Author's Note: Please, read and review! And I don't own any of this, though I wish I did!
:-Jacob Black-:
I ran. I felt horrible, to be leaving what could be the biggest-and most horrible-fight of my friends' lives, but I knew that I had to protect the precious little girl riding on my back at all costs. Seth and Leah ran behind me, their rhythmic breathing keeping me grounded in the present instead of wallowing in self-doubt.
Jake, buddy, what are we going to do? Seth's thoughts streaked through my brain and I could hear Leah thinking the same thing.
Not sure. Got to get away from here, first. Got to get as far away as I can, on foot and then we'll get in the air. I thought back at the two wolves following me and lengthened my stride, trying to gain as much ground as I could while the fight was still going on.
Suddenly, Leah stopped and whirled, her nose to the ground in the opposite direction. Jacob, there's someone following us. A vampire, but I don't recognize the scent.
I didn't stop. Couldn't stop. Nessie wouldn't stand a chance if vampires caught up with us and killed her three protectors. Keep going, Leah. We have to outrun the bloodsucker. Let's go.
She didn't move. Seth whined and I skidded to a stop, my thoughts a shout in my head. Leah! What's the problem? Come on, we've got to move it!
No, Jacob. You and Seth go. I'll hold them off as long as I can. She growled, showing her teeth and I knew that she would do whatever she felt she had to in order to keep me safe. I was her Alpha. I knew that she wasn't tossing her life away in vain, any time she could get for me and Seth was time we desperately needed.
I have to do this. Her latest thought was tinged with determination. I nodded my shaggy wolf's head and turned back to face Seth.
Come on, Seth. Your sister has made her decision and it is a noble one. We have to go. Her sacrifice will not be in vain. I began to run again and part of me didn't think the tan wolf would follow me. But padding, galloping paws behind me told me I was wrong. His thoughts were anguished but he would follow where I went.
We ran for about five minutes before Leah's voice abruptly re-entered our heads. RUN, JACOB!! I CAN'T STOP THEM BOTH!! THEY'RE-
Her thought cut off midway through and I shuddered to think what might have happened to silence Leah Clearwater. Nessie was silent, had been silent the whole trip. Seth and I kept running. We had to be past the state line now, into Oregon, but I couldn't be certain. We should have run for Canada, but I'd been so focused on getting away that we'd just run in the first direction we'd come to-south.
Leah? Leah??!! LEAH??!! Seth's thoughts were panicked. His pace was becoming erratic, as if he was trying to decide between staying with me and returning to help Leah.
Seth, buddy, come on. Leah made her choice, it was something she had to do. She probably just got too caught up in killing the leeches to remember to talk to us. Let's go, let's not let her down.
Right. Let's go. She's fine, she has to be fine. Seth resumed his position on my flank and we kept running. But soon…soon, I began to smell something, something that made me shudder and want to puke.
Jake, you smell that? It's coming from behind us, but it's coming up soon. Seth's nose was even more acute than mine and I knew that if I smelled it then it had to be on top of us.
Bloodsucker, I thought harshly. I knew that we had to get away, had to keep running. I tried to lengthen my stride again, but I was already running full-out. I didn't have any more in reserve and I knew that Seth was even more tired than I was.
Then, abruptly, the smell was so close I could taste it, and then, before I could react, veer out of the way, or anything, a rush of movement passed in front of me and I felt my legs collapse out from under me as if they'd been sliced into by something…anything.
RENESMEE! I screamed silently as the little girl was thrown from my back. She landed a few feet away, still not saying a word. Dragging myself back to my feet, ignoring the pain, I staggered over to her, stood over her. Then I looked around for the source of the danger.
A pale figure stood a few paces away, blood glistening on his hands and face. I recognized him as one of the Volturi guard. Seth stood between him and me, his hackles raised, teeth bared and legs apart. I knew at once that the kid meant to keep Nessie and myself safe at whatever cost to himself.
"I'm surprised you got this far. The wolf you left behind to stop me, well, that wasn't such a good idea. Not very productive. I'm still here and I am not going to leave here without killing that monster." he gestured toward Nessie and I growled, in anger and in pain.
Not on my watch, buddy, Seth thought, even though I was the only one who could hear his angry words.
Seth…be careful. I was angry at myself, angry that I'd led the kid into this predicament, angry that I wasn't able to help fight.
You stay with Nessie, man. I don't want to explain to Edward how we lost his kid. Seth's tone was meant to be reassuring and joking but it came across strained because neither of us wanted to acknowledge the fact that Bella and Edward might be dead, that it might be up to only us to keep Nessie safe, that there might not be help coming.
Then Seth sprang forward, leaping into the air towards the smiling vampire, his growl tearing through the air. I allowed myself one errant thought, directed towards the only other wolf that would be able to hear me-if he was still alive.
Sam, Sam, if you're out there…we could really use some help.