Hey guys, so I'm posting another Chapter and this one is from Kiya's POV (Phillip's wife) This will be the only chapter from her POV but there might be one from Phil's eventually like last time. Mostly ill stick to Ness and Asima though. My BFF said that if I didn't issue a tissue warning for this chapter I'd be a jerk, but she's so emotional almost every chapter is a tissue warning with her. See you at the bottom.

Chapter 19: Everybody dies

"Mommy, Asima keeps taking my crayons!" Kyle shrieked running into the kitchen.

Asima wasn't too far off his heels screaming her defense, "Daddy, he broke my yellow!"

"Do you want to take this?" Phillip smirked, looking over his papers for work.

I shook my head vehemently, pulling dishes from the cupboard to set the table for breakfast. "Nope, sorry. It's your turn, besides breakfast will burn and you wouldn't want that now would you?"

"No, of course not." My husband rolled his eyes sarcastically, but couldn't keep his smile at bay. The twins had him surrounded and shouting their sides before he could even push his chair back to stand. "Whoa, whoa, whoa, one at a time." He ordered narrowing his eyes at me when a giggle escaped my lips. I tried to concentrate on the frying pan of bacon to avoid his gaze.

Asima started off, "Kyle broke my yellow crayon, and I needed yellow for my sunshine."

"I was using the yellow for my race car." Kyle defended waving his tiny fists in the air for emphasis. "Number 48 is yellow dad, don't you know?!"

It was probably a good thing that I wasn't handling this dire emergency, because I wouldn't have been able to keep a serious face, thus loosing all parental authority and mediating abilities in their eyes. I had to turn my back to them all together. "Yes, I know number 48 has a yellow car Kyle." Phillip sympathized, keeping an even voice. "Okay, here's what we're going to do. Kyle, you broke Asima's crayon, you have to share your yellow until we go get new ones."

"But Dad—" Kyle groaned, and I could just picture my son's arms crossed in frustration and a smug smile on my daughter's face.

Phillip cut him off, "No buts Kyle, and I'm not finished. Asima, you can use Kyle's crayon, but you can't take it away from him when he's using it. When he's done, then it's your turn."

"Okay, Daddy." She sighed. When he was satisfied that they got the message he stood up. "Alright, now penguin apologies, both of you." I turned around, to watch them, because it was always the cutest thing.

Asima and Kyle put their foreheads together and looked at each others eyes. "Sorry," Asima said quickly, "Sorry." Kyle echoed just as fast. They both stared at each other for another thirty seconds before the silliness of their positions got the them and they both started giggling.

Phil let out a chuckle himself and dismissed them, "Alright you two, go back to coloring."

"Actually," I corrected, "Go wash your hands for breakfast, it's time to eat."

"Did you make French Toast?" Asima beamed up at me, standing on her tip toes. I nodded once and they both erupted into celebration. "But no one's getting any until we wash our hands." I repeated, and they ran off to the hall bathroom to do just that.

—

"I swear, French Toast day is the only time they finish all of their breakfast." Phil noticed, reaching over me to put the plates in the sink. I was already up to my elbows in suds, the twins returning to their art projects. It was their favorite dish not something we had very often—because the twins had enough energy without the sugar boost— but when we did, it was something they looked forward to.

"You had no trouble cleaning your plate either." I teased.

"I'm a growing boy." He joked grabbing a dishcloth to dry what I'd already done. His smile didn't last long, being replaced with a blank stare out the window— lost in thought.

I nudged him with my elbow, "Hey, are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine Ki," He assured letting out a sigh but avoiding eye contact. "I was just thinking..."

I glanced at his side profile suspiciously. He was the love of my life, I had been with him for over ten years and married to him for over six. I belonged to him the minute he almost knocked me over at the Princess's wedding, since our very first dance I was captured. I made an effort to know every single face and every single emotion behind that face, and in a decade of being together there wasn't anything he could hide from me. He wasn't okay.

"They would have visited this week...if things were different."

Phillip nodded, "You mean, if I hadn't sent them away."

Two and a half years ago Phillip made the decision that it would be better for our family if his immortal best friends, as well as his god children, didn't come around anymore. I disagreed wholeheartedly, but was out voted. "You miss them." I noted finishing up the last of the dishes, letting them fall into the rinse water before wiping my hands dry. "I can tell."

"Is that why you made French Toast? To remind me that I miss them?" He asked drying the last of the dishes. "Ness and Asima were my best friends, of course I am going to miss them, but it was for the best."

"No, I made it because Asima asked me to." I revealed. "She had another dream, about playing with the beautiful ladies."

Phillips eye's widened, "What did you tell her?"

"The same thing I always tell her," I sighed folding my arms, "That she loved the bedtime story so much that she wanted to be inside it." I didn't like lying to my child.

Phillip shook his head putting away the last of the dishes. "You've got to stop telling them the Jennah stories."

"It's all I have." I reminded turning away from him. "It's bad enough I have to disguise the stories of my heritage as a fairytale, now you want me to get rid of them all together?"

"We can't risk them knowing that they're real." Phillip argued low. "How are we going to explain—"

"Explain that we lied to them? Deprived them of the love of people that were close to them because you decided it was safer?" I spat sarcastically feeling my blood boil. "And when are we going to give them their cartouches?"

Phil rubbed his temples, stressing."It is safer, and we can't ever give them those necklaces, you know that."

"But they're theirs." I stressed, my voice cracking from frustration. "They're going to forget."

Phil wrapped his arms around me, pulling me close. "Kiya, I'm sorry." It wasn't hard to tell that this wasn't just about them. "Are you ever going to forgive me?"

He didn't have to ask that. I couldn't hold something against him when he really felt like it was for the Kyle and Asima's benefit; I just really wished I didn't have to give up my home in the process. "I forgave you years ago Phillip, I just wished things were different."

"I do too," He admitted honestly, for the first time since Princess Asima swore she would stay away. "Maybe we'll give it a few more years, and if it isn't working we'll change it, huh?"

I perked up, but tried to hide my hope. I couldn't tell if he were trying to pacify me or really meant it. "Why wait? I don't like the idea of waiting to change things, if we aren't happy we should fix them now before it's too late."

"Too late?" He smiled down at me, planting a kiss on my forehead before linking our fingers. "They literally have an eternity. We can wait a few more years. The kids will be older— old enough to decide for themselves what they want. Sit them down one day and tell them that the stories you shared aren't really just stories. If they accept it, then fine. If they don't, we can wait until they're old enough to care for themselves, and —I don't know— maybe retire and live out our days in Jennah."

Even though telling the children the truth was something I dreamed about, and actually moving to Jennah sounded like nirvana, I couldn't allow myself to feel happy at the possibility of a maybe. "That sounds like a lot of plans left up to chance. Why can't we make a decision now?"

"There's no need to rush this, we have time. Jennah isn't going anywhere, Sami, Rami, and Jabril; Asima, Ness, the Cullens' none of them are going anywhere. They have eons." He repeated cupping my face, stressing their immortality.

"Everybody dies Phillip." I reminded, "Despite how constant something seems life isn't."

"My love for you is constant," He crooned kissing my lips, trying to distract me. "You believe that don't you?" I nodded, unable to form words, getting lost in his eyes.

"I love my friends; I have a second family in Jennah, but you and the twins are my first priority." He stressed, his hands forming manacles around my arms. "My job is to keep you three safe above anything else."

"I don't want to fight..." I sighed in surrender, this was the only topic we've ever managed to fight about.

Phillip released me, but I still stayed as close to him as I could. "Then let's not fight about it let's compromise. The twins are six, we'll wait until they're twelve. We'll tell them the entire truth from start to finish starting with how I met Asima, Ness, and the Cullens. You'll continue to tell them stories of Jennah and the princes, and when it's time we'll tell them they aren't just stories. We'll give them their cartouches, and present them with an opportunity to meet their god mothers. If they want it, we'll make it happen." His blue eyes swore.

"And if they don't want it?" I winced not really liking that idea.

Phillip just wrapped his arms around me again, "Then we'll wait until they're off at college or something, I don't know, but I'll find a way to get you home okay. Just be patient."

"Promise?" I could wait, as long as this was definite.

He smiled pulling me in for another kiss, "I promise." My smile spread a mile wide, and he let me go, grabbing his briefcase off the table. "You always get what you want, now I'm running late for work."

"Sorry," I pouted with a grin, unashamed for wanting to see my home.

He wasn't buying it either, "I'm sure you are."

"Are you still coming home for lunch?" I asked tossing him the keys he couldn't seem to find. He caught them and winked at me, grateful, "I don't I can since I'm late. I'm going to just work through straight and com e home early, but I'll call." With an 'I love you, be safe' and a kiss to the twins he was out the door.

—

"I'm done Mommy!" Kyle announced freeing the napkin from his shirt collar and throwing it on the table.

Asima did the same, "Me too, can we go play now?"

I was working on a column, so I was no where near finished with my grilled cheese, but I didn't want to deny them their fun. "Okay, but you're going to have to play in the backyard until I'm finished, then we can go walk the nature trails together."

Both of them flew out their seats and was out the back door before I was finished. I barely got a response from telling them to stay where I could see them. "Kay!"

Finishing my work didn't take more than another ten minutes, and Phillip called while I was I was cleaning up the remainders of our lunch. "Took you long enough to answer," my husband joked when I picked up. "You tried to answer your phone with wet hands again didn't you?"

"You know me," I smiled drying the touchscreen before putting it to my face. I still wasn't used to the sensitivity of the Iphone he brought me. "I'm getting there. You missed lunch."

"Meeting ran late," He apologized, "I just got out. How are the twins?"

"Out playing in the yard." I informed putting the dishes away, "I'm going to take them on the nature trails in a few minutes, let them burn off all of this energy."

He laughed, "They wearing you thin, huh?" "That's an under statement. I've been dealing with two balls of inexhaustible energy all day, and you won't believe how many grilled cheeses those two ate."

"Well at least they're better enough to have energy and an appetite," He reminded. He was right, they had the flu for the past week and didn't really have much energy for anything. We canceled our ski trip to Vail because of it. "Maybe we can reschedule our vacation now that they're better."

"I was actually thinking of getting my mother to babysit the twins for a week and we head up to the cabin for some alone time."His voice shifted from normal to wanton as he teased on the other end suggestively.

I cloaked my voice in ignorant innocence before I answered. " I don't know mister. I'm not supposed to go anywhere with strangers..."

"Is that so?—"

"Mommy!"Asima shrieked from the back yard in frustration, "Kyle keeps knocking over my blocks!"

"Am not!" Kyle screamed over her in defense.

I sighed opening the kitchen window so that they could hear my warnings, "Hold that thought hun—You two, stop fighting. If I have to come out there, there's going to be a load of penguin apologies and you're both coming inside, and you can forget about our nature walk." Their eyes widened and each of them went back to their games on separate sides of the yard.

"They're going at it again?" He chuckled, his seductive mood gone.

I rolled my eyes, "Those two have been going at each others throats for the past few weeks."

"Usually they get along so well." Phil agreed in thought too.

For the rest of his lunch hour we talked about making a trip to Hanover to visit his parents. They hadn't seen the twins since Christmas and Mother Chase hadn't been feeling well so I knew seeing them would boost her spirits.

"So we're looking at that week before school starts up again?" Phil concluded, "Do you think—"

Kyle started yelling this time, "That's mine, I'm telling Mom!"

"They're at it again." I muttered.

"It's not yours, Mom bought it for me!" Asima argued back.

Phil sympathized, "You want me to let you go?"

"No, they'll work through it. They don't want to lose their outside privileges." I answered certain.

Before Phillip could say anything Asima was screaming at the top of her lungs all over again. "You're in big trouble! I'm telling Mom! Mommmmmyyyyyy look what Kyle did!"

"Hold on—" I requested pushing myself up to go in the back yard. "Okay that's it, if you both can't get along then you're coming inside. Be prepared to do penguin apologies for the next hour you two—"

When I rounded the corner Asima ran to me, a look of fear on her tiny face. "Look Mommy!"

"Holy—" I gasped in shock staring at the five foot Arabian leopard staring at us in the back yard; a pile of my sons clothes where he once was. He was smaller than the princes by at least two feet, his spots closer together than the others. Like a leopard in it's youth, Kyle was a leopard! This was unexpected—an honor—a tragedy.

I couldn't imagine in a million years that our family would be chosen to serve as protectors despite the fact that my family was one of many originals in Jennah. There hadn't been a selection in over a thousand years, Sami, Rami, and Jabril being more than enough to keep us safe and for it to happen and my children be chosen was the greatest thing I could imagine. As a child, I used to dream of being able to transfigure and grew sad when the day came that I was no longer young enough to be chosen.

It was a tragedy because in order for a wave of selection to kick off something devastating had to happen, a death to one of the princes, a blow to the city. Panic filled my mind when I realized something was wrong. "Kiya!" Phillip called over the phone for the umpteenth time, anxious that I hadn't responded. "What's going on?"

Phillip. He was going to flip when he found out. I couldn't tell him this over the phone. "Something's happened, come home." I hung up and focused all of my energy on my panicking son still in leopard form. "Kyle baby...listen to me. I know you're scared, but you have to calm down."

Kyle growled in protest making Asima flinch behind me, "Mommy no!"

"It's okay Asima," I comforted, coming closer, unafraid. "It's just Kyle, he won't hurt us." Her tiny hand clenched onto my jeans but my eyes didn't leave his. "It's okay Kyle, I know you're scared and you don't understand what's happening. But you won't change back until you calm down."

He hung his head and walked in a small circle around the yard, before nuzzling his clothes.

"It's okay sweetie they're just clothes, mommy doesn't care about clothes." I promised getting as close as he would let me. Taking Asima's hand, I started to sing, "Nami, Nami Ya Zgherei ..." It was an old Lebanese lullaby my mother use to sing to me, one I taught the twins.

Asima tugged on my arm interrupting my song, "Mommy, he's a leopard like in the stories about Jennah."

I nodded, glad that she could make the connection, "Yes he is, he's been chosen as a protector, just like in the stories. But he's stuck this way, so we have to help him change back. Sing with mommy okay?

" She took my hand, her brave green eyes trusting, "Nami, Nami Ya Zgherei..." we started again.

About halfway through his stressed breathing melted into a purr, and when I was certain he wouldn't act rashly, I reached for him, stroking his fur until he sat. Breathing a little lighter. It didn't take long for him to change back, and I pulled my cardigan off to wrap around him.

"The stories about Jennah are true mommy?" He managed to ask when I picked him up, his blue eyes tired. Of course he would be after that.

"You're a cat." Asima announced following behind us, completely unfazed now that she was over the initial shock. "Does this mean Jenna's real too!?"

"Yes, it is, but we have to keep it a secret, no one outside of mommy and Daddy can know that you're a leopard until we get there. I have to take you to the princes they'll help you control your change." I promised pacing back and forth in the living room now that Kyle was in a fresh change of clothes.

"But I don't wanna go to Jenna by myself." Kyle protested the same time Asima insisted, "What about me?"

"We're all going, we wouldn't dream of leaving you Kyle." I promised continuing to pace, where was Phillip? A part of me was thrilled because this solidified our need to return to my home. Kyle had a duty to protect Jennah, and there was no way we would be able to teach him everything there was to know about being a leopard and not get discovered in Florida. Not to mention the danger. Leopards gave a scent that could attract a vampire from miles away, and we couldn't keep him safe here.

The other part of me was nervous because in order for him to change, something had to have gone wrong. What happened? Did we lose the city? How many were hurt or injured? Were the princes okay? I needed to know all of this, and the sooner we got back the sooner we would know.

"Mom, Kyle is covered in green." Asima reported crossing her arms.

Kyle shook his head, "No I'm not, you are."

"Did you say green?" I repeated my heart racing twice the speed. "Asima, can you see something around Kyle?" She nodded but didn't say anything, worried about being in trouble. "It's okay honey, you can tell Mommy."

"Yeah, he has lines around him, like he was traced with a crayon or something." She admitted using her finger to trace the air around him.

I whirled around to Kyle, "And you can see one on her too?" He nodded. "Oh my, that mean's you're both leopards." I concluded pacing faster now. "Okay, so you need to tell me everything. What happened out in the backyard?"

Even though I didn't want to, I forced myself to sit down; I didn't want to scare the poor dears, heaven knew what they were thinking already.

"I was trying to make a door for my fort and Asima took one of my giant blocks." Kyle started.

"You said we had to share," Asima defended, "But he took it back and made my castle fall and now the prince can't save the princess."

I had to remind myself that they were children, when I asked them to tell me a story of course blocks would be the important part. "What happened before you changed sweetie?" I guided with patience.

Kyle's blue eyes rolled up to the ceiling and he rocked on his heels back and forth focusing on the light while he tried to recall. "Oh...that...ummm...I got mad, and then I got hot, and then WHOOSH!" His arms spread wide and waved in front of our faces.

Asima giggled and I flinched back from the surprise. When a thought crossed my daughter's mine her forehead wrinkled, "How come I didn't change, Mommy? I want to be a leopard too."

I tucked her long black hair behind her ear. "Oh you are little girl. If you can see his green you are, I just don't think you've gotten mad or scared enough yet." Kyle closed his eyes really tight, clenching his fists, "Kyle, no, don't try to change." I rushed rubbing my temples.

We needed to get to Jennah as soon as possible, I couldn't manage this on my own. There was so much I didn't know and we needed help.

"Mommy said not until we go to Jennah." Asima scolded her brother before looking up at me, "When are we leaving?"

"As soon as your father gets here," It was too dangerous to wait any longer than that. "Why don't you two shoot upstairs and pack some books for the trip okay?"

They both rushed up the stairs excitedly chanting, "We're going to Jennah, we're going to Jennah!" I hurried to our bedroom to start packing for Phillip and I. Getting everything in one bag was no trouble, once we got there we wouldn't really need anything and anything we did we could acquire once we got there.

For a minute I looked around at all the family photos and wondered what we would do with the memories we've mad over the last decade. We could always come back and collect them once they were adjusted to leopard life enough to control it. "I'm going home..." I smiled at the realization closing the bag.

"Mommy," My daughter called frustrated again, and I didn't hesitate to go into their room.

"What's wrong pretty girl?" I wondered watching them both sitting on their beds fanning themselves with backpacks on.

Kyle answered fanning his face, his cheeks tinted pink."We're hot."

"That's a part of being a leopard honey. You two have to stop getting mad at each other or you'll only get hotter." I explained. "The first thing you need to remember about being a leopard is that they always stick together, even when they're mad at each other. You two are family so no fighting, you have to protect each other, okay?"

"But we're not mad at each other," Asima whined falling back on the bed with a flustered face, "It's just soo hot."

I checked Kyle's forehead and neck, feeling the heat under my own skin; like touching an oven door. "You're not mad at each other?"

"No Mommy." Kyle murmured shaking his head.

Shit! I grabbed Asima's hand and pulled her up before taking Kyle's. "Up, up, we've gotta go."

"Go where?" My daughter inquired, following me down the stairs as fast as she could.

"You forgot our bags." Kyle reminded. I grabbed my purse and keys only stopping long enough to double check for my cell and credit cards.

"It's not important." I dismissed opening a drawer in Phil's office where we kept our passports and birth certificates. "We have to go now."

"What about Dad?" Kyle wondered but neither of them fought me tugging them outside.

"We'll call Daddy when we're on the—" I froze, staring at the figure in my driveway. She was beautiful—too beautiful. The trees that lead up to the main road hid him from the suns rays, but I had no doubt she would glisten if she were hit by them. "Stay behind me." I ordered angling myself in front of them, their small hands flashing hotter.

"What on Earth is that smell?" Her musical voice wondered not really talking to anyone in particular. Her fingers twirled her long blonde ringlets of hair as she stared at me. Her eyes were as red as her nail polish, clashing with her pale skin just as badly as her deep blue dress.

I could play dumb like she was just another person, or I could call her out and risk exposing my children. I opted on playing dumb. "Look— whoever you are... I'm in a bit of a hurry, I have two kids very late for soccer practice."

Her eyes blinked rapidly but a smile replaced her confusion, "Oh I'm sorry how rude of me, my car broke down about three miles from here and you're the first house I've seen. Would you mind terribly if I use your phone?"

"Sorry, I'm afraid I can't. Running late and all." I forced my voice to stay as even as I could. She took a few steps closer and I pushed Kyle and Asima against the door behind me. "But it'll only take a second." She insisted taking a subtle sniff of the air. I didn't move and her eyes widened in surprise. "I thought people were friendly in the south. I guess you people are the exception."

Kyle and Asima let out a whimper of discomfort, the heat of their skin burning the backs of my legs. I opened the door letting them back inside before closing the door again. I couldn't afford them transfiguring in front of her. " Asima, Kyle, I'll be inside soon." Once they were behind the oak I turned back to face her. She was closer, by my car now. "And I thought your kind liked to stick to the north."

She smiled in delight, "So you know what I am? Good, then you know there is no use in running."

"I won't run, I know staying absolutely still is better."

My words intrigued her, "So you've come into contact with my kind before? Really? Where?" I tried to keep my voice impassive as I lied, I couldn't tell her about Jennah. "Italy mostly. Volterra."

"The Volturi?" She echoed a laughed escaping her lips, "You've met the Volturi?" Nodded. "And you think that will save you?" I nodded again. "Either you're a liar or a complete idiot." She continued barely able to breath, her voice echoing music around us. "The Volturi fell over ten years ago we aren't forced to live in fear anymore."

"Not of Aro and Caius no, but you should fear the ones that made them fall. The ones that have taken over in Volterra. The killers of Caius, Aro, Jane, Alec, Demetri and so on. The Volturi is very much there and it's ran by their killers." I answered boldly.

If someone told me that I could put fear into a vampire I would have laughed and told them they were insane, but there we were. I witnessed a solid ten seconds of fear cross her face before she recovered, "You're lying because you're scared."

"I'm not afraid of you." I swore squaring my shoulders. That made her laugh again. "Listen to your heart fly, smell the adrenaline spike the air." She took another whiff furrowing her eyebrows in confusion. "And something else, what is that? It's all over you."

"I don't know what you're talking about." I lied taking a step away from the door and closer to the edge of the porch. Something beyond my human ears caught her attention and her eyes flew to the bay window of the living room. "Oh I think you know exactly what that smell is, but how is it possible?"

"I don't know what you mean..." I lied again, trying to sound more convincing.

"It's like... a musk of vanilla and some other fruit..." Her eyes widened trying to explain it, her mouth practically pooling with venom. I could barely hear her, "To taste blood that smells like that..."

"No!" I screamed trying to get her attention.

"It's like it's calling me..." She muttered, her eyes cutting back to the window and then to me without so much as an apology. I anticipated her pounce before she even made it, jumping between her and the window of my porch. She caught me mid air by the wrist applying too much force, the sound of cracking bone for one minute louder than my children's screams.

"Mom!" "Mommy!"

"Ahh!" She screamed in pain once the feeling hit me, but she didn't let me go, taking me with her through the glass window backwards. My voice was cut off, from going through the window and crashing into my coffee table, and what felt like a ton of marble landing on top of me. The second we came through the window I could hear clothes shredding and the sound of two wild growls echoing around me.

"What the hell?" The vampire recovered suddenly wondering if her plan was a good idea. "What are they?" I tired to sit up but couldn't, a large shard of glass embedded in my side. I cut my hand trying to grip it hard enough to pull it out but I couldn't gather the strength.

She noticed the injury but a loud hiss broke her from her trance, self preservation and fear of the unknown making her fight the urge to resist blood lust. Taking two steps back towards the window, her eyes darting between my twins, she blurred back out the window and disappeared.

Asima, my green eyed protector paced back and forth in front of the window, and I could feel her panicking from the change. She was knocking things over, her tail swinging sending a lamp into a wall scaring her. Her claws digging into the hard wood as she growled. "It's okay pretty girl." I promised wanting to go to her, but still unable to pull the glass out of my stomach. The blood loss was making me dizzy and weak, my head hitting the table again as I fell back.

My blue eyed leopard nuzzled against me, "It's okay, she's gone." I promised reaching up to touch him. "Change back, you don't have to be afraid anymore." Asima growled in protest no doubt asking her brother how. " Nami...Nami... Ya... Zgh...erei" I forced myself to sing, feeling more tired the more blood I lost.

Kyle changed back almost immediately, but Asima still paced in front of the window. "Mom,"Kyle yelled but I stopped him before he could get close.

I didn't want him cutting himself on the glass around me. "No Kyle, help your sister."

"It's okay Asima," He promised walking over to her. I couldn't keep my eyes open any longer, but I could fainly hear his soft voice singing before everything around me went quiet.

—

"Kiya! NO! NO! NO!" A frantic voice woke me.

I forced myself to open my eyes as much as I didn't want to, I needed to see that perfect face one more time. "Phillip..." I struggled reaching for him, but not having the strength to make it happen.

He knew what I wanted, and took my hand without hesitation. "Shh...I got you, you're going to be fine." He swore looking down at the shard between us wanting to pull it out.

"Don't hurt yourself," I whispered trying to shake my head, but it didn't move very well.

Phillip used his blazer to get a grip. "Only you would think about that." He pulled it out as carefully as he could, but I couldn't feel it, not anymore.

Asima and Kyle ran from downstairs fully dressed. "Daddy!"

Phillip held them both smothering them with kisses while he made sure they were okay. "Phillip..." I managed to call, "send them upstairs. They shouldn't see..."

"Asima, Kyle, go upstairs for Daddy okay. I'm going to take care of Mommy, she's going to be fine." He promised practically forcing them in that direction. They fought for a little bit, but eventually obliged. Once they were in their room he rushed back to me, taking my hand all over again.

"Thank you..."

"Hey now, you're going to be okay." He promised kissing me on the forehead. Not really what I wanted, but I'd do with as much contact as I could.

I shook my head, " I'm not."

Phil's voice broke when he realized what I was trying to convey. "No you're not, I'm going to call an ambulance, and you're going to be fine."

I clenched his hand tighter. "No!" The pain rushing back as I tried to sit up again. I gave up, falling back down tired, "Please don't leave me, you already sound so far away... and there's so much I have to tell you before I go.

" "You're not going to die. You are not going to leave me ever." He swore, tears falling down his cheeks.

I reached up to wipe them away, glad that I could. "Everybody dies, Phillip."

"Not you," he denied, "Not today." I didn't have time to argue with him, I had so much to tell him and I could feel my strength leaving me so fast. "Phillip, listen. The children, they're leopards."

Phillips eyes widened, "No."

I tiredly confirmed."They are, I saw them change. There was a vampire..."

"A vampire, where? In the house?" He demanded looking around.

"Love, they changed and scared her off. Please listen." When I was sure he wasn't going to interrupt I forced myself to give him instructions. "You have to take them to Jennah, now. They can't stay here, they ...smell too nice."

"Asima said something about her time being vampire magnets." He thought to himself.

"They need to get to the princes, learn how to control it. If they turned, then that means others have too. Something terrible has happened back home, and the people need them." I stressed.

He nodded, "Then we'll go together." He planned, his tear filled eyes still in denial. "I can't do this without you."

"You can, you have to." I apologized feeling warmth on my cheeks from my own tears, because I know this wasn't fair for him. "My journey is over, but theirs is only starting. You have to be there to protect them, to guide them."

"You're the one that knows all of this Jennah stuff, I don't even know the way." He cried kissing my forehead again.

Still not where I wanted his lips, but relished the feel of it. "Take a plane to Cairo and pay someone to ferry you across the Red Sea to Al Wajh, head north from there and the twins will lead you the rest of the way."

"How can they lead me if they've never been there." He argued not understanding.

"The glow around them, it's kind of like gps to help find other leopards or the people they trace. It will work, and if not, the princes will find you." I promised, sure of it."Promise me you'll be there for them."

"I promise." He wept pushing his lips with mine. Finally.

It wasn't enough, "Promise me that you'll never leave them, that you'll do what it takes to make that happen."

His eyes widened at what I was asking him. I knew it was selfish, dooming him to spend an eternity without me, but time would heal that and I was proof that they couldn't be protected the way we were. I would have changed if the roles were reversed. After a long while in thought, he nodded. "I will."

"I love you... more than anything." I vowed reaching for his lip as best I could. He kissed me again, tears in my eyes blurring the picture of the man I'd love forever.

"I love you too." He cried pulling me closer, not ready to let me go.

"It's okay..." I promised, "It doesn't hurt anymore."

He held me, rubbing the top of my head and even though I didn't want to leave my husband and children, I felt tired. I didn't close my eyes, scared that they wouldn't open anymore, so instead I spent my last few moments memorizing everything about this. His touches, his kisses, his smell, the warmth of his hold that always seemed to make everything better.

And went I felt like I'd never forget, when I was comfortable enough to let go, I started to sing. "Nami...nami...ya..."

Okay, so I hope it wasn't as sad as my friend said it was. I know everyone wondered what would come of the Chase family since Phillip sent Ness and Asima away, now they're going to have no choice but to go back after all.

Since I started Facing Dusk and decided to let Phillip marry a citizen from Jennah, I wanted to write something from her POV. The woman that was completely normal surrounded by a world of supernatural and ACCEPTED it as a part of life. There is so much violence within the Twilight world and most humans that discover the truth about that world, either shun it in some way or want to be a part of it. It feels good to write about someone that isn't an extreme. They don't desire to be immortal, just to enjoy the magic while they can.

Jennah is one of those places where The citizens don't just need their protection, the protectors need the citizens as well. They need to be who they are and know that there are people that will accept and love them regardless. I think it's that acceptance that keeps the Cullens, The wolves, the leopards and everyone in between; good. It reminds them that there are people worth fighting for in this cold cruel world we sometimes live in.

The next chapter will be from Asima's POV on the rescue front. Then probably a Nessie chapter. Let me know what you think. I got a lot of feedback last chapter, some Team Zach hysteria and some Team Jacob outrage, but over all I think feedback was positive for the most part.