Disclaimer:This story is based off of the characters written by Stephanie Meyer in the Twilight Saga. I do not own any of these characters.

"…This is nothing personal, let me assure you, Bella. Just thirst."

"Please," I gasped.

Laurent shook his head, his face kind. "Look at it this way, Bella. You're very lucky I was the one to find you."

"Am I?" I mouthed, faltering another step back.

Laurent followed, lithe and graceful.

"Yes," he assured me. "I'll be very quick. You won't feel a thing, I promise."

(Stephanie Meyer, New Moon)

Bella

Edward sang loud in my ear, "Run!" his angels voice snarled, and I desperately wished I could oblige.

I frantically tried again and again to lift my feet, one foot, even to throw myself to the floor of the meadow, but I could do nothing. I stood there frozen in shock, awaiting my death without the ability to even attempt an escape. My heart thrummed wildly in my chest, and again I willed my brain to gain some control over my body. To try to listen to my vast hallucination of Edward's voice, and allow myself to move.

Laurent took a few steps to my right, paused and then moved back the other way. Examining me, his eyes becoming deeper, darker as he listened to each erratic pulse of my heart. I stared back at him, frozen, prey to the most deadly predator to walk the Earth.

And though I knew that I was afraid, this was not the same fear that had struck me when James had lured me to the ballet studio last year. No, I was afraid, but at least I wasn't afraid for anyone's life but my own. My right hand instinctively twitched at the thought. Laurent's gaze flicked to my hand and rested there a moment.

He cocked his head to one side and was suddenly right in front of me. His gaze still on my wrist, and then his hand found mine. He lifted it toward his face, gently, and turned it over, then slowly raised his other hand and traced the crescent scar.

The growling protests from Edward's voice were suddenly far away as Laurent's cold touch brought back memories of the love that had left me behind. Before the pain could engulf my insides, Laurent murmured,

"Unbelievable."

He continued to stare intently at the scar and slowly began to shake his head. His eyes met mine, millions of questions swarming behind his dark red - nearly black - eyes. My breath hitched in my throat and he brought my hand the rest of the way to his face. He inhaled my scent, just above the scar. His eyes closed, and when they opened again all questions were gone. His eyes had hardened, and he was back to being nothing but the predator that was his nature.

He barred his teeth and something rumbled low and dark as his mouth snapped over my arm.

Everything seemed to happen in slow motion.

One moment Laurent had his teeth in my wrist, the next he was across the field and backing quickly away, wide eyed.

Blood pounded in my ears and I blinked tears away as I watched in mottled confusion at why Laurent looked so utterly...terrified. Then I became vaguely aware of the giant furry beasts moving out from the trees behind me. The bears. I thought, panicked.

Edwards voice ripped again. I couldn't understand the command this time, but it sounded more pained than angry now. I had little time to register, let alone relish in this change, as the giant creatures surrounded me.

Regardless of their closeness, none of the bears seemed to notice I was there, their focus was solely on Laurent. I stared at the darkest beast at the point of the forming V, growing more and more aware of the fire blazing in my hand.

Not bears, I noted, examining the the form of the black creature closer, wolves. I glanced quickly from body to body, all of them wolves. Far larger than any wolf I'd ever seen though. The black wolf snarled then, and Laurent was gone. Running off deep into the forest. The beast lurched after him and three others followed. They were faster than I'd ever imagined wolves could be, but I knew there was no chance they'd catch up to Laurent.

My vision was fuzzy, and as I blinked trying to focus through the fire, I was suddenly incredibly aware that I wasn't alone. I turned my head subtly to the left and met the gaze of a red-toned wolf.

I could feel my eyes widen in fear, this one was smarter than the rest. He'd stayed behind for the easier kill, while his pack mates would all chase after the impossible. He would have his meal right here. No fuss. My heart raced.

I met the giant wolf's gaze, resigning any hope I'd kept on surviving this encounter. But what I saw in his eyes was like nothing I could have imagined. The wolf looked pained, almost worried. My breath hitched in my throat again, and I blinked tears from my eyes ferociously.

It held my eyes for a moment before another emotion flitted across his expression, annoyance it looked like. It huffed out a short breath, before digging its front paws into the ground and launching after the rest of the pack.

Just as quickly as they'd come, Laurent and the wolves were gone.

...

My head spun as I realized I was alone. The smoldering flame that was eating through my arm felt very far away. I sank to my knees as my vision came in and out of focus. My body wanted desperately to react to the pain. Unthinkingly, I cradled the flaming hand to my chest, squeezing the wound as though I thought I could squeeze the pain out. I could feel my body shaking, wanting to writhe. To throw itself back into convulsions, anything to get away from the pain. But even with this, my mind was somewhere else completely.

I thought about what was happening to me, as though I were watching through someone else's eyes.

What felt like a lifetime ago, this was something I had wanted so completely. Every part of my being wanted this life for myself. I wanted to be strong, and graceful. I wanted to feel comfortable in my skin. To know I was beautiful, no - more than that, something extraordinary.

I wanted to be unchanging. I dreamed of peace in this sort of stillness, forever. But now, I had no one to share this gift with. My Edward was gone, he'd left me - abandoned me - to find more exciting things to fill his time with. The hole in my chest gaped wide, with enough force to match the fire creeping up my arm. I choked out a sob.

I knew he no longer wanted me, and what was eternal life without eternal love?

Knowing what I'd lost, knowing I could no longer live that dream, did I want this? Could I do this on my own?

I squeezed my eyes shut, none of that mattered. I knew it was too late to decide against this life. The venom was spreading and soon I would become a vampire weather I was ready for it or not.

A hollow cry of pain echoed through the clearing and my head spun. It took me a moment to realize the cry had come from me. I blinked several more times as the fire grew and I continued to think about what was happening to me.

I was becoming a vampire. The grief struck me out of no where.

Charlie. No, no, no, NO. Charlie.

Alarm rang through me, I couldn't stay here. I tried to get to my feet and a wave of nausea rolled over me. My vision went dark from the fire that seared from inside me. I had to get out of here. Whether it be wolves or a search party I couldn't stay in the forest to let them find me.

It took everything I had to get to my feet. My head spun, and my knees were weak, but I made it. I stumbled back where I'd come, and as I reached the edge of the trees another realization hit.

I couldn't go back to my truck. I couldn't try to drive anywhere. I had to leave it here, I had to make it look like I had disappeared. My breath quickened and I fell to my knees again. My clouded thoughts were strewn with curses of being so navigationally challenged.

I fleetingly wished Jacob were here, to help get me to where I needed to be. Another stab of grief pierced the hole in my chest, ever growing, it felt like it may actually consume me now. Would he blame himself for my going missing? I hadn't seen him since he'd gotten sick after the movies, barely talked to him at all because I couldn't see him. I hoped he didn't put this on himself.

I shook my head trying to clear it, it was no use. This pain could not be cleared.

I needed to get out of here, I needed to get the the Cullen house, to hide. But there was no way I could get there on my own.

I could feel the tremors and sobs rumble through me, and they didn't feel real. The pain I felt was unparalleled to anything I thought anyone could experience. I was burning in every sense but the literal. I grieved for the life I was leaving behind, for all who I would hurt by leaving.

My vision went dark for a moment, and came back red around the edges. I fell forward onto my hands and attempted to crawl back into the clearing.

I could feel myself slipping away, and to stay focused I chanted to myself,

"Get to the Cullen's house. For Charlie. Get to the Cullen's house. For Charlie. get to the cullens house. for charlie. get to - the - cullens - house. for char..." and everything faded away.

...

I was briefly aware of another presence, I was also aware that I was not moving enough to be able to attempt to get to the Cullen's house on my own. In and out of the darkness, I kept chanting. Willing myself to move.

My only wish was that the wolves would find me before any search party could.

...

Pain washed through my torso, it shook my entire body. I was on fire. I was burning. I was dying.

"CHARLIE!" I screamed. Knowing I shouldn't be yelling for my dad. I couldn't afford to attract any attention. Grief ripped through my mind again as strong as the flames that spread through my body. I sobbed his name once more and succumb to the darkness again.

...

My eyes fluttered open, I stared at a familiar ceiling. I screamed, hoping this nightmare would end. I wanted to wake up, I wanted to not be on fire anymore. All the pain from the darkness of the the forest in all my nightmares before this combined, could not compare to the fire ripping through my body now.

Wake up. I willed myself. It's a dream. Wake up and the pain will go away. Wake up. Wake up! WAKE UP!