Vanessa didn't know who to choose.

Edwards was so mysterious and strong and shiny. He was her everything.

Jacob made her laugh. She didn't need a parka to cuddle up with him, and he wasn't worried about snapping her in two every time they got a little too friendly. He was her best friend.

They were both so protective, and so bossy.

"Vanessa," Edward sounded so earnest, so sincere. He did not grab her by the shoulders and force her to look up into his eyes, but he didn't need to. The vampire stood directly in front of her, and their golden eyes were mirrors of their individual souls- if he even had one. Vanessa believed that he did. "I can't live without you, and I will love you with my vampire heart for the rest of eternity. You know that, but the only thing that matters to me is that you are happy. I will support any decision you make, so long as you make it because it is what you want."

Vanessa thought that was rather silly of him. She wanted to be like he was, and she yearned to be with him forever.

"Edward, I-

"Vanessa," suddenly the bronze haired figure of Edward had transformed into the achingly familiar form of her dearest friend. Jacob positively smouldered as he searched her golden eyes with his chocolate ones, and Vanessa felt her heart constrict painfully. They were making this so difficult. "You know what it will mean if you let that disgusting bloodsucker…"

He trailed off and inhaled sharply before continuing.

"You know what it will mean for my brothers and sisters, and for them. It will be war."

"Jake," Vanessa tried not to cry and reached out to him. A dark scowl marked his face, but the werewolf did not flinch away from her touch. "I want to be like him."

"I can give you a good life! You could be happy with me! You wouldn't have to lie to your father about us, and you're brother loves me. Any child we have won't try to eat its way out of you!"

Her heart felt like it was breaking. Why couldn't he understand?

"But, Jake, I-

"I won't let him take you away from me." Jake's voice was fierce, threatening.

Something about it irritated Vanessa. She took a deep breath and stepped back, away from his magnificently muscular body and glowered at him, with her arms folded across her chest.

"That's enough," she hissed angrily at him, and glared through narrowed eyes as the dazzlingly beautiful form of Edward stepped out of Jacob's body and took up the space beside the young werewolf. They both watched her, faces set into identical expressions of tolerant impatience.

"I am tired of you both making my decisions for me," Vanessa declared passionately, and shook a finger at the pair of them, "In case you haven't noticed, I am my own person-

"Vanessa-

"Shut up, Edward. I'm talking now."

Edward shut up. Jacob pursed his lips.

"You both think you know what's best for me," she squawked at them, "but I can think for myself, and I've decided that I'm not going to throw myself off of a cliff just because you don't call me, Edward. GOD. I don't care if you're being noble. If you can't even take the time out of your day to call me and tell me you aren't dead I am just going to find something better to do with my time. I have a life, you know."

Jacob snickered. Edward glowered at him.

"As for you," Vanessa whirled on her friend, and he was instantly cowed. "I'm sorry I'm so selfish and I used you to fill the ache that Edward left in my soul when he disappeared, but its gone now. The ache, I mean. Not my soul. You have been a good friend to me, but I do not appreciate having my decisions made for me. You guys are driving me insane."

Another body stepped out of Edward's frame, and the three of them turned to stare at the newcomer.

"What are you doing here?" Vanessa frowned at the familiar form of the cinnamon-haired girl as she dusted off her skirt with one hand. In the other, Fallon held a cherry pie. The younger girl had visited Big Willy's store the other day, and Vanessa had helped her pick out some gifts for a friend that she'd lost. While Vanessa didn't think she had ever actually learned the girl's name, they hadn't not gotten along. She was surprised to see her.

"Friends like pie," Fallon told them all. Edward and Jacob sniggered and elbowed each other.

"Friends like pie," Fallon repeated stubbornly, "but if you try to eyeball it, they might like vodka better."

To be nice Edward and Jacob and Vanessa all smiled and nodded simultaneously, as though they understood what Fallon said to be true.

There was a loud crash, accompanied by the ear-splitting shrieks of sirens and a fire alarm system. The obnoxious noises resounded around the room where the small party of people gathered. All four of them groaned in pain and clutched at their ears, desperately trying to drowned out the noise.

"VANESSA," the tall, strong frame of her father burst into the room from a door that hadn't been there before. He was covered from head to toe in what looked like soot and charcoal. In his arms he carried a small, limp little body. It was a moment or to before Vanessa realized who it was.

"JOHN JR!" She screamed in terror, fingers flying to tug disbelievingly at the edges of her mouth. Sobbing with sorrow, sure that something awful had happened, Vanessa flung herself at her family and attempted to take her little brother from her father's shaking arms. Mr. Rae refused to let go, and they fought over John Jr's cold body for what felt like hours.

"What happened?" asked Edward.

"There was a fire," Jacob said, though it didn't make any sense for him to know that.

"A fire?" Fallon gasped.

"Yes," Mr. Rae howled in agony, and fat tears smeared filthy trails of grime down his cheeks. It was bizarre to see such a strong man look so vulnerable, and Vanessa knew that the world was coming to an end. Her heart gave out, and she collapsed onto the ground at her father's feet, sobbing into his knees.

"There was a fire," Mr. Rae intoned, and Vanessa thought that he sounded like he had died too, "There was a fire and Vanessa wasn't there to stop it."