Chapter 18

Carlisle

Esme and I were sitting together looking through old photo albums, something we did in out spare time, when my cell phone rang.

"Dr. Carlisle Cullen," I answered, without looking at the caller ID.

"Hello Carlisle," a girl's voice on the other end said.

"Alexandra?" I asked.

"Yeah, this is Alexandra," she replied. "We've had a bit of a problem."

"Nessie?" I frantically asked. Oh god, if Edward found out…and Bella...Jasper and Emmett would be so dead.

"No, it's not Nessie, its Alec. I'll explain when we get there, but get the stuff you need out for surgery," and with those words Lexi hung up. She was one to get information from. I sighed in slight frustration.

"Oh Carlisle," Esme sighed, looking worried, as she heard my conversation with Lexi. "What do you think happened?"

"I don't know, but I need to be ready for any situation," I told my wife as I started to my office.

"Edward!" Esme called, "Alice! Rose! Bella! Come here now!"

"Yes Esme?" Bella asked.

"Something happened to Alec—"

"Good! Is he leaving? Is he mortally woulded? Or better yet, has he died yet?" Rosalie interrupted.

"Hush Rose," Esme scolded her. "Stop speaking like that. You and Bella get sheets and pillows from the linen closet and bring them to Alec's room, Edward go help your father. Alice, you're with me. "

"I don't understand—"Bella began.

"Carlisle needs to perform surgery," Edward said.

"Is it—"

"No, Bells, its Alec."

"Quickly, go!" Esme said, "They'll be here soon and I want us to be ready.

I ran to get my doctor materials, while Edward, Bella, Alice and Rose quickly got what they were assigned to bring to me.

We went into Alec's room, and pushed the furniture against the wall, put new sheets on the bed, prepared for the worst. As Alexandra was not one for giving information, I was simply guessing what could be wrong with Alec.

"They're here!" Alice screeched from her place at the window.

Quick as a flash, everyone was downstairs, and Nessie walked, nearly ran, through the door, Bella and Edward quickly wrapped her in a tight embrace.

"Oh Ness!" Bella said, "I'm so glad you're ok."

"I'm fine, but Alec's not lookin' so hot," Nessie replied. At that moment, Emmett came in the house, carrying Alec, followed by Alexandra, who was carrying Alec's arm.

"I feel so damn pathetic!" Alec grumbled, "Just put me down!" He saw us all looking at him and rolled his eyes. "Damn…" he murmured. Rosalie smirked.

"Emmett," I told my son, "bring Alec up to his room, I'll be up in a minute to sew back on his arm."

"I'm fine!" Alec repeated as Emmett nodded grimly at me.

"Kid, we're not gonna take any chances," Emmet told Alec as they ascended the stairs.

"Carlisle."

I turned toward Alexandra. "Yes?"

"Here's Alec's arm. I'm going back there to try to figure out why that vampire was there, if he really did have a purpose in mind, or if he was there just by chance. I also to see if he had a mate with him; if so, things could go sour very fast."

I nodded to her, pleased with how well she was handling the situation. "You may go. But I want one of the Quileutes to accompany you."

Bella whipped out her cell. "I'll call Jake."

Bella relayed the important information to Jacob. Within minutes both Jacob and Seth arrived at our house.

"Seth," Jake said, "you go with Alexandra, you know the drill."

Seth nodded and looked at Lexi.

"Go on and phase, Wolf-man" she said with a small grin.

Seth rolled his eyes and went out the door. When we heard a howl from outside, Alexandra went out to join Seth. Then, together, they ran full speed into the forest.

"Well," I said, "I believe I have left Alec upstairs with Emmett long enough. No doubt he has heard every possible joke about arms."

I heard a chuckle from Jasper as I went up the stairs.

"Emmett, you may go downstairs now," I announced as I walked into the room.

Alec looked sullenly at the arm in my hand.

"Kiddo," Emmett called as he walked out the door, "you're in good hands. Or should I say arms?" He walked out the door chuckling to himself.

"Emmett!" Alec yelled in frustration, "just stop! Please stop!" Only laughter was heard.

"Alec, how did this happen? All I got from Lexi was a vampire attacked you, is that true?" I asked as I began to sew back on his arm.

"Kind of ."

"Well, could you please tell me what happened?"

Alec sighed.

"Please," I insisted.

"I was hunting, and suddenly I smelt a vampire, but it wasn't a scent I knew. And the only things near human blood was Nessie, and I really didn't want Bella and Edward to rip me to pieces, which would really suck, so I ran to make sure it wasn't after her. After all, Emmett promised Bella that we would all look after Renesmee." He gave me a wry smile.

I nodded, allowing myself half a smile. "Continue please."

"I came up to Nessie as a male vampire was going to attack her. I got him to chase me because he recognized me as a Volturi, and I was not that quick, and, adly, my gift's not instantaneous, so he was able to attack me and then he ripped my arm off. Then Lexi projected an image of the Volturi, and while he was staring at them, she tackled him. Emmett and Jasper took it from there."

"She tackled him?"

"She's quite good at football," Alec said as he cracked a smile again.

"That's not really how it happened." Edward came to the door.

"Yes it is!" Alec angrily replied. "You think I'm lying?"

"No, but you shortened your account of what happened. Don't forget—I can read your mind. Oh, and Jasper wanted me to tell you—Alexandra ripped the head off the vampire. She was the one in control."

I turned from Edward to face Alec. "And why did you tell me a short version?"

"All I did was leave out—"Alec began.

"He left out the parts where he was getting thrown against boulders and in pain. He doesn't the gratitude."

I again turn to Alec, who was now glaring at Edward. "Why?"

He grumbled something even a vampire couldn't catch.

"Edward?" I asked him.

"He's blocking me out by thinking of Harry Potter," Edward responded.

"I told you he needed therapy!" Rosalie said from outside the door.

"Shut up you freaking Barbie doll!" Alec called to her, anger visible on his face.

I looked at Alec, who was giving me a 'you-better-not-be serious-or-I'll-blow-your-head-off' look.

I shrugged and said, "Alec, after school tomorrow, you and I need to have a talk. Not necessarily a therapy session, but we need to talk."

Alec growled. And since his arm was sown back on, I took that as an appropriate note upon which to leave the room.