DISCLAIMER: I do not own the Twilight series.

OK, so in this story, Bella does not get to go with the vamps and werewolves to fight Victoria, she gets left behind. Edward leaves, and then, when she's left alone wondering how the war is going . . .

So this is what the whole story revolves around – what if vampires and werewolves weren't the only non-humans? What if there was another species too? What if Bella… (hint) :)

Chapter One

"Love . . ." Edward's honey-smooth voice sounded harsher than usual, strained. His sweet breath fanned my face, disorienting and hypnotizing. His eyes were dark.

"I'll be fine," I mumbled, looking away from his gentle, probing gaze. "I'm not that pathetic."

Cool, hard fingers touched the edge of my jaw tenderly, tilting it up. I met his eyes uncomfortably.

He leaned his forehead against my – by comparison – warm one, staring deep into my chocolate-brown irises.

"We'll be quick," he breathed. I cringed. "Quick and careful. We'll take care of the newborns and I'll run back to you. You won't have time to miss me."

I swallowed.

He closed his eyes for one brief, agonizing moment. "Please, love," he begged. "Please."

"I'll be OK," I muttered again. "Really. Go rip up Victoria for me."

He smiled a sad, strange little smile. The smile did not reach his eyes. On more time, his perfect lips brushed mine softly.

"Goodbye," he whispered.

And then he was gone, his hand ripped from my grasp in less than a second. Wind rushed coldly into my room, through the now-open window.

I did not get up to close the window. My eyelids closed slowly over my tearless eyes. Grief and pain warred and tore my heart, emotion to great for tears, even.

* * *

The tick-tocking of the clock, the howl of the wind, and the shredding of my heart was all I could hear. Night surrounded me like a hushing blanket. My blind eyes couldn't see the stars or the moon or any form of light at all.

He'll be back soon. He's a good fighter. He won't be hurt. He'll be back.

He'll be back soon. Soon.

Those thoughts were the only kind I was capable of. They circled slowly around and around my head, monotonous and boring and yet so, so painful.

It wasn't fair! It just wasn't fair. How I was forced to sit here in my cold room, waiting for my soldier to come home from the fight. What did I care that it was too dangerous to be with him up there in the north, as the mortal enemies battled? As the newborns lost control? Danger – danger was a thousand times better than this, this waiting. This agonizing, torturous waiting.

My heart convulsed. What if a newborn got the better of Edward? What if Victoria snuck up on him in the heat of the battle? What if . . . what if . . .

I was curled up on my bed, my legs brought up to my chest. My room was getting colder and colder. Frigid air seeped in through my window. My fingers, tightly clamped over my knees, were turning blue and purple.

I could have closed the window. I could have, but I didn't.

* * *

And as the ticking of the clock progressed, my fears became more selfish.

He'd said the battle would be over as quickly as possible. What if the battle was already won? If they'd won it a long time ago? And then, as he brought Victoria down, maybe he'd decided that there was no point in going back to his weak human, the human who was too vulnerable and pathetic to come and fight, the human who needed such protection that it placed all his family in danger. Maybe he'd just left . . . Perhaps he'd simply left and was not coming back. . . .

No. I closed my eyelids tighter. No. He'd promised so many times. No.

He'll be back soon. He'll be back soon.

The sound of my terrified heart, thundering away, filled the entire room. My eyes remained dry. I'd long ago left the stage of grief when tears were a comfort.

I swallowed. Get a grip, wuss, I told myself sternly. Get a grip.

I wanted to help him. I needed to help him. I'd never needed to help someone and fight alongside him as I needed to fight alongside Edward right now.

But who was I kidding, really? How could I, a human, help?

I was just a human. Nothing special. Just a human.

Never before in my life had I wished I was not a human. If I were a werewolf I'd be able to run and tear the newborns to pieces. If I were a vampire I'd be able to do the same. And I would never need to hide like a coward behind the skirts of stronger, more powerful people, because I'd be able to protect myself.

Something pricked my back, the place between my shoulder blades. I rolled my shoulders and ignored it, staring at my icy hands.

Was he alive right now? Or was he a pile of ashes?

The pricking in my back was concentrated now. It became more of an insistent, painful burn. I was hardly aware of it, though.

And what of Alice and Jasper, and Emmett and Rosalie, and Carlisle and Esme, and Jake and Embry and Quil and Sam? Were they OK right now as well, or were they losing? I felt a stab of guilt for not thinking of them till now, but Edward . . .

Edward. When was he coming back?

The sting in my back spread. It was harder to ignore now. The irritating fire bothered the sensitive skin, but it felt more like the fire was inside than outside.

I frowned, twisting around to touch my back. Had any mosquitoes or something flown in through the window? That seemed unlikely – I had never encountered mosquitoes here in Forks before.

The moment my fingers touched the cloth-covered skin, the fire increased. My frown deepening, I slid off the bed to check on the spot between my shoulder blades in the bathroom.

But I wasn't really angry. How could I be? This was a distraction from my obsessive longing and wishful thinking. There was no point in hoping to help Edward and his family and the werewolves right now . . . but I wanted, no – needed to . . .

As I thought that, the stinging raged. My entire back was on fire now, and it had spread to the nape of my neck and my stomach, wrapping around my hips. I cringed as it touched more sensitive spots.

Flipping the light switch on in the little bathroom, I lifted my shirt off. I reached over and picked up the small mirror laying on the counter, and turned around with the mirror in my hand, my back to the large mirror on the wall. I angled the little silver object in my hands so I could see the reflection of my back.

It showed nothing but smooth pale skin, unblemished by any stings or scratches. I didn't understand – was this fire internal? This was serious . . . but what was it?

And then I was abruptly disgusted by myself. Here I was, worrying about some silly little pain, while the vampires and the werewolves were out there risking their lives for me. For all I knew they no longer had lives to risk.

I mentally cringed away from that thought. No. They were good fighters, all of them. They would live. And then return.

He'll be back soon.

Damn it! If only I could help!

And with frightening suddenness, the stinging ripped through my torso, and down my legs and feet and up to the top of my head. It was everywhere, even in the tips of my fingers, on the edge of my nose, in my calves and my face and my whole body.

With a cry of shock and pain, I collapsed as my knees gave way. The world swam before my blurry eyes. The last thing I remember was my head hitting the icy floor; and then I closed my eyes in unconsciousness.