This chapter is dedicated to L.C. Candle. Because she is nifty, and I sorta forgot to review one of her stories, and I'm really sorry. So, yeah. This is for L.C.

As we stepped out of the car, in the school's parking lot, Edward entwined his fingers with my own, and gave my hand a loving squeeze, a silent word or comfort. I looked up at him, offering him a smile to let him know that I heard him. Everything was going to be fine, as long as he was here with me. I just hoped that we had classes together. A sudden wave of fear washed over me. What if we didn't have any classes together?

Jasper and Alice were walking about three steps in front of us, hand in hand. Rosalie and Emmett were walking several steps behind us. Although Alice and Edward were the only two in the family that didn't graduate last year, Carlisle signed them all up this year. The more vampires around to keep me safe the better. I realized that Rosalie probably hated me even more now. This was supposed to be her year off. Jasper and Emmett were probably somewhat annoyed as well.

Jasper turned around, and shot me a 'don't worry' look, and I suddenly felt calm. I really liked this power of his. It was really helping me. I gave him a friendly smile, and Alice led us all to the front office.

Eventually we had all gotten our schedules, and Emmett and Rosalie disappeared. We had all established that I had all my classes, except one, with either Alice, Edward, or Emmett. I wondered if this was somehow Carlisle's doing. In fact, I had one class with both Alice and Edward. There was one class though, that I was completely vampireless.

"I can fix that," Edward said, smirking, as we headed to our first class, which conveniently contained both Alice and Edward.

"Edward, she'll be safe at school," Alice said rolling her eyes. "Neither Laurent, nor Victoria could pass as teenagers, so they couldn't possibly harm her in class."

I nodded, "I'll be fine," I agreed. "I can handle one class on my own."

We entered our first class, English, and all eyes turned to us. Well, mostly just Edward and Alice, but me as well. They were probably only looking at me because I was lucky enough to be with them. We all took seats in the back just in time for the tardy bell to ring.

"New students," the teacher chirped. "Welcome to Denali, I'm Miss Spumoni"

Edward and I flinched at her extra perky attitude, but Alice smiled brightly back, and said, "Thank you Miss Spumoni, I'm Alice Cullen, this is my brother Edward, and this is Bella Swan."

I smiled when Alice said my name, and Edward raised a hand at the sound of his name as well, offering a small wave.

"Alright class," Miss Spumoni, (isn't that an Italian pastry of some kind?) said, "Today we are going to start on Romeo and Juliet. We won't get into the reading until tomorrow, but today we'll get started on the background information…"

Edward and I shared a glance, smirking at each other. This class was going to be interesting….

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My next class I had alone. Edward walked me to the door, and gave me a quick kiss before departing to his own second hour.

Calculus. I despised math all together, but something told me that calculus would be much, much worse then trigonometry last year. Yet another pang of nostalgia hit me then, as I took a seat towards the back of the class.

A perky looking red-head sat down in the desk next to me, and flashed me a welcoming smile. His hair was distracting me; it was a bright red, matching the many freckles adorning his face. He had bright green eyes, and was almost as pale as me. "Hey, I'm Austin," he greeted, "You new?"

No, really? You must be bright. I was tempted to say, but instead I just nodded, "Mmhmm." I said, "I'm Bella."

"Do you need help finding your classes?" he asked. Oh no. Not another one; an over-helpful golden retriever. Please don't be another Mike.

"No, thank you," I said, trying to be polite. "I already know someone who knows the place pretty well."

He nodded, and looked away, obviously disappointed. I sighed. Did every town have a Mike? Maybe if I set the lines right off the bat, he wouldn't end up like Mike.

I wasn't going to like this class half as much as my first hour, I knew that right away.

Half way through the class however, I was called to the office for early dismissal. I was confused at first, but I just assumed that Edward was getting paranoid, and wanted me to stay at home. I rolled my eyes at the thought.

When I got to the office, Carlisle was waiting for me, a smile on his face that I couldn't quite figure out.

"What's going on Carlisle?" I asked, as he led me to the car.

"Don't worry Bella," he said, "I'll explain everything when we get home."

I blinked, "Where's Edward?" I asked. Carlisle was scaring me, what was going on? Where was Edward? Why was I leaving? Was Victoria here?

He opened the car door for me, and I got inside, buckling my seatbelt. He jumped inside the driver's seat, and started the car, also making sure to lock all the doors. Yet another reason for me to be freaking out, he locked the doors.

"Carlisle, what's going on?"

"Must we play twenty questions?" He snapped, speeding away from the school.

This wasn't Carlisle like at all. He was always so kind, and calm, and collected. Something was very, very wrong. I looked out the window, trying not to panic, and noticed us pass right by the house.

"Carlisle," I said calmly, "You just passed the house."

I heard him growl, as he sped up, and kept driving. Okay, I was officially very, very, freaked out. I wanted Edward. I needed Edward, right then.

Then, abruptly, Carlisle pulled over, at the side of the road, right next to a forest. What the hell was he up to?

"Out." Was all he said.

I complied, and stepped outside the car. Carlisle got out of the car as well, but when he appeared in front of me, I watched him quickly form into Victoria. I let out a loud, blood-curdling scream, and she clasped a hand over my mouth.

"It's a shame your dear Edward isn't here, isn't it?" she hissed, tracing a line down my neck with a long fingernail. "To watch you die,"

I froze at her cold touch, but not for the same reason as when Edward did. Edward, I felt a shock of remorse through my body. Edward thought I was safe in second hour. There was no possible way for him to save me now, unless Alice saw something right when Victoria took me. I wouldn't even get to say goodbye this time.

"We're going to play a game," she said, flashing her perfect, pearl white teeth, "You see, your Edward loves you, a mere human. It rather disgusts me. If that is not bad enough, my James was killed because of that love. Because of you, a filthy human, James was murdered. Edward is going to pay for what he did, but, instead of killing him, I am going to kill the one thing that means the most to him in this world," she paused, and I gulped, knowing what was coming. "You," she finished, smiling wickedly.

I stood completely still, too scared to move, or speak. It was true. It was because of me, a feeble human, Edward and his family risked their immortal lives last year. It was because of me that they had broken all the rules, by allowing me to know their secret. It was because of me, one, feeble, clumsy human, that I was going to die, without even saying goodbye to the one thing that meant the most to me in the world.

"You see, Isabella, you are just a pawn, a tool, if you will, in my little plot of revenge." She smirked, "I kill you here, and lure Edward to this very place, making him think you're still alive, and he can somehow save you. But when he gets here, it will be too late. I will be gone, and you will be waiting for him, already dead, it being far too late for him to save you. And then it will be over. You'll be dead, and he'll be destroyed, just like James and I. If he tries to seek me out for revenge, well I'll just have to kill him too."

I found my voice, "You will not hurt Edward," I said, "A mate for a mate, isn't that enough for you?" I wouldn't let her hurt my Edward. If I was going to die, he wasn't going to follow me.

She laughed manically, "Oh Bella," she said, "How sweet, trying to protect your dear Edward. Don't worry. I wont hurt him, unless I need to."

"You won't hurt him at all," I snapped.

Suddenly, I heard the sound of a twig snap behind me, and I stiffened. Laurent. She brought backup.

But then I heard three words that brought my courage back to life.

"Let. Her. Go." A harmonic voice growled. I knew that voice. That voice could only belong to him.

"Edward," I breathed, a sudden wave of confidence washing over me.

Victoria laughed, and spun me around, so she was holding my back to her, in a threatening stance. She lowered her mouth to my neck, and I felt her icy breath on my skin.

"Move and she dies," Victoria snapped, lifting her eyes to Edward, but not moving from her hostile position, her teeth still dangerously close to my neck.

I watched Edward's face carefully. He looked positively terrified. I had never seen him this scared before. That petrified me. Had he lost hope? Did he really think he couldn't save me? Is that why he was so worried?

"Victoria," he hissed, "What do you want?"

She laughed, "You mean as ransom?" she asked, "Do you really think there is anything you can offer me that could save her?"

Edward looked directly into my eyes. "Take me instead," he said, his tone very serious.

I gaped. "What?"

"Oh Edward," Victoria sighed, "You really do love this little human, don't you?" Her teeth were still just an inch away from my neck. That was probably the reason that Edward hadn't moved yet.

Edward didn't reply. "If you want to hurt someone for James, hurt me. Don't hurt Bella, she didn't do anything to harm James."

"But killing her," she said, "that would hurt you very much, now wouldn't it?"

I winced. "Just,"—I stuttered—"Just go Edward."

He gaped at me, "What did you just say?"

"Go," I told him.

Victoria pulled away from my neck, to get a look at my face, probably to see if I was actually serious.

The second that she was at a safe distance from my neck, I heard Edward's velvet voice yell, "NOW,"

I felt a strong force pulling Victoria off me, and another, simultaneously pushing me into Edward's granite arms. He picked me up bridal style, and told me to close my eyes. I complied, and next thing I knew, we were running.