(The story starts at when Edward had just rescued Kevin from an oncoming car, saving his life but at the same time scratching a few cuts on his face. As Kevin's frightened screams alarmed the angry mobs to Edward's presence, Kim rescued him from the scene just in time and pulled him into her house, where awkwardness once again hung thickly in the air between them.)

Slamming the door shut behind me, I approached him slowly with nervous measured steps.

"Edward..."

"I hurt Kevin." He shrank away from me, "I'll only hurt you too."

The silence in the room grew heavy. Taking another uncertain step, he backed into a corner and the shears that protruded from the end of his knuckles clipped together apprehensively.

The helpless fear that dimmed his eyes sent a stab to my heart.

"No, Edward, you didn't hurt Kelvin." I whispered, trying to stop the wavering in my voice.

He stared at the floor, anguish burning in his eyes.

"And you'll never hurt me." I declare quietly, taking a step towards him, "I know you'll never hurt me."

Taking another step forward, I held him tightly. He did not push me away this time. Feeling the metal-cold surface of his skin, I felt an indescribable sadness gush from my heart. Involuntarily, the rims of my eyes became wet, and my vision blurred from behind the tears. I felt his pain, and it made my heart cry. He didn't deserve this. He didn't deserve to go through any of this torture. Having only the helplessness and innocence of a child, his coming here cause him only endless pain.

It was my fault.

"Edward…" I mumbled softly, wiping my tears on his chest.

Even as I whimpered his name, the uneven thundering of footsteps in the distance drew nearer. Heavy, angry footsteps of nearly a hundred men and women alike made their threatening presence clumsily, their loud raucous shouting hammering on the walls of the house.

"They're coming." Edward spoke quietly, pulling me even closer.

I didn't respond, the fear and dread growing like ugly weeds in my heart. They were coming; they were coming closer; soon, they would reach. What would happen to us then? What would they do to Edward?

A loud, shrill screech broke my chain of thoughts.

"The monster is ahead! LET'S GET HIM!!" It was Cassandra.

"Yeah! Get him!" The crowd echoed.

"We'll KILL the Monster!"

"Yeah, we'll kill the monster! Kill the monster! Kill the monster! Kill the monster…"

I grasped Edward's arms with a desperation I had never known.

"You'll have to leave now." I gasped, silently pleading with my eyes. At that moment, I knew clearly that I would not let anything happen to him, plainly because I just could not afford to lose him.

"Run by the back door, okay?" I pleaded distraughtly, trying to stop my voice from trembling so much. Panicked, I pushed him away from me, towards the small back door behind the house that symbolized his safety.

"No."

Edward gazed back at me, his determination steeled into silver streaks in his eyes. He took a step back towards me, and the solemnity in his gaze intensified.

"I'll never leave you alone." He declared in an oddly calm tone of voice, "Whatever it is, we'll face it together."

"Don't be stupid!" I choked, hysteria bubbling into my voice, "Didn't you hear? They want your life! You die if you stay!"

He kept quiet, looking broodingly at the angry approaching masses through the window.

"I know." He acknowledged, his voice wary and resigned.

I took two deep breaths, and my vision blurred behind the unwilling tears. Why didn't he understand?

The sudden pounding on the door jerked me from my moment of hopeless silence.

"OPEN UP!" Incensed shouts and yells thundered from the door cracks, and the thin wooden door creaked from the force of the aggressive pounding from the other side.

"RUN!" I screamed hysterically, shoving Edward towards the back door with all my might, tears of desperation and terror streaking down my face.

It was like pushing a solid cement wall. He didn't move even the slightest inch.

As if he did not hear my crazed screams, Edward turned calmly towards the door, his arms tensed and the sharp ends of the shears at his hands gleamed in the dim light.