Note: I do not own Twilight, but who doesn't wish they did? Anyway, this is my first, so review review review, I really need the feedback.

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"Mommy..." A quiet and small voice called. I turned around, quickly wiping away my tears, to see my daughter, Natalie. Her beautiful blond curls cascaded down her back. A small fake smile appeared on my face as I continued packing. I tried to ignore her big brown eyes that stared up at me in curiousity.

"What wrong mommy?" She asked, stumbling over to me and pulling on my skirt. I gazed down at her and sighed. I folded up one more thing and stuffed it in the worn leather suitcase before picking her up and holding her against my chest.

"Mommy has to go." I whispered into her ear, she lifted her head from my shoulder and stared.

"Is Jon Jon coming back?" She asked, fear in her soft voice.

"No, no. Jon's never going to hurt you again. I promise."

"Are you coming back?" Her tiny voice questioned as she stared in my eyes.

"I don't think I can Natty. But I'm doing this all for you." I whispered, kissing her on the cheek. "You're going to be staying with grandpa." I told her before setting her down.

She remained silent, a small frown on her face. I bent down and kissed her on top of the head.

"I promise that when I come back we'll go out and do something fun." I hadn't added the 'if' I came back, it wasn't likely I would. I was going to be on the run for awhile.

Jon was a fairly wealthy man, he was around his thirties, I was only nineteen. Nearly three years earlier I'd fallen madly in love with a young man by the name Jasper Whitlock. By the time I figured out I was pregnant, he had left for the Civil war, and we never spoke again.

I remember crying for a long time, my parents had deserted me, and I was fending for myself on the streets till Jon had taken me in. He was at first caring, he was there with me when Natalie was born, and held my hand through the whole thing. He hardly filled the hole in my heart, but he allowed me a warm place to stay and helped take care of my daughter. Nothing really happened till nearly after Natalie was born.

He had proposed to me, and as flattered as I was, I refused to marry him. My heart ached for Jasper, he was all I wanted. I was going to get myself together by the time he came back, and then we would live together for as long as we lived.

"I'm waiting for someone, and I know they're going to come back." I stated, my voice strong but my eyes watering.

To me, the fact he didn't say goodbye could only lead me to guess he would be back soon enough. This fact, this loyalty I still felt towards Jasper, even after he had deserted me, made Jon very angry. We began to argue often, and he turned violent. Sometimes he would beat me, but I beared it, trusting on Jasper's return.

He never did return, and when Jon Deters began to hurt my Natalie, it had gone too far. Her poor body was bruised, she had cuts on her tiny arms from the beer bottles he had thrown. I couldn't take it any longer, my pain was enough, but her pain I couldn't handle. I forced myself to forget about Jasper and think about Natalie as I confronted Jon, begging for him to stop.

His reaction was terrible, he was outraged. He screamed curses through the house and threw punches at me, which I managed to dodge. He had me cornered in the kitchen, tears and sweat covered my scrunched up face. I searched the room, breathing heavily. Once I confirmed Natalie wasn't there, I grabbed a knife from the counter beside of me and stabbed him with it.

It took several tries to finally finish him, I had closed my eyes the whole time, cringing at the blood on my hands. When he was motionless, I took his body and dragged it upstairs, to his room. I laid him on the bed and covered him, trying to make it appear he was sleeping. I rushed downstairs and cleaned off the knife, and mopped the floor. About two hours later I had covered as much as I could, I even burned my bloody clothes, there was nothing else to do but to leave.

It was a day from then as I stared into Natalie's eyes, regretting the decision I made. Everything was for her, to keep her safe. She may never understand, and she may not forgive me, but she would be safe.

After dropping her off at my father's and watching her stare sadly as I went, I planned to find Jasper. I had nothing left for me now, all I wanted was to find him and get him to meet my daughter.

I first went to his parents, only to find they hadn't heard anything from him in awhile. I wasn't discouraged, if I'd destroyed my life by commiting murder then Jasper was the only thing I could have left. Life was so much torture without him, there were so many things I'd forced myself through, always hoping at the end of the day he'd come back to me. He was the only thing that kept me going, I felt in my heart he was still out there somewhere, waiting for me.

With tears on my face, I rushed on with my search. I followed where my heart told me to go, from town to town. Three months flew by, and I hadn't found one trace of him. I was dirty, wearing clothes I'd washed in creeks, I was running out of Jon's money, so some nights I had to sleep on the ground. It wasn't getting any easier.

I was on the verge of giving up until I saw a beautiful woman as I traveled down a street, lonely and lost, one night. She had blood red eyes that had shocked me at first, but I felt she knew something. Though something in my gut told me to stay away, I couldn't. I followed her for a bit until she turned around and glared.

"What is it you want from me?" She demanded, clenching her white fists together.

I was shocked at how fierce and angry she looked, how pale her skin was in the scarce light of the moon. I swallowed and spoke firmly.

"I'm lost...but have you heard of anyone by the name of...Jasper Whitlock?" I asked, prepared to explain further as I always did. Several occasions I found myself telling the whole story to the person I had asked just a simple question. Everyone seemed interested in the 'love story', while I only wanted to find Jasper. I would fight on the fields with him if that what would keep us together. Most people had only shook their head and told me they'd keep a look out. This woman's reaction was different from most, her eyes widened and her eyebrows raised.

"Yes...in fact...I do. What is your business with him?" She asked, still standing several feet away from me. I didn't dare approach her, I only gulped and took a deep breath before answering.

"Please..." I begged. "I-I love him and h-he doesn't know he has a daughter now...I-I've been through so much in the time he was gone."

The woman smiled deviously as I stood crying.

"I'm sure Jasper would like to see you then..." She said in a low voice. "Follow me, I'll take you to him."

I followed, my hopes raised, a smile forming on my face. I hoped it was the right Jasper, I felt sure it was, but I was prepared for another heart wrenching failure.

After nearly twenty minutes of walking we ended up on a winding trail, I was led deep into a forest. Five minutes passed as we continued walking through the deep woods, I began to worry, my breathing and heart rate speeding up. My hands shook as I approached a very small group of people in the middle of the forest. There, in the dark, I thought I could make out Jasper's figure.

"Jasper?" I whispered.

The woman stopped and gestured me to continue forward. I stumbled over to the figure, trembling as he turned around.

"What is it?" He asked, his voice more beautiful than I'd remembered, but harsher.

When he saw my face, and when I saw his, everything froze. He looked different, even more gorgeous than before. I could see him scanning me with his now red eyes, I looked over him, quickly noticing his pale skin.

"Grace," He said in a low tone. I couldn't tell if it was relief or sadness that filled his voice.

I stood, frozen in my place.

"Why are you here?" He demanded, his voice harsher than before.

"I missed you..." I whispered, my voice weak. "And you have a daughter."

He was silent for a long time, stunned. His eyes widened and he stared at me in disbelief.

"I want you to come home..." I urged, tears overflowing and rolling down my face. Suddenly I felt a calmness fill me, and I drew in a deep breath.

"I can't come home Grace."

"What?" I nearly yelled, my face turning pale with shock. He had refused to come home with me? After all the time he said he loved me? After he left me without goodbye, after all the pain I'd been through? Didn't he realize he was a father now?

"I can't come home."

I closed the several feet of distance between us by running over and embracing him. Quicker than I could blink something happened, and I felt pain tearing at me. I screamed and wailed his name, finally it all stopped and I laid staring up at the dark trees.

"Grace!" He yelled. "I'm sorry! I'm so so sorry!"

I winced as pain treaded up my spine, as my body began to feel a horrific burning sensation. Tears spilled over.

"I just wanted you to meet Natalie, if nothing else." I explained, my body convulsing and shaking uncontrollably. My voice was unsteady but loud enough to be clearly heard.

"I would've come back if I could...look what I did to you. I'm dangerous Grace, I'd kill our daughter."

Did he say 'our daughter'? My heart warmed.

Just as suddenly as the pain had began, it worsened, and it flared throughout my whole being. I was engulfed in flames it seemed, flesh devouring flames. I shrieked at this, my scream tore through the forest. I squinted my eyes shut.

"I got all I ever wanted...just...just end this." I pleaded. "I can't take it any longer."

He hesitated, stepping back and shaking his head.

"We'll meet up again." I assured him in a whisper.

With a sigh he knelt down and gave me a soft kiss just before tearing at my body again. I felt my blood being drained slowly, the pain eased. I welcomed the coming blackness with gratitude, I could be nothing but thankful.

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