AN: Sorry this has been so long coming but I didn't know I hadn't put it up yet so it has been lying here half finished for a couple of weeks. Oh well. . .enjoy!
Chapter Three: Game on
Emmett and Rosalie sat in a deep discussion on the sofa in the lounge which Rosalie had christened "Bride central." Emmett was telling her that she couldn't serve blood at her wedding but Rosalie merely reminded him that he was the caterer and he was to make happen. Emmett listened to each and every one of her extravagant demands with inward groans, these included; a fountain of blood; blood champagne; blood shots and to Emmett's horror a blood cake.
". . . oh and some sandwiches for Bella. Edward won't come if I don't invite Bella and then no one will want to come." She said sulkily smoothing out the wrinkles in her beautiful dress which had been her own at their second wedding. Rosalie was the only one of the Cullen brides who insisted on a new dress every time she got married.
Bella indecently was crouched down under the piano, white as a sheet and whimpering at the thought of the blood buffet. She had to remind herself that Rosalie wasn't actually getting married . . . yet. No, that delight would wait a couple of years. She wouldn't really want a blood banquet? Would she? Bella thought shivering slightly. She curled up against one of the piano's four legs and whined quietly until she fell fast asleep. Bella didn't realise she was tired but next thing she new she was chasing rabbits across a field barking loudly. She smiled happily in her sleep.
Alice, who had also been dropping an eve on Rosalie and Emmett's little talk suddenly picked herself up from the floor. Rosalie and Emmett jumped.
"Oh mushroom, I quite forgot you were there." said Rosalie smiling at her. Alice grimaced and marched outside. Rosalie suddenly looked a little worried. "Alice you can't go out there it's pouring with rain." Alice didn't say anything, she just plonked herself down in the mud and pouring rain outside and practically became one with nature.
Edward meanwhile was in his "workshop" which was actually Carlisle's study with a bit of tinsel along the shelves which jasper was putting up. Edward was sitting in his chair, he needed toys, and fast. He also needed a sleigh and reindeer. He would have to get to work right away.
"Elf" he said and Jasper looked up from his decorating. "I need something that looks like this." He handed him a Christmas card he had found in Carlisle's draws. The elf saluted him and skipped out the room. Edward now set to work on the present, he looked around his "Grotto" at the many books on Carlisle's shelves. How many books did he actually need anyway? Would he rather have a book or bring happiness to a child? Edward or rather Santa knew which he would choose. He pulled down a copy of "Anatomy of man" from a shelf to his right and set to work.
Emmett meanwhile, who had finally persuaded Rosalie to have a human-friendly feast, was sitting in the kitchen, sucking a pen. What to make. . .what to make. What he needed was ingredients, he stared out at the pouring rain that speckled the windows and his eyes brightened. A minute later he was crouched down beside the piece of abnormally large fungi out front.
"Alice. . ." he said mischievously. Alice said nothing, she had decided this was the way she was going to approach this role in general. "I've been told to make a menu for Rosalie's wedding." Alice blinked. "I haven't figured out all of it yet but I do know what the starter is going to be." Alice blinked again and Emmett grinned. "MUSHROOM SOUP!" he yelled and pulled out his blood spattered knife. Alice made a decision in that split second and it was to simply run. She of course realised that mushrooms couldn't run but she was concentrating more on the gleam in the chef's eye and the shine of his weapon. Emmett chased the defenceless mushroom round and round the house screaming at it. "Mushrooms can't run Alice, it'll be nice to be in the soup. . .honest."
Bella hear these shouts from her guard post at the door. She eagerly scratched at the door with her paw and Rosalie looked up from her magazine. She gave the puny puppy a scowl and threw a coaster at it. The coaster hit Bella square in the forehead and she watched bounce off the floor and roll away. She ran after it playfully and brought it back to Rosalie, her eyes gleaming happily. Rosalie gave it another scowl and ignored the request. Bella's eyes narrowed and she leaned back on her hind legs and started to tug at the hem of the white folds that enveloped Rosalie. Rosalie tugged back shouting profanities at the little dog, it just growled and tugged harder.
Jasper the elf lead Santa out onto the roof and with an extravagant bow present his sleigh. Edward clapped his hands in delight. In truth the "sleigh" was only an old armchair from the attic attached to a papier maché reindeer that Jasper had whipped up but Edward didn't care. The elf gave a skip of delight at it's master's joy and clapped his hands too.
"I must continue making toys to fill this marvellous sleigh." Said Edward and he clambered down the ladder to return to his duties.
"What shall I do?" squeaked Jasper after him. Edward's shout came muffled through the rain.
"Just put up some lights somewhere." He instructed. So Jasper did just that.