Chapter 43

When Carlisle and Edward returned home, everyone had gathered around the living room waiting to hear what they had to say. Masen, Leah and Cassandra had joined everyone and Leah's face looked on edge with anticipation.

"So..." Masen said, standing up when his father crossed through the doorway. Edward followed close behind him and shook his head.

"He didn't order it," he explained to them, "It was someone else."

"Are you positive?" Leah asked.

Edward nodded, "Yes. He didn't know who assaulted the Jared and Embry."

"Someone who still has ties to Olivia?" Esme asked, bobbing Caleb up and down,"Or Peter, then maybe?"

Everyone looked around at each other and thought about her question. Alexandra's jaw hardened at the thought of Peter and Michael put a hand on her shoulder.

"Maybe it was just a stray attack," Emmett said.

"It doesn't feel that way to me," Jasper told him.

They exchanged a look, almost as if they were able to read each other's minds before turning their attention to Carlisle.

"Aro was able to see everything through me," Carlisle told them, "He didn't seem concerned about your illness, Masen. Not after he was able to process what we all went through to figure it out. I think that was his main concern for coming here."

"Did he say anything about Lucy?" Alexandra asked.

"He remained somewhat casual about his daughter, but expressed that it bothered him that she holds him accountable for what happened," her father told her. He then looked to Edward.

"Internally, he was more upset than he was leading on. It bothers him," Edward said, "A lot."

"Carlisle," Leah said, then paused.

His eyes shifted to hers, as did Esme's.

"What's your gut feeling about the attacker? What do you think?"

"Regarding Aro?" he asked.

"Do you think it was a random, isolated incident, or do you believe there was more behind it?"

Everyone turned their attention to Carlisle, and Leah waited with wondering eyes.

He looked around at everyone, "I can't say for sure. We haven't had another incident from whoever did this to Jared and Embry, but..." He let out a sigh and ran a hand through his hair, "It's hard for me to think of it as random after the eventful years we've all recently been a part of. That could be clouding my judgment, though."

"I agree," Leah said, "I don't think it's random. Whoever did this could just be biding their time to get everyone off their toes before they come back."

"Seth's still on Lucy's side. He'll still think it's Aro," Nicole told them.

"Even after we talk to them?" Carlisle asked her.

She nodded, "Yes."

"We'll continue to keep watches on the reservation," Carlisle said to Leah.

"There's going to come a night when we're going to have to get back to normal," Leah said back to him, "You guys can't do this forever. Neither can we."

"There is still a chance that the person may be gone," Rosalie told them, "Maybe it wasn't random, but a one time attack."

Leah and Masen looked at each other, and Jasper whispered something to Alice who quickly shook her head.

"Are we going to catch the people who killed Jared and Embry?" Cassandra asked them, breaking the ten seconds, or so, of silence.

Carlisle and Esme exchanged glances, as did many of the people in the room. Masen put a hand on the top of her head, "We're working on it, Cas." He made eye contact with his father.

"We're pretty positive that Aro has nothing to do with this," he told them, "So we'll have to shift our focus in a different direction."

"I'd like to catch this guy and keep him alive," Jasper told them, "Interrogate him, ask him questions. If this isn't just random, I'm willing to bet there are more involved."

"You don't think there could be another army out there, do you?" Masen asked.

"Doubtful, but not impossible."

"We have to consider all options," Carlisle said. He looked at Jasper.

"I believe they'll be back," he said.

Leah nodded, almost eager to know that she would be able to get revenge. Masen looked at her with a small hint of concern in his expression. The last thing he wanted was for Leah to have to square off against the attacker, or anyone for that matter.

"We do have Alice and Nicole, don't forget," Carlisle told them, "They have yet to see anything in the near future, so if the watches quiet down, they'll be able to see people coming."

Jasper spoke up again, "Leah may be right when she said they could be biding their time. If this wasn't random, they're probably expecting us to be on our toes, or ready to retaliate if someone returned. What they probably don't know is what Alice and Nicole are capable of doing. So if we did back down on the watches around the reservation, that might bait them into returning, which we could easily ambush through Nicole's vision." He looked at his daughter, changing his hard expression to a lopsided closed mouth grin and flashed her a wink.

Nicole grinned back, glad to be of help and even more happy to get her dad's praise.

Esme smiled to herself at their interaction then turned to Alice, "Is Aro definitely gone?"

She nodded, "He's a long way from here now. Didn't seem eager to want to stay."

"I wasn't going to say it, but he felt threatened a little," Edward told them.

"Should have sent William with you guys," Emmett chimed in, "He could have read every thought in his mind since... forever."

They all remained silent before Carlisle spoke up, "We need to start utilizing his gift a little more," he said with a quick, accompanied laugh.

Everyone quietly agreed with subtle nods and brief moments of eye contact.

"What's the plan tonight?" Masen asked, "I'm on a shift. I don't want Leah and Cassie to be alone."

Jacob stood up from where he'd be listening quietly out of character, "Ness and I will stay over there." He looked over to his wife, who nodded.

"Of course."

"No," Leah said, shaking her head, "You don't have to."

"I know we don't have to," he told her, rolling his eyes in a brotherly manner, "But we will." He removed the phone from his pocket and began typing away on the keypad.

"What are you doing?" she asked him.

"Texting Seth to stay close by, too. And Lucy doesn't sleep so that's a plus," he smiled toward Renesme, "Just in case we all pass out halfway through the night."

Bella looked at Jacob with a smile, then to her daughter who continued to watch as he communicated with Seth.

"Should we stick to the typical night watch tonight?" Emmett asked.

Carlisle nodded, "I don't want to change anything this close to the time we usually go out, but maybe we can do as Jasper said starting tomorrow. It could bait the person back here if they think we're not ready for them."

Esme almost flinched at purposely drawing the attacker back. She looked at Caleb, who was trying to get out of her grasp.

Jacob's phone went off. He quickly read it, then placed it back in his pocket, looking over at Leah as he did so.

"You don't have to-" she stared.

"Yes they do," Masen told her, "Please... for me."

She looked into his eyes and couldn't help but oblige to his requests. She then looked at their daughter and suddenly felt selfish for trying to be prideful, knowing it was far more than just her own life that needed to be looked out for. "Okay."

Masen pulled her to him and kissed her temple, then brushed her hair behind her ear. In the past, Leah would have sternly stood her ground and wouldn't have surrendered without a fight. Now, she easily relaxed and melted into his side, throwing an arm around his waist.

"Sorry I can't be with you tonight," he whispered, "I've been trying to get the second shift."

She looked up at him, "It's not your fault."

He studied her expression before she leaned up and gave him a kiss.

"You can always stay here, don't forget," Esme told her, "Any time. Don't even ask. I'll make up one of the rooms for you."

Leah smiled, "Thanks."

They all looked around at each other.

"Okay, well I guess we better be getting back," Jacob said, "I have to stop in to see my father."

Carlisle took Caleb, who continued to struggle, from Esme's arms and headed to the living room so he could place their son down on the floor to play with some toys.

"Be careful, Masen," Carlisle told his son, as he did every night since his near death experience.

Masen knew what his father meant, as his words rang with 'don't try to save a hundred people'. "I will, Dad," he assured him, giving him a goodbye hug, "You guys be careful too."