***New Poll Up***

I put up a poll about what should happen with Emmett's character. Go vote if you'd like!

NEWS ABOUT MY PROFILE: I've decided I'm going to get a little more proactive with my profile from now on. So, if I am taking forever to update a chapter, check out my profile under a new title that will say, "Message Center" and I'll be sure to let you know what's going on with me and when you can expect the next update. There might even just be a little note from me for fun, or some kind of news that has nothing to do with The Storm. I've updated it recently and changed my picture. Check it out if you'd like.

You guys always say I surprise you, but really, you all have a way of surprising me. There was that time you banded together against the Cullen Boys when they kidnapped me, the animosity when I killed of Rosalie of all people, and now… not a single death threat after that last cliffy. Seriously, you all blow me away. I have the BEST flippin readers in all the Fan Fic Land!!! I am so blessed. Thanks for all your support and all your reviews. You have no idea how much they mean to me. : )

Disclaimer:

Emmett: There's a poll about me? Cool. Hang on I'll be right back.

Capella: Uh, Emmett, I don't know if… (but Emmett is already gone, and then back before Capella can take a full breath)

Emmett: Kill me off?!!! One of the options is to kill me off?!!! Are you freaking kidding me? Do you have any idea what you put me through in the last chapter when you made it seem like you I was going to die? I swear I was about ready to eat your face off!

Capella: Em, that's kind of morbid.

Emmett: Well… Cappie… What do you call killing me off?

Capella: That wasn't the only option. The readers still have to vote, and they might not pick that one.

Emmett: 2 already picked it, out of 4! That's 50% of your voters want me dead. (looks at readers) I'll be watching through your monitor and the next person that votes me dead, well, if you thought life was bad for the carrier pigeon I ate…

Capella: (starts to whimper) Awww Pidge…

Emmett: And new love interest? I would prefer you kill me off. If that happens, and Rosie just happens to get a hold of this story, first she'll kill you off, and then she'll kill me. (looks at voters again) Seriously guys, avoid that one too.

Capella: Well there's the super secret one…

Emmett: I'm afraid to ask.

Capella: No don't, it's super cool. It'll have good shock factor I promise.

Edward: (no one sees him come in with a giant boom box, dressed in an orange pleather jacket and tight, black leather pants, with yellow shiny boots on and hair jelled like Elvis, he starts singing and dancing) I'm too sexy for my shirt… too sexy for my shirt… too sexy…

Capella and Emmett: (mouths drop open in shock because hello, who saw that coming?)

Edward: I'm too sexy for my Volvo… too sexy for my Volvo… too sexy…

Capella: (trying to force words to come out) Edward? What are you doing?

Edward: Trying to get you to forgive me. I'm too sexy for my hair… I just don't care…

Capella: ??? By singing Vanilla Ice???

Edward: I saw in your mind once you loved this song, and you'd thought it'd be super cute if I sang it.

Capella: (tries to deny it, but then realizes it is really super cute, and Edward really is too sexy for his Volvo)

Emmett: I'm so twittering this! (pulls out phone and texts "Edward is too sexy for Vanilla Ice" to his twitter account, along with a picture, to which immediately gets replies.

Rosalie's Reply: He's too sexy for those pants, that's for sure. Hey babe, do you think those would fit you?

Jasper's Reply: Who, Edwardo, lay off the mountain lions huh? You know they're like 6 shots of espresso to your vampire system.

Alice's Reply: Edward Anthony Mason Cullen! You need me to show you how to use your wardrobe.

Carlisle's Reply: Son, do we need to talk?

Esme's Reply: Edward, can Carlisle borrow those pants?

Carlisle's Reply: Seriously babe?

Mike Newton's Reply: Are you serious? Bella likes that? Dang, if only I'd known, maybe I could have upped my chances. Note to self, buy some yellow Dock Martins tonight.

Emmett's Second Twitter: Mike Newton follows my Twitter?

Vanilla Ice's Reply: Dude, Edward, you really are too sexy for Vanilla Ice.

Emmett's Third Twitter: Whoa, Vanilla Ice is following my Twitter? That rocks!

Edward's Reply: Am I forgiven yet?

LONG PAUSE HERE

Capella's Reply: Okay, okay, you're forgiven. : )

Edward: Woot woot! Come on Emmett, dance with me!

Edward and Emmett: I'm too sexy for my vampire… to sexy for my vampire… I'm just on fire…

Chapter 38: The Right and The Wrong

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Bella POV

Somewhere along the way, something came out of no where and knocked me in the stomach so forcefully all the wind had blown out of me in one hit. I struggled for air but I couldn't even find enough to scream.

Fear overtook me at once and then two strong arms were lifting me up and throwing me over a pair of sturdy shoulders, making fighting for air even more painful as the jerking movements of the walking caused the shoulder of my kidnapper to press against my stomach.

I watched in despair as the Cullen's house, and Edward inside, disappeared before my very eyes, and I was completely powerless to call for help.

I clutched onto my captors back for support while I was trying to catch my breath. I squeezed my eyes shut as each gasp for air painfully burned my throat. When it did finally become easier to breathe, before I opened my eyes, I tried to fight the panic that was beginning to attack. I tried to think of Edward, the farm, Alice, anything that would calm me down enough to keep my wits about me. That's what my mother had said, hadn't she? Those who keep a clear head survive. Right?

The thought that finally kept me from hyperventilating was so humorous it would have made me laugh if the situation had been different. It wasn't of the farm. It wasn't of Alice. It wasn't even of Edward, surprisingly. It was a thought that annoyed me so much, as well as amused me from the irony, my panic shut down from sheer irritation and disbelief.

How many times had I been taken against my will now? This was the second time I had been kidnapped, not to mention being sent to this blasted country. And then let's not forget that I was attacked in the forest… twice, with a third attempted attack on the beach. And the final blow… how did I actually end up in this country? I was shipwrecked by a storm.

I was beginning to think perhaps I was a danger magnet.

I was also beginning to think that this was getting old.

How much longer was I going to play the damsel in distress? I was tired of it. Hadn't I been through enough? Wasn't there a limit to how much one single individual could endure? If there was a limit, I was sure I'd reached it.

Instead of an overwhelming sorrow, I could almost literally feel my skin thickening. Normally I would have been shedding tears by now, but I was done with that. I'd cried all I'd had, and there were no tears left to shed.

I didn't even fight against my captor. I was too agitated to even be afraid. I placed both my elbows on his back and rested my chin on my hands. I let out a puff of annoyed air which blew a strand of hair out of my face.

"So," I said sarcastically, looking at the trees we passed as he walked. "Where are we headed?"

He chuckled incredulously, jostling me in the movement of his shoulders. "Back to the capital," he answered just as boldly as I had spoken before.

"Of course we are," came my reply, sarcastic and not the least bit surprised.

"You're not afraid?" he asked thoughtfully, and I couldn't find the malice in his voice I'd expected. I suppose it was marred with astonishment.

"I probably would be if I were thinking clearly," I answered, my tone still conversationally acidic. "But I think I may have finally reached delirium. No, that's not right. I don't think I'm crazy… yet, just… done."

"Done?" he asked in genuine curiosity.

"I'm giving up." My resolve sounded so complete, the words surprised me coming out of my mouth.

"Why?" I could feel his head turn to look at me, but I was still staring back towards the retreating trees. I shivered in the night air.

"I can't win. No matter how hard I try, I'll never get what I want. I keep losing the things I love. I keep getting taken places I don't want to go. Everyone I touch ends up hurt because of me… or dead. No matter how hard I fight, I always lose. Why even try? Just take me and kill me if you'd like. I don't really care anymore."

The words sounded strange coming out of my mouth. I was surprised I was telling them all to this stranger, who was kidnapping me no less, but it seemed like I was processing and realizing these truths as I spoke them.

"That's sad," he answered, and he sounded like he meant it, but I let out a sarcastic chuckle anyway. "What?" he asked upon hearing my laughter.

"That's a very interesting and compassionate thing to say to the woman your kidnapping."

He chuckled at that. "Well, it would be if I were a sadistic murderer, which I'm not by the way. We're not going to kill you. I'm just doing what I think is best for my country."

I looked down at his uniform. It was red. "Our country," I said.

"Oh this," I couldn't see him, but I knew he was looking at his apparel. "Ha ha, this isn't mine."

"Walt," came another voice sharply that caused me to lift my head and twist around. I hadn't realized we weren't alone.

Both men had silenced and by the time I finally got around enough to see the second man, who was also dressed in red, he had turned around so I couldn't see his face. I took advantage of the position I was in and looked at my captors face before I rested back against his shoulders. I felt shock at the recognition.

"You're one of the men from the dock. One of the one's that disappeared."

The second man turned around to stare at me and I saw he was the other from the dock.

"You too!" I exclaimed. "You were the men that helped kidnap me in the capital, and then held me at the docks. "

The man who held me chuckled again.

"Correct. It was a pretty brilliant escape if I do say so myself. No one even saw us jump off the bridge. By the time you realized we were gone, it was too late. We waited just off the shore and then tracked you to the little farm. We were waiting for the boy to fall asleep, and then we were going to go in for you, but of course you just made it too easy by coming out yourself."

Despite my resolve to no longer care what was going to happen, I felt anger start to shake me. I couldn't help it. I finally began to kick and hit against him.

"Now, now… come on your majesty. That will just make things harder for you." His voice sounded strained, and I felt him trying to maneuver around so he could prevent me from attacking him.

I didn't give up. I kicked and beat and screamed. It wasn't until I bit him that he threw me to the ground. I landed with a hard jolt that sent a shock of pain through my body. I let out a cry as it did.

When I looked up two men were holding swords just at my throat. One of them, the one that was holding me was older, perhaps Carlisle's age, but he had a strength about him that reminded me of Emmett. I found that there was no anger and hate in the way he stared at me, although in my current state it was hard to see anything but.

The second man was younger, perhaps not much older than Emmett and Jasper. His expression was a bit more stern than the other's, but there was something else there… Indecision? Discomfort? Even the sword in his hand was shaking as if this was the first time he'd ever taken anyone prisoner before.

"Now listen," said the man who had been holding me. "We can do this the easy way, or the hard way." His expression was serious, but the intimidation of his voice was more authoritative than threatening. "Either way, we're getting you back to the capital. I don't want to hurt you. I like you. Surprisingly. I think it'd be best if you went back to that hopeless attitude of yours, and we just continued peaceably."

I felt an instinct to defend myself rising up in spite of my "hopeless attitude," but I knew I was defenseless against their weapons.

The older man sheathed his sword, but the younger kept his pointed at me. My captor held out his arms. "Shall we?"

I glared at them both and then stood up. "I'd like to walk… if you don't mind?" I added sarcastically.

"No, of course not," the older man answered with a smile plastered across his face. "It just makes things that much easier for me."

I almost changed my mind just to make things "that much more difficult" for him, but the remembrance of the pain that that ride inflicted stopped me.

He motioned for me to move forward, and after the younger man took his place in front to lead the way, I followed after with the older man on my trail, heading back to the very last place in the world I wanted to be right now.

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Alice POV

I wondered at how Jack was able to move through the tunnels without any sort of light. It was almost as if he were a part of the very castle himself. You could feel the confidence radiating off him as he moved effortlessly through the dark.

He held my hand as we pushed forward to keep from losing me. He warned me when we would be treading down stairs. Every once in a while, he would stop and push against the wall where a tiny little opening would appear. We'd peek through and I could see different parts of the palace.

The ball room was my favorite. I even took a minute to look around at the decorations since I'd missed it as we ran past when we first came through the palace.

When we came to an opening that showed the kitchen, Jack said he'd discovered a plot here once by the cook to poison the king. He told his father who performed an investigation and found it to be true. The cook was put to death and his father was promoted.

"My father took all the credit, as usual," his voice was slightly bitter, though I could tell he was trying to hide it, and I pulled back to look at his face barely lit by the opening in the wall. "The king made him head of court."

"He didn't tell the king that it was you who discovered the cook?" I asked incredulously.

I saw the anger on his face just before he reached forward and snapped the opening shut. "No. My father's always been hungry for position, and grasped for whatever power he could get his greedy little hands on. If he's survived this mess, it will be he and the king that will decide what to do next. He acts as advisor as well, even though that's not his title."

"You and your father, you don't get along." It was a question that I already knew the answer to, so it came out sounding more statement than query.

He chuckled humorously in the darkness. "Is it that obvious?"

I didn't answer. He took my hand and started walking again.

"My father and I," he continued thoughtfully, "rarely see eye to eye. He was against peace you know." He sounded guilty as he admitted this, as if he were giving away a top secret of the government. "He advised the king against the union of his son to the princess of Belai, but the king didn't budge. He said it was his son's decision, and well, Jacob never really liked my father." I could hear the smile in his voice.

"I thought it was a good idea, even if I was opposed to the idea of a Belai princess as our future queen. But I wanted peace. My brother sided more with my father. He wanted to be a soldier, which our father forbade, much to Riley's annoyance. " I flinched at Riley's name. My short memories of him were not incredibly pleasant.

"Did you know the prince?" I asked.

"Knew him, yes. I've lived in this palace for thirteen years, but we were never what you might call, close."

"Why not?" I asked curiously.

He laughed wistfully, lost in a memory. "Much like my father, Jacob and I never really saw eye to eye."

"Is there anyone you see eye to eye with?" I asked in jest.

He laughed at that.

"The prince was a pain," he said instead of answering my question. "Well, I guess he would be king now, wouldn't he? That will take some getting used to." He gave me a quick chuckle before he continued. "I knew him mostly in his teen years, and we lived very different lifestyles… and I'm not talking about him being a prince, and me being the son of a judge."

I looked at him curiously even though I couldn't see his face. I think he sensed it.

"Jacob had a very large bout of rebellion, and shared a huge lack of regard for the issues of this country. He spent a lot of his time in the company of…" he paused and I could sense him looking at me, deciding if I was too "delicate" to hear what he was going to say.

"Women?" I finished for him, the picturesque fantasy I'd always had of the prince suddenly diminishing.

He chuckled. "Yes. It annoyed me. Being my father's son, I knew a lot about the war and what was going on, the injustices in our country, and I knew Jacob was going to be our king one day. It bothered me that he didn't care. I didn't want to serve a man who had no compassion for his people.

"Now that I'm older I think I get it. He lost his mother when he was very young, and no one helped him deal with it. He had to learn how to survive on his own."

I felt a wave of sympathy for him. I don't know what I'd do if I lost either of my parents.

"He's changed a lot in the last few years. I was proud of him for his plan for peace. It was a night and day turn around, though I'm not sure what caused it. All I know is that one day I looked at the prince and knew he was a man I could finally respect. Of course by then we were older with too much animosity in our history to start a friendship."

"Animosity?" I asked.

He was quiet for a moment, and than answered with a hint of pride, "Let's just say I was never afraid of the death penalty for letting the prince know how I felt about him. I knew the power my father had, and the favor he had with the king. I used that to my advantage."

He didn't laugh, but even in the dark I could sense the smile on his face.

"Are you older than Jacob?" I asked, feeling strange calling the prince Jacob as Jack had done.

"Yes, but just by a couple years."

If I remembered right, the prince was eighteen. So that made Jack twenty. Two years older than Jasper. I found myself appealed to his older age, surprisingly. I'd never thought about things like that before.

I was afraid of the direction my thoughts were heading, and nervous that I was going to say something foolish, so instead I tried to continue on in his good humor.

"Well that doesn't sound fair, the older boy picking on the younger. Wouldn't that make you a bully?" I kept my tone light so he would know I was joking, but he answered anyway.

"I was a bully with good reason."

"Oh, and what would that be?"

"Someone had to toughen up the prince."

"And you take full credit for that do you?"

"Indubitably."

He stopped again and pulled open another latch on the wall. "This is the courtroom," he said.

I hesitated before I looked through, my eyes stilled on Jack, and when I finally did I'd wondered at why he stopped here. The room held nothing of interest to me.

"This is where I watched my father work."

I looked at him surprised, and he nodded for me to look back.

"Even though I was angry with him all the time, I liked watching him work. It was kind of exciting to see that my father was important. Even with our bitter relationship, I still wanted to please him, and I thought if I could see what was important to him, I would know how to do that. So I watched him judge our people. It didn't take long for that desire to please to become something else."

"What do you mean?" I asked, not daring to take my eyes off the court room, the light humor from before suddenly completely washed away in a river of past and present tensions.

"My father was… unfair. He was an inequitable man who ruled with unmerited justice. He didn't serve justice the way it should have been served. Innocent people were imprisoned, or put to death.

"It didn't take long for me to see that my father," he said the word bitterly, "had no heart and no compassion. I swore if I ever followed in his footsteps, I would be different. I would do better."

I finally looked up at him, and he was staring at me thoughtfully. When I didn't turn back to the courtroom, he put a hand up just above my head to rest on the wall behind me. He was now only inches from my face and I leaned back against the wall, my breath increasing embarrassingly.

When he spoke his voice was low, but determined and passionate. "I swore to myself that I would be a man this country could trust. A man our king could be proud of. I would be a good father, and I would be a man worthy of the love of a good woman."

He smiled after he said this, and I could feel my cheeks starting to burn. I looked away hoping he wouldn't see the blush, even in the dark.

"Jack, I…"

He quickly closed the latch, took my hand again and pulled me forward before I could say anything else.

"Come on Alice," he said, his voice laid with tension. "We're almost to the underground tunnels. There's a safe house we'll come to where we can look for your brothers."

I felt a knot growing in my stomach. Yes I wanted to find my brothers, to make sure they were okay, but they weren't the only face my heart was searching for.

Here, running through the dark, hand in hand with a man I unwillingly found handsome, kind and thrilling, who just poured out the secrets of his past in full confidence to me, who seemingly wanted me, my stomach continued to twist into impossibly tight knots, and all the rest, the chord of who I was, was unwinding and undoing itself.

I felt helpless. I felt lost. I felt excited.

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Bella POV

We'd been walking at least a couple hours, and the Cullen house, as well as my favorite Cullen boy, was feeling farther and farther away. I felt blisters forming on my feet and my thin wedding shoes were beginning to tear. They weren't designed to walk through the dirt. I wasn't dressed warm enough for the winter night weather, and I'd seemed to have grown permanent goose bumps on my skin.

As uncomfortable as I was physically, none of it mattered. Nothing compared to the sense of hopelessness that was consuming me. I was never going to be with Edward. I was never going to go home. I was never going to be happy.

But I wasn't as depressed as I should have been. I'd just accepted it. I was tired of fighting. I was tired of trying. I was tired of losing. So I didn't care that my feet were in pain, that my body was chilled through or that I had absolutely no idea what was going to happen to me. I just kept going, a lamb being led to the slaughter.

"We should have just stolen a couple horses," complained the older man, whose name I had learned was Walt. "We'd be there by now." I looked up at him. No one had spoken in hours. All I could hear was the sound of our foot steps against the dirt trail we followed, crickets chirping and birds cooing in the distance.

"Well it's too late now," answered the other man, whose name was Oliver. "We need to rest. They'll be waiting for us in the morning."

I looked over at Oliver. "Who will be waiting?" I asked before I thought better of it.

Oliver shot a glare at me.

"The men we're passing you off to."

"What men?!" I demanded.

"Walt!" Oliver spat.

"What?" Walt replied obviously not affected by Oliver's warning. "James already told her his plan. I don't see why we should have to keep anything back."

"James' plan to be king?" I asked, turning behind me to stare at Walt. "James is dead."

"We know," Walt answered seemingly having no emotion for his dead leader. "We were prepared for that, although I don't think James was." He laughed as if he was in on some great joke that everyone else was missing, and Oliver started to prepare a fire.

"Prepared?" I asked curiously, wondering if I was going to learn the truth or not. I knew Walt would tell me, if Oliver didn't stop him.

"Demetri. The last of our little four man renegade."

"Walt, that's enough," Oliver demanded halting his work on the fire pit.

Both Walt and I shot our heads over to Oliver, who appeared livid and agitated. His hands were clenched into fists, and covered in a little dirt from the ground. He seemed to be calming his breaths.

"I'm going to go into the trees to look for some wood. Watch the girl and keep your mouth shut." It looked strange, humorous even to see this boy almost half Walt's age ordering him around like the king of the world. I wondered if that irritated Walt or not, but when I looked at his face he seemed unaffected.

After one last look, Oliver disappeared into the woods, and as soon as he was gone Walt said, "Boy needs to lighten up. I know we're in a war and everything, but a bad attitude isn't going to make anything better. Sit."

He pointed to a stump on the ground, and I willingly took a seat and leaned up against the wood, glad to finally be off my feet. Walt took a seat next and leaned up against a tree. We'd found a clearing about half a mile off the trail, and my captors thought we'd be safe here from prying eyes.

I huddled my arms around my knees and tried to get warm. I jumped when I felt something hit me and I found a red coat belonging to my country against my legs. I looked up surprised at Walt who nodded toward the coat. "Take it," he said kindly.

I stared at him for a moment, not understanding his kindness, feeling almost too proud to take the offering and throw it back at him, but at the same time too cold not to.

I slipped my arms through the sleeves and then huddled up again, casting my eyes at the unlit fire pit Oliver had created.

"No thank you? I thought princesses were raised better than that," he chuckled, not actually sounding offended.

I looked over at him incredulously. "You want a thank you? Okay, here's one. Thank you for kidnapping me. Or, how about this; Thank you for taking me back into the war infested capital against my will where you have plans to hand me off to some "Demetri" whose going to do who knows what with me. Is that enough? Or would you like another? How about this one; Thank you for taking me away from the love of my life, and cutting short what could have been or last moments together, or perhaps any chance we had at running away and being happy. Thank you Walt. Thank you very, very much."

I gave him one last glare, clenched my jaw and then dropped my chin against my knees. I felt like an overgrown child throwing a tantrum, but I didn't care.

I wasn't sure what reaction to expect from Walt, but it certainly wasn't the laugh that followed my little tempestuous rant. I refrained from looking up at him, squeezing my eyes shut tight in annoyance.

"I'm glad you find my pain so entertaining," I said sarcastically.

"Oh no dear," he answered in between chuckles. "I don't find anyone's pain entertaining. It's you. You're perhaps one of the most entertaining humans I've ever met. You say whatever's on your mind, and the things you do say are always so comic and unexpected. And then you're clumsy to boot."

I scowled in the darkness, but I still didn't look at him. He continued, his laughter dieing but not from the sound of his voice. "I wish I could keep you around Princess Isabella, but unfortunately, I have to do the right thing."

"The right thing," I repeated bitterly. "How do you know what you're doing is the right thing?"

His laughter completely died then, and though he had become more solemn, he didn't drop the wistful smile off his face. "These countries need peace. That's what's good for everyone."

I scoffed at him. "In case you hadn't heard, that was the plan before you invaded."

"Marrying the prince was never going to bring peace. It isn't enough to stop the animosity between Belai and Weidinhun. The only way this country will ever know peace is if one country conquers and takes over."

His smile was now completely gone and the look on his face told me he truly believed everything he was telling me now.

"I've been a man of war since my youth," he said, and I didn't doubt him. Even for an older man he encompassed an immeasurable strength. "But these countries have always been too evenly matched. This plan to surprise attack when it was least expected, to have the numbers that we have, more than we've ever had before, there's no chance we'll lose."

I stared at him incredulously, and a new fear gripped my soul. I hadn't really thought too much about the winner and what that would mean for me. If Belai did win, I wouldn't have to be queen anymore, but then I thought of Carlisle and Esme and Alice and Edward and what it would mean for them if their enemy country took over.

"Where does that leave me?" I asked timidly, almost afraid of the answer.

"With James gone, Demetri will take his place as the new king, and you'll be his bride. He'll need the royal standing."

He was quiet for a while and I let that sink in, a thousand images of this Demetri and the horrors that lay in store for me as his queen.

"We're all in unity on this plan. It will work. Eventually, under his rule, our two countries will become one, and without the Weidinhun's to oppose us, we'll have no reason to go to war, not to mention a more powerful army to conquer other countries."

I couldn't speak. I couldn't reply. The idea of my country, my people, conquering Weidinhun, and then expanding their efforts, for land, for "peace," it felt like poison in my belly. I felt sick and nauseas. How could we have been capable of that?

"I'll admit," he continued, "I'm not the biggest fan of this part, giving you away to Demetri. I wouldn't give my own daughter to that man, but it's a necessary evil for the greater good."

"Huh," I breathed in disbelief, his confession about Demetri running through my mind. I was already picturing him as a far worse creature than James.

"That's enough," came Oliver's voice from the trees, and then he appeared before us, a stack of branches and logs in his hands. His voice wasn't as firm and demanding as it had been before, and I when I looked over at him, he wouldn't meet my face. He looked almost sad, though I couldn't possibly imagine what was going on through his head.

He began to stack the wood on the pit, and arranged some kindling beneath it.

Walt was still looking at me, a sad wistful smile on his face.

"Can I ask you something princess?"

I clenched my jaw, trying to balance my anger, my hopelessness and my sorrow into an emotion that wouldn't finally drive me over the edge.

"Why not?" I said sarcastically, trying to distract myself from the emotions welling up inside at the information I'd just learned.

"You said earlier we'd taken you away from the love of your life." I felt my stomach twist in pain and from the corner of my eye I saw Oliver look up at me. "What was his name?"

A tiny spark flared up onto the kindling and flames slowly began to rise. I set my eyes on those flames and pictured his face. "Edward." I breathed out his name and it tasted bittersweet on my tongue.

"Edward," he repeated thoughtfully, and I wondered if that same unbothered smile had returned to his face, but I didn't look up from the logs that were now just beginning to catch the flame. Oliver blew on them to make it grow. "If we hadn't taken you tonight, do you think you would have gone back to the capital, or run away with your Edward?"

I thought about it. I didn't really want to talk about this with this man, but I couldn't help but think about his question. Would I of? Could I have left him again? Could I bear walking away from his beautiful face another time by choice, when I knew that Weidinhun was without a king and needed a queen?

"I don't know," I said answering myself more so than Walt.

"Really? Why not?" he asked, still sounding genuinely curious, as he always seemed to.

I paused for a moment, trying to form the answer in my head before speaking it aloud. When I finally had it, it made more sense to me than anything else had all night.

"You seem confident that you know what is right and what is wrong. I've spent my whole life trying to balance the right thing against what I want, but the mind and the heart are rarely in unity. I find myself often calling my heart a traitor. It always wants what my mind knows is wrong, and it kills me inside a little more each day. Every second I spent away from Edward was torture, but being in the capital, being Weidinhun's queen, working toward making a difference, as much as it hurt, it always felt like that was right. Like that was where I was supposed to be."

"Hmmm," came his reply, and I looked over at him, feeling as if I was coming out of a dream. He wasn't looking at me. His eyes were now staring at the fire thoughtfully.

I looked back and found Oliver sitting in front of the fire, his eyes too captured by the flames. He had a bag of nuts in his hands and was slowly pulling them out and putting them in his mouth. He looked as if he was far away from here, somewhere were the world was too sad for comfort.

For a moment I caught his eye as he glanced up and gave me a sad, frustrated look. He didn't seem to notice I was staring back, until recognition colored his eyes and he quickly looked back down.

"Hey Olli," Walt called out, his cheerful tone back changed the atmosphere once again, although my disappointed mood was much the same. "Pass me some of those nuts will ya? And give some to Bella. She's probably hungry to."

"No," I said, but my stomach growled in protest. I wrapped my arms around my belly trying to silence the sound.

"Don't be stubborn Princess," Walt said tossing me the nuts. "You've got more walking to do in the morning, and you're going to need all your strength. We won't have time to hunt for meat, so eat up."

He stared me down until I pulled out a handful of nuts and began to eat.

He smiled satisfied and I gave him back the bag.

"You sleep Oliver. I'll take the first watch," Walt said turning to his partner.

Oliver nodded in response and then laid out next to the fire. He didn't look up at me again, but the flames cast a glow on his face and I saw that he had that same sad, frustrated look as his eyes stared up at the stars.

"You too Princess," Walt said to me, and I didn't feel like arguing. My body ached for sleep. I instinctively moved closer to the fire, drawn to its' warmth, and the goose bumps on my skin finally started to disappear.

I replicated Oliver's stance for a while, placing my hands behind my head and staring up at the stars, but that just made me think of Edward and my pain increased, so I closed my eyes and listened to the sounds around me, letting them lull me to sleep; the birds in the trees, the crickets in the grass, Walt whistling a tune to harmonize with them. It was almost as if nature itself was singing me a lullaby, which once again, made me think of Edward, and my stomach lurched inside.

Fortunately, it didn't take long before I finally was able to drift off, and for the first time since I had left Belai, I dreamt of my beautiful green eyed stranger. He held his arms open, welcoming me back like an old friend, and we sailed away on a ship to a place where nothing could ever tear us apart again.

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Alice POV

We were underground now. I was sure of it. The air was different here, then again, the air had been stuffy since Jack had practically confessed he'd wanted to marry me, took my hand, and ran me forward. He hadn't said a word since, and the already awkward tension was magnifying.

What I hadn't expected, was that I couldn't get that confession out of my head. I was having trouble concentrating on what I was supposed to be concentrating on. I was losing focus and I couldn't stop picturing it.

Jack and I standing at an alter, me looking radiant in a silk white dress, the most beautiful thing I'd ever worn in my life, more expensive than I could ever afford.

I saw us at balls, dancing, breathtakingly stunning, every one's eyes stayed on us.

I saw us at court, him in the judges seat, governing our people with righteousness and justice, while I sat off to the side, watching and supporting. He'd look at me every once in a while, just to see I was there, and I'd smile in encouragement. He was good and fair, and Weidinhun was a beautiful and safe place for people to live.

I saw our children with our same dark hair, his blue eyes and my fair skin, beautiful and lovely.

I saw my life in the palace as the one I'd always wanted. The life I'd always dreamed of.

But what more, and how much more beautiful than even living in the palace, was living with a man who was there. A man who didn't tell me he loved me, and then would leave. A man who didn't suffer from a stubborn pigheadedness, inconsistent decisions, changing his mind all the time, not telling me how he felt, making me feel he hates me one second than loves me the next.

In that future, my husband was open and honest and caring, and I felt beautiful and loved and lovely.

I'd known Jack for less than a day, but in that future, I knew where I stood.

I still didn't know where I stood with Jasper.

The thought irritated me so much, I let out an audible frustrated sigh. Jack stopped then to make sure I was okay, but I urged him on, figuring he probably thought I was crazy now.

Is it possible to know after only a day that someone is so right for you can't deny it? Emmett knew the moment he met Rose he wanted to marry her. Edward took a little time to figure it out, but he loved Bella from the start.

With Jasper, it took longer for me to come to love him. It grew slowly and steadfastly, but with Jasper, I never received love back in return.

Did I love Jack? In a way I suppose. Not the same way I loved Jasper, but love grows. With Jack I knew I'd be happy. I knew I'd be taken care of. I knew I'd be loved. I knew him for a day and he'd shown me that. How much more after a lifetime?

With Jack I felt… safe. My heart felt safe.

With Jasper I felt… scared. My heart was terrified of being broken.

I instinctively squeezed Jack's hand tighter, as if I was checking to see he was still there, even though I knew he would be. I knew he always would be if I chose him, if I allowed him to pursue me. He squeezed mine in return and I felt the mood lighten.

"We're here," he said stopping and breaking the silence. "There are a few safe houses in Weidinhun. This is the one my brother, mother and I hid in when we were younger."

There was a little bit of light slipping through the wall above us. It shown down and cast a gentle glow on Jack's face, highlighting his eyes. He stared down at me and for a moment he didn't move, didn't speak.

Finally he lifted his hand, though I didn't see it, and pushed the hair from my face, sweeping it back and lightly smoothing his fingers down my neck.

"Promise me something Alice," he said with all seriousness.

"What?" I asked, feeling too stunned at his previous gesture, and stupid for not catching up to his mood.

"Promise me you won't do anything stupid. Promise me you'll listen to what I say, and you'll keep yourself safe."

I didn't answer at first. I couldn't concentrate on his words with his hand resting so lightly just at the base of my neck. I felt chills go down my spine.

I opened my mouth to form words, but none came.

"Alice?" he said, his eyes squinting in confusion.

"Yes," I spat out reflexively. "I promise." I tried to remember what it was I had just promised, but I couldn't. In this cloud I was currently lost in, I would have done anything for him.

He chuckled in the darkness, and the sound was beautiful, like music.

My heart was sinking and ascending at the same time. I felt thrilled and guilty all at once. But why should I feel guilty? Why should I give up something that felt so good and so sure over someone who had spent years rejecting me and breaking my heart over and over?

Jack's eyes disappeared into the darkness, and all of the sudden I felt a pair of soft lips on my forehead. Despite the wide range of emotions running through me, I smiled.

"I don't expect you to fall in love with me now Alice," he said, and my eyes widened. I hadn't expected an outright confession. "I want you. I do. Don't doubt that. I would marry you today if I could. I know I've only known you for such a short time, but I feel incredibly drawn to you, like a force I'm completely powerless against.

"You're beautiful and wonderful and selfless and good. I saw all that in all the decisions you made today, and I have to tell you that I haven't seen that in a long time. Not from anyone I know in this palace, or this capital. I don't know where you come from, but I don't care. I wouldn't care if you were a Belai.

"I know it seems crazy, after only a day, but I know what I want, and I want you Alice, I do. And I promise, if you accept me, I'll spend the rest of my life wanting you, and loving you, and taking care of you. Whatever you want, ask and it's yours.

"Like I said, you don't have to answer now. Think about it. Until then, I'm here, and I'll help you find your brothers."

He touched his fingers onto my cheek like little kisses and lightly ran them down till they rested under my chin. I couldn't see his face but I closed my eyes anyway and soaked in this moment.

He lifted up my chin, his head resting on my forehead, and I felt it coming. A second kiss, and it terrified me, but I wanted it. I wanted it desperately.

He ran both hands back across my cheeks, my temple and through my hair, until he rested them on the back of my neck.

I felt his hot breath against my skin, and I found my own breathing had stilled, in fact, I wouldn't doubt it was gone forever.

All sense of who I was and where I was and what was right and what was wrong was gone.

With bated breath I waited for him to close the gap, longing to meet his lips with eager anticipation.

And then his hands were gone, and he had backed away. The cloud dropped and changed to a fog, and I was utterly confused. Jack chuckled softly.

"Think about it Alice," was all he said, and then he was gone.

My eyes opened wide in shock, and I stared out into the eternal darkness.

What had just happened?

I tried to focus, tried to regain my bearings, but it was useless. My legs were mush. My senses had crumbled. How did he do that?

A light suddenly poured in all around us illuminating the walls on either side. I saw Jack on a ladder and there was a square shaped hole in the ceiling where the light was falling in.

He wasn't looking at me, and as my head started to clear I heard him speaking.

"It's okay, we're Weidinhun. We're just trying to get through."

Jack looked nervous and on guard, but he climbed up and then motioned for me to follow him.

I hesitantly clutched the ladder, which was made of wood and began to climb.

He reached for my hand and I felt a strange shock race through my body at the touch. He smiled down at me, but I'm not sure what my expression wore. I felt too dizzy for it to have been anything that would have assured him. It probably just further confirmed his suspicions that I was crazy.

He pulled me into the house, and as soon as I was in I heard a loud, audible gasp.

"Alice?"

My heart froze. My brain stopped working. I knew that voice as well as my own, and the sound of it shook me to my core. My heart started pounding in my chest, and I was too afraid to look up, too terrified that it wasn't real, that he wasn't really there.

"Alice," it came again, this time with tears in his voice.

Finally, I brought my head up, as if his very voice had taken control, as it always had, melting my heart, as it always had.

My eyes widened at the sight of him, and I took in all the love and adoration in his eyes, and I felt as if I was exactly where I was suppose to be. As if I had been drawn here from the very beginning.

"Alice," he said again, and I ran to him.

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A/N: Is it Carlisle? Or is it Jasper? Or is it Emmett? Or who is it? We don't know what time this is taking place in occurrence with the war outside. We don't know if it's over. Jack did say there were many safe houses, so don't assume anything. Just let me drive you crazy… like always. ; )

So, I had every intention of bringing this chapter to the end of the last cliffy, but then it would end up being like 40 pages, and that's just too much. So, I hope you enjoyed, read and review. Love you all!

P.S: So I went back to reread a few chapters I needed to remind myself of certain things for the story to keep its' consistency, and I found this line, which gave me chills when I read it. It's right after Seth tells Bella the story from the prologue.

"I could feel my heart start to turn. I knew the outcome of this story before he even told me. I was after all, a princess, and in our world, true love didn't exist, and if it somehow crept its' way in, it was doomed before it began."

So foreshadowing of how the rest of this story has gone. I also thought it was cool because it's so anti the princess movement, don't you think?