"Bella!" Maddie cried happily as I slid in next to her at school for the first time in months.

"You're back!"

I smiled at her warmly. "Yeah, finally. I don't even know what was wrong with me in the first place."

"My mom says that your heart stopped beating after the gun incident."

"Yeah, I remember that part. But that was months ago! And they obviously got it to beat again as I'm still sitting here. And no one-including the doctors-get why I fell into a coma for three months afterwards."

The teacher called the class to order then so she shrugged as we faced the front.

Truly, no one knew why I went into a three-month coma. The doctors said I had been perfectly normal and healthy but I wouldn't wake up.

And then, when I did, it was like I had been sleeping, not in a coma. I had been totally confused and the doctors had to explain why I was in hospital.

I was released and brought home two weeks later, where mom and Phil guiltily told me that they had yet to call Aaron and tell him I had woken up.

I was ticked.

I tried to contact Aaron but he didn't answer so I figured he was out on his hunting trip-not that I told them that.

Sure enough, a couple days later Aaron showed up at the front door and swept me into a relief-filled hug.

We were content to just sit at home after I got home from my tests at school.

Oh, yeah. My lovely tests. This was probably the only time in my life that my parents and Aaron were glad that I was way ahead of my classmates. My first week or two after I came back was filled with tests after school to make up for everything I had missed and to make sure I was still with my class.

I was of course, but I still had to take the stupid tests.

Anyways, after I got home, Aaron and I would just sit up in my room and sit there on my bed while he held me and do nothing.

But something was on his mind-something huge.

I could feel it in everything we did.

In the tension in his body as he held me at night and in the stiffness he had when I lifted small objects with my air sense.

He didn't need to worry about that though. Ever since I woke up-probably since the imploding really-I could feel every little thing in the air. My own worry still messed my connection up but I didn't have anything to be fearful of so I was good.

I had it mastered now.

"Aaron," I murmured from under my covers on m bed. "You're going to make a hole in the carpet."

He stopped his manic pacing and-even though my eyes were closed I could still see it-turned to glare at me.

Not the I-hate-you glare just the friend-to-friend be quiet glare.

Of course, then he started pacing again.

I sighed and sat up letting my covers fall halfway off.

"Aaron, come sit."

He shot me a look and continued.

I rolled my eyes and slammed my hand down next to me on the edge of my bed and commanded, "come."

He sighed and sat down on the edge next to me, putting his head in his hands.

I rubbed his back soothingly. "What's wrong?"

He was quiet for so long I was about to ask again when he spoke. "It was my fault."

My face scrunched in confusion. "What's your fault?"

Another sigh. "All of this. Everything that has happened. Just…everything." He said with a wave of his hand.

It all came back to that stupid gun incident four stinking months ago.

I crawled out from under my covers and got onto my knees so when he looked at me we would be eye level.

"Aaron," I said softly. "Look at me."

When he did, there was so much self-loathing in his eyes that I hardened my tone. Not so I sounded harsh, just fierce.

"You listen to me. I've been with you longer than anyone. Second only to your family. In all of my long nine years-" that got a smile "-you are the only things that has been constant. The only thing I've been sure of. My dad is on the other side of the country because mom was an idiot and didn't like the state and decided leaving was the best thing and is off with Phil doing his baseball gig. I've seen the good and the bad of you and what you are. I've seen how you try, your kindness, and your strength. I know exactly what you are, Aaron. You are my hero."

He stared at me for a long moment before he pulled me into a hug. We sat there for a few moments before I spoke again.

"But Aaron, not even heroes can be perfect. Especially when they are protecting a walking, breathing danger magnet. Not everything that happens to me is your fault, whether you have direct relation to the danger or not."

I slowly felt the tension drain from him and was relieved I had gotten though.

We sat there hugging until I fell asleep.

Last week of school

"We so need to do something."

I looked up from my Spanish book I was studying-for fun, it wasn't actually part of school but I was so far ahead of my classmates I decided to try something new-while Maddie studied for the end of the year tests.

"Hmm?"

"We need to do something. Like a movie or something like that. Like on the Monday after school after test and such are over. Go hang out and celebrate our freedom from elementary and our moving on into middle school."

I nodded at her as Aaron came into the room behind me.

"That's a great idea Maddie," he said. "Isn't there some kind of Cinderella one out or something?"

I smirked slightly. Only Aaron would agree to go to that kind of show.

"Yeah!" Maddie said happily. "Another Cinderella story. And it's not Disney either so we're not too old to see it."

"Well then it's settled. Ask your parents and I'll take you both. In the mean time…"

I twisted around and both Maddie and me looked at him, confused.

"Smoothies girls?" he asked as he brought two cups from behind his back.

Studying was quickly forgotten.

Two weeks later…

"Bella." My mom placed her hands on my shoulders to stop my fidgeting.

I forced my muscles into stillness and wrapped the air around my body so I would at least look slightly calm.

"What are you nervous for? It's just Aaron and Maddie. Or are you taking a secret boyfriend?"

I scoffed and rolled my eyes. "As if. Besides, you know Aaron wouldn't allow it."

I wasn't nervous though; not really.

I was terrified.

I had a feeling. I couldn't explain it, not really. It was almost like when you felt something was out of place or not right. But not exactly.

The last time I had this feeling, twelve armed men had stormed my school.

That day, little warning bells had gone off in my head.

Right now, a huge blaring, deafening siren was going off.

As I went to meet Aaron and Maddie at the park, I could only pray Aaron could stop whatever it was.

Before the movie…

As we stopped by the bathroom before the move, I paused by Aaron.

I waited until I saw Maddie disappear around the corner before I turned to him.

"Something is going to happen today," I whispered urgently. "Blaring alarms have going off in my head since I woke up."
He nodded seriously. "We'll stop it."

On the way home…

When Aaron pulled onto the last street before Maddie's house everyone stopped talking.

My senses were jumping; I imagined Aaron's were too.

It was pitch black and completely silent.

No cars, no lights.

Nothing.

"Aaron." I whispered urgently.

The bells in my head had fallen silent; whatever was going to happen it was going to happen here.

"Hold on." Aaron whispered. He turned off the lights to the car and slammed won on the gas.

We were both thinking the same thing then.

It was a vampire out there. The lack of light wouldn't deter them, wouldn't really hinder them, but it was worth a shot.

There was movement to the left of the car; Aaron didn't sense it.

"Aaron, look-!" I never finished my warning as the vampire slammed into the car, sending us into a tree.

I heard Aaron snarl at the vampires he was attacking at the same time two more vampires ripped the doors on both mine and Maddie's side.

I turned and kicked my attacker 10 feet before I turned to help maddie.

I never got the chance.

A blow came from behind me, knocking me unconscious.

The last thing I heard was Aaron calling my name and Maddie's scream of terror.

Several days later…

I struggled to open my eyes despite the pounding of my head.

There wasn't anyone in the new room I woke in besides myself…and Maddie.

We were both restrained.

We were both being held in what was basically a metal holding rack.

The border was a thick metal that was wide and tall enough for my arms to be straight.

There were various places for chains to be attached along the inside of the border.

The frame was supported on just about every side making it impossible for a human to knock over. It was probably welded to the floor as well.

Both mine and Maddie's feet were shackled and chained to the bottom of the rack and our wrists were in the same condition except the chains connected to the bottom corners.

There were sounds and roars coming from the room that was off to the right behind a closed door. I imagined that was where they had managed to restrain Aaron.

A couple minutes passed before Maddie mad her way to consciousness.

Our eyes met as she took in our surroundings and took note of the noises from the other room.

"Bella?" she asked, voice shaking. "Where are we?"

"I don't know, Maddie. But we'll get you out of here." I hoped she didn't notice that I wasn't planning on leaving. I knew that only one of us really had a chance of survival while we were both chained and Aaron secured in the other room.

Our conversation was cut short when a vampire walked into the room.

I knew he hear our conversation when he walked straight over to me and backhanded me.

"Insolent brat," he snarled. "No one is leaving until I get what I want."

I heard Maddie suck in a sharp breath when she realized he had heard our whispered conversation from behind a closed door.

Originally I would have snapped back my answer but I had another life to take care of now.

"What is it that you want?" I asked.

"Your kind dead." He sad, smiling cruelly.

"My…Kind?" He either meant human or elementals. I hoped it was elementals; cause then there would be no reason for Maddie to be here.

Except if she spoke up.

"You mean human?" she asked. "Isn't that what you are?"

He smiled gleefully and I mentally cringed.

"Well, what do you know? A girl that doesn't know about the horrors that lies out there at night."

She looked confused but before she could respond I drew his attention back to me.

"What do you mean my kind?"

I wasn't expecting him to come back vampire speed so I failed to track him.

I double over when something round and hard slammed into my stomach; I was left gasping for air.

He grabbed me by the hair and I was able to see a metal pole before his eyes demanded my attention.

"An elemental, you stupid b****. Your kind has been nothing but trouble for my covens. Yes, plural. I've had to make new ones because of your kind."

I straightened on my own and looked into his red eyes. "Killing me won't do anything. You will hurt the human community but I'll barley be something the vampire community would cry over."

He snarled and snapped his hand out.

I cried out as my left shoulder popped out of place.

I struggled not to scream as he gripped said shoulder hard. "You'll be but an example girly. One the leaders won't forget."

I sagged and struggled to get my breath when he let go.

He was headed over to Maddie-who was watching him with wide eyes-and I couldn't allow that.

"What will killing her do? Besides, making you move again?"

He turned his head to smile at me. "Oh, she's just a convenient meal."

"Bastard."

And just like that, he was back over to me.

He placed a knife on the side of my neck, but I didn't flinch but stared defiantly into his eyes.

"I'll teach you respect girl."

"I don't respect monsters."

He dragged the knife down the side of my neck to the middle of my stomach. He licked some of the blood off the knife.

"Lovely," he said.

I could see Maddie's horrified expression from the side of my eyes, but I didn't concentrate on her. I had to buy Aaron time to get us out of here. He had killed two of the Vampires in the other room, but the last was good.

I'm not sure how I did it, but my lip curled back and a true vampire snarl tore from my throat.

The vampire blinked at me and then threw his head back and laughed.

"Who would have thought? That's rich girl."

He took his metal pole and slammed it onto the top of my arms and my things. I made a slight pained noise, but otherwise stayed quiet.

He took the knife in his hand again but I didn't flinch.

I was weak from the beating and the blood loss but I didn't back down. Aaron almost had the upper hand.

"Stop!" Maddie cried.

No, no, no…

Maddie…

He turned to her, amused.

"Do you even know what I am girl?"

Her eyebrows came down as I tried to frantically stall him with the wind.

He sensed that threw the knife back and into my thigh. I cried out in pain.

"Human?" she asked.

He laughed. "I'm a vampire, girl."

She flinched. "Vampire's don't exist."

I knew what was gong to happen next. I felt the rage and fire flow through my veins and melt my chains. I ripped the knife out of my let and flew at him, but I was too late.

"No?" he asked.

And then he bit into her neck, nearly draining her before I tore him off.

I tore the chains off her and gently laid her on the ground, hoping she wouldn't bleed to death before I could get her to a hospital.

I turned back to the vampire and snarled at him.

"Lets party, girl.
I leaped at him and kicked him across the room.

He came back quickly and sent me sliding towards Maddie, but I flipped over her in the last second.

He was quickly next to me, but drawing the air around the knife, I drove it into his stomach.

He gasped and stumbled back as I pulled it out. "Weren't expecting that, were you?"

"Not possible," he gasped.

"Except if you're me."

I flew at him again, and drove the knife into his next and left it there.

While he tried to get the knife out, I flew a chain over to me.

Aaron came out of the room with both Vampires ash, while I wrapped the chain around my vampire's head and easily behead him.

With a burst of fire, he turned to ash.

I dropped the chain and raced back over to Maddie.

"Maddie? Girl, talk to me!" I said urgently.

Her body wasn't beat up very much but he had drained her too much. Just the bit on her neck and the bruises on her arms.

"Why didn't you tell me, Bella?"

"I wasn't allowed to. I'm so sorry ;I never though you would be dragged into this. But you're going to be alright."

I felt Aaron shake his head and bit back a sob.
"I'm so sorry, Maddie. So sorry."

She gave me a strained smile. "Bella, I…"

I watched the light fade form her eyes, take her last breathe, and then she was gone.

"Maddie!"

A few weeks later…

The funeral was a few weeks later. We had staged Aaron's injuries with fire and made them look like bruises and cuts.

Amazingly, Maddie's mom didn't blame us. But no matter how many times she said it wasn't our fault, both Aaron and I knew it was.

It was a cloudy day for her funeral and many people showed up.

Aaron had to peel the skin off around the bite on her neck so no one would get any ideas. He also had to create more injuries so it looked like natural blood loss.

Aaron kept his arms around me at the funeral as I cried over the only human friend I had ever had.

I vowed silently that day that I would stick to Aaron and his family. I would not bring any more humans into the supernatural. They couldn't survive and they would just end up like Maddie.

As she was lowered into the ground, a ray of sun broke through the clouds and shown down on her casket.

I smiled in spite of myself.

Mrs. Kress came over to me shortly after.

"Bella?"

I looked up into her tear-filled eyes with tears of my own.

"How prolonged was her death?"

Glad that I could easy some of her heartache, I answered as truthfully as I could.

"It wasn't. He...he threw her across the room. The blood loss happened after she was dead. It was very quick and she couldn't have felt much."

Her shoulders sagged in relief. "Thank god for small miracles."

I nodded as she walked away and Aaron led me back to the car.

That night…

When we got home I kept my window open and stared out into the night.

The wind blew. "Bella."

I jerked upright. There was no way…

"Bella."

But that was her voice. "Maddie?" I whispered.

The wind blew again and her soft laugh echoed in the room.

She was in the wind

"You can't blame yourself, Bella."

Tears misted my eyes. "But I killed you."

"No, you didn't. The vampire did."

"If you hadn't been friends with me, you'd still be alive."

"No, I wouldn't. I've seen my life without you. I can do that up here in heave, you know. I would have been alive for one more month at the max. You gave me a great last year to live and you gave my mom closure."

The covers on my bed pulled back as if on their own; I guessed she was going it.

I climbed into bed willing and curled up as the wind stroked my hair.

I was almost asleep when the words I needed to hear floated through the wind.

"Bella, I forgive you."

September…

I switched back to the regular public school. I couldn't face my old classmates. The regular school offered to push me into 7th grade, but something kept me from saying yes so I was still in 6th grade. I was put into honors but I was still ahead.

I kept my vow I had made at Maddie's funeral and did not try to teach out to anyone.

But one reached out to me. I tried to give her the cold shoulder, but she persisted.

I relented when she told me that it wasn't my fault Maddie was dead.

Slowly, our friendship grew.

September 13…

I spent my 10th birthday on my own.

I demanded no one give me any presents but no one listened. Still, I wouldn't take them until a week later.

My birth wasn't something to be celebrated; I had killed Maddie-indirect as it may have been.

Also, Maddie and I had been planning to go to a carnival and have a big sleepover with just the two of us.

I cried myself to sleep that night as the wind wrapped around me.

I only hoped the friendship with Angela would last.

A/N: This was much longer than usual. Hope you enjoyed.

Is there anything you want to see happen? Let me know.

And please review!