Rating/Warning(s)/Note(s): T, Shadows
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Prompt: Rapid
Dialogue Flex: "I promise I'll be home soon," he said.

As soon as Renee, Phil and Marta went to bed Carlisle was on the phone to Italy. Jacob stepped out so Alice could see clearly and to patrol the area. It's bizarre how preternaturally still vampires become when stressed. If it weren't for Carlisle's pacing, and the eyes of all his family following him, I would think I was in a roomful of statues.

"We were told you wouldn't interfere until after Bella's father passes," Carlisle said, placing one hand on the wall as if he needed its support. "You know that hasn't happened yet. Why were we threatened?"

His head shook as he listened to the answer. Edward hissed beside me as Alice gasped, her eyes going vacant as she saw more than the room.

"I promise I'll be home soon," he said. "We can discuss it then." He paused and took a breath. "Aro, I depend on you being a man of your word."

Edward relaxed slightly beside me, placing his arm around me as Carlisle finished his conversation. "Aro wants to negotiate having us serve as part of the guard for a while."

"Like a couple months?" I asked.

Jasper laughed. "A while to someone who's lived for over three thousand years tends to run into centuries, at least."

"But, what if we don't want to?"

"That's what we'll be discussing," Carlisle said, folding his phone closed.

"Alice?" I asked, knowing she knew what I wanted.

"What Edward said, and I see you saying no. Aro isn't pleased. He hasn't decided yet what he plans to do about your rejection. He knows I'll see that decision, and doesn't want to give anything away." She shook her head quickly, as if trying to clear it. "Jacob's coming in," she said with a wry look.

"Am I too soon?" Jacob asked as he walked into the kitchen. "Do you need to see any more?"

"No, it's fine," Alice said with a sigh. "It probably won't change tonight anyway."

"So what's the plan?" he asked, looking from vampire to vampire. "Do we get to kill any more leeches?" He looked like child who was just promised his favorite toy.

"Not yet," Emmett grumped. "Although, you have your passport, we could go on a trip."

The two idiots bumped fists. "Righteous plan. When can we go?"

"What, the ones hanging around here aren't good enough for you?" I asked, glaring at them both.

"She's got a point," Emmett said. "Aro hasn't unleashed the dogs on us for killing Felix."

"That's because the dogs are on your side," Jacob said, smirking and offering his fist for another bump that was quickly met.

"Do you want to call down the entire guard on us?" Rosalie hissed. She leaned forward in her seat. "We can't kill them all."

"It'd be fun to try," Jacob said, leaning back in his seat and nodding to Emmett. "I bet we could ambush a bunch of him. I can call the pack. They'd think it's great." Emmett and Jasper both smiled at this.

"And we'd have the most rapid annihilation of any coven ever seen," Carlisle said, breaking up the testosterone fest with a calm voice of reason. "If the Volturi come against us, it's defense. If we go against them, we'd be the aggressors. Assuming we win, we'd be at the mercy of other covens vying for power."

"My idea would be more fun," Jacob said, with a little pout. All the other guys nodded in agreement.

"Stupid men," Rosalie said.

"Morons," Alice added.

"Absolutely not," Esme said, looking almost physically ill at the idea.

"Now that the posturing is out of the way, can we discuss what we're going to do?" Alice asked. She gave a pointed stare to each of the guys.

"Do you need me to leave again so you can see if anything works?" Jacob asked as he started to rise from his chair.

Alice shook her head, indicating that he should sit back down. "No, I'll look later. Let's brainstorm now. I think Aro is more upset with Felix. From what I saw, he'll make the request, and no matter our decision will abide by what he's agreed. But, we need people there. Witnesses."

"Tanya said quite a few people have shown up at her place," Edward said, leaning forward to rest his elbows on the table and clasp his hands together. "If we could get some of them to come to New Hampshire, would it help to make Aro agreeable?"

Alice twisted her lips and closed her eyes. "Maybe. I think some of the pack comes, because half the guard disappears."

"Excellent," Jacob replied, doing his favorite Mr. Burns from the Simpsons impression. I rolled my eyes at him.

"So what do we do now?" I asked.

"We pack and go home tomorrow," Alice said with a shrug, "same as we were planning to do. Edward can call Tanya tonight, Jacob can call the pack, and you can go to sleep."

"I doubt I'll sleep," I said, in spite of the yawn that wanted to split my face in two.

"Get Edward to relax you," she said with a wink. "I think we're fine. I don't see them coming at Charlie at all, and you're still human at your graduation."

"So it's just them being difficult?"

"More like Felix went rogue," Carlisle said. "I wouldn't be surprised if Aro apologized." I yawned again and glanced at the clock. It was well past two in the morning, and after the adrenaline from today's events wore off I was left with almost no energy. "Edward, put Bella to bed."

Edward nodded and picked me up. "Come on, love. It'll all be here in the morning."

"That's what I'm afraid of," I replied as I lay my head on his shoulder.

I'd say I was sorry for the delay in updating, but I'm an honest person. I was having fun with my Sweet Baboo in a place that was warm(er) than my home. I did get some writing done, but it was on an original piece. I'll try to behave and finish this story out.