Bad Soap Opera Anyone?

So … Bella was a vamp but her hubby had done it to save her life because their vampire/human hybrid baby was killing her from the inside out and that was even before she went into labor.

Bad Soap Opera anyone?

At least she hadn’t changed much as far as personality was concerned.

What was bad was the situation.

“So these Italian vamps are like your Royal Family and police force all rolled up into one nifty package but they don’t mix well with our whole innocent until proven guilty type justice and when they see baby Ness, they’re going to think you changed a child, which is of the bad, and kill everyone? That’s all of it?”

Again, it was like a Soap Opera. Not that she would know …

Carlisle nodded. “It is very much a problem. We’ve gathered our friends here to just give the Volturi reason to pause, reason enough to just get a moment to explain. We do not want a fight to break out and we don’t want anyone to die because of us.”

Well Angel sure hadn’t called her here because of her peacemaking skills. She looked around the forest, and tried to figure out how deeply in it these vamps would have to be to successfully hide from all the vamps, and herself.

“Please don’t take offense, but why exactly did Angel send you?” Esme, Carlisle’s wife, was leaning against a tree trunk between Bella and Rosalie. Edward and Emmet, their significant others were standing next to them while Carlisle talked to her.

They’d been diverted from their course toward the house earlier by the motherly woman who had flown out the door. Apparently there was something going on with Buffy’s scent that had ‘aroused their attention’.

Whatever.

“Because I’m only human?”

The all nodded. Almost in unison. Freaky.

“Because I’m not only human. You must have heard the stories circulating in the tabloids, right?”

Since the girls had been called there had been some unfortunate accidents, a few too many public slayings, and people were really catching on. One of the girls’ had an Uncle who worked for one of the rags and he was being incredibly helpful to sensationalize the fantasy of it all and make it unbelievable while feeding some very useful information to the public at large as well. So far, through a few polls on the website for his magazine, people’s believe in vampires and slayers had dropped significantly since the first story was published.

It was good to be connected.

“No way!” Emmet grinned. He was completely transparent. He’d figured out what she was and from the amount of hand flexing he was doing, he wanted to spar to see who would be the best fighter.

Bella and Edward had no idea what she was talking about but Carlisle did.

“It cannot be. Your kind hunt our kind.”

She could see Edward from the corner of her eye and he was doing that glare thing again. She ignored him.

“We’re under new management. The old Council was bombed awhile ago and all but a few Watchers were killed. I have my freedom now and I’m semi-retired. This I’m doing as a personal favor to a good friend and ally. You’re in no danger from me or mine as long as you don’t get all toothy with me. Then we might have problems.”

She smiled to let him know she was joking and he smiled in return.

“We are honored to have the Slayer on our side. I pray we won’t be put in such a situation to need you though.”

At that, the others got up from the ground. Esme came up to her. The woman didn’t look any older than Buffy but she had this motherly aura about her.

“Welcome to our family, Buffy,” she said and hugged the stiff Slayer.

Family?! What?!

She let her go and touched her face slightly. “Now, why don’t you go get aquainted with little Ness while we explain the situation to the others. I’m sure they’ll be thrilled to meet you. Bella? Edward?”

She called them but they were already there. Buffy figured it was for her benefit.

“Why don’t you take her to your cabin and we’ll let you know when things have settled. Rose will bring Ness over.”

Oh yeah. This woman was definitely the mother of the group. She was just too damn good at handling people not to be. And she must have figured since Buffy was Bella’s cousin that they would adopt her too. It was … sweet, in a weird kind of way.

“Of course,” Edward smiled at Esme and Buffy began to see what Bella saw in him.

Bella looked behind her back as she started walking through the woods, “This way Buffy.”

“Coming.” Buffy looked down at her new boots and winced. She’d only gotten to wear them three times and now they practically hopeless.

*Damn!*

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