AN: Looking for a Beta, anyone out there interested?

Chapter Two: Extraordinary

"Move it, Swan!"

Here I was, slayer boot camp. I gotta tell you, It wasn't as easy as I was expecting. Even with the super strength and infinite healing powers, they REALLY prepared you for everything. And to make matters worse, all of the Drill Sergeants really had it out for me. I think it's because they knew I was in love with a vampire.

"You call that a push up?"

I sat in the mud, rain pouring on my head. They pushed me harder than the other.

"Wow, Swan, that's really weak!"

I crawled under barbed wire, faster than ever before.

"Move it, Maggot!"

Tears fell through my eyes. I made it out of the barbed wire. Lucky for me it was raining, so the didn't know I was crying. I grabbed the rope and began to climb up the wall.

"People are DYING, Swan! Are you going to save them? How can you save them when you're going this slow?"

I made it over the wall, obstacle course over.

Sergeant Harris blew his whistle at me. Signalling that this was all over. He walked over to me. and put his hands on my shoulders.

"This is more than just a fight for you, isn't it?" He said softly. He knew I was crying.

"Yes, Sir." My voice cracked over the sound of rain and thunder.

He brought me into a hug. "When you're out there on the course, don't listen to what anyone says, not even me, you're extraordinary. I haven't seen dedication like this since…" He trailed off.

I couldn't stop thinking about the hug he was giving me. Is he allowed to hug me? I shrugged off the thought.

"Thank you, sir. I do my best."

I thought about who he could be talking about. It was probably Buffy. We've all heard about her by now. Rumor has it Sergeant Harris himself fought side by side with her. And the way he drills us, you'd believe it.

…

"Bella, How was the drill?" Carmen called me from her bunk.

I shrugged. "It could've been worse."

Carmen began to make her way over to my bunk, and she took a seat next to me and began digging through her pockets.

she pulled out a little silver necklace. It was a cross.

"I want you to have this."

I stared at the necklace in awe.

"Carmen, I…"

"It was my mother's. And I want you to have it."

"Carmen, I can't. It's beautiful bu-"

"I insist." she said cutting me off. She had a soft smile on her face. I could never say no to that. I took it from her hands.

"But why?" I asked.

"Because you're my sister, and I could never had made it this far without you."

A tear lingered in my eye lid and dropped gracefully. I grabbed carmen into a hug.

"Just one more week. and we're out of here."

"Yeah," she said, pulling out of the hug.

"Where do you want to go?" I asked.

"I've always wanted to go to Michigan, I can't lie."

I laughed. "Why Michigan?"

"Because the upper Peninsula is like a mystery up there."

I smile. "Michigan, It Is."

We sit there on my bed for a minute while I fiddle to put on my new necklace.

"So…" Carmen began hesitantly, "What are you going to tell your dad?"

"what do you mean?"

"Are you going to tell him you're the Slayer, or are you just going to play off this whole Army cover?"

I was taken aback. I hadn't really thought about it. and I never wanted to lie to my dad…

"To be honest, I might tell him, but it won't be for a while. You know what I mean? I'll just play out this Army thing as long as I can. I just wish i could go back home and not feel like I'm going to die."

"Die? Bella, you're practically indestructible."

My smile flattened out. "Not literally die. Just...mentally. I was really in love with this guy...this…"

"Vampire." She finished for me. "It's okay. You can say it."

"Well, he left me, thought he was too dangerous for me, I suspect. Ironically enough now, I'm probably more of a danger to him. But it doesn't change...anything." I pause. I feel the water works coming on. Ugh, this is stupid. Crying is stupid.

"You still love him." she said softly. I love that she just completely understood everything i just said.

I just nod once, trying to pull myself together. I sniffle quietly and rub my eyes. "But that doesn't matter, we're over. and now I need to figure out who Bella is, you know? I just spent a whole year as 'Bella, Edwards girl.' And now I just have to be Bella."

Carmen smiles, " You're taking this a little too well."

I reply in a flat voice, "Hello, I'm dying on the inside. God, aren't you listening?" I punch her teasingly in the shoulder, even though what I said was true, and I pass it off like it's nothing.

"But you're right, " I say, " I guess I really could be off worse."

…

Boot camp was over. I looked at all the girls around me, most of them were going to head home before they were "Shipped off" to war. But not Carmen and I. We sat outside on the stoop and just watched as everyone piled into their cars and said their goodbyes.

"Did you two figure out where you were going?" The door was opened behind us and it was Sergeant Harris, he took us by surprise. He wasn't wearing his typically Army garb, he was wearing some baggy jeans, sneakers, and a hawaiian shirt. This must be his down time.

He took a few steps towards us and sat down next to me.

"We're going to try out Michigan." Carmen simply stated. "Figured what ever kind of nasties are up there, we can handle it." She smiled.

"If you're talking about the ghettos of Flint, I think that's a bit out of your territory."

We laugh.

"We're going to the upper peninsula." I say.

"Oh," Harris says, "So...basically Canada?"

"Yeah, I guess so!"

"I did read somewhere that we'd be able to see Canada from where we will be living. It's right across the lake." added Carmen. "Sault Sainte Marie, Michigan."

"Well, I wish you luck, girls. I know if anyone can do some good in this world, It will be you two."

"Thank you, sir!"

He stood up, He saluted us. We smiled.

He walked away slowly and began to walk to the next group of girls, probably wishing them luck as well.

Carmen turned next to me, "Hey B, I'm probably going to make sure I have all my stuff together. Let's leave within an hour?" She started to stand up.

"Yeah, that's fine. I'll just be here." She walked to the door and stepped inside.

I sat there for a few moments by myself, just thinking, feeling the warmth of the sun. Part of me felt so alive, and the other part just felt like dying. But as the day goes by, that dying part of me fades just little by little. I'm excited for this new adventure. I'm ready to figure out who Bella is.

Suddenly a girl sits next to me. She's very rugged. Her eyes were dark, her hair was dark, her clothes were dark. She pulls a pack of Marlboro lights out of her pocket. I'd recognize that pack anywhere. Renee had a weird smoking phase when I was 8. and then quit shortly after I was 10. She keeps rummaging around in her pockets.

"Hey, do you have a light?" Her voice is gruff.

"I'm sorry, I don't."

She rummages around for several more seconds until she looks into her pack of cigarettes to notice that was where her lighter was. She lights it up and takes a big inhale.

She exhales slowly. "My name is Liza. What's yours?"

"Bella." I say quietly.

"Have you ever had a cigarette, Bella?"

"No, I haven't."

She takes a quick drag and pulls it out of her mouth. "You want to try it?" She puts it in front of my face.

I grimace a little, "Maybe later."

She laughs. Puts the cigarette back in her mouth. she laughs because she knows, I might not ever see her again.

"I didn't like my first cigarette." she said matter-of-factly.

"Then why do you smoke?"

She stews on that question for several seconds. A couple drags.

"Sad girls smoke cigarettes." she answered plainly. "And you looked pretty sad, you looked like you needed one."

I raised my eyebrows slightly. "Why would you say that?"

"I saw you over here all by yourself, and I know what it looks like when someone is dying. So hang in there Little Bella, you're a Slayer. You got this."

…

Carmen and I pile into our Greyhound Bus, We had several different stops to make before making it to Michigan. We take our seats, and try to get settled in before the bus takes off. The doors close. This is our new beginning.

AN: Hi everyone, hope you enjoyed chapter two, a lot of original characters, and hey! Xander made a cameo! So that's always cool. I was so excited to see all the people that have read the first chapter :D I mean, no review so far, but a lot of people have taken interest! This means the world to me. and if you're wondering why i am putting them in michigan, it's because that was we're I was born and raised. I felt like, hey, it's my fanfiction, I'm going to make them go to my favorite place in the world! Which is the upper Peninsula, in Michigan. Please R&R