Winter Solstice (A Seth Clearwater Fanfic)

Chapter Six- Alice Goes Down the Rabbit Hole

For the days that followed, things were very hectic in our house.

The majority of my time was spent with Ness, watching our family run around like headless chickens, clucking on the phone and flapping around for any little worm they could pull out of thin air. They were trying to get more vampires in the house, Ness had showed me, so that we could be protected. The thought of needing to be protected scared me, for already in our short life, Ness and I have experience very little stability. But, I guess that's how it is in a vampire family---it's hard to tell what's around the corner, ready to pounce. 

I started seeing less and less of Seth due to school and for Jake... Well, he never left. Seth was the only companion I had other then my sister who was actually able to play with me, where my family was so busy with the new problem that had arose. Not even Uncle Emmy was able to spare time.  

It was three o'clock or so, and Nessie and I laid on the ground outside, where our parents had chased us out to, holding hands. It had grown cold out and Ness and I were bundled up in our coats, hers purple and mine red. On one hand, we wore gloves and on the other we had each others, enjoying the warmth we shared and communicating in on the way we can with each other.

When do you think the other vampires are going to be like?

Ness showed me ones familiar to the vampire she saw in the woods, the only non-family vampire she has seen, not really sure.

 Maybe. I thought for a second, coming up with something else to say. Do you think that these guys coming here are as bad as everyone says?

A picture of our Mother filled my head. Her pacing, her mumbling to herself as well as her making lists of very coven like us- or the term that I have come to know is vegetarian-and ones that weren't, specifically showing the Volturi on the "not' side. This was Ness's way of saying most definitely.

If I didn't know any better, I'd say they had invited the Queen of England to our house for a late brunch.

Ness giggled and showed a picture of a very unhappy looking old woman dressed up in a ridiculous outfit, complete with feathers.

 Imagine what Aunt Alice would have to say about that!

Nessie's hand tightened around mine.

"Have you noticed" She whispered softly to me "that Aunt Alice and Uncle Jasper have been very distant..."

My mind flashed back to Aunt Alice and I the tree last week. I felt a very strong bond to Aunt Alice, like our relationship took a whole new turn. We did almost everything together, but the last couple days she's shied away. She doesn't flutter when she walks, her voice doesn't sing when she talks and the mischievous glint in her eyes had dulled. She almost seemed weighted down, which wasn't like my Aunt. Then, there was Uncle Jaspy who was even more on edge then usual. He hardly talked, even to me, and never left my Aunts side-which I guess to some wouldn't seem odd, but now, it was extreme. 

"I thought I was the only one." I whisper back, turning on my side. "it's almost like there hiding something."

"Yeah." Nessie copied my pose, laying on her side, slipping her arms under her head for comfort. "But, what would they hide? it doesn't make any sense. Ever sense Aunt Alice saw the Volturi coming, she's acted like this. The only thing I can think of is-"

"-that she saw more then she's letting on." I finished for her. We started at each other like a revelation had been made. 

"Should we tell mommy and daddy?"

I shook my head. Something in my gut warned me against it. "No... Maybe we're just over reacting. If they haven't noticed anything, the likelihood is that nothings going on. I mean, they've lived with each other before Mom was born so they know each other better then anyone else ever could."