I am sorry it took me so long to update! I have passed my exams, for those who are interested and I nearly instantly got a job offer. I am going to be a pediatrician, starting on the first of July. This comes with a lot of fuss and for those who do not know Germany, it is very bureaucratic...
The usual disclaimer can be found in the first chapters, I am still no Stephenie Meyer.
Thanks to my reviewer, I hope you stayed with me, and thanks to Alice Vampire for her continuing support.
Since it took me so long to update, I will give you a little summary, what happened last:
Some nomads have gone missing, causing the Cullens to check on their former witnesses. On doing this, they learn that Benjamin and Tia are being followed by Demetri and were abandoned by Amun and Kebi. Everybody fears that they are standing on the brink of a war. To relieve some tension Alice and Jasper had seemingly amazing sex causing him to loose control and broadcast his emotions throughout the house. It is now the morning after.
This chapter is from Alice POV, so I changed some things: Thoughts are no longer in italics, but visions are. I hope this is not too confusing.
21 Benjamin and Tia
My Jazzy still wore his lazy satisfied after-sex-smile and, you know, it really made me proud. That mind-blowing sex we had last night… yummy. And I had got him to loose control.
"Stop gloating." Edward grumbled. Yeah, I was gloating, but I earned it. And it was not as if you did not enjoy yourself. My mind probably sounded smug.
"Yes, it does." My irritated brother mumbled. Then keep out of it. This thought is specifically directed to all mind-reading brothers in the vicinity.
"Then stop shouting." Always bickering, this one. You did enjoy yourself, did you not? At least if you judge from the way the dining room looked this morning. Where you fighting? I giggled.
Bella moaned as Edward kissed her neck. Her bra and shirt lay discarded on the floor; his shirt was ripped to pieces, some of them still on his body…
I shook my head to clear the vision away. TMI, if you ask me.
"Could you, both of you, stop being so hard on you clothes, please?" I whined, I knew it. The way they handled them, I should be shopping in second-hand-shops for them. I snorted disgusted at the thought.
"You know, Bella would like that." Edward commented dryly. You don't always get what you want.
"What would I want?" Bella asked, slightly impatient. She does not like it, when we discuss her like that, Eddykins.
"Stop the nicknaming, Alice." He frowned. "You would like it, if Alice shopped for you in second-hand-stores instead of designer boutiques."
"Yupp, are you considering?" she grinned hopefully at me.
"Never." I told her, "by the way, we need to go shopping again. By the rate you are going, you must be running out of bras and jeans at least."
She groaned gratefully. I knew she secretly loved shopping, I just needed to get her to admit it.
"Stop deceiving yourself, sister mine." Edward chuckled and I struck my tongue out at him.
"No fun in that." I told him.
Jasper pulled the car over and parked nicely in one go. Seattle airport loomed over us…
I started collecting my discarded shoes and purse and unfolded myself in the front seat, checking my most fashionable skirt for wrinkles.
"We are nearly there." Edward told Bella. I continued to check my attire. I wondered what the others would say on first seeing Benjamin and Tia step out of their gate. I tried to shove that thought away. Not wanting to give some mind-reading pricks a head start. What could I do to …
Tacitus Germania
Germanien insgesamt ist von den Galliern, von den Rätern
und Pannemoniern durch Rhein und Donau, von den
Sarmaten und Dakern durch wechselseitige Gebirgszüge
getrennt. Die weiteren Grenzen schließen das Weltmeer ein,…
Edward snorted disgusted, a look of frustration on his beautiful face. Bella watched him carefully and, comprehending, started to grin widely.
"What is she doing to keep you out?" she asked curious.
"Translating Tacitus 'De origine et situ Germanorum Liber' into German." He said through his teeth. I suppressed my need to giggle. This could become my new hobby, keeping my brother out of my thoughts.
"Very funny, Alice." Sarcasm was dripping from his voice. I couldn't hold it, I giggled. He was so much more fun to be around, since Bella came into his life. I should tell her more often, how good she was for him. My brother's frown softened. Now I had him thinking on his wife again. Perhaps that meant we could go on with our task now? Jasper was parking now and killed the motor.
"Ready to go anyone?" he asked with a drawl. His voice still saturated with satisfaction and happiness. I wonder how long it could last. The last time I took him this high he had the dreamy look in his eyes for more than 12 hours, no kidding. Would he break this record? I hoped so. I jumped out of the car and bounced happily while waiting for the others. They were so slow. I wanted to see their faces, when… oops. Where were we? Ah, yes …
…breite Landvorsprünge und Inseln von unermesslicher
Ausdehnung umfassend: erst unlängst wurden einige
Völkerschaften und Könige bekannt, zu denen der Krieg
den Zugang eröffnet hat. Der Rhein, auf unzugänglicher
schroffer Berghöhe der Rätischen Alpen entspringend,
wendet sich in mäßiger Biegung nach Westen und
mündet sodann in das Nordmeer. …
Finally all of them were out of the car and we made our way through the airport towards the gate were our guest would arrive. Somewhere someone was playing Lady Gaga with "Poker face" and I happily sang along.
"Russian Roulette is not the same without a gun. And baby when it's love, if it's not rough it isn't fun, fun.."
Bella was joining me and we sang together a song loaded with more innuendo than Emmett could produce in a minute. Yeah, well maybe not… Bella had come a long way since blushing at any sex related word. I was proud of her. At least in this she gladly bent to my advice. Edward snorted. What? You think it got anything to do with you? He laughed. Maybe a little, I relented. Yes, I could give. What? You know you love me. He chuckled again. Who needed more proof? Yeah, you all love my conceited, self-centred hot little ass. And if you call me little, I will get you back! I really loved my life.
The song now changed to Britney Spears and her pathetic plea to please fuck her. Anybody who still believed the song was about someone seeking a girl called Amy has never listened to it. I refused to sing along, it was so plump. Nothing against innuendos or hints but to scream "fuck me" into the world was so not ladylike. Ranting about this occupied my thoughts nicely until we reached the gate. There already were some humans assembled who were waiting for the passengers of the flight from Frankfurt - there was no flight going without a stop from Kairo to Seattle - which would land in exactly 2 minutes and 32 seconds. Your welcome, Edward. He snorted, I grinned and proceeded to translate Tacitus, since I wouldn't want to spoil other peoples surprises, would I?
…Die Donau, einem sanften und gemächlich ansteigenden
Rücken des Abnobagebirges entströmend, berührt eine
von Völkern, ehe sie mit sechs Armen…
The hunter was running through what looked like a desert. He was clad only in sand-coloured pants and tennis-shoes. A light burnoose covered his hair and shoulders, waving behind him, as he ran. It replaced the dark grey cloak he usually wore. Suddenly he stopped, sniffing the air with closed eyes. He cursed and took a cell out of his pants.
"They are in a plane." The hunter said into the phone. The answer was not loud enough to be heard trough the vision.
"I will have to swim the ocean." Demetri told the phone. "When I am in position I will call again for the guard."
I gasped as the vision ended. Jasper was holding me, he looked concerned. Edward stared at me.
"How long?" he whispered.
"How long does it take to swim the ocean and cross from the west coast to the east coast?" I answered.
"We have a week left." Jasper said grimly. The discussion had killed the wonderful look of satisfaction and love from the face of my man. I could kill Demetri and half of the guard myself for that. Bella choked on her own words as she tried to point out that the plane had landed.
"We would not want to tell them here." I told the others.
Benjamin grabbed Tia as she fell into hysterics in the middle of the airport.
I shook my head to get rid of the vision and was instantly caught by another:
Benjamin embraced Tia as she sobbed into his shoulder. We were assembled in the dining room.
"Is there anywhere were we could be safe again?" he asked with despair in his voice.
"We have a plan." Jasper told him and Carlisle nodded.
Edward nodded. "It is better to wait for privacy." He told the others.
Now the first passengers left the gate and were enthusiastically greeted by their relations or who ever waited for them. Benjamin and Tia would be the last to depart the plane. We waited for another 10 minutes. Most of the humans had left until now. Then, finally, the two vampires left the gate. Some of my own enthusiasm had come back and I bounced and waved happily. Tia grinned which made her eyes sparkle. Bella gasped.
"Your eyes are gold." She exclaimed. I grinned. I had managed to not spoil their surprise. I embraced Tia first.
"Congratulations." I whispered into her ears.
She laughed.
"How long did you know?" Benjamin asked me with a smile.
"Two or three weeks, but I told no one." I assured them with a smile. I was so proud of our two newest vegetarians.
So am I forgiven? Please review...
btw the translation for Tacitus Germania is from one Manfred Fuhrman. Once I could do it on my own, but these days are long past... so sadly every german word in this chapter belongs to him.