Disclaimer: Don't own Twilight.

Revised

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Marek held Aubrey in his arms as he leaned out of the open door over the speeding asphalt. Aubrey's head was positioned over his shoulder as her arms clutched his neck, looking back at the other passengers in the Jeep. Bella's eyes were wide as they watched her.

"Are you crazy!?" she exclaimed. "Why can't we just stop the car!?"

"No time," said Edward, not lifting his foot off of the gas as they sped towards where Marek had parked. "There's your car, Marek. Go."

Someone screamed as Marek hopped off of the seat of the speeding Jeep, landing with both feet on the hard ground and running to avoid falling. He gradually slowed to a stop, watching as a muscular arm reached out of the still-open Jeep door, grabbed the handle, and closed it. Aubrey could still hear screaming and, after several seconds had passed, realized the sound was coming from her own mouth. She closed it, burying her head in Marek's neck.

"Aubrey, you need to let go," he said.

"No."

"Aubrey, just let go of my neck."

"No."

Marek reached up and detatched her hands quite easily, setting her on the ground and holding her arms down by her sides, the ghost of a smirk crossing his features.

"There, now can you hold that pose?"

"No," said Aubrey. Marek laughed.

"You really are determined to be difficult tonight, aren't you?" he asked. Aubrey stared at him.

"He knew you," she said. Marek let go of her arms and started walking back towards where the car was parked, one hand encircling her wrist, leading her. She pulled at it, her heels dragging on the ground as she tried to stop. "Marek! That vampire knew you! I saw it in his eyes! The way he looked at you! It was familiarity!"

"Aubrey, stop dragging your feet," said Marek indifferently.

"And you knew him! You blocked his mind so Edward wouldn't see, didn't you! What are you hiding!?" shouted Aubrey, tugging at her wrist. Marek stopped, looking at her.

"Look, Edward doesn't trust me at all already. If he saw the slightest connection between me and Roger, I'd be thrown out," he said.

"So you admit you know him," said Aubrey, her eyes narrowing. Marek rolled his eyes.

"Yes, I know him. I met him way back a few decades after I was created. But honestly, Aubrey, what do you expect? When two people live on the same planet forever, the same country even, they're bound to run across one another at least once." Aubrey sighed.

"Is he sick, like Edward said?" she asked. "And is he after me?" Marek paused, his eyes smouldering coldly.

"Yes and yes," he said. "He was a sadist his mortal life as well. I have no idea why he's with Laurent and those others here. Last I heard he was in Europe. But he is after you, yes. I don't need Edward's psychic brain to tell you that." Aubrey felt a cold dread spread over her.

"How well do you know him?" she asked.

"It doesn't matter," said Marek dismissively, turning back around. "Now come on, we're in a hurry, as Edward keeps impressing on all of us."

They walked into the trees, Marek easily finding the blue car though Aubrey could barely make out its shape against the dark of the woods in the failing light. Marek opened the passenger door for Aubrey pushing her inside, closing the door and appearing in his own seat a second later. They pulled out of the woods back onto the road and zoomed along at high speed towards Aubrey's house.

"What am I supposed to say?" she asked. Marek didn't look at her.

"Tell him we're eloping," he said. Aubrey didn't say anything. He looked at her. "I'm joking."

"I know..." said Aubrey quietly. She felt his eyes on her still.

"What is it?" he asked.

"Nothing." said Aubrey, looking out of the window. "I'll think of an excuse when I get there."

They rode in silence for another two minutes before swerving into the driveway of the Neils residence with a screech of the tires. Aubrey launched herself out of the seat, running up to the house and entering. Jack looked up from the kitchen counter as she flung the door in.

"Hey, how was the game?" he asked, smiling.

"Good. They're having a camping trip over the next few days and I'm invited," said Aubrey, walking past her father into the hallway, turning towards her room.

"Really...beginning when?" Jack's voice followed her down the hall.

"Tonight. I'm going to pack," Aubrey called.

"Well I'd like to have you stay home tonight," said Jack. Aubrey cursed. Of all the nights to enforce parental authority...

"I've already told them I'll go," she said, jerking her bedroom door open and striding inside, pulling out a large backpack and dumping out her school books onto her bed.

"Well call them and tell them you can't," said Jack, appearing outside of her room and leaning against her doorframe. Aubrey didn't stop packing, shoving everything that came within reach into the backpack.

"No, I am going," she pressed.

"No, you're not," said Jack, all traces of a smile fading.

"You can't tell me what I can and can't do," said Aubrey, grabbing a bag of toiletries on her dresser and adding them to the luggage.

"Yes I can."

"Why?"

"Because I'm your father, that's why," said Jack, his voice gaining volume.

"And that somehow lets you rule over where I can and can't go?" asked Aubrey incredulously.

"Yes, it does!" Aubrey spun around, grabbing the bag up and facing her father with a mocking glare.

"Yeah, Dad, because that really worked with Guy."

"Don't you bring your brother into this!"

"Why? Because you're upset that he hates you?" asked Aubrey.

"Stop talking, Aubrey."

"He hates you. That's why he left. That's why Mom left to. They all hated you."

"Aubrey--"

"I hate you too!" shouted Aubrey, slinging the bag over her shoulder and walking forward to pass him.

"Well I'm your father so THAT'S JUST TOO DAMN BAD!" bellowed Jack, blocking her path.

"I WISH YOU WEREN'T!" shouted Aubrey. Jack's anger quickly heightened to a level of cold fury and a dangerous look crossed his face in a spasm. It seemed to cool down all at once, however, and his eyes became more worried, earnest.

"Aubrey...really, what's the matter?" he asked stonily. Aubrey moved to pass him, but he blocked her way again. She looked up at him.

"I'm eloping," she said clearly.

"What?" said Jack, momentarily confused. Aubrey took his distraction as an opportunity and pushed past him, running out towards the front door. He chased after her. "WHAT THE HELL DO YOU MEAN ELOPING!?"

She flung the front door open, sprinting out into the night. It was raining rather hard now, and she couldn't see Marek's car. Jack was following her out into the driveway, his bare feet ripping on the sharp rocks that covered the driveway, splashing through newly-formed puddles as he pursued her. Two headlights suddenly appeared, speeding by the driveway at the road. Aubrey ran over to them, wrenching open the first door she saw and jumping inside onto Marek, who sat in the driver's seat. Jack stumbled along through the rain after them, shouting Aubrey's name through the downpour, but the door swung shut and the car quickly sped away into the darkness, leaving him standing there alone.

"So, how did it go?" asked Marek, looking at the damp figure of Aubrey in his lap. She shrugged off her backpack and pushed it into the back seat, sighing.

"That had to have been the worst thing I've ever done," she said, putting a hand to her face, her voice cracking. Marek's mouth thinned sympathetically and he caressed her collarbone with one hand, the other steering the car through the rain.

"What did you tell him?" he asked.

"I told him we were going on a camping trip, but he said I couldn't go, so then I shouted that I hated him, and then I told him we were eloping," said Aubrey through her hand. Marek didn't laugh. He could tell she was upset, and he didn't question further.

"Don't worry. You can apologize later," he said softly.

It was not long before they reached the Cullen house. Marek opened Aubrey's door for her as usual but wasted no time in picking her up out of the seat and running her to the house, whipping inside and closing the door. The others were already there.

"You're late," snapped Edward. Marek glared, carefully setting Aubrey down on the marble floors. As she turned from his body, she could see large metal shutters covering the area where the wall-sized window had been before, shutting out the night and the horrors that ran with it.

"What's the plan?" asked Marek, surpassing the possible argument.

"We're going to lead them off, and then Jasper and Alice will run the girls south," said Edward.

"And then?"

"As soon as they're clear, we hunt them" said Edward in a deadly voice.

"What if they split up?" asked Emmett. "That's two to track, not to mention Laurent and the female."

"They won't track them," said Edward, shaking his head. Nobody doubted his word.

"Well then just James and Roger. If they split?"

"Then Carlisle and I will take James, and you and Marek would hunt Roger," said Edward.

"I guess there's no other choice," agreed Carlisle grimly. Marek suddenly spoke.

"I can hide Aubrey and take Roger myself," he said. All eyes turned to him, none more surprised than Aubrey's.

"What?" said Carlisle. Marek continued quickly.

"If I take Aubrey myself, we can draw Roger off in a completely different direction, away from your family and away from Bella. I can take him myself if need be, and that way the rest of you would be left to protect Bella." He looked down at Aubrey as he spoke, and she saw a fierce determination in his face that was strikingly unfamiliar to her.

"What makes you think you can take him by yourself?" asked Edward, eyes narrowing. "What if he gets to Aubrey?"

"I can protect her," said Marek viciously.

"How will you know his movements? How can you know what he'll be planning?" demanded Edward.

"Because I know him!" snarled Marek. "And I know what he's capable of! And I know I can take him! He only wants Aubrey. There's no need for anyone else to get injured because of a hunt that is my fault. And believe me, if there are any other possible victims present, he will not waste them. I'll handle this one myself." He straightened, resolved. The others stared at him. Edward's eyes had turned cold with outrage as he opened his mouth to retort.

"Marek, that is the most ridiculous thing you've said so far! If you truly want Aubrey safe, you'll accept our added guard and you'll use what you know of this Roger to help us track him down! There's absolutely no gain in you running off by yourself with a human hostage to attract a bloodthirsty sadist halfway across the country!"

If there were any sort of response Marek had been expecting, it wasn't that. Edward took advantage of his surprise and turned to Rosalie.

"Get them upstairs and trade clothes," he said.

"Why should I?" exclaimed Rosalie incredulously. "What are they to me? Except menaces, dangers you both have chosen to inflict on all of us."

"Rose..." cooed Emmett, placing a hand on her shoulder. She tossed it off.

"Esme?" asked Edward, turning to her.

"Of course," replied the motherly vampire. "Alice, get Aubrey."

Aubrey felt herself being lifted up into the tiny, yet steely strong arms of Alice, her eyes widening as the view switched to the blurr of rushing stairs. Before she knew it, she was being set down onto the floor of a dark room. Cold hands began to tug at her clothes, pulling them off over her head. She obliged hesitantly.

"What are we doing?" asked Bella, obviously awkward. The sound of clothes hitting the floor reached Aubrey's ears.

"Trying to confuse the smell. It won't work for long, but it might help get you out."

"I don't think we'll fit..." said Bella slowly.

Aubrey felt a shirt being shoved onto her arms and pulled over her head. A pair of jeans were tossed at her, hitting her face, and she climbed into those before they could 'assist' her. They felt a bit disproportionate, but they were comfortable enough.

Esme, dressed in Bella's clothes and holding Aubrey's, pulled the two girls to the stairs where Alice already stood, a packed bag in hand. They graciously transported Bella and Aubrey down the stairs. Carlisle was handing small silver cellphones to each group as they joined them. Emmett stood with a large backpack over one shoulder next to Edward and Marek. Aubrey walked over to Marek and put her arms around his middle, hugging herself to him. He chuckled, obviously cheerier, and put a hand on her head, ruffling her hair as his other hand wound around her to pull her closer.

"I'll miss you too, fuzzy," he said teasingly. Aubrey frowned up at him.

"It's not the time for this, Marek," said Edward coolly. Marek smirked apologetically, patting Aubrey on the back. Something must've improved his mood immensely while she'd been changing, she thought.

"Esme and Rosalie will be taking your truck, Bella," said Carlisle. "Alice, Jasper, take the Mercedes. You'll need the dark tint in the south. We're taking the Jeep." He turned to Alice. "Alice, will they take the bait?"

Alice closed her eyes. Everyone waited with baited breath, watching as she thought deeply. Her small eyes opened after a few moments.

"They'll track you. The woman will follow the truck. We should be able to leave after that," she said.

"Let's go."

Carlisle started for the kitchen and Edward rushed to Bella's side, lifting her up off the ground, connecting his lips with her's. Aubrey looked up at Marek, who bent down and kissed her once lightly on the lips, then once on the cheek. Then they let go, following Carlisle, and were gone.

Esme, Rosalie, Alice, Jasper, Bella, and Aubrey remained in the main room, standing in complete silence as the minutes trickled by. The cellphone vibrated in Esme's hand and it shot to her ear.

"Now," she said. Rosalie stormed out the front door without a backwards glance, but Esme lingered a few seconds longer. "Be safe," she whispered before following Rosalie out the door.

They waited once more until the signal was sent. Alice's phone was at her ear in the time it took a fly to flap its wings once.

"Edward says the woman is on Esme's trail. I'll get the car," she said. That left Jasper, Aubrey, and Bella alone. Jasper stood a ways away, cautious as always.

"You're wrong, you know, Bella," he said quietly, looking at her.

"What?"

"I can feel what you're feeling now, and you are worth it."

"I'm not..." she mumbled. "If anything happens to them, it will be for nothing."

"You're wrong," said Jasper once more, smiling at her. His eyes flicked to Aubrey. She saw a look there that, though it wasn't certain what it reassured, sent encouragement through her. She smiled back at him in thanks, her cold panic receeding a little. Oh the wonders a little eye contact could do...

Alice was back in the room by Bella at that instant.

"May I?" she asked.

"You're the first one to ask permission," said Bella, smiling grimly. Alice picked her up and ran out of the door, her arms a protective cocoon around her. Once alone, Aubrey looked up at Jasper.

"So...think you can handle it?" she asked.

"I don't know..." said Jasper uneasily.

"Use the Force," said Aubrey, smirking. Jasper smiled as well, encouraged, walking over and picking her up, then racing out to the Mercedes after Alice. He put her in the back seat as quickly as he could before hopping around to the driver's seat and climbing in. The car reached 60 before the house was out of sight.

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