Eeep, I took way too long to post this one! I sincerely apologize my fellow fans. I finally got through with this crappy science competition, but now I've got this humungous research paper to do. I'm at my wit's end trying to write my MR fics and my Merlin fics.

Hopefully with enough reminders *coughreviewscough* I'll get the next one up much faster!

Chapter 9: Fire or Ice

The evergreen forest was chirping, alive with the sounds of birds and crickets, tall oak brown trees towered over me, its canopy blocking out all rays of sunshine. The air was musty with smell of morning dew and sky foggy like the breaking of dawn. The air round me was chilled cold; it bit my raw skin, leaving traces of pinkish-red frost bite. I shivered and pulled my old parka closer to my chest. Being a human avian didn't make me entirely resistant to the biting cold air, but enough so that my own body heat would sustain me. I leisurely walked close to the trees, the tiny miniscule cut on my fingers left behind drops of blood, smeared and pressed into the bark.

Never in my short eighteen years of life did I imagine myself walking through an isolated forest leaving a fake blood trail to throw off my Vampire predators. Well, I never imagined I would fall into the Vampire world either; literally, I fell in love with Edward Cullen.

Butter gold eyes followed my every move with worry. I could feel his eyes staring at me, taking in my whole being, watching me closely. I wasn't uncomfortable, the opposite in fact, I felt protected and warmed by his gaze. It made me giggle to think I could annoy him till his features twisted into a half-hearted scowl. But then I frowned, completely ashamed of myself, what if the blood was affecting him?

"You know, if this is bothering you, you can turn back. I can protect myself, Edward," I whispered softly, keeping my eyes glued to the forest floor and focusing on the task ahead. Although the extreme caution was no longer necessary, I would no longer trip over my two feet. I mused at the revelation that I could now walk down my own drive-way without fearing for my life. "I know that the smell of my blood…well is hard to, err, resist…" I trailed off.

Edward snorted in response. "It's alright, the smell of your blood doesn't bother me anymore," he chuckled. I raised a perfectly arched eyebrow, and watched him with curious, amused, eyes.

"Since when?"

"Since I spent forty-eight hours thinking you were dead." He somberly stared into the dark green canopy, his eyes no longer trained on me. I froze with my palm pressed against the course bark of an oak wood and trembled. The fresh memories of those horrid forty eight hour assaulted my mind. I blinked back tears that threatened to spill and with utter resolve, abandoned my mission and walked back to my boyfriend's side. I stroked his cheek, waiting for him to finish the story. His tender gold eyes met mine, they were deep pools of molten gold, but they were hallowed. I stifled a gasp and tried not to let my shock show on my face. Something…something was different. "The thought of not having you in this world…." Edward shook his head. "It's not worth all the delicious blood in this world."

I forced a smile on my face. "At least you still find my blood the most appealing," I teased and pulled my hands away from his cheek. Edward narrowed his eyes and wrapped his arms around me, bringing me close till my warm body rested against his icy cold.

"Don't tempt me," He growled into my ear. I giggled and pulled away, as the cold was starting to get to me.

"Come on, let's get out of here" I weaved my hands through Edward's and gently tugged him out of the forest. Of course, Edward had never seen my mask before, he wouldn't recognize it if I wore it now. I hid the turmoil of emotions coursing through my veins with a thin lipped smile, and eyes that only gazed ahead. What was going on?

It didn't take long for the cover of trees to slowly disperse and fade away as the gaps between the trees increased, more deceptive sunlight filtered through. I could see the condensation forming as my hot huff of breaths collided with the harsh cold winter air of Forks, Washington. In a matter of moments, we were back in the clearing.

I found my flock members practicing. Fang fought against Emmitt, Iggy versed Jasper, Gazzy with Seth, Angel with Alice, and Nudge…checking out her nails, I suppose. I snorted at the sight, and avoided the questioning look Edward sent me. Though it startled me a bit when my eyes were drawn to Fang longer than necessary. I think he felt me staring, because shoulder suddenly stiffened and his arced till his obsidian eyes met mine. I glared to cover my embarrassment.

Edward and I walked in hand in hand. I was met with a variety of different glances from curiosity to anger to amusement to jealousy and ridicule. Jacob stood out among the pack members he trotted – not literally, he was in his human form – over to where we stood, followed closely by Sam and Carlisle.

"What's going on?" Instant red flags flared in my mind. I quickly checked everyone for injuries or otherwise. They all looked fine. I frowned at the arriving party.

"We're about to start the next phase of the plan," Edward muttered close to my ears. He received at hateful glare from Jacob Black. Although Sam and Jacob kept their distance from Edward and Carlisle, they stood within speaking distance.

"It was my idea bloodsucker, let me tell her," Jacob admonished. Edward glared at the russet colored man.

"Of course it is," Edward snarled. I shot those two a questioning look, both of whom ignored me. I then glared at them as if to say 'I dare you to fight right now!' Carlisle and Sam put their arms of the chests of their respective family members. Edward and Jacob broke off from their glaring competition.

"So what's this superfluous diabolical plot about?" I arched an eyebrow, questioningly. Jacob flashed me an excited smile.

"Now that Victoria and her new born leeches have your fake trail, we were gonna carry you to the base tent on the mountain, so that we can cover your scent and make you untraceable." Jacob, had he been a child, might have been bouncing at his ingenious plan to get his arms around me. I glared hard at Jacob and Sam.

"And who's going to carry me?" I asked almost accusingly, crossing my arms across my chest. Beside me, I feel Edward chuckling almost proudly. Jacob jabbed his thumb towards himself, proudly.

"We figured you'd be most comfortable with Jacob. He will also stay there with you and….Edward Cullen till dawn breaks and we initiate the battle." Sam carefully explained.

"The morning that follows, Edward and Jacob will be protecting you, it's most likely that Victoria and her underling, Riley, will come for you together. You must remain in the tent the entirety of the fight, Max," Carlisle added his two cents.

For a moment, the entire field had gone deadly silent. I snarled and lunged towards two overly arrogant leaders. Warm arms restrained me fiercely. I pulled against my binder and tried to take a chunk out of their heads, but the arms were too strong. I struggled against my captor and nearly took his head off when I realized it was my brother.

"Woah, Maxie chill! Yeesh, I came by to say hello and you try to take my head off!" Ari nearly squealed. He held his hands up in defense to show he meant no harm. "What's the matter Maxie?"

I threw my head back and laughed humorlessly. "This one wants to carry me to cover my scent," I pointed at Jacob, "And these two think I need to be protected by BOTH Edward and Jake, and that I should stay in my tent till the fights over." I growled in response. If Sam and Carlisle looked frightened, they didn't show it. Jake took a full step back in shock, and Edward placed his hand on my shoulder, which I immediately shook off.

"Hahaha…. Do you guys have some sorta death wish? Even I, in all my evil exploits in the past, have never tried to tell Maximum Ride what to do." Ari shook with laughter. I felt a sort of evil satisfaction of having my younger brother on my side. In the back, I see many amused stares from my bird kid audience.

"Listen here, listen real well. First mistake of your fnicking arse plan! I will not be carried! I can easily cover my scent by flying to the tent. Secondly, you saw me fight yesterday, or was it two days ago, either way I want in on this fight. AND I will be the one to rip off Victories bloody head. She holds a grudge against me. Not any of you." I stated my demands as calmly as I could manage. But the reciprocal didn't happen with the others. Jacob and Edward both instantly mouthed me off.

I cut them off with a deadly gaze. "No. I'm already allowing you to risk your lives for me, by fighting this war. I cannot and will not ask for anymore." Leader Max seemed to be back in the game. With each passing moment, I desperately tried to shrug off the part of me that was still Bella. War was no place for softies after all. The part of me that was Bella felt her heart give out as Jacob pouted…but the part of me that was Max…her heart had one too many people to love.

"Jacob, please, stay with your Pack. I know you Jake. You're a strong fighter and leader with natural born instincts. Think of Seth. Shouldn't you be there for him?"

"Seth can take care of himself!" Jake growled back. I shook my head.

"You're wrong Jacob. We all need someone. We all need someone to watch our backs. Someone whose hand's you can put your life in and wholeheartedly trust. That someone is you Jake. Seth needs you. You're Pack needs you," I whisper in soft tones so that only the surrounding party of four would hear me. I gingerly patted his cheek and beckoned him to return to their side. Jake's eyes darted between me, his best friend, and Seth, who in the course of the last three months had become like a younger brother to him. Jacob never really had a choice.

"B-but what about you?" He sounded as tormented as he looked. Suddenly, Jake looked younger, younger than his years, like a lost child without a hand to guide his way. I kissed Jake's forehead as if I could will his uneasiness away.

"I have Edward, and Ari, I won't be alone," I replied softly. I knew Jacob was reckless and acted on impulse, I knew he needed a guiding hand and an anchor keep him rooted. I'd always known these facts. I've also always known that, that guiding hand was not me. If Jake and I were ever truly meant to be, he would have imprinted. But this was not so. He needed to let me go.

"Jake, look at me." I whisper, not releasing his face from within my hands. "You need to let me go Jake. I'm not the same person I was two days ago. I'm not the Bella you fell in love with. She's gone Jake."

"I-I don't believe that. She's you and you're her, aren't you?"

"Yes. We are one and the same person, but … Bella was never real. I am. This is the real me. This is not the me you fell in love with. Let me go, please," I pleaded. Jake blinked tears through long black lashes, but they never spilled. He wordlessly kissed the inside of my palm and removed my hand from his face.

Jake turned his back on me. And at that moment, I knew that what Jake and I might have had was gone…it was over. Friendship, love, endearment. Whatever bond the two of us had shared was gone.

Somewhere in the back of my mind, I was cringing at how easily all my relations from my time as Bella were falling apart. Jake was no longer going to be in my life. Loosing Jake, I lost the Pack, the rowdiest group of friends I've ever had. Keeping Max a secret from the Cullen…well I knew that Rosalie would never forgive me. Emmitt and Jasper had avoided confronting me since I had thrown them like bowling balls. Since my outburst with Carlisle and Esme, the two had become vary of me.

While everything around me fell apart, and silent tears rolled down my face. I felt a pair of cold arms curl around my waste. He buried his head against my neck and blew away the hair that tickled his face. Edward held me as silently cried. But in my mind, the only face I saw…was Fang's. He was the comfort I needed right now.

Our eyes met from across the field and in that moment, I felt it. The old love that Fang and I once shared, rekindled and blazing like a hot furnace within my chest.

It was between the delightfully cool arms around me that comforted and protected me or the blazing hot eyes that warmed me to my core and sent shivers all over my body.

It was a choice of fire or ice.

Either way, I was doomed to die in hell.

So this chapter was basically a filler. I already have Edward/Max/Fang drama going on; I really don't need Jacob in the mix. I had to kick him out, sorry Jacob fans. So this chapter was all dialogue and thought huh? Don't worry, I'll get into the actiony aspect of this story soon.

Sorry, I only did the bare minimal of editing, hopefully nothing too yucky stood out.

Mid-May is sneaking up on us fast eh? I will put up one more chapter after this, and then it will officially be handed over.

Review, review, review.

Kiki1770