I am soooo sorry it's taken so long to get this up. And if it seems a little…off, it's because I kind of forgot where I was going with it. A girl I knew was just killed in a car accident and I'm getting ready for college and I've had a lot on my plate recently so I haven't really been thinking about writing too much. Again, sorry for the wait. I really liked some of the ideas thrown at me, and kind of used some of them… This time, since I got more reviews than I'd asked for, let's aim for 270 shall we? Thanks so much everyone who reads, reviews, and adds me to their lists.

CHAPTER 26

Without a backward glance I glided to my feet and started running through the trees, trying to find the clearest path in order to keep my dress from being torn or soiled. But I didn't get far. Soon my steps faltered as I focused my hearing behind me and heard the sounds of the two vampires fighting. Even though I tried to make myself run, knowing that there was no guarantee that I would get a chance like this again, my body wouldn't move. As I heard a screech from behind me I turned, unable to commit myself to being an innocent bystander. I burst back into their little camp site to see them going at each other, one of Leon's ears no longer attached to his head. Victoria didn't look hurt, but she did look enraged. Just as I moved to help her, Leon's head parted ways with his body and Victoria was starting a fire over his shredded body.

The fire was going well and smoking heavily by the time Victoria turned around and saw me standing there. She seemed shocked to see me. "What are you doing here? I saw you run off into the woods," she said quietly, watching me as she made her way around the fire that was Leon and sat down on a log near where I'd been held prisoner.

"I…I couldn't leave when I thought you were in trouble…though we obviously have our problems…it didn't seem right." Now that I was here, having witnessed Victoria tearing another vampire's head off, I realized how stupid I'd been, I should have kept going.

"I was sure you would have been miles away by now, and I knew that if you had been, I wouldn't have been able to catch you, because of your newborn status you're a lot faster than me…I suppose I should thank you for coming back?" she inquired.

"No, no don't thank me," I whispered softly, feeling completely defeated. My one chance of getting back to Emmett was gone because I couldn't let these two evil monsters fight each other in solitude, I'd had to come back to help.

"Why didn't you run? Why did you come back when you had a chance as perfect as that had been?" Victoria asked.

I shook my head, "I don't know. Something made me stop and come back… I wish I'd kept going…"

Finally I went over to the bag that Leon had thrown from him in his haste to get to Victoria and pulled out my replacement clothes. Amazingly, Leon had even gotten me a bra, though how he knew my size was a mystery to me. The clothes fit okay when I changed into them and when I was done I slumped to the ground, safe to get dirty now that my dress was safely away from the ground hanging precariously from a tree limb using the hangers from my shirt, bra, and jeans. I buried my head in my hands and would have wept, had I had the ability to do so.

When I got hold of myself, I couldn't help looking at Victoria. From her expression I gathered that she hadn't taken her eyes from me since I'd finished changing. And then she pointed into the forest, "go home Bella, I have no use for you," she said quietly.

I stared at her, "what do you mean?" I asked.

"Go home. I can't use you against Edward, because I know it wouldn't do him any harm. And after talking to you…I don't think I could hurt you anyway…"

"What will you do?" I asked, oddly curious.

She shrugged, "I don't know…maybe I'll try out your family's method, you know of the animal blood. But if I did I would do it alone, I'm afraid I wouldn't live long if I went back to Forks, or to Alaska, anytime soon. I really hope you and Emmett have a nice life together."

She stood up and gathered the few things that appeared to be belongings. As she looked around one last time to check things over, I sighed.

"Victoria, come back with me?" I asked.

She stopped what she was doing and stared at me. "Come back with you? Now Bella don't be silly. Surely you realize how bad of an idea that is! After everything…your family must hate me!"

I smiled at her and wasn't too surprised to see that this smile didn't work on her the way it did on other vampires and people. "All you can do is try. Besides, I wouldn't let them hurt you, and because they love me they'll respect my wishes. Victoria, you're all alone. I know you're a somewhat social animal, even if you don't like crowds. It's not right for you to be alone."

Victoria sighed, "you don't seem to understand that you're family hates me Bella. I destroyed your wedding remember? You should be on your honeymoon right now; I don't think Emmett will forgive me for that."

I gave her a mischievous smile, "Victoria, Emmett will do anything I ask of him, and if that's forgiving you for what you've done to us, the so be it. Really, if you think about it, I'm the one you've wronged, and it should really be my forgiveness that matters."

Victoria just shook her head. "It doesn't matter Bella, I know that if I were to come back with you, it would just stress everyone out, and your family doesn't need that. But maybe I'll see you again sometime?" she asked.

I nodded, almost too choked up to reply, "yes, I'd like that. If…if you're ever in the area again, please don't stay away, come see us. And…thank you for letting me go…"

Victoria nodded, picked up her few belongings from where she'd dropped them, and faded into the trees, leaving me alone. I slowly got to my feet, dusted off my hands on my pants and carefully rolled my dress over my arm. It didn't take me long to figure out which way I needed to go to get home, but I had no indication of how long it would take to get there. With a sigh and a glance toward the area Victoria had just disappeared into I started running, being extra careful around the trees, for fear my dress would snag on a branch.

I ran for a whole day before stopping to rest. As I sat on a log, catching the breath I didn't need, I heard a twig snap close by. Immediately on alert I got to my feet and looked around. The sound of feet was coming closer, faster. And then I realized that it wasn't just one set of feet, it was many, all running in my direction. Steeling myself for either flight or a fight…I stood ready to face whoever burst from the bushes and into my little clearing.

But I wasn't prepared for it when it happened. I wasn't prepared for Emmett and Alice, Carlisle and Esme, my father, Jacob. They all ground to a halt when they saw me there and looked stunned by my sudden appearance. And then Emmett took a step forward, and then another, and another, and suddenly I was in his arms, he was holding me more tightly than anyone had ever held me before, and I was holding him back, sobbing dryly into his shirt. When he let go to look at me I gladly relearned the contours of his face.

Our reunion was interrupted shortly though by the words, "how did you escape?" we both turned and I felt anger burning in me as I looked at him.