Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight

Chapter 10

BPOV:

The white flakes fell ceremoniously onto the already covered ground. From the window, the world looked to be a winter wonderland, the flakes the happy residents of this mystical world. I only wish I had been invited to live in that happy world.

Turning I gathered a change of clothes and put them in my back pack with all the non-perishable food I had found in the kitchen, enough to last me awhile. Tucked in the front pocket was a hairbrush and a few twenty-dollar bills that had been sent by my father that my mom had given me for "someday." I didn't own any pants so I had to sneak a pair of Alice's slacks earlier this morning. Leaving a couple of my twenties in exchange. I didn't have a jacket either, so I felt bad but I took what looked like a light rain coat from Rosalie that didn't look too expensive or well worn, leaving my last twenty as payment.

Walking down the stairs silently as I had been for years I evaded Rosalie, and by thinking of nothing but finding my "lost" toothbrush I ensured that Alice wouldn't have any visions of me doing anything but searching the bathroom for my toothbrush, which was currently in my backpack—in case I ran up with society anywhere. I resolved to head north, knowing that somewhere I would find an abandoned cabin with a thermostat I could turn off.

My mother was still sitting rocking by the window. "Mom, I'm sorry but I have to leave."

"Why Bella? The Cullen's have food I'm sure, wait until they get back." Her small nearly silent voice replied.

"I'm not coming back mom. I don't belong here. The Cullen's well they're nice, but they're not my family. You are." I sighed; I hadn't realized how hard this would be to explain. "But you need to stay here, they can take care of you better than I ever could. You know me, I hate being cared for. I'm independent, and always have been, you're the one who taught me to be so." I placed my hand gently over hers.

"Oh Bella, I won't stop you. I can't bring myself to do so—you're so much like your father. So beautiful, so independent. I've never seen your face, but I know you have a heart of gold Bella. Don't let anyone ever tell you any other way." She sighed then continued. "I had no idea how to raise you. But I never needed to; you raised yourself, and did a great job. I only wish I had been a better mother." A tear escaped from the corner of her eye.

"You tried. It wasn't your fault." I embraced my mother for the first time in years.

"But your disease. I could have insisted your father take you to see some sort of doctor. I could have helped you learn. I could have taught you, but I didn't." More tears flowed.

"You taught me how to be patient, and how to live with my disability." I tried to reassure her. "Mom, I love you, and I always will. This place, it's just not for me. And I feel like I'm burdening the Cullen's, forcing them to keep all their lights off and making them paranoid that I could die on their hands. If I were to die, I wouldn't want anyone to be responsible, which is why I have to leave mom." At this point silent tears were streaming down my cheeks. "I read the medical book mom. I know what could happen."

Renee let out a soft sob. "You've beaten almost all of the statistics already. Most kids with your disease don't live past ten, much less sixteen. It's just so hard. Because I know you're right, I've never met an adult with HSAN type four before." I embraced my mom tighter with these words.

"I know." I sobbed. "And I can't let anyone be blamed for nature taking its course. God never meant for me to live long I suppose." I pulled back to take a look at my mom's face, staring into her cloudy but unseeing eyes. "Like that book dad sent me, Marley and Me. Remember when I read it out loud to you?" My mother nodded a half smile on her lips. "There was a line in there-"

She cut me off knowing where I was headed. "Dogs go away to die."

I smiled through my tears. "Think of it like that mom. Please, don't let the Cullen's come after me. But if they insist on looking tell them I headed East, hopefully I'll be way out of their way by then."

"Alright. I love you Bella. I know I was silent so much, but I do. And that's why I know you have to do this. I just wish, I could see how beautiful you've become." This sentence caused more tears to fall.

"Someday mom, someday in heaven." Without another word I kissed Renee on the forehead and hugged her goodbye. Then I grabbed my backpack and headed out the door into the snow of the front yard.

Looking at the trees I headed east, because the only place the Cullen's could go to hunt was north, so I'd have to weave my way around them. Hopefully I would have quite the head start if Renee stalled like I hoped she would.

Not even my mother could deny medical science. The book my dad had sent stated that fifty percent of HSAN patients died before the age of ten, ninety of what was left by fifteen, and only one patient had made it past twenty, only to die two years later at twenty-two. And it was said that women seemed to die much sooner than the males. I was sixteen, and I wasn't sure what I would feel before I died. But something was off, and I didn't want the Cullen's to be blamed if anything happened.

Quickening my pace I headed towards the road…trying to suck it up and be brave, but my efforts were in vain.

Because this could be my last day alive…

?POV:

I saw the girl exit the house. I glanced at the snap shot in my hands. She had said the girl was home alone, and though I couldn't see her face I assumed she had dyed her hair. It had to be her, I'd been waiting six hours for the signal, this had to be the girl!

After a moment I realized she had a backpack on and was headed towards the woods! She was trying to evade me! Well this wouldn't do, not at all; no one evaded me on my watch.

Without a sound I approached her from behind, grabbing the sack out of my pocket and throwing it over her head.

To my surprise she didn't struggle much. So much for having vampire strength. The backpack on her back was pretty heavy so I resolved that as soon as I was far enough away from the house (that the Cullen's wouldn't discover me if they decided to return early) I would take it out and throw it away.

My captive was unusually silent. Hm, oh well, all the better for me. I smirked thinking of all the torture I would inflict on this idiot creature.

"Breathe deeply Rosalie, because these breaths will be your last."

AN: Sorry I didn't have a beta, again. (Also the statistics above are not true statistics. I altered a few medical facts so it'd fit with this story.

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