I felt a shiver down my back again at hearing Adrian's voice only again it wasn't a shiver of fear or anything. It was something else that I couldn't pinpoint.

"Tonight?" I asked, willing myself to step forward towards Adrian. "How come that soon?"

"Carlisle's pretty fast at managing things," Adrian said.

I couldn't see what was going on but for some reason the air felt tense. I felt Seth's presence behind me and Adrian's in front of me. I was in the middle of them and for some reason I felt cornered.

"What about saying goodbye?" I asked.

"You can say goodbye when we go back to your house to pack," Adrian said.

I nodded. "What about to your family? I have to thank them regardless if..." I glanced towards Seth, remembering what he said about looking at things a different way. Putting the negative thoughts out of my head was probably a good idea. "I want to thank them," I said simply. "I mean, they're not all coming with us, are they?"

"No," Adrian said. "It'll be just me, you and Carlisle."

I nodded. Even though Carlisle was almost like a stranger to me, I felt safe around him and Adrian. Lizzy would have no objections either this time as the whole point of the trip was to try and help me.

"Can I see them?" I asked.

Adrian nodded. "Sure. They'll all upstairs. Edward'll guide you."

I hadn't even noticed that Edward was in the room with us. He was so quite and he hadn't said a word. But the next moment a cold hand clasped around my own and I was being helped up the stairs again. We were about to go up another flight when suddenly I heard Adrian's voice from downstairs.

"You've been hanging around here a lot lately," Adrian said, to Seth I think. "Where's Jacob and Nessie this time?"

"I came without them," Seth said and by his sarcastic tone it made me aware that he was stating the obvious.

I heard no more after that since Edward taking me further away from them.

"What did he mean by Seth coming around more lately?" I asked.

Beside me, I felt Edward tense up. "He's been coming to see me a lot more lately. Usually he'd come around occasionally with Jacob but it seems he's felt the need to talk to me more."

Another lie. Again Edward tensed up but I ignored him this time. I knew that something was off again, like all those times when I'd asked questions about the Cullens in general, but I didn't bother to ask. Edward hadn't answered my questions until now so I didn't expect anything from him as far as answers went. I wondered if maybe Adrian could tell me but he was the last person I wanted to bombard with questions. I didn't want to trouble Adrian, especially after he was already doing so much.

Adrian took me home after I'd said both my temporary goodbyes and thank yous to everyone. The last person I said goodbye to was Seth and again his hand lingered on mine when I stretched out my hand for a handshake. It didn't last long though since the next moment I was being pulled away by Adrian. We were soon in his car, driving off towards my house to pack. He was silent though and I wondered if that maybe had something to do with his earlier conversation with Seth. I wanted to know about it since I didn't want there to be any beef between them or anything, but then again it wasn't my business. Instead I went for a more casual question.

"How long will the operation take?" I asked.

"A few hours I think," Adrian answered casually, a bit of his friendliness seeping back into his voice. "But then you might have to miss about a week of school for your eyes to heal."

I nodded. I hadn't figured as much since I knew nothing about operations but doctors knew best. That's been proven to me many times.

"I hope Lizzy won't have another fit over it," he said, not doubt remembering what I'd told him about my earlier encounter with her before discussing the operation.

I shook my head, hoping that maybe he'd seen it. Although he was driving, I felt as if his eyes were focused solely on me. "No, she won't. She's already immensely grateful to you and now I think that she'd even trust you with my life. Lizzy's got a hard shell to break, but as soon as it's broken she becomes as trusting and as loving as a young puppy," I said. "She's taken a liking to you and your whole family after I told her about your intentions and I wasn't sugar-coating anything either. She's really a kind spirit."

"What if the operation doesn't work?" Adrian asked.

I froze. What he was telling me was exactly the opposite of what Seth was telling me. It was such an apparent contradiction that again I felt stuck in the middle. Seth had just barely succeeded in bringing me away from those thoughts but maybe Adrian's way was better. Rather than holding onto hope and ignoring everything negative like Seth had suggested, I should be prepared for the worst. Somehow it felt worse now than I thought it would. Seth gave me hope while Adrian gave me reality. Which should I listen to? Which did I want to listen to?

"I don't know," I replied. "Then I guess I'll just keep living my life like I always have. It can't do anything to hurt me anyway," I said. "Nothing can hurt my eyes ever..."

Adrian suddenly slammed on the breaks and we came to an abrupt stop. I heard his fists clench around the steering wheel. It's a good thing I was wearing a seat belt.

"Charlotte...I want you to see," Adrian said in a low voice. "I want you to see and I don't think I've ever wanted anything as much, not even for myself."

I held in my breath, my heart pounding hard in my ears. "W-why? Why do you care...so much? Nothing will change if I don't get to see. I'll still be me and..."

"Charlotte." Now his hands were on my shoulders and I breathed again. I turned my heard towards him, again regretting that I didn't see him. "No matter what it takes, you will see again. I promise."

I shook him off and turned away from him, not saying anything. He started the car up again and soon we were at my house.

Don't lie, I said. If this operation doesn't work, then there's no hope.

The goodbyes to Lizzy and Joseph were short and sweet by Mary wasn't as agreeable. In the end she let me go but only if I promised and crossed my heart and hoped to die that I would come back home. By the way she went silent when Adrian suddenly came in the room, I could tell that she still didn't like him much.

The airplane ride was longer than I expected and the hours in the waiting room at the hospital were even longer. I'd never been this impatient in my life. But finally, the moment came. I was introduced to Carlisle's friend, Dr. Henry Rutherford and then I was asked a few questions again, similar to Carlisle's questions. I was then dressed up in some sort of hospital gown and put on a hospital bed. A shorter time passed and I grew more anxious. I was being wheeling in the operation room. Adrian held onto my hand and again I felt his eyes on me but I kept silent and just stared ahead into the blackness.

It would be starting. Something that I had never imagined or even could imagine. If the operation worked...no, supposing that it really did work, then I'd be able to see. That one word 'see' was what I secretly longed for. I never voiced this longing since up until the point that I'd met Adrian it just seemed impossible. But now life was giving me this one chance and if the chance worked for me then I could see...colours...people...Adrian...Mary...Seth...th e Cullens...Lizzy...Joseph...everyone. But most importantly then I could finally see myself.

I held my breath as both Carlisle and Dr. Henry asked me if I was ready.

I gulped and only managed a nod before Adrian let go of my head and I was taken into the operating room.

Seth's P.O.V.

After Charlotte left, I went outside into the woods with Edward again. Lately I'd gotten used to walking on foot through the forest since I didn't dare turn ever since I met Charlotte. Leah still didn't know anything, although my continued absences from the pack were starting to make her suspicious. Jake didn't turn either (not that he needed to often with Nessie keeping him in check) so he didn't give anything away either. Still though, things were getting tense at home.

Meeting with Edward was only partly the reason I came. Out of all the Cullens, I felt that he was most on my side and now he and Jake were the only ones I could turn to. Edward could read people's minds and I often asked him what Charlotte thought...about me and about Adrian. To say that I was in love with the girl was an understatement; it was something deeper than that.

But right after she left with Adrian to pack for the operation, Edward took me outside with a much more serious look on his face. I had a feeling we weren't just going to talk about Charlotte's feelings and thoughts anymore.

"Seth, I haven't mentioned this too much, but you know that Adrian's power has to do with the senses, right?" Edward asked.

I nodded. "Yeah. He can give or take away his senses, right? Apparently he's taken away his own sense of smell so that he can be around humans, right?"

Edward sighed. "Yes and more than that, he can take away and give senses to others as well. Do you get what I'm saying?"

As usual, my thoughts instantly turned to Charlotte and I gasped.

"Yes, he can help her," Edward said simply but this almost made me cave in. Adrian could give Charlotte her sight? That was something that I could never do...but wait, did he really make a difference?

I shook my head. "Yeah but it won't matter. Charlotte's going for the operation anyway and..."

"Alice had a vision," Edward continued and his jaw set in, his eyes colder than I'd ever seen them before. "She's not getting her sight back Seth. The operation can't help her."

The world around me went black as if I was the one who was blind. I felt miserable and willing to throw myself in front of a train just to stop the feeling. It was a terrible sinking feeling combined with a misery I never knew existed. Even when dad died I hadn't felt this horrible.

"S-so...s-she's staying blind?" the words barely escaped my mouth.

Edward nodded, a grim look on his face as well. "Yes."

"How long have you and Alice known?"

"Just since the time for the operation was decided. About an hour ago when Dr. Henry, the doctor performing the operation, called to confirm that the operation was a go."

I was angry now and even though Edward was my best friend, I was almost willing to try slashing at his throat. I'd have to turn first but my right fist was shaking so it was a temptation anyway.

"Why didn't you stop her from leaving then!?" I yelled.

"It wouldn't have done any good," Edward said in a rational voice, trying to calm me down. "Do you realize what that would've meant? Charlotte doesn't know what we are Seth and that would've been another sort of giveaway. She would've wondered how we just knew and it'd be even worse to make up an excuse for it."

No good. I was still shaking.

"So now she's going to that operation with no idea that it won't work. Her last hopes are set on that operation Edward!"

"I know that," Edward said, echoing my sorrow. "But what's more than that, Adrian couldn't have known!"

I paused. "What do you mean?"

"I've seen what he intends to do Seth. Alice hasn't had a vision yet, but it's only a matter of time. Once he finds out that it's impossible for Charlotte to see again, he's going to give her sight himself. That'll expose all of us."

I turned away from him. "I don't care," I hissed.

"Yes you do," Edward said. This was the first time that his mind-reading annoyed me. "But even if he does give it to her, it can't be permanent. She'll have to be around him in order to have the sight that he gives her. She'll be almost dependent on him in a way. That's why when she comes back, she can't be left alone with Adrian."

I snorted. "I'm more than fine with that idea and I'll comfort her too. Only..." I turned back to Edward almost hopefully. "Does that mean you're on my side now?"

Edward nodded. "If it means fighting against exposing us to a human, then yes."