Hey all! Yes I do realize that it has been forever since I last updated. I also know that my school is giving out WAY too much work. If you accept that as an excuse I will be most grateful. And thank you, Height for helping me sort out some plot problems. Enjoy your reading!

Last time:

I glanced at mind reader. He looked like he was trying hard not to smile, or perhaps laugh. Great, even when I was shutting up I was still making an idiot out of myself. I guessed I was just destined to be a clown. I could picture the red nose and huge shoes already.

It turned out mind reader (or Edward, as he introduced himself to me) wasn't as scary as I'd thought, for all that he could read my most intimate thoughts and feelings. He was still fairly intimidating though, they all were.

I mean, I was kind of fair but they were so pale they were literally white. Not to mention the beauty thing. Plus they were all kind of, well unsettling was the only way to put it. Something about them made me slightly nervous.

Seth and the rest seemed completely at home there, though. They started talking about patrols and some strange scents they caught on the reservation.

"Was it familiar?" asked Emmett. He looked a little overeager, as if the thought of tearing dangerous vampires apart was fun. Maybe it was. I certainly had not experience in the matter.

"I think so, but I can't be sure," said Quil. "Most bloodsuckers smell about the same, unless you're looking for differences. No offence." He directed this last bit at Rosalie, who seemed a bit annoyed by his comment. I didn't blame him. I didn't think I'd want to get on her bad side either.

"It hasn't actually been on our land, so if you see or smell anything…" Jake warned. "Do you think it might be one of your friends?"

"I don't think so. If anyone was coming to visit I would've seen them," Alice put in. I think she was the least frightening of all the vampires I'd seen today. In a funny way, she reminded me a bit of Sophie, which was strange because they looked nothing alike.

"We'll keep an eye out," said Carlisle.

They kept talking of similar things, strategy and whatnot. I couldn't follow a lot of it. I stood slightly behind Seth, blending into the background. I was very easily not noticed. Ask anyone at my school. They'll probably say, "Haley who?"

Emmett turned on a sports game and sat down on the spacious couch. As if on cue, every other male in the house (and some females) gravitated toward the television. Now that was something I'd never understood. Why they even care. I'd been asking my father and brothers the same thing for years every time they stole the remote from me. I didn't get an answer then and I didn't expect to get one now.

Seth was sitting on the floor. Spacious as that sofa was, it wasn't big enough to hold everyone. That was who seemed to be watching football today. Aww, it was some kind of tradition. Not a tradition I could get interested in, unfortunately. Couldn't they have made a tradition of playing tiddlywinks? I played a mean game of tiddlywinks.

I caught a bit of noise from the television. "Redskins vs. Patriots." I almost laughed out loud. I knew that last team.

That was the team on all my brothers' jerseys and hats. I would've bet a lot of money that they were watching this game, right now. It wasn't really funny, but the idea of Chris and Dan here, screaming commentary every two minutes just struck me as ludicrous.

No one really seemed to notice I was there. I felt like I was intruding on a rather special gathering. I probably was.

I heard some very light footsteps next to me. I looked quickly to my right. "Over here," I heard Nessie's voice say it was coming from my left side. Typical. I glanced over my left shoulder and turned to face her.

"Hi," I said. What else do you say to a vampire hybrid that could kill you with one wrong twitch of her finger? Beats me.

"So you don't like football," she said. She didn't bother making it a question.

"Well, I… Is it that obvious?" I smiled ruefully.

"Yep," she answered. "Do you want me to show you around? We could go for a walk outside"

I blinked. That was random. That was incredibly random. She was nice and all, but I barely knew her.

"We'll get back before the game ends. We won't be missed." She grinned and gestured toward the television where the pack had started chowing down on several large bags of potato chips.

"Okay, I guess," I said. Way to show enthusiasm.

She grinned a blindingly bright smile and practically skipped over to Bella. "Haley and I are going to go for a walk."

Seth looked up at the mention of my name. It seemed purely reflex, as if he'd had no control over it. Much like the way people look up when their own name is called. He met my eyes and shot me a questioning look. I shrugged back. A walk. It probably beat sitting around in front of a television, frying brain cells and watching a bunch of guys tackle each other over a ball.

He winked. Man was he adorable when he did that. And now I was sounding like a stereotypical teenage girl. Hey, in my defense, I technically was a teenage girl. It was my prerogative to be insane. That should hold up in court.

I heard a quick chuckle from across the room, near where Nessie was standing. Mind reader strikes again. I really should work on the neutral thoughts thing.

Before I knew it, Nessie was back at my side and grasped my hand more firmly than I would've thought possible for such a petite thing. I must've blinked.

She led me out the door and into the wilderness.

"Just curious, but why did you ask me to go on a walk. You don't really know me all that well."

"True, but that's why I asked you. You seem nice and I just had this feeling…" Oh great. Had someone neglected to mention another superpower? "…that we're going to be friends." So much for the superpower theory.

"Yeah, but no one ever really notices me unless they have to. Well, except for Seth, but that's the wolf magic. I don't really see why, what with my stellar personality and all." I had no idea why I was unloading my troubles on a two year old. Granted, she was much smarter and wiser and older-looking than you average two year old, but still.

She giggled, a trilling sound like wind chimes. "I don't see how. You're funny."

"So what's your superpower again?"

She giggled once more. "They're not exactly superpowers, more like abilities. I can transfer my thoughts and memories into other people's minds by touching them my palm." She grabbed my hand and suddenly I was no longer walking through the forest.

I was sprinting. I was going as fast as the pack had gone earlier. I narrowly avoided trees, swerving at the last possible second. I also seemed to be strangely closer to the ground. I was aware of everything going on, my sight and hearing were amazing, far beyond normal abilities. Nessie let go of my hand.

"Whoa," I said after a moment. "You weren't kidding." I looked at her with raised eyebrows. "That was wicked awesome."

"Thanks," she said. "I've been able to do it since I was born. It doesn't really feel special to anyone around here anymore. I guess the novelty has worn off. It's nice being able to see your reaction."

"What was my reaction?" I asked suspiciously.

"Nothing too bad. You were staring into space with your mouth wide open. You looked a bit like a goldfish." She giggled (she seemed rather prone to doing so) and muttered something under her breath.

"What?" I asked. I probably wasn't really meant to hear whatever she had said, but curiosity got the better of me.

"Just remembering the look on Jacob's face when I did that to him the first time. I couldn't even talk yet. I bet he didn't see that coming." She giggled yet again.

She began regaling me with stories. I had to admit, she was quite the raconteur. She was able to tell things in a descriptive amusing way that made me feel as if I was there. Then again, that may have been because she often touched me to add her memories to the telling. It was very subtle.

All of a sudden, she froze. She was still as a statue, if I hadn't just been talking to her, I might've been convinced that she was.

"What's wrong?" I whispered. I didn't know why I was whispering. Something about her stance made me very cautious, nervous.

"Just stay very still and quiet," she whispered back. "Not that it'll help," she muttered, more to herself.

"Hello," said a musical voice from directly behind me.

I jumped. I slowly turned around. Nessie, of course, was already facing him, back in her statue mode, looking coolly into his eyes, which I had just noticed were bright crimson.

"Renesmee, it's been so long. I swear, you're looking more like your mother every day." It was another voice, coming from behind me.

I jumped yet again. Of all the pleasant surprises. Being smarter than the average bear, I had figured that these were vampires, and that I was dinner. Bon appetite.

But then why did they seem to know Nessie?

"Felix, Demetri," she said softly. "How are you?" I admired her bravery. I was looking between them so rapidly I would probably give myself whiplash.

"Oh, just fine," said the first one. "But we have unfortunately been charged with bringing you back with us."

"You see," said the other one. "Aro is so eager to have that delightful family of yours join him. Those shape shifters would also make a wonderful addition."

"As for your little acquaintance…" he trailed off suggestively. I was starting to panic. Not only that, but the 'little' jab was kind of offensive. I was fully average height. It didn't matter, though, how tall they thought I was. I was dead. As good as dead, anyway. My heart seemed to thump louder, as if aware that it was going to be stopped very soon.

"It would be very unwise to kill her," Nessie threatened, looking as scary as it is possible for a beautiful young child to look. "She has a very strong attachment to the shape shifters. They wouldn't be very eager to join you if anything happened to her."

"It is that bond that Aro mentioned. Does it not also exist between you and their leader?" asked the one called Felix.

"Yes, but if you hurt either of us, in any way, shape, or form, they will not only refuse to join you, but hint you down and kill you." Wow, now I was even scared of Nessie. And she was on my side.

"I suppose we'll have to take them both. Aro will be able to determine whether or not she is lying." Demetri winked at me. "And if she is, dibs." I shivered. I knew I wasn't lying, but that in no way made me safe.

Out of nowhere, a thought ran through my head. It was completely and totally illogical, considering the state of affairs. What were my parents going to think? They'd think I was some teenage runaway. And what if I actually got back alive? What were they going to say then?

I had somehow managed to be both pessimistic and optimistic in the same thought. I knew one thing though, my chances of getting out of this were slim to none.

Before I had an opportunity to think straight, Felix had seized me around the middle and threw me over his shoulder. He shot off like a speeding bullet. My glasses fell off, but I could still see how fast we were going. I could also see Nessie, a little blurrier but still safe and alive from what I could tell. Demetri was holding onto her similarly.

I was starting to get motion sick, something that had not happened when I was on Seth. I was happy then. Now, the fears of being sucked dry transferred themselves to this activity. My eyes strained to make out any detail, but I was blind as a bat without my glasses and could only see a fuzzy mix of green and brown.

I all of a sudden couldn't take it anymore. The fear, the headache I was getting from straining my eyes, the uncomfortable feel of Felix's cold and hard shoulder on my stomach. I threw up. Felix made a face, but didn't comment, slow down, or anything of the sort. I groaned. This was not going to be a joy ride.

The running kept up for what seemed like an incredibly long time. I had no way of knowing how fast they were running, where we were headed, or even how long it would take to get there.

Before I knew what'd hit me, I was tossed in the back of a very expensive looking car. Nessie tumbled in after me. I buckled the seat belt. The vampires might have been indestructible, but I was incredibly vulnerable. Just how vulnerable I was only starting to realize.

I closed my eyes and wished myself out of this place I wished I was anywhere, anywhere, but here. Nessie stroked my back and murmured to me.

"Shhh, it's going to be all right. They'll find us. Everything will be okay." I immediately felt bad. I should be comforting her. I grabbed her hand and gave it a squeeze. She sent me a picture of the wolves and vampires together. It must've been a memory from earlier today, because I was there, too.

I was looking around the house in wonder. (I felt kind of embarrassed about that, but I had much bigger fish to fry right now.) Seth was gazing at me like I was his personal miracle. I turned back and smiled at him. Our eyes met and you could see tenderness there. I let go of her hand.

I started softly crying, not for myself, but for Seth. What was he going to do once I was gone?