Rose's Swan

Chapter 19

"Bella, Bella?" Renee is heard over the phone saying.

"Leave my mother out of this." Bella pleads.

"You're protective of her. That's nice. You can still save her. But you'll need to get away from your friends. Can you do that?" James asked, somewhat curious of how on guard the Cullen's were of the girl.

Especially the one who looked a lot like Bella, but seemed to have some sort of vampirism, maybe it's her gift to look like that?

Whatever it was, it scared him a bit.

Her very presence was powerful.

"I... I don't think so." Bella answered honestly.

"If your mother's life depends on it?" He asked.

Bella is seen completely terrified, horror crossing her face.

She didn't want her mother to be hurt.

James can sense that, even across the phone and smirks.

He's got her.

"Where should I meet you?" Bella asked.

James grins as he fingers a PHOTO of Bella that's attached to the refrigerator with a magnet. It's the same photo Charlie has of her, age 7, in a tutu, sitting on the floor.

"The old ballet studio around the corner. And I'll know if you bring anyone along. Poor mommy would pay the price for that mistake." James said wickedly.

He seems to sniff the air.

"She smells like you. Delicious." James said.

STAY ON BELLA as she hangs up, panicking. She starts flinging open drawers, searching for a weapon - a pen, a sewing kit.

Useless. Then she remembers her purse. She dumps out the contents, and FINDS the pepper spray Charlie gave her. She clings to it, her only protection now.

Bella walks through the lobby, scanning for Jasper and Alice.

She spots them outside under the porte cacher, loading the Mercedes, deep in a heated discussion. She slips out the opposite door, rushes toward a Taxi and jumps in, closes the door. The DRIVER is an elderly woman with a hacking COUGH.

Taking a breath for courage

"8th and Palo Verde, please." Bella said.

The taxi pulls out. Bella watches the hotel disappear. Off her FACE IN THE REAR WINDOW is determined, her scared.

In a voice over

"I've never given much thought to how I die..."

"But dying in the place of someone I love...

Seems like a way to go." Bella said.

Bella climbs out of the taxi. It pulls away, leaving her on the curb facing the deserted building. Bella twirls her mother's ring around her finger, then reached for the pepper spray her father gave her. Not sure how well it would actually work on a vampire.

BELLA (V.O.)

"I can't bring myself to regret the

decisions that brought me face to

face with death... they also

brought me to Edward." Bella said.

She slips the pepper spray into her jeans pocket. She wraps her purse strap around her wrist. She takes a breath, approaches the school. Peers in the windows. The blinds are drawn. But from inside, we HEAR a faint sound...