Disclaimer...I dont own Twilight or the characters

Watching Edward cringing on the stone ground was horrifically painful. I couldn't bear to have him in pain. I struggled against Alice's arms, a futile attempt because she was a thousand times stronger than I was. But I couldn't just stand there and watch this happen to him and not try to fight against it.

"Jane" Aro's voice rang through my clouded mind.

I tore my gaze away from Edward for half a second to see Aro tilt his head in my direction, his gaze on Jane the whole time. I didn't fear the pain that may or may not come. I couldn't process any emotion other than anguish at watching Edward in pain.

But half a second after Aro made Jane switch her focus, Edward was alright, or at least he seemed to be. He stopped wincing and I felt immense relief flood through me. His eyes met mine and they were terrified. I couldn't figure out why.

Then I felt it.

The searing pain that started in my temples and flooded down to my toes. I felt myself fall to ground without feeling Alice release me. The pain was unbearable. I couldn't make sense of anything. I forgot where I was, I forgot my name, I forgot everything. How could a small girl cause such pain? From somewhere far away, I felt cool hands touch my face, trying to pry my arms from around my head. I only grasped it tighter, wrapping my hands around the back of my head and encasing it in my arms. When would the pain end? I heard Edward speak in a terrified voice that would have matched his eyes and expression if I could have seen it. I couldn't see anything at all, the pain forced my eyes shut, blinding me.

"No! Aro, please! Please make her stop! Please, I'm begging you!" I had never heard Edward beg, ever. I couldn't remember a time when he had, at least.

But he was now, begging for me. I heard Aro call to Jane, just call her name. That should have been enough, it was the first time. Why wasn't the pain stopping? It stopped when he called to her the first time with Edward. I opened my eyes to a slit and saw that Jane had a horrifically triumphant expression on her face. I wasn't immune to her talents and that made her immensely smug, so much so that she refused to let go of the feeling. I felt sick. My stomach churned and my head was swimming. I let out a low whimper of pain, not able to hold it in. I tried my hardest to make it seem like it wasn't affecting me as much as it was, anything to get her to look away.

"Jane!" Aro's voice was sharp, demanding, and he sounded angry. Another cry of pain escaped from my lips and I felt Edward's cool hands, still on my face, stroking my cheeks, trying to calm me.

And then it was gone.

I sagged onto the cold stones, breathing heavily. Jane was looking at Aro with a hard expression on her face, upset that he took away her source of enjoyment. Edward looked livid and Alice looked worried. The type of pain Jane inflicted left its own uncomfortable feeling behind. It wasn't horribly painful, but enough to me make my breathing hitch, and to make me wince against the cold stones below me. I felt Edward pull me into his arms then, and I felt his hands smooth away the hair from my sweaty forehead. He picked me up and cradled me against his chest while I regained what composure I could muster.

Aro was staring at me with an incredulous look on his face. How could Jane's talent work on me but not his? Both were talents that involved my mind, where they not? If one didn't work, the others shouldn't either. I didn't know how much more I could take today. Aro finally spoke after a moment of internal debate.

"Well my young friends, if you do not wish to join us today, you are free to go. Please proceed quickly to our lobby but do not leave the city until nightfall. When you do leave, do not linger. It would be unwise to do so. Please come back if you change your mind"

Edward and Alice did an about face right away and hurried out the door, escorted by Alec. I was still in Edwards's arms and he was racing us out of the room. I saw people all around us. It seemed there was a tour going on. I couldn't understand what point there was to a tour here. I didn't truly understand until I looked back and saw the people enter through the door we had just exited. The doors started to close swiftly but not swiftly enough. Just before they latched, I heard the screaming start.

I couldn't believe it. The realization hit me like a ton of bricks. So that was the point of the tour. Food from the outside was being brought in, just as Alice had said it would be. All of those people just sent in to slaughter. It was appalling.

My breathing picked up again, to the point where I was close to hyperventilating. I could feel the tears streaming down my face, and I was vaguely aware of the fact that my body was wracked with sobs. I could see the faces of the people who had just died. They were just random people, taken away for no reason other than to be sustenance for others. It was cruel and vile. The secretary, Gianna I think her name was, started to walk over to where Edward was sitting, me in his lap. She looked at us both.

"Is there anything I can get you?" She was overly polite.

Edward glared back and answered with a frosty "No."

Gianna walked back to her desk and sat behind it and turned away. Edward then took my face in his hands and looked into my eyes. I don't know what he saw there. I'm sure there was a mixture of terror, pain, anguish, and sorrow.

"Are you alright?" He spoke with the utmost sincerity and concern.

All I could do was nod. I couldn't find my voice anymore. He didn't seem to buy it, and I didn't buy it myself either. "I don't know what happened. How could Aro's talent fail on you, but Jane's worked, far better than anyone thought? Are you sure you're alright?"

As he spoke, I felt myself slipping. There wasn't much energy left in me to begin with and this pushed me off the edge. I was in Edwards arms, for the first time in so long. It felt right and I forgot where we were, or what had just happened. I fell off the edge of consciousness I had been clinging to and everything went black.

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