A/N: Short chapter, I know, but I've been getting to sleep at about 1 a.m. every night this week due to homework. Best I can really do working on that. Next one will probably be short as well, but please realize that I'm working on two other stories and working on translating this one in to Spanish as well. Taking a lot of time…

Disclaimer: All Twilight Characters owned by Stephenie Meyer. This is not meant to make a profit.

Family? Or Foe?

Edward picked up the apartment's phone receiver. It was Alice. He explained that Craig was alright, how everything had turned out fine. Then he became a little angry and frustrated, almost exasperated as he listened to Alice speak. "This day couldn't get any better," he half muttered, half sighed after hanging up. "I don't really know what to do with you, but listen carefully."

Craig was instantly nervous again. His brow furrowed as he listened to Edward. "Firstly, be glad that you're still alive. She can command me just as easily as she can command you, and if she hadn't the control that she does, you'd be dead a long time ago. She could have commanded you to stay and me to release her, or keep watch, or hide the evidence of your remains." Craig gulped. "And we both would have obeyed her. But she didn't.

"Unexpected and perhaps unwanted visitors are on the way. Even though your life was spared, you may still not live for very long. They will be here in two days. We also have some family on the way, and they will arrive tomorrow," he added, pinching the bridge of his nose and closing his eyes. "Now, the question is do you stay or do you leave," he mused.

"I think he stays," Bella said, coming into the room and making Craig jump.

"Did you honestly hear all of that!?!" Craig demanded of her. Edward and Bella laughed softly, but mostly ignored him.

"It will be easier if they decide to talk about him and not immediately hunt him down." Craig's eyes widened at this.

"I think its time that I know what the hell is going on around here!"

"Where do you live?" Bella simply asked, again ignoring him. "We'll go and pick up some things for you to stay here."

Craig found himself giving them his dorm room number on campus before he could think not to. But he shared his room with another; his roommate would be there and wondering where he was by now. It was very late.

"Ah, yes. About that." Edward said, confusing Craig. Nothing else had been said… But Edward opened the front door and headed outside. He came back quickly holding a cell phone.

"Call. Tell him that you're staying with Edward and he's going to pick things up from your dorm for you," Bella commanded. Damn. They're good. Edward now had a smug smile as if he was hearing Craig's thoughts. Yeah right. He's probably dreaming of some action movie where he gets to hold some sort of hostage. Edward chuckled softly.

Craig called his roommate, and both Edward and Bella went to retrieve some of his things. They bolted the door and made sure that there was no open view into the apartment. They reassured Craig that they would return soon, and he was told to remain quiet. His mind raced the moment they left, unable to become afraid by command.

He needed to know what the hell was going on. He was being held captive by strangers with red eyes who had snarled and growled at him fiercer than he'd ever heard in his life for doing nothing. Maybe his roommate would understand when he saw them. Maybe he would tell someone. Anyone.

He wondered if he would be killed, murdered. He searched the apartments for implements that they could possibly use to kill him, but he couldn't find anything. But what he did find might possibly be worse.

They had no food. They had nothing to drink. There was no heating turned on, they had none of the essentials for life. How did they live!?! At least there's a freaking bathroom, he thought.

The apartment was somewhat unexpectedly large. They must have quite a bit of money. They were far away from their home in Washington, as he had heard they lived, they were married to each other, they had their own large apartment, and they apparently quite freely spoke of killing?! They must have high connections to cover things up for them.

Could there be a possible mafia connection? Possible with the talk of family and unexpected visitors with a foul note. This Alice Edward had spoken to… was she part of their family? Or was she one of the unexpected visitors?

Bella and Edward

Edward had brought Bella with him simply so that the poor human would not be left alone with her. She would probably kill him if left with his scent so close for too long. She would not actually go into the campus or dorm room with him, but she would keep herself far enough away from humans.

He didn't need to explain to Bella who the unexpected visitors were. They were expected, really, but not for a very long time. Any time would be fine for them now, but it wouldn't be fine for the poor boy. Edward just hoped that he could be kept alive.

Bella found a dark alley to hide in while Edward retrieved clothes, a tooth brush, and other essentials from the dorm room. He sneaked food and drinks for Craig, grimacing at human food, when Craig's roommate wasn't looking. He wanted to sigh when the human thought about asking him some random questions. This would take longer than he really wanted. He just hoped that Bella would be alright on her own.

When he finally left after telling the roommate a multitude of insignificant things, Bella was in the same alley. The one person who had just begun to approach the alley had been scared off when Bella growled like some feral animal from the darkness. Bella and Edward quickly headed home. Edward could hear his family's thoughts; they must have made record time in racing across the country, even though they must have set out when Alice had her first vision. Edward looked at his phone clock, nothing that it was indeed tomorrow.

Edward was forced to go to a grocery store and pick up extra provisions for Craig. The little he was able to snatch from the dorm room would not last very long, and he would need some other things that Edward had been unable to take from the dorm room.

Craig, forty-five minutes after Bella and Edward left

He was bored. That was the one word to describe his entire being right at that moment. If not for all the commands he had been given, he probably would have run screaming as fast as he could away from this building.

He heard two cars out front, and idly wondered what time it was. He checked the clock, and saw that it was about 1:30 a.m. Night had gone much faster than he was comfortable with.

And then the front door knob was turning. He would have absolutely panicked had he not been given the command to remain calm so long ago. However, he was alert and the adrenaline was running through his system. But what really scared him was when the bolt clicked open.

They hadn't left in a car, never mind two. And now two cars come and the bolt opens?

He felt calm instantly overcome him. And the door opened.

The first to come in was a blonde man, and behind him a pixie-like girl. Four more followed, the most gorgeous blonde beauty he'd ever seen, a giant muscular man, a man who seemed to be some sort of leader or mentor, and a motherly woman. They all had the same golden eyes of Edward.

Craig backed up, stumbling and shaking, afraid once again for his life now that he could see these intruders. Friend or foe? Friend or foe?, he continued to recite again and again in his mind.

"It's all right," the first man assured him. He introduced all of them, saying that they were all Cullens. Calmness came with his words, and the girl named Alice touched Jasper's arm and nodded when he turned slightly to look at her peripherally.

"Where have Edward and Bella gone?" Carlisle asked slowly.

"My dorm room. Picking things up for me," he answered shortly, warily.

"Five minutes," Alice commented, and they seemed to understand her perfectly. "We'll just wait for them," she directed at Craig.

Then they all settled themselves comfortably in, making themselves at home. Jasper kept a distance between himself and Craig, going to the complete other side of the room. They seemed to be inconspicuously studying the apartment as if they had never been there.

"So…" Craig began after some time, but stopped when everyone looked at him. He cleared his throat self-consciously. "You came all the way here from Washington state because of me? Ugh," he said disgustedly when they nodded. "What is going on, and why are total strangers trying to kill me?" he confronted them.

"Just wait, dear," Esme said. "Only five minutes."

"Two and thirty-seven seconds," Alice amended. The rest of the time they sat in absolute silence. "Three… two… one…" The door opened. It was Edward and Bella, of course.

They entered with a smile. "It's so good to see you all again," Bella greeted. Craig watched them have a family reunion open-mouthed.

"Charlie sends his love," Esme told Bella while hugging her. "We called and told him we would be visiting you before we left. He misses you a lot," she added.

"Can I PLEASE know what's going on around here?!?" Craig finally burst out. Everyone turned to Bella.

"You will not talk to anyone about this. If anyone finds out any of this, then you will be killed. No ifs, ands, or buts. Keep calm, as your heart rate will not have a good effect on us. Well, on me."

And they explained to him what they were. They explained to him the importance of their secrecy and why Bella was really staying at home. They told him everything, even answered his questions, such as why did Bella have red eyes as opposed to golden.

"…And as we said before, there are unexpected visitors on their way. They will not be nearly so kind to you as we have. But maybe we can spare your life. If we're very convincing, and can prove Bella's power to them. We only have one day to work together." Edward's explanation made shivers go down Craig's spine.