Hello...so I just recently finished the Twilight series and enjoyed it much more than I thought I would, and I decided to try writing something for it.

So this is the reposted version of this story, and it is now rated M because...well because the Admins say it should be. (And if they feel it should receive a higher rating, they let you know by taking your story down. It's effective, I suppose...

The M rating is because of minor sexual situations (no rape, but non-graphic assault on a minor). No swearing that isn't censored. Please enjoy :)

Her Brothers

My fist connected with his jaw, but instead of the feeling of flesh giving way under my hand, I felt as though I had rammed my hand into a boulder. The pain was immediate. His eyes widened, more in surprise than in any semblance of pain, as I hopped around on the balls of my feet, desperately trying to take my mind off the agony that spread from my knuckles all the way up to my elbow. A whimper escaped when I wrapped my left hand tightly around my right, as if that could stave off the pain. "Wh…what are you doing!" He cried incredulously. "Are you okay!?" He stepped forward, arm outstretched, but I jerked away, still hopping around on the rocks and sand of the beach.

"Do I look like I'm frickin' okay!?" I snapped. "Get away from me!" He pulled away and watched in bewilderment and concern as I began to rock back and forth, eyes clenched shut, teeth grinding as I breathed through the pain. Several tense minutes of quick pained breaths and fidgeting later, I managed a deep calming breath and turned back to him with a heated look. "Take me home." I demanded, my voice a sharp whisper. Hot, angry tears built up in my eyes, making them burn, and I hoped none would escape.

"Bella…" His voice was pleading and not a little guilty. "Here…let me take a look."

"Take me home now!" I snapped, jerking away again. "And keep your hands off me!" He gritted his teeth in annoyance and crossed his arms.

"You hit me, remember!"

"Yea, after you assaulted me!" I shouted, taking another step back, hand still curled around my throbbing wrist, injured fingers half straightened uselessly.

Jacob rolled his eyes. "Don't be so dramatic. I kissed you."

"Against my will!" I growled. "That's assault, you idiot." He snorted, rolling his eyes again. My anger began to ebb away, giving way to annoyance and the sharp pains that continued to shoot up my arm every time I moved. "Just take me home, Jacob. Please." The word tasted bitter in my mouth, and I felt the hot saltwater as is slipped from the corner of my eye and made it's way down my face. He stood silently, watching me for a moment, before reaching for me again.

"Just let me look at your hand, Bella. You might have broken it." Fighting the immediate urge to punch him again as he came too close, I turned on my heels and began to walk towards the road. "Where are you going!?" He cried, jogging to catch up with me. "You can't seriously be that angry. You are in love with me." I stiffened. "Besides, I'm sure he kisses you all the time." His voice turned mocking, and I wondered briefly what had happened to the sweet boy I'd me when I'd first moved here.

"Don't." It was all I could manage without letting any more of the tears escape. "Just...shut up, Jacob." He sighed, a longsuffering sound, and ran a hand through his short-cropped hair, then shrugged his shoulders in a resigned way.

"Come on. I'll drive you home."

We pulled up to Charlie's house and I jumped out of Jacob's truck and immediately made my way to my own, trying to remember if Carlisle would be home or at the hospital. I knew that he, Emmett, and Jasper had all stayed behind for this trip, and that Edward had somehow been roped into going with his mother and sisters. Regardless, I decided to check the house first. If he wasn't there, then maybe one of Edward's brothers would be, and I could ask them for a ride to the hospital. Using my good hand and keeping my right curled up against my chest, I pulled my keys out of my pockets and stuck one in the lock. Suddenly, a hot hand grasped my shoulder.

"Bella, wait! Where are you going?"
"That's none of your business. Now for the last time, get off of me!" I shouted, finally losing all patience with his 'hands-on' approach to interrogating me.

"Hey now!" We both looked up as Charlie came through the front door, his eyes worried. "Jacob? What's going on?" He hadn't seen Jacob in a while and it was obvious that he was glad it was my werewolf friend and not my vampire boyfriend that was with me.

"Nothing." Jacob said easily, dropping his hand from my shoulder. "Bella just got a little upset over a misunderstanding." Charlie lifted an eyebrow and looked at me, his eyes taking in the way I cradled my right hand protectively. Jacob snorted softly. "I kissed her and she punched me in the face." He said lightly. I flinched when Charlie couldn't quite manage to hold back his chuckle.

"Wait….she broke her hand on your face?" The two men laughed softly together, and against all rationale, I felt more tears, tears of hurt, build up in my eyes. My father was laughing at me…with the guy who had assaulted me. Whirling around, I managed to unlock my door and yank it open, climbing into the cab and slamming it behind me.

"Bella!" Charlie's voice was chiding, as if I was a little kid who was being rude to their friends. I bit my lip against the wave of hurt, and started the truck.

"Oh come on Bella!" Jacob was still grinning, and I gave him the dirtiest look I could manage.

"Go to h*ll, a**hole." I snarled, doing my own impression of an angry vampire.

"Isabella Swan!" My dad's eyes were huge and furious. "You better get…" The roar of the engine drowned out the rest of Charlie's angry words as I backed out of the driveway and sped off toward the Cullen house, tears finally falling unchecked down my face.

'He laughed at me.' The thought seemed to stab me in the chest, and I bit my lip hard before I realized that I was heading to a house full of vampires and that having a mouthful of blood would probably be dangerous…for all of us. 'Some jerk hurt me...and he thought it was funny.' Swallowing painfully, I managed to push the feelings of betrayal away as I pulled off of the road and into the long winding driveway that led to the beautiful Cullen home.

I wasn't surprised to find the driveway empty. The family tended to keep their precious, ridiculously expensive toys in the garage. Killing the engine on my old truck, I carefully climbed out, wincing when I hit my arm on the way down, and shut the door behind me.

I hesitated at the front door. I had never come here alone when they were home before; either Edward or Alice was1 always with me. Looking around, as if I was committing a crime and was checking for witnesses, I slowly placed my hand on the doorknob and twisted, only vaguely surprised when the door pulled open easily. Stepping inside quickly, I shut the door behind me, wondering if anyone was inside. With their freakishly good hearing, I was surprised no one was here to greet me. "Hello?" I spoke in a normal tone of voice, absently running a hand over my eyes to dispose of the tears that had managed to escape.

"Bella?" The soft, slightly southern drawl wasn't quite what I was expecting, but I would take it. Turning to give a weak smile to Alice's mate who was standing in the doorway, I had to bite the inside of my lip to keep the pain from showing on my face. Still, I was sure he wasn't fooled.

"Hey Jasper. Is Carlisle here?" I asked, hating how weak my voice sounded.

His eyes narrowed and he came closer, although I knew he could see me perfectly. "Yes…are you okay?" His worried eyes lingered on my face. Reaching up with my left hand, I realized that my face was wet once again. Brushing the saltwater away impatiently, I watched as his eyes moved down to the hand that I held as still as possible by my chest. Confusion warred with concern as another figure appeared in the doorway.

"Bella!" Carlisle's eyes lit up in happy surprise and he moved toward us. "I didn't know you were coming over today." The tone was soft and welcoming, but the smile died on his lips as he took in the tears that fell down my face and the way I held my arm.

I opened my mouth, ready to explain, when the image of Charlie's amused face appeared in my mind. Would Carlisle be the same? Amused at my overreaction and irritated that I was bothering him. I could clearly remember Renee's annoyance when I complained about one of her many 'friends' after he had gotten a little too friendly for comfort, could remember her rolling her eyes when I whispered that the man scared me.

At first she had seemed panicked. "Did he touch you!?" She had demanded, eyes wide with worry and arms ready to give comfort. Hesitantly, I had shaken my head, immediately feeling silly and embarrassed.

"No…he…he watches me a lot." I had confessed, cheeks reddening. At thirteen, I hadn't been able to give a name to the feeling in his dark eyes as he watched me cook supper, or do the dishes, or vacuum the carpet. For weeks his eyes had followed me as I did my homework, had tracked my movements and then darted back to my mother when she entered a room. Now, thinking back, the word 'lust' came to mind, as did the word 'pedophile' along with the shudder of repressed fear. But then I had been unable to explain.

"Bella, don't be dramatic." Renee had rolled her eyes in exasperation. "He doesn't 'watch you.' You just happen to be in the same room with him." She had taken my hand then, her smile shadowed with a hint of irritation. "I know it's hard for you…me dating other men. But it's been a long time since your father and I…well it's been a long time, Bella. Don't I deserve some happiness too?" Too ashamed for words, I had only nodded. I never complained again when some of her 'friends' would stare at me, or when they would put their hands on my shoulder for a little too long. I never told her when my first kiss wasn't a boy in my class. I told myself that if it ever got farther than that, I would tell her. I had no idea if that was true….it never did.

Would Carlisle dismiss my story with the same shake of the head and sigh as Renee? "Bella?" I was jerked out of my thoughts and realized that I hadn't said anything since asking for Carlisle, and that both vampires were watching me with growing concern. Carlisle was now standing directly in front of me, his hand half outstretched as if he wanted to take my hand, but didn't want to startle me. Clearing my throat, I forced a half smile.

"I…sorry. I didn't mean to…um…" I stammered, and then managed to gather my courage as I met the doctor's gaze. "I'm so sorry to bother you, but could you look at my hand please?" His eyes, already gentle, softened even more.

"Of course. It's not a bother at all." Stepping to the side, he ushered me forward as we walked toward the kitchen. Carlisle pulled out a barstool and waited for me to climb up, the placed my arm gently on the counter. Jasper, who had followed, watched in silence as his father reached out and wrapped his large hand around my smaller wrist, his cold skin acting as an ice pack. I subconsciously relaxed a bit and sighed in relief, then tensed when the doctor began to gently prod my hand. I watched as Jasper walked over to the cabinet at human speed, reaching up and pulling out a glass, then filling it with ice and water from the refrigerator, trying to take my mind off the pain in my hand and wrist. He placed the glass in front of me, and then walked around to sit beside me.

"Thank you." I said quietly, taking a long sip, the cold water soothing my throat, which was already sore from crying. He nodded, his eyes still full of concern.

"It seems like it is a pretty bad sprain. I'm going to go get a bandage and some pain medicine for you." He hesitated for a moment, his eyes meeting mine. "If you'd like to stay here tonight, you're more than welcome, but if not, myself, Jasper or Emmett can drive you home. The pain medication might make you drowsy, so I'd rather you didn't' drive tonight."

Remembering Charlie's furious face as I sped away from the house, I flinched a bit, missing the look of concern that passed between the doctor and his son. "Would it be okay if I stayed here?" I mumbled. The thought of facing Charlie after his reaction earlier wasn't something I wanted to even consider. "I don't want to go home tonight."

"Of course." This time, I caught the look they were giving one another. "Bella…" Carlisle reached across the counter and took my good hand, his face now level with mine. I could feel waves of gentle calm roll over me and felt Jasper move a little closer, his shoulders shifting closer to mine, eyes anxious but determined. "Did…did Charlie do this to you?" Carlisle finally asked softly. He must have mistaken my stunned silence for reluctance, because he sighed and gave my hand a gentle squeeze. "Because if he did, you can talk to us. Any of us. We'll protect you." The soft words, words I had so desperately wished to hear from my own father, now spoken by my boyfriend's father, brought more tears to my eyes, much to my embarrassment. "Bella?"

I cleared my throat anxiously, pushing my embarrassment aside. "No. It wasn't him. It wasn't Char…my dad." Carlisle watched me for another long moment, his eyes sad, then sighed in resignation.

"Okay." He stood, stood and released my hand after a final squeeze. "I'm going to go get some supplies from my office." He gave Jasper a brief look full of something I couldn't quite understand, and then disappeared down the hall and up the stairs. Taking advantage of his absence, I ran my hand over my eyes again and was frustrated when it came away wet. I could feel Jasper's eyes on me, but refused to look over at him, instead focusing on my water, and before I knew it, Carlisle was back in the room, placing a bottle of pills and a bandage on the table.

I heard a door slam as Carlisle's gentle hands lifted my arm and supported my hand. Jasper and Carlisle glanced up as the largest member of the Cullen family strolled through the kitchen door, smudges of grease on his face and shirt. "Hey Bells!" He grinned at me, completely unsurprised, as if I appeared at regular intervals in his kitchen to have his father patch me up…which I guess I kind of did. I was unable to keep the corners of my mouth from turning up in greeting; despite the pain Carlisle was unintentionally causing me. He watched as Carlisle began to wind the bandage over my hand snugly, and then turned his eyes to my face. For a split second, I thought I saw concern there, but before I could really take any notice, he snorted.

"What, did you try to walk and chew gum at the same time again Bella?" He chuckled at his own joke, and I had to grin at his good-natured teasing.

"Nope. I punched a werewolf in the face." He leaned over the counter beside his father and gave me a fond grin.

"Bada**!" He declared proudly, ignoring his father's halfhearted reproachful glare. Still…I could see it under the impressed smile. His eyes gave it away, as easy as if I could read his mind. He was concerned. Would he still be concerned if he knew it was all over a silly kiss? Part of me couldn't help but cringe. If he noticed, he didn't comment. Still, if he knew, he would no doubt tease me, right?

Jasper's dry voice broke through my thoughts. "Why did you feel the need to punch a werewolf?" He was grinning lazily, but the concern wasn't gone from his eyes. Carlisle finished securing the bandage around my hand and leaned back, apparently waiting for an answer as well.

Shame pooled suddenly in my stomach. What would they think if they knew that I had kissed someone other than Edward? Would they make me leave? Surely they wouldn't want some girl who went around behind her boyfriend's back to be with him. Would Carlisle tell Edward that I was cheating on him? Would Emmett advise his big brother to leave me again? With that thought came the almost familiar all-encompassing pain that threatened to rip through my stomach.

As soon as it had appeared, the pain disappeared without a trace. I glanced up at Jasper appreciatively. He nodded, acknowledging my thanks, but the lazy grin was gone and was replaced with surprise. I wondered briefly if he had been able to feel the pain along with me. Pushing the thought away, I looked down at the counter, admiring the marble surface. "He kissed me." I said softly.

Dead silence. I didn't even have to look up to see that all three of them had frozen in place. Finally, Emmett spoke up. "Which. One." He snarled, his hands gripping the counter. I glanced up, but didn't meet anyone's eyes.

"What?"

"Which one of those dogs did this to you?" I half expected Carlisle to jump in and reprimand him, but the doctor was staring that the counter in a display of forced calm.

"Emmett…" I started, my voice soothing, but was cut off when he slammed a fist on the counter, the bang echoing around the room.

"It was Jacob, right?" He leaned toward me. "He's the one Edward left you with today!" He mumbled something I couldn't quite catch, but I was sure it had something to do with 'filthy animals' before turning for the door.

Carlisle seemed to snap out of his stupor and reached out for his son. "Emmett! Where are you going?" His voice was only half reprimanding.

"Wolf hunting." The giant vampire gave a feral grin, which made me shudder involuntarily. Of course I wasn't afraid of Edward's bear of a brother, but the thought of him facing down a werewolf alone…especially a werewolf I knew…well neither likely outcome made me feel any better.

"You can't Emmett!" I warned him. "He's probably still at my house."

"Your house?" Jasper looked surprised. "This happened at your house?"

"No…on the reservation." I clarified. Carlisle looked confused, but before he could speak up, Jasper grinned.

"Just go tell her dad then, Emmett. He'll take care of the wolf for you." Emmett muttered something about killing pests by himself, but seemed to be thinking it over.

"He already knows." They all looked at me in shock. "Jacob told him what happened."

"So he's already dead?" Emmett seemed hopeful, but I shook my head, wincing again at the memory.

"No he uh…." I swallowed hard against the ache in my throat and forced a weak smile. "He laughed." I pressed my tongue against the roof of my mouth, a trick I had learned to stop tears, but they still filled my eyes. "He thought it was funny."

"Funny?"

Carlisle was not scary. Not to me. At some point or another since meeting the family, I had felt faint stirrings of fear, perhaps my common sense finally popping up, around almost every Cullen, even if I knew that none of them would ever wish me harm. Edward's display of brute strength and his demonstration of how deadly he really was on the day I revealed my knowledge to him…that had been a little scary. The fear had come back in a tiny degree when the beautiful but deadly Rosalie had crushed the glass bowl between her hands when Edward had invited me over to meet his family. Although I knew Jasper would never hurt me intentionally, his face when he had lunged at me on my eighteenth birthday had been terrifying. In fact, I had been frightened by Jasper more times than anyone else, although I would never tell him that for fear of hurting Edward's kind brother.

Emmett was another story. He was loud and large and I tended to think of him as an overstuffed teddy bear, since he was consistently careful with how he treated me, obviously aware of how much he could hurt me if he wasn't. I knew for a fact that he wouldn't hurt me. But there was a day, the summer after meeting Edward that we had spent the day at the house. Carlisle and Esme were…elsewhere in the house, something I didn't question or think too hard about, and Emmett had joined us in the living room as we watched a movie. The brothers had been arguing about something that had happened earlier, and seemed more irritated with one another than I had ever seen them. Finally, a snide remark by Edward broke his patience, and the giant had lunged at the sofa where we sat with a growl, knocking over the sofa and tackling him to the carpet. The scream that tore from my throat as I hit the ground had frozen him in place, and he had barely landed on top of his brother before the giant was helping me off the floor and apologizing profusely, anxiously checking me for injuries as Esme and Carlisle raced into the room and scolded their sons for their carelessness.

Esme later assured me that the two of them fought like this often, and neither was ever really in danger. The few times it had ever escalated to a truly dangerous fight, Carlisle or Jasper had stepped in quickly and broken it up. That day was also the day I was afraid of Esme. Apparently she had loved that sofa, and Emmett spent the next week combing the area for an exact replica of her crushed piece of furniture and begging her pardon. Tiny Alice had teased him mercilessly, but decided to help him in the end. I never had anything to fear from her, although I was sure she was a fierce fighter if it ever came down to it.

But Carlisle was, in my mind, pretty much human. Blood apparently had no effect on him, which was a good thing, since I somehow spilled blood constantly while living in Forks. He was a doctor, and a good one, always able to help me relax when I needed stitches or shots or some other preventative measure to keep me from bleeding to death or losing a limb. He loved his children, adored his wife, and even got along well with the humans who lived in town. He kept rowdy Emmett, moody Edward, and quiet but unpredictable Jasper in line with patience and care, and would obviously forgive his daughters anything, a courtesy he seemed to be extending to me more and more often, never scolding me for silly mistakes or accidents even if I felt I deserved it. In my eyes, he was a near perfect father, and although he wasn't actually my father, I was never afraid of him. A few times, I had even compared him to Charlie, something I was ashamed for, but unable to help when I considered my absent, standoffish father.

Now, as I looked up into his fierce eyes, I could fully appreciate his role as the head and protector of a family of vampires. His eyes darkened as he spat out the offensive word, as if 'funny' was a curse, something I never heard Carlisle do. His lips pulled back slightly as he watched me, and I felt the hair on my neck stand up as I caught sight of his gleaming white teeth. I fought to breathe normally as I nodded, wide eyed. Glancing over, I saw that Jasper and Emmett were handling this news no better.

"Yes." I half choked out. "Jacob told him it was a misunderstanding. Char…my dad thought I was overreacting when I hit him." I admitted.

"And was it?" Carlisle actually snarled, his eyes darkening once again. "A misunderstanding?" He spat.

"I…I didn't…" He seemed to realize my discomfort and he visibly relaxed, his eyes softening a bit as he sighed. Leaning over the counter, he met my eyes and took my hand.

"Did you want him to kiss you?" I shook my head, a tear slipping past my defenses, and this time I didn't bother wiping it away. Emmett growled softly but my eyes were on Carlisle's. "Did you try to make him stop?"

"I…." I winced when my voice cracked. "I couldn't!" I pleaded with my eyes, praying he would understand. "He was too strong. I couldn't make him stop…I…" I clenched his hand. "I just had to let him…" Dropping my head, I chocked out a sob, my cheeks blazing in shame. "I couldn't stop him." I heard a snarl, but wasn't sure if it was coming from Emmett or Jasper, and the hand I was clutching pulled away gently. Covering my eyes with my hand, I stiffened slightly when strong arms suddenly pulled me close to a hard chest.

"Shh." Carlisle's soft voice came from above my head, which was tucked under his chin. "It's okay." He assured me, an arm rubbing up and down by back, and I realized he was sitting on my other side, while Emmett and Jasper stood stock still.

"I'll kill him." That was definitely Emmett, and I shook my head.

"Leave him alone, Emmett." I whispered, sure that he could hear me.

"Leave him alone!" This time he was shouting at me. "Are you serious!? He assaulted you! He could have…" Emmett broke off, chocking on his words, and I turned back to him.

"He just kissed me." I didn't mention how he'd gripped the back of my hair, forcing my lips against his, or how he'd probably left a bruise where his other hand had roughly held the small of my back so I'd be pressed against him.

"And what if he wanted to do more!" Jasper's jaw tightened when Emmett's fist slammed against the counter once again, this time leaving a crack. "What could you have done? Would Charlie have thought it was funny then!?" I flinched, closing my eyes against the pain that question caused and leaning my head against Carlisle's chest once again, hiding from Emmett's temper. Carlisle's arms tightened around me, and I felt him growl at his son, a first for me. Apparently it was new for Emmett too, and I immediately felt a large hand on my shoulder. "Sorry, dad." He muttered, and then I felt his hand squeeze gently. "I didn't mean that, Bella." He told me quietly, his voice remorseful.

I glanced up at him, and he wiped my eyes with his thumb, a gesture that reminded me of Edward. "Hey, don't cry, Bells." He managed a grin. "You sure you don't want me to kill him? I will." He offered eagerly. I gave a watery sniff and shook my head seriously, remembering how the wolves had taken down Laurent.

"I don't want you getting hurt." He looked at me in surprise for a second, then threw his head back and roared a laugh, making me jump in shock. Jasper joined him after a second, and even Carlisle's body shook with chuckles.

"Bella, I think I can take an overgrown mutt. Besides, I'm sure Jasper would help me out." Jasper grinned and nodded. "And Edward would be more than interested in coming along."

"But the treaty…" Emmitt rolled his eyes in irritation.

"Oh yea…" Carlisle released me, gently placing me back on my own seat, and turned to his sons.
"She's right. Emmett, Jasper, leave the wolves alone." His voice was a little regretful, and I wondered if he wanted to hurt Jacob as well. A part of me was embarrassed about their reactions. After all, I was pretty confident that Jacob wouldn't actually hurt me, and besides, it was just a kiss. But I couldn't help but be pleased by their protectiveness, something I'd never really had with either of my parents.

Suddenly all three vampires stiffened, sniffing the air subtly, and Jasper and Emmett turned to glare at the door. "That dog has a lot of nerve." Jasper muttered, clenching his fists. Emmett made for the door, but his father quickly restrained him.

"He's not alone." I glanced out the kitchen window and caught sight of a police cruiser, and my heart dropped to my stomach. Charlie had never come to the Cullen's home before. Pulling out my cellphone in confusion, I realized that the little device was dead, and wondered how many times he had tried to call. Charlie jumped out of his car, followed closely by Jacob, and I felt a wave of overwhelming dread. Carlisle, however, stood smoothly.

"I almost forgot…your hand must still be hurting." He said apologetically, handing me two little pills from the bottle he had placed on the counter earlier. I had almost forgotten about my hand, but swallowed them without comment, chasing them down with the now lukewarm water, and thanked him when he took my glass and placed it in the sink. "I assume that you don't want to speak to your father tonight?"

"Do I have to?" He placed a hand on my shoulder and shook his head solemnly.

"Of course not. Why don't you wait in Edward's room? I'll speak with your father."

"Thank you." My voice was subdued, exhausted from all the crying and pain, and I gave Jasper an appreciative glance when he placed his arm around me and led me up the stairs, Emmett on our heels. The large bed in Edward's room, still new and neatly made, called to me, and I sat down gratefully, resting my head against the wall.

"Are you sleepy?" Emmett asked, using the same curious tone he used to ask if I was hungry of if I needed to use the bathroom (to be fair, he only did that once before Alice took him aside and explained why not to ask that).

"No…just tired." He nodded as if he understood, but I had to wonder if they remembered how it felt to be tired, or sleepy for that matter.

"Okay. When your dad and his pet leave, you wanna watch a movie or something?" I smirked at the 'pet' part, more grateful than I could say for Edward's brothers, and nodded. Downstairs I could hear muted voices, but for a human like me, the house was pretty soundproof. I wondered what Carlisle talking to Charlie about…. what excuse he was giving. Every once in a while, either Jasper, who leaned against the wall by the door, or Emmett, who sat on the bed beside me, would smirk or glare at the floor, as if they were privy to the conversation, which I guess they were. Still, I didn't ask for details, secure in my belief that I would be left alone tonight.

Well, I was secure before Emmett leapt to his feet and Jasper whirled toward the door, both in defensive positions, deep growls coming from their chests. I heard a door open, and Emmett yanked Edward's door open. "Out of my room, dog." He snarled softly, obviously not wanted to alert Charlie to his nickname for Jacob, or, more importantly, the reasons behind it. "And out of our house, while you're at it."

"I just want to talk to Bella." His voice was soft as well, but determined and too cocky for an apology. He appeared in the doorway, shirtless, and I had to wonder if he did own a shirt.

"No. Get out." Jasper snapped.

"You are very lucky she didn't want me to kill you." Emmett bared his teeth. "So get out before I do it anyway, screw the treaty."

"I just want to talk to her!" His voice rose in volume, his hands clenched into shaking fists.

"Jacob." I stood slowly, stepping between the two brothers and facing my old friend. "Just go away." He glanced down at my hand, wrapped in a bandage, and winced.

"Are you okay?"

"Yea. Now leave."

"You heard her. Leave." I could see that Jasper was just barely hanging on to his control, so I stepped forward, slightly in front of the unpredictable vampire.

"I don't want to talk to you, okay? I've said everything I want to say. So just go away before one of them snaps and kills you." He gave me a long look, and then glared at me, taking half a step forward.

Before he could speak or move any further into the room, Emmett and Jasper were on either side of him, each taking an arm in their iron grips as if they had synchronized their movements beforehand. "Come on, Jaz. Time to let the dog out." Emmett grinned over the struggling boy's head and the two dragged him toward the staircase.

"Let me go, you overgrown idiot!" I rolled my eyes and leaned against the doorjamb, watching in touched amusement as they began their descent down the stairs, the reluctant werewolf unable to break free despite his struggles. "What are you, her freakin' bodyguards!?"

"Naw. We're her brothers."

Thank you so much for reading. I hope you enjoy.