A/N: This story idea hit me out of nowhere. The pairing is strange, but has the potential to be completely and utterly amazing, I believe. It's important(ish) to note that, in this story, Bella is not present. Let's just say that she moved to Jacksonville, FL instead of Forks, WA. So, basically, it's AU, just not by much.

Also, don't be afraid to review and let me know what you think of the story so far, or where you might like to see it go. I've got it pretty much [loosely] planned out to the end, but hearing some fresh ideas never hurts.

Anyway, ENJOY. :)

Jacob, meet us at the trailhead, now, Sam ordered with the double timbre of an Alpha. The order came as Jacob was nearing the edge of his front yard, oh-so-close to phasing back into his human form and going into the house for some relaxation. Before he could, however, he was forced to turn back around and run back into the woods. He ran as quickly as he could, eager to get to the meeting and get it over with. When Jacob neared the trailhead, he phased into his human form, sensing that the others were already in their human forms, and slid on the pair of jogging pants tied loosely to his ankle.

"What's going on?" Jacob inquired.

"It's the bloodsuckers," Paul sneered. "They want our help."

"Want our help with what?"

Sam spoke this time, less venom in his voice than Paul had had in his own "Protection. It seems that some friends of the Cullens are in danger and the Cullens are providing them with shelter temporarily. There's a possibility that the vampires that are out for their friends could be headed this way. People on both sides of the treaty line are at risk. We'll be working closely with the Cullen family, and it is imperative that our individual differences don't get in the way of what we have to do."

"If by 'individual differences' you mean the fact that vampires are our natural enemies…," Leah muttered.

"So it's been decided already?" Jacob asked incredulously, ignoring Leah like everyone else was. "We're helping them?"

"We are protectors, Jacob, it is our responsibility to keep our families safe, and those on the other side of the border as well. It will be safer to work together. None of us has to like the idea, but all of you had better start getting used to it."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Emmett, it is not as though this comradeship will be unnecessarily prolonged. We need the help of the Quileute tribe, and they have graciously agreed to give it," Carlisle said, trying to quell Emmett's temper.

"But why? The wolves know nothing about Saoirse or Tallis, our friends. That makes this our problem, and we should be the ones to solve it. Who cares if the damned newborns outnumber us? Jasper has experience taking out newborns, large numbers of them, at that. This'll be a cakewalk. We kick some newborn ass, and we don't smell like wet dog at the end of the day. Win-win."

"Very funny, young man. Now, watch your language and stop arguing with your father."

"Yes, ma'am," Emmett sighed, immediately defeated now that his mother was involved in the discussion.

"The way this will operate is as follows: four of you, Esme, Emmett, Rosalie, and Jasper, will be spending a lot of time on the reservation. There you will be matched up with one of the Quileute wolves and run the border line between Forks and La Push, looking for any signs of intruders. There will be a daylight shift, which involves runs from eight A.M. to eight P.M, at which time the pairs on the night shift will take over and run from eight-oh-one P.M. to seven fifty-nine A.M. During each shift, you will stagger your runs so that there is a pair patrolling the border at all times. Two pairs will work each twelve-hour shift for four days, after which you will switch. When you are not actively running the line, you will be guarding the surrounding areas. Once your shift is over, you can come back home while the werewolves get some rest."

Carlisle paused to make sure everyone understood.

"Edward and Alice will remain here with Saoirse and Tallis and patrol our home and its surroundings, as well as the lands within fifty miles. As for me, I will alternate positions, one day running the border line, and the next searching the outlying lands. The same thing will be taking place at La Push: four wolves running the border line with four of us, and the remainder of the wolves working the La Push area with Sam alternating between locations. Does everyone understand?"

Silently, Rosalie, Edward, Alice, Jasper, and Emmett nodded, as did Esme.

"Good. Now, as far as personal differences, they are not to interfere with your job. Sam will not tolerate any fighting from his pack, and Esme and I will certainly not tolerate any foolishness from our own 'pack'. Understood?"

"Yes, sir," came the five-fold reply.

"Good. Now, everybody out the door. We've an appointment to keep."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"So, basically," Paul began, "All hell is about to break loose in Washington?"

"Yes, basically," Carlisle replied. "Our friends Saoirse and Tallis have become involved with some rather debauched and corrupt vampires who have now turned against them. These vampires are quite influential in the vampire underworld, so to speak. They essentially are the vampire equivalent of the Mafia. Once you wrong them, they seek vengeance, usually in the form of execution."

"What makes them so powerful that you cannot take them out alone?" Paul asked, somehow managing to behave civilly, which surprised every member of the tribe. Maybe Sam had ordered him to be on his best behavior. It was a nice change, Paul's civility, but Jacob could not enjoy it with the smell of vampire burning his nose.

"The armies they bring with them. Newborns, the most powerful vampires of all."

"Why are they so powerful?" Seth, the youngest of the werewolves, asked earnestly. He was attending the meeting with his sister, Leah.

"The venom mixes with the human blood that is still in each newborn's system. The combination makes for a very potent energy source. However, the newborns are predictable in their movements. They have not developed any fighting skills or technique, so they will always go for the obvious kill. It makes them somewhat easier to take out, but their brute strength is a force to be reckoned with. Fortunately, Jasper here has a great deal of experience dealing with newborns, and he will demonstrate for us some of the easiest ways to kill the newborns, if it even comes to that."

Emmett sincerely hoped that this whole thing ended with a glorious fight. If it didn't, well, maybe he would just pick a fight with a werewolf. He would need something to get rid of all his pent-up energy. Besides, fighting a werewolf would be something new. Emmett would try anything once; twice if it didn't kill him the first time.