A/N: Beware of a time warp. (Ayden and Alice are graduating high school) I've finally decided on a good plot for this. Haha. So I hope you like it. I did extensive research for you.
Jasper: I like it. It heavily involves me. :D
Me: I'm glad you like it, yo. Sign my yearbook?
Jasper: Sure! Now start writing.
Me: Well, you heard the man. Enjoy!
Carlisle unlocked the front door and ushered all of us inside. Everyone sat, still laughing, around the family room.
"Ayden," Carlisle began, "we're very proud of you. And your acceptance to Brown…it pleases your mother and I immensely."
I smiled warmly and appreciatively at my parents. "Thank you. I'm just glad to finally be out of high school," I sighed, leaning back against the couch. "I never want to go back."
"Well you're in for a rude awakening," Jasper muttered, rising from the couch. "It never ends. Really though, we're all proud."
I smiled up at my brother before his departure with Alice to hunt.
"So…how are we going to spend this summer?" I pondered aloud to my present family members. "I mean, there was Denali…then there was Denali…and a wedding…and then there was California. How can we top all that?" I teased.
"We'll think of something," Bella promised with a laugh.
I leaned against Cole's chest. As long as it had been, I still missed the sound of his musical heartbeat. However, I reassured myself, as I constantly did, that it was our only choice.
Bella, Rosalie, and Esme seemed to copy my action, each lying against their respective mates. After a few peaceful moments, Rose and Emmett retreated to their room.
"Well, if you'll all excuse me, I think I'll head to the hospital for a while," Carlisle announced, walking toward the door.
"Bye," we all responded simultaneously.
"I guess I'll go look for a new house to remodel," Esme said, also excusing herself from our boring bliss in the family room.
Edward and Bella sat with us, though, for nearly an hour, each of us simply enjoying the peace. No one had to say anything for us to understand each other. I loved that bond with my family; it was as if we all had Jasper's talent, but it only worked on one another.
"Who wants to go for a run?" I suggested, looking around the room at the lethargic vampires. "We look like lazy teenagers," I laughed.
"In a way, we are," Edward muttered, sinking further into the cushions of the couch.
"What's the point in doing that?" I asked. "You know you won't sleep."
"What else is there to do?" he countered.
"Well, as I already suggested, we could go for a run," I fired back, annoyed by his sloth-like attitude.
It was bound to become a heated argument; however, a piercing scream ripped through the house, shaking the very foundation of our home. Before any of us could respond, Jasper had a very scared-looking Alice sitting in front of us, everyone now present.
"What did you see, Alice?" Jasper asked her as if he'd repeated the act several times already. "You need to tell us, sweetie."
"Sh-she was short and tiny like me, and she had long brown hair. Her…her eyes were red," Alice informed us, looking only at Jasper with pitiful eyes.
"Draw me a picture of her," Jasper commanded gravely, a scared look replacing his annoyed, concerned one.
Alice ran to the kitchen, returning with a notepad we kept on the refrigerator as a prop. Her hand moved gracefully across the page, illustrating a young vampire-girl with an evil smile. She finished almost instantly, and handed the drawing over to Jazz. He looked down at the picture, cradled his head in his hands, and finally, growled ferociously, throwing furniture in his rage.
"No, it couldn't be. I thought she was dead," Edward protested, having answered his thoughts. "Alice, what exactly did you see?"
"I saw her…with her coven. She wishes to fight."
"No problem," Emmett laughed dismissively. "How many does this chick have? Five?"
"Emmett, you are SO DENSE!" Jasper shouted, throwing Emmett outside.
Everyone in the room was silent, aside from Jazz, Edward, and Alice discussing quietly in the corner of the room near the hallway. Emmett soon reentered, dusting himself off as he came. Esme shot him an apologetic glance, but didn't dare say anything in Jasper's fit of anger, since he'd managed to break nothing.
"Are any of you going to share your little meeting with the rest of your family?" Bella asked in irritation.
"Alice, go call Carlisle. He needs to be here. Call Tanya. Jasper, is there any way you could contact Peter or Charlotte?"
Alice took her orders, and Jasper looked back at Edward, pondering.
"I see, then," Edward sighed in defeat. He turned back to the rest of us, his brow furrowed. "Alice has seen Maria. She plans to fight—an attempt to get back at Jasper for leaving her."
The atmosphere of the room became tense; we all understood, now, the grave seriousness of the situation. Jasper tried to calm us, but he couldn't even contain his own peacefulness to do so.
"She has a small army," Edward continued. "It's mostly the same people she's always been with, we believe, since there hasn't been anything like what happened back in Seattle." He looked quickly at Bella, hoping he hadn't upset her. He liked what he saw, and continued. "It's about the same number, though, as it was in Seattle. She'll bring around twenty soldiers, and all for one reason."
We all understood, having heard the famous 'Seattle story' a thousand times over. Jasper was the target, and the leader would have to be taken down to avoid the loss of our central effort.
"Carlisle's coming," Alice announced, marching back into the room. "Tanya and her coven are on the next flight here. Carlisle said we should consider calling the Volturi this time, since the wolves aren't involved."
"No," Edward snapped immediately. "They have more important things to concern themselves with. There's no need to involve them unless it's absolutely necessary."
"Alright, no need to explode on me. Take it out on him," Alice replied, pointing at the door, just as Carlisle was entering.
Carlisle only stared at Edward as they had a mind-conversation. I loved watching these. Edward nodded, his eyes narrowed seriously. My father merely sighed in response.
"Yes, I suppose it would be for the best not to call upon them. However, you had a very good idea, Edward, when you suggested calling Tanya. Eleazar will help greatly in battle."
I was confused by the smirk the greater part of the family shared, excluding me, Bella, and Cole. "Why do you say that?"
"Eleazar has a very…unique…gift," Edward laughed lightly. "But that is beside the point. Alice?"
"Yes, Edward?" Alice asked, appearing at his side as if a lap dog he'd called for.
"When will Maria arrive?"
"Not for a week, at least. The weather won't permit it. It would be impossible for her to remain hidden. However, there should be a nasty little storm to kick off hurricane season next Saturday."
"Perfect," Edward purred. "Carlisle, Jasper, I think we should meet in the study with Alice in order to organize a strategy."
I started to leave for my run, sensing the ending of our meeting. But Edward stopped me before I could stand.
"Before everyone leaves, be sure you're back here, in this room, by midnight. We'll be having a training session for our new soldiers." He looked at Bella, smiling proudly, happy that she was his equal, rather than a vulnerability; she returned the loving smile.
"Well, you're all free to go now. I'll see you at midnight," Edward sighed, dismissing us.
I wasted no time running into the surrounding wooded area. I needed the fresh air to think clearly about our impending battle. I was nervous, to say the least. I feared losing someone I was so close to. The death of any of my loved ones, immediate family or not, was inconceivable.
I finally gave up on running, settling instead on sitting in the grass. A few peaceful minutes passed before Cole's footsteps came into my range of hearing.
"You doing ok, baby?" he cooed, taking me into his arms closely.
I sighed at his touch. "I'll be fine. I'm just sorta freaking out."
"It's going to be okay, I promise," he whispered before kissing the hollow below my ear.
I shivered. "Do you really think this is an appropriate time?" I scolded, glowering at my husband.
"Well," he murmured seductively. "We're going to be quite busy tonight. I thought we might go ahead and get a few things out of the way." He ran a cold finger down my jaw line, a finger that eventually slipped down to my shirt, popping off two buttons.
"Cole! That was my favorite shirt," I whined, pushing his arm away.
"Don't worry. I'll buy you a new one. Right now, though, what's the point in keeping it on?" he smirked.
Before I could blink I was underneath my frisky husband, giggling.
A/N: Short, yes. But I did update. I'm totally sorry guys. So I'm planning to hold off on the battle for a few more chapters. Like the idea? Hope so. Now, for something remotely interesting: what should Eleazar's gift be? Stephenie never says. She only said he has a gift like Edward and Alice. So…give me your ideas. Remember, they need to be useful in a military situation. Help meh out here people!