The Waiting Game

The car ride was a long one and the silence that had descended upon us did little in the way of helping make it any less so. I couldn't complain too much, though, knowing each of us must be in our own world, going through the events of the previous evening and wondering what the Cullens could be doing now, what the tracker was doing, when we would be safe again...when we would be able to go home...I tried not to let himself get lost in the questions and anxieties, and instead tried to focus on how the rest of my family was faring with the situation at hand. 

Even without them saying it, I could tell my parents were worried; mama kept looking between the windshield and each of the mirrors, murmuring under her breath, the fingers of her left hand drumming the steering wheel as she drove us south, racing Carlisle's Mercedes along empty freeways at twice the legal speed. Charlie didn't mutter a single complaint, and I couldn't tell if it was because they'd been together so long, and he knew she wouldn't get into an accident or if it was because he was still trying to absorb the situation at hand. The worry was still there, it was obvious in the way he kept looking in the backseat, where Bella and I were crammed in with the boys, lapped up in the seat behind him. Every time he looked at us, his eyebrows would tent over the bridge of his nose and his frown would deepen, causing wrinkles in his forehead and around the corners of his mouth. I'd seen that look thousands of times before, that parental unease whenever one of us did something incredibly dumb or dangerous. It was a look Charlie gave us often, especially since Bella was so accident prone and the boys and I had a knack for doing things that would give any human parent a heart attack. At this point, I was honestly surprised Charlie hadn't already suffered an aneurysm having to raise us...but then, I would look down and spot his hand linked with mama's, resting over the front seat cup holders, and remember how both of them could have possibly lasted as long as they did with a family like ours.' 

Mama and Charlie kept each other grounded; Charlie wasn't mama's chosen mate nor was mama Charlie's first love, but they understood one another in a way most people didn't. They knew the pain of losing a loved one unexpectedly and the fear of ever falling in love, the possibility of losing it all again; Charlie even understood mama's reservations about the two of them being together after he'd found out about her true nature. They were there to help soothe the wounds left behind by my father and Renee and gave each other hope for the future. They'd supported one another through thick and thin, just as they would now. They were a team and would do their damnest to make sure our family got through this in one piece. 

I smiled quietly to myself at the thought, knowing my siblings and I were in capable hands, and then glanced to my right; Henry and Geoffrey spent most of the trip staring out the window, watching the trees that sped past and murmuring to one another, watching for any signs of danger. 

Bella couldn't bring herself to sleep and spent the night with her face buried in my shoulder, soaking through Edward's jacket with her tears until they ran dry. She didn't speak, although she did give the occasional sniffle that would make Charlie glance at us over his shoulder. I would smile reassuringly, letting him know I had her while I rubbed soothing circles into her back and purred softly, a low, comforting sound that came from deep in my chest. Demons made these sounds to reassure and comfort family; mothers purred to their distressed young if they couldn't sleep or to a mate when they were upset. Pack mates could make these noises to soothe one another during high stress situations like this one. I made the sound now in an effort to soothe away my sister's anxieties and worry, to let her know everything was going to be all right and we would get through this. It seemed to help her relax, somewhat, just not enough to sleep, not yet. 

We reached California just as the sun peeked over the eastern horizon and continued south as it climbed the sky, silently watching from its seat overhead and then over our shoulder while we drove through a shallow mountain pass into the Valley of the Sun. I squinted against the glare of the tiled rooftops as mama slid on a pair of sunglasses to shield her eyes without slowing down, her focus still entirely on the road. While Charlie told her which direction to take to the airport, Bella and I peered out through the window at the flat valley before us. 

Surrounded by short, rocky ridges, the wide expanse of Phoenix stretched out in all directions in a mix-matched array of haphazardly intersecting freeways, green patches of golf courses, and turquoise splashes of chlorinated swimming pools, decorated here and there by tall palm trees and veiled in a thin smog. 

I watched the sides of the freeway, the way the shadows cast by the palm trees fell across the car windows as we rode past, scanning the wide-open fields, knowing nothing would be able to sneak up on us here, but still feeling...uneasy. Even in a place like this, where there was nowhere for our tracker to hide and wait in ambush, we couldn't be too careful. We had to stay alert and ready, at least until James was taken care of. Only then would we truly be able to relax. 

"Are we flying somewhere?" Bella's voice broke the silence as she noticed the direction mama was driving; she'd been silent so long, her voice was little more than a croak. 

"Not today, sweetie, but it's good to be close, just in case." Mama said as we followed the I-10, taking the loop around Sky Harbor International. Bella was out before we'd even finished it. 

The sun was just beginning to sink behind the horizon as mama pulled into a spot outside the hotel attached to the airport and ushered all of us inside with our luggage. Supporting Bella on one arm, I grabbed both our suitcases and herded the twins after our parents. 

Mama booked us a single-family suite with a little kitchenette and a comfortable looking living room decorated with a pull-out couch, recliner, and coffee table facing a flat screen TV mounted on the wall. The bedroom had two queen beds, which mama and Charlie insisted us kids take while they slept on the couch. The boys were too tired to argue and shuffled immediately into the next room to sleep while I reluctantly followed after some gentle encouragement from my mother. 

In spite of everything that had happened thus far, I wasn't all that tired; after tucking Bella in and making sure Henry and Geoffrey were settled and comfortable, I drew the curtains and curled up in a chair in the corner, watching the sky outside darken in the break between the wall and the curtains while my mind wandered. 

I had no doubt Forks was buzzing with gossip over the Swan family's sudden disappearance by now; Carlisle would've had come up with some kind of cover story so as not to raise too much suspicion, but in a small town like ours', rumors were inevitable, especially for families like ours or the Cullens. The family of the town's police chief and the head nurse at Forks' Hospital just up and disappear into the night without so much as a word of warning, who wouldn't be suspicious? Even if Carlisle had excused our absence as a family emergency (which was more or less the case here), someone was bound to come up with some far-fetched story of their own. I could really care less what the town folk or the kids at school said about us, they didn't understand our situation and they never would, they could think what they wanted. There was only a small percentage of people in Forks I was close enough with to care about their opinions and most of them were currently putting all their efforts into protecting us. The rest...I felt a pang of homesickness at the very thought of them and prayed they were all safe. The very idea of James being anywhere near Angela or Uncle Billy set my teeth on edge. 

It was the thought of James crossing paths with Jacob that brought a deep, instinctual need to the surface, though, to protect my best friend; it felt familiar, almost akin to the irritation I'd felt last Thursday when Jacob and Uncle Billy had visited, and yet different all at once. The tone was the same, protective, if not a dash possessive, that part of myself that said he was mine. This feeling was deeper though, stronger, than the one before. In that moment, I wanted to be by his side and make sure no one touched him, human or supernatural. It brought with it a deep ache somewhere in the pit of my stomach, an ache that only grew with the knowledge of just how far apart we were now. I wanted to be back in Forks, with him. I wanted it more than I'd ever wanted anything in my entire life. 

I glanced at the digital clock on the nightstand as I dug my phone out of my pocket, swallowing the ache back with a groan as the neon red numbers read out quarter to five in the morning. I'd thought calling Jacob and hearing his voice would help relieve some of my longing, but I knew it was far too late to try him at home. He and Uncle Billy would be asleep by now, especially since he had to be up for school in about an hour. Would it be safe to try and call him later in the day, after classes had let out? 

The rustle of bedsheets interrupted my thoughts, and I turned to watch the humanoid shape shift in the bed next to me, pushing the blankets aside as it turned to squint at the clock. With a groan, the figure pulled itself into a sitting position and reached over to turn on the bedside lamp. 

I narrowed my eyes against the sudden light as a groan rose from the other bed; Geoffrey squinted his eyes open, his face scrunching in displeasure as he rubbed the sleep from his eyes and reached blindly for his glasses while Henry, who was laying on his stomach, groaned in protest and shoved the pillow over his head. 

"Dawn?" Bella rasped in a hoarse voice; I gave her a peace sign as I blinked the dots from my vision, "Shouldn't you be sleeping?" 

"I'm not tired." I told her, watching as she rose stiffly from the bed and staggered to the window to check. I gently grabbed her wrist to stop her from opening the curtains, shaking my head, "It's best if we stay hidden. We're in the hotel attached to Sky Harbor International." 

Bella frowned but nodded in understanding before she shuffled over to where I'd left her duffle bag on one of the low dressers in the corner. I'd already hung Edward's jacket on one of the chairs in the main room and the twins were rolling out of bed to change their clothes, too, when a soft knock came at the bedroom door. Bella jumped. 

"It's just mama." I got up from the chair and stretched, cracking my neck and knuckles, "Just give us a minute, mama." 

"All right. Charlie and I had food brought up if any of you are hungry. It's set up out here whenever you're ready." Mama called through the door before we heard her footsteps moving across the carpet in the other room. I grabbed the collar of Henry's shirt to stop him as he started toward the door, only in a t-shirt and boxers. 

"Finish changing first, then you can go get some food." I sighed, shaking my head as he shuffled back toward his bag to grab some pants, muttering about how we weren't even going out. I cross my arms, leaning against the wall, "We might not be leaving the room, but we should still be ready to move at a seconds' notice, Hen. Would you really want to have to run out in just boxers?" 

"You're not changing." Bella looked over as she pulled her hair out of the collar of her shirt. I shake my head, "Not now, but I will shortly. Probably after I've had a shower." Pushing off the wall, I brushed my claws through my hair and pulled it back into a ponytail, "Right now, we should see about getting all of you fed. C'mon." Once I was sure all three were dressed, I opened the door and ushered them into the main room of the suite. 

Mama looked up from setting the table in the little kitchenette and smiled gently as Charlie poured coffee from the small pot provided by the hotel into a couple of Styrofoam cups. They had the TV turned to the news, volume low so the anchors' voices were little more than a murmur; their pillows and blankets laid haphazardly across the pull-out couch. 

"Did you sleep well?" Mama asked as we squished in around the small round table, jostling one another with sharp elbows and knees; Henry growled as Geoffrey shoved him to make room for his legs and I shifted back to give them both more space. Mama looked like she'd gotten as much sleep as I had and Charlie had bags under his eyes, which suddenly made him look older than usual; I had no doubt he'd spent what hours he could sleep tossing and turning. None of us kids looked much better; Henry was still half asleep, slumped in his chair while Geoffrey blinked blurrily, and Bella had dark shadows under her eyes that matched Charlie's, emphasizing their red hue. 

"Wanted to sleep more." Henry grumbled as he grabbed one of the cups of coffee and started to lift it to his lips; mama covered it with her hand and took it back. 

"It's still early, so once you've eaten, if any of you are still tired, you can go lay back down. You need to be alert and for that, you need rest." She glanced pointedly at me as she spoke while I took a sip of orange juice and gave a half-hearted shrug, promising to try after we'd eaten. Mama sighed, but didn't argue further as she took a seat next to Charlie while we dug in. 

"Have there been any calls?" I looked at my parents, "Carlisle or anyone from Forks?" 

"Nothing yet." Mama frowned as Charlie shook his head, glancing at Bella, who pushed her food around her plate, occasionally taking a small bite, "Not from Carlisle anyway." 

"Someone else called?" Bella looked up with furrowed brows as mama gave a small smile, "Well, not while we've been here, but we did get a call from your mother the other night while you four were out playing baseball with the Cullens." 

"Is she okay?" Bella's voice rose a couple of octaves as her eyes stretched wide with worry. Mama held a hand up calmly, "Breath, Bella, Renee is fine." 

"Let's put it this way: if this all turns out to be too much for you, Bells, you'll have the option to stay here, if you really wanted to." Charlie said softly, looking at Bella, who frowned, "Things aren't going well in Florida, and she said if Phil doesn't get signed by the end of the week, they'll be coming back here. Apparently, the assistant coach for the Sidewinders promised him a position as a second shortstop." 

"After finding Edward, I don't think Bella wants to come back to California." Mama smiled softly at Bella in understanding as her eyes darted between our parents before she nodded, lowering her gaze back to her plate. We lapsed into a brief silence to eat before Bella decided to speak up again. 

"Should Carlisle have called yet?" 

Mama paused with her fork halfway to her mouth to glance up at Bella before she exchanged a look with Charlie and moved her gaze to where she'd left her cell phone on the entertainment unit. A steady green light blinked back at us as it charged. Bella was immediately anxious again. 

"What does that mean?" Despite her best efforts, her voice still quivered. Mama returned her attention to Bella and offered a genuinely gentle, reassuring smile, "It doesn't automatically mean something's wrong, Bella. They probably just don't have anything new to report yet." 

Bella, however, was not reassured as she dropped her fork to her plate and shoved it away. Charlie frowned as mama set her own utensils down. 

"Really Bella, there's nothing for you to worry about. Everything's going to be okay." 

"You all heard Laurent back there..." Bella's voice came out as little more than a whisper, "He said James was lethal. What if something goes wrong and they get separated? What if he hurts one of them or worse...Carlisle, Emmett...Edward..." Her voice cracked on his name, "And if that wild female hurts Esme or Alice..." Hysteria started to creep into her voice, which rose to ear piercing levels, "What are we going to do if something happens to them -?" 

"Bella." I put a hand on hers, "Hey, Bella, look at me. Breath." I got her to breath slowly in through her nose and out through her mouth a couple of times, "Listen, Bella, you're worrying about all the wrong things here. You have to trust us on this, none of the Cullens are in danger." I looked into her eyes, hoping to convey the complete and utter honesty behind my words, "They're more than capable of handling situations like this and they will come out on the other side in one piece. All of us will." 

Mama nodded, watching with a gentle expression, "Dawn's right, sweetheart, the Cullens are a capable family that can get through this unscathed, so, please, don't worry so much about it. You're already under enough strain as is, you don't need to add onto it with unnecessary worries. Sweetie, look at me." Bella turned to her, meeting her gaze, "Bella, all of us will get through this. The Cullens and our family can handle it. The only real worry here is theirs' of losing us, losing you." 

Bella frowned deeply, furrowing her brows, "But, why -?" 

"There aren't a lot of supernatural families either of us can interact with, Bells. Not every day, at least." I gave her a reassuring smile as her eyes flickered to my face, "Supernatural families must be very careful in this world and stay hidden to avoid persecution...things are a lot more civilized nowadays, but none of us are sure humanity is quite ready to accept us. Maybe one day they will, but until then, we just have to keep our secret under wraps and stick together as best we can." 

"That and the fact that we know this is the first true happiness Edward has had in his long life." Mama piped up with a soft smile, "As long as we've known him Edward's been alone, without a significant other of his own, the odd man out in a family of couples. He hadn't found his other half until he met you." 

The twins were nodding their heads in agreement and even Charlie seemed on our side, "Edward's always been kind of reserved, from what I've seen, but he's certainly come out of his shell. More so in the short time the two of you have been dating than in the four years he and his family have spent in Forks." He took a slow sip of coffee, "His whole demeanor seems...brighter somehow. Happier. As do you, Bells. I don't think I've seen anyone make you as happy as he has." 

Color filled Bella's cheeks, and she looked down, embarrassed, but somehow calmer than she had been a moment ago. I squeezed her arm reassuringly as mama took Charlie's hand, smiling; he returned her smile faintly and we resumed breakfast. 

The rest of the day dragged as we waited for Carlisle to call; mama, the boys, and I grew more restless the longer we had to be confined, while Bella's anxiety only got worse. Mama had already spoken to the clerk at the front desk, telling them to ignore our maid service and arranged for food to be sent up at regular intervals. The windows stayed shut and locked, covered securely by the curtains in both rooms and we kept the TV on, mostly tuned to the news, although mama changed it to the sports channel at one point, so Charlie and Henry at least had something to watch while she and Geoffrey played chess at the table. I took the opportunity to take a shower for myself and take a quick nap in the bedroom before lunch; Bella couldn't keep her eyes off mama's cell phone, no matter where it moved in the room. 

After lunch, I coaxed Bella into the bedroom to do some reading to help with her pacing, lending her the supernatural book in the hopes reading about other creatures would take her mind off our current situation. She couldn't keep her concentration, though, and eventually shoved the book away as she curled up on her side under the covers, hugging her legs to her chest; I glanced over from the boys' bed and sighed, turning back to my drawing, letting my mind wander while my hand moved mindlessly over the page. 

"Hey Dawn?" Bella's quiet voice broke my train of thought, and I flicked an ear toward her as I came back to earth. 

"What's up, Bells?" I hummed, glancing up from the wolf drawing I'd made, the tip of my pencil hovering over the deep, soulful eyes staring back at me from the page. 

"What do you think the Cullens are doing now?" 

I finally looked up again, peering over my shoulder before setting my pencil aside to sit up and turn to face her, "Hm, if things are going according to plan, probably still leading the tracker on a wild goose chase." Crossing my legs, I leaned back into the headboard, "They'll likely try to lead him as far north as they can, wait until he's within range, and then ambush him. Or, at least, the group that took the van will...Edward and Rosalie will be keeping the female occupied as long as possible...they'd probably return to Forks if they were to lose her at one point and Edward would join the party hunting James. I honestly don't know what Rosalie would do, probably keep pouting like the brat she is." I smiled quietly at the somewhat amused look that flashed across Bella's face, however brief it was, "But, if they haven't called, that probably means things are going well. If James is within hearing distance, they wouldn't want him to overhear something he shouldn't. If any of the others were in Forks, they wouldn't call either if the female was nearby. They're being very careful right now." 

Bella nodded quietly, her chin on her knees, "Do you really think they're safe?" 

"'course I do, Bella, I wouldn't lie about something like that, especially not in this situation." 

"If they were, would you tell me the truth?" 

"Bella..." I sighed and shifted to the edge of the bed, leaning toward her with my hands on my knees to look her in the eyes, "You know I would. We've known each other since we were kids, and you know I'm forthright in most situations. Some I wasn't until now, but now that you're in on our secret, I do plan on being truthful with you from here on out." 

Bella stared back at me, searching my eyes for several beats, deliberating, before she seemed to trust I meant it. 

"Can I ask you something?" 

"You just did." I gave her a cheeky smile as she glared at me, "Okay, okay, no jokes. Go ahead." 

"You...you've been around the Cullens a while now...are there things you've learned about vampires since you've met them, things you hadn't known before, even with your grandfather's book?" 

I hummed, thoughtful, and cocked my head, "Hm, there were a few things, but most of what I knew about vampires did come from the supernatural book. It was my main reference before I ever knew them." 

"Do you..." Bella paused, as though choosing her words carefully, "Do you know how someone can be turned? How a human can be changed into a vampire?" 

I quirked a brow, intrigued, as I scanned her face, wondering where this curiosity was coming from, "Hm, I do, somewhat. I haven't really done it myself or seen it done, but I do kind of know the mechanics of it thanks to what I've learned from Carlisle." 

Bella sat up and shifted to lean against the headboard of our bed, still hugging her knees to her chest as she watched me expectantly. I sighed, knowing she wasn't going to let this go until I gave her some kind of answer. 

"Well...we already know how supernatural creatures appear to humans, especially vampires. Physically appealing, with an arsenal of weapons at their disposal: speed, strength, acute sense, not to mention the extra abilities some are known for..." 

"Like you and the twins?" 

I nod, "For demons, it's more commonplace to have an extra ability than it is for vampires, although we tend to just have one. Those with two or more are a lot rarer. But each species is different, we each have our own way of hunting and capturing prey. Most supernatural creatures, though, cannot physically change another into one of their own, we only have the ability to reproduce to create more of our kind. Since most of the vampires I know can't reproduce, they have another way of creating new vampires, yet another weapon to add to their arsenal: venom." I subconsciously ran my tongue over my own fangs, thinking back on how Carlisle and Edward had described how their venom worked, the way it flooded their mouth much in the way saliva filled mine or a human's when we smelled something delicious or we thought of our favorite foods; they'd described it as a burning sensation that left a dry trail in its wake, leaving their tongues and throats parched and their bellies hollow until it could be satiated. It wasn't a hunger, or, at least, not from what Carlisle said, it was more an intense thirst, like what you'd experience on a very hot day working under a blistering sun, a thirst that could only be quenched with an ice-cold glass of freshly made lemonade. 

Bella watched me curiously, her brows furrowed, "This venom...you...you don't have it, do you?" 

I turned to her and smiled faintly, shaking my head, "No, and I've never had it. Not once in my life. I'm not sure why...maybe I'm just not vampire enough." I shrugged, "But, anyway, the way I've heard the venom described, it's very potent, incapacitating. It works through the body slowly, moving through the bloodstream. It causes enough pain to keep prey from escaping, though they wouldn't be able to, anyway. Even in top physical condition they wouldn't be able to outrun a vampire, let alone fight one off...most are dead in minutes. But then, there are exceptions. Carlisle, for instance." 

"If the venom is left to spread..." Bella murmured quietly, drawing her knees closer. 

"Hm..." I leaned an elbow on my leg and rested my cheek against it, "He says it doesn't just happen overnight, it can take at least a few days for the transformation to be complete. But then, that can also depend on how much venom is injected into the bloodstream and how close it enters to the heart...the main thing is that the heart keeps beating, so the venom can circulate. Eventually, it will stop the heart completely, but until it does, the victim will be wishing for the sweet embrace of death." 

Bella shivered and chewed her bottom lip as I smiled weakly. 

"Yeah, it isn't pleasant." 

Bella nodded quietly, frowning, "Edward, he said changing someone is hard to do...but how -?" 

"Vampires are like sharks, in a way: once they smell or taste blood, it can cause a frenzy." I paused then, putting a hand to my throat, "I've experienced it once or twice, briefly, during the new moon. It can be hard to keep from feeding once I've started, almost impossible. I can imagine for a full vampire, to get that close to bite someone, it would be difficult to pull themselves away or leave them with enough blood to survive." 

"Do all of them remember their transformations? The Cullens?" 

I shook my head, "No, not all of them...most do, though. They say the pain of the transformation itself is the strongest memory they have of their previous lives. Alice is the only one who has no recollection of what it was like being human..." 

"I wonder why that is..." Bella rested her chin on her knees as I nodded quietly, having wondered the same. 

The two of us fell into a thoughtful silence, each wrapped up in her individual thought. She stared at the wall, as though forgetting I was there for a moment. I shifted to face the end of the bed again, reaching for my pencil - 

It came suddenly: the brisk ringtone from the next room, loud even through the wall. My ears immediately perked, and my head snapped to the door. 

"Carlisle." I launched myself off the bed and was out of the room in seconds, Bella not two steps behind me. 

In the living room, the TV had been shut off, with Charlie, Henry, and Geoffrey's attention on mama, who had moved to the far corner, her phone already pressed to her ear. She wasn't speaking yet, but seemed to be listening intently, her eyes on the wall. Bella started to move toward her, but I held out an arm to stop her, shaking my head silently. 

"He's changed course?" Mama's voice was low, tight, her lips pursing into a thin, white line and her brows furrowing, causing that familiar crease over her nose, "Well, do you know where he's headed?" 

I frowned and crossed my arms, leaning against the back of the couch. The furrow deepened on her brow. 

"What did Alice see?" She paused, staring into space briefly, "And she doesn't know where it is, does she?" A sigh, "Okay...so we know he'll get there either today or tomorrow...well, maybe we can draw it out. Alice could give Dawn the details and she could sketch it, maybe then we could figure out where he's going." Mama nodded, although I couldn't tell if it was in answer to whatever Carlisle said or if she was just nodding to herself, "Hm mm...yeah, just have Alice text Dawn the detail and we can send you a picture when it's done, then we can figure it out..." Another pause, "Okay." Mama turned to face us and held out her cell phone, drudging up the best smile she can manage, "Bella?" 

Bella practically ran for the phone as my cell buzzed, announcing the arrival of Alice's text message. I took it out as I headed back into the bedroom to grab my sketchbook and pencil, then returned to the front room. While Bella spoke with Edward on the phone, I perched myself on the edge of the couch and started sketching out the room Alice tried to describe over text. Charlie, mama, and the boys all leaned in to watch without a word. 

The room Alice had apparently seen was long, rectangular shaped, and squared off at one end near the back. I concentrated on drawing in the planks of wood that made up the floor, stretching lengthwise across the space, making the lines lighter in the mirrors that lined the walls to make the distinction between the real floor and its reflection. I felt someone come up behind me as I added the long, waist-high band that wrapped around the walls. 

"That's a ballet studio." I sat up at Bella's quiet voice and peered over my shoulder as the others turned to face her, too. 

"Bella, do you know this place?" Mama turned to her fully, leaning her hip against the back of the couch. I returned my attention to the drawing, adding an emergency exit to the back wall and a low table pushed into the right-hand corner, which held a stereo and TV. 

"Probably not, a lot of ballet studios likely look the same, but this looks like the place I used to go for dance lessons -" 

"Back when you were eight or nine, right? That spring Renee tried to make you a dancer." I didn't look up from the drawing. 

"Yeah...it was shaped similarly to that." I felt her lean over my shoulder, reaching out to touch the part of the drawing where the room narrowed toward the back, "The bathrooms were back there, but you had to go through the other dance studio to get to them. The stereo used to be over here -" She pointed to the left corner, "- it was older, though, and there didn't used to be a TV. The waiting room had a window where you could see the room from this perspective." 

Mama and Charlie looked at one another, frowning, as Bella traced the bar on the mirrors, "Like I said, it's probably not that, but it's the shape that was the most familiar." 

"Would you have any reason to go back to that studio, Bella?" Mama finally asked, looking at her again. Bella shook her head, so close her hair brushed my cheek. 

"No, I wouldn't. I haven't set foot in there in almost ten years." 

"Not surprising, you were probably a horrible dancer." Henry snickered playfully, trying to ease the tension. Bella pushed his shoulder as he chuckled, and Geoffrey shook his head. 

"Well, you're not wrong, they used to put me in the back during recitals." 

I put the pencil down and sighed, folding my hands behind my head, "Could mean this isn't connected with Bells, then..." 

"Probably not...I don't even think the same person owns it. Maybe this is another dance studio..." Bella added, almost sounding hopeful. 

"Even so, we should let Carlisle, and the others know." Mama took her phone from Bella to text Carlisle, "That dance studio from your childhood, it was just around the corner from your house, wasn't it, Bella?" 

Bella nodded as I put the finishing touches on the drawing and took a picture to send to Alice, "Yeah, I used to walk there after school." 

Mama hummed to herself, her thumbs flying over the phone's keyboard, "It was Fifty-eighth Street and Cactus, right?" 

"Yes," Bella murmured, watching mama as we all lapsed into a brief silence. I didn't miss the way Bella eyed mama's phone, then mine. 

"Elizabeth, Dawn, are your phones safe?" 

Mama looked up and cocked her head, "They should be. If we were to call anyone, they would just be traced back to Washington." 

"Could I use one to call my mom?" 

Mama hummed and glanced at Charlie, then me, "If I remember correctly, Renee and Phil don't have a permanent number except at the house, right?" 

"She can still access her machine remotely." Charlie pointed out, "And she does check her messages almost every day." 

"With everything going on, it would probably be best. We don't want Renee or Phil in the line of fire if the hunter gets too close to the house." I held out my phone for Bella, but then pulled back a little when she reached for it, "Don't breathe a word of our whereabouts to her." 

"I won't." She smiled gratefully as I finally handed my phone over and she dialed the number. Her message to Renee was brief, urging her mother to call her back at my or mama's numbers, which I wrote on a scrap of paper for her to read, as soon as she could. When she was finished, she handed the phone back and then flopped down on the couch, her eyes closed. 

The rest of the day passed without incident; Charlie and Henry returned to their sports games, while mama and I kept in contact with Carlisle and Alice. Bella seemed lost in her own thoughts again and I guessed she was probably worrying about her mother, her gaze straying occasionally to my cell as she waited for Renee to return her call. Dinner was a quiet affair that night, each of us preoccupied with our own thoughts and we spent the evening watching the news, for any stories from Florida in relation to spring training or any natural disasters that could potentially send Renee and Phil home earlier than planned. Alice text me with the news of another vision and gave a vague description of a dark room, illuminated only by the light of a TV screen. I did my best to sketch it but couldn't mentally picture anything of the vision outside the TV she described and eventually decided to give that up for now as I rubbed my temples. 

"Looks like everyone's falling asleep." Mama's whispered voice made me look up and glance to the right, an amused smile tugging at the corner of my lips when I saw my three younger siblings slumped over on the couch; with her head pillowed against her arm, Bella half lay, half leaned against the side of the couch, her free hand resting lightly on Henry's back. His head was nestled against the side of her stomach, his right arm draped across her legs and over Geoffrey's face. I watch Geoffrey's nose scrunch, and he smacks the hand away, shifting to get comfortable as he buried his face in Bella's hip. Henry growls something incoherent and covers his head with the assaulted appendage, sighing. What sounded like the reeve of a chainsaw was coming from the recliner. 

"We should all try and get some sleep...I get the feeling tomorrow's going to be an eventful day." Mama stood from her chair at the kitchen table and rounded the couch to carefully lift Geoffrey and Henry into her arms; anyone looking in from the outside would likely be astounded she could still lift the twins, who were now roughly my size and still growing, but it was not all too surprising. If given the chance, mama would still be able to lift both boys even when they were fully grown and be able to carry them, Bella, and myself with little trouble, "Promise me you'll at least try and rest tonight, Dawn?" 

I sighed as I got up and grabbed my sketchbook before carefully gathering Bella into my arms, "I promise, mama. But I'm gonna keep my cell on the bedside table, just in case." 

"So long as you try to sleep." Mama led the way through to the bedroom, where she laid the boys down on their bed and pulled the blankets up around them. I set Bella on her side of our bed and climbed in on mine, setting my sketchpad and pencil on the bedside table, along with my cell. Mama fussed with the boys' blankets, tucking Henry's arm next to him while he groaned in his sleep and rolled away from her, then came to do the same with my and Bella's blanket while I gave her a look, "Mama..." 

"I know, I know...but you're still my little ones, no matter how old you get." Mama tucked the blanket up around my shoulders as I laid down, "Just let me fuss a little...I don't get to do this much anymore..." 

I smiled quietly and nodded as she kissed my forehead before moving around the bed to tuck Bella in, too, "Do you think you'll be able to sleep, mama?" 

"I'm going to try." Mama smoothed the blanket down and came back around the bed, "Hopefully we can get a bit of sleep before we get another call, but I'll be keeping my phone close at hand, too, just in case. If Alice reaches out to you first, you be sure to come and wake me up straight away, will you?" 

"I promise." I reached a hand out and she took it, squeezing gently, "I promise, mama." 

"Thank you, sweetheart." Mama smiled gently and kissed my knuckles, "I hope you sleep well, my sweet pup." 

"You, too, mama." I whispered, squeezing her hand once more before she left the room, carefully closing the door behind her. I sighed and leaned back into the pillow. 

(A nap couldn't hurt, could it...?) I glanced at the clock; it wasn't very late, only about 9 o'clock now. Even if I just slept until midnight, it should be enough to give me something of a second wind for what would come later. My eyes seemed to slip closed of their own accord and I sighed quietly, nuzzling into the pillow as I tried to relax. 

The next thing I remember is being woken by the familiar ding of an incoming text message. Groaning under my breath, I rolled onto my back and squinted at the clock: 1:45 AM. Sitting up, I rubbed the sleep from my eyes as I grabbed my phone from the nightstand and unlocked it. The first sentence had any lingering drowsiness immediately dissipating. 

I saw the room with the TV. 

Quickly unplugging my phone, I threw the covers aside and snatched my sketchbook from the bedside table before heading back out into the main room. Mama, who was sitting up watching an old sitcom, looked up when she heard the bedroom door open. 

"Alice had another vision." I told her as I made a beeline for the kitchen table and immediately started sketching the room Alice described over text. 

This room was small, just a simple square shape, with a low, dark beamed ceiling and wood paneled walls in a shade that wouldn't be considered very fashionable today. The floor was covered in a dark, patterned carpet and the south wall held a large window, while a doorway on the west wall led into a small living room. One side of the doorway was made of stone, part of a large, tan-stone fireplace that could be used in both rooms. From the perspective Alice had given me, it was obvious the focus of the room was the TV and VCR in the southwest corner, balanced on a small wooden stand. Facing this corner was a faded sectional couch that encircled a medium-sized coffee table. 

"Isn't there supposed to be a phone...?" Mama whispered, watching from the chair next to me; I looked over the drawing and my eyes widened in realization as I snapped my gaze back to hers'. 

"Renee..." 

Mama was immediately across the room dialing Carlisle's number. I leaned back in my chair, staring at the drawing in shock as the bedroom door swung open once more. 

"What's going on?" Bella mumbled as she shuffled out, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. I looked up quietly, ushering her to come join me. 

"Alice had another vision...he's at Renee's house." 

Bella was immediately awake, "The tracker..." I reached out to take her hand, squeezing tight, "Bella, don't panic, it's going to be okay. We're not going to let anything happen to Renee or Phil." She tore her eyes from the perfect drawing of her mother's front room to look at me slowly; in her eyes, I could see the panic beginning to fester under the surface and I suddenly wished I had Jasper's ability to control emotion. 

"Edward, Emmett, and Carlisle will be meeting us at the airport." Mama walked back over, clutching her phone in one hand. 

"Edward's coming?" Some of the panic dissipated at the news as Bella turned to regard mama, who nodded. 

"Once we meet up with them, the six of us will be leaving for Connecticut with Edward." 

Panic bubbled to the surface again as Bella stared at mama, wide-eyed, "But my mother...he's going after my mother, Elizabeth!" 

"Bella..." Mama put a reassuring hand on her arm, frowning, "The tracker isn't going to lay a hand on Renee, the Cullens are going to come here and, once we're settled in with my mother, we're going to send some of my family to help them. We aren't going to let anything happen to her or Phil." 

Bella jerked away from her touch, shaking her head rapidly, "We can't win, Elizabeth...you guys and the Cullens can't just guard everyone we know and love forever, don't you see? He isn't tracking us at all! He's going to find someone we care about and hurt them...a-and I can't -" 

"Bella, we're going to catch him." I wrapped an arm around her, trying to calm her down and get her to breathe, only for her to shove me away, tears brimming in her eyes. 

"Someone's going to get hurt!" She practically screamed; there was a snort from behind her and the leg rest on the recliner snapped shut as Charlie sat up, suddenly alert, "How can you all just be okay with this, huh? How can you all be so calm when you know something is going to happen to someone we care about?! How can you all be so heartless?" 

"Bella, sweetheart, please...getting hysterical about this isn't going to help..." Mama's eyebrows pinched as Charlie watched from the background, looking between the three of us with raised eyebrows, as though unsure if he should step in or not. "We will figure something out and catch James one way or another, but getting worked up about it now isn't going to fix anything. Maybe you should go lay back down and try to rest a little more, it could help -" she stepped forward, reaching for Bella to guide her back to the bedroom; Bella took a step back, her expression tight and eyes hard as she swung her hand out, smacking mama's away with a resounding slap. 

"I don't want to go back to sleep!" She snapped, glaring at mama and I as mama pulled back, frowning. Charlie was suddenly on his feet and rounding the couch to put a hand on her shoulder before giving Bella a disapproving look for her behavior. Before he could open his mouth, however, Bella whirled on her heel and stomped back to the bedroom, where she slammed the door. I flinched and sighed, hearing Henry complain about it being too early to be awake and Bella growling at him to just go back to sleep. 

"What has gotten into that girl...?" Charlie turned to mama and I as mama rubbed her stinging hand, sighing. 

"There's been a new development Bella isn't happy about..." She looked at me, "Dawn, would you mind calling your grandmother for me and then see about our plane tickets while I fill Charlie in?" 

"On it." Grabbing my phone off the table, I immediately dialed my grandmother's number as mama told Charlie about the text from Alice and what it had revealed of the tracker's location. 

The next three and a half hours were spent getting in contact with my grandmother and filling her in on the situation, calling ahead to reserve our plane tickets to Connecticut, and getting ready to leave once the Cullens landed. We let the twins sleep in until about five, then mama went in to tell them to get dressed and pack their things to leave as soon as possible. We didn't have breakfast delivered today, but mama had us eat a little something to keep our strength up while she took a phone call from Carlisle around five-thirty. Bella ended up joining us for breakfast, giving mama and I a sheepish smile as she sat down to eat some of the left-over fruit from the day before. 

"They've just boarded their plane." Mama said after she'd hung up, tucking her phone into the pocket of her jeans and grabbing both sets of room keys, "They'll be landing at nine-forty-five, so it shouldn't be long now. I'm going to run the keys downstairs and check us out." 

"Are you sure you don't want me to do that, Liz?" Charlie looked up from his coffee, frowning, but mama gave him a reassuring smile, kissing his cheek. 

"I'm quite sure, Charlie, I don't want to risk you going downstairs and getting caught by that tracker. You just stay up here with the kids, and I'll be right back." She promised, heading for the door. Charlie watched her until she disappeared behind the door, his jaw clenched and eyes dark. He knew mama would be able to take care of herself if it came down to it, but I knew it didn't make him worry about her any less. Who wouldn't worry about their spouse or kids in a situation like this? 

"She'll be okay, dad, you know if anyone tries to mess with her, mama will whoop their ass." I smiled reassuringly at my stepfather as I got up from the table and cleared the dishes. Charlie turned to me, smiling weakly in agreement as I pat his shoulder. I turned to head into the bedroom when my phone started to vibrate against my hip and the familiar ringtone filled the room. Bella was almost immediately on her feet, reaching for the phone expectantly even before I could pull it out of my pocket. An amused smile tugged at my lips as I glanced at the screen before handing the phone over. 

"If she's freaking out, we know who you take after more, Bells." I joked and she gave me a look as she accepted the call; through the earpiece, we could all practically hear the panic in Renee's voice as she calls for Bella frantically. Bella sighs and wrinkles her nose at me as I smirk back and salute before heading back into the bedroom to finish packing. I was almost done when Bella wandered in after me, closing the door behind her while I glanced over my shoulder. 

Before I could open my mouth, Bella pressed a finger to her lips urgently, her eyes wide, pleading. I straightened immediately and turned to join her, indicating for her to keep whoever was on the phone talking as I leaned in to listen, one ear inclined toward the earpiece. 

"There now," My hair prickled at the low, male tenor that came from the phone; that was most definitely not Renee, or Phil. "Have you got Dawn there with you now? Just answer yes or no." 

I nodded to Bella to answer; her voice was barely above a whisper when she spoke, "Yes." 

"Are you two alone?" 

Impatient, I grabbed Bella's hand, turning the phone so I could speak into it, too, lowering my own voice to a whisper so the twins wouldn't be able to overhear. 

"Just tell us what the fuck you want." 

The man hummed, thoughtful, "Hm, before I answer, I need Bella to say, 'Mom, trust me.'" 

"Mom, trust me." Bella parroted. 

"As for your question, I had thought that was quite obvious: I want your family." The voice continued to hum, "Things seemed to have worked out rather better than I had expected, too, I'd been prepared to wait, but then your mother arrived ahead of schedule. I can imagine this is a lot easier on Bella, isn't it? Less suspenseful, less anxious." 

"If you wanted our entire family, you wouldn't have wanted Bella to go to another room. You have specific targets." I growled into the phone; I could almost hear the smile in the man's voice when he next spoke. 

"Observant, aren't you?" He chuckled, "I quite like that, it makes the hunt far more interesting when my prey is spirited. But I was not lying when I said I wanted your whole family, there's just a slight hiccup: I can't get to any of you if you're all together, like you are now, and while you're being guarded. So, I'm going to have to settle for what I can get. Besides, the two of you fascinate me the most." He paused, as though listening to see if I had anything else to say before he continued, "But now, I want the two of you to listen very carefully: I need you to find a way to get away from your family. Do you think you can do that?" 

"No." I grit through clenched teeth; no way in hell was I bringing Bella anywhere near this damn psycho! 

"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that." He tsk'ed, disappointed, "I had hoped the two of you would've been a bit more creative than that. Do either of you think you could get away if Bella's mother's life depended on it?" 

Bella grabbed my arm, staring at me pleadingly, forcing me to pause, thoughtful; was there a way we would be able to escape before the Cullens got here and mama caught up to us? Well...maybe if we slipped away in the airport. It would be crowded with people, and it was like a labyrinth to navigate, even to those who had walked its halls before. I finally sighed, reluctantly conceding. 

"Yes..." 

"Much better." The man practically purred at the news, "Now, I'm sure it won't be easy, but you two will have to be very careful, because if I get even the slightest hint you have company, well...that wouldn't be very good for Bella's mother, would it?" I clenched my teeth, "I'm sure you've been around the supernatural long enough to know just how easily I'd know if you brought back up...and how little time it'd take to dispatch Bella's mother, if need be." 

"We understand..." 

"Very good, very good. Now, this is what I need the two of you to do: go to Bella's mother's house. You'll find a number on a sticky note next to the phone. Call it and I'll tell you where to go from there." Bella was trembling now, and I wrapped an arm around her, letting her sink into my chest, "Can you do that?" 

"Yes." 

"And please be sure to arrive before noon, will you? I haven't got all day." 

Gods, I wanted to hear this fucking asshole to pieces "Where's Phil?" I grounded out, suddenly remembering Bella's stepfather and praying no harm had befallen him. 

"Ah, you know it's rude to interrupt, Dawn ~" 

I bit back the snarl that clawed at my throat. 

"Good, now, it's important that neither of you makes your family suspicious when you rejoin them. Just tell them Bella's mother called and that you two talked her out of coming home for the time being. Now, Bella, repeat after me, 'Thank you, Mom.' Say it." 

"Thank you, Mom." Bella could barely keep her tears at bay now. 

"Say 'I love you, Mom, and I'll see you soon.'" 

"I love you, Mom." Bella choked out, "I'll see you soon." 

"Goodbye, Bella, Dawn. I look forward to seeing you both again." The line went dead. 

As soon as I clicked the phone shut, Bella collapsed in my arms, and we sank to the floor while she tried to compose herself. I held her close, staring at the wall while my brain spun with ideas, preparing for what was to come next. 

Despite every instinct in my body screaming at me to keep Bella as far from James as possible, I knew I had to give into his request and take her to him now, if Renee and Phil had any chance of escape. I had to take her back to her old ballet studio and save them. Even if James went back on his word, I was going to fight with every last shred of strength I had to make sure Bella, Renee, and Phil would be safe. I wasn't going to let him win without a fight, goddamn it! But first, I needed to get us away from our family and to that studio. 

James had been right in one aspect: getting away from mama, the boys, and the Cullens was going to be no easy feat. But if we were to slip away before the Cullens' plane arrived and we could do it before mama and the boys noticed anything, we might have a chance. They were as familiar with the airport as we were, but if we could get at least a head start, it should be enough...I just had to keep my distance from mama and keep Henry oblivious, but Geoffrey...he was going to be the real challenge. Once we were clear of them, Bella would become my number one priority. 

"Bella." I pulled back to look her in the eye once she'd stopped trembling, "Bella, listen to me, okay? I'm going to keep you, Renee, and Phil safe. I'm not going to let James hurt any of you, I promise. But I'm going to need you to promise me one thing: we do this and I'm the one calling the shots, you understand? You listen to everything I say, you do as I tell you." I held up a finger to stop her when she opened her mouth, "If I hear one word of complaint or one refusal, it's over. I will involve Charlie, mama, and the Cullens. It's my way or none at all." 

Bella frowned, staring into my eyes contemplatively, even though I already knew she wouldn't refuse. Even if she did, there was no way she'd be able to save her mother and stepfather from a vampire by herself and if we tried to involve the rest of our family, James would surely kill them. I was her only hope of saving them now. She finally sighed and nodded. 

"Okay..." 

I nod, heart heavy at the anguish and despair still clear as day in her eyes at knowing what we had to do now. She knew we were going to have to trick our family, that she would have to betray Edward, even if just briefly, until we could get Renee and Phil to safety. She still needed time to absorb this. 

"You still need some time to let this sink in." I got up and carefully pulled Bella to her feet to sit her on the end of our bed, "Just sit here and collect yourself before you come back out into the other room. You know you're terrible at improvisation." I crouched in front of her, gently taking her hands in mine as I looked her dead in the eye, "But know this, Bella: I am going to do everything in my power to get you, Renee, and Phil out of this in one piece. I swear on my life I'm not going to let anything happen to any of you." 

"Dawn..." She started to argue, but I gave her a pointed look, "Don't, Bella, this is my job. The moment our families were joined, I made a promise to look after you, and those boys in there," I gestured to the front room, "No matter what. And I damn well mean to keep that promise." 

Bella frowned but sighed, obviously knowing there was no point arguing the point further, "Okay...I trust you, Dawn."