Animal Crackers

Chapter Twenty Five

"Legal Matters"

Author's Note:

Hey guys! Sorry about the wait, I have finals, so just a note, this will be my last post for a … week, lets say? After that, summer! And then I'll be able to post a lot more than now. This isn't the end, don't worry, its just going to be my last post for a week, so I wanted to give you guys a heads up. This chapter takes place when the plane has already landed and they're in the airport. Oh, have you guys seen the trailer for this? The link is on my profile. Go check it out!

Location: The Robinson Household, Kitchen.

Mr. Robinson's fist came down on the table in a burst of uncontrolled rage. The table shattered on impact with his muscled arm, showering the counters and surfaces of the kitchen with woodchips and sawdust.

"Those damn leeches! That's where those kids are! Those damn leeches took them!"

Mrs. Robinson's voice was wary, cautious of her husband, as she shook sawdust out of long, black hair. "Now, Stephan, I'm sure that's not the …"

"They were here! I know it!" Mr. Robinson's entire body was trembling with rage and fury, and Mrs. Robinson tried desperately to calm him down. Neither of the Robinsons had aged since the introduction of the twins to the household – just their presence alone had been enough to cause the change in them.

"Anne," Mr. Robinson said. "Do you remember when we left La Push, so many years ago? Do you remember why?" He didn't wait for an answer. "I'd heard the legends from my Uncle Billy – I wanted no part of it. I told you, my girlfriend, I was leaving, and you said that you were coming with me."

"Yes, Stephan, that's how it happened."

"Then I get this call from my cousin, eight years ago. He was so heartbroken, I couldn't tell him that I wouldn't take in his godchildren! How was I to know what they were? Look at me! I've become what I resented – a damn werewolf!" He pointed with rage to his trembling body.

"Stephan, calm down. We'll work this out."

"I refuse to calm down! They took those children! They're all the same! They're giving us more trouble now! I've got to worry about two children I don't even want!" Since the Robinsons' had a natural distaste for the children from the start, they had to work very hard to not let that on to the children. Over time, Mrs. Robinson had come to love … or at least tolerate, possibly – the children, waking a motherly instinct in her. Mr. Robinson, however, had found it barely possible to live with them, and the girls had noticed.

"They're not all the same, dear. The small one, Alice, she helped us out when…"

"It doesn't change what she is! A leech!"

"She helped us, Stephan."

"A leech!"

Mrs. Robinson turned away from him, clenching her jaw. "I'm calling them. Unfortunately, it's the right thing to do." No matter how much she tried, she wasn't going to be enthusiastic about talking to what was commonly considered her enemy. Her fingers quickly dialed the number. It rang once, twice, three times before someone answered.

"Alice?" Mrs. Robinson's voice sounded as if she would rather be speaking any other name.

"Anne." Alice's greeting was blunt, her voice letting her know that she obviously knew how the twins had been treated. "What do you want?"

Mrs. Robinsons' jaw clenched. "You may already know this, but the girls have gone missing."

"That would be because they are with us."

"Us?"

"They're safe, Anne. He was a right to be with them, you know. They are his kids."

"He didn't have an interest in them before. The right isn't his legally. Legally, they're ours." The Robinsons didn't know the full story of why they had to take in the girls – the reason that they were told by Jacob was that their mother had died, and that the father, Edward Cullen, couldn't take care of them. It was later that they had learned of their lineage – too late, when they had already agreed. They had soon needed a babysitter, and Edward had wanted to keep tabs on his children, and Alice had soon shown up on their doorstep – under a different name, incase either twin had decided to do some research on their history.

"Oh, I don't think you'll want this to go to court, Anne. There'd be a lot of explaining to do – for us, but more for you, I think." Alice's voice was like a child's, happy to explain. It was verging on creepy. "I'm sure that they would be interested in hearing the twins stories of growing up in a loveless home, not being fed…"

"It was hard. You know that."

"Actually, I don't. Trust me, if I'd been able to see the two of you, we would have sprung them long ago. Cynthia had to basically care for her own sister. I don't need to see the results of the case to know who'd win."

Mrs. Robinson slowly backed herself from the talk of legal matters. "Why did you take them?" Her voice was suddenly purely the voice of a concerned mother. "Are they in danger?"

"I don't have to discuss this with you."

"I have a right to know."

Alice sighed, tousling her spiky hair. "They were. Our plan was to discuss it with you … but other matters got in the way. There's another issue besides their own danger right now. They're completely safe with us, trust me." It was only a half lie. They were safe with the Cullens, indeed – but not so much with Bella, or the Volturi. They planned not to encounter the latter.

"What could be more important than their safety? Where are you?"

"I can't tell you that."

"Alice!"

"Don't pretend that you actually care." Her voice was like her body temperature.

Mrs. Robinson's voice was a low, harsh whisper, threatening yet protective. "They're my children – I don't care who their parents were. We have rough times, but they're my children, and I love them. You can't take them away."

"This isn't a good time to discuss this." Alice's voice was softer now, gentler. "Their mother is in danger."

"Their mother is … dead."

"As I've said, not a good time to discuss this. You said you don't care who their parents are? Then let them go save their mother, before a lot of people get hurt." Her voice was harsh again, a threatening tone. "And if you try to interfere, it's a war. We'll have them back." Click.

Mrs. Robinson hung up the phone when the dial tone started to ring. Her face was blank.

"I was right then." Mr. Robinson's face was an angry mask.

"Yes. They'll be back." Her voice was hopeful, but not convinced.

"And you believed the leech?! They've drained them dry by now!"

Her voice was hushed. "The Cullens aren't like that."

"All leeches are like that! You're joining the enemy!"

"You sound like a two year old, Stephan."

"You're oblivious!"

"I'm done." She threw her hands into the air. "I've dealt with the way that you treated those two for far too long. They aren't enemies, Steve." She turned, stopping in her walk to the door of her bedroom. "They're children." She closed the door with a slam behind her. Cracks ran threw the old wood.

A shuddering Mr. Robinson was out the front door in moments, racing for the woods.

A lone howl echoed through the night.