Esme:
"Stupid mutt," Edward muttered, glancing at the clock as he paced the living room, agitated. "I can't believe he thought of that. Motorbikes. Ridiculous, Bella." He shook his head and glanced at the clock again.
"Edward, you're lucky you even get to see her," I reminded him, using a knife to encourage the sliced carrot to leave the chopping board in favor of the pot of stew on the stove.
"Lucky wolf-boy didn't put her in hospital, you mean," he hissed aggressively.
"Edward, really!" I scolded, slamming the chopping board back on the bench. This unending rivalry was getting on my nerves. "Think of what we've driven Charlie through! It's no wonder he wants Bella safe. As for the werewolf - he's Bella's friend. I'm sure he's just doing what he thinks is best. Besides, they're helping us protect her from Victoria. Be nice, Edward."
"Be nice? He got her grounded! On purpose! He planted those bikes specifically so Charlie would find them."
"I'd be doing more than grounding you if I found a set of deathtraps you'd been hiding," I pointed out.
"Yeah, well, the range of deathtraps for me is considerably smaller than that of a human. And Bella could kill herself with a paperclip if she tried. That's not my point. My point is; that conniving, jealous mutt has contrived the perfect way to keep Bella and I apart for as much of the day as possible."
I grinned.
"Sound's like someone's been bitten by the green-eyed monster."
"Yeah...well...hmph."
Edward shot out the door as soon as the clock ticked over to three minutes to seven. He'd make it to Bella's just in time. Alice cruised into the driveway a moment later, and came in with a smile. This regime had been going on for weeks: Charlie only allowed Edward to see Bella between seven and nine-thirty p.m in the confines of the Swan house. Alice, however, could visit whenever she liked. Charlie liked her.
"Hey, Ma, what's cookin'?" Alice greeted, glancing at the pot to try and guess.
"A beef stew," I told her. She frowned.
"Why?"
"I don't know. I just felt like cooking. It takes my mind off Victoria."
"Ah," Alice nodded understandingly. She leant on the bench and sighed heavily. "I wish school did that."
"Has your Sight been bothering you?"
"Nah...well, yeah, sort of. I saw Victoria try again, this weekend I think. It doesn't help that reception is dodgy. Stupid mutts."
I sighed. Clearly it was not going to be as easy as I thought to get my family to accept the pack and the help they offered us. I didn't like it either, but it was our safest option. Did nobody understand that?
"I'm gonna go change," Alice informed me, headed towards the stairs to renew her outfit - why, I will never know.I danced over to the doorway as Carlisle pulled in. He was late, his eyes dark. I tried not to let it bother me. He came home late a lot lately, and that wasn't a problem, but I wished he wouldn't spend all those evenings on surveillance. He felt it was his duty, as the leader, to take as many shifts as he could, even though there were all of us on rotation and the wolves on call.
"Edward's left, I presume?" Carlisle raised an eyebrow at the clock, which reached seven exactly as we watched.
"Of course," I said, smiling, abandoning my previous train of thought.
"Fancy a game of chess, dear?" he invited, gesturing to the open board on the coffee table in the living room. I smiled, and we sat down at opposite ends. As per usual, he beat me.
"I'll get you one day," I promised, getting up to scoop the beef stew into a large container. I stored it in the freezer for now: I'd think of something to do with it later.
"Oh! Chess!" Alice exclaimed, dancing down the stairs as I returned to the living room. "Carlisle?" He shook his head. Alice huffed: nobody would play with her except Edward, because she could see exactly what you were about to do and easily avoid any traps.
"Esme?" Jasper invited. I nodded, and set up my side of the board again. As I had expected, Jasper beat me too.
"Good game, ma'am," he complemented.
"No replacement for military training, aye?" I smiled at him.
We were interrupted by a very loud and very familiar engine groaning and wheezing into the drive.
"I thought she was grounded," Rosalie said, wandering in from the hunt.
"Well, she wouldn't be if it weren't for that stupid wolf," Emmett growled. "I really liked having her around the place. Life was so much more thrilling."
"Is it really her?" I wondered.
"Of course," Alice replied with a grin. "Edward wouldn't drive that piece of junk."
"Alice," I chided, shaking my head disapprovingly. My wide smile spoilt my attempt at discipline, but I didn't mind.
"Bella!" I cried, flying at her as soon as she set foot inside the house. "I'm so glad to see you!"
"What did I tell you?" Edward remarked to Bella. He held up the plane ticket vouchers Carlisle and I had bought Bella for her birthday. "Guess what we're doing this weekend?"
And this has nothing to do with Alice's vision? I wondered. Conveniently timed, don't you think?
"Perhaps," Edward said, deliberately being vague because of Bella. "Chess, Alice?" he offered, sitting down at one end of the board. I laughed, gleefully anticipating the game.
"Watch this," I encouraged Bella as Alice sat down at the opposite end of the board. She moved a pawn, and Edward moved another to block it off. She reached for a second one, and by the time it was out of its position, Edward had already blocked it. She made a human imitation of a growl in frustration, and the game shifted to their minds. Bella stared at Alice for a while, then Edward, and then she turned to me.
"Wait," Carlisle said, holding up one hand. A moment later, Alice flicked her king over in surrender.
"Ha ha, check mate," Edward declared, getting to his feet. Bella was bewildered.
"Bella?" Jasper invited, switching places with Alice and trying to hide the smug smile on his face.
"Okay," she agreed uncertainly, sitting where Edward had been a moment earlier. Jasper won easily.
.o.o.o.
Carlisle:
Eventually, the time came for Bella to go home.
"Is Victoria..?" Edward murmured as Esme led Bella to the door, asking for a full account of the trip to Florida.
No, I replied. Alice's timing is right. We'll keep an eye out though.
"Do you mind if I stay at Bella's tonight?" he asked, at conversational level now: it didn't matter if Bella overheard.
"Go ahead," I replied. "Esme and I will be hunting, so use the cell if you need me." Esme glanced at me, and I nodded for her to play along. We would be doing more than hunting: we would be on surveillance.
"Goodnight, Bella," Esme said. "Have fun in Florida!" Edward smiled and headed out the door with Bella, and they drove away in her rumbling truck.
"She's not here, is she?" Esme asked.
"She's getting closer," I replied. "It would be best if we caught her before she catches us. Rose, Emmett – you're on guard tomorrow."
"Pfft. Guard duty," Rosalie scoffed. "Why don't you just bite her now and get it over with?"
"Because I promised Edward," I replied calmly. "And I wish you wouldn't be so callous about this. Would you rather the Volturi killed her?" Everyone in the room flinched, except Rose, who looked at me with a bored expression.
"Well she wouldn't be in danger if we'd stopped this ridiculousness earlier," she pointed out.
"She wouldn't be in danger if you hadn't told Edward she was dead!" Alice retorted.
"She wouldn't have said anything if you hadn't told her," Emmett came to Rosalie's defense.
"I don't remember hearing the word 'dead' pass her lips," Jasper shot back, in defense of Alice.
"That's enough!" Esme barked, her steely glare cutting everyone off. "We have enough trouble on our hands as it is. If it weren't for Victoria, you'd all be grounded! You may be vampires but I'm still your mother!" She swiftly turned and disappeared out the doorway.
"Sorry," I muttered – I had started it – and shot after Esme.