No warnings...just lots of angst

…

In this chapter...

Some one looses their cool...who could it be? Read on!

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Chapter Twenty- three:

Flipping out

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The task of acquiring some of their blood for the serum had become another interesting feat.

The strange thick substance was pulled from them via gauged needles, since due to prior attempts, Carlisle was able to find out that it was too thick for regular needles.

The wounds healed immediately after. Something the doctor made another notation of.

"Alright." He said to his patients while gathering the materials, and right before he turned to leave he said, nodding, "I will send someone down shortly with an update."

"um..that ma-ay not be such a good idea, doc." Jacob said, his head set on the retreating form of his cell mate. Then turned around giving him a pointed dismayed look.

"I do not agree, but," Carlisle relented, "as you wish"

…

Once upstairs, he encountered Sam who was getting ready to return to watching the 'prisoners'.

"they have requested some...privacy, Sam." Carlisle said tactfully, "I may need your aid on this though, if you are interested?"

Unsure of what to do, whether to follow through with his previous task or follow the doctor to aid in his request. Thinking better of it, he nodded and followed the doctor to the set up laboratory. He rather not put himself in danger of being attacked, with the two downstairs, or witness another of their...feeding – shudder –frenzies.

….

In the immaculate room, the doctor began to prepare for the tests, while Sam eyes the thick dark substance in vials labeled with the names of the two stuck downstairs.

"Its the blood I extracted from our friends," Carlisle explained when he saw the questioning weary look in Sam's face.

"Its not...red." Sam noted, "Its more like a...purple?" he questioned, uncertain.

"I suppose its part of their change. Their skin seem to be earning this blue...hue." Carlisle theorized out loud as he prepared the slides with drops of the specimens, "It may be that their blood is...turning the same chromaticity."

"you mean this...whatever is changing them...its happening at the molecular level?" Sam said, incredulously, trying to make sense of the doctor's words, watching as he placed the slides under a microscope.

"that is exactly what I am saying," Carlisle said as he looked through the ocular device, only turning from it to make notations.

Sam was still trying to grip the theory Carlisle had just planted, when the doctor's heavy sigh called his attention.

"you need to look at this, Sam." The doctor said, turning the microscope towards Sam, who looked at the doctor confused as to why he would be of use, but intrigued as to what he would find.

There, in between the normal red and white cells, and platelets...swimming in the transparent plasma were these bluish-like...things.

He gulped, not looking away, adjusting the ocular device to try and get a better look at the way these...things...seemed to be...reproducing at an incredible rate.

He was unable to voice his thought about how fucked up hew thought this whole situation really was getting.

"I have discovered that whatever is happening to them is more like a viral takeover of their beings. It is not immediate, and for that we should be thankful, but we have to act quickly." Carlisle said, already started with the set up for creating the new batch of serum, "I may need more help than I thought."

This last comment made Sam turn to him quickly, "what do you mean?"

"I am aware of how everyone feels on the subject, but Edward is more than qualified enough to aid me in this task." Carlisle said, turning around to look at the eyes of the alpha with a bit of apprehension.

"you know the answer to that, so don't even ask." Sam warned, scowling at the vampire's insinuation. There was no way he would allow for Edward to return under any circumstance, even if he didn't already feel inadequate enough when trying to aid the doctor in these experiments as it was.

Then suddenly, he realized something, a subject yet to be approached. He needed to see if it was too late to nip the issue, and hopefully, he was still in the nick of time.

"does he know?"

Carlisle turned away before answering, "I have not informed him, no, but I am afraid that I can only answer for myself in this issue."

Sam got up and exited the room without a word, earning a heavy sigh from the vampire.

"I hate to remind you that its of the essence that we do anything possible before its too late for them." He said, making the angry alpha return swiftly.

"The fact that you didn't answer my question is not comforting at all. Regarding as to what you ask...I cannot agree to something that others may find...um...how should I word this?" Sam waved his hands in a circular motion, lke he was trying to think about what to say for a moment then looked at the doctor in a seriously pissed off mood for even having to consider the option, "...fucked. up! This is something that needs to be discussed." he relented, knowing and hating that the leech was right. He had seen with his own eyes and theorized on his own that time was a slipping factor, if in fact, this mess could be cured like a common cold.

With that thought, he exited.

A few minutes later a howl was heard cutting through the forest right on the outskirts of the mansion.

All the shifters congregated in their connection to share the new developments and strategize the next plan of action.

Leah, Quil and Jared who were away and still searching for allies were already phased and listening intently, thankfully.

Information flowed from one mind to the rest through the link, being analyzed and causing a mayhem of rebuttals to surface when the issue of Edward returning reached their understanding.

'are you fucking kidding me?' Paul.

'the shit flow never ends!' Embry.

'did he...? you gotta be joking!' Quil

'are you seriously considering this?' Jared

'…' Leah

Seth phased in late, catching the tail of the conversation, 'hey guys! What did I miss?'

The torrential flow of information flooded his mind overwhelmingly, making him slightly dizzy, being as he was new to the whole mind sharing thing.

'whoa whoa whoa...' The flow stopped. 'wow. That was...a lot.' he commented, shaking his big furry head as he tried analyzing and making sense of the mess on his own.

'I think that Charlie and Billy should be made aware of this and then we can make an adequate, educated decision' Sam thought this was the best way to deal with this situation.

They all agreed, albeit reluctantly.

Not one of them wanted the vampire ex to make a reappearance and cause further problems.

'you mean, you got the possibility of making some kind of ACTUAL progress in helping Jake and Bella and you wont "risk it" because you are holding a grudge?' Seth angrily asked, continuing without giving time for a response, 'the doc not only TOLD you, but he SHOWED you how quickly this is spreading...changing them...and you are out here...twirling you thumbs thinking about it?'

Everyone was baffled at the uncharacteristic explosive expression of ire form the always sunny, happy-go-lucky, young wolf.

Feeling the underestimating weight of the growing problem to exponential stature, Seth seethed, pacing back and forth waiting for the other shoe to drop.

'um...' Sam tried to regain his composure, ignoring the outburst of the younger male...and attention to the pressing matter at hand, 'so...yeah...we need to contact Charlie and Billy-'

'This is just-! ...you know what? FUCK this! This is some BULL-!' Seth said feeling beyond furious as he phased out, leaving everyone even more baffled than before with his first outburst.

…

"-SHIT!" He yelled, pulling his shorts on fast and approaching the first solid thing he found closest.

Without a second thought he sent a right hook flying...CRACK! ...bark and splinters flew several feet from the altercation with the inanimate object.

"Moddafu-" His voice cracked, unable to carry the emotional state of its carrier while a series of left and right hooks followed in rapid succession, "-ker!" CRUNCH!

CRACK! CRUNCH! CRACK! CRUNCH!

A few more hits later and a couple of split, thick, tree trunks later, Seth was found leaning on the sump of one of the trees that had been the bearer of the punishment received.

"hey." Leah said softly, trying not to provoke another outburst. She was back for a short time, after having a successful meet with the leaders of the Cayuse tribe pack, while Billy made further arrangements with another tribe for - yet another - diplomatic visit.

She had been waiting for her brother to fume and rave his anger on the unsuspecting by-standing forest, knowing that he really needed to vent – even if he was being completely berserk

"I know you have been watching me for a while, Lee, can you please tell me what you want so you can leave me alone." Seth said tiredly, he really was not in the mood to hear anything.

Leah had been so consumed with the mess they were now all dealing with, as well as with their own – personal - mix into the crap...that they had missed how much it all really affected each other...

She had not bothered to ask, the thought never even entered her mind.

Seth was now proving how in over-their-heads they were.

"I am out of my depth here too, Seth." Leah said sympathetically, sitting on the grass close to her brother, "and for all that is worth, I agree with you. But as you also know, we are all under his thumb...what he says goes, no matter what we think."

"It shouldn't have..." 'It shouldn't have to be so hard' is what he wanted to say, but he felt completely overwhelmed and chocked on his words, closing his eyes as the warmth of emotion threatened to overtake him again.

It was all getting to be too much for him to handle.

The fact that they were so close to finding the supposed 'cure' to what was happening to Jacob and Bella by simply allowing Edward to help Carlisle...but no! He can't...wont allow him to return, for fear that his broody sparkling ass would step out of bounds, made Seth feel like they were giving up...

Did Sam not feel the sense of loyalty he felt towards Jake as a pack brother?

He just hoped that Charlie and Billy see reason, but he wasn't holding his hopes up for that.

Would they really be so petty as to sacrifice this great chance for the mere possibility that something could happen?

…

Nobody spoke for a while after Seth's irate thoughts left the baffled collective link of the pack.

'he's right, you know.' Leah said quietly, a few others agreeing silently.

'whether he is right or wrong, I think that heir parents have a higher say so than we do.' Sam said standing his ground.

'what if it was Emily?' Leah thought.

'Oh, hell no! She didn't just go there.' Paul thought, unable to stop himself, 'shit, sorry...'

'its fine.' Sam thought, forgiving him immediately, 'and though Seth is right and I see the point Leah just made. I still have to follow protocol.'

'follow protocol. Huh.' Embry said passively, 'not for nothing...but I think that no matter how extreme a tantrum Billy or even Charlie would make, to have Jake and Bella back to normal seems like - to me – a small price to pay.'

'I kind of agree with them, Sam.' Jared thought, followed by Paul's and Quil's silent agreements.

'this is not up for discussion, guys. Lets just...get through this as soon as possible, please." Sam thought exhausted, 'Paul. Go get Billy and bring him here...pronto.'

'got it.' Paul said already on the way

'Paul. Go get Charlie at the station and get him here asap.'

'on it.' Paul said leaving a cloud of dust in his wake

'everyone else, split into patrols and resting. I am going to try to help the doc with what I can for the serum.'

Leah took off to the last 'seen' location of her brother's. Sam was just too tired to even try and fight for her to follow his decree.

…

Sam walked into the lab, trying to rub the sleep from his eyes, only to find a stressed Carlisle with his face pushed against his hands and elbows on his knees.

"um...what's going on?" Sam asked.

"It failed." He whispered with dismay.

"shit..." Sam whispered deflated, the weight of the situation heavy on his shoulders, pushing him back a step.

"FUCK!" He yelled when a sudden rush of anger pushed through him, making him swing a fist right through the wall.

Carlisle was at his side in an instant with a towel, helping him take his injured-bloody hand out of the wall, while Jasper was in the other sending calming waves into him.

"I'm sorry," he said slumping his shoulders, the last shreds of hope escaping him.

"don't worry about it. An easy fix." Carlisle said dismissively.

Sam laughed humorlessly, nodding, "easy fix, huh."

"Yes, Sam. It's just a wall. Nothing than some plaster and a little paint can't fix." Carlisle verified, his attention completely absorbed in getting the wood and plaster splinters out of the rapid healing wound.

Sam pulled his hand from the doctor's grip, his mind going crazed with anger at the mess he finds himself in, "The FUCK it is!"

"Sam." Carlisle tried to reason with the emotional werewolf, but Sam was not having it. If anyone had a right to flip out here, it was him, and not even Jasper – with his ability to control emotion – would be able to squash this shit.

Not this time.

"Not everything can be fixed with money! Time doesn't stop! Death can't be reversed! ...and this bullshit that's happening to my brother!" Sam yelled in hysterics.

Everyone seemed to have arrived right before he had begun, so they had all heard every word he screamed. A fact that he ignored as he continued, "...and Bella! Spirits! That poor girl! What did she do to deserve this crap! What have we all done to...!"

His voice cracked, his stoic front demolished, letting show how he had finally crumbled under the pressure...just like everyone else.

"Sam," Billy said quietly and calm, rolling closer to the collapsing man, "its okay to breakdown. When was the last time you slept? Emily told me that you haven't even been home, since..." he paused.

"I can't..." Sam said not looking up.

"go home for the night, Sam." Charlie said sympathetically, "well be here."

Sam shook his head, "I can't leave them." he said loyally stubborn.

Billy grabbed his hand and tapped it with the other, "you are not leaving them, son. You are going to recharge and comeback to the front lines at full force."