a popcorn and movie night. Jane and Fred remained absent and I wasn't too worried about that for the moment, it kept them out of my hair and I just got on with enjoying the movie.

Tobias and I had some fun that night.

As soon as we were dressed for bed his hands were all over me and I felt the thrill as we made it to the bed with our arms around each other. My hands tangled in his hair as he ran his hand up my side and I turned him quickly as I remembered something. I straddled him as I held his arms above his head.

You laughed at me. I said, trying not to smirk, as I played serious.

I'm sorry. He said earnestly.

Are you really? I asked.

Yes.

How sorry?

As sorry as I should be and more besides.

I hope so. I said before lowering my head and I nuzzled his ear before I brought my lips around it.

Tobias gasped and I grinned as I continued to play with his ear. I twisted my fingers into his hair and I felt his hands come to move over my body, travelling the path he knew would elicit the biggest thrill from me.

I rolled on to my back and kept my arms around Tobias as we continued to kiss, and that was enough for me for tonight, to feel that contact with him again. I felt good as I finally settled down to sleep…

I was in the alley; I knew that just around the corner was danger. Someone took my hand, I looked around expecting Tobias, but it was Liza.

"You shouldn't be here." I stated.

"Mother, this is my nightmare too. If there is a way to stop it then I am interested in ideas." She said firmly.

"Ok. But we're gonna need help." I stated.

I concentrated, I wasn't sure how I did it, but suddenly Tobias popped into existence.

"You gave me access." He said in delight before he took in the surroundings. "Oh dear."

"Yeah." I agreed. "This is where…"

"Then you were right." He stated.

"Yeah. But this isn't the worst part." I said with a shiver.

"Then what is?" Tony asked, suddenly standing beside Liza, they were hand-in-hand and I couldn't help picture them as the little kids they were from their whole demeanour.

"The bodies." Liza whispered. "The mangled bodies that take on the continence of family members and friends."

"You've seen them?" I asked, feeling sick.

"Every night since the incident Mother." Liza whispered.

"Oh god!" I gasped. "Why didn't you say?"

"I put it to the back of my mind during the day, but at night it came back." Liza said looking haunted.

"Well then, we're gonna sort this. Find the wraiths responsible and exorcise them." I declared.

"We can do that?" Tony asked.

"All four of us together?" I demanded. "Of course we can. We're stronger together. More powerful. That's what I've learned this week."

"Yeah. I can feel it." Tony said in amazement. "And it's a real feeling, it's not because we're in a dream. Together we're stronger. In numbers, and even just in our powers."

"Then let's do this how it would have gone down if Jane had told us about the trouble in LA and we could have prepared." I declared.

"Yes." Tobias agreed. "Essie, Tony, I think you should be in your wolf forms."

I nodded and phased, Tony did too.

"Good. Now Essie take point, Tony go in Beta, Liza, take the left with me. Essie, would you link us all up telepathically?"

Sure Fang Boy. I said and I linked us up, although this being a dream I really didn't have to.

Good. Now let us move in and we'll take them by surprise. Tobias said.

No! No wait! Liza protested. Mother or Tony, one of you should scan to ensure they are all inside. Remember the leader came from behind us, into the area not from it.

Yeah. You're right. I said, slapping myself mentally.

I let my senses glide around us. Sure enough the leader was guarding the alley but luckily he hadn't spotted us yet.

Given that I am the weakest, perhaps I should linger back and then I can close in on the leader from behind. I will take him by surprise and therefore am sure to gain the upper hand. Liza said firmly.

I don't like the thought of you out here on your own. I said.

Mother, I will be fine and besides, you will be well aware should something untoward happen to me. Liza pointed out.

Well I couldn't argue with that and so we fell into position with Liza holding back. We entered the alley and surged at the newborns. We were on them before they had chance to react and soon they were rubble. I'd been aware of the leader entering, but Liza had taken him down no problems since he was distracted.

Then we heard some people talking.

"I will go divert them." Liza said quickly because this alley would look strange with two giant wolves and all the weird rubble.

Liza stepped out of the little area and I heard her ask the people if they could help her find the way out. As she was leading them away I phased back and took a look around the alley and noted that there wasn't any blood.

"We saved them." I said with a relieved chuckle. "Being proactive saved them. We took out the vamps before they did too much damage."

"You're not gonna take Jane's proposal seriously?" Tony asked, looking perturbed.

"No. But you got to admit it feels good."

"Yes." He agreed.

"This alley is a lot nicer without the blood." Liza observed as she returned to us.

"It is amazing what we can accomplish together." Tobias mused. "If we can apply it to the real world then we need not fear being accosted by anyone again."

"Yeah." I said, putting my arm around him and leaning my head on his. "Well you know, we got all night now, so why don't I show you all Liza's performance and then Dad can show us Tony's football match."

The twins regarded each other for a moment.

"You can do that?" They asked together.

"Yep." I declared as I began to pull the memory up.

We watched Liza then we watched the match. By this time I was sure it was nearing morning and so very carefully I began to untangle us and I felt myself return to my body…

I sat up in bed and blinked the sleep from my eyes as Tobias sat up beside me.

"Well that was different." I observed as Tobias kissed my shoulder.

"Yes. Working together on the dreamscape, all four of us in unison."

There was a hesitant knock on the door.

"It's Liza and Tony." I stated.

Tobias ghosted to the door and unlocked it before he returned to the bed. I pulled the covers around me as he settled beside me.

"Come in." I called.

The twins entered looking a little confused. They moved slowly to the bottom of the bed before sitting down.

"Was that dream real?" Tony asked.

"Very much so." Tobias stated. "It may have been on the dreamscape, but the truth revealed is the reality."

"So together we really are stronger?" Tony asked.

"Yeah." I stated. "I can feel it, it's weird, but I really can."

"I guess it makes sense. I have been feeling off kilter this last week. I always do when I'm away from Liza." Tony stated.

"Well you're bonded, and now we're bonded too. We're much stronger together which will make our normal state seem weak in comparison." I theorised.

"Yeah." Tony agreed.

"But I have never felt this." Liza stated. "I may be able to hijack Tony's power if I hold his hand, but I feel no difference in and of myself. Other than the usual increase I feel after having just fed."

"Maybe you've never had to push yourself to your limit to be sure." I suggested.

"Perhaps." Liza conceded. "Or perhaps it is simply the fact that I have no power and therefore no true way of gauging the spectrum of my abilities."

"There's nothing wrong with not having a power." Tony said soothingly but it was clear he was re-treading old ground. "And believe me Liza, mind reading all the time when you have to concentrate not to is not all that great. Several times this week I nearly got a mind crush when I was in a crowd. Worst one was at the game on Saturday when everyone was so focused on winning."

"I know you suffer at times." Liza said softly, "I would do away with your suffering had I the ability."

"Well you have got the ability Sis." Tony said as he hugged her. "I don't get nearly so unstable when you're around. We're connected through so many different bonds and we're part of each other and we always will be. We need to be, mainly because I might have the power, but you have the stability."

"Yes. But I have failed in that of late." She said sadly.

"I know you try to be, but nobody's perfect Elizabeth. We're all allowed to make mistakes cause that's how we learn and grow as people." Tony said firmly.

"And I have learned my lesson well." Liza said solemnly. "It is one thing to trust people, but when you know something seems amiss then it is acceptable to transfer that trust to your own instincts."

"You should always trust your instincts when considering the nature of a person." Tobias said. "Of course there is nothing wrong with being on amicable terms with such a person, but placing your trust in them is another matter entirely."

"Trust should be earned." I stated.

"I will never give my trust freely again." Liza said sadly.

"Of course, not every one will turn out to be a Volturi spy, and you don't need to set that bar too high. I guess you should consider the situation first." I said with a frown.

"I will." Liza promised. "And now I think I should go prepare for school. The atmosphere today will be simply sublime."

"Oh yeah." Tony said and made a face. "The whole school will be excited, but do they show even an iota of interest when we win mathletes and debating?"

"You get shown adulation for football." Liza pointed out.

"But I don't work my butt off for football." Tony pointed out. "It's not the same sense of achievement."

"You receive ardour from the geeks."

"I guess." Tony conceded. "Well let's go get dressed then."

The twins got to their feet and after a few more words left to get ready for the day. It seemed a good idea for Tobias and me to get up too and get ready for another week that would hopefully have less incidents than the last.

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For those of you who don't know the Divinyls song Essie was referencing was 'I Touch Myself'

Thank you for reading

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Gemma x