"We should go, Esto; it's getting dark," Edward said to me with a distant tone. I knew this wasn't the reason both for I wasn't an imbecile and because of the solicitous looks the close knit family members were exchanging.

"Yeah," My voice was iced in acquiesce.

We both fled to the fringes of the forest. Everyone was too worried to bargain farewells. The faint eventide was retreating and raking in the leaves of the 'witching hour'.

The muddy Jeep was amongst low lying brambles, concealed from the view of humans.

When we got in, I had so many questions to ask, but Edward's black irises and shaking extremities told me to wait until he had simmered down.

I stared out of the window as the speeding by trees on the lane made it look like were in a grey tunnel. This tunnel had no light at its finish.

After five minutes of insane velocity and sharp swerves, my voice could be held by rusty chains no longer.

"Okay, what's really going on?" Like I said, I had an idea. A farce of a though.

He didn't reply for a few seconds. The sound of my impatient breathing and the growl of the engine being the only noise, "I'm driving."

An insult, a response and most painfully, true.

My brown dug down into the mines of my bridge.

"Well, where are we going?"

He didn't reply. He didn't even look at me.

"Damn it, Edward! Where are you taking me?" I asked in a raised and stern tone. I realised that was the first time I ever raised my voice to him.

The look of shock on his face must have been mirrored by me, "I'm taking you far, far away from here."

I saw on the inbuilt compass on the dashboard we were travelling south. The opposite direction to Forks.

"No," I chuckled sarcastically. "Take me home, Edward. Now!"

"I vowed to protect you. This is doing so," His utterance, along with mine, was heightened and grave with a hint of consideration.

"Protect me from what?"

Edward's stare was barking at me not to be coy, but I had to know that truth.

"James!" The anger and fury present in his voice startled me, "He wants you. He's a hunter; he won't stop until he finds you. He'll kill you, Esto."

As the speedometer inched past 120, I caught a rare tear elude Edward's controlling brain.

"He's coming after me?" I desperately wanted to wipe away the tear which rolled slowly down his acute cheeks, though my hands couldn't move.

He nodded once, his eyes askance.

"You need to take me home," I rested my hand on his leg. "I need to see if Charlie's okay."

"We can't," He snarled. "He'll be waiting for you there. James will track your scent."

My mouth agape, I didn't answer. I simply turned to face the windscreen. Little to Edward's knowledge, I was ferociously fighting teardrops from forming.

"What's wrong?" He said it like there was nothing to worry about. As if everything would be all right if we followed his plans.

My will could tame my woe no longer, "What's wrong? My father's most likely going to die! My mother, too maybe!" The volume of my voice was significantly raised.

He looked sympathetic and empathetic. The car stopped. The speedometer's red dial sprinting to the left. Edward didn't say anything. He just sat there looking at the steering wheel, a fierce look of concentration held onto his pulchritudinous countenance.

I didn't utter anything likewise, but my thoughts were most likely much more dark and depressing than his. James would kill Charlie after he'd interrogated him of my whereabouts, without a doubt. The hunter would then track my scent down to Phoenix, where the information he'd find would lead him to Jacksonville. There, the same story would unfurl.

And it's all my stupid fault! It's on my part that they'll die. I'm solely responsible.

Culling me from my distressing contemplation, Edward said, "Right. I'll take you home. But first, listen to my plan and henceforth see to it that you do every objective sleeping in it."

The rims and bags under my eyes were red from the burn of salty tears, and I could already sense a headache traversing forth, though any plan which could work is the greatest news at the moment, "Okay..."

He first kissed me on the red spots, easing them with his frosty touch. He was like a healer. The he described the intricate and convoluted contrivance, "Esto, I love you with all my heart. And I know that may be invalid given I'm a vampire, but with your love, presence and fellowship, you've made one for me. I can't remember when I last had one, yet it feels beautiful. I love you so much," The look on his face explained he truly couldn't describe his amiable feelings for me. Tears of sorrow were replaced by tears of tenderness. Tears of idolatry. He kissed me with both zealous and lascivious fervour.

"Right, the plan is this," He confirmed after the kiss had broke. "You go home; of course I'll take you, and pretend you've had a fall out with me..." Edward Cullen's face was imposing and studious.

I nodded. Even though it was highly simple, I was finding it hard to take in already!

"James will be hidden outside, and he'll hear you've broken up with me, also, he'll gather that you're moving down to Jacksonville."

Now it's even more perplexing, but a miniature more advanced part of my cranium understood, "I can't act. And what if he strikes when I'm in the house?"

"I'll be there, packing your things. He won't know that however. Now, you'll really be going to my house, where we'll all care for you along with hunting down James and that red haired girl, what was her name? Victoria, that's it."

I rubbed my head with my middle and index finger in confusion," Yes, then what?"

"Well, that's it. You're safe, James is dead and you can return to Charlie's...If you want?" I knew what he was insinuating, but it must be cast aside due to the drastic times occurring.

"It's not that simple, Edward. I can't just vanish then reappear. Furthermore, what if James finds me? What if~" I was rambling, with tears squeezing through my eyes.

He interrupted me; for he saw I was becoming hysterical. "Hey, hey, don't cry," He wiped my tears with the sleeve of his jumper, "It'll be fine. Everything will be okay, all right?" The genuine empathy on his countenance was soothing.

Without warning, I hugged him, nuzzling my face into his chest. I felt him sigh with satisfaction, yet there was some worry in there. Was it for me? Worry because of James?

This morning I was gleeful, sunny and excited and was preparing for school. Now I'm being hunted by a ravenous vampire.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::HOME:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

"I said it's over, Edward! Go away," Screamed I, slamming the door in Edward's face, following the plan when we got home. Charlie was sleeping on the couch, the blue light of the T.V scanning his middle-aged features with an ominous blue.

"Esto?" The latter cried, rushing from his daze and to my side with fatherly concern. I was charging up the stairs by this point, narrowly avoiding Charlie's penetrating gaze.

He followed.

"What's going on?" He questioned outside my room.

Inside and my suitcase was still on my floor, being used as a bookcase of sorts. What to do? Do I keep the books in there and throw some casual clothes in? And where's Edward? Little did I know how much my life would alter when I last opened my suitcase, revealing myself in Forks and starting off an unimaginable, dangerous, beautiful, romantic and unforgettable chain of events. I blasted music in my head, ignoring Charlie's pleas for an answer.

I kept the books in and few in some pants with two green jumpers and underwear etc.

I can't hurt him, I thought, I just need to get out of here?

"Did he hurt you?" He inquired, protection clear in his voice. I was gathering my bathroom essentials now. You'd be able to tell by a mile off that I was on edge. What if James was to strike now? Where in the name of God is my boyfriend?

"No, dad; he wouldn't do that."

I nudged past Charlie, my suitcase thumped on the wooden steps on the staircase with each gnawing stride.

I was worried to say this, but it had to be done, "Dad, I can't stay here. Forks, it's driving me mad. I hate, hate, hate, Forks, Dad. I'm sorry."

Charlie's face twanged in pain, though years of gruesome cases had granted him the ability to hide it with a protective mask, "I don't see why. I thought you liked it here, I thought you liked...him."

"No, Dad," My face wrinkled in frustration at the words that would come out of my mouth, "I'm leaving. I'm going home."

"Home? This is your home."

"Phoenix, dad. Mom will come get me when I ring her down there," The lies were just pouring out, like hidden tears.

"Tonight? No, if you're really adamant on this then I'll take you in the morning."

"Dad, no," I myself was taken aback by the anger in my voice. It was clear however, that I wanted to leave now, for his own sake, "I'll drive now; it'll give me some time to think. If I get tired I'll pull into a motel, I swear," Now I was ready to leave.

"Esto, I just got you back, and I know that I'm not much fun to be around but we can do more stuff together," He vouched desperately.

No, dad, don't do this to me. My heart was going to be sliced in two, along with his, after these words had passed my lips, "No, because I know that if I don't go now, I'm just going to be trapped here like mom!" I left. Miniature, guilty tears being forged.

When I left, his face was emotionless, lifeless. Betrayed.

Is that for his own good? Did I just shorten his life in another respect? Maybe James won't be the one to kill Charlie.

I ran over to my truck, Edward nowhere in sight with a feeling of being watched in my mind like a hungry shark. Charlie was still rooted to the spot at the front door, shocked to the point of immobility.

Slotting in the key and stepping on it, with my suitcase in the seat next to me, I left, driving down the dim road ill lit by werewolf invoking moonlight.

As I drove, I went over so many things in my head. Would Charlie forgive me? Will James kill him and Renée after I was killed, because I wasn't accepting the fact I'd survive. I just had a feeling I was going to die by his hand.

SCREECH! I gasped from my thoughts at the sound, but it was just Edward.

"Your father is going to forgive you," He was leaning over the roof of the car and peering in my door window as if he were a bat. Makes sense.

He scooted into the open window and said he'd drive.

I let him, and shimmied to the passenger seat with my face wreathed in thorns of grief, "He's not. I can't believe what I just said to me. I said something which would pour salt over the scars caused by mom's departure."

He glanced reassuringly to me, "He will, I promise."

After five minutes of speed which Sauron could barely suffice, I realised something, "Where the hell where you?"

His neck constricted and his jaw tightened, "I felt his presence, and had to stay outside, all around the house to guard you."

It was caring, but still, "And when I came out, you weren't there."

"I was In the trees, surveying the landscape. I could see you though, I was watching you."

So that's what the feeling was. Or was it actually James glaring? When Edward watches me, it's nice. A nice feeling. But with that feeling, it was dark, dreadful and ominous.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::THE CHASE:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

The second we arrived at the Cullen house I saw all of them were gathered in the garage.

When we both entered it, I heard Jasper's smooth voice saying, "I've had to fight our own kind before. They're not easy to kill."

I shuddered.

"But not impossible," Even Emmett's optimistic tone didn't calm me. All of these were going to be fighting because of me.

Edward moved from my side and began talking deeply with Carlisle and Emmett, but I couldn't hear it over Esmé's halcyon words, "Hey, Esto. Are you okay?"

"Uh, yeah, thanks," I must have seemed dangerously distant.

"We've got a plan for you which will work, so don't worry," She stroked my arm and walked me over to a shimmering black car.

Moments passed. I heard pall of the family conferring on who was doing what. Edward, Emmett and Rosalie were going to be in my jackets and were going to trick James into thinking I'm going east by mimicking my scent. Alice and Jasper will therefore drive me south, to any city, primarily Phoenix. Carlisle and Esmé will look out for Victoria and protect Charlie. Charlie, I'm so sorry for what I did, but it's for your own good.

"Esto," Edward said to me, leaning against the car's window frame. Everyone had gotten into position. Alice and Jasper were ready to drive, "When all this is over, I'm going to take you somewhere. Just you and me. And we'll do whatever you want. Onesto, you are my life now."

Though before I could reply, the car set off.

Was this really happening? Then all went black.

I woke up from a dreamless sleep. A restless slumber; I was still tired and plagued by depressing scenarios when I did so.

Alice and Jasper were talking on the front, reminiscing about dusty memories. The gentle sleepy hum of the engine must have lulled me to sleep, or maybe it was the staggering and rather overwhelming state of affairs. I'd vouch for the latter.

I was alone, lying on the back seat with Jasper's barely isolative leather jacket as my duvet. I gathered we were in the morning as the sun's beautiful red glow was feathering itself over the pointy horizon. Pointy because we were passing by the Aldrich Mountain range in Oregon.

In fact, the peaks looked so stunning, that I rose up to look out of the window. And what a view.

Sheer cliff faces were blossomed in snow, the narrow rivulet descending from the nearby glaciers was crowded with wild herbs and flowers and common copses of firs, pine and redwood were caressing the lovely landscape.

Then it clicked. This was the powers above, giving me something heavenly for a change. All the trauma and distress must have its breaks or at least something to soothe it. This was it.

"Well, well, mornin' sleepy head," Greeted Jasper in his kind, Texan twang.

Suddenly and strangely I was in a little bit of a better mood. I knew, it was his charm, right? Or was it his power, I don't really remember.

It was like a smell of summer flowers and wintry lavender combined had wafted into the car, "Oh, was I sleeping for a while?" I giggled, as did he.

"No, Esto," Remarked the lovely Alice. "You just passed out five minutes after we left."

I shook my head in good health at my lack of maintaining consciousness, "Oh, sorry. Have you received any news from, um..." I couldn't say his name; I missed him too much already.

"Edward?" Jasper answered. I suppressed a flinch. "No. But Alice has had no bad visions."

"What does that mean?" Said I.

"It means nothing bad has happened," The blonde haired vampire said with a smile.

"Oh, okay. Good."

An hour passed.

Then two.

I had to tell them. "Say, I'm hungry. Do we have any food?"

They looked to each other, Alice's hand raised to her gracious lips, "You forgot, Jasper?" She questioned.

"Food isn't something I worry about, Alice," He turned to me sympathetically and a look of shame on his face, "Sorry, Esto."

"No worries, there's a McDonald's about two miles away," Alice announced in a quirky, optimistic tone.

"It's sunny, we can't be seen," Countered Jasper.

"Maybe there's drive-thru," I said, making them both turn to me. I wanted to shrink down from their eyes, but they were friendly looks.

"Perfect, Esto," Said Alice.

When the McDonald's logo loomed into frame my mouth was already watering. The restaurant was on its own, probably for travellers, and was amongst trees and built like a wooden hut with modern accessories. It did have drive-thru.

I ordered a McChicken Sandwich and a Coke. The taste of ice and sweetness in my mouth massaged the thirst into submission and the sour mayonnaise calmed my stomach's food crave. Jasper and Alice had bought two more so I wouldn't get hungry on the way to our next pit stop.

"I remember when I used to be hungry," Jasper said, almost to himself, though it was more directed to me as Alice had her headphones in.

"Do you miss being human?" I wanted to be a vampire. No matter what the cost, to be with Edward forever is my life's goal.

"Do I miss it? I yearn to be human again," He turned to me, a deep sadness in his eyes. "The feel of time slowly gripping you, the taste of satisfaction when you cleanse away dehydration, knowing you're going to die soon..."

That last comment, there was something behind it, "Knowing you're going to die? What do you mean, Jasper?" I was leaning in through the space now and took hold of his frosty arm.

"Nothing," He shrugged off my arm, not meaning to be rude.

There was a brief pause, "Can I ask you something?"

"Sure," He said.

"What does it feel like to want someone's blood?"

He chuckled grimly, "Like nothing you've ever felt. Not thirst, hunger or passion or even an addiction. It's all of them combined. You want it, crave it, need it. Love it. Yeah, you grow to love it. I remember when I had a goblet of blood which I kissed every night before gulping its contents," My eyes were piqued in interest yet my skin was pale with terror. This doesn't happen in real life, "I'm over it now, however. I've vowed never to drink human blood again since meeting Carlisle and Alice," Jasper stroked her cheek, making her jump; they both laughed afterward and exchanged a kiss.

Though I was still in a motionless state. Looking at Jasper's words at every angle and realising how much blood would mean to me if I was to become a vampire. Would I kill people? Never; I couldn't kill a rat if it begged me to. A human, however, someone's life. Someone's memories...I shuddered and pushed the thoughts into the back of my mind, locking it in a chest that will never be opened again.

The key was swallowed.

Again, all went black.

The moment I next woke up I was in a room with dim lights and hospitable furniture. The beams and wall panels were elegantly carved and I knew I was in one place. A hotel.

I was duller than the night sky outside, but I was more dehydrated than I'd ever been. Luckily for me, a glass of water stood next to me on the bedside table. It was gone in seconds.

I went to relapse everything in my head, until I heard a light tap on my door, "Esto?" It was Alice.

"Yeah?"

"Can I come in?" Her voice was sweet and assuring.

"One second, I need to get in the shower," There was an en suite bathroom adjacent to the bed.

"Oh, okay. Well, I'll leave some towels and a warm nightgown on your bed for when you get out."

How nice of her, "Aw, thanks, Alice. That'd be good."

Although it was nice, and although I was dying for a shower, I had to know how Edward was. Was he okay? Where was he? How was he doing? So many questions and yet so little answers.