A/N… I'll let you get to it. See me at the bottom, please.

~oOo~

Chapter 24

BELLA

"Stop it!" Caroline growled at Jasper, who was sending her all sorts of testy emotions.

He grinned, dodging her attack as we played around back at the camping lodge. We were in the clearing where the picnic tables were, and Caroline wanted to keep practicing after our meeting with everyone back at the Cullen house. She wanted to learn to fight multiple opponents.

Alice and I were sitting side by side at one of the tables, watching Edward and Jasper work with her. She was getting all sorts of frustrated with the two of them, because honestly, they were almost impossible to fight.

"She's gonna snap in three, two…one," Alice muttered, and we both exploded in laughter as she landed a kick to Jasper's midsection and threw a pinecone at Edward's head, which he barely avoided because he was laughing too hard.

"Oh, my damn," I said through giggles, standing up from the table. "I'm kinda grateful Emmett isn't here. She'd probably try to drown him in the river." I pointed toward the Sol Duc just a few yards away. "And believe me, I understand." I met her frustrated gaze as I waved her to me. "You're letting their talents win."

She gaped at me, pointing to Edward. "Mind reader."

Grinning, I said, "I'm very much aware."

Edward snorted into a deep chuckle.

She pointed to Jasper, adding, "He keeps sending me anger."

"I see that," I told her, turning to my overly amused brother. "Cut that shit out. I can't teach her if she's too pissed off."

He smirked and then nodded in acquiescence.

I turned her around in front of me to face them. "Stop thinking with Edward. And stay calm with Jasper. Don't plan or plot your moves. Take what they throw at you and let your instincts defend you. Relax your mind and let it lead your attack naturally. If you stop planning, then Edward can't see it coming."

The man in question simply nodded. He was a strong, smart fighter, fast and cunning. But he would absolutely use his opponent's thoughts against them in a fight.

"The same goes for Jazz. You must control your emotions with him. If you're scared, he'll use it. If you're angry, he'll enhance it to cause you to make mistakes. Self-doubt, worry, fear, sadness, and anger are negative emotions that he'll use against you. Relax your mind and your heart. Empty yourself of it all."

She inhaled deeply, closing her eyes for a moment. I tilted my head at her, waiting patiently for her to center herself. When she let out the breath and opened her eyes to mine, I raised an eyebrow in question.

She nodded, and I turned her to face them. "Kick their asses."

Edward's grin was hilarious, and Jasper merely waved Caroline forward as I stepped back to stand with Alice. Our youngest sister was short like Alice and me, although somewhere between us. Edward and Jasper were tall, and knowledge and experience made them come across as intimidating.

Caroline squared her shoulders, eyeing the two men briefly before attacking at top speed. She aimed for Edward first, who seemed prepared. He deflected her attack into Jasper's space, and Caroline reacted to my brother calmly, precisely, and much to my surprise and pride, she used her small stature to her advantage. She ducked, rolling across the grass to come up to sweep at Edward's feet. He leaped just in time, but when he came down, he caught one of her feet, lifting her up.

She swung that free leg around, and he had no choice but to let her go or get kicked in the head.

"Oh, shit!" Alice and I said at the same time, which made us grin at each other.

We went back to the fight where Jasper was attacking first. Caroline defended punches and kicks, jumping over Jasper to try to take his back. However, she found herself right in the middle of the two of them. They orbited around her, and she had to spin her head to keep them both in her sights.

"C'mon, baby sis," I whispered to myself. "Let go."

Alice nodded in agreement but tilted her head a bit. "Now, Caroline!" she cheered, bouncing on her toes.

Caroline moved in a blur, bouncing from one man to the other – a kick to Jasper, a punch at Edward's midsection, and back to Jasper. She had to have finally found that blind instinct, because suddenly, the guys were on defense from her. She attacked left and then right, Edward and then Jasper. The space between the three of them was opening wider and wider. Had this been a true fight, she'd have made enough room to get away or end at least one of her enemies.

"Oh, shit…" I gasped, seeing she was about to drive them both into the river.

"You might wanna…" Alice started but was laughing too hard.

"Yeah, yeah," I said, sending my shield out around the boys to keep them dry and to stop Caroline's onslaught of violence. I rushed to her when she bounced off my shield. "Easy there, Bruce Lee." I pointed to my teetering husband. "Look, you won this round. Well done, but I'd rather not have to replace the phone, the new wallet, and the rental car keys should you plunk him down in that river."

Caroline went from intensely concentrated to highly amused at the results.

"Bella!" Edward and Jasper both called, grunting when I used my shield to pull them up onto higher ground and away from the riverbank. Just for entertainment, I pushed them down into the grass.

Edward was grinning at the whole thing as he sat up. "Thanks, love."

I giggled his way. "No problem," I sang, turning to Caroline. "That's how it's done, baby sister. Excellent job."

We all looked over at the lodge's driveway when the sound of a car met our ears. My old Mercedes – the first car Edward had ever bought me – had eventually been traded in for a good size SUV for Anna and the kids. However, Anna wasn't driving. Izzy was.

"Christ, she's old enough to drive," I muttered, walking to Anna, but it was the handsome boy who got to me first.

"Aunt Bella!" Eddie said, rushing into my arms.

He was already taller than me, and he was warm, smelling like the rez. I pulled back, cupping his face. He was Jake made over, but the parts of Anna he received softened his features. With short hair, he used that product that made it stick up everywhere.

"I've missed this face, and why are you taller than me already?" I teased him.

His grin was hilarious as he shrugged a shoulder. "I dunno. We've missed you. Thanks for those last books. I loved Dumas."

"Good! I'm glad. You like adventures, so I thought you'd like his stuff."

Eddie nodded, and I stepped back so I could see Izzy, who was hugging Edward. She was rattling off her excitement about her upcoming junior year.

"And there's prom and homecoming…" she said, giggling when he raised an eyebrow at her. "No! No, you absolutely don't need to read anyone's mind, Uncle Edward. Thomas is a good guy!"

Laughing, I tugged him away from her. "Edward Cullen, don't you dare…yet."

Edward grinned like he'd won the damn lottery, but Izzy just laughed, rushing into my arms. "Okay, fine. Yet. If he gets shady, I'll let you know," she told him over my shoulder, but pulled back to look to me. "He's super cute, though. I'll show you pictures."

"Oh, heck yeah! Is he from the rez?" I asked her.

"No, he's new to Forks. He's seventeen and originally from Portland," she replied.

I leaned in, whispering, "Watch out for those seventeen-year-old boys. They're trouble." I grinned teasingly Edward's way, and he shrugged and nodded.

"Oh, yeah?" she sang, looking to Edward. "Do tell, Uncle Edward."

"Nope," he said, shaking his head and shooting her a wink. "Not a chance."

Anna groaned. "Jesus, girl, you're gonna give me gray hair. Both of them are."

I hugged her, chuckling with amusement and sympathy. "It's good to see you."

We pulled a few of the picnic tables together and sat around catching up. Izzy's Thomas was indeed a really cute boy with curly, light-brown hair and a smile that reminded me of Emmett's, because there was a sweet dimple on his left cheek. Anna was still working at the Forks Police Department part time answering phones and filing, and she loved it. It was fun and silly, until Eddie piped up.

"I hope that you being here helps me shift," he said to me softly, but we all heard him.

"Are you sure that's what you want?" I asked him.

"Sure, sure! Definitely."

I glanced to Anna, who seemed nervous at the prospect but resigned at the same time. I turned back to Eddie. "I remember when your dad finally shifted. There was a lot going on around here at the time, and he didn't quite know the whole truth of things then."

"Yeah, he told me."

"What else did he tell you?" I asked.

"That he was angry about it. That he felt chained to it. He said back then that he hated you guys. All of you. That he didn't want to be angry, but he couldn't stop it."

"That sounds about right," I agreed.

Anna and I had talked at length about whether the kids should know their dad's history. We didn't want to taint their opinion of him, because he wasn't that angry wolf anymore.

"All the members of the pack are brave and strong. They stay in this area to keep the immortals who mean harm to humans away from here. That being said… Once you are a member of the pack, you're committed, Eddie."

He nodded, toying with his cell phone on the table. He reminded me of Jake so much back when I'd first moved to Forks – happy, calm, laid-back.

"He really wants it," Izzy piped up, waving that away with an adorable wrinkle to her nose. "Honestly, it sounds like a lot of trouble. Like… Once you're a wolf, they hear all your thoughts. You're constantly tearing up your clothes. And you don't age." Her eyes snapped to me and then Alice. "I didn't mean…"

Jasper chuckled at her. "Kiddo, no one here is offended."

"Not at all," Edward said softly, but he looked to Eddie. "Your bloodline is strong. With so many of us here, it's quite possible you will. If you do, just remember to listen to your dad, Seth, and Sam. Learn from them. We're here because there are some immortals threatening our choice to not kill humans. If it comes down to a fight, a battle, we need you smart and safe. Understand?" He sighed, glancing between both kids. "Both of you need to stay closer to the reservation, no farther than this camp. Okay?"

"Yeah, Uncle Edward," they both chanted.

"Good," he praised them, but he meant what he was saying. We were their godparents, after all, so while we spoiled them, we also needed to protect them.

"That's what we've told them, too," Anna piped up softly, smiling gratefully at Edward for reenforcing it. "They know to call Jake or you guys should they see something…someone suspicious." She rolled her eyes. "You'd think as long as you guys lived, that as long as you stayed a secret, it wouldn't matter how you lived."

"That's how it should be," Jasper told her. "That's how it's always been. Even before the fight with Felix. Aro didn't care. He didn't understand it, but he didn't make a move to stop it. Marcus offers both diets."

Edward sat forward at the table. "From what I've seen through the few people we've encountered, Caius fears Carlisle…and Eleazar, for that matter. Caius leads his people by intimidation and threats. He teaches them that anything other than the norm is to be eradicated, and that's because he's never truly understood it. Even when Carlisle lived in Volterra, Caius had no patience for him or his argument that the animal blood diet allows for calmer, clearer thinking, less anarchy, and the ability to blend into human society.

"But what Caius fears…is this…" He gestured around the table. "He fears loyalty that's earned, not achieved by dominating those under him. Through Marcus, I can see how fierce and solid the loyalty is that binds not just the families, but all of us to each other. And Caius will never understand how to earn that loyalty, much less ever receive it in such abundance." Edward smiled sadly. "So what he fears, he will try to remove."

"He hasn't decided to come here yet," Alice added with a shake of her head. "He wavers because he's received Edward's message from Sulpicia."

"Yeah? Did Niko receive my message?" Edward asked with a sneer.

Slipping my hand over his leg, I took his hand in mine, just to calm him. He squeezed back, nodding a little.

"Yes," Alice answered. "Caius is thinking it might be a trap, but he also thinks he outnumbers us."

"He kinda does. Even with the ones Demetri's group took out," Jasper said with a shrug. "But here's the thing. That loyalty that Edward just mentioned makes us so much stronger than Caius. The pack is the icing on the cake, so to speak, because he wouldn't know they exist. If he did, he wouldn't believe it, because he just that…that…boneheaded."

I huffed a laugh, saying, "When he had me, I was…struggling. But that fear, he disguises it behind anger, by false control. When my shield let loose in that temple, he was the first little coward to dive for cover."

Edward pressed kisses to the side of my head. "As he should, love."

"That's because you're terrifying," Jasper teased.

Grinning at the kids' laughter, I looked to Anna. "Maybe."

"Bella, you slapped a man with his own hand," Alice pointed out.

I sighed, rubbing my face as a laugh escaped me. "Yeah, well… I don't like to be touched by people I don't know," I snarked back.

"No means no," Izzy added with a firm nod.

Eddie's wide-eyed gaze met mine. "If I shift, I wanna fight with Aunt Bella."

"Oh for… That's it. Time to go. We've got school shopping to do." Anna looked to me. "Gray hair, I tell you."

I turned to Eddie. "One traumatic experience at a time for me. Okay? I'd lose my mind trying to keep you safe on top of everyone else."

Eddie grinned, and I'd swear he was Jacob made over, answering, "Sure, sure."

As we walked them to their car, Edward piped up with, "Where does Thomas live?"

Izzy gaped. "No! You leave him alone, Uncle Edward. I don't want to know what he's thinking…" She trailed off, tilting her head. "Well, I kinda do, but… Just no!"

He did it just to see her excited nature explode, but he held his hands up in surrender.

"We can find out, brother," Jasper suggested, giving a crooked grin.

Izzy gave me a pleading look, and I waved her away. "They won't. They aren't allowed in Forks. Not that it's stopped them before, but they won't. Relax. But if you ever want Thomas checked out, you'd better mean it."

Izzy smiled like a ray of sunshine. "Oh, I know!"

As they pulled away, Edward scooped me up, saying, "Come on, sweet girl. Let's run."

~oOo~

EDWARD

"Izzy reminds me of Anna," I muttered, my eyes on Bella as she walked the beach barefooted.

"And Eddie reminds me of a young Jake," she countered, smirking when she mentally added Jake before vampires and werewolves surrounded her every day.

Grinning, I chuckled at her. "It was a lot to throw at a junior in high school."

She giggled, bending down to pick up a shell or two. "Maybe. But you know how I feel about when we met. Grumpy glares and all."

We weren't far from the reservation, but I'd wanted her alone for a few minutes. It was an excuse to give her a moment to process after meetings with Marcus and Jake and the visit with Anna and the kids. Bella needed it now – time to not let things overwhelm her. And any excuse to hoard her time was okay by me.

She held out a shell, setting it down into my palm. "Maybe I should make a necklace out of one of these for Izzy. Like my mom used to make."

Her voice was soft, contemplative, and I picked up the shell that was about a half an inch long, with soft colors spiraling down to a point. It had a natural hole at the top, perfect for threading through whatever type of material she wanted.

"I'd need leather," she added, shrugging a shoulder.

I lost myself in her memories of Renee. Young Bella loved her mother, loved the art and the fun. Renee, for all her eccentric personality traits, loved teaching little Bella how to get her hands messy, how to paint, how to make things. A Bella still in elementary school lived for the happy, giggly laugh that would erupt out of her mother. Only when those traits threatened Bella's livelihood did my sweet girl have to grow up quickly. Laundry, bills, food on the table, homework – those things took precedence over messes and giggles.

Meeting Bella's gaze, I said, "Those are good memories, my sweet girl. If you want to pass that on to Izzy, we'll get you the leather string."

She cupped my face, pressing her lips to mine. Her mind silently wondered if there wasn't anything I wouldn't give her. Was there one thing I'd ever say no to? I doubted it, and it made me chuckle against her lips.

"No."

She broke into a sweet giggle. "No? Not a thing?"

"I don't know, love." I shrugged, sorting through all sorts of scenarios. "I mean, unless it could cause you harm, I can't see myself not handing you whatever you wished."

She shook her head in amusement, but she honestly had no possible idea what I would hand her should she just ask. I'd waited so long for her, and we'd suffered apart. Now, there was nothing I wouldn't give her to repay her for her love, her happiness, her loyalty. She was trying to find something that I'd say no to, but I kept shaking my head.

"A Maserati?"

"What color?"

"Another wedding?"

"Sure. I'd happily marry you again anytime."

"Um, a puppy?"

"If you really want a snack running around our house… Fine."

She cracked up, her head falling back. "Snack." She met my gaze again. "A house in Siberia."

"Talk about remote. One story or two?"

"Damn." Grinning my way, she narrowed her eyes. "A date. Maybe a drive-in movie?"

"I'm not saying no, but the timing, baby. We'll go when we aren't so needed."

"And this time, I want to be the dominant one."

My growl rumbled through me, because an in-charge Bella was incredibly sexy. "Again, not saying no. Just asking for time and patience, Isabella."

The last drive-in movie we'd seen had been the result of a lost bet. Bella had wanted me to dominate her. It wasn't something we did all the time, but occasionally we'd play.

"High school again."

I laughed, shaking my head. "Again, timing. And then…where?"

She pursed her lips at me. "How about you…here…on this beach?"

My smile curled up my face because I couldn't help it. To emphasize her wish, she crawled up onto my lap as I sat on a fallen log. She wrapped her arms around my neck, tugging me until my forehead fell to hers.

"Dangerous wish, my beautiful girl," I told her, my mind seeking out any nearby thoughts. "We're not alone." I nuzzled her cheek toward the small family several yards away.

"Dammit. Fine. I'm saying no to that," she grumbled, smiling at my chuckle as she slipped slowly off my lap like a lazy feline. "C'mon, we'll walk a little."

The water was calm and as gray as the skies above us. Behind us, the woods stretched out. The small family had turned around to walk away from us, whether by need or by unaware self-preservation. Either worked for me.

"Did you give up trying to find something?" I asked her.

She giggled, linking our fingers together. "Yeah, because you'll probably say okay to everything I ask."

Laughing, I brought her hand up to kiss her fingers. "I don't know, sweet girl. There's not much you haven't given me, so I suppose we're even."

"You don't ask for much, Edward. That's the truth."

Smiling over at her, I shrugged. "All I ever wanted was you, Bella. Anything after that is just…superfluous."

"Keep it up, baby. All this sweet talk. I'll drag you off into the woods."

"That sounds like a threat."

"It might be," she stated, raising an eyebrow at me.

I was actually about to take her up on that offer, but the pack mind started to grow closer, practically flying through the woods behind us. I pulled Bella back a bit, facing the tree line.

Sam's dark form appeared, and his mind was aimed at me. Edward, you're needed back at the lodge. Big D is back, but we caught a scout. Marcus would like you there when they're questioned.

"Sam?" Bella questioned but looked to me.

"We need to go. Demetri is back, but the pack caught one of Caius's scouts. Marcus needs me there to read their mind," I explained to her.

She frowned but nodded in acquiescence. "Oh boy. So it begins."

~oOo~

A/N… Okay, so the vote that won out was to post two stories at the same time. Some of you didn't mind, some of you said you'd wait until something was complete, and some of you told me to do what I needed to do. That being said, Common Ground will start posting this coming Wednesday.

Summary: Common ground or mutual understanding – the ability to find a shared event, feeling, or mind-set. Detective Edward Masen rarely cared about finding common ground with anyone, but he may find he has no choice when it comes to solving his current homicide case. AH/ExB/Rated M

If you want to check out a sneak peek, the ladies over at The Lemonade Stand were nice enough to post it. TehLemonadeStand dot blogspot dot com.

No songs added to the playlist this time.

I'll see you guys Wednesday if you're joining in on the new story, or next Sunday if you're just gonna stick with this one. Until next time… Mooches, Deb ;)