Let's Take Care of Business

It takes about an hour to travel from Forks to Port Angeles by car and maybe about a quarter of that time for those of us who could travel fast by foot; due to our current situation, though, Carlisle and mama took the former method of travel, seeing as how we would need to get Lonnie out of the city without anyone being any the wiser. Even kidnapping someone like him could raise suspicions and we would much rather avoid drawing the attention of the humans, especially if it led to involvement from the police. Thankfully for me, Lonnie stayed passed out while we were waiting, although I kept him frozen to the sidewalk, just to be safe. I didn't want him trying to harass me again or attempting an escape, even though our brief interaction tonight left me with the impression that he wasn't the kind of person to back down from a fight, especially when it came to something he really wanted, and that he would take whatever measures he could to succeed, including the use of force, if necessary. I wasn't going to take any chances, not tonight; no matter how much I might want to pound his ass into the ground, I had to remember what mama said about being strategic. After all, it was more detrimental to let your emotions get the better of you than it was beneficial, especially in such high-risk situations as this one. 

Which was why I had to wait patiently so we could deal with this problem properly...no matter how uncomfortable I felt at that exact moment, having to wait on a deserted backroad with the creep. Well, at least we had one advantage: this being a road less traveled meant we wouldn't have to worry about someone accidentally stumbling across us and seeing something they shouldn't...there is no reasonable way to explain why there was a mound of ice in the middle of the city when there was not a single sign of snow...I could probably get away with telling any passersby that I was cosplaying if they saw my ears or tail, but the ice...was not so easily explained... 

Nevertheless, I kept a close eye on the halo of light at the end of the road and leaned back into the wall next to the frozen demon while I people watched; a few spared us a glance but nothing more, the deepened shadows offering enough cover that none of the humans would be able to notice anything was off unless they decided to venture closer with a light of their own. Crossing my arms, I tried to relax while I waited, one ear inclined toward the crowded street while I braced a foot against the cold brick and took out my phone. 

(Wonder how things are going with Bella and Edward?) I checked my call log and text messages; the only call from tonight was the one I'd made to Carlisle earlier. On the other hand, I had several missed texts, which included from Alice and mama making sure Bella and I were safe and a few from Edward; one was letting me know they'd met up with Jessica and Angela, so they knew Bella was okay and the other told me he was making sure Bella was getting something to eat after the ordeal. (Well, at least she's getting something into her system...I wouldn't be surprised if she went into shock already...although, knowing her, maybe not...I love that girl but she is honestly the strangest person I know....and seeing as how I'm the supernatural one out of the two of us, that's saying something...) Typing out a few quick messages to reassure Alice and mama things were all right, I leaned my head back against the wall, letting my eyes slip closed as I released a slow breath, feeling the events of the day settle over me. 

(Ugh, it feels like today's gone on forever...) I frowned to myself, suddenly feeling very tired, like someone had sapped the energy clean out of me. Geeze...I hadn't thought looking after Bella could be so exhausting...getting through school hadn't been all too bad, seeing as how there were very few dangers to be had in Forks, but then having to deal with everything from the time we arrived in Port Angeles to now, from the shopping trip with Jessica and Angela, to all of Jessica's drama and nonsense, finding out about Tyler, and then this perverted jackass...it could really wear on you after a while. The thought of a nice, hot shower sounded very appealing...couple that with the idea of curling up under some nice, warm blankets...that sounded like heaven on earth right about now... 

Allowing myself to get lost in daydreams of hot, steamy water, foggy glass, and soft, cozy blankets, I felt some of the tension leave me, bringing with it a sense of drowsiness that only deepened the fatigue dragging on my limbs. I just wanted to get this taken care of and go to bed... 

No sooner had this thought crossed my mind than there was the sound of a car turning the corner onto my street, its headlights falling across my face, turning my eyelids pink. I peeked my eyes open, squinting against the glare as the car drew closer and rolled to a stop at the edge of the sidewalk. 

"Dawn, are you all right?" I smiled reassuringly as I shrugged off the wall to meet Carlisle and mama when they stepped out of the car. Mama was around the front bumper and in front of me in a flash, looking me up and down with wide, worried eyes. "He didn't hurt you, did he? Did he touch you?" 

"Never even got off home base." I joked, hoping to sooth her fears as Carlisle bent to examine Lonnie, still frozen at my feet; relief flashed across mama's face at my words, the corners of her lips quirking into a small, proud smile while her eyes softened, "Good, I'm glad you're safe, Dawn and I'm proud of how you handled this." She put a hand on my shoulder and squeezed, cocking her head as she got a better look at my face, "Are you feeling all right, sweetie?" 

I nodded, sighing, "Yeah, I'm all right, mama, I'm just kinda tired after everything that's happened today." Her expression softened in understanding, and she rubbed my arm, "I'm sure it's been a lot, honey, but don't worry, once we get this man taken care of, we can go home so you can rest." 

"Thank you...I could really use a nice hot shower and a good night's sleep after all this..." 

"Well after everything you've done so far, I'd say you deserve it." Carlisle straightened from where he'd been crouching, smiling at me, "But first, let's get this done. Dawn, if you wouldn't mind," he indicated the ice keeping Lonnie in place. 

Nodding, I turned my attention to the demon and raised my right hand; the water in the surrounding area came alive with energy, sending a warm tingle through my fingertips and raising the hair along my arm. Even in the low light, the ice seemed to shimmer as it shifted from a solid to a liquid, its surface dancing and rolling like the waves of the ocean onto the beach. With a simple sweeping motion of my hand, the large, heaving black mass seemed to part, disappearing into the shadows on either side until all that was left was the unconscious demon underneath. 

"Keep an eye out for us, please, Dawn." Mama asked as she went to open the back door on the drivers' side while Carlisle bent to gather Lonnie up. I nod, sweeping my gaze up and down the shadowed street, grateful that not many civilians were out at this hour as I eyed the four-way intersection at the other end of the road we were standing on. It made loading Lonnie into the back seat all the easier and soon we were speeding toward 101 West heading back to Forks. 

"So, Dawn," Mama turned in her seat to face me as Carlisle drove, "Where is your sister again? She wasn't hurt, was she?" 

I quirked a brow, noticing the mischievous twinkle in her eye; Carlisle glanced up at me through the rearview mirror, raising his own eyebrows while I shook my head slowly, fighting the smile tugging at my lips, "Nah...he didn't even lay a finger on her, I made sure of that. Most likely Bella's just a little shocked...nothing a good dinner and some time with Edward can't fix." 

"I'm sure she's enjoying that." Carlisle chuckled, bemused. Mama stifled a giggle behind her hand as I snorted quietly in agreement, "I wouldn't be surprised if she's they're just about to finish eating. Edward will make sure she gets home well fed and safe." 

"I don't doubt that, he is quite the gentleman." Mama smiled, settling back into her seat, "Well...even with what's happened tonight with this demon, I'm happy things are finally settling down. Next thing we know, we're going to need to have Bella bring Edward home." 

"Dad already knows Edward, though, as do you." I flick an ear, bemused, as mama giggled, "Still, it's not every day we get to see one of our girls bring a boy home. It's the first boyfriend introduction we're going to have." 

"Mama...Henry's brought home boyfriends before, he plays for both teams, remember?" I leaned my head against my knuckles, watching the streetlamps whiz by at an incredible speed; I'd carpooled with the Cullens enough to be used to their way of driving, knowing they'd always preferred to go insanely fast. I couldn't say I blamed them, considering how torturous it was having to go slow when around humans, although I usually preferred using my own two feet myself. I could get anywhere I wanted faster than taking a car and being on the road. 

"Dawn Ava Swan, you know perfectly well I meant our first boyfriend introduction for you or Bella, not Henry." Mama huffed; Carlisle chuckled to himself, but kept his gaze on the road, "And we would have had one sooner if you'd gone out with someone, too." 

"Are you seriously trying to guilt trip me for not bringing a date home to meet you and dad?" I sighed, frowning at my mother. 

"Honey, you know I would never pressure you into doing something you weren't comfortable with." Mama's seat shifted, creaking faintly with her movement as she turned to look at me, "And I know you're trying to wait until you find your soul mate before you start a relationship, but you're still young Dawn. It can't hurt to go on a few harmless dates and have some fun, can it?" Mama smiled softly as I frowned, leaning her head against the frame of the car while she put a hand over mine, rubbing my knuckles gently with her thumb, "I just want to see you happy and enjoying yourself, Dawn. You're always worried about someone else, especially your sister. It's about time you started thinking about your own happiness, too. What about that dance going on at your school on Saturday? Did you ask anyone?" 

"I'd say no and remind you about my trip to Seattle with Bella, but it's likely she's going to be doing that with Edward now...besides, you know I don't feel comfortable being in enclosed spaces or around loud music like that, it hurts my ears." 

"Hm, even if you don't do that, isn't there someone you've got your eye on? I've heard Tyler's been showing an interest in you; he isn't bad looking, and he's a polite young man, too." 

"Already claimed by Queen Lauren." I rolled my eyes, remembering the dirty looks Lauren shot me during the beach trip last weekend, "She already has enough of an attitude without me taking the guy she likes...I'd really rather she didn't turn school into my own personal hell." 

"Is that the only reason you won't go out with Tyler?" Mama frowned, "Honey, I'm sure even if you did, there isn't anything Lauren could do to make your school life worse. She might be an attractive young woman on the outside, but she can't have that big an influence. You're quite popular at school, too. Any classmate of yours' I've met only has good things to say about you." 

"I'm sure Jessica and Lauren would disagree with that." I snorted; mama's expression softened, and she squeezed my hand, "At least think about it, Dawn, please, for me?" 

I looked into mama's electric blue eyes, pressing my lips together; her gaze was gentle, warm, just as it'd always been, like clear blue pools shining brightly in the sun. Love danced across the surface, like sunlight off the ocean's waves, but I could see something shimmering underneath, just visible in the light flashing in through the windows. 

I sighed after a stretch of silence and nodded, "All right, if it'll make you feel better, then I'll think about it...but I'm not making any promises." I told her sternly when her eyes lit up, "We'll see if I can't find a single guy, I can go out with that won't piss someone off." 

"Hm, I have a few ideas." Mama smiled, leaning her chin on the shoulder of her seat; I shook my head, already getting the feeling I knew who she was talking about as I glanced out the window. We were just getting off the highway, taking one of the first exits into Forks, which let out a couple miles from the Cullens' driveway. "Well, if you're not going to the dance on Saturday and you're not going on a date, what are you going to do? You don't have to work, do you?" 

"Not this weekend. Jason's gonna be back on Friday, so he'll be taking the weekend shift this time around." I leaned against the car door, "Thought I'd stay in, maybe invite Jacob over for a game night since we haven't had one in a while...maybe I'll try calling him tomorrow to see if he's busy..." 

"Didn't you already tell Charlie you were going to Seattle with Bella, though?" Mama reminded me; I pursed my lips at the memory and suppressed a curse. Damn, I'd almost forgotten about that...well, Charlie usually liked going fishing on the weekends, whenever he got the chance...maybe if I didn't say anything and he left early enough, Bella could spend the day with Edward and I could still have Jacob come over, just tell our dad we'd run into him at one of the gas stations on the way home and invited him over. Usually when we hung out, I would go pick Jacob up after breakfast and bring him to hang out at my place for the day, during which time we would proceed to play video games and watch movies late into the night until we fell asleep on the couch. We had done it so often since we were kids, Jacob had his own blanket and pillow stored in the storage closet, so my best friend could be comfortable when he stayed over. 

"I'll think of something..." I murmured, avoiding my mother's eye, knowing she didn't approve of lying to my stepfather, and glancing out the window as we pulled up to the Cullens' house, "Oh look, we're here. C'mon, let's get this guy inside." Unbuckling my seatbelt, I waited until Carlisle had rolled to a stop by the front steps and parked before stepping out of the car. 

The entire house was lit up from the inside just as usual, it's bright florescent light spilling out through the glass walls to create a kind of halo around the outer perimeter of the building. Alice rose gracefully from where she sat on the top step and descended the stairs to meet us as Carlisle got Lonnie out of the back of the car. 

"Dawn, you're all right." She sighed, relieved, as she pulled me into her cool embrace, "And you're looking amazing, by the way. I rarely get to see you wearing a dress." Pulling away, Alice eyed me critically for a moment, looking for any nicks or tears from my scuffle with Lonnie. Thankfully, he hadn't had a chance to land a blow, let alone ruin my outfit, though I knew Alice would be able to find something wrong, she always did. And sure enough, as her liquid butterscotch eyes met mine, I could see she'd found it, "Did a bird make a nest in your hair, Dawn? It's a total mess!" 

I had to suppress the laugh that threatened to burst from my mouth, shaking my head, "Well, I'd say it looked better before, but that probably wouldn't help. I wasn't all too concerned with keeping it neat when I had a more pressing issue on my mind." Alice's eyes darted to Carlisle as he carried Lonnie up the porch steps and disappeared inside with mama on his heels. Pursing her lips, Alice gave a quiet nod and led me into the warmth of the house after them. 

I'd barely managed to get my shoes off before Esme appeared out of thin air, "Dawn." She pulled me from Alice's grasp, gripping my forearms as she looked me over, "Are you okay? What happened? Did he hurt you?" 

I smiled quietly and shook my head, putting a reassuring hand over one of hers', "I'm fine, Es, really. You know I wouldn't let a scumbag like that get the better of me." She continued to frown, however, her thin eyebrows pulling into a tight line over her eyes, "Really, I'm okay." 

Esme appraised me for a moment longer before she gave a slow nod, though she cupped my cheek to search my eyes, thoughtful, "You transformed tonight..." Her thumb brushed my cheek, "You're still wearing your demonic markings....and your eyes are red. Are you thirsty?" 

My mouth watered at the thought of a nice warm cup of deer's blood, blazing a trail down my suddenly parched throat as my stomach growled loudly, reminding me that I hadn't eaten since lunch. Esme quirked a brow, trying to hide a smile, though her warm honey eyes danced in the light. 

"I guess that answers that question, and a little more." The hand on my cheek moved down to grab my wrist as she led the way into the living room and sat me in one of the chairs by the fire, "Now, I want you to just sit right there, Dawn, and I'll make you something to eat." 

"But shouldn't I be helping -?" I gestured upstairs where Carlisle and mama had disappeared with Lonnie, starting to get up again when Alice reappeared, putting a restraining hand on my shoulder while her other held a steaming mug. The second I was seated once more, she pressed the warm mug into my hands, and I inhaled the sweet, tangy scent of iron and salt, which made my mouth water again. 

"Carlisle and Elizabeth can handle that demon, Dawn, you need to sit and rest. Now, drink this and relax while Esme makes you something to eat." 

"You really don't have to, this is fine." I murmured, already lifting the mug to my lips to take a slow, deep sip. My eyes fluttered closed at the familiar warmth that cascaded over my tongue and I let myself sink into the moment; sweet and salty intermixed on my taste buds, like I was biting into the soft dough of a warm circus pretzel dipped in melted chocolate. Taking a deep breath in through my nose, I swallowed slowly, enjoying the taste and warmth that pooled in my stomach and spread out to the tips of my fingers and toes. 

Alice laughed softly, "Even if you say that now, you know Esme takes any chance she can to use the kitchen. You're getting your favorite dinner whether you want it or not." 

Pulling the mug from my lips with a tired sigh, my eyes fluttered open while I licked the blood from my top lip, "All right...it'd be rude to reject one of Esme's homecooked meals, anyway. I still feel lazy not being up there." I glanced toward the stairs again, inclining an ear toward the upper floors. Alice perched herself on the arm of my chair, squeezing my shoulder, "You know if they needed help, they would come down and ask for it. But, like I said, Carlisle and Elizabeth can handle it and that demon will be out of our hair soon. Here." She offered me the remote, which I took with a sheepish smile and flipped through the channels until I found a good movie to watch. Alice wasn't all too interested in it herself, but sat with me anyway, encouraging me to drink the deer's blood she'd heated while she played with my hair, carefully working the knots out with gentle, lithe fingers. I sipped the blood slowly, savoring the flavor as I sank tiredly into the chair cushions, only half watching the romantic comedy I'd picked while I enjoyed the soothing feel of her fingers gliding effortlessly through my hair. 

I wasn't sure exactly when I drifted off, but the next thing I remember is the feeling of being shaken awake by a cold, but gentle hand, and Esme's quiet voice coaxing me out of the warm embrace of sleep. I whimpered in protest, my body heavy as I shifted to get comfortable, subconsciously moving away from Esme's touch. There was a low, musical chuckle and I became aware that Alice's slender fingers had ceased their gentle ministrations with my hair; furrowing my brow, I inhaled slowly through my nose and sat up, stretching. 

"There you go, sweetheart." Esme smiled softly as I rubbed my eyes, "C'mon, Dawn, you need to eat something." 

"Hm...how long was I asleep?" I murmured, cracking my back with an appreciative groan. 

"About a half hour." Alice turned off the TV and was on her feet in one swift motion as Esme grabbed my hand, gently pulling me out of the living room and across the open floor to the dining room. At one end of the table, she'd set a place for me with a large oval plate set neatly between a fork and a steak knife, a small bowl and a tall glass filled with more deer's blood. Esme pulled out my chair, gesturing for me to sit; I smiled sleepily and sank into the seat, peering down at the food. Arranged neatly on the plate was a large steak cut into three big pieces, cooked medium rare, just the way I liked it, and accompanied by a baked potato topped with melted butter and bacon bits, corn, and buttered bread. In the bowl sat next to it was a serving of cinnamon applesauce. My stomach growled loudly at the sight of the food, still warm enough I could feel the heat radiating off it. 

"Thank you so much for making this, Esme." I smiled gratefully at the Cullen matriarch as she and Alice took a seat on either side of me. Esme smiled softly in return, watching with bright, honeysuckle eyes as I dug in. 

"Oh, Dawn, you know I love cooking for you, Elizabeth, and your brothers when you come over; I never get to use our kitchen otherwise. Hopefully I'll be able to cook for your sister soon as well, once Edward brings her home to meet us." 

"Shouldn't be long until that day comes." Alice answered with a wide smile, practically bouncing in her seat as she gazed into the distance, "He should be introducing her this coming weekend." 

I chuckled, bemused, as Esme beamed, "Oh, I should get some groceries, then. Any suggestions, Dawn?" 

I hummed as I sucked the juice out of a piece of steak, "Hm, if Bella does eat here, I'd suggest maybe something simple, she's not really picky when it comes to food. I'd say I'd come over, too, but I'd have to see what I'm doing. I was thinking about inviting Jacob over on Saturday while Edward and Bella had their date, just to give them some space." 

"Oooh, focusing on your own love life now?" Alice grinned, leaning her elbows on the table and her chin on her entwined fingers. I glared at her, pursing her lips as Esme suppressed a giggle with her hand. 

"I'm going to ignore that because I know no matter what I say, it's only going to encourage your teasing." I took a sip from my glass, ignoring their giggles, "So, did I miss anything during my nap? Did mama or Carlisle make any progress with that demon?" 

"We've made excellent progress." We looked up as Carlisle walked into the room, fixing the collar of his shirt, "I injected him with some general anesthesia to keep him unconscious while we ran some blood tests for an overview of his records. After what he's told Dawn, Elizabeth and I decided it'd be best to figure out the extent of the damage he's dealt in this world before we made our decision about what to do with him." 

"What did you find out?" Esme sat back to look up at her husband, quirking her brows. Carlisle took the seat beside her, running a hand through his neat hair. 

"His real name is Alonzo Calderas Wallace, a suspected serial rapist and murderer with warrants for his arrest in Texas and Oklahoma." 

"Any idea what you're going to do with him? We can't exactly drop him off at a police station and send him off to jail...he could break out within a day." Esme pointed out with a frown. 

"We're aware of that danger." Carlisle smiled reassuringly, "Elizabeth's making calls to other supernaturals she knows that also work in the medical field and the government. When I left her, she was on the phone with a governor in Texas, so once everything is sorted out, I'm sure she'll let us all in on the plan." 

Esme and Alice both looked relieved, and I sighed, feeling a sense of ease settle over me, knowing mama would make sure everything was taken care of. She wasn't the type to leave a job half done. 

"It looks like this could take a while, though," Carlisle turned to me, "So, Dawn, after you eat, you can head on home." I frowned, taking a second to swallow my food before answering. 

"Are you sure, Carlisle? I don't mind sticking around...I want to help." 

"There really isn't anything left for you to help with. Once your mother's done on the phone, Alonzo's off our hands and in the proper custody." 

"Besides, you've done more than enough for tonight, sweetie." Esme covered my hand with hers' and squeezed gently, a tender smile on her lips, "You've more than earned the right to go home and relax." 

"You did say you were looking forward to taking a nice hot shower and crawling into bed, didn't you?" Carlisle pointed out with a soft chuckle; I smiled weakly in agreement and nodded as I finished my dinner. I barely got the chance to wipe my mouth before Alice whisked my dishes away into the kitchen to be washed. 

"I could've done those..." I muttered, shaking my head as I pushed back from the table and stood; Esme and Carlisle were both already on their feet, with Esme putting a gentle arm around my waist as we walked back out into the front room, "Don't worry about that, Dawn, we've got it handled. You just go on home and get some rest, all right?" 

I gave her a grateful smile as we reached the front door and turned to embrace her, burying my face in her shoulder, "All right...thank you again, Esme, I really appreciate everything you guys have done for us. Dinner was delicious, as usual." 

Cool breath brushed past my cheek as she let loose a soft, musical giggle, her cool arms squeezing my waist lightly, just tight enough to be affectionate, but nowhere near painful, "You know I'm more than happy to cook for you, Dawn. It wouldn't feel right sending you home on an empty stomach." She pressed smooth lips to my temple and pulled back to look at my face, her fingertips gracing my cheek as she brushed the hair out of my face, "You'll head right home, won't you?" 

"Yes, mother." I chuckled, smiling playfully as she stifled a giggle behind her hand, "I promise I'll head straight home; my bed's calling my name anyway." She smiled softly and nodded, squeezing my shoulders as I turned to Carlisle, "But, before I go, do you have any information on where Bella and Edward are now?" 

"They left the restaurant you, Bella, and the other girls were going to have dinner about ten minutes ago. Edward should be dropping Bella off at your house in a little less than an hour." Carlisle said softly, "Bella mostly likely isn't ready for Charlie to meet Edward yet, so I would suggest you go in the back door when you get home, Dawn." 

"Yeah, that's probably a good idea..." I nodded in agreement, knowing things wouldn't go over well if I showed up home by myself; more than likely Charlie would go into a full-blown panic thinking something had happened and raise the alarm, something I would really rather avoid after an already action-packed day. "Hm...well, looks like I won't be able to go to bed straight away, then...I want to be sure Bella gets home safe, make it seem like we're just getting back from our girls' night out. No need to give dad a heart attack. One upshot: I can at least have a nice shower and get all ready for bed before they arrive." 

"Something you won't be able to do standing around here, talking." Esme pointed out gently, drawing a chuckle from her husband's lips as he opened the front door, "Now head on home, young lady, before one of us has to take you ourselves." 

"All right, all right, I'm going. I know when I'm not wanted." I joked, chuckling to myself as I kissed Esme, then Carlisle's, cheeks, "Just be sure mama doesn't stay too late." 

"We'll make sure she goes home, don't worry." Carlisle smiled as I stepped out into the chilly night air, wrapping his arm around Esme's waist while they stood in the doorway, "Oh, and Dawn?" I paused at the bottom of the steps, glancing back over my shoulder and quirking a brow at the playful smile tugging at the corners of his lips, "Don't go looking for any more trouble tonight, okay?" 

"Me? Look for trouble?" I snorted, turning to face the couple with my arms outstretched as I backed toward the tree line, "C'mon, Carlisle, this face is too angelic." 

"Hm mm, sure it is, Dawn." Esme giggled, grinning teasingly, "Don't think we can't see those little devil horns holding up that halo of yours'." 

"Ah, but you're mistaken, they aren't devil horns, they're wolf ears, there's a difference." I hummed, my smile widening at the sound of their laughter entwining in the night to create a beautiful melody that could make any hopeless romantic's heart stop. "Right, my mistake. You're a demon all your own." 

"Damn straight!" I chuckled, pivoting on my heel with a wave, "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a date with a nice hot shower." Their laughter followed me as I strode into the shadow of the trees, "'Night, Carlisle, Esme!" 

"Good night, Dawn. We'll see you soon." I threw a grin over my shoulder as a way of confirmation before I launched myself across the river.