I am so sorry about my writing hiatus! Had a little case of writer's block, I guess... But here's the wedding reception, and I actually already have the next chapter underway! So, enjoy!

I am suffocating.

But it's not so bad!

The wedding ceremony is absolutely beautiful, everything I thought it would be and more. Alice is incredibly talented, to have thrown this wedding together in just two months. There is not a hair out of place; everything is perfect. Especially Bella! Apparently, Alice was able to salvage the makeup situation and make Bella somehow the most beautiful person I have ever seen (and considering the group of immortal beauties I tend to keep company with, that is saying something). She is nothing short of an angel.

As I watch her procession, I remember her offering me a place as a bridesmaid at the front of the room. She recognized that I had worked hard on this wedding, and she said she wanted all of her soon-to-be sisters up there with her. But I had declined, in favor of a position directly next to the door, so that I could leave quickly if I needed to. Although the Cullens, by this point, seem to trust me implicitly, I still cannot quite trust myself, especially in a room full of people.

I shouldn't have thought about that. All of a sudden, I am assailed by the scent of them, the overpowering number of bodies around me. The way they look, and sound, and smell... I am reminded of the night before the big battle a few months ago, when Riley allowed us to feast on a ferry full of people: people with sweet, delicious blood, not tainted with alcohol or drugs. It could be the same now. I could gorge myself; I could feast...

But as I take one look at my good friends before me - Edward and Bella, how lovingly they look into each others' eyes, as if there is no ceremony; only them - how can I let my weakness ruin this moment? The answer is simple: I can't. And I won't.

And, miraculously, I don't. However, I am the first person out the door when the ceremony is over. I breathe a sigh of relief; it worked! I am thoroughly pleased with myself, and march confidently to the reception area.

Out in the open, the scents are not so overpowering, but I still don't want to stay too long. I am glad that I have a secret mission to meet Fred later on; it is a good excuse to leave. But I still find myself being forced to socialize: Charlie and Renee each come up and talk to me, along with some of Bella's foul-smelling Quilleute friends. I only met them once before, when I first arrived. When Sam and his pack first learned that the Cullens had taken me in, given my age, he was extremely (reasonably) concerned that I would not be able to abide by the "treaty" they have. He made it very clear that if I messed up, even once, there would be no more treaty. I thought that was quite unfair, especially after the pack had fought side by side with the Cullens. Would they truly turn against their allies so quickly, because of my newborn ignorance? It only made me hate them more than I seemed to do naturally.

One of the the werewolves deliberately bumps into me. "Not quite yellow yet, eh, kid?" he asks snidely.

I clench my fists and my jaw, standing rigidly with the physical effort of not attacking this disgusting creature. I try not to breathe in the wet dog smell, but it has an uncanny way of clinging to the nasal passages mercilessly. It makes me want to tear these werewolves to five thousand pieces.

"You got something to say?" he taunts. "Leech?" He towers over me with his freakish wolf height; it doesn't help that I've always been small.

But he doesn't scare me.

I put on my most cold, murderous expression and quite literally growl a curt, "Yes." Then I step closer, wrinkling my nose at the intensifying awful werewolf stench. "Just for the record," I say quietly, lowering my voice to a homicidal whisper, "you may think you can take me down because I'm young, but you can't. Look around; I've been around these humans all day and done nothing wrong. I've got newborn strength, and my instincts are in check. It's quite a deadly combination, but I haven't quite had the opportunity to try it out yet. So just remember..." I lean in to make him more uncomfortable. "... I hunt animals now, and I'm curious what dog tastes like." I slowly produce a twisted smile and back away at a sloth's pace, holding his eyes. The young werewolf's face does not show any sign of fear, but it does not need to; I can hear it plainly in the quickening of his heart rate and see it in the blush of his cheeks, the slight trembling in his jaw.

I cannot wait for his entire pack to get my message.

I turn on my heel and walk away, only to be stopped by Emmett and Rosalie. Emmett is laughing uncontrollably, and Rosalie looks very impressed.

"Holy crap, Bree!" Emmett yells. "That was freakin amazing! We heard the whole thing!" He holds up his hand for a high five and I, feeling a sort of adrenaline rush from letting some of my inner frustration out on that werewolf boy, don't hold back when I return it. "Ow!" Emmett cries, wringing out his hand. "Watch it!"

"Sorry," I say, even though I'm not really. I smile broadly, pleased with myself until Carlisle approaches me.

"Bree," he says, "that was quite unlike you."

I shrug. I know it was; I usually keep most, if not all, of my thoughts to myself - including threats. "I guess those arrogant mutts bring out the worst in me," I speculate.

Carlisle doesn't seem convinced. "Just tell me you weren't serious," he insists.

"Of course not." I am surprised he would think that I might be. "I would never jeopardize your treaty. I just hate them for the way they threatened you, after you've been such close allies. It's beyond disloyal. It's vile." I become increasingly angry as I think about it.

"They are only protecting their territory," Carlisle explains. "They have that right."

"Well, they don't have to be so blatantly rude about it," I grumble.

"Give her a break, Carlisle," Rosalie pipes up. "At least she didn't pick a fight with him; at her age, that's all you can really ask for."

I raise an eyebrow at her. It's a backhanded compliment, but I'll take it. I can't help but think that showing my feisty side has bumped me up a few notches in her eyes.

Before I set out for the woods, I make sure to greet the happy couple. They look so perfect together, so beautiful, so in love. I am truly happy for them, and I tell them so, wishing them the best.

Then I head out in the direction Alice had previously indicated. The second I clear the reception area, I feel a weight lift off my shoulders. I did it! I really did it! I successfully attended a social event without murdering anybody! I giggle aloud with giddiness.

I am running in a dress and heels, but in all honesty, it doesn't really make a difference when you are a vampire. I should reach Fred in plenty of time, according to Alice's vision. I enjoy the feeling of sprinting without reservation, without holding back for the older Cullens. The rush is incredible; it is one of the best feelings in the world.

Suddenly, I hear a noise far ahead of me and six degrees to my right. It is getting closer. I stop running and listen hard, but there is no longer anything to hear; the sound has stopped. Whatever the source is, it is far enough away that I cannot see it (which is pretty dang far) but luckily, my hearing is excellent.

Unable to discern anything about the source of the mysterious noise, I open my mouth to say Fred's name, on the chance that it's him. But before I get the chance, I am literally knocked down by the sheer force of a wave of nausea. Choking on my own gag reflex, I am hit by a surprise attack and pinned down to the ground, where the nausea intensifies due to my attacker's proximity. I try to say his name, tell him it's me, but just before he tears my head off, he recognizes me.

"Bree?" The nausea dissipates almost as quickly as it came. Flustered, Fred quickly stands and offers me a hand getting up. I don't need it, but I take it anyway.

Wordlessly, I pull him into a fierce hug. Something feels strange about it, but I can't tell what and I can't bring myself to care. I've missed you, my arms tell him, and his reply, Same here. I realize just how much I have missed him these past couple months. It feels so natural just to be near him, to have such silent agreements and conversations. We've never needed many words to understand each other, and I've liked it that way. Of course, I've had plenty of silent conversations with Edward since I joined the Cullen coven, but now, it kind of feels like cheating to rely on mind-reading. Fred doesn't need a superpower to know exactly what I'm thinking.

Gently, he pushes me away. His dull red - nearly black - eyes survey mine, taking note of their bright orange hue, of my success with the Cullen lifestyle; he knows that I am not running from them. This confuses him visibly, so I answer his unasked question.

"I came to meet you here," I explain. "Alice - one of the Cullens - she can see the future, and she had a brief vision of you coming our way. They sent me to find out what was bringing you here."

There is a long silence. Fred blinks at me, staring for a long while. "She sees the future?" he asks disbelievingly.

I laugh. "Yes, and with reasonable accuracy, too," I tell him. "But she couldn't tell why you were coming here."

He looks away. "Yeah, about that..." He sighs. "It's a long story."

I sit down and pat the patch of grass in front of me. "I've got time."

FRED. I love Fred. :D :D :D Also Bree is seriously the coolest ever. That is all. Anyway, next chapter is coming soon! (PS: Prepare to feel very sorry for poor Fred)