I don't know what happened between the time Maya's venomous fangs were about to pierce my skin and me on the ground hearing snarls and growls from two raging vampires. I must have blacked out because before I she could even take a bit from me Oliver had her by the neck and was throwing her against a tree. The thick branch snapped in half like a pathetic twig but Maya sprung back onto her feet. There she was, her and Oliver fighting for me. One to protect me, the other to drink me dry out of revenge. Maya lunged for Oliver and Oliver lunged back snapping towards her throat. Maya pushed him off and was now hovering over him.

I screamed "NO! DON'T TOUCH HIM!" I don't know what came over me then because there is no way me, Lily Truscott would have thrown a rock at Maya thinking it would stop her.

She looked at me with piercing red eyes and grinned then she walked away from Oliver and made her way to me. She was now grabbing my neck squeezing it until the air was pinched out of me and I was gagging for air.

Suddenly, Oliver was up again taking Maya's arm in his statuelike hands and ripped it off like nothing. I stood in shock and looked at the severed arm wiggling like a fish. Oliver ripped off another arm and her leg. She was screaming in pain and agony. I had never heard such a bloodcurdling scream before, it made me want to scream too. I watched as she was ripped apart like tissue paper by the man I loved than I watched as Oliver torched her remains with a lighter. Just like that it was over.

"Lily, are you ok?" Oliver asked frantically. "Did she hurt you at all?"

I shook my head "No" I watched the flames grow higher and higher and glow brighter and brighter. I looked at Oliver and wrapped my arms around him holding him tight. "Oh Oliver."

He hung on to me too as if he were to let go I would fly away. He was my protector, my guardian angel who saved me yet again. But where was my other angel? Where was Jackson?

"Oliver, where's Jackson?"

Oliver looked at me with an expressionless look. "He's finished off her other newborn she brought along. But he was hurt Lil."

My eyes grew wide and I became hysteric. "Is he going to be ok? Where is he? I want to see him!" I blurted.

Oliver drew me closer. "He's going to be fine. Robbie took him after the war, the newborns are dead...you're safe now."

Safe. A word I never thought would be used to describe my state of being. But I always did feel safe when I was with Oliver.

"I want to see Jackson" I said again.

I could see this was hurting Oliver when I said this but I wanted to see Jackson, I had to see Jackson.

"He needs to heal for a little bit, you can see him tomorrow."

I placed a hand on Oliver's marble face and turned it to face me. I lifted myself on my toes and kissed him lightly on the lips. Right now this is where I wanted to be, with Oliver, safe and nothing else to stand in our way.

The next morning I awoke in my room with Oliver stroking my back gently. I turned to him and smiled.

"Good morning." he purred. "You were talking again."

"What did I broadcast this time?"

"You said 'I love you Oliver' and few times. Then you said 'Change me'."

I blushed "Did that make you consider changing me without following your archaic condition?"

Oliver laughed "Nope, I still have one condition."

I sighed then got up. I remembered I had to go see Jackson today. "Going to visit the wolf?"

I nodded.

Instead of looking hurt and pained Oliver simply hugged me tightly then whispered "Be back soon." Somehow, it still made the trip to Dunn harder.

I arrived at Jackson's while it was pouring rain outside. I expected to see a banged up guy with IVs and casts and everything you see on ER. But instead I saw Jackson laying in bed with nothing but a brace on his leg and a bandage wrapped around his forearm. If anything, it looked like he was recovering from a football or hiking injury instead of a vampire attack.

"Jackson?"

He looked at me with sleepy eyes and smiled. "Lily."

"How are you?"

"Ok, I'm already healing fast but I have to stay idle so the bones with set properly, Dr. Oken told me that."

"Do what he says, he's a great doctor."

Jackson nodded and scooted over on the bed so I could sit beside him. I nestled next to him feeling the warmth radiating from his body.

"So, how are things with your bloodsucker?"

I rolled my eyes "Good. Their better knowing I have nothing to fear from anything. It's just me and him now."

"Hopefully you still have a place for me in that big heart of yours."

"There will always be a place for you Jackson."

I laid my head on his shoulder and shut my eyes for a moment to sink in the feelings of being with Jackson. I didn't want it to be like this, I wanted him to only be my best friend, but that didn't work. Deep down I knew, I knew all along, I had fallen for Jackson some part of my heart was his.

"Lily, I can't keep doing this." he said.

I looked up at him "What?"

"I love you Lily Truscott, I always will. I just can't handle being your number two. I want to be the one."

I began to feel the tears coming.

"I know you're fighting with this, me and Oliver pulling you back and forth back and forth."

I continued to look at Jackson and let him talk.

"You know, I heard before, if you love something you can either do two things: One, you hang on and never let go. Or two, you let it go because you know that that's what they want. When you love someone you give them what they want even if it kills you."

They traitorous tears fell down my face now.

"I love you Lily, and I know you love me too...but there's someone you love more, someone else you want. I'm going to give you what you want and let you go."

I wiped a tear away but it was no use, I got up and began to walk out the door but turned back. "Kiss me Jackson."

Without any hesitation he pulled my face down to his and kissed me deeply. I shut my eyes and gave in, part of me was disgusted with myself but part of me wanted to feel his lips just one more time. He released me.

Before I walked away I turned back to ask "Still friends, right Jackson?"

He smiled "You'll always be my Lily."

Then I walked out of the room leaving behind my best friend. I knew Oliver would have done the same if I wanted to be with Jackson but Jackson doing this seemed more hurtful, maybe because I knew I would never ask Oliver to leave me I would always want him forever. Than it hit me, I knew what I had to do now. I jumped in my car and zoomed back home hearing a loud painful howl as I left.