-Twilight POV-

My breathing quickened as Embry came racing through the doors and shoving everyone out of the way. I'd just mellowed down enough to give my speech on what our best course of action would be when they burst in. I had begun to criticize Embry for his horrible timing when I heard Paul shouting every derogatory word in the book at some unknown victim. Before anyone could even fill me in, I was outside, racing toward the trees where Paul was writing, pinned by both Jake and Seth, whose nose looked slightly misshapen. I didn't even bother to task, I only pushed through them.

"Careful, Twi." Seth told me as Paul turned his half mad eyes on me. I didn't even flinch; I'd seen the agonizing look many times in Volterra, both on myself and my many comrades.

"Bitch!" Paul spat, glaring up at me.

I gave a slight laugh that came out as a horribly twisted sound.

"You're right, I am. I am a bitch... even you mean the literal form of female dog." I pointed out and knelt beside him. "Listen to me Paul, this isn't you. You're going crazy because you think you're losing Mai. Well, that's not the truth. You aren't losing her because I'm going to fight for her."

Paul laughed this time, sounding just as I had only moments ago. I could see the madness crawling in his eyes, threatening to pull him under.

"You're just like him!" he snarled. "The bastard that took Mai away from me!"

Despite the fact that I knew the truth in the words, they still came as a slap in the face. Yes, I was a half-Vampire, but it didn't mean I was a traitorous bastard like Domeinico. Well, I was in a way, but only because I believed what I was fighting for was right. Domeinico, if I had to guess, was being incredibly selfish by kidnapping Mai.

"But I'm not..." I began, pulling myself out of my thoughts. "I'm different. I'm fighting for her... to bring her back."

Paul began to speak, but I placed my hands on his head and shushed him. Paul struggled for a moment and threatened to snap my arms, legs and non-existent fangs if I didn't unhand him, but stilled as the memory took over. As a last minute thought, I pulled myself into the memory as well.

"Sissy! Sissy!"

I turned to the small girl peering over the top of my bunk, her shaggy blonde hair going every way but the right way. She was holding her small tattered blanket that Domeinico and I had given her on my own birthday. She carried it everywhere with her, even though her physical age should have indicated that she should be beyond such things.

"Yes, Maia?" I asked, addressing her by her full name. Instantly Mai crinkled her nose, hating the way it sounded. As she put it, only her 'poppa' and uncle could call her Maia, everyone else had to refer to her as Mai. It always made for an interesting game.

Tonight though was different. Mai's face was set in a stone mask, her light blue eyes seemingly focused elsewhere.

"Sissy, can I tell you about the ocean?" she asked, clambering up onto my bed.

"The Ocean?" I questioned, having not heard of the term yet.

"Yeah! The pretty place that sparkles and is endless!" She told me, raising her hands in the air. "It's made of entirely water, but it's not normal, it's salty!"

"Salty water?" He asked, making a gagging motion.

"Yeah! But it's really pretty and it's blue! That my favorite color you know!" Mai crowed, giggling. "But in some places it's green and you can see the bottom. That's the coolest time, when you can see the bottom. Then you can see the rocks and fish."

"What's so cool about fish? They're just bland slabs of meat, aren't they?" I asked.

Mai gave an exasperated sigh and shook her head.

"Sissy, they're colorful creatures... like really really colorful! Once when I was swimming with Domey, I saw a nearly rainbow colored one!" She giggled. "And then, our food came from there, that's the kind of fish you've seen Sissy!"

I nodded a bit as Mai crawled over to me, taking the pillow to herself with a smile. I could see that her eyes were starting to droop, meaning I only had seconds until she crashed.

"But the best part is, is that at the sunset, it's really romantic." Mai whispered, nuzzling to my side.

"Romantic? What do you know about that kind of thing."

"Uncle Lothario talked about it all of the time and how he courted Domey's mom. He said that it was great to watch sunsets on the beach with your one true love..."

Mai yawned, her mouth stretching into a pink O as she did. As soon as she was done, she returned her gaze to me, a slight smile on her face.

"Sissy, promise me that when we get out of here, we'll fall in love with people and watch sunsets together, okay?"

I nodded and ruffled her hair.

"Are you marrying Domey though?" I asked after a minute.

"Noo, not anymore." She told me, scowling sleepily. "He likes Cassia way too much. All he does is hang out with her."

"I know how you feel..." I told her, kissing her head. "But when you find Mr. Right, he'll always want to be with you."

She nodded a bit and held onto my waist.

"I love you sissy. You're the greatest."

I released the memory and found Paul's eyes staring into my own, the mad beast quelled.

"Thank you..." he whispered before standing up. "Now, it's time Twilight. We need to tell everyone what we're doing."