Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended. Stephenie Meyer created it all.

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Chapter 6: Laurent- Fight

How could I have been so stupid? When someone's upset, you tell them it will be okay, maybe you hug them. I knew this. Why did I kiss Bella? All I can say is that it seemed obvious at the time. It wasn't even a decision, it just was. Fated, maybe? It certainly wasn't a good thing. And for it being such a strange situation, Bella took it for no more or less than it was: just comfort. Earlier I tried to talk to her about it and it was a short conversation.

"You know, I've never kissed a human before," I said, trying to start off on a less-serious note.

"Me, either. I mean, other than my parents." She laughed weakly.

Time passed as I tried to gather my thoughts. I just didn't know what I was supposed to say.

"I didn't... I mean I... It's just..." I was at a complete loss for words.

"I know," she said simply. We didn't really have to talk about, she just knew and there was no awkwardness.

Sometimes we didn't need to say a word to each other, we were just on the same page. A less forgiving person would have blamed me for the whole misunderstanding.

Unfortunately, Edward and Bella were not on the same page and it was my fault. I was so frustrated with myself. It was a hard lesson to learn that the future so delicately balances on the choices that we make today.

~o~x~o~x~o~

We followed the trail all the way to Texas. It took about two days. The trail took many turns, almost like he was wandering. He had a pleasant scent, like honey.

Along the way we stopped at a hotel in Tennessee to use the shower and that night while Bella slept, I went out to hunt. I could have waited longer, my tolerance was increasing but I figured it was better not to chance it. Deciding to hunt an animal this time was an easy decision. The look in Bella's eyes last time was enough. From here on out I would try my hardest to live off animals.

And it would be awful!

~o~x~o~x~o~

Not long into Texas, I picked up a very familiar scent. Baby powder and cinnamon.

Victoria.

Furthermore, Edward's trail seemed to parallel it for miles like he was with her. Why was Edward traveling with her?

I wondered if he ran into Victoria and stayed with her. I sincerely hoped that he would not do something with her with the misapprehension that Bella had been unfaithful to him. I decided not to mention Victoria's scent to Bella for the time being.

After a few more miles, Edward's trail broke off from Victoria's and headed towards a city. We ran into the city, staying in the shadows. I was very thankful for the recent hunt as the scent of thousands of humans assaulted my senses. I almost became distracted as some of my favorite scents wafted over me. Cherry, pumpkin spice, yeast, cotton, marmalade and caramel. We only slowed down when tree cover was no longer available.

We followed the trail to the airport but he wasn't here anymore. He could have gone anywhere from here. Luckily his traveling partner still seemed to be around and that was my next move.

"What's next?" Bella asked when she realized that we hit a dead end. This was the first time she really seemed aware of anything in a while.

"Well, I didn't want to tell you, but for the last few miles I was picking up on Victoria." Her heart rate picked up. I didn't want to say it but, "It seems like they were traveling together up until Edward came here, to the airport." She cringed.

"I think I should track down Victoria and try to find out some things, but I think you should hide-" She cut me off.

"Hide? What do you mean? I can't just curl up somewhere and wait!" Her eyes were frantic.

"It's not safe, you've had pretty good luck as far as vampires go, but I know for a fact Victoria will not be friendly."

"Well, I still think I should go with you," she argued.

"Absolutely not!" I said trying to sound final, "You're going to check into a hotel and wait until I come and get you."

"I don't like it."

"Right now, you don't have to. You just need to stay alive long enough to find Edward."

We stared at each other for a long time. I knew I would will this argument, and I think she knew, too.

"Whatever. Will you take the cell phone with you?" Her words didn't match her body language, she didn't look anywhere near as resigned as she sounded.

"Yes, now let's get moving." She climbed on my back and we started looking for a nearby hotel. When we got closer to the downtown area, she hopped down and we walked together.

"How long do you think you'll be gone?"

"I'm not sure, a few days? You know what you need?" I said trying to distract her, "You need some sunglasses and a hat, something so that you can go to Waffle House and not get scrutinized in."

"I hate shopping."

"We'll do it quickly, okay? The sooner I leave, the sooner I return, and the sooner we find Edward."

"Do you really think we'll find him after everything that's happened?" She asked as I steered her into a convenient accessories shop.

"I think so, we have forever. Ooh, look at these!" I said as I handed her a pair of sunglasses with a brown tortoise shell frame and dark tinted lenses. "They'll really bring out the striation of colors in your hair."

She raised and eyebrow at me and then tried them on.

"I kind of like them," she said.

"Okay, now for that hat!"

We paid for the sunglasses- but not before receiving a knowing look from the cashier- and went to look for something more casual than the accessories shop had.

We ended up getting a Houston Astros baseball hat from a street vendor. She put them on right away and we headed for the nearest hotel.

Check-in was becoming an issue when we could stay at nicer hotels. They wanted things like IDs and credit cards. I didn't have any ID and Bella couldn't use her own because she was not using her own name when checking into the hotels. We were taking more precautions now since the incident on Indiana. We left to the nice downtown hotel to find a scruffier place that would let us pay by the hour. I knew what paying by the hour implied, but it beat trying to deal with all the questions.

We got settled in and I was just about to leave when Bella said something that would probably save her life.

"Shouldn't you shower? I mean, to get my scent off of you, if you're going to find Victoria?"

"That is a very good idea!"

I went into the bathroom and stared at the shower controls, they were all so different! Honestly, it was a little tricky to use at first. I finally got the water set and stepped in. I let the water run over my skin, warming it. I wondered what I would say to Victoria when I found her. As far as I knew, she could be ready to ambush me or she could be friendly, after all, we did travel together for many years.

I scrubbed my skin several times to ensure that there were no traces of Bella left on me. Of course there would be some, I would be walking into a room that was saturated by her scent, but the scrubbing would help. When I finished, I toweled off and got ready to leave again. I would have to find new clothes soon, my green shirt was more of a black color now.

When I stepped out of the shower I wasn't prepared for what I saw. Bella was curled up on the bed shaking and crying silently.

"Why are you crying? You were fine when I went into the bathroom." She wasn't really taking all this in well.

"I wasn't fine, I was trying to be fine, but I'm not. Please, please don't leave me. I don't think I can handle it."

"I'm not leaving you, not really."

"But she could kill you!"

"I'll call you and keep you updated. It'll be like I'm here, too."

She sniffled, "Um, maybe you should bite me? I could go with you," she half-said, half-asked.

"I don't think we have time for that."

"What do you mean?"

"The transformation isn't a quick process, and it's painful. Right now, I need to leave if I have any hope of finding her at all."

Now was not a good time for this conversation.

"When I get back, okay?"

She didn't say anything in return, she just rolled away from me and cried. I left the room knowing that it was what I needed to do.

I re-traced Edward's trail from the airport back to where it split off from Victoria's and started to follow her. I was able to run so much faster without Bella on my back. I was able to make up lost time and her trail was getting stronger and stronger as I came closer to her. I knew she would sense me. I called out for her. Maybe she wanted to see me.

Another couple of miles passes when her scent abruptly stopped. I stopped knowing that she was being cooperative now. I waited for her, I knew her well enough to know that she'd come.

Without any warning she dropped out of a tree right in front of me.

"Hello, traitor," she said with a hard voice.

"Is that how it is now?" I was trying to feel her out.

"You betrayed James to the Cullens and they killed him! And what did you do? You ran away! Coward!" she screamed.

I suspected that James was dead, but I didn't know for sure until now.

"What are you doing in Texas?"

"Playing, making friends," she said and then she was laughing maniacally.

"What are you doing with the mind reader?"

A victorious smiled crossed her face, "I told you, playing. He's was tracking me, but he's not good at it" she laughed.

"Why do you care? And where have you been?" She asked.

"I'm looking for Edward as a favor to a friend."

Apropos of nothing, she lunged at me. She grabbed my shoulders and slammed me to the ground then jumped up and grabbed me by my ankles and threw me into a tree. By then I was ready for her. I lunged at her and she almost slipped out of my fingers but I had a hold on her forearm.

"Why did Edward get on a plane?"

"He thought he was following me."

"Where?" I demanded.

"What makes you think I'll tell you?" she asked in a falsely innocent voice.

I ripped her arm out of its socket and she screamed in pain, "That."

I tossed her arm to the side and she darted to try to catch it but I stepped in front of her.

"Ah ah ah, I don't think so. Tell me where and I'll let you have your arm back."

"You'll let me, huh?" She cooed.

She lunged again. This time she wrapped her legs around my thighs and tried to wrap her good arm around my neck but I managed to grab that arm and I gave another good yank as it separated from her body.

"Should I keep going? I will kill you." I looked her directly in the eye.

"I smell that human on you, the one that got James killed. So you're taking sides now?"

"Don't you worry about her," I said. It was then that I knew I would have to kill my long-time friend or else she would find and kill Bella.

"I see how it is. I'll never tell you where Edward is!"

"Suit yourself," I said icily, "I can find him without you."

Then I ran towards her and leapt and kicked her hard in the chest. When she was down I reached for her head and pulled it off. After her head was off I ripped the rest of to pieces and started a fire. When the fire was going strong, I collected up the body parts and threw them into the fire and watched my friend of many years burn to the point of no return.

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