A/N: Sorry for the wait. I had a little bit of writer's block. I guess you could consider this a filler chapter, because no major plot advancement takes place- it's only set up.

You'll need to know these:

Bee's Knees - An extraordinary person, thing, idea

Big Cheese - The most important or influential person. Same as big shot

Bluenose - An excessively puritanical person, a prude

Bump Off - To murder

Carry a Torch - To have a crush on someone

Fall Guy/Gal - victim of a frame

Gams - A woman's legs

Giggle Water - An intoxicating beverage; alcohol

Heebie-Jeebies - The jitters

Lounge Lizard - a guy that is sexually active

Moll - A gangster's girl

Neck - Kissing with passion

Pigs- Police

Pinch - To arrest

Scram - Ask someone to leave immediately

Sheba - A woman with sex appeal (from the movie Queen of Sheba)

UnerTorpedo - A hired gun

HunterRaven and Stargazer: Again, incredible thanks to the both of you for being my only two reviewers for chapters 6 and 7. Your guys' reviews always make me smile and just brighten up my day a little bit when I see the notifications on my email :)

And to anyone reading and not reviewing: I hope you're enjoying the story, and I really hope that if you're not enjoying it, you're not just sitting behind your computer screen cursing me. The only way I'll know if you don't like the story or not is if you tell me. Plain and simple.

~8~

Chapter Song: Under Pressure by Queen ft David Bowie
~I
~II
~III

"Under pressure- that burns a building down, splits a family in two, puts people on the street..."

~IV
~V
~VI

Katherine sat at her desk, mind wandering to and fro- going anywhere to avoid homework, if for only a short amount of time.

She had to do her homework. She simply had to, it wasn't an option. If you miss one assignment, you miss another and then another and then your grade drops for no good reason. And if that happens, her parents will skin her ass. She had to get good grades- she was only allowed one B a semester. And if she got a C on a progress report...God be with her.

Her parents had never hit her, though they had bruised her arms and ribs when she was younger and they would grab and shake her. She remembered one time specifically- she remembered the colors and lighting- and she remembered that it was that moment she had lost respect for her father as a human being. Any 6'4", 230 lbs man that has to hurt a seven year old girl was a sad, sad person.

However sad, though, he was big. And he was scary. And he would kill er if her grades slipped. So she had to do her homework.

She had avoided doing it when she was with the Volturi and she had used dinner as an excuse when she came back to the dorm, but now...now she was stuck. She had to do it. Missing assignments is silly. There is no reason to, seeing as there is nothing else to occupy her time.

Except...she thought with a wicked smile, slowly closing her text book, practicing my skill...

Bright eyed and giddy with the excitement of not having to fill out a worksheet on Chapter 13 of the History of International Affairs and Relations- Volume VII: 20th Century to Modern Times, Katherine bounced in her chair as she pushed the book aside and placed her pencil in the middle of desk.

With great care, Katherine braced her forearms on the desk and focused on the brown, wooden writing utensil.

She could feel her temples pulsing and lip twitching slightly as she lost more control. Slowly- ever so slowly- conscious decision was slipping away from her. Power was taking over, the power had a mind of its own. She wasn't sure what she wanted the pencil to do, just to do something.

The further away she slipped, the more the pencil started moving. At first, it wobbled back and forth- as though someone with a nervous habit was tapping it on the desk. Then, gradually, both ends starting lifting up.

Witnessing the sight on her achievement- continuous control- Katherine broke into a smile. She refocused her mind on keeping the pencil up, trying to see just how long she could maintain a stable flow of energy.

"Hey."

The pencil whacked her in the face.

Rebecca entered the room and leaned against the far wall.

"Hi," Katherine greeted with a small smile, picking her pencil out of her lap and placing it back on the desk, "What's up?"

"Nothing," Beck pouted, lying down on Katie's bed, "Bored. Decided to bug you. How was your time with the religious folk?" She joked.

When Katherine had returned to the dorm that Saturday, after vanishing from her room while everyone was asleep, Jessica had some questions.

Katherine had told her that she had woken up early and couldn't go back to sleep, so she visited some friends from in-town. They were also up early because they were extremely religious and avid church goers. Jessica accepted this easily, but Rebecca knew it was bologna. She didn't know why it was bologna, but she had the feeling that what ever these things were that staked their claim in Katherine, they were far from "holy".

However, Katherine seemed perfectly at ease with everything about them, so Becky figured she shouldn't fret. Kathy was a big girl, she could take care of herself.

"It was fine," she shrugged, opening her book back up, "Nothing horribly fascinating happened. And even if I did, I couldn't tell you."

"Are these guys the Mafia or something?" Rebecca asked, tossing a tennis ball she had found (one that Katherine used to practice and generally play with when she couldn't sleep) up in the air.

"The Mafia originated in Sicily- that's about thirteen hours south of here. I doubt they're the Mafia," Katherine laughed, scanning through the text in her book for the answer to question eight out of twelve.

"People move," She pointed out, "We're military brats, we know that better than anyone."

"Valid," Katherine noted, "But in the cases of deep-seeded organized crime, the bosses usually like to stay where they are, it's like the comfort zone. Serial killers have one, so do organized crime rings."

"Maybe these guys are a branch," Becky thought out loud, getting up and pacing in Katherine's room, tossing the tennis ball from one hand to the other. "Maybe they're ambassadors of some sort- the Mafia's attempts at expanding their reach," she seemed to be developing a 1920s Boston news reporter accent at this point, "I'm tellin' ya, Johnny, somethin' don't smell right, here. It's a lil bit fishy, that's what it is. Why, this whole thing reeks more than a pig's play-pin in the middle of July. There's a story here, Johnny, I can feel it. I can feel it in my bone."

"Uh-huh," Katherine smiled, still trying to do her homework.

"I'm tellin' ya, Johnny, this whole damned thing reeks o' trouble. I never did like that Big- Cheese, Aro guy. He always gave me the heebie-jeebies. Crossed me as the type to have a lil black book of torpedoes by his side."

"Torpedoes?" Katherine inquired with a laugh.

"Assassins, hit-men, hired guns, get with the times, Johnny!" Rebecca scolded.

"Sorry, Boss," Katherine apologized, playing along with Beck's little act.

"And I'll tell ya somethin' else here, Johnny," Rebecca continued, "I don't want you necking with that Alec no more, ya hear? Don't need no moll running around. Get in tight with that lounge lizard and next thing ya know *BAM* you're the fall gal for these guys and a bump-off gone wrong and the pigs'll pinch ya in an hour. Why, I can't stand to think what'll happen to a Sheba like you with gams like those in prison."

"Alright, Boss," Katherine waved off, turning back to her homework, "I got a deadline to make, so scram."

"I'm serious now, Johnny," She argued as Katherine stood up at started pushing her out of the room, "I don't want you carrying no torch for this boy now, ya hear? I don't care if he is just the bee- knees."

Becky stumbled out of the doorway while the door that inhabited it slammed shut. She smiled and started to walk away when she heard Katherine shout from the other side, "Go get some giggle-water, ya bluenose!"


"It was strange, I'll give you that. However, it made me laugh, and beggars can't be choosers." Katherine explained as she circled around the pool table.

"You've been talking about Rebecca a lot," Felix noticed, "What about that Andy girl?"

Katherine waved off the inquiry. "She moved. Army brats- it happens."

In reality, Alexandria had been removed from their house and transferred to another one. Katherine couldn't say she was upset by it. Over the past week, she'd gone from self-loathing to hurt to pissed at Alexandria and finally, indifferent. She didn't care about Alexandria anymore, didn't care about what she had said. Alexandria was small, pitiful, and Katherine was above such trivial aspects of life. She wouldn't bother herself with worrying over someone as sad as to pick apart another person- a friend- just because said person felt inadequate.

"Just out of the blue?"

"Yup." Katherine confirmed with a shrug, "It happens."

Felix shrugged and accepted the explanation.

Katherine felt relief wash over her as she lowered herself to eye-level with the billiard table, scrutinizing the cue ball. She was never very good at billiard balls- a broken window and dented wall in a hotel game room could attest to that.

"No, no, no." Demetri scolded Katherine's technique (if you could call it that), coming up behind her and placed his hands on her- one on her high elbow and another on her far wrist. "Lower your elbow and wrist. You want to try for a top-spin. Keep the tip of the cue slightly above the center line of the ball, with the cue itself elevating gradually."

With Demetri nearly flush with her back, Katherine adjusted her cue and carefully struck the ball.

A growl rolled through the room and the cue ball went flying.

Demetri and Katherine stood and turned to the door. Alec and Jane were standing in the doorway, and Alec looked mad. Demetri's hands shot up and he backed away from Katherine.

"Alec, calm down..."

Alec did not calm down. No, he growled again- louder. He started snarling and stalking towards Demetri, who was backing away slowly.

Felix stood at ready, set to break up any fight that may break out. Jane looked at her bother incredulously, shocked that he would react so irrationally as to threaten his friend. Katherine didn't know what the hell was going on, but she assumed it wouldn't end well for Demetri.

Jane caught on to that as well, and she didn't like it. She did not like someone threatening Demetri, whether or not it was her twin brother.

Thought left her as she stared at the back of her brother. She could see every vein in his body. She could see the venom running through them. In her mind, she could see the venom start boiling and expanding- pressing against the walls of the vessels.

Suddenly, Alec screams echoed through the room, and Jane pulled back.

Alec whipped around and snarled before poncing towards his sister.

Demetri and Felix snapped into action. Demetri was going to grab Jane while Felix made his way to Alec, ready to restrain him as best he could.

Before anyone could touch another, however, the boys all flew back, colliding with different objects. Jane stood stone still, staring at Katherine.

The human girl looked possessed. Her normally brown eyes were stark white and pink lips were paled and dry. Her body stood tense and motionless- an impossible feat for a human.

Then...she snapped out of it.

The color returned to her eyes and lips and her shoulders sagged as she took a few shaky breaths, trying to regain her composure. Once composed, she walked over to Alec- who was now standing and brushing himself off- and shoved him with all her might. While he didn't budge, she did get his attention.

A long finger with a perfectly manicured nail pointed to the far corner.

"Corner." She growled menacingly.

He didn't move.

Her anger spiked and she all but roared.

"Now!"

Alec jumped slightly when he saw her eyes flash white.

"Alec," Jane called to him softly, but sternly. "Come."

Still staring at a fuming Katherine, Alec walked to his sister and they both exited the room.

Once they were gone, Katherine's ass met the floor.

"You alright?" Felix asked as he reset the billiard balls.

"Yeah," she breathed out, raking her hands through her loose curls, "Just a little wiped. What the hell was his problem?"

"He doesn't like other kids touching his toys." Felix explained, making Demetri laugh.

"I'm his toy?" She asked, nearly hissed.

"Yup." Demetri told her, grabbing a cue, "He had staked his claim before we even met you."

"Well then."

"Don't take it too personally," Felix told her, "It's not like he sees as an object or whatever you women freak out about nowadays. He's just really protective and territorial. You should of seen what he did to Demetri when the guy started courting Jane."

Katherine's eyes lit up as she shot her glance to other vampire in the room. "You and Jane?"

He rolled his eyes and smiled, "I wish."

Katherine giggled with delight and stood up, walking over to the pool table. "Adorable," she noted, "Is Jane totally against this then?"

Demetri smiled, "I'm wearing her down."

She smiled at him again as Felix broke the set of billiard balls.


"Halloween's tomorrow."

Katherine looked up at the doorway. She had made her way into Alec's bedroom as her vamps fed. It was further from their dining hall than the game room and really the only other room she knew well.

After he had finished feeding, he had followed her scent and went straight to his own room. He liked that she sought refuge in his space.

"Yes it is." She confirmed with a nod, urging him to continue onward to his point.

"Are you and your friends doing anything?" He asked, walking towards where she sat on the edge of his bed.

"No," she told him, "I have three tests on Monday, I can't risk doing anything."

He sat down next her, "Why are you so concerned with your grades? I mean, it's not like your future depends on them anymore."

She sighed and fell backward onto to the bed, "Because I have to see my parents in twenty days. The last thing I want with that meeting is my dad giving me shit for my grades."

Alec nodded and an awkward silence fell over them. Katherine didn't seem to be to disturbed by it, but it was gnawing at Alec. He didn't want there to be awkwardness between them, and he didn't want to be the cause of it. She was still upset with him over what happened in the game room yesterday, he didn't have to be a genius to figure that out. He wanted to apologize- because he really was sorry he had lost his control- but he couldn't do that without explaining everything to Katherine. No, she wouldn't let him slide by with a half-assed answer. And if he did explain everything, his desire to hold her, his need to protect, she of all people would probably get scared and pull further away from him.

"So, uh," He started, breaking the silence, "Why are you off early today?"

"Halloween." She laughed, "The high school kids have a Halloween bash every Halloween weekend to raise money for Winter Formal. Everyone past elementary school is released at noon so we can volunteer and help set up."

"You're not volunteering?"

"No, I am." She told him, "Just in a different way. Some of the girls and myself are baking treats to sell at the booths. We're just going to wait until late tonight to do it."

"Why?"

"Because everything is more fun when you do it at midnight." She smiled wickedly.

He smirked down at her, "I'll keep that in mind."

She raised and crawled over to him, her face mere inches from his own and her scent engulfing him.

"It might just serve you well." She whispered in a low, sultry voice. His eyes hooded and his only response was tempted smirk.

Katherine winked at him and sashayed out of the room.


2nd A/N: The text book doesn't exist, by the way. At least, not to my knowledge...