A/N All Twilight characters belong to Stephenie Meyer

All right my lovely readers...since I was so mean with the wicked cliffy, I wrote you a nice (IMO) long chappie :)

CPOV

The first thing I saw when I opened my eyes was all the junk that had managed to find its way under my bed. My first coherent thought wondered how I ended up on the floor. I took a deep breath, my head pulsed and my mouth was dry.

Then I remembered waking up in the middle of the night in severe pain and barely able to breath. I needed to call Emily. Rachel might be my guardian, but Emily was like a second mom to me. She would be most helpful in this situation. I went downstairs slowly and dialed her and Sam's number.

"Hello?" she said warmly.

"Emily it's me Carly. I think something's wrong with me," I whimpered.

"Okay Carly calm down," she soothed. "Tell me what happened sweetie."

I recounted the details of the night's events for her.

"Okay," she said urgently, "I need you to get dressed. I'm coming to get you. I'll take you to see Dr. Crocker and we'll get this straightened out."

Fifteen minutes later Emily was rushing into the house. She placed a hand against my forehead, her forehead wrinkled and creased as she took my temperature.

"What?" I questioned.

Emily frowned. "I think we need to go see Sam; not Dr. Crocker." Emily gathered her purse and headed out of the house. I stood in the kitchen dumbfounded.

"Carly, let's go," she snapped. I rushed after her and got into the car.

"Emily what's happening to me?"

Emily faced forward, speeding toward La Push. "I don't know Carly."

"Edward said-,"

"Edward Cullen?" she turned to look at me. I nodded my head slightly and Emily slammed her hands on the steering wheel. "Damn it Carly, I thought I told you to stay away from him. He's dangerous, and it's not safe for you to be around him."

"I can't stay away from him!" I shouted; my voice reverberated within the tiny car.

"What do you mean you can't stay away from him?"

"I just can't. It hurts to stay away from him. Like right now, I miss him and it hurts and I can't breath." I was crying now and clutching my chest. I gasped and tried to roll the window down.

"Carly what's wrong? What's happening?"

I wheezed and tried to inhale the cool air rushing in thru the window. The tears were pouring down my face and it hurt. The car slowed, the trees on the side of the highway slowly regained their shapes. Suddenly Emily was pulling me out of the car.

"Calm down Carly," she soothed, pulling me into her arms.

I gasped, cool air suddenly flooding my lungs. My head spun and the tears blurred my vision. "What is wrong with me?" I cried and sobbed into her chest.

"Oh honey, oh Carly," Emily rocked me back and forth on the side of the highway. "I can't believe this is happening to you," it sounded like she was crying. "This wasn't supposed to happen."

EPOV

I drove all night. As I crossed the border into Canada I felt the uncontrollable urge to turn around and go home immediately. I pushed it aside and pressed on. I drove all night past miles and miles of absolute nothingness. Just before daybreak I stopped at the border between Canada and Alaska. I got out of the car and left it idling just before the border. I walked up to the invisible line and stood there breathing in the fresh air.

Alice's cryptic admission flitted through my head. You save her. Just before it happens you save her. What the hell could that mean? Was something bad going to happen to Carly?

There was a war going on inside me, part of me said to finish the trek to Denali, to stay out of her life and just let her be. But the other half of me couldn't walk away, not again. I bolted back to the car and did a u-turn in the middle of the deserted highway. The tires squealed and smoke rose up from the cars undercarriage. I sped through the waxing daylight back toward Forks and back toward life.

CPOV

Once I'd calmed down Emily helped me back into the car and we went back to her house. Sam was waiting for us when Emily helped me into the living room. Sam took one look at me and groaned. He and Emily had a whole conversation without saying a word. When she left the living room she looked upset and angry.

"Carly," Sam said sitting down across from me. I looked up at him.

"Yes Sam?" I responded clutching my chest.

"How long have you been feeling like this?" His voice was soft and kind, but there was an edge to it.

"A week," I replied, "no two."

He nodded. "Okay. Carly I hate to tell you this, and I'm not even sure how it happened, but I think you're imprinting on Edward Cullen, and if that happens you are going to be able to phase into-,"

"A werewolf," I said dejectedly.

Sam nodded. "I don't understand it, and I don't know how it will work. We wolves don't like the way the vamps smell and vice versa. Unless…" he trailed off. Emily rushed into the room.

"Oh no Sam Uley, don't you dare even think about suggesting that. Do not do it."

Sam shrugged, "Emily honey, there really isn't much of an alternative."

I sat on the couch watching their exchange, not knowing what the hell they were talking about.

"Sam, don't do it. Do you know what Jacob would say if he knew what you were planning?"

Sam stood and started pacing. "Emily there's no other choice. It's that or this." He motioned to me sitting on the couch clutching my chest, gasping for air.

"Excuse me?" I said from the couch, but they kept arguing. I sat there for a few minutes then finally stood. "Seeing as how you're talking about me, maybe you should tell me what the heck is going on!"

They both turned to face me, and stared at me as if they forgot I was even in the room. "If you imprinted on Edward Cullen then the only solution is for you to be like him. You can't be together if you turn and he remains a vampire. It's just not a feasible option."

"She's not going to be some damn vampire Sam. I won't allow it." Emily stormed out of the room. Sam and I stared after her.

"There's really no other way. What happened last night is what you'll have to deal with every day because you can't be with him if you're a wolf. It was like separation anxiety Quileute style. He tried to leave didn't he?"

I shrugged. "I went out there yesterday to talk to him. He said maybe I would be okay if he left," I paused and took a deep breath. I could feel the panic threatening to overcome me. "I asked him not to," I said in a strangled whisper. "He said he wouldn't make me like him just to save me from my own fate." I gasped and clutched my chest.

Sam shook his head. "I could kill this kid. I swear Carly, sitting here looking at you like this is like looking at your mother all those years ago. For the longest time…"

I gasped a few more times and tried to stay calm as my head swam. Eventually my vision cleared and I could breathe again.

"I'm going to go out there; to the Cullen house, and I'm going to see if he is still here."

I got up. "I want to go too."

Sam shook his head. "No, you need to stay here. I can't deal with him and worry about you having a, uh, attack." Sam strode toward the kitchen where I could hear him and Emily arguing. The kitchen door slammed shut and Sam's black truck sped out onto the main street of the rez. I sat down on the couch and felt like crap for putting them into this situation.

I went into the kitchen; Emily was sitting at the table with her head in her hands. "I'm sorry," I said softly from the doorway. She looked up at me and wiped her eyes.

"It's not your fault sweetheart. You can't help who you fall in love with I just wish it didn't have to be this way."

Emily didn't wait for Sam to come back. She took me home and told me to get ready for school the next day. I sighed and got out of car and let myself into the house. Rachel was no where to be found so I climbed the stairs and went into my room. Sitting on my bed was Edward.

I launched myself at him and collided with his rock hard chest. "I tried to leave, I tried. I got to the Alaska-Canada border and I couldn't do it. I came back as fast as I could. I don't know what to do Carly. If I stay you change, but I can't live with out you."

I sobbed into his chest, the aching from the night before went away. My heart felt like it had been instantly repaired. "Please don't ever do that again. I felt like I was going to die."

"I won't," he promised.

I sat up, Edward moved with me, cradling me against his chest. "Sam was on his way to talk to you. It has something to do with me, and I don't think you're going to like it."

He looked down at me. "I think I already know. Alice had a vision. She sad I'm going to save you before it happens. I'm just not pleased with having to do that."

I stared at his stomach. "Is it because you don't want to be stuck with me forever?" I asked, afraid to look up at him.

"God no. Let me think of how to explain it to you. Are you familiar with Greek mythology?"

I shook my head no. "Not really."

"How about the Sirens? Do you know anything about them?"

"Just that they lured sailors to their deaths. They possessed a strong seductive quality or something like that."

"Close enough. In my world they have a phrase for it, La Tua Cantante. It basically means that a human's blood sings to us. Your mother was like that."

I stiffened. This was not the direction I envisioned this conversation going. "Calm down and let me finish," Edward chuckled softly. "It was hard to resist the temptation her blood presented. But compared to you, it's like kool-aid and wine to an alcoholic. You can give the alcoholic kool-aid and his thirst will be satisfied but he really wants the wine. You are the wine and your mother is the kool-aid. Does that make sense?"

I nodded. "Does that make you the alcoholic?" I joked.

Edward laughed. "I would suppose so."

"So what your saying is that my mom was satisfying in the way a cool glass of water is satisfying on a hot day, but me, I'm what you really want; what you can't stay away from?" I glanced up into his burnt sienna eyes.

He smiled down at me. "That's exactly what I'm saying. And if I have to make you like me to be with you, somehow I will manage. I'll do it if that is what you want."

My heart sped up. I couldn't believe he gave in so easily. "It's what I want," I said softly.

Edward nodded and pursed his lips. "I will have to talk to Sam. He will have to give the okay. There is still the treaty that needs to be considered."

I looked quizzically at him. "Your people and mine have a treaty that we will not bite any humans. If we do they basically have free reign to hunt and destroy us. He is the pack leader and his permission is needed. Not only that, but we will need a story to tell your family and friends."

"What's it like?" I asked.

"What?"

"Being a vampire. What's it like?"

Edward sighed and ran his fingers through my hair. "It's hard to describe and yet very easy. It's like watching a movie over and over again, eventually you learn all the lines, and you learn what to anticipate and when to expect it. Being what I am, I sit back and watch human's everyday. You learn what to expect from them, when to expect it. It's a lot of repetitiveness. Nothing really ever changes. People always want the same things; sex, money…love."

"That makes sense. They don't call us creatures of habit for no reason. What will happen when you change me? Is it like the movies? Do you bite me then feed me your blood and ta da, I'm like you?"

Edward snorted. "No, it's not like that. It will be quite…painful. I will have to bite you, and venom will travel through your blood, the whole transformation should take three days. But it will hurt."

"I can handle it," I told him.

He glanced at me, dubious. "Hey I managed to live through both my parents dying. And that was the most painful thing I've ever had to deal with."

"Does Sam know how much longer you have?"

I shrugged as best I could from my position on his chest. "If he does he didn't say. Him and Emily kind of got into it. She says she won't let him let you change me."

Edward sighed. "I wish this was easier."

"Me too."

* * *

I went to school Monday morning. I didn't pay attention, didn't take notes, didn't do much of anything. My days were numbered so what was the point? Edward was there; he met me outside my classes and walked with me through the halls. On Tuesday he brought up the subject of my birthday.

"So what do you want for your birthday?" he asked as we walked into the cafeteria.

I shrugged and went through the line. "Nothing really. It's not like it matters one way or the other."

Edward smiled and rolled his eyes. "It's important. You're going to be eighteen."

I looked into his eyes and smiled. "Take me to see a movie then."

He scowled. "You're impossible."

"I know."

EPOV

I had to hand it to Sam Uley. This definitely was not the easiest thing for him to do. It was his job to protect his people from me, not willingly offer them up. I wanted to refuse, but the mental images of Carly, doubled over, clutching her chest and barely able to breath begged me to reconsider.

He didn't say it but that was what she would have to live with if she couldn't be with me and I couldn't do that to her because I was selfish. I had been denying it for so long but I had loved her from the very first time I laid eyes on her. If I had a heart it would have been giddy with excitement.

"She doesn't have long Edward. One little thing, anything, can set her off and she will change and it will be too late. If you're really willing to do this, it must be soon."

I nodded. "I have your permission then, no consequences from the other members of the pack?"

Sam snorted. "Look at me Edward. We are old men, too old to be chasing shadows in the night. You have my permission to change Carly. No consequences will befall you or your family."

I nodded. "And the cover story?"

"If we can wait until the day of or after her birthday no story will be needed. She will be a legal adult and able to do as she pleases. If you wish I can tell everyone the two of you ran off to Vegas to be married. Will you be staying in Forks?"

I shook my head no. "I am making arrangements to go back to Maine. My parents have a cabin in the mountains, far from prying human eyes. We will be safe there while Carly adjusts to her new life."

"Please be good to her. Treat her well and love her." Sam stared down at the floor; tears welled up in his dark eyes.

"I will," I vowed. "I love her more than words can describe."

Sam stood and looked me in the eye. "I suppose I am done here then. Thank you, Edward. Thank you for doing this for me; for her."

I nodded. "Vegas sounds great. If that's what you would like to tell everyone that is fine with me."

* * *

Tuesday afternoon after school I brought Carly back to my house. Esme and Alice had headed to Maine to fix up the cabin in anticipation of me and Carly's arrival. Jasper had headed back to Alaska so we were alone in the big white house.

"We need to talk about what is going to happen," I said after we sat down on the couch. Carly laid her head in my lap and stared up at me with her doe brown eyes.

"You mean when the time comes?"

I nodded. "I spoke with Sam yesterday afternoon. He said it's going to happen soon and he recommended we not wait long. He said that any little thing can trigger the change and he suggested that I do it either the day of or the day after your birthday. How do you feel about that?"

"Why my birthday?" she asked.

I smiled. "He said that if we do it then he can tell everyone we ran off to Vegas to get married and no one can do anything about it. Since you will be a legal adult."

Carly smiled and nodded. "I like that idea. After you change me would you consider marrying me?"

I looked down at her and tucked a stray curl behind her ear. "Do you want that?"

She smiled and nodded. "Yeah, eventually. After I get used to being like you."

I was worried that she was taking this all into stride to easily. Part of me thought she was in shock or something. "Carly, how are you so nonchalant about all of this when just a week ago you weren't even sure I was what I said I was."

She remained silent for a while, the corners of her eyes crinkled like they always did when she thought deeply about something. "I'm not sure. Maybe it's a small part of my mom. From what I hear, she was pretty accepting of all of this supernatural stuff."

I shrugged and figured I'd just go with it. Whatever her reasons were, they really didn't matter I supposed. It was what it was.

"You know we are going to have to leave Forks, right?"

She nodded, her curls spilled over my legs. "Where are we going to go?"

"How does Maine sound?" I asked.

"What's in Maine?" she asked drawing her eyebrows up.

"A cabin in the woods. You and me, eternity."

"That sounds nice," she murmured dreamily. I saw her envision the cabin, the two of us. It was all very romanticized.

"It will be…eventually. But at first you're going to be overwhelmed by the thirst. It will be good to be away from people for a while."

She frowned. "I'm going to want to eat people?"

I nodded and she shuddered. "Ew, gross."

I chuckled. "You would think, surprisingly some are very delicious."

Her eyes flew open and I could see the fear in them. "Kidding," I said and she relaxed visibly.

"You scared me there for a second."

"Sorry. There will be plenty for us to do and eat. Lots of bears and deer up there in the mountains and Maine is beautiful this time of year."

"I've decided," she said.

"You've decided what?"

"When I want you to do it."

I groaned inwardly. "Okay when?"

"On my birthday. That gives you four days to get ready for it. Will that work?"

I nodded. "I'll have to call Carlisle. I think he might need to be here when I do it. Just in case."

Carly nodded. "Okay," she said softly.

"Okay," I agreed.

Reviews are hmm..reviews are better than secluded cabins in the mountains with Edward to keep you company ;)

Chappie title: Breathe Through~Annie Stela