~Chapter 3~

The Day's End

For now the night was silent and thankfully the wolf and the Volturi hadn't arrived or returned, for that matter of speaking… but they'd created small groups to keep an eye on the fields. Nik stayed up with Jacob, in his human form for now, and he munched on some chips from his house.

"What would you be doing, if you didn't have to do this Jake?" Nik asked, trying to make small talk, get a conversation going.

However, Jacob shrugged, but then he smiled. "I'd be teasing Nessie and we'd be together." He said, "Bella and I will argue more over the name I gave her and Edward will only scowl at me, side with Bella of course."

"Of course."

Jake laughed, "Yeah, well…" he trailed off. "What would you be doing Nikolas?"

Nik and Jacob were sitting on the grass and Nik leaned back on his elbow before he answered, "I'd be mocking Sara, my brother's mate for her inability to do magic anymore; making eyes at Jessica, Aubrey's mate because I can and I know Aubrey won't hurt me. Jessica finds me 'cute'," he smiled and Jacob laughed again- a bark really. "If I wasn't here, I'd probably be hunting; I prefer human, but for now, I'm on a diet."

"Animals?" Nikolas nodded. "I'm willing to say that the Cullen's are grateful for that."

Nikolas nodded, "Yeah. Angel is already a veggie and so is Spike so that's not a problem," Nik shrugged and yawned loudly. "It's been a long day… at least it wasn't spent waiting for death to come."

"Are you just that negative all the time?"

Nik, this time, was the one to laugh. "Nah! Just not until I met you Jay!" This time they both chuckled and Nik held out his hand, "Start over? I'm Nik. Vampire, of the Concord Coven."

Jacob Black shook his hand, "Jake. Werewolf of the La Push Pack."

They released hands and Jacob looked over as he saw Christopher and Makenna, Charles won't like that very much in Jake's opinion since Makenna and Charles are mates. The two were talking, but Jacob always thought that vampires were a little too jump-in-to-the-action-and-then-talk and figured that Charles might hurt Chris before the night is through. Nik read his mind and smiled.

"Christopher is in love with Sara ad quite frankly," he said and Jacob turned to look back at him. "Its disgusting." The wolf chuckled again as Nik added. "Sara was once my enemy."

"Really?" Nik nodded, "she and I are still in this kind of stage where we feel uncomfortable around each other… Chris and I both bit her."

Jacob started. "Why?"

"Because Christopher was afraid too but when I did it for him, he joined in…." Nik pushed up to sitting against a tree trunk and rubbed the back of his neck. "Sara hated Chris for it, she left."

"Obviously she returned."

Nik nodded, "A few years ago, yeah. She missed my brother and Chris was getting tired, waiting for her…" he added at Jacob's look. "I just mean he was going to go after her. We're vampires Jacob, when we get our mate we keep her."

Jacob shivered and Nikolas frowned: werewolves don't shiver because they don't get cold; but then Nik saw he was thinking about Edward and Bella. Yeah, vampires didn't let go; although technically Edward tried, he still ended up with the girl and now Jacob has imprinted on Nessie…. Werewolves don't let go either. He hadn't known he spoken aloud until Nik patted his shoulder. "I agree my man."

Jacob nodded, "Glad you do and," he added. "I'm glad we had this chat."

"Me too Jacob and I'll tell you why- I want to like you."

Jacob agreed that was a good reason and even thanked him for the opportunity. Nik smiled and they stood as Christopher and Aubrey came over to chat. "What's going on?"

Aubrey shook his head, "Nothing. Yet. No sign of our friend, though and I don't know if that's a good or bad thing."

"Probably both." Chris decided and Aubrey only shrugged one shoulder. "Hey Leah." Shorts and a tee shirt, but barefoot Leah rolled her eyes at them and went on to see her brother Seth among a group of sleeping wolves. "Fine, don't say hi!" Chris called and Leah still ignored him.

Jacob shrugged when Nik looked at him. "Leah's special, but she is getting better." Christopher folded his arms and looked at Nik, "You called Sara?"

"Aubrey called Jessica, so I talked to her too. I want her so badly, I miss her so much," he mumbled.

Nik smiled and looked at Jacob in a see-what-I- was-talking-about look and Jacob smiled. "This time tomorrow, we'll be home."

"I hope so," Christ muttered and Aubrey thumped his shoulder hard. He grunted as he spoke again, "Thanks Aubrey."

"Any time, sap," he muttered and turned on his heel but Nik knew he missed Jessica a lot but Aubrey wasn't the kind to share feelings. Not before, not now, not ever.

Nikolas and Jacob returned a small group of people, leaving his brother and his best friend to their post. Edward and Emmett went to sit together as well; Jasper and Spike were together but not speaking like most other look-out couple.

Carlisle stood in the kitchen, just watching everyone as though afraid, but he was afraid. Afraid for their lives, his family's lives… Nessie's most of all because the Volturi, if they decide it, they'll kill her and kill them for just allowing her existence and still just for the fact she's alive and been allowed to live. Carlisle didn't want to see a dead relative on the morrow.

Nikolas felt him watching everyone and went to join him. What if they die tomorrow? What if this ends in a war and bodies… Edward's Jasper's Alice's- she's little and capable… she'd die to be with Jasper.

Nikolas put his hand on Carlisle's shoulder and the doctor turned around slowly, "Don't think like that Doc. IF we have to fight, we'll win because they'll rely on us not knowing how to fight worth a damn and we do. Aubrey and I are good. Angel is one of the best I've ever seen and Emmett has energy to burn." Carlisle chuckled a little. "At least I got you to laugh."

"Thank you Nik. Why are you being so nice to everyone? I heard you talking with Jacob Black."

Nik Ravena smiled, "Somewhere down the line… the line behind us," he said. "We're all related by one true person, who bit someone, who bit someone and so on." Carlisle smiled.

"Hear you out," he smiled. "The family Philosopher," he clasped Nik's shoulder and they both laughed. "I suppose, in a long way you very good point. We're a family," he said and turned around to see his adoptive family enter. "We stick together and we'll win tomorrow."

"We're a family," Esme agreed. "We'll be fine." She went forward and Carlisle held out his hand and Esme hurried to take it.

Aubrey put his elbow on Chris's shoulder, to use for an armrest. "Esme, babe, we are a very large family so I expect a lot of birthday and Christmas presents." Esme giggled and Carlisle pulled his wife close against his chest and let his lips fall into her soft brown hair. "However, it is late and the troops are arraigned and it's late."

"I agree, we should get to bed," Carlisle said over Esme's hair. Nikolas saw Maggie outside with Vladimir and Stephen and a few other vampires, "Good night Edward Alice, kids."

"'Night dad," Edward murmured and Esme kissed her kids, even Chris and Nik on the cheeks. Esme held her husband's hand as they went upstairs to their room but Nik suspected that most of them wouldn't be able to sleep due to nerves and full minds of the next evening's events.

Nikolas left Christopher and Aubrey to a sleep(less) night and went back downstairs to find Maggie now alone. The girl lay in the grass and her arms under her head as she watched the stars and Nikolas went over. She tilted her head back to see him. She smiled and he returned it.

"Hey Maggie, aren't you going to bed."

"Look-out," she said. "Not very good at it, I know, but I don't want to sit by the trees. They're creepy and I don't like creeps."

He chuckled and agreed. "It's cold here, even for me and I'm a vampire. Ready for tomorrow?"

Maggie looked over at him. "Yeah… did you mean what you said about us all being a family?" Nik nodded; surprised to hear that she heard him and he sure several others did too. Maggie rolled to her stomach and sat up on her elbows, "I like that I have a few hundred thousand relations."

Nik laughed and reached forward and took her around her waist and turned her over to lie over his lap. "I don't like flirting Magg's," he whispered and she smiled. He kissed her lips Spiderman style, upside down, and she smiled as he pulled back.