DISCLAIMER: 80%+/- of the characters ain't mine!!!

Previously

She pat me on the shoulder before running to the boys' car on the other side of the lot. I closed the door of the car for Alyssa and admire the car some more.

Then there was a loud screeching sound and a blue van was making its way to me.

Oh my wasabi.

* * * * *

Bella POV

No, no, no, no, no! My family can't save me without raising suspicions, I can't transform unless I want to upchuck my lunch and get crushed while doing so. I was literally frozen with fear. I couldn't move a single god-forsaken muscle; I couldn't make up my mind because either way would endanger us one way or another.

My family on the other side of the lot, my 'parents' in the school were too far to reach me at human speed. They know that I would not want them to give up the secret for me and so they were sprinting towards me.

I closed my eyes as the van made its way closer and closer to me.

Well, on the bright side, I'll be joining my biological family in heaven. Oh, who am I kidding? Goodbye cruel world.

Just when I thought I would be crushed, nothing happened. Yeah, really. Nothing happened.

FOR LIKE ONE FIFTH OF A SECOND!

I felt cold hands push me onto the floor, with my very fragile human head hitting the side of the car and the floor. Then there was a loud 'BOOM!' then silence.

As in a really silent silence. Am I dead?

As soon as that thought entered my mind, the noise started.

My eyes fluttered open and guess what I saw? Julius' hands stopping the car- or at least what's left of it-, and can you guess who I saw cradling me? No, not Richard, not Alyssa, not Circe, not Louise, not Peter. Can you guess? No?

It was Edward Cullen. He looked at me and I looked at him until he carefully handed me to Julius and took off with his family.

"Bella, stay with me. Don't go to sleep," Julius shouted.

"Julius, I'm not deaf," I moaned quietly. "I feel sleepy."

He ignored me and shouted, "Richard!"

That was about the time I blacked out.

* * * * *

I woke up in a hospital ward. Now that shocked me. I mean, I am a vampire and all... Oh, wait. The plan. The Cullens. The van. (A/N: Ha-ha.. Plan and van rhyme too... I'm such a poet)

I transformed into a human before that. I looked around the room. Alyssa was in a corner, doodling blankly on a book while Julius was looking out the window.

It appears that they didn't notice that I was awake.

"A-hem!" I cleared my throat loudly.

Julius and Alyssa turned to me. "Bella!" Alyssa squealed and hugged me, although she was careful because I was still human. "I'm so sorry I left you! I should have stayed with you instead of checking out the boys' car then maybe none of this would've happened! You wouldn't be here and we'd all be fine and dandy but no... I just had to look at the Aston Martin. Bella, please forgive me! I fee so guilty! I'm--"

"Alyssa it's okay. You're forgiven."

"Oh my gosh! Thank you, Bella! I love you soooo much! Oh, I gotta tell Circe you're awake!" Without waiting for any acknowledgment, she ran out of the room.

I turned to Julius. "Hey."

"Glad to see you're okay, Bells. Alyssa wouldn't go to sleep unless you woke up and told her she was forgiven."

"Julius, did the truck do something to your brain? Because last time I checked, we don't sleep."

We laughed for a while. "It's good to have you back." He gave me a hug.

When we pulled away, I asked,"So, what did I miss?"

"Oh, nothing much. Circe and Richard bought another house to actually store our cars since our other house is in the middle of the forest. That and--" Before he could finish, Edward's head poked through the door.

"Am I interrupting something?" he asked casually.

"Er... No. I was just leaving." Julius stood up. "Talk to you later, Bella." He stuffed his hands in his pockets and left the room.

"Hey," I greeted.

"Hello. I don't think we've officially met. I'm Edward Cullen. You're Bella Swan." I smiled and shook his hand. He flashed me a crooked smile.

Oh my gosh. I think I'm in love.

No! He's a vampire! You have to kill him! That is your mission!

"Thanks for saving me back there, by the way," I said quickly to distract myself from those lips...

"You're welcome."

"Oh, where did you go after you helped? I wanted to thank you earlier but you just left."

"I had... Uh... Some family business... to attend to."

"Mmmhmm."

"So have you noticed anything... unusual about your family?"

Why was he asking this? "Other than the fact that they don't seem to age, are way too pretty and are freezing cold? No. That's all I noticed."

"Do you know what they are?"

Play clueless, Bella. Don't blow your cover. "Not normal?"

Edward chuckled but turned serious again. "Honestly, do you know?"

"What exactly are you getting at, Edward?"

He shrugged. "I have this... Urge to protect you and..."

There was silence. "Edward, I appreciate the fact that you want to protect me. I'm fine with that. But I just met you and I have known my family for 12 years. I'm sorry to say that I don't trust you fully, Edward. And from the way my family is acting, I can tell that they don't really enjoy your company."

Edward nodded solemnly then suddenly he burst out laughing. "What's so funny?"

He stopped laughing but continued smiling. (A/N: God.. I forgot what to write...) "I never expected you to trust me, Bella. It's my choice completely to protect you. I just... thought that this is something like Romeo and Juliet. Except it's not our dads that are against us being together. It's our whole family."

"Yeah. It's a lot like Romeo and Juliet but I don't really love you now do I?"

"Oh, you don't? I thought with my charming good looks..." He did a pose.

We both laughed some more. "Oh, aren't you the ladies man?" I ruffled his hair.

There was silence. Then he looked at me straight in the eyes. "Bella, I was serious when I said that I want to protect you. From todays events, I can tell that you have some rotten luck--"

"Why would you say that? I only got practically hit by a van."

"Only? Bella, you could have died from that!"

"I know, dad."

Edward rolled his eyes. "Can you at least promise me something?"

"Anything for the man who saved my life," I said dramatically.

"Be safe."

I smiled softly. "I will."

Our lips were slowly moving closer to each other. One side of my brain was screaming for me to stop, reminding me that I was about to kiss a vampire but the other side was coaxing me to kiss him.

And guess which side was winning?

Sadly, though, just when my lips brushed against his, the door flew open revealing a very angry Louise, followed by my family and two more vampires I didn't recognize.

"Get away from my sister, asshole!" Louise snarled and tackled Edward to the ground.

Oh god. "LOUISE! WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING?" I shrieked but immediately regretted it. Those words hit me like a fresh slap on my oh so fragile human face. (A/N: See chappie 2/3)

I smacked my hand over my mouth. That was what Emerson said when Jane was torturing Marissa.

Emerson. Marissa.

Peter and Julius took Louise off Edward while the other two stood on either side of him.

Tears streaked down my face at the words I shouted earlier. Circe was immediately at my side, comforting me just like my mother did back then.

My mother.

She died. They killed her. They killed my family. I miss them.

I miss them so much...

I can't fail this mission. For they're sake.