Stephanie Meyer owns Twilight. I just play there.

Ch. 8

Laughter rang out from the kitchen of the Cullen house, where Esme and Emmett were tossing ingredients for a huge meal back and forth. Esme's eyes shone, giggling like a girl as she caught and juggled the potatoes Emmet threw to her. She caught the last one and grinned. "Ok, enough. You've washed them; I am putting them in the microwave now. We have hungry boys and girls here. And Finder eats too, so we need to get dinner finished."

Emmett grinned back. "Ok. I'll put the steaks on."

"Don't you want to try one of them, raw?" teased Jacob.

"Ew, Jake, gross," said Rosalie from her place leaning against the counter. "That is just disgusting."

"Why? You only like your meat bloody and screaming?" teased Jacob.

"Just blow some smoke over mine and I will be fine", laughed Seth.

"Do you think Finder will be back soon?" asked Reneesme softly.

"Seven minutes," said Alice absently. Jasper kissed her knuckles. "Maybe," he said.

"Nope. Seven, well six minutes and forty eight seconds."

"And she found everything?" asked Bella.

"Yep."

"Somebody's gonna be paying up!" Emmett chuckled to himself, imagining his demands when he won his bets.

"Don't get cocky, Emmett," warned Alice.

"Aw, Alice, come on. I just want to win this one." Emmet was fiercely competitive, even on simple bets with his siblings.

"All I'm saying is: don't get cocky." Alice grinned at Emmett's frown.

"And Carlisle?" asked Esme softly, feeling the need to be certain of her husband's well-being, just once more.

"He'll be back, Esme. This is just hard for him. He wants to protect us all from everything, and that isn't always possible." Edward understood his father very clearly, understood Carlisle's fierce devotion to his family, his compelling commitment to the well-being of the entire family. Edward understood because he felt exactly the same way. He glanced up to find Bella's eyes on him, smiling. He smiled back as he raised her hand and brushed his lips across her knuckles.

"Ewww, Dad." Reneesme left the kitchen, followed by Jacob and Seth.

Edward heard them settling into the living room, arguing about which video game to play.

"So, Eddie," Emmett harrumphed, "what the hell is this really all about?"

Edward looked at his brother blankly.

"What? I think about things, sometimes."

Edward shook his head slightly. "Truly, Emmett, I do not know. I do have an idea or two…"

"Give over, bro. Inquiring minds want to know."

"Well, Finder thinks that somehow, we Cullens will help save the world. Logically, it cannot be because we are vampires, because there are other vampires in our world. It therefore must be because of something that is peculiar to us. Not our gifts – there are other gifted vampires. Not because of the shape-shifters – there are other shapeshifters. I grant you there are likely no other alliances like ours with the Quileutes, but alone, that is not significant enough to be a factor in something as large as what Finder appears to be involved in. Our 'vegetarian' lifestyle might be a factor, but I think it likely has in part something to do with Carlisle being a doctor and scientist. There are no other practicing vampire doctors as far as I am aware. And…" he hesitated, knowing what he had to say would likely set off a massive explosion. "…there is Reneesme."

"No, aw, hell no! This can't be about Nessie," Emmett growled.

"Emmett, Reneesme is unique. While there are other hybrids, they are not common, and are not members of a family and an alliance such as ours. I think that the combination of these factors make us singularly unique. I cannot think of any other logical reasons for Finder to come to us."

"I can." Jasper's voice was level and cold.

"What?" Emmett was puzzled by the look of dawning horror crossing Edward's face and the tightness of Jasper's voice.

"The Volturi," whispered Edward.

"What do the Volturi have to do with this, Edward?" Esme's puzzlement was clear.

"We are the only coven...family ever to stand against the Volturi successfully. That may be the unique thing about us that she needs to accomplish her purpose."

"But we weren't alone. Our friends, the nomads, there were others with us," objected Esme. "And we didn't even fight, not really."

"But we won," pointed out Bella.

"That's the point." Jasper was terse.

"Why would defying the Volturi make us unique enough for Finder to seek us out?" asked Esme.

"Because we survived." Jasper's comment was abrupt and the others fell silent, puzzling.

"Carlisle and Finder are almost here," said Alice softly. "Maybe when they get back, we can get this whole thing solved."

"I don't think it's going to be that easy, darlin'."

Edward looked at his family, at his hand entwined with Bella's, and devoutly hoped that Jasper was wrong.