"You are to fetch the Chosen One." Aro said, casually waving his hand in the direction of one of his minions.

"Yes, Master." Alec said, bowing once and hurrying towards the dungeon.

The time had finally come that the Chosen One, a female who was not quite human but not quite vampire either, to be impregnated by Aro, Marcus, or Caius. Their plan was to start an army that would be invincible, even against the strongest vampires. The Chosen One had the blood supply that could feed numerous vampires without killing her and could survive a vampire birth repeatedly. The Chosen One was a very rare female, with one being born every thousand years or so. Finally, Aro, Caius, and Marcus had come across a Chosen One female about twenty years ago, but she was not of breeding age yet, her body not yet capable of feeding and breeding and surviving. So for two decades, they had only fed from her vein and waited until the night when her body would mature and she would be fertile and capable. That night was tonight.

Alec finally arrived at the dungeon, four stories underground. In a very large and very well outfitted and windowless cell, a young woman sat in the corner. Her long black hair was plaited down her back, her clothes the very best. She looked up at Alec as he came to her steel-barred and triple locked door.

"Mary Helena, Aro wishes your presence this night." Alec said.

Mary Helena, or Helena as her mother called her when her mother was still living, looked up at Alec. In his hand he held a tranquilizer gun, loaded and cocked. She was never allowed to leave her room without being thoroughly sedated or knocked completely out. Helena made no move to stand, just kept staring at Alec as he pointed the tranquilizer gun at her.

"Don't make this any harder than it has to be. Come to the door and I'll inject you with a syringe instead of shooting you like an elephant." Alec said.

For a moment, Helena considered it. But why would she willingly go and allow herself to be raped repeatedly until she became pregnant? That would be her whole life; feeding those vampires and having their spawn until her body gave out in a few hundred years. Helena knew what she was. Caius had insisted she be told about what she was, and so it was. Boy, didn't she feel special. Doomed to this gilded cage. No matter how beautiful the room in which she stayed, the clothes she wore, the food she sometimes ate, she was still trapped like a wild animal, treated like such. She would gladly trade it all. Even if it meant her being in a strange place with nothing but the clothes on her back, she would gladly give it up. For nearly two weeks, Helena had been formulating a plan of escape. When she had heard Aro, Marcus, and Caius discussing the Cullen family, Carlisle in particular, she knew she had to meet them. They were "vegetarian" vampires, meaning they did not feast on human blood. Maybe they could help her. Even if they couldn't and turned her back over to the Volturi, she would know. There would be no doubts, no what-if's.

A safety pin was unclasped behind her, and Helena dragged it across her wrist, eliciting a few droplets of blood. That would be enough to make any vampire's mouth fill with venom. She was glad the venom was harmless as water to her. As the droplets of blood formed, she heard Alec groan softly, the tranquilizer gun in his hand start to crumble. Feeling more encouraged, Helena dragged it harder across her wrist again. More blood came to the surface and Alec was near his breaking point. It had been a week since he fed and he was so very thirsty. The third time Helena took the pin across her wrist, she heard the steel bending and Alec was at her side, the syringe and tranquilizer gun in his hands. Grabbing her wrist, he bit down and nearly had an orgasm at the sweet, sweet taste of Helena's blood. Not a moment later, Marcus hissed as he ran into the room, throwing Alec across the room and through the wall. In the dust and wreckage, Helena managed to sneak out as the others came down to accost Alec for his stupidity. By this time, Helena had made it to the underground tunnel and was running as quietly and quickly as she could for the above ground, to the sun.

"You better not have hurt the Chosen One, Marcus. I will rip your head from your neck where you stand if you have." Aro said, looking around.

"She was crouching in the corner not a minute ago." Marcus said, glancing around.

Marcus, Caius, and Aro dove for the wreckage in the corner, throwing back chunks of stone and wood, searching for Mary Helena, the Chosen One. When they didn't find her, Aro hissed, a very scary sound, and all three headed for the door.

Helena had finally reached the surface. She had to find some mode of transportation that could get her from Italy to a state called Washington in the United States. She started running towards a group of tourists who were heading for a plane. She could convince the pilot and flight attendant to let her board if they were human. Racing for the giant airplane, praying that Aro and Caius and Marcus didn't catch up to her, Helena found the flight attendant. Helena looked deep into the woman's eyes, willing her mind to relax as she probed around. She hadn't had much practice at all. Helena was surprised when the woman nodded, handing her a boarding pass, and helped her to her seat. Making her way up to the cockpit, she had a bit harder time convincing the pilot and co-pilot that the plane should take off right now. Within a half hour, the plane was taking off, heading for California. Helena really hoped that California was near Washington.

……

..

It had been nearly six months since Esme had said her final goodbye to Carlisle and left with Rheneas. Sasha apologized nearly a thousand times, citing that it was her fault that she insisted that Rheneas come here. Carlisle had told her that she couldn't have known that would happen, and that she wasn't to blame. Word got out about Carlisle's new status, and he was immediately swamped with offers of dates, offers to cook and clean for him, offers to marry him. In public, he smiled softly and said that it wouldn't be necessary, that he needed more time to get over what happened to him. In private though, that was when he let his suffering loose. He tried to keep it in whenever his children were around, saying that he needed a private hunt or a walk to clear his mind. But they knew. Jasper and Edward especially knew. Jasper would try to uplift him a little, try to take away some of his hurt and sorrow and anger. Alice would try so hard to get a vision of his future, but nothing was coming to her as of yet. Emmett and Rosalie would often times invite everyone for a weekend getaway to leave Carlisle so he could have a mini-vacation "away from us kids", as she said. He was eternally grateful for those. In those times, he didn't have to bottle his emotions or feelings. He could let his pain loose and not have to worry.

……

..

The plane landed in California, and Helena quickly exited the plane and walked to the desk, asking for a map of the United States and to be given visual directions on the quickest way to Washington. Armed with her map, Helena headed for the nearest pawn shop. She had no money on her, but she did have the valuable trinkets that Aro, Marcus, and Caius liked to shower her with. Certainly they would buy a bus ticket, food, and possible shelter until she could find the Cullens.

After selling three rings, a brooch, and one bracelet, Helena was ready. She had nearly five thousand dollars. She got directions to the nearest bus terminal and bought a ticket for Seattle, Washington. From there, Helena hoped to ask around and see if anyone had ever heard of a Dr. Carlisle Cullen. Hopefully she would be able to find him before the Volturi caught up with her.

……

..

Author's Note: Wow, this took forever. You all would not believe what I've been through since my last fic ended. I won't even begin to list everything because it'll take up at least another page, and I don't want to bring you all down. So, what do you think? I know it's short and I'm sorry, but at least it's a start, yeah? I hope you all like it. I'll try to update about once a week, though right now I can't guarantee it because my classes are hectic. I have to write an original story that's about 20 pages long for one class. And another paper due every week for another class. And a discussion board for another class. And another exam for my Astro class. Ugh. Help? Haha. Anyway, review!