KARI

I wasn't sure how long I cried before I dropped into unconciousness. That black state was much easier than being awake and feeling the pain. I wasn't sure how long I'd been out when I started coming to.

I noticed a few things that didn't seem quite right. The first being, the pains in my hand and rib weren't as intense as the had been before. The second was, I was clothed. I opened my eyes to inspect myself.

I was wearing a long sleeve black shirt and a pair of gray sweat pants. Both were a little big on me but I take what I could get. I glanced at the hand the Jasper stepped on. It was in a black cast. My chest felt a little strange so I used my good hand to feelunder my shirt. Someone had taped up the rib. I'd be grateful to whoever did it if it wasn't for the fear of them just hurting me worse.

I sat on the floor and, with nothing better to do, I began thinking more about my current situation. In the back of my mind, I was considering taking the offer. Not because I wanted but because I was sick of waiting for someone to come safe me. Besides, I'd always been one to save myself anyway. For whatever reason, Edward wasn't coming.

Did I believe he wasn't looking for me? No, I refused to believe that. I wouldn't believe anything Bella said to me. He probably wasn't having any luck finding us. I knew who intelligent Bella was and after six years of war, they've all probably learned how to hide effectively. That coupled with the fact that Alice can't see me, it would be almost impossible to find me.

At the same time, though, I worried that I wouldn't be able to control myself without help from Alice, Edward, and Esme. So if I got away from my captors then I might attack innocent humans. That was definatly something I didn't want. Then I'd have to attack humans while I was being trained. The would have to believe that I truly turned on Edward and the others. Quite frankly, after dealing with vampires first hand, I don't think I could willing attack a human if I changed. It would seem semi hypocritical.

I knew I couldn't get anywhere without training. Which made simply running after the trnasformation out of the question. It didn't help that I had no idea where I was or how to get back to Edward. The only logic thing at the time was to try to hold out until Edward and the others found me. I prayed it would be soon. I didn't know how much longer I could keep this up.

I heard the door at the top of the stairs open again. I looked up to see Carlisle walking down the stairs. His look was different from Bella's and Jasper's. They usually had a sick and amused smile when they looked at me. Carlisle's was looked like he was trying not to give anything away.

"Good you're awake." he said as he continued down the stairs. "I wanted to speak to you before Bella and Jasper came back."

"I know what you want and my answer remains the same. I won't do it." I said as he leaned casually against the wall beside me.

"But you haven't even heard what I was going to say." he responded in a mock hurt tone.

"Well, seeing as I'm probably going to have no choice but to listen, talk. But I want you to know that I won't budge." I said. I tensed up waiting for punishment for the tone I was using. It didn't come. Carlisle simply let out a light chuckle.

"First, you have to forgive my son and daughter." he began. "They've spent five years in a war where they had to use violence to get what they wanted. And they've spent the last year using their abilities to force humans into what they want. They don't understand, with some humans, it's a matter of talking and putting things on their level. And not treating them like a lesser species."

"So you think talking to me about it, is going to change my mind. I don't it but go ahead."

He chuckled once again before continuing.

"Bella and Jasper treat you the way they do because they can. You are too weak and defenseless to stop them. Although, the do love it when you try. Anyway, the point is, if you take the offer, they wouldn't be able to hurt you anymore. In fact, you could probably get a few good swipes at them if you wanted. You could hurt anyone that's ever hurt you if you wanted. I know somewhere inside, you're still angry at Edward about what he ordered us to do to your family. You could make him pay. No one would ever push you around again. People would bow to you. You could have everything you've ever wanted."

"No. First of all, Edward and I talked about why he had them killed."

"Please enlighten me?"

"He was showing them mercy because it what I wanted. He didn't realize that's what it was at the time. He thought it was his want to punish me. But once he figured out how he felt, he knew it was because sending them to that would break me even more. And secondly, if I wanted people to bow to me, I figure out a way to do it without making them fear me. Besides, I've experienced exactly what it's like to have to bow to you, I'd never force some body to do it. As far as being pushed around goes, I don't mind so much, now. Those people who hurt me then just prepared me for now. I'm stronger because of them. I don't want to lose the chance to keep getting stronger. Then with Bella and Jasper, I'd rather they hurt me everyday for the rest of my life than live enternity knowing I'm a monster. Besides, if I turned just to get back at them, then I'm no better than they are. And the only thing I want right now is to be with Edward and my getting that would defeat the purpose of my tranformation. I am supposed to help you kill him after all."

He stared at me for a minute. He had an amused smile on his face.

"Fine. I guess we'll just have to wait for you to break." he said and went back up the stairs.

I stared after him. I laughed to myself a little bit. I couldn't believe they were convinced that I was going to turn. If it were Edward offering, I do it in a heartbeat. I knew he would stop me from doing things I would regret.

"Where are you, Edward?" I whispered to the air.

I curled up into a ball on the cold basement floor. I was still freezing, even with the clothes. I laid there praying I would some how end up in his warm arms. (A/N: The is metaphorically speaking. I know his arms aren't really warm. The reference is from the song Set the Fire to the Third Bar by Snow Patrol.)

EDWARD

I laid on my bed thinking about the events of the past two weeks. We searched and burned every house that Carlisle ever owned. We even checked out Charlie's house while we were on Forks. Charlie had left it to Bella in his will. There was nothing there. We burned it down too.

It was as I had expected all along. Carlisle had bought places that we didn't know about. We did everything we could to find those places. We used the fear of our last name to get bank records and other personal information about Bella, Jasper, and Carlisle. Even with all that, we came up with nothing.

It was killing me. I didn't know where she was or what was happening to her. There was only one thing that I was sure of. She wasn't dead. I knew Esme had been right when she said they wouldn't kill her because Bella wanted me to be present when they did that one. She knew how deep it would cut me.

Finding her was still one of our priorities but we had other things to worry about. We had to figure out what we were going to do with the humans. Now that we didn't have to keep up the fascade with the other three, we didn't want to hold them here against their will. We decide to send them back to their families. In fact, we were going to drive them back to their homes, personally. We wanted to discuss our new position with them and let them know they no longer had to fear us.

We knew this was going to take some convincing on our part. We also knew that things couldn't go being unsaid. If we were going to try to change the world back to what it was then we were going to have to slowly gain their trust back. Returning what we took from the families was a good start.

We were also working on a plan for the ones that didn't have any family left. Esme was planning on giving them the house and moving us into a smaller one. I was okay with that. We were also talking about tranforming the warehouse into apartments. But those things were still in the planning process.

I knew that doing this shoudl be more important to me but I couldn't stop thinking about Kari. I still blamed myself. I should've just killed her that day. She would be a lot happier now. Or at least she wouldn't be treated like she was nothing. I didn't even want to think about how bad they were hurting her.

I knew that her baby was long gone. It broke my heart to know that I couldn't stop that from happening. It broke my heart that I didn't have any idea how to find her. Mostly though, it hurt so bad that I couldn't feel her warm arms around me. I needed to find her.

I got up off the bed and pulled the box of Bella's records along with the things she left at the house out from under it. There had to be something I was missing. Maybe Charlie had property somewhere other than Forks.

I picked through the box of things she left here t for a few minutes before I did find something I over looked. It was a locked rather large diary. The front read: The diary belongs to Renee Dwyer (A/N: Renee does seem like the type of women who would keep a diary at her age.)

I ripped the lock off and opened it up. A folded piece of paper fell out. It looked official. I picked it up to open it.

A/N: Go ahead yell at me for this but I think it's fun keeping you in suspense. REMEMBER THE SCARY MONKEYS IN YOUR SLEEP. CLICK THE BOX AND REVIEW.