Chapter three

New neighbours and worst enemies

Jacob's POV (As usual) Cullen house

It's been two weeks since the little incident with the hammer, Emmett was grounded for three whole weeks, and apparently he isn't complaining. I saw Carlisle in Wal-Mart (AN: Forgive me if Wal-Mart isn't in Forks it's the only American shop I know) while I was doing the weekly shopping for Billy and he apologised for his son's behaviour and told me that he was grounded. Carlisle said he would understand if I didn't want to babysit the Cullens anymore, but his eyes told a different story. Sure, I know he wouldn't mind, but no-one else would take the little monsters, and they couldn't leave them at home alone, even if Rose is turning 11 next month (and especially not since they let Alice and Emmett watch "Home alone" one year, Al and Em hid under their bed for a week always looking out for the two men that were trying to get the little boy). But I told him that I'd be happy to go back and babysit them, Emmett's is good kid really, just not on the surface, or 30km down but below all that he's a good kid.

You could almost hear the mental sigh of relief when I said that, he then asked if I could babysit next week, so I agreed. Next week has come around, time to face the music.

As I was driving up I noticed a removal van in front of the house next door (AN: I know that the Cullens don't have neighbours in the books, but for this fanfiction neighbours are needed), that was the first time I actually noticed that there was a house next door, it was hidden by trees before, but the new neighbours mustn't be tree huggers and decided to kill the trees so that they would be seen. I'm sure the Cullens weren't too pleased with the non-tree-huggers and are probably having a funeral for each of the tress cut down; in fact, I hope they aren't, trees can't be buried.

Carlisle was sitting with Nessie on his knee as I let myself in (they gave me a key in case I ever needed one), as soon as he saw me and got up, gave Nessie to me, thanked me and ran out the door.

"Where's the monsters? Huh?" I asked Nessie as she grabbed hold of my finger, wondered whether it tasted good or not and started trying to digest my pinky finger with her little (and rather sharp) teeth. I smiled down at her and decided to see if they were outside.

Turns out they were giving the trees a funeral. There were three crosses made from two sticks and three huge mounds of earth, at least three metres long and half a foot wide, they actually buried the trees. The Cullen garden was very big, they had a smallish patio on the left hand side just as you came out the back door with steps leading up to it, a swing set which included two normal swings, a baby swing and a tire swing, a slide, a tree-house with a rope ladder to get up to it, only Rose, Emmett or Jasper ever went up there (Alice was too small and Edward, Bella and Ness were too young) and what used to be a huge bit behind that which wasn't so big anymore since three huge mounds of earth now filled that space. There was a small garden wall around their back yard, to keep the Cullens in, but by now Jasper, Alice, Emmett and Rose could all climb over it, it was only 5ft tall.

All the Cullens were dressed in Black; Jasper had his arm around Alice, who was crying. Bella and Edward were holding hands, Bella was trying to be brave, Rose was standing the middle with boxes of tissues in her hand and Emmett was standing in front of them, wearing a white collar. He was a bit too far away for me to hear so I went closer with Nessie, who still didn't know whether my finger tastes good or not.

"Let us have a moment's silence for Mr. Tree, Mrs. Tree and," he paused, "Bobbie McBobcat." And it was quiet; the only sound you could hear was Bella's heavy breathing, and Alice, crying silently on Jaspers suit. I'd never seen the kids this quiet before in my life! Mr. and Mrs. Tree's death must've really upset them, not forgetting Bobbie McBobcat, who came up with that?

Moments later their moment of silence must've ended as they all started into a choirs of "ding dong the witch is dead," from the wizard of oz and started skipping about with smiles on their faces.

"DONG!" Shouted Ness, clapping her little hands together. Well, my finger's still there, it must've tasted bad. Nessie started to wriggle in my grip so I set her down. She crawled over to the mound of dirt and began to dig. I ran and grabbed her before she managed to bury her tiny behind. Ness was covered in dirt and dust so I decided she needed a bath.

"Rose?" she turned to look at me, "could you bath Nessie for me while I clean up the rest of them?" Rose took Nessie from me and went into the house. Edward, Bella, Jasper, Alice and Emmett were still singing, I managed (somehow) to grab Emmett by the scruff of the neck, and drag him inside, the others followed. They all changed into their baseball uniforms, grabbed the bat, the ball and the bases and ran outside, I followed close behind. Rose was already out there in her baseball uniform with Nessie, all cleaned up. She gave Ness to me and joined in while the Cullens picked teams. Edward, Alice, and Jasper were on one team, while Rose, Emmett were on the other team.

"Jake!" Alice called, I walked over to them.

"Our team is one short, can you play?" asked Em.

"What about Bells?" I asked, watching Bella walk over to the swings and sit facing the game.

"Bella can't play, Charlie said she's already been to the hospital four times this week and he doesn't want to make it five," replied Rose. Poor Bells could trip over thin air.

"Sure, just let me set Ness down," I replied. I walked over to the swings and set Nessie in the baby swing and strapped her in so she wouldn't fall out.

"Bells, can you watch Ness for me?" I asked. She nodded, smiling.

"Thanks," I said and ran back to the Cullens. Edward was at the far end of the small pitch they'd set up, and Alice held the ball positioned at the pitcher's mound. Emmett was batting first, he took his place and started swinging the bat; it whistled through the air. Jasper stood a few feet behind Em, ready to catch the ball for the other team. Rose and I stood a few feet from Jazz. Alice threw the ball, with incredible speed, she's only what? Six years of age? Emmett hit the ball with incredible strength, it went past Edward who was at least 15 metres from Rose and I. Emmett ran to first base and Edward disappeared. Emmett ran rather fast.

"Home run," I whispered, in shock. First Alice throws it with incredible speed, Emmett runs incredibly fast and Edward, where did he go? Just before Emmett got to last base, Edward came out of nowhere with the ball in his hands, and dropped it onto last base.

"Out!" shouted Jasper. Em went over to sit next to Bella and dropped the bat on his way. Just as Rose was about to step up to the bat we heard a voice,

"Can we play?" a young boy's voice asked. We all turned towards the sound and saw a boy, no older than five, crouching on the top of the garden wall like a cat waiting to spring. He was wearing a pair of jeans, ripped at both knees, and a casual button-down shirt. He had cropped light brown hair and vibrant blue eyes. He stared at us, almost hungrily.

"Who's 'we'?" asked Rose, standing protectively in front of Jasper, I didn't blame her; the boy had an air of arrogance about him, and he projected a sinister aura.

"I'm James," he said, "There's also my sister, Victoria, and our cousin, Laurent."

"I guess you guys can play," said Emmett, uncertainly. He stood beside rose, holding Nessie by the hand. Bella stood behind me, tugging at my hand.

"They said we can play," James said to someone on the other side of the wall.

A young girl jumped up onto the wall, very feline like. She had wild red hair that quivered slightly in the breeze and vibrant blue eyes like her brother. She and her brother jumped down from the wall and landed on their feet as lightly as cats. These two kids were starting to freak me out. A taller boy jumped up on the wall as lightly as the other two. He had olive-toned skin and glossy black hair. His eyes were a vibrant green, and he didn't project such a sinister aura as the other two. He jumped down from the wall as lightly as his younger cousins. They walked towards our little group. The younger boy, James joined me, Rose, and Em, the girl, Victoria, and the older boy, Laurent, joined Alice, Edward and Jasper.

"We're one short," James said. We all looked around and counted who many were on each team, James was right, we were one short, but Bella or Nessie couldn't play, Ness is too young and Charlie doesn't want Bella going into hospital for the fifth time this week, and it's only Thursday.

James's eyes turned towards Bella, he started to reach out his hand but in a flash Edward was standing protectively in front of Bella.

"Leave her alone," Edward said, bearing his teeth, a low growl coming from his throat, and this wasn't just any human growl, Edward actually sounded like, well…almost like a vampire. If I hadn't heard him growl, I don't think I would've believed it. I saw James's eyes shift from vibrant blue to glowing red, but when I snapped my head in his direction they were vibrant blue. I must've been imagining things. I picked up Nessie who was sitting on the ground at my feet. All the Cullens moved closer to Edward and Bella, forming a protective ring around them, Victoria moved closer to James, crouching like a cat ready to pounce beside him. Laurent and I were the only ones who held our ground. Laurent looked quite unconcerned, while I was very concerned.

"I think it's time to go in, it looks like it's going to rain," I said, looking up at the sky then back to the kids. When I looked back from the sky to the kids, they were all standing normally, smiling pleasantly, well, everyone apart from Edward, Bella and James that was. Edward and James were still staring at each other with hostile expressions, while Bella stayed close behind Edward, her tiny hand rested on his back between his shoulder blades. I ushered the kids indoors.

"Well, it was nice to meet you three," I said, James' head snapped up, Edward took Bella by the hand and quickly went inside with the other Cullens.

"Nice to meet you too," replied James. He smiled, then jumped up onto the wall as gracefully as a cat, and jumped down on the other side, with Victoria and Laurent close behind. Laurent gave me a sympathetic look before disappearing on the other side of the wall. I went indoors with Ness before it started raining. When I got inside and closed the door behind me Edward was sitting on the sofa in the living room with Bella, speaking quietly. Rose was sitting on the stairs getting out her school books, something she hardly did, Emmett was under the stairs getting his schoolbag, something he never did, Alice was sitting quietly at the dining table reading a book she got from school last week, something she wouldn't normally do. She's normally waited and asks Esme, Carlisle or me to help her out, and Jasper was no-where to be seen. One thing was for sure, something was up with the kids' next door…. and I figure that means something bad, I don't know, that's what they always say in the movies, you know those action ones where you don't know who the bad guy is and it turns out the guy standing in the background who everyone thought was good is actually the bad guy, but before they realise that there's always this one guy who says, "One thing's for sure, something is up with whoever," but his friend says, "Nah, you're imagining things, now I'm hungry, let's go get a burger," then they do and forget about the whole thing, and when they do find out that the guy who said, "One thing's for sure, something's up with whoever," was right, they all panic and everyone dies. Okay, that was a bit dramatic; I have no idea where that came from. I shrugged it off and went to sit on the couch, sat Nessie on my knee and waited for Carlisle and Esme to get back, this has been one hell of a day.

Review and tell me what you think, do you guys want more of James, Victoria and Laurent?