"Mom, we really should go back to that little boutique. We needed to stop in and pick that bracelet up for Alice. I can't believe I completely forgot she asked me to get it. She's going to kill me. It won't take that long to double back." Rosalie gave her mother a hopeful look.

"We're almost home, Rose. I'm sure Alice will survive one more day and then the two of you can run to Port Angeles tomorrow after school. Actually, I was rather surprised that she didn't want to go with us today. It's not like Alice to pass up on a shopping trip."

Rose shifted nervously as she tried to think of something else that could keep her mother away from the house for a little while longer. Em hadn't called yet and she was suppose to keep Esme occupied until she had heard from him. This was not going well at all.

"Oh, Alice had a couple of things to do." That would have been more important then adding to her wardrobe? Really, Rose? You are so going to have to do better then that. What in the hell are you thinking? "School stuff. Book report that she forgot about or something like that, you know? Besides, after her last shop-a-thon Dad kinda cut her off for a while."

"Hmm."

Esme's eyes never left the road but there was something in her daughter's voice that didn't sit right with her. She knew her children well enough to know when they were up to something. Rose was not normally one to scheme nor was she inclined to be nervous so Esme could only think that something was going on with Emmett to make her daughter act so peculiar. Emmett must be up to no good. What kind of mess are they trying to keep me from walking into? The mind simply boggles at the ideas of what that boy can come up with.

"Looks like some of the town kids are having fun." Esme nodded towards a dazzling firework display that suddenly lit up the night sky. "Seems to be fairly close to the house. They must be shooting them over on the riverbank. Good thing it rained yesterday. Fireworks in the trees are so hazardous. The last thing we need to have to deal with is a fire."

"Yeah, that is something to worry about," Rose responded rather absentmindedly as she busied herself sending a text message to her mate. "Stupid kids. Just asking for trouble."

"Well, I think the beach would have been a better place for fireworks but as long as they are taking precautions to keep themselves safe it's just all good fun."

Please keep thinking that way, mom. Em, you have to have kept your phone on you because if not...

"Ooo, that one was pretty. I wonder..." Esme's thought was abruptly disrupted by an ear-shattering explosion. "What sort of firework was that? Sounded more like someone setting off dynamite."

"It may have been dynamite. You know how wild kids can get, mom. Some just aren't happy unless they are destroying something." Rosalie sighed heavily as her mother turned off the main road onto the long winding path that led to their home. We're dead. I knew it. I told him that this was a bad idea. Why in the hell did I let him sucker me into this? Another loud report filled the air sounding much too close then it should have been. I should have stuck to my guns. Em, if dad doesn't' kill you, I'm going to.

"If they really are being destructive, your dad and I probably should go put a stop to it. Just get them to move further down river. I'm sure they don't realize they are that close to our house so I'm certain they will be willing to take their party a safer distance once they realize we live near."

"I wouldn't bet on that," Rose whispered to herself.

She heard her mother gasp before she saw the reason for herself. The girl's eyes widened as she was stunned by the sight of the whistling, exploding, sparking ground level disaster. What the hell? Fireworks not suppose to be earthbound. Where is the greenhou... OH SHIT, EMMETT! She covered her eyes with her hand as she slightly hung her head praying that it would all go away. Surely this was just some bad dream... Oh God, how I wish vampires slept right now since then maybe I could hold onto that hope. "Shit, Emmett."

At her daughter's words, Esme shifted her attention from the blazing display to the young woman sitting next to her. Though worried, she felt the first tinges of anger begin to spark. "What do you know about this, Rosalie?"

"I plead the fifth."

"Rosalie Lillian, if you ever want to see the light of day outside of school again you will answer me." Esme's amber eyes suddenly narrowed as a thought struck her. "Your job was to keep me out of town, wasn't it?"

Rosalie's silence was all the confirmation her mother needed. Esme let out a frustrated sigh. "I can't believe this. I can't believe that you would... I just can't..." Frustrated to the point of not being able to complete a coherent thought, Esme slammed the car into park,switched off the ignition then extracted herself from behind the wheel. "Get out, Rose. You need to come triage this disaster with me since you felt the need to be involved."

Her daughter reluctantly exited the car while trying to keep a comfortable distance from her mother as the matriarch quickly reach the critical stage of her meltdown. Noting the shadows that danced back and forth extinguishing the flames, she was grateful to see that at least all of the participates appeared to be safe. Safe being a relative term once mom and dad get through with us.

"Mom, we didn't think it would be..."

"Precisely, Rosalie. You didn't think or you wouldn't have done anything this foolhardy."

Rose felt a flicker of anger at her mother's chastisement. She had thought it was a bad idea and had freely shared her views with her mate. It wasn't her fault that he wouldn't listen. "You're wrong, mother dear. I was the only voice of reason because I did think it out. I didn't think things would go this wrong because I didn't know I lived with such an inept group of individuals but I still figured that they would manage to fuck it up somehow."

"And yet you still took part." Esme stopped and met her daughter's eyes with a look of annoyed disappointment.

"What was I suppose to do?" Rose threw her hands up in the air. "It's not like I can stop anyone from doing what they want to do."

Esme clenched her teeth as she fought to keep her voice calm regardless of her rising irritation. "You could have come to your father or myself and let us handle it."

"Oh, so then I could be the bad guy for getting my siblings into trouble when they hadn't even done anything yet. Jesus mother, do you even listen to what you're saying? Yeah, no thanks. I think I'll skip that disgrace."

Esme inhaled deeply as she closed her eyes and counted slowly in her head. Her daughter was upset, probably worried about her mate, and doesn't really know what she is saying right now. As the authority figure, Esme knew that she had to maintain control so she could sort this entire mess out, make sure that all of her children were safe, and make sure that nothing like this ever happens again.

"Rose, we'll discuss this after everyone has had a chance to calm down. Right now, let's round up the rest of this gang of delinquents and get all of you in the house so you're out of harms way."

Rosalie folded her arms over her chest and huffed in frustration but trailed her mother over to where the action was. As annoyed as she was, she was smart enough to know not to test her mother anymore just now. Watching her family scamper about trying to make sure that their home and themselves were no longer in perile, Rose was hit by a wave of regret. Maybe Esme was right after all. Maybe she should have gone to greater lengths to stop them from going through with this idiocy. How would she have felt if one of her siblings had been hurt...or worse? Watching Jasper douse the last of the dying embers with the garden hose she felt her eyes well up with tears but quickly blinked them back.

"Um, Em?" Her voice was low but it carried over the bustling group. She made a quick mental note that Edward and Jasper had pained expressions on their faces and Alice wasn't looking too happy herself, but her beloved mate...

"Hey, babe." Emmett strutted over towards her with a trouble-free grin on his face. "How did everything go this evening?"

"Better then around here, I see." Esme's voice was soft but icy.

"Oh hey there, momma." His smile faded ever so slightly but Emmett made every attempt to stay upbeat. "Didn't see ya there. Aren't you the fetching cougar about town. You are one red hot momma." He growled playfully.

"Emmett." Esme's normally gentle eyes had grown stern as she stared at her boy.

"Yes, momma." He met her gaze for a moment then hung his head as her tone cut through him. Emmett didn't need to be a mind reader like his brother to know that his mother was well beyond upset and had already dipped her toes in the pool of 'pissed the hell off.' Could it be that his brilliant plan hadn't been so brilliant after all?

"Explain."

"We were just trying to have some fun."

"Fun." Esme nodded her head as she looked around at the scorched earth and shattered glass scattered about reflecting the moonlight. "Fun." Releasing a held breath she took a step towards her lead miscreant. "Your idea, I assume."

He stood shifting uncomfortably under her gaze for several long seconds before muttering a nearly silent, "Yes, ma'am."

Esme nodded again. "Why does that not surprise me, son?" She rubbed her forehead as if trying to ease a headache then looked to each of her children in turn. "Does everyone still have all their appendages?"

She was answered by a chorus of "yes, ma'am."

"They get yourself in the house and upstairs to your rooms."

"Um, mom...," Edward shuffled his feet awkwardly as he avoided his mother's gaze. "Dad told us to get cleaned up. Ah..."

"Then by all means do so." Esme paused for a moment as a frown of confusion creased her brow. "Where is your father anyway?"

AN: Poor Emmett. Just trying to have a good time and now momma bear is pissed. Seemed that Rose didn't want to get left out though I'm not sure that fussing at Esme was the wisest decision.

Thank y'all for the comments, adds, favorites... it appears reviews are like air to me. I must have them to survive so keep them coming, guys. LOL. I am curious to find out if y'all think Carlisle needs to step in here and give Esme a hand since we have the entire lot caught up in this catastrophe. I'm sure momma can handle 'em but should she have to? Of course that bear of her's is most certainly going to have his mother's full attention.