An: The action in this chapter is a bit rushed, so sorry about that. And I just wanted to get chapter 2 out quick so readers could get a feel for what this story is like. Things will slow down and next chapter on will be longer.

Chapter 2

Lu stood in an alley across the street from a ballet studio a day after leaving San Francisco. She was out of the wind, out of hearing range with the city noise, but she could sense James inside the building. She tapped into her abilities so when she opened her eyes she could see the spectral shape of him through walls, pacing and waiting, out of the open. She wanted to go in and stop things then, but she didn't know what he was waiting for.

Not until a girl jogged to the door and snuck in. James was on the move, silent and out of sight of the human, but that was all he was waiting on. Lu moved in, knowing she could take on one vampire. Just to be sure she pinpointed every vampire within fifty miles to know that they were alone. She felt Alice and Jasper in that range but didn't bother to call.

Right as she got in the door, she smelled mace in the air and saw this Bella girl running. James just jumped her, throwing her to the ground. She slid and hit a pillar with her head, bleeding. That blood was potent but Lu blocked it out.

As James moved closer with a video camera in hand, Lu ran and slid between them. "I'm afraid I'm going to have to stop you right there." She snapped at James.

He looked over the camera at her. "Who are you? I don't remember you among the sweet, vulnerable Cullens."

"Because I'm not sweet or vulnerable." She claimed and swung out. She knocked the camera from his hand.

He countered with a swing but she could easily dodge. It was because she cared less about the human and more about the kill that she was able to fight him off. He clearly still smelled her blood and wanted Bella for some vengeful reason. It distracted him enough that Lu slammed her hands into his chest, sending him flying back into another pillar, cracking the beam.

That was when she felt a presence. Edward. "Shit." Lu swore to herself, but charged towards James.

He tried to hit her again but her spatial awareness had her dodging every hit. Side stepping one hard slash of clawed hands, James ended up almost falling past her. Lu used his lack of balance to her advantage and jumped him. Legs over his shoulders, she hooked her feet under his arms and into his back, his head between her legs. As he clawed at her, Edward ran in.

"A bit late, don't you think?" Lu ground out, grabbing James's head and preparing to rip it off.

But he grabbed her hands and wrenched her forward, sending her falling hard to the ground. "And here I thought I'd get Edward alone, because he's the fastest. But neither of you are the strongest." James commented as Lu got her bearings back.

"Strong enough to kill you." Edward claimed before throwing James back into a mirror.

He went distractedly for Bella while Lu was on her feet. Edward went to jump, save the girl, and James was prepared to grab him but Lu stepped in. She knocked James back and grabbed his attention.

They fought, hand to hand, Lu dodging his every move. She managed to punch him a couple time before kicking him backwards. Edward appeared behind James soon enough to catch him by the neck in the air and slam him down to the ground. He was enraged and clearly left the girl on the upper level of the ballet studio.

But James could fight Edward off. Anger was sometimes the worst distraction. As the vampire tracker jumped, Lu grabbed him from the air and threw him across the room, breaking and lifting floorboards.

She knew Edward couldn't kill James. It wasn't who he was or in his current capability. A vengeance kill for harming a human girl would haunt him.

Lu on the other hand was unattached and knew what was best. So when Edward charged forward, she knocked him back and went for James on her own. She slammed him down a second time as he started to get up, shoving her boot into his shoulder and ripping his arm. It snapped with the high chime of a vampire breaking. James shouted in agony, scrambling up to his knees.

Doing the same move as before, she was on his shoulders after discarding the arm, legs hooked on him, and she grabbed for his head. He tried to pull her off but was weak and grunting. With a sharp twist and clawed hands digging in, she closed her eyes and ripped his head off. On her grid, four more vampires entered the building just as the body fell.

Catching her breath due to nerves, she looked at her family, sans Rosalie and Esme. They stared at the dismay.

"Start a fire." Lu told them, refusing to look at Edward as she dropped James's head and let it roll. "I'm done here."

As she walked towards them, Alice grabbed her suddenly and pulled her into a hug. "I haven't seen you in so long I was afraid something happened." The little Cullen told her.

Lu couldn't imagine not having a future and could not fathom what Alice must have thought. She hugged her back – she missed Alice so much. "I'm always fine, you know that."

They could hear Jasper and Emmett tearing up floorboards to burn the body, but on top of that Edward had retrieved Bella and came back. He only started with, "Lu…"

Taking in a breath she let go of Alice, who went to help the others. "Carlisle, she hit her head." She ignored Edward, looking to her father figure.

"Come on, Bella, I'll have to take a look at that outside." The blonde man took the girl, leading her away from the ballet studio.

"Lu, what you did–" Edward began again.

"What I did, I did for Carlisle. He called me and this was what's best for the family." She cut him off.

"I still want to thank you."

"Don't." She looked up at him finally, ignoring that look in his eyes that seemed to be asking her something that he hadn't voiced. "Because it had nothing to do with you."

From there, she walked away. She left the others to finish the fire and met Carlisle and the human girl on the sidewalk. He had a flashlight and was just looking at the girl's head, but didn't seem worried.

His eyes met Lu's but he spoke to Bella. "I can stitch you up in the car, but the bleeding had slowed and you'll be fine."

"Thanks." Bella murmured, wiping her bloody hand off on a handkerchief Carlisle clearly gave her. She hadn't noticed Lu, who'd settled to leaning on the wall near them. "Who was that girl? The one who showed up before Edward?"

Carlisle looked down at Bella, sitting on the curb. "Family. And I need to speak with her a moment. Just sit tight and we'll be out of here as soon as possible."

He came over to Lu, directing her to the street corner out of hearing range. She crossed her arms, standing with him. He started it simply by holding her shoulders and kissing her forehead.

"It feels like it's been a long time, Duckling." He said.

"One year." She reminded him. That was a blink in Carlisle's lifetime. "I gave you twenty-eight years, and I didn't get even one alone."

He frowned. "I know, but clearly we needed you."

Lu glanced back at Bella. The girl was staring but looked away quickly as their eyes met. "Edward was distracted. It was almost much worse." She told Carlisle. "Clearly you needed me, because clearly he feels something for her."

"He said it was love but even Jasper is slow to believe that. Alice is uncertain of the future. We don't know what this is, but before anything could be done she already knew what we were." Carlisle spoke in a hush, just in case anyone inside was listening. "And I didn't call you because of Edward. I called because you were the only one who could find James easily and stop this before it went too far, which you did. You're the only reason that girl is alive and unharmed."

"For the most part." She reminded him.

"Two stitches trumps death."

Lu didn't feel good about this situation at all, no matter who she saved. "And when can I go back to my home, to San Francisco?"

Carlisle took a moment. "After coming back to Forks."

"Why?"

"Everyone will want to see you, Lu. You disappeared and we let you, but you will always be our family." He told her. Then to prove his point he reached for one of her crossed arms, fingering the bracelet around her wrist. The only charm was a black and silver crest. "You obviously know this. All I'm asking is a few days to clear up the situation and catch up like families should."

Lu took her hand away, dropping her arms to hide the bracelet with the Cullen crest. "I have plans, Wednesday. I have to be back before then."

"And you will be. But for now, please come home."

She heard the fire begin to crackle inside and glanced away before nodding. "I'll meet you in Forks. Maybe get ahead, say hello to Rose and Esme."

"That'd be fine." He agreed. "We'll need to drive back either way."

Lu kissed his cheek before leaving, not wanting nor needing to say goodbye to the others. She'd only see them again in a handful of hours.