"well miss Tessa, unless you enjoy being cover in mud I suggest we see what we can do about getting you a shower and some clean cloths. Huh?" the shower in the little cabin didn't get nearly as hot as the one in new York. The cloths they provided were a little baggy, and she was to embarrassed to ask for a stick of deodorant, or tooth brush. Standing alone in the little bathroom Tessa took time to think.

Running that far and that fast hadn't helped. Now she was gonna miss work, be found by the freaks who claimed to be vampires, and had explain it all to Gabriel. Things were not working out for her at all. Breath or you'll pas out again. Now think, I have options. Gabriel is a big guy, maybe if I tell him I am being followed he would protect me. Am I willing to put him at risk? If I run again where can I go that GRANDPA Aro can't follow? I could run back home. I have friends there, but do I want to risk the girls?

Tessa's internal argument was cut short by a knock at the door. "every thing ok in there?" Gabriel asked. He sounded concerned. Tessa heaved a big sigh forced a smile and pulled open the door.

"I feel so much better after that shower! Thank you so much. For every thing, really. But I am afraid I can't stay." Tessa knew the right thing to do was leave, Gabriel, and to some extent Avalon (she was wearing her cloths) had been so kind. She could not repay their kindness with what would be in store for them if Demetri and his horde of darkly cloaked blood thirsty maniacs came to call.

"I think what you need to do is have a nice sit down with me and explain a few things." he wanted answers. It was only natural, he had found her in the middle of the woods unconscious after some sort of panic attack. Talk was cheep and time is expensive. Tessa knew if she could run faster than a speeding car, than chances were grandpa Aro knew a few vampire freaks who could run faster than…..light. They could arrive here any minuet.

With a shaky nod she followed Gabriel into the other room. She would talk fast, tell a lie. I was hiking, got lost, some one once told me if you stay in one spot it makes it easier for people to find you. It sounded good to her. Until she rounded the corner. Comfortably seated at Gabriel's breakfast nook across from Avalon, was Demetri. Tessa stopped breathing again.

He was here. Was she in trouble? Would he hurt her new friends? The world was spinning again, or was that her head? Her heart rate accelerated, her lunge burned from lack of oxygen. Before she knew what was happening the floor was rushing up at her. Second time in as many days Gabriel had to rescue her. At least I have the whole damsel in distress thing going for me. Was her last thought before every thing went black.

"she'll be coming around soon." Avalon said. She sounded almost kind. "you two had better get your story straight and fast, she can't take much more of this, her mind shut down and instinct will take over." Tessa dare not move. They were talking about her like she wasn't even there.

"how could he let this happen?" Gabriel demanded.

"he didn't think it would start this soon, the stress must have triggered it." Demetri said. His cold rock hard hand brushed the hair off my cheek. His touch was soft as the wings of a butterfly.

"I hate to be the one to say it but I think he was wrong. She is not strong enough to handle this. The beating her body took running here along with the pain of the transformation. Not to mention her emotional overload. He was wrong." Avalon seemed like the type who was more than happy to say I told you so. In this instance she sounded remorseful.

"I've seen into her mind, that's how I tracked her. I can't read mind per say but every one thinks differently, their thought patterns and emotional discharge give off a distinct pattern. Tessa is special, she is not one thing or the other. More special even than Renesmee." Demetri told them. "I know it might not seem like it now, but she is the one!"

"and she is awake." Gabriel informed the others. "you stop pretending now Tessa." she opened her eyes. The three conspirators standing before her.

"et tu, brute?" she asked looking a Gabriel. Tessa had just met him, but he had been so kind. Then again Aro and his strange followers had never tried to hurt her. She hadn't asked any questions, just assumed he was a nice guy who found her in the woods and carried her home, you know what they say about assumptions.

"sleeping beauty awakens once more, only to find prince charming is a whore? In bed so to speak with another?" Gabriel said his handsome faces twisted with a cruel irony.

"your scaring her!" Avalon yelled pushing at the two minuteness men. She had no chance of budging them, but seeing the truth in her words they backed up a few paces. Avalon turned back to Tessa. "you don't have to be afraid of them." she said waving a hand nonchalantly towards the men. Tessa din;t respond. She just stared blankly. That makes three men now who had forced their way into her life with handsome faces and pretty lies.

Tessa had grown up in an orphanage for girls. The few times she dared enter the foster care system only helped to affirm her fear and hatred of men. Demetri had been so handsome and acted so kind she had even allowed him to share her slumber. Aro had offered her something she had always longed for, family. She didn't want the kind of family he had to give, freaks parading around in cloaks, who feasted on the flesh of other humans. Then there was Gabriel, she knew nothing of him except for she had spent a night and a day as a guest in his home and now he was handing her back to the very men she had run from.

Yup….men suck.

No man bashing implied, I am happily married and love my man….but in this case Tessa is just summing up her worldly experience! R&R