After Midnight

Chapter Eleven

Frank sat on the sofa, trembling. He could hear his brother's screaming from all the way down here. He had fought with all his strength against the super-strong Cullens, but to no avail. They were kind but firm when they said that Joe was not stable and could not be seen by anyone but the doctor until further notice.

Someone sat beside him. He didn't know who it was; he just felt the cushion sink and something was pushed into his hands. "Here," said a soft, motherly voice. "I hope I prepared it right…I haven't made tea often."

Frank nodded numbly, wincing as another piercing scream came from upstairs. He lurched up, desperate to get to his baby brother, who was in terrible, terrible pain, probably on the verge of dying. With inhuman strength, the woman beside him pulled him back onto the couch. "It's alright," she murmured softly, patting his back like he was a child. "Carlisle knows what he's doing. Joe will be okay."

Suddenly the blond man who had stopped them in the road, and appeared yet again in the Volturi's hideout, stepped into the room. Instantly Frank felt a wave of peace wash over him and he sank back onto the couch, still anxious for his brother, but not in hysterics.

It was fifteen minutes since they had returned from Italy. To Frank, everything was a panicked blur. Carlisle had taken a jet—the fastest available—back to Washington with Joe in tow. Edward had accompanied Frank, the blond boy, another big guy—Edward's brother, but Frank couldn't place his name, three Indian kids, and a pretty girl with dark spiky hair—Alicia or something. They had taken a normal flight back to Washington, and all the while Frank stayed relatively calm whenever the blond man was within range. But if he moved out of sight, for some reason Frank couldn't explain, he would panic, anxiety building for his brother who he felt he would never see again. No one had spoken on the return home.

They had gone to the Cullens' house; Dr. Cullen said that he needed to use his second-story lab to treat Joe. Frank had been ushered inside, while the blond boy had run upstairs to help Dr. Cullen. Frank could hear his brother's agonized, tortured, inhuman screams and had panicked. Now that the blond one had returned, Frank relaxed some and was able to look around him.

The woman next to him was stunning. She was deathly pale like all the people in the room, her hair soft and shiny, her amber eyes warm and compassionate. She couldn't be a day over twenty-one, yet she introduced herself as Mrs. Esme Cullen, the mother of the five Cullen children, who introduced themselves when Frank had calmed down enough to hold a semi-rational conversation.

"I'm Jasper," the blond one said, smiling hesitantly at Frank.

"Emmett," the huge guy said, flexing his massive arm muscles and grinning.

"I am Rosalie," the magnificent creature with white skin, amber eyes, a perfect body, and long, flowing, blonde hair said in a silky voice tinged with a bit of—could it be anger? regret?

"I'm Alice," the petite dark-headed girl said in a voice like hundreds of wind chimes. Then she danced out of the room.

"Edward."

Frank nodded at the bronze-haired boy. "I know."

"I'm Bella," said a quiet, musical voice from the corner. "And this is Renesmee."

Frank turned to look at the girl, cringing as Joe wailed again upstairs, but calming as a wave of comfort passed over him. For some reason, it was impossible to feel overly anxious with Jasper around.

Looking at Bella Cullen, Frank could see no resemblance between the stunning woman and the pretty girl he had seen in the picture, and yet, they were everything alike. Both had the same dark hair, and facial features, but this Bella had two major differences: her face was chalky white like the others, and her eyes were a dark crimson. In her arms she held a beautiful child that looked to be at least three or four months old, with eyes just like her mother's.

Frank sucked in a breath, trying to piece everything together while fighting the overwhelming fog that clouded his mind, forcing him to be calm and sane while all he really wanted to do was run upstairs and do anything…everything…to save his brother.

"We were looking for you," he finally said.

Bella nodded, looking guilty. "We know. And we're sorry. We didn't know the connection you had with my father or the Volturi until Alice…well, until Alice was able to figure it out. By then, it was too late; you were already in Italy."

"It's a long story," Alice said quietly. "And it is absolutely exhausting to have to tell twice."

Frank stared at her. "Twice?"

"Carlisle says that Joe should be well enough to join us in a few days."

Everyone except for Frank erupted. "Alice, are you crazy?" Emmett hissed.

Jasper looked aghast. "A few days? You know that's impossible…"

Alice glared at the group of disbelievers and shook her head. "You forgot what I see," she said. All eyes were on her, intent, besides Frank's, whose were narrowed in confusion and suspicion. Another scream broke the anticipating silence. Then Alice spoke.

"It's the strangest thing I've ever seen," she breathed. "The connection these brothers have is…supernatural. It breaks all the rules. And the compassion and selflessness in their hearts is astounding." Her voice grew sad. "Joe's girlfriend was murdered, wasn't she Frank?"

Suddenly all eyes were on the eldest Hardy, who, taken aback, stammered, "Uh, yeah."

Alice nodded gravely. "He hates anything to do with murder. He and Frank fight terrorists and thieves and murderers." Frank was amazed at how much this small girl seemed to know about him and his brother. Of course, from what he had seen, Alice Cullen seemed to have a very keen insight…

"This, mixed with his unwavering love for his brother and family and his strong heart and courage and compassion, will present an overwhelming, mind boggling occurrence never, ever before seen, or heard of."

Even though Frank had no idea what Alice was talking about, he was transfixed. "What?" he breathed, leaning forward unconsciously so that he was almost nose to nose with her. Everyone else was listening intently, eyes wide with interest.

There was a knock at the door, and everyone broke out of the trance. "That will be Jacob," Edward said cheerily, getting up and letting the enormous teenager inside.

Alice rolled her eyes and hurried upstairs to help Carlisle, muttering something about headaches and vision problems.

"You ready?" Jacob Black asked expectantly, looking at Frank who was feeling a bit shell-shocked at the moment.

"Ready for what?" Frank asked dumbly.

"Oh, I can't believe we forgot to tell you!" Esme said, smiling gently at the bewildered boy. "You're staying in La Push with Jacob for a few days, until Joe's condition improves enough for you to see him again."

Frank gaped. "Um, when did I agree to this?"

Bella grimaced. "You didn't. Trust me, this family has a nasty habit of making people's minds for them and then resorting to kidnapping them if they don't agree." She glowered up the stairs while Emmett roared with laughter and Esme looked on, disapproving. "I should know."

"It's for the best," Rosalie stiffly assured him.

"But what about Joe?"

"He'll be fine."

"But Alice was saying—"

"Alice only has theories, and I'm sure she wants to run them by us and make sure they are completely correct before she tells you. She shouldn't have gone as far as she did, but she was getting excited about her…theory," Esme explained gently.

"Just a few days," Jacob promised, grinning from ear to ear. "It'll be great. Sam and Quil and Embry will take good care of you."

"What about you?" Frank blurted out.

"I'll be visiting my dad, but then I'm coming back here. Right now, it's…awkward…between Sam and me. But Seth and Leah agreed to stay until time for you to come back—they're staying with their mom, Sue."

Frank looked at Bella desperately. "Is there any point in resisting?"

Rolling her eyes in her husband's direction, Bella said, "No. Don't fight it. They'll keep you busy, you'll have fun, and before you know it, you'll be back and you and your brother will be reunited."

Frank was glum as he shuffled out to Jacob's car. Another scream rent the night. He sighed. Please, Joe. I can't live without you. Just hold on until I get away from these crazy people…I have to see you again…I love you, Baby Brother.

~Emachinescat ^..^