A/N - We're gonna get to some action in a few chapters. I hope.

Boring disclaimer you can probably skip: All rights to Twilight belong to literally everyone but myself. That's an exaggeration... All rights belong to Stephanie Meyer.

Despite my fear of planes, I would play Victoria's game.

As it turns out, the nearest airport wasn't far from where Victoria killed Lauren and Jessica. Though I hated doing what the red-headed bitch said, I wasn't risking the Cullens or anyone else. I moved quickly in case Victoria was wrong and Alice could still see me in her visions.

When I emerged from the other side of the alley, understandably shaken, I had stopped a young couple to ask them for directions. Perhaps it had been the blatant fear and determination on my face or the rigidness in my voice, but either way, they had told me where to go, but not before asking if I was okay. If it wasn't for them, I was sure to have walked around in a daze.

I had steeled myself, shoved my emotions into a little box, and nodded and smiled at them before I went on my way. As I flagged down and settled into a taxi, I had to open the passport to remove the credit card. I didn't know how much was on there, but those thoughts immediately vanished when I saw the picture on the passport.

It was me alright. A heavily edited photo of me.

My hair was short, just below my shoulders, and a startlingly vibrant shade of orange-red. A beauty mark was just below my right eye. With a sigh and a mental curse to Victoria, I handed the driver - a very happy man whose name I've already forgotten - the card and instructed him to the nearest store so I could get what I needed.

If I thought it would work, I would summon Victoria and strangle her with my bare hands. Was this her idea of a joke? It was glaringly clear that she had seen the pilot of Alias. I was sure she realized that I'd have to wear outrageous clothes to match the outrageous hair.

I didn't spend much time in the store, quickly grabbing a box that looked bright enough to match the red hair in the photo. When I arrived at the crafts aisle, I nearly whimpered as I picked up a pair of scissors. I also took an eyeliner pencil for the stupid beauty mark. Just as I was about to head to checkout, an idea struck me and I headed deeper into the store until I found what I wanted.

By the time I made it back inside the taxi - where the driver so kindly waited - I had an outlandish outfit, along with hair dye, scissors, gloves, an eyeliner pencil, a hoodie, and a suitcase. In the backseat, I stuffed everything in the suitcase except for the hoodie. I slipped it over my head just as the taxi pulled into the drop-off area at SeaTac International.

While I strongly hated Victoria, I had to give her credit for thinking this through. The Cullens were smart enough to realize the closest airport was SeaTac. I'd be long gone by the time they realized to check the cameras, but I didn't want to clue them in on where I was going.

Before I got out of the car, I tucked my hair inside the hoodie and pulled the hood over my head. I walked inside, pulling my suitcase behind me, and bought a one-way ticket to Iceland. The Cullens would eventually discover my trail, so I may have to take another flight when I land.

Until then, I marched to a mostly empty gate and went inside the bathroom at the end of the hall. Considering the factors, I highly doubted anyone would come in. But just to be safe, I pulled the mop from the bucket - a promising thing, showing this bathroom was rarely used if there were cleaning supplies left behind - and slid it in the door handle, setting the wooden part on top of the hinges.

I set my suitcase on the ground, unzipping it to reveal the very few contents inside. Deciding to get the hair over with first, I tore into the box after putting on the gloves. It didn't take long; I practically smeared the stuff all over my beautiful brown hair. Oh, excuse me, my now atrocious red hair.

While my hair sat as an unidentifiable lump atop my head, I used the pencil for the beauty mark before I forgot. I cleaned up the mess I made while I waited for it to dry, leaving no evidence as I shoved the opened packaging into the bags in the suitcase.

My flight boarded in a little less than an hour, and I had to wait half of that time for the dye to sit. I slumped against the wall and put my forehead against my hands.

This afternoon I was waking up from a hangover, and now I was getting ready to flee the country to save everyone I love from Victoria. Because, apparently, ruining the life of someone who didn't even ask for any of this was enjoyable to her. I had just decided what to do!

Rose and Alice will never know. Carlisle and Esme, and Mike, Leah, Seth, and Jacob, none of them will know.

Edward will never know.

Charlie and Renée would probably not even notice until I wound up in the news.

None of them will ever know that I finally figured out how to balance the two worlds. None of them will ever know how much I love them.

All because of Victoria. No, not her. James. It started with him. Because he decided my life was his toy. What a sick, despicable bastard. I hope he has a nice view from where he rots in Hell.

While I waited, I went over our conversation, my mind quickly getting stuck on her rules. I committed them to memory, not wanting to risk breaking them. Lucky for me that there were only four.

"Number one, you leave the country, and you do so without contacting the Cullens or your precious mutts. No further contact will be allowed. I will find out if you do."

That was going to be difficult by itself. I spent all my time at the Cullens' house, each and every one of them I had a strong bond with, and I knew I was going to suffer mentally from the sudden loss of their company. I couldn't talk to them or anyone else I knew, and on top of that, I couldn't come back to the U.S. after midnight.

"Number two, the yellow-eyes will try to desperately find you, which means you have to be alert and stay ahead of them."

Victoria said Alice could no longer see me in her visions for some unknown reason about my anger 'developing who I truly am', which makes no sense. Edward couldn't read my mind either. But the both of them could easily use their gifts to their advantage, relying on other people to find me. To be efficient, I'd have to change my behavior too. At least until I'm sure they're nowhere close.

This rule was a stab to the heart. I'd have to keep tabs on them and everyone else, watching their lives from the sidelines as they tried - and hopefully failed - to find me. Staying ahead of them would be hard since their brains worked much faster. They had Jasper and Carlisle. I only had my flimsy human brain, which I was sure worked five times slower than theirs.

"Number three, adhere to rules one and two and I will leave your vampires, your wolves, and your town alone. No one will come to any harm at my hands."

Though I had every reason to doubt her, I truly believed Victoria when she told me she wouldn't harm Alice. Perhaps play games with her, yes, - and I worried about that - but she wouldn't hurt her. Victoria had a year to think this through, which means 'no one will come to any harm' encompasses more than just physicality. Emotionally. Psychologically.

"Rule number four: if you kill yourself, I'll kill everyone you know."

I hadn't planned on killing myself, but I knew this rule went deeper than the surface. Her taking my cigarettes was a clear message: Don't do anything to shorten your already fleeting lifespan. That one was gonna be a bit tough, but I don't think I had been smoking long enough to get addicted.

Then, I reached the most confusing part of Victoria's mostly one-sided conversation. "Truthfully, I don't know why I worry so much. Soon, your problems will become much bigger." What did that mean? She knew something about me that I didn't. That had to be it unless she somehow had a similar gift to Alice's.

While my thoughts circulated through my mind like a train on an enclosed track, I realized that through all of the hurt and pain the Cullens caused me by leaving, I was now doing the exact same thing. I finally understood why Edward left. He truly believed he was protecting me.

Well, I know I'm protecting him. Them. Maybe one day Victoria will miraculously die and he'll make me see that somehow this was the wrong choice. But right now, this is the only option I have. Victoria is a very real threat who is capable of unspeakable atrocities, such as killing two people I had once been close with as a demonstration of her ruthlessness. It clearly shows how little she values human life, if any life.

I glanced at the time, and it was just one minute before the half-hour mark. Standing up, I turned on the faucet and rinsed my hair until the water ran clean. When I looked up, I was shocked to see that despite the very bright and vibrant color, the dye had not stained my scalp at all. I slipped the hoodie over my shoulders and wrapped my hair in it while I quickly changed.

The shirt was a dark-purple color without sleeves, and the collar was made of lace. I was grateful for the workout sessions Jake had all but forced me into. It had only been a few months but there was already quite a bit of muscle showing. I tucked the shirt loosely into the black, pleated skirt. The shoes were comfortable but polished combat boots. To top off the outfit, I slipped on a few clunky bracelets and a cheap pearl necklace.

With regret, I carefully removed the necklace Edward had given me, knowing it was something he would be looking for, and I clutched it in my hand. My finger rubbed over the pendant, where the familiar lion was engraved. The Cullen Crest. I stepped to the far wall and forced it into the crack. Victoria wouldn't know to look for it if she was keeping as close an eye on me as she made me believe, but Edward would see it. This was the last sign, my only hope of letting him know that this was not my choice.

That I still loved him.

I looked into the mirror and pulled the hoodie away from my hair. It was damp but not dripping. Honestly, it wasn't as bad as I thought it would look. I already had some red in my hair naturally, and I never envisioned myself as a full-blown redhead, even if it was so obviously dyed. The color brought out my freckles.

Of course, the one detail on the passport that I almost missed were the eyes. Victoria thought she was sly, but I noticed. I had scrutinized my picture, memorizing each difference. The subtlest one was, perhaps, the change in eye color. I put in the green-blue contacts and blinked a couple times as my eyes watered.

If I didn't know my appearance to heart, I wouldn't recognize myself. Red hair instead of brown, hazel eyes instead of warm chocolate, the dramatic change in style, and, lastly, the difference in my height. The combat boots added a solid inch on the bottom and my voluminous hair added an inch at the top.

I stared at my reflection, hating the situation and how I had to change, and dreading each passing second as my hair grew dry. A quick glance at my watch told me I had ten minutes. My new self was ready to be revealed to the world. Everything except for my hair.

My hair had seemingly finished drying within the next minute and I hesitantly raised the scissors and made the first cut. Several inches of hair fell into the sink, causing me to stifle a sob. My hair was my pride and joy and here I was cutting it off.

As if my emotions were simply clothes that refused to go in a drawer, I slammed it shut, and blinked away the pooling tears as I skillfully cut my hair. Instead of making it a clean cut, I layered the ends a bit to make it look like it's grown since the picture had been taken. It wasn't too difficult, since, you know, the picture didn't actually exist.

I recognized the face I wore in the photo; it was photoshopped but taken directly from my driver's license. It was unsettling to know that all vampires, it seemed, had access to those records. Rose, Alice, and Victoria each had, and it made me wonder if anyone else tapped into my private accounts.

Only a few minutes later I was running my fingers through my hair as I thrice-checked the bathroom for leftover evidence. My necklace was still tucked safely into the wall, and I briefly considered taking it back but didn't risk it. It was my only chance to say goodbye, even if it wasn't in the form of words.

I tied the bag that contained the empty boxes, dye bottle, and my cut-off hair, and put it inside my suitcase. After throwing the hoodie in too, I zipped it all up and looked around the room. Nothing remained except for my necklace. I walked over to the door and put the mop back in the bucket before pulling it open and heading to my gate.

There was only a few minutes before anyone could board, so I sat in the chair and tried to look uninterested and disconnected from my surroundings. My suitcase sat next to my chair since I decided it would just be easier to bring it as a carry-on.

The lady at the desk next to the plane entrance made an announcement that boarding would begin. A row of elderly people, two men dressed in suits, followed by a young woman with what looked to be a three-year-old boy on her heels all stood and headed for the bridge. Other rows similar to the first followed after, and I waited impatiently as one old man in particular took his sweet old time.

I glanced at my watch and saw that it was nearing ten o'clock. I know I will be on the plane soon, but I'd like to be far away from here by midnight. Finally, after what felt like forever, my section was allowed to board. I was flying coach, but given the fact that I had no time in advance to plan, I would take it. Plus, it was way cheaper.

Despite my eagerness, I was one of the last in line. A middle-aged couple was behind me, and behind them a family of three. When it was my turn, I handed the gate attendant my boarding pass and passport. She wore a blue blazer and a white scarf that didn't seem to want to stay down. What was once a head of blonde hair was now grey. After looking between my face and my photo several times, she smiled at me. "Have a nice flight," she said before moving to the next person in line.

I practically burst through the small doorway and onto the bridge. The entrance was approaching and my fear of flying came back to me in an instant. Swallowing the sudden urge to throw up, I stepped on and began looking for my seat, which was somewhere near the back.

The airport was always one of the busiest places, day or night, and I wasn't surprised to see almost every seat filled. I was in row 29, and my saving grace was the fact that I had the window seat. I put my carry-on in the overhead compartment and quickly collapsed in my chair. I pulled the shader up and looked out the window. It was completely dark out, except for the Seattle lights, and I tried not to think about the ground that we soon wouldn't be touching.

Unfortunately, being one of the last in line meant that I didn't have to wait long before the plane took off. After the last people settled in - a surprising twist would show the couple that had been behind me sitting in the seats next to me - the plane came to life, rumbling and shaking lightly as it began to move slowly down the runway.

I closed my eyes, my hands clenching the sides of the seat tightly, and focused on the increasing whirring sound as the plane sped up. After a few seconds, the light shaking stopped and I felt the smooth running that signified being airborne.

I now had seven hours to kill, so I kept my eyes closed and tried to sleep.

A/N - Vampires, Wolves, and Forks are precious to Bella just as reviews are like precious gems to me. I truly appreciate any and all reviews. Help a fellow reader and author out by leaving a quick review, if you would please. :)

Happy new year everyone! Enjoy what's left of your break before the world comes back to swallow you whole.

15 - Written: 12/22/21 - 12/23/21

Posted - 1/2/22