Hello! I hope everyone had a fine long weekend - or at least, we had a long weekend here in Canada, I guess I'm not sure what countries celebrate the May 2-4 weekend. Anyway, I won't keep you waiting much longer as this is very exciting considering I shook things up at the end of last chapter. First, however, I need to send out a huge thanks to my editor Angel of the Night Watchers for being amazing and coming back to fixing what was probably a ton of mistakes.

Enjoy!

Chapter 22 – Hide and Seek

"No." Jasper said firmly. "Absolutely not. We can't let you do that, Vivienne."

"Why not?" I couldn't keep the frustration from my voice. "Just because Katie was saying words I've heard before doesn't mean that I'm right about this. He could have Shawn and Katie and what then? I'm not just going to let them die!"

"She's right, Jasper." Alice whispered. "We need to listen to her."

And so the argument began again. It had been like this for the past three hours, biding our time before Edward's plane landed and our choices would be made for us. He would soon land, only a short hour before he would have me in his arms. It was the most bittersweet feeling anyone could ever feel. Because as much as I needed him to be here right now, we all knew that Edward would not allow for any of this. None of these, admittedly, ridiculous plans would happen under his watch and as soon as Edward read the two vampires minds, he would grab me and take me on the next plane before we even left his arrival terminal.

"We'll wait for Edward," Jasper said simply. "It's not our place to risk you."

"And it's not his place to sacrifice them!" I howled back. "Jasper, he doesn't care about my siblings, he doesn't care if my entire family is wiped out-"

"That's not true," Alice said quietly, but her voice was not certain.

"It is true. The only reason he cares at all about them is because I care about them. If he finds out that they are in danger and the only way to save them is putting me in danger, he will let them die without a second thought." There was no doubt in my mind about it and even though it wasn't the most comforting thought, I didn't think less of Edward for it. I guess when you lived for over a hundred years you learned different priorities. I was only seventeen years into this life. I was not ready to end it and I was not ready to be the reason that other lives ended. Particularly my younger siblings. Particularly the siblings that I needed to protect because I was their oldest sister, and lord knows Mom wouldn't do it.

"She's right, Jasper." Alice whispered, looking toward him meaningfully. She even took hold of his hand - I wanted to throw myself at her feet, I was so grateful. Alice was the only one on my team. Something told me she would always be the only one on my team.

"I can't let them die, Jasper." I said to emphasize it.

He concentrated on Alice, not even glancing to me for a long while, silent conversations passing between them that I would never have been able to keep up with. After too many minutes of silence, he spoke - eyes still trained on Alice.

"We will go. You will stay where it's safe."

"No!" I said quickly. "He said he'd know if I brought anyone. If you guys just barge in, you don't think he'll just kill them and run?"

"If he has them," Jasper pointed out.

"'If' is a lot scarier than 'doesn't'!" I snarled.

Jasper looked at me, a feeling of calm sweeping over me again. It was a feeling that I knew I would feel eventually and fought against as if he was trying to drill me to murder my brother and sister myself.

"If you're going to just overrule me because you're all-powerful," I hissed, standing up, not feeling any guilt like I had the last time I had snapped at him. "Don't you dare try to control me because I don't like it."

I stormed out of the room, slamming my bedroom door behind me. It was like I had cut off the waves of serenity that he'd been drowning me in - which was nice. The anger was nice. It made me think faster, it made me remember why I needed to think past all this. If no one was going to side with me - as much as Alice would side with me she would never actively fight with me - I needed to take the battle into my own hands.

Was there any way I could explain to Edward how important this was to me?

Improbable.

Was there any way I could convince him to wait even three minutes before he came in on his noble steed to save the day?

Impossible.

Was there a way that Edward didn't need to know?

No. Even if I could convince Alice and Jasper not to tell him, all these conversations were open books to him thanks to his special abilities. How was I going to convince all of them that the lives of Shawn and Katie were important - and that I didn't have an ounce of doubt that if that hunter did have them, he would kill them with only a hint that they were behind me, nevertheless there to replace me?

Maybe…marde…maybe they didn't have to know?

"Alice?" Jasper's voice was loud enough to filter through the hotel room door. It was loud and alarmed - I could only imagine what Alice was seeing. She was probably furious with me, she was probably just waiting for the moment when her vision would end and she would scream at me for even entertaining the idea that I would go save Katie and Shawn on my own…

Then again, if Alice was seeing it, I wasn't really entertaining the idea, was I? No. It was clear that I was now living it. I knew what I had to do because I would be the only one to do it. It was my job to save them just like Edward always felt it was his job to save me. Only this time I was right and I wasn't a delusional vampire who believed in love and didn't understand what I was getting myself into. This was my family. There was no mistaking this.

"Vivienne - oh, Liv…" Alice's voice was a moan, it was filled with dread - perhaps it wasn't the best idea to go on my own…

Less than a minute later there was a knock on my door and without me answering it, Alice waltzed through, her eyes looking at me and around me warily. "Are you alright?"

"Fine," I answered robotically. "Are you?"

"Fine," she repeated in the same way. "Jasper went to wait downstairs. He believes that Edward needs to be informed of everything the minute he lands. You won't have a chance to explain yourself before Jasper explains it for you."

I nodded slowly. "What did you see, Alice?"

Her eyes lowered respectfully, though they were filled with guilt. "That we can't let you go alone. Liv…you'll die."

Die. That was a very final word.

"So…that's it."

"That's it," Alice nodded. "Vivienne, I swear I will not let Edward just sacrifice them. I will go myself if I can't drag anyone else with me - your siblings, whether there or not, will not be left without someone to fight for them. I will go there."

"Promise?" I asked, fighting back tears. She came towards me and wrapped her cool arms around me. It was more comforting then I could ever have admitted. It reminded me of Edward. His cold, solid arms that I would feel so soon…but would I ever be able to be comfortable in them again? If something were to happen to Katie, to Shawn…I would never be able to look at him again. If something happened to them, these solid holds would feel like the jail bars that kept me from escaping, helping them escape…

"I promise." She whispered into my hair.

"You said you would never lie to me. You said you trust me," I elaborated. She pulled away slightly to look at me, but as she did her eyes glazed over. I knew what she was seeing, that I had decided that I would go with her if this happened. Her brows furrowed, a grimace gracing her beautiful features.

"I can't let you do that either." She whispered once her eyes had . "I'm sorry, Liv - every way you choose to do this, something terrible happens to you. You keep worrying about your siblings, I respect that. You keep worrying about Edward's reactions, I understand that. But you don't understand - I love you, too. I can't lose you either."

I looked at Alice, my heart swelling for her as if Jasper was making it grow Grinch-style. I threw my arms around her again, if she was going to save my brother and sister I would owe her more than my life - and the best thing about Alice was that she didn't really expect me to ever pay her back with it anyway.

"I love you too," she smiled. It was a sentiment I would never say out loud, which she knew, but if I would ever say it to anyone, Alice was the closest to the gold. "Let's go beat down Edward."

"Magnifique! Nous permettre d'aller." She seemed to understand what I said because she agreed that we should go as well. Jasper was waiting like a body guard downstairs near the check out, it seemed he'd already told them we were leaving.

"Did you want breakfast?" Alice asked as we walked into the airport, the claustrophobia of people moving around me - completely oblivious to the problems in my world - made me reach for my puffer. It was stuffy in Phoenix. I had forgotten how much cleaner and sharper the air was out in the middle of nowhere compared to the smog and humidity of the city and found that it took a little longer for me to jump back to normal breathing.

"You alright?" Jasper asked, he had probably felt the small bit of panic I always got when my airways swelled.

"Fine," I nodded. "I'm sure Edward will force feed me later, so I'll wait."

And we did wait. I sat jiggling my knee on the stiff airport seats of terminal four, just imagining that Edward was on the plane doing the same. I imagined what it would be like when he came out and held me, telling me that everything would be okay, telling me that he would keep me safe.

And then I felt my thoughts drift - to his head snapping up at the sound of Alice's thoughts, to the anger that I had tried to save them alone, to him hauling me over his shoulder despite the crowd around us and marching us to the nearest open gate.

"Alice, the things you see," I began slowly, watching Edward's gate as if his plane had landed and he would walk through it any moment. "Is it indefinite?"

"No, things change..." she said slowly. "Some things are more certain than others...like the weather. People are harder. I only see the course they're on while they're on it. Once they change their minds – make a new decision, no matter how small – the whole future shifts."

I nodded thoughtfully. "So you couldn't see James in Phoenix until he decided to come here. That's why you could tell me what would and wouldn't work."

"Yes," she agreed, somewhat wary. "Why do you ask?"

"You're not going to know what Edward will do," I whispered. She frowned, her whole face pulling down into a grimace when she realized what mindset I was on again.

"No, I won't be able to see that." She took my hand in hers. "But Liv, I have seen what happens if we don't wait - and it is not something we should try to change. I say we should avoid it all together."

Avoid my death. But not Katie's or Shawn's.

"Right," I nodded again. "Can I borrow your phone?"

"Sure, may I ask who you're calling?" she handed over the silver flip phone without hesitation, though I could see on her face my previous question unnerved her.

"I just need to hear Arie's voice." That was true - I just hoped it didn't sound like a lie. I just wanted to be sure before I did anything reckless, isn't that was Edward had always told me to do? I took the phone and dialed the familiar number, walking a little farther away from Alice and Jasper for some privacy.

After the fourth ring I was sure I would not receive an answer, until -

"I'm sure I didn't say you could call this phone." I couldn't believe how relieved I was to hear his voice - the cool, melodic tenor voice that had possibly stolen my brother and sister. It was a relief he had picked up, I wouldn't know what to do otherwise.

"Hello Arie," I said with forced cheerfulness. "How are you?"

"Oh, you're still with your guard, I take it?" his voice had gone back to it's amused, which was comforting that he hadn't decided to be angry over my disobedience.

"I am. I just-" I choked a little as my heart began to stutter. "I just needed to hear my favourite couples voices."

Would he catch on to what I was saying without me having to say it? If I had to say it, Alice would know I was betraying her and he would know I was risking selling him out. If he did have my siblings then, he would be sure to kill them.

"My, my, I won't deny I'm starting to understand his interest in you…" his voice hummed at the other end. "You're either very brave or very stupid, do you know that?"

"I'll go with that first one," I muttered a little more bitterly than I should have - if Alice and Jasper could hear me they would know that I wouldn't have sounded so low talking to my best friend. "So where's my favourite boy?"

"These are not your terms, Vivienne," he told, his voice growing a little more stern.

"One second, I just need to ask Alice and Jasper for money." I said with a sternness all my own. I held the phone down a little bit as I walked up to Alice. "Hey, Alice, would you mind giving me some money for a coffee? I'll just be in that line right there."

The line was easily seen from over here - a curvy, snake of a line at starbucks that had so many people in it I could only hope that I would be able to duck between them to try and not be heard if I needed to get stern with the voice at the other end. Alice, looking a little confused handed me a twenty dollar bill.

"Hurry back, you only have fifteen minutes." I almost winced as she said that - I didn't want him to know that in twenty minutes the other half of this vampire brigade would land in the very city he was threatening me from.

"Yeah, sure." I whispered, nabbing the twenty from her and speeding to the starbucks line. I put the phone to my ear again.

"Where are you, Vivienne?" his voice was lower than before - it had dropped from his amused tenor to a serious baritone. I almost smiled - I hoped he felt antsy.

"Certainly not on vacation." I responded wistfully. "So, can I speak to them?"

"You forget who's in control here." He hissed back. I shook my head, though I know he couldn't see it.

"No, you do." The woman who was in line in front of me looked back after hearing my firm and angry tone, she seemed concerned I was angry with her. She turned around when I openly glared at her to stay out of my business. "I have my friends here and I don't have to go get this coffee - I could do something else with what time you're offering. I could show them around Phoenix, I could take them to see my house, I could even take them to visit you."

There was a long silence on the phone, no heavy breathing or anything could be heard so I tried to hold my breath, and when that failed, I pushed the phone away from me for the moment it took me to grab my puffer from the small purse I was carrying around. When I put the phone to my ear, there was a voice speaking.

"Livi? Livi?" the voice was small, like it had been squeezed between fingers or cheeks were being pinched in the background. It was squeaky…and terrified. "Livi, where're you?"

"Shawn?" my heart broke when I heard him inhale.

"Livi! I met a new friend!" Tears jumped in front of my vision and I found myself pulling myself outside of the line so that I could more easily sit myself down on the ground. It wasn't five seconds before Alice was in front of me - she knew.

"That's so great, sweetie. What's your friend's name?"

"His name's James, he likes my baseball cards! He said you played baseball with 'm. Livi, why don't you play baseball wif me?"

I broke. There was no way I couldn't break, his voice was so innocent and his voice was so obviously Shawn's voice - only Shawn could be so insulted to find out he had not been invited to a baseball game. Tears poured down my face and obscured Alice's face in front of me - but I could tell she could hear what was happening. She could hear his voice on the other line.

"We'll play baseball next time," I promised. "Where's Katie?"

"She's sleeping. She's so s'eepy that she hasn't woken up aaall day!"

"All day?" I gasped, trying to keep my voice even through the sobs that were choking me. "Can you…can you put your new friend on the phone?" I needed to pretend like Alice wasn't right in front of me. I needed to pretend like I was strong - for my little brother.

"Is that what you wanted to hear, Vivienne?" the tenor voice was back, smug and amused by the power he had of the situation. "I do hope you haven't given yourself away.

I looked into Alice's eyes, watching as she shook her head very minutely. I took a deep breath, using her gaze as an anchor as I responded, "no."

"Do I hear tears?" he asked, a pleasant tone to his voice. "I really hope you understand the severity of the situation. If any of your - what did you call them, friends? - were to be let in on what was happening here, I would hate to have to play one last game with little Shawn. Do you understand?"

"Why is she so tired?" I asked, my body trembling slightly as I tried to stand. Alice put her arm firmly under my elbow as she realized what I was doing. I was on my feet in a moments time.

"She was less excited over our little get together than Shawn was. She can be quite the little banshee - so I thought it might be better for her to sleep off her upset." I took a deep breath, Alice pulling my puffer from my purse - but I didn't need to take it yet. The adrenaline was distracting me from the pull at my lungs, I had more important things to focus on.

"I'm convinced."

"Good," he genuinely sounded pleased. "Call the number you find at your house, Vivienne. Oh and do come alone, I don't think Shawn needs any more friends that can crush him."

The line went dead.

"He has them," I whispered to her as I shut the phone. "He really has them."

"I saw," she whispered. "I saw when you called - he hasn't decided what to do with them, Liv. He isn't resigned to them dying."

"Where's Edward?" I whispered. "He has to let me save them - Alice, I have to save them."

She nodded, focusing so hard that her eyes glossed over - was she forcing a vision? I would never know, but she answered me quickly. "His plane just landed, he'll be here in a minute and forty two seconds."

It was all I needed to know. Leaving Alice to resurface from her own vision, I started making my way toward his gate - I had no doubts he would be the first out of the door and, after a minute and forty-two seconds, I saw him…or maybe didn't see him was more appropriate, because as soon as I could register that the door was open, I was folded in his arms - trying to control myself.

It was Edward. My Edward. These were his arms and this was his smell and this was the safety I had missed. His voice, his velvet and honey voice, was soothing me more than any of Jasper's lethargic waves could have and after I had gained strength from his whispers I pulled away to look at him.

He was still as stunning as I recalled, his golden eyes were tormented and close to black, but otherwise he was still just as perfect. I looked to him, trying to push back the tears that threatened me again - I did not normally cry and I did not like feeling like it was taking over me.

"We're saving them, Edward. Iam saving them, even if I have to go there myself and give you a signal." his frustrated eyes looked over my shoulder for a moment, he was clearly listening to Alice or Jasper's thoughts, I could not tell what he was being told.

"You're sure he has them?"

"I could hear Shawn's voice. Shawn spoke to me, he answered my questions." I sniffled. "He's only four, Edward. Katie's nine. I have to do this."

"I can't let you," it sounded like he was in pain as he said it. His face looked tormented - it was a terrible look on him. "Please, don't do this."

"Then don't make me. We can figure out a plan," I looked behind me to Alice and Jasper, both of which were looking and obviously communicating with Edward with their thoughts. Behind him, I could vaguely see Carlisle and Emmett over his shoulder.

"One where you're safe?" he scoffed. "Vivienne…"

"Edward," I whispered back. "I'll do this with or without you. I'll call him when you're on your way and warn him not to harm them, I'll…I'll sneak out. I'll run away. I'll kill myself if that would make him happy because I can't get away from you-" his face was completely mortified. "They're so young and Katie is so scared…I need to do this."

Edward frowned, taking a long moment to look over my shoulder again, to look at each individual member of his family. He turned to me again, his face somber and determined in a way that I had never before seen it. He was terrified, it was the only reason, perhaps half as terrified as I was. He pulled me close, crushing my lips against his own. They were cool and calming and the only light in this dark event.

"We need a plan." he said finally, when he could pull himself away. It almost look like he were near tears - were he able to cry, of course.

"Luckily for you, I'm actually good with plans when you shut up long enough to listen."

So, what did everyone think? This is definitely a lot different than the book itself and I know normally this chapter also would have hosted James attack on Bella - but this is Liv, not Bella, and she decided that she wasn't going to leave things up to chance, so it all goes down next time! To my wonderful reviewers:

grapejuice101: I'm so glad that you're enjoying the changes and the chapters! Thank you so much for the review, it's super encouraging :)

frenchy girl: I'm glad you like it and hope this chapter didn't disappoint. Thank you so much for reviewing!

Angel of the Night Watchers: I agree that it was smart to tell them. When I first read the book I was like 'you think Alice would let Bella out of her sight for one second if she had that vision? No way', so I'm glad that Liv has decided to be a little more responsible with herself. As for the wedding/honeymoon thing - I think that's super sweet! You make me envious! Thank you as always :)

DGfleetfox: Wow, thank you for those compliments! I really appreciate all of that - I like strong female protagonists too. Thank you so much for reviewing!

purplepenguin13: Thank you for the review, I really hope that I get enough interest to do the New Moon rewrite, I have the most interesting ideas to go along with it! Hopefully you enjoyed this chapter :)

Well, another chapter come and gone - but the next one will be all action. Hopefully you liked the drama that has ensued...please, please REVIEW!

-Egypt