Images and scenes kept collapsing into one another as Lily slept. First she was twirling in the air a few feet above the ground, laughing contently. Wanting nothing more than to do that all day long. This happy image soon made way to a more grave one. She was standing with her family overcome with grief, and Lily soon knew where she was. They were standing in a graveyard at her grandmother's funeral. It was the one on her mother's side whom Lily had been very close to. Lily never remembered the funeral having blocked it out a long time ago.

She whimpered and started crying as the preacher was taking unable to take her eyes off the casket. Her heart clenched inside her and she could barely breathe she was so distraught. Around her and the crowd of people, a rain was pouring down. Lily was completely drenched apparently the only one without an umbrella. Her hands were in fists at her sides and she finally lost all ability to breathe at all as she began to completely hyperventilate. Just as Lily was about to collapse, hands went underneath her arms and held her up. Her heart rate stated slowing back down as she felt calmed slightly. Lily finally was able to tear her eyes away from the casket and look elsewhere though still clearly overcome.

In the distance to the side of where the crowd was, there was someone standing by the cars parked on the road leading in to the cemetery. Her heartbeat raced again and through the pain of the loss came something else in much stronger waves: anger. Lily couldn't make out the person but glared aqt him furiously. She wondered who this person was and why her dream self could clearly see this man but she could not. The rain around Lily picked up even harder and suddenly a lightning bolt came across the sky near the cars. She jumped in surprise and when she looked back, the man was gone.

Suddenly Lily was running in a forest frantically, her heart beating wildly, and lungs burning with the need for air. But she wouldn't slow down and kept looking behind, but seeing nothing. Lily recognized the woods as the one near her grandparents' manor on her father's side. Why would she be scared in such a familiar place? Her mind wondered as her body kept going at it's insane pace. Then she heard it, a branch break behind her.

Though it seemed impossible, her body began to move even faster as her body processed the paranoia as fact. The feeling of being followed was confirmed and all she could feel was overwhelming fear. Then she fell, tripping over a stray branch and hitting her head. Vision blurry, Lily turned behind to look, pain shooting through her body at the small movement. She could make out dark figures coming towards her. Her eyes fluttered close against her will, but she could still hear them though their footsteps were soft, her heart rate picked up as the approached and she was gasping for air.

They stopped a couple of feet from her and she felt the breath of one of them in her ear as they leaned down. "Thought you could outrun us little one before your family got here to save you?" The voice was male, sounding sinister and amused at the same time as he chuckled, "Now you will die princess just like her and our family will rule."

The man placed his hands over the temples on her head and Lily's eyes shot open from shock. Pain. That was all Lily could feel as soon as he touched her it was like someone was constantly running an electric current throughout her entire body. Seizures plagued her, and the only thing Lily could do was scream. Ear splitting screams released from her mouth and she didn't try to stop them. But the pain didn't go away even as she blacked out…

***The POV of the Others as she is Sleeping***

The party ended and the Sterlings went home to check on their daughter, her birth hour was only minutes away and her change would start. The block in her mind and blood would fade completely and she would become her true self.

Alec was coming back with them, by society law, he was allowed to be near her as she changed. Of course, he wanted to be so they could not deny his wishes with so many society and council members present at the time of his request.

Mr. Sterling was not pleased and was making him stay outside of his daughter's room. The change started and first it was peaceful then as the hours rolled on, it became increasingly unbearable. After a full day had passed and she was shaking and whimpering in her sleep, while moving constantly in the bed as though she couldn't find a good sleep position. Now it was the start of the second day, and Alec was becoming even more worried. He had never heard of a change being so violent before, most changes are very peaceful for purebloods and they just have a restless sleep and are under for a day.

Meanwhile in her room, Lily's parents looked at each other in concern as they too knew her change was taking too long and was too painful. Her temperature had dropped suddenly when the whimpering started. The shaking a clear side effect of the loss of body heat. They left the room when the phone began ringing, most likely it was the elders wanting to know if she had woken up yet. Alec stood in the hall but entered Lily's room when her parents left.

He took her hand which he realized was ice cold, and gently rubbed it before whispering to her, "Don't fight the change my love, if you do you will die. You must accept your birthright, I know it's hard and confusing but I can't lose you. If you die, I will too. I cannot be without you." he kissed her forehead and Lily's body seemed to calm at his touch and her whimpering and thrashing stopped. Though she still shivered. This brought a small smile to Alec's worried face, that his touch soothed her if only slightly. Lily's father came back into room

"Get away from her!" his voice angry and loud.

"She's my mate, I should be here with her," Alec's voice defiant and just as loud.

"She's your mate when she agrees to it, she hasn't completed her change yet for us to know if she's imprinted on you or not. Until that time you will leave her be."

"The council believes we are to be together, I would not lie about this, I did not choose to fall in love with her. I was nineteen and her barely fourteen when we met. I did not seek her out, I merely looked at her." Alec retorted.

"I don't care what you chose or what the council believes, you will leave this place and not lay a hand on my daughter again until she comes to you!"

"We'll see about that. I've tried to cooperate with you and your elders while Lily was young and I waited for her but I will not let you continue to put her in pain," Alec stormed out of the house at a speed too quick for a human.

His touch missing from her hand, Lily began sceaming and seizures overtook her. Her father held her down and called for Lily's mother. Mrs. Sterling rushed into the room, "Oh my God! What's happening?" She helped hold her daughter down as the seizure faded. She just lay peacefully now and her body heat had rose tremendously, almost back to normal, "She not cold anymore…" Lily's mother was completely shocked.

"It seems she is okay now, the worse is over," her father spoke relief clear in his voice, "What did the elders want?"

"They need us to come to a meeting right away.."

"We are not leaving Lily right now!" her father interrupted

"We must, we cannot ignore them. They say it's urgent they believe the Shades are back."

"Very well, since she is calm. We mustn't be long."

Alec could hear her scream as he got into his car, it brought tears to his eyes. He wanted to go into the room and snatch Lily up from her bed and try to calm her. Do anything to make her pain lessen, each gasp and scream tore at him. He took out his phone and called the council, maybe they could do something to help her. Alec was barely able to drive away and leave her, but he couldn't disobey a clan leader.

************

Lily woke up with a start, instantly sitting up and still screaming, hands over her temples. Her heart beating so fast, it felt like it would burst out of her chest. A cold sweat coated her body and the sheets were a tangled mess around her and the floor. Still feeling afraid, aftershocks of the nightmare, Lily took in her surroundings while shaking slightly. She was safe in her room, the curtains were pulled shut so Lily checked the time. It was 4 in the afternoon according to her clock.

This shocked Lily as she got up to take a shower and get ready for the day, what little was left. She never normally slept more than four hours, let only over 12! Her body still felt so drained and tired, the restless sleep had made her feel like she had just got done running a marathon.

Lily made her way downstairs, now fully dressed and clean. She wasn't very hungry, surprisingly, but she had a snack anyway. She got a soda for the caffeine and the sugars, but also got some cut fruit out of the fridge to be a little healthy. On the kitchen table, she found a note from her parents saying that had gone out and would be home around dinnertime.

This explained why noone heard her scream she thought. Lily's brothers had already moved out of her parents' house, so it was just them and her left. Though she knew she shouldn't her mind kept going back to the dream, it felt so real and the pain…Lily shuddered blocking it out quickly. She had a talent for being able to make herself feel exactly what she originally felt in her memories, which included pain and fear. Even echoes of that pain would be too much for her to handle.

The house phone rang, and Lily went to answer it, "Hello?"

"Oh! Lily! What are you doing awak…How are you?" Ben's confused voice filled her ear. Why wouldn't she be awake?

"I'm good…Just woke up not too long ago…What's up?"

"I was just looking for mom or dad, they didn't pick up when I called their cells."

"They should be back soon. I'll tell them you called."

"Okay. Bye." Ben hung up the phone quickly.

"Freak," Lily said as she hung up the phone. She put up her bowl and walked back out of the kitchen still finishing her soda. She went back up to her room and just messed around, checking email and texts on her phone. To her surprise she didn't have much, only a few messages from her school friends but none from relatives or the society kids. She was in the middle of her last text when she heard arguing outside.

In the driveway with her parents was none other than Alec, and a man Lily had never seen before. Lily couldn't make out what was being said, so she opened the window.

"What are you doing back here? She's sleeping and will be for awhile. You know it takes time.." Her father's voice was full of annoyance as he spoke to Alec.

"I brought a doctor to look at her, to make sure she's not in pain. It didn't look like it was going well earlier…" Alec looked away from her father and towards the ground. Lily couldn't see his face very well but he almost seemed.. Sad. Which confused her, as well as everything. Why was he here? And was she sick? She didn't feel sick..

"Besides," Alec continued, "I have a right to be there, and I can help her, make things go smoother."

"You will do no such thing! She hasn't even recognized you yet! That would only complicate things, besides you could be mistaken."

At her father's words Alec turned back towards him defiantly and looked him straight in the eye, "It's no mistake, and I can't stay away from her or see her in pain. I would've thought you would feel the same way, since you're her parents and all."

"How DARE you! Of course we CARE!" Lily's dad's lunged for Alec but her mother and the doctor held him back.

"Then why did you leave? I never would've left but you made me, then you leave her here alone! What were you thinking?!" Alec was right in her father's face, not afraid of him at all, and looking like he wanted to hit her father as much as her father wanted to hit Alec.

"ENOUGH! You two need to stop fighting right now," Her mother intervened. Both men backed down, "We had to leave, we were called away, you know we can't ignore their calls."

"You should've let me stay so Lily wouldn't be alone."

"Well it's too late now and we're back so you can leave, and this time don't come back. We'll contact you when she wakes," Mr. Sterling cut in before his wife could reply.

"Sir, if I may interrupt," the doctor spoke up, "I'm afraid that is out of the question. The council has strict orders that I am to care for the girl and use whatever means necessary to make this transition easier for their future heir."

Lily was so confused, what were they talking about? It made no sense, when they got up here, she would make them explain.