Meanwhile up her room, Cat was sitting on the bed, looking at a picture of her, Bones, and Vald. They were laughing at something Vald had said. All three of them were so happy, so carefree. Was this going to be the last time she every saw any of them? She had gone through with thinking Bones was dead once before, but she didn't think she could stand to go through it again. If she did, it was likely to be much worse this time around, because Mencheres, Ian, and Spade would die for Bones, since he had a wife to return to and none of them did. She loved those men like brothers. She had trained with them, cried with them, laughed with them, fought with them. They were her life since being turned and the five years of her life before she was turned. She wouldn't be able to stand losing one, let alone all of them! There was a soft knocking at the door, breaking her train of thought.

"Cat? It's Vald. May I come in?" a soft voice asked through the door.

"Of course. Just a moment," she replied, relief flooding her voice when she realized that Vald, Eric, and Bill weren't going on the mission. At least she would have them to lean on if the mission when wrong. Letting out a sigh of relief, she got up off the bed, returning the picture to the nightstand and unlocking the door.

Vald was worried, that much was clear to Cat when she opened the door and saw his brows drawn together. Stepping aside, Cat let Vald into the room, shutting and locking the door behind him.

"Is everything alright, Vald? Now that's a stupid question. Why would anything be alright right now? Now I'm rambling, aren't I?"

Vald smiled, soft but sad. "There's something I need to tell you."

"Oh, no. Please don't say what I think you're going to say! Vald, please, if you love me at all, you won't say it!" Cat pleaded.

"I'm afraid it's true, Cat. They need me to go with them and Eric as well. If afraid Bill's going to be the only one here with you, unless you can get a hold of any of the Cullen's, but I don't think you'll be able to. Bones tried all of their numbers and no one answered," Vald replied.

"I'd prefer if Bill went instead of you," Cat said sadly.

"Why? Don't you like Bill?" Vald asked, confused and surprised.

"Oh, I like him just fine, that's not the problem. The problem is if something happens to me or Jazmyne, he won't know what to do as much as you would," she explained.

"I see. That's a very good point. Have you mentioned this to Bones? No, of course you haven't, you only just found out that I was going. Hmmm…I wonder…" he trailed off.

Suddenly, there was a loud knocking at the door. Both turned to look at it, Vald automatically moving in front of Cat, while she walked slowly backward toward the closet to retrieve weapons for her and Vald. She could have turned, knowing Vald would protect her back, but she wanted to be able to see who or what was coming through the door before she turned her back, so she knew what she was up against.

"Katherine Christine Russell! You open this door THIS INSTANT!" they heard Bones bellow from the hall, ramming the door, causing the walls to shake and pictures to fall.

Turning to Cat, Vald raised one eyebrow in a silent question. Nodding, Cat continued her path to the closet. If Bones was yelling, it was never a good sign. She was glad Vald was in the room to help her with Bones if things got out of hand.

Slipping silently up to the door, Vald put his hand against the knob, waiting till Cat got her weapons out before he unlocked the door. Unlocking it, he stepped back so he was flat against the wall, so Bones wouldn't see him right away. Cat had spread her weapons out on the bed and was sitting cross-legged with a soft cloth in her hand, polishing her knives.

Seeing her just sitting there, Bones exploded. "WHAT IN GOD'S NAME ARE YOU DOING WITH THE DOOR LOCKED! THIS IN MY HOUSE, NOT YOURS!"

"Funny, last time I checked, both our names were on the deed for the house, grounds, and the vehicles," Cat said calmly.

"Yes, well…" Bones stuttered, instantly calming down when he realized that she had all the weapons out, even her wood coated silver stake. Vald, still against the wall, chuckled silently and shook his head at how easily she calmed him down. Sliding out of the room when he knew that Cat wouldn't need his help, he shut the door behind him. Pressing his ear against the door, he heard mumbling, so he knew that everything would be alright. If one of them started yelling, he could always be up the stairs and into the room in 5, maybe 6, seconds. Smiling to himself, he made his way down the stairs to the parlour to tell the boys that Bones might be a while…