A few days later Maya was hanging out at the Cullens. Somehow she had been roped into playing video games with Jasper and Emmet. As they played she silently thanked her brothers for getting her interested in them, otherwise she never would have been able to keep up with these two. She loved them, she truly did, but holy hell were those two competitive when they played.
After a while though Carlisle came home from work and switched the TV over to the news. He had heard some concerning things from his co-workers and wanted to confirm for himself just how bad the situation was.
As he flicked though the channels to find the news Maya took the opportunity to snuggle into Jasper. The moment she got comfortable, his arm came around her to gently hold her. However, as the news reporter continued, he pulled her closer and closer to him unconsciously, until eventually she was practically sitting in his lap.
"Seattle is in a state of terror. Police are baffled by the escalating number of murders and disappearances." They all frowned at that the TV at this, knowing it had to be a vampire behind it and worried for what it meant.
"Theories range from a vicious new gang to a wildly active serial killer." The news reporter continued, just as Edward and Bella entered the house.
"It's getting worse. We're going to have to do something" Carlisle turned off the TV not wanting to hear anymore.
"It takes more than one of our kind to cause the damage their reporting" Jasper stared straight ahead, images of his past and time with the newborn army flashing through his mind. "Quite a few more. And they're undisciplined, conspicuous."
"Newborns" Edward cut in, reading his mind.
"What like new vampires?" Bella asked.
"In the first few months after the change." Edward explained badly.
"That's when we're at out most uncontrollable, vicious. Insane with thirst." Maya frowned as Jasper gave more details, moving so that she straddled his legs and threw her arms around his neck. She knew he had horrible memories from his time with Maria's army. She just wished there was something more she could do for him, besides being close to him and offering him what little comfort she could.
"Something to look forward to." Emmet grinned up for a fight, especially after all the boring protection details.
"No one's trained these newborns. But this isn't random" Jasper cautioned, turning to face Carlisle. His arm that was around Maya had moved unconsciously to bring her closer to him, as if trying to protect her from the mere thought of an army.
"Someone's creating an army" Carlisle rubbed his hands together, finishing Jasper's thoughts.
"Well now were definitely going to Seattle" Emmet jumped up, ready to head off right then.
"An army of vampires?" Bella asked skeptically.
"And they've been created to fight someone" Jasper answered, mind already focused on how to best prepare and fight against them.
"We're the only clan even close to Seattle" Edward said, finally catching up to what Jasper had already realized.
"Regardless of why they were made, if we don't put a stop to them the Volturi will. I'm surprised they let it go on this long." Carlisle stated, trying to think of a way to keep his family out of danger and avoid a fight.
"Maybe they're behind it."
Maya scoffed at that. It seemed to her as if Edward was determined to see them as monsters and lay the blame at their feet no matter what. Even when he was the one at fault.
"In Italy, I read Aro's mind" Edward continued, "He wants me and Alice to join him, but he knows we'll never choose him so long as our family's still alive."
Jasper growled, holding Maya tighter as he sensed her growing anger. "An army could solve that for him. But its not them. It's too ... messy, unorganized."
"Jasper's right" Maya added, "I don't believe that they would break the law just to get you and Alice. But if they did, there is no way they would be this sloppy. They're all about not drawing attention to the supernatural, something this group is certainly doing. They would never allow that."
"It doesn't matter who's behind it! You have to change me now! You have to do it so that I can help!" Bella said turning on Edward.
"You know," Maya mused, "I'm actually in favour of that."
At this everyone turned to stare at her shocked. She had made it no secret that the only reason she was for Bella being turned was because she didn't want the rest of them punished, so this turn about surprised them all.
"Darlin'?" Jasper leaned back to see her face, wondering just what was going through her head.
"Don't look at me like that Love, it makes sense to turn Bella now." Maya turned to look at Bella, who was positively beaming at the thought of being turned. Maya just rolled her eyes before giving the human a grin that made Bella's joy falter. "As we said, they've been created to fight someone and you only do that when you are angry or want something someone is unwilling to part with. But unless you guys have some priceless artifact hidden away in your basement, I'm going with angry as their reason. So combine that with the sightings of Victoria, I'm pretty sure it's a good bet she's involved in some way. Maybe not leading, which is why Alice can't see her, but still involved. Which means that all those deaths that are being reported on the news can be traced back to you two and Edward's decision to tell a human about the supernatural world. So I think it would be an excellent idea to turn you now Bella. That way we can send you two off to, for once in your lives, clean up your own mess instead of making us do it."
"We didn't cause this!" Edward yelled, gesturing at the TV.
"Bella kept digging and instead of doing what your leader told you to, you told her about us! You broke the law and insisted that she be part of our lives! You put her in the path of James and set us all on the path that ended with his death and Victoria grief stricken and enraged! Now here we are with an army bearing down on us and it can all be traced back to the fact that none of this would be happening if you two had just followed the laws!"
"I had a right to know!" Bella screamed, enraged at being blamed for something that was not her fault.
"No you didn't! You didn't know us, you had no right to our secrets! How many people are going to have to die before you realize that this is all your fault! Will is be when Emmet loses Rose? When Carlisle is left with nothing but the ashes of his wife to hold? When my Jasper is dead at my feet?" By now Maya was practically shrieking as well. This whole situation had her beyond stressed and she just wished that those two would grow up and finally start considering what consequences their actions might have on others.
As she paused for a breath, Jasper wrapped his arms around her from behind in comfort and Maya realized that at some point during the whole thing she had stood up and began to advance on the pair. Emmet also moved to her side, a serious look on his face. The reminder that he could lose his flower in this situation having taken away his excitement at the challenge the army presented.
Carlisle also moved, placing himself between Maya and Bella. His back was to Maya but his hand found her and he squeezed it as a show of comfort. "I think, Edward, that it would be for the best if you took Bella home for now and limited the time she spend here" his voice was calm and steady, but the authority behind it was clear.
Edward just stared at his father in shock. He couldn't understand why Carlisle wasn't defending him and Bella. It was Maya that was being unreasonable, not them. Catching sight of the Major staring back at him from across the room though, he decided to not argue and pulled a still protesting Bella from the room.
The four left there stood there unmoving until they all heard Edward's car pull out of the driveway and drive away. That was when they all collapsed onto various pieces of furniture around the room. Though Major kept a tight hold on Maya and pulled her into his lap, using the contact to help both of them calm down.
They all stayed like that for a few minutes, digesting all that had happened before Carlisle let out a tired sigh and turned to face Maya. "You're right." All three turned to face him then, wondering just what he was agreeing with.
"You are absolutely right Maya. Not about Edward being guilty, but that I have been too lenient with him. I wanted him to be happy and because of that my decisions have brought us here. So many innocents are paying for my mistakes." As he finished speaking he buried his face in his hands, wondering just how things could have gone so wrong.
"No" Major corrected firmly, "its not on ya. Yes ya could have been more forceful in getting Edward to obey your rules, but ultimately its on him. He knew the rules the same as anyone else and he choose to disregard them. Ya and Esme have done the best ya can as leaders and at some point ya just have to admit that ya can't control everything that boy does. He is his own man and at some point he is going to have to start taking responsibility for his actions. It was the same in my army days, some fools just can't be taught and at some point ya just have to accept that and let them go so they can learn the hard way what life is really like without someone to take responsibility for their mistakes."
"Yeah, you're an awesome dad and Esme rocks at being our mom" Emmet added with a grin.
Carlisle smiled in appreciation at their attempts to cheer him up but quickly lost it as he ran his hands tiredly over his face. "I still don't know what I'm going to do with those two." He couldn't just kick them out. Edward was his son and he couldn't abandon him, but he also couldn't have Edward and Bella causing more trouble and risking more harm to the rest of his family.
"We will get through this" Esme said, coming into the room and making her way over to her mate's side. "We will deal with this army and we will ensure Bella is turned. Then when everything settles down we will sit them both down and explain how and why things are going to change. We were given this second chance and we will not waste it. We will do better and help them to grow into the adults they should be."
Carlisle smiled up at his mate and rose to give her a kiss. Taking that as a signal that the impromptu meeting was ending, Major picked up a still upset Maya and sped off out into the woods where she could release some of her frustration with a sparring lesson.