A/N: I recently started reading back through this story and now I remember the reason that I wrote it. I know it's taken me two years to update this story, but I was so close to finishing it that I couldn't just let it sit here, unfinished, and waiting for the last few chapters. I apologize profusely for the wait and I am so grateful to those who have stayed with this story from the beginning. I still own nothing but the plot and my OC's.

Amanda POV

This was it.

Finally.

The pinnacle of months of training, weeks of planning, and 26 hours of absolute madness. The battle had finally arrived.

It was kind of astonishing to me how I had wound up beginning this fight with Victoria and Riley and ending it with Jasper. Never in my wildest dreams - had I actually been able to dream after I had been changed into this - had I ever thought that there would be some sort of life for me after this battle. I don't think I realized until now that what I was originally training for was a suicide mission. This was all there was for me. No future, no kids, nothing after this battle. Just darkness.

Until I met Jasper.

Now, I can actually have another reason to want to make it through this without burning. I may actually be able to find and see my kids again. I may actually have a happy life after all of this is over. I may be able to properly live the life I want to after this. I may even get the chance to know more about my mother's family, if what Sam had said was true. All of these were things that I had to look forward to, as long as I survived the next few hours.

Now that I had a reason to, I was determined that nothing and no one would end me today.

My main focus was on Riley. If I had the chance to take anyone down personally, Riley would be it. He was the one that turned me, told me that I had no other purpose than be his puppet, and told me that I had to give up my two boys and I could never see them again.

I wouldn't say that what I had was a vendetta against him personally, but my need for revenge against him was certainly something that wasn't going to go unacknowledged.

After Rosalie's second wave of influence hit, I noticed something a bit odd about our current fighters. Riley and Victoria were nowhere to be seen. This presented more than a small problem. If I couldn't find Victoria and put a stop to her, she would be back, and like a toxic ex, she wouldn't ever stop. Personally, I didn't feel like watching my back for the rest of my life, so it would certainly be in my best interest to get rid of her as soon as possible and be able to keep my own head attached while I was at it. Truth be told, Riley was probably also with Victoria, which, if the old adage was correct, two birds; one stone.

The more I thought about it though, the more I realized that, as good as I was, I probably wouldn't be able to take on Victoria and Riley alone. So, I reached out an olive branch to the closest vamp on my side. Bella. Who seemed as shocked as I was that I had even asked.

While the rest of the Cullen family were busy beheading anyone left standing of Victoria's newborns, Bella and I headed off in the opposite direction in search of the two MIA Army leaders.

"Why me?" Bella asked as we scanned the surrounding forest for traces or a scent of either one.

"Simple" I begin while crouching down to sniff a boulder, "this whole thing started because of you. Why shouldn't you be the one to finish it for good?"

"Hey!" Bella nearly shouts back "Don't blame this on me! All I did was fall in love with a vampire for God's sake! It was James who started this! It was his own fault he burned!"

As stunned as I was by her outburst, I couldn't help but agree. "I'm not sayin' it's your fault!" I start shouting back defensively. "Whoever this James was, he deserved what he got! I won't deny that. Nor will I deny you your right to some revenge of your own! Now, if you're done bein' irrationally mad at me, can you please focus and help me find these two illusive assholes!?"

"Fine!" She snaps back as she walks the opposite direction.

I don't know what her problem with me was, but I would find out once this was all over. I doubted that we would be besties, but at least mutual respect for eachother wasn't too much to ask, was it?

"You know," states a voice through the trees "for being as quiet and introverted as you seemed to be in the Army, you sure do know how to make friends now."

"Riley!" I shout into the trees. "Where are you, you asshat? I have a bone to pick with you!"

"I know." Riley responds insidiously.

"You know, all I need to do is open my mouth and I'll have your head on a silver platter." Although, I would like to see him suffer for what he did to me, I am already sick of this game and can't wait until he shows himself.

"I know" Riley responds again, but before I have a chance to do just that, he states confidently "but you won't."

"Oh really? What makes you so sure?" I ask as I catch eyes with Bella and gesture for her to circle the area and see if she can spot him.

"Pride."

"One word answers aren't going to get you anywhere." I state back angrily. "And my pride has nothin' to do with this."

"Your pride has everything to do with this." He states back seemingly unconcerned. "Especially when-" I feel myself being pushed forward and down on my face, completely taken by surprise as he jumps from a tree branch above me and lands directly on my back. "-I can catch you off guard."

I growl lowly and as I start to move to throw him off, Riley moves first and jumps off my back landing in front of me. Taunting me without saying a word.

I get to my feet berating myself for not doing something as simple as looking up. I should have seen it coming, but I didn't. I was too busy in my own head and fighting with Bella to realize I was doing exactly what I caught Esme doing not hours before. Two-dimensional thinking.

I take the opportunity to charge him and he easily avoids me. "I'm older in this life and more experienced than you. Do you honestly think that you have what it takes to win?"

I stand before him defiant. There was no way I was going to back down now and he knew it. I remember what all I have to look forward to, what there is in my life that I need to live for, and respond with "Absolutely".

Before he has a chance to charge at me, or decides to run, I open my mouth and begin the first few lyrics of In This Moment's Sick Like Me. Before he knows what's hit him, Riley is in a trance.

Is it sick of me

To need control of you?

Is it sick to make

You beg the way I do?

Is it sick of me

To want you crawling on your knees?

Is it sick to say

I want you biting down on me

Are you sick like me?

Am I beautiful

As I tear you to pieces?

Am I beautiful?

Even at my ugliest, you always say

I'm beautiful

As you tear me to pieces

You are beautiful

Even at your ugliest, I always say

You're beautiful and sick like me

This is a song that I have kept in my mind for just this occasion. I mean every word as it begins to pour out of my mouth and the more emotion that I feel and let go through the song, the deeper within the trance Riley becomes.

I start from his fingers, and after every question I ask within the lyrics, I rip a part of him off. I would have loved to have seen the pain that I was putting him in, but in order to do this the way I had wanted to, I had to keep him under. I would release my hold on him right before I was well and truly finished with him.

As my pile of Riley parts gets bigger, I idly wonder where Bella and Victoria are. Honestly, I hadn't really paid either of them much attention since Riley had found me and a part of me worried that Victoria might decide that using Riley as a distraction to end me wouldn't be a half bad plan. She was used to using others for her own gains, so I didn't see any real reason for her to hesitate.

However, the fact that I was still here and not being attacked, I felt like I could let my guard down a bit. Perhaps Bella and Victoria were battling it out somewhere in the forest. It wasn't really my biggest concern at the moment and I was sure Bella could take care of herself until someone showed up to help her.

Once the song had reached its conclusion, I had a decently sized pile of Riley pieces that were just waiting to be burned. Since I knew Jasper would be starting a bonfire in the clearing with the rest of the vamps, I debated whether or not I should just burn him here, or take him back and burn him there.

When my influence was lifted, and Riley's head realized what had become of him, he started to snap his teeth at me in - what I guess was supposed to be - an intimidating manner. Apparently I had severed his vocal chords from his head and he couldn't speak. That was honestly a better option than listening to him ramble on anyway. Therefore, burning here won out in my mind and I grabbed two sticks and began to rub them together. Being a vampire gave me the ability to be able to start a fire in this manner a lot faster because the friction between the wood was much more than it would have been had I been human. Added bonus was that my arms didn't tire out nearly as fast as they probably would have otherwise and before long, I had a nice sized fire going. Not overly large, but just big enough for my needs.

"Ya know," I state idly to Riley's head, picking it up by his hair and looking at him in the eyes, "this whole thing could have been prevented had you just left me alone."

He just gnashes his teeth together and grins menacingly at me. In retaliation, I just take one of the bits I had in my pile and toss it unceremoniously into the fire. There was really no telling what it was at one point, or what it attached to, but now it was nothing more than kindling. "No, really. The future rule of the Vampire world was at stake, your whole army was at stake, and your life was at stake. All of that could have been avoided completely if you would have just. Left. Me. Alone."

I punctuate my words by throwing more of his pieces into the fire to join the first. Riley again clicks his teeth together in anger, but I just grab another piece and toss it in the flames to join the others. "Who would have thought that by completely ignorin' me, you may still have had a chance to live? The Cullen's would have gone to war with our Vampire leaders - which by the way thanks for tellin' us about - plus your idiot army here; and the Cullen's might have actually meet their final end between Victoria's plan and what they were originally fated for."

The more I thought about what my role had been in this whole plan - and the more I realized that the fate of the Vampire world had rested on the hope that I was or wasn't ever changed - the more I was just baffled by the whole situation. I couldn't seem to wrap my head around the possibility that one person's life would make such an unbelievable difference in the fate and lives of hundreds, or thousands, of others.

I still didn't really know how big the Vampire World was. I was still a baby by its standards and that; that was just unfathomable to me considering all that I had been through.

I came to the realization that having an existential crisis like this would change anybody's perspective about what really matters in their own lives and it made me realize what didn't matter in mine anymore.

"Ya know, I thought I had it in me to be sadistic and watch you burn piece by piece, but frankly I really don't give a shit anymore Riley." I state as I grab a large handful of parts and dump the whole thing in the fire. His mouth just opens and closes like a surprised fish and I can tell the shock in his eyes is genuine. "Did you honestly think that if I got my hands on you, you'd actually live?"

Riley just closes his eyes. I guess he didn't want to come to terms with his own mortality. Now that his life is currently ending, maybe he just hadn't realized that this was the actual end. "Wooow!" I was honestly shocked, although why I thought he'd act any differently, I don't really know. "And you wanted to talk to me about my pride. Well, I hate to break it to ya buddy, but your pride is far worse than mine will ever be."

I placed the remaining parts I had piled up into the fire and happily watched it burn for about thirty seconds before grabbing Riley's head again. He opens his eyes one final time and I take the opportunity to really look at him. That unmistakable look of defeat written on his features was there in all its glory for me to last possible inkling of hope that he would get out of this had diminished.

Now it has come to it, I had a choice to make. I could either let Riley suffer the rest of his immortal life as a head incapable of anything else; or I can show him the slightest mercy and put him out of his misery. Who wants to live their life as just a head anyway? I know I don't.

Decision made, I can't help one last bitchy "Enjoy Hell." before I toss his head in the flames to join the rest of him. It was better this way. I take a deep breath and revel in the fact that I no longer have to think about the man who used to be Riley Biers.

The moment doesn't last long though as I hear a scream deep in the woods that immediately garners my attention and I just know in my gut that Bella is now in trouble.

I ran as fast as I could in the direction that I heard the scream and wonder why in the hell Bella wouldn't have called for anyone to help her so she didn't have to battle Victoria alone! I would understand Bella stalling until help arrived, but actually doing battle with a vampire far older than herself? I didn't think it was in her to do such a thing, even if we're technically stronger than the remaining majority.

I put on a burst of speed and hope I'm not too late. I know that if anything too detrimental happens to her, I would immediately be held responsible in Edward's eyes as well as most of the Cullen family. I can't in good conscience let another Cullen die on my watch today. They already fault me for Alice's death and rightfully so, but the repercussions of Bella's death would be far worse.

I don't have far to run, only about a mile or so before I come upon a scene that makes my stomach turn. Victoria is standing over Bella and gleefully taunting her, with Bella's dismembered leg raised above Victoria's head. How she managed to dismember Bella's leg, I'm not sure, nor am I sure I want to know. Hell, I don't even know what Victoria had planned to do at that point, maybe beat Bella with her own leg? The whole scene is confusing, but I can't just stand by and wait for whatever it may be to happen.

I run at full force and football tackle Victoria to the ground. I probably would have made both of my sons incredibly proud at that moment had they seen it. Two of my punches land on Victoria's face before I grab Bella's leg by the ankle and throw it back in her general direction. I don't have time to tell her how to reattach it, so I'm hoping that was covered by her family already in Vamp 101.

Victoria takes my distracted state and uses it to her advantage by rolling us so she is now situated on top of me. I realize my incredible disadvantage here and start to panic. I need to get out of this vulnerable position right now and I have no way of doing so. She looks down at me and smiles menacingly before growling at me and punching me repetitively in the face.

Again, she takes the distraction and uses it to her advantage. As I'm trying to think of a way to push her off of me, she grabs one of my hands and rips it from my arm. Now, she could have gone for my head, which would have been the smart thing, but for some reason she didn't. However, not only is Bella dismembered at this point, but now so am I. The only difference in this scenario is that I learned how to fight without all my limbs and being torn apart just pisses me off. I growl angrily, push my legs up in the air, and use them to wrap around Victoria's shoulders so I can slam her into the ground. No one dismembers me and lives to tell about it.

Once she's down, I turn to my right and get to my feet. Victoria makes her way to her feet as well, and we face off. I know that the only way to make her stay and face the consequences of her actions is by making her angry. We're red-heads. Hot headed is kind of our nature.

"Where's your little friend, Vicky? I don't see him anywhere. Isn't he comin' to help you?" I taunt.

"What did you do to him?" She asks angrily, understanding what has happened before the question had even been asked, but unable to prevent it from escaping anyway.

"Easy. I burned him." I state giving the answer she already knew. "After I tore him into little bitty pieces."

An angry growl is all the answer I get before she charges at me. She's like a bull in a china shop. No finesse.

"So answer me this question, Vicky." I ask curiously, easily avoiding her, "Who is James?"

"Get his name out of your filthy whore mouth!" Victoria rages.

"I just did, but ok." I say snarkily before continuing with, "James, James, James."

She charges at me again, eyes black with rage and fury. I use what methods I learned from Jasper, Peter, and Charlotte and am easily able to avoid her.

"I don't think it's working Vicky!" I state sarcastically, placing my good hand on my hip in dramatic confusion. "Can't seem to get his name out of my mouth. It just kind of stays there no matter how much I say it."

Infuriated even further, she charges again, this time aiming for my legs, but I easily manage to jump over her and avoid her. However, she doesn't wait long before making her next move. She turns and charges again, but as she passes, I grab onto her arm and rip it from the shoulder socket.

She screams in rage and pain. "How dare you!"

"Now we're both at a disadvantage, bitch." I say with as much venom in my voice as I can manage. "Let's see which one of us is worthy enough to continue livin'."

She comes at me like a bull. All anger, no thought. It's easy enough to deflect, but although I think I have the upper hand here, I'm quickly shown that I don't. She grabs me by the dismembered arm and throws me through a nearby tree. I roll out of the way just in time for her knee to come into contact with the ground just where my face had been.

As we collide again and again, I put in every ounce of training I possess to throw her off of me. She gets in some good hits and before I know it, my left arm has been ripped from wrist, to elbow, then to the shoulder. I am now literally fighting with one fully-functioning arm.

I know I can't panic. It won't get me anywhere. Instead I realize I want to be on the offensive in this situation. It's the only way I can make a move and God forbid if I don't get it. However, the longer we fight, the more I realize that she is just using her anger as motivation to keep going. She's not actually thinking about how to attack or why. She just knows that she must. That the pain she's in will cease once we are all destroyed and I can't help but be a little sorry for her.

The next charge that she takes at me is incredibly sloppy. She makes it easy to grab her and throw her into a large boulder just hard enough to daze her for a second while I finally make my move.

There has been enough talking, enough fighting, and certainly enough of revenge. I don't waste any time before grabbing her curly mane and ripping her head from her shoulders.

Backing up from her body, I sit down with her head in my hands, exhausted, covered in dirt and venom, still dismembered, and the realization that this whole thing is finally over hits me full force like a freight train. I begin to sob uncontrollably. I can't help the sheer amount of varying emotions that I feel right now and I realize that I have no outlet for it. Relief that this is finally over. Hurt and anguish over what I've been put through. Sorrow over what I've lost. Finally, hope over what I have now gained and have still yet to gain. It all seems too much. Crying as a human gave such sweet relief, but crying as a vampire? There's no relief in the action at all.

I don't know how long I sat there, Vicky's head in my hands, sobbing, but what finally brings me around is when I hear the snapping of a twig to my right. I immediately get up and growl at whoever dares to intrude on me right now.