Okay my mind is made up. Chapter 26 will be the last. I repeat: Chapter 26 will be the last. So here we go… Almost there…

Three Doors Down – Love Me When I'm Gone: "So hold me when I'm here, right me when I'm wrong, hold me when I'm scared, and love me when I'm gone. Everything I am, and everything in me, I wasn't being the one you wanted me to be. I'll never let you down, even if I could."

Chapter Twenty-Five—Awaiting Winter

When I made it home, Edward was not there. I went to Vivian's bathroom and looked through the drawers for a thermometer. I finally found one in the medicine cabinet, and stuck it in my mouth for five minutes. When I pulled it out, it read 104 degrees. I threw it back in the cabinet and stormed up to my room. I sat on my bed and thought about my options.

There was Alice's gift of seeing into the future. If she saw what I was going to do, and if they didn't like it, they'd try to stop me. I couldn't have that happening. And if Edward read my mind, he'd know. Then I had to think about how to lower my body temperature to its lowest point…

I finally realized that the only way I could get my temperature to fall drastically would be if it snowed. Unfortunately, it was September, and it was hot and humid. I decided to use my weekend wisely, and plan out my idea.

I grabbed my calendar and sat down at my computer. I booted it up and got online, and then searched for the climate of Forks. It usually snowed in late January or early February, and lasted through February. I sighed. Four to five months… What would I do in the meantime? Little did I know, time would fly by faster than I thought…

I never heard anything from Raab after that. I didn't care. It was his fault I was angry, and his fault for deciding not to speak to me. I wasn't going to go and apologize to him for saying what I said, especially after what I found out.

As for Edward, things couldn't have been better. We spent as much time as possible together. We had all of our classes together, and the weekends left us free to do as we pleased. One Friday in October, he came home with me after school, and sat with me in my room.

"Scottie," He said. "You know how much I love you, right?"

"Yes, silly boy…" I said, not looking at him. I was folding clothes.

"Do you?"

"Do I? What kind of question is that?"

"A two word one with a question mark at the end."

I shook my head.

"I love you more than anything in the world, and I'd kill myself if I lost you."

I hesitated. Did he know of my intentions? Surely not. I continued folding.

"What does that have to do with anything?" I was afraid I'd sounded insensitive. "I mean, it was kind of random."

"I just thought I'd inform you."

I smiled, and continued folding.

"I love you, too, Edward."

"Do you?"

"Again with that question."

"Well, do you?"

"Yes, or I would not have said it."

He smiled.

I never knew until January how hard things were going to be… I kept thinking about February, which was approaching quickly. The more I thought about it, the more I regretted ever looking through that stupid book. But at the same time, I wanted to be human… I was sick of having to keep secrets and be careful…

I sat in my physics class in late January, constantly looking out the window, hoping for snow. I knew I could not deceive myself, for I could smell that there was not going to be snow anytime soon. But there was still hope…

And finally, February came. I thought of what a wonderful birthday it would be if it would just SNOW!! Unfortunately, the snow had not yet come. The first week of February, the weather just kept getting colder and colder, until finally, I woke up one Wednesday morning to see huge, fluffy clouds in the sky. I jerked my window open and leaned out, sniffing the crisp air. Those clouds were just waiting to burst, and I knew it. The school day was full of anticipation as I continued to look from the clock to the window, and back, over and over again. When I the final bell rang, it still had not snowed, much to my disappointment. I got in my car and left for home. I stopped and looked up at the sky. The clouds had grown more formidable throughout the day. I kicked at the ground in anger, wishing the snow would hurry up.

I went inside and kicked my shoes off, then plopped down on my bed. I yawned, realizing how tired I really was. I hadn't been getting much sleep; I was staying up extremely late, watching and hoping for (yes, you guessed it) snow. I dozed off, only to be awoken around 9:00 by Edward.

"Scottie, get up. Scottie!"

"What?" I hissed.

"Scottie, I need you to get up, and come with me."

"Why?"

"Just do it!" There was something about his voice. It had a sharp tone to it.

I rose up and looked at him. He was breathing hard, and seemed angry.

"What's going on?"

"Don't ask questions, just get up."

"I don't know what's wrong with you but-"

"Scottie." Alice was here, too.

Then it hit me…

The snow. It'd come.

I jumped to my feet and looked out the window, and, sure enough, it was snowing quite hard. There must've been about three or four inches already on the ground. I put my hand to my chest and felt my ring, and Alice and Edward looked at each other. So they knew of my plans. But I couldn't over come them both…I'd have to find away to get away from them.

"Scottie, please come with us…" Alice said.

"Why are you here?" I asked them. "What's going on?"

"There are important matters at hand…" She answered.

I stood there. They wanted me to go to their house so I couldn't get away easily. I'd have to make my escape before I got home with them. I backed up, and before they could say another word, I jumped out the window and ran for the woods. I'd have to hurry if I wanted to make a clean get away; I could hear them coming after me already.

As I ran, I knew they'd find me unless I found a way to throw them off, so I turned and ran to my right, touching a tree here and there as I went. When I got far enough, I jumped up into a tree and continued jumping through them until I reached where I had turned off my trail. I started to jump down, then spotted them. I waited, then breathed in, and out steadily, masking my scent with the trees. I concentrated as Edward and Alice ran down the fake path. Once they were gone, I jumped out of the tree and ran full speed to the school. I stuck my ring in my mouth as I ran. I knew my body temperature would rise as I was active, causing the ring to begin to melt.

When I arrived in the parking lot, I ran to a door and busted it down. I made my way to the nurse's room and rummaged through her cabinets until I found a needle and a thermometer. Then I ran back outside to the parking lot. The far end had a ditch, and it was sure to be full of snow. I ran and jumped into it, the snow flying everywhere. I laid in it, scraping it on top of me as I took the needle and stuck the needle in my mouth, sucking the hot liquefied metal into the syringe. I put the thermometer in my mouth and held onto the needle with my other hand, keeping the metal a liquid. My body temperature dropped drastically as I piled more snow on my body.

101 degrees…

98 degrees…

95 degrees…

It stopped falling at 92 degrees, and I sat up and spat the thermometer out of my mouth, then took a deep breath. I closed my eyes and jammed the needle into my right wrist, and pushed the silver into my veins. I felt as though my whole body was becoming an icicle. My eyes, ears, and nose burned and my body ached. Then, I saw in my peripheral vision that my hair was its natural caramel blonde color, and it was becoming curly again. My grey in my nails faded and I gasped for air. I stood up, then nearly passed out at what I saw.

Malikai, who was fully recovered, was standing there, laughing.

"Human again?" He asked.

I took a deep breath and said, "I guess so."

"That's wonderful…Now…I can finished what I started." His teeth gleamed. He started walking toward me.

"Don't touch me, you bastard, or you'll be a simple pelt in Edward's house." I spat.

He laughed and said, "Edward? Cullen? That pathetic vampire and his sister, Alice? You killed them an hour ago!"

"I…what?"

"That's right. You sent them to their death bed."

"I did not, I-"

"Remember Raab? Raab Hurley? Well, he carted me off into the woods months ago. Well, while I was there recovering, I established a coven with some vampires who just moved into those woods near your home. They helped me recover, see? Well, as you ran through those woods, I was watching. And you, you smart devil, led them right to my coven of five! And guess what? They didn't too much like your little friends." He smiled.

No…no…no…no…no…no…

"Oh, yes yes yes yes yes yes!"

"You're a liar. Prove it." My heart was pounding.

He pulled a scrap of cloth from his pocket. It was black with white polka dots… Just like Alice's shirt…

"I can bring you their bodies if you want."

I fell to my knees. Everything was backfiring.

"So, now there's no one to save you." He laughed.

I felt tears welling up as I pushed myself to my feet.

I can't do this…I can't…not without Edward…Why…?

"You…" I choked on my words.

Malikai smiled maliciously. I ran toward the school.

"Oh. You wanna play hide-and-go-seek? Okay…I'll count to fifty…" He laughed and began counting.

I ran in side and ran to my biology class.

God, why? Why Edward…? And Alice…Why is this happening? I can't live like this…I can't…It's my fault…I…I…I killed them…My fault…