Dark Night, Bright Light
What if Diego never got executed? What if Riley chose him instead? What would happen? Has Bree, Diego, Victoria, Riley, Tanya, and Fred's POV.
Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight or any of its characters that I use, which are Fred, Riley, Victoria, Bree, Diego, Tanya and her family, and some of the army. I am just not that awesome.
A/N: This is the first fanfiction I've typed please do not judge :D Takes place during the preparation of the newborn army. A Diego/Bree fanfiction. Also, a little surprise is in for Fred, whose wait will finally pay off.
Chapter One: The Choice
Diego POV
I look up in the treetops from my peripheral vision. I can see Bree leaping from tree to tree, the branches somehow barely swaying under her weight. I run faster, wanting to impress her. I have never felt this way before, and it was an almost ticklish feeling in the pit of my stomach. She soars, I run, and together we are unstoppable. I've persuaded her to go into the somewhat safer region of trees. Even though I have won that particular argument, my head still throbs in pure rage at the thought of any harm coming to Bree. She's just so petite.
When we finally reach our destination, I join her in the treetops. We wait.
A/N: Sorry, am just too lazy to write the entire house scene.
When we finally get back, I have to go do what I normally do and pretend that I've not just met my soul mate. I can occasionally feel Bree's eyes on me, for which I'm touched, but I wouldn't acknowledge our relationship. It would put her at risk. When the opportunity finally comes, I slip out to talk to Riley. I can feel Bree's sweet red eyes watch me duck outside. He's, in fact, just coming in. "Come on, Diego," he urges me. "Before the sun comes out!"
The fear in his voice almost has me going, but then I remember that the sun can't harm us, and that Riley is most likely just a realllly good actor. "Hey," I said as Riley makes to move into our latest house-that-is-probably-going-to-be-demolished-in-one-more-day. "Wait. Riley."
He looks surprised, but remains. The sun is already starting to show, but Riley doesn't appear to notice as he warily leans into the shadows. "Make it quick, Diego. You don't want to get burned, do you?"
His tone is so convincing. I should just walk back in without showing him, minimize the risk. But, I sure as hell have to do this. For Bree. I take a deep breath. "Actually, Riley, that's what I want to show you." Riley's eyes narrow in confusion, and then widen in comprehension as I step out of the shade. He makes no move to stop me, and the sun's rays once again make me a shining glory, a "disco ball". I remember how beautiful Bree had looked when she had said that particular phrase. Her smile is so pretty.
"Diego." I look up. Riley is suddenly next to me, gripping my arm, his own skin reflecting brightly in the first light of day. "C'mon. I've got to ask . . ." he hesitates like he knows my reaction, "her." I automatically flinch, but Riley only grips my arm tighter. If I were human, I would have said, "Ow, that hurts." But, if I were human, I would not have let my uncontrollable desire for a three-month-old (not that I judged her for it) overcome my plan. I had meant to only show Riley the light (Hallelujah!), and now I paid the price. Her: Our creator.
I feel a sudden pain as my arm detaches from my body. "Sorry," Riley says, holding out my arm to me. There is a hint of remorse in his tone, but I didn't know if that is for me, or for what she might do to me. As I sit down and lick the edge of my arm to reattach it, I suddenly (yet again!) think of Bree, and how she once had this same arm ripped off. Stop, I scold myself. Stop thinking about her. She's fine. You are the one going to see her.
Riley holds out his hand. "Ready?" I take it, even though everything physical is easy. Emotional, not.
A/N: OK, I know that this is from Breaking Dawn. But a., it is under completely different circumstances, b., it fits the scene, and c., I will give all the credit of that line to Stephanie Meyer.
We start at a brisk jog, in case humans were in the area. Scenting none, not that I was hungry, we sped up to a normal vampire speed, a human sprint, which we could keep up forever if necessary. We finally went faster, and faster. Having no circulatory system really pays off. In no time at all, we reached the house. It sat there, in the full rays of the sun. Riley led the way, and knocked on the door. I waited for my personal Fate to answer.
Fred POV
I don't think that Bree knows how much she means to me. She is not a real romantic interest; I used to, but then I saw the way she looked at Diego, and I knew that she had fallen, and fallen hard. I also knew that Bree was not the only one. Diego kept looking at her from the corner of his eye. Bree is like my cousin; she leaves books for me and tries to be perfectly civil. But even Bree can't fully withstand my aura of . . . nastiness. Still, she tries, and that's enough for me. She also leaves me books to read. Even though she is, in my eyes, considered my friend, I always remain aloof. If they ever suspected that she hides behind me, then she would be revealed. And, sure as hell, that will happen over my ashes.
Diego POV
The door flies open, and a woman with hair like fire stands hostile in the doorway. Her eyebrows rise when she looks at me. "Riley," speaks a high, childish voice. "What is this?" I search the doorframe for another girl, a girl about third grade, but the rest of the house is entirely empty. I turn my attention back to her, who is glaring at Riley. Riley steps forward. I almost expect him to bow, from the slavish look on his face, even though she is still glaring at him in anger. Then I realize that the voice is coming from this woman.
"Victor-", he began.
"Do not belittle me! Why is this trash on my doorstep?!" Ah, I think. So even if Riley considered them a couple, this woman is having none of it. In fact, it is almost as if-
"Victoria," Riley whimpers. I have never heard him put so much honey and love in his voice. He sounds like a devoted servant, I think in mocking. Only then does it truly hit me. He is! Riley tries again. "I-"
"Silence! Why have you come?" Victoria growls.
Riley straightens up. He's done with the pity act now. He knows that it will not work on her. "This one," he jerks his thumb roughly in my direction, "went out into the sun. He knows."
Victoria sighs. She turns to me with an expression of ultimate uninterest, and I know somehow that she is going to kill me. I have to act fast.
The insult comes out of my mouth before I can take it back. "You are Gassy."
Victoria stops dead. Riley freezes as well. "Excuse me?" she growls.
"Why, did you just toot? I meant because of your hair. You know, flame, gas. But yeah, if you toot a lot then it could stand for two things."
Victoria is evidently at a loss for words. She probably doesn't know where to start. "Toot?" she finally growls. "My hair?"
I shrug as casually as is possible in a life or-death-situation. "Yeah. Toot. Gas. Cut the cheese. Same thing. And your hair is super bright."
She ignores the comment at the hair – I guess that she's heard it too many times before – but focuses instead on the "toot" thing. "What are these 'toots', 'gases', and 'cut-the-cheeses'? Are they insults? If they are-?"
I interrupt. "Yeah, yeah, you'll kill me, same old, same old. And to answer you, my vernal pupil, all those mean the same thing – fart."
"You dare insult me with a 'fart' comment?"
I try to look pleased. "Yes. I do."
"Enough banter," Riley intervenes as Victoria makes to lunge. As she turns her glare to him, he immediately apologizes. "Sorry. But we are wasting time."
"James would never," Victoria mutters darkly.
"James?" Riley asks blankly.
"Wouldn't what?" I chime in.
Victoria leaps and rips off Riley's arm. He yelps in betrayal as she throws it at his feet. "Never," she growls, "intervene again." Riley fixes his arm as Victoria advances on me. "Riley," she calls sweetly. "Come here." He grumbles, but comes over anyways. I can almost see their bond breaking. Victoria has gone too far. "Destroy him," she says, pointing to me. I feel sick. There is no way he will refuse her, though. She is by far more powerful.
But Riley hesitates, and glances at me. I don't do anything; I just sit there and wait. Bree, I think with longing. Will she ever know what happened to me? I would never see her again. "Well," barks Victoria. "What are you waiting for? Or shall I give you a choice," she adds sweetly. "Me," she points to herself, "or him." Riley is still silent. "Choose, you idiot," Victoria snaps, impatient. Riley looks up, a wounded expression on his face. Then it changes. And in that moment, I know what he will choose.
"Him." Riley moves to stand by me. Victoria looks shocked, and then leans forward.
"Rethink, and you might live, "she coaxes. But Riley has truly seen the light.
"Run!" he spits to me, and wrestles Victoria to the ground. She is shocked, adding an advantage to Riley. I don't look back. Instead, I head straight for the city.
