The Beacon -Paul Lahote 2-

Chapter 31

Mavis set the letter on her bed. It gave a short, vague explanation of her choice to leave. It was the right choice. The others wouldn't understand that, not at first, but they would one day. They would understand why she did what she did.

Mavis had packed all of her fake passports and I.D.'s. They would get her far away. Far enough away to hide for years. The Cullens would track her for a while, but they wouldn't forever. She would stay in countries with a lot of sunshine.

Mavis wanted desperately to believe she was not the downfall of everyone around her, but she knew the truth. It turns out Mavis really was the problem. She would always be the problem.

Death was easy. It was simple. When you die, that's it. There's no more. Living is the hard part. To grieve death, to feel pain, to feel love. It isn't easy.

Mavis couldn't kill the people she loved the most. She couldn't hurt them.

She had to figure out how to stop it, but that would take time. It was easier now to leave and never look back. To start over somewhere far away and protect those she loved. One day, maybe they would understand why.

There was a bag packed under her bed. She didn't want the others to see. Mavis had to guarantee she could slip away without being caught. She knew this was the right choice. This was the only choice. "Hey," someone spoke to her.

Mavis spun around to see Alice standing in the doorway. "Hey, mom."

"How are you doing?" That was a loaded question. In Mavis's silence, she got her answer. "Want to talk about your thoughts, love bug?"

"No," she said. The last thing Mavis wanted to do was talk about her thoughts.

Alice stared at her, unsure if pushing was a good idea. A lot had happened since the previous night, and she wanted to be there for her daughter. "Okay." Alice decided not to push the subject.

Mavis picked at her fingernail. "Mom-" but she stopped herself. She couldn't afford to talk. Alice wouldn't let her leave. Mavis had to do this.

Alice looked hopeful, but it faded quickly. Melissa once told Mavis that she was a destroyer. It's what Banshees are. They destroy everyone they love. Mavis knew now she was right. Mavis was destroying everything and everyone around her. She was a sinking ship. That had never been clearer.

"You don't know anything. This ability I have. Whether it came from you or not doesn't matter. It's mine, and good or bad. I'm happy to have it."

"The time will come when you won't be."

That time was now.

"Don't worry, mom." Mavis placed a hand on her shoulder. "I have a feeling everything is going to be okay."

Alice stared at her. "How do you know?"

"Just a feeling I have."

Alice smiled at her. "I love you." Mavis smiled back at her. "I know everything will be okay. I know what happened wasn't easy, but I am here for you, and so is your father." Alice wanted Mavis to feel comfortable talking to her. "I'm not a Banshee expert, but I am your mother. And I love you as you are."

The words Banshee Expert repeated in her mind. "Banshee expert," she repeated. That's what she needed.

"Yeah," Alice said. "Would be helpful if there was one." But there was. Claus Everton. Mavis barely knew him, but he knew a lot about Banshees. He wrote an entire book about them. He also knew of others. He would be the person who could help her figure out if she could stop what was coming.

"Yeah, it would." The Cullens didn't know about Claus Everton, only she did. He had helped her once. Maybe he would do it again.

"Well," Alice clapped her hands together. "Why don't you come downstairs for a bit?"

Mavis blinked a few times. "Actually," she said. "Is it okay if I go to Bella's for a while? I'm feeling a bit cramped in here with everyone."

Alice nodded. "Whatever you want, dear. But be back soon, okay?" Alice was worried about her and didn't want Mavis too far out of her sight.

"Okay."

Alice kissed her cheek. "I love you."

"I love you too."

Mavis watched as Alice vanished from sight. She now felt conflicted. Walking towards the bookshelf, she grabbed the book Claus had written. She now had a choice. She could vanish from their lives forever or find Claus and see if he could help stop the deaths of her friends.

It wasn't an easy decision. Either way, things could end badly. Maybe leaving wasn't the answer, or maybe Claus couldn't help her. Either way, Mavis had to make a choice. Without thinking, she tossed the book on the bed. There was nothing new the book could tell her. She didn't need to bring it. Grabbing her bag, she crept down the hallway. Mavis didn't want to alert anyone to her plan.

She successfully made it down the stairs. Her eyes found Paul. He was standing on the back patio with Jacob, Leah, Seth, Rosalie, Emmett, Carlisle, Esme, Edward, and Jasper. They were talking about her. They were always talking about her.

Mavis stared at Paul sadly. He looked scared. She told him he was going to die. How was he supposed to look? That was her fault. It was always her fault. Mavis hated herself. She hated what she did to the people around her.

She knew this was the right choice. Paul and the others were going to die, and it appeared the cause would be her. Mavis hoped leaving would save them. She knew it was better if she wasn't in their lives at all.

~~~~~~~~~~~

The only person Mavis felt like she could trust in this situation was Bella. It was odd but true. Bella seemed to be the only person who puts Mavis's best interest ahead of her own opinions.

Mavis knocked three times on the door. In a flash, Bella opened the door. She was surprised to see Mavis. "Hey."

"Hey," she greeted the woman. "Can I come in?"

Bella moved to the side. "Sure." Mavis stepped into the small cottage. "What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be with the others?"

"Actually, I need a huge favor from you." If anyone would help Mavis, it was Bella. Plus, Edward couldn't read Bella's mind. Bella nodded for her to continue. "I need your car."

"My car?"

"Yes."

Bella crossed her arms. "Why?" She eyed the small bag Mavis had. There was a sinking feeling in her gut. She started to put the pieces together.

Mavis nervously shifted her weight between her legs. "I can't answer that."

Bella already knew what she was going to do. She knew from Edward that Mavis had predicted the death of Paul and others. "Mavis, I can't-"

But Mavis had no other options. She had to do this. "Please," she begged. "I think I can stop this." Bella stared at her. She was hesitant. "Bella, a lot of people are going to die because of me. That includes Jacob and possibly Renesmee."

That seemed to be what Bella needed to hear. "Okay." She moved quickly and grabbed her keys. "Go. How long should I cover for you?" Mavis didn't respond. Bella's lips fell into a frown. "You're not coming back, are you?"

"I don't know."

Bella wrapped her arms around Mavis, who was stunned. However, she hugged her back. "Good luck."

They pulled away from each other. "Take care of them, okay?"

"Okay." The blonde girl turned around and walked towards the door. No more words were spoken as Mavis left. She gripped the strap of her bag tightly. Unlocking the car, she got inside. Mavis took a deep breath and started the car.

Inside, she was conflicted. There were two options. One, find Claus Everton and see if there was any chance of saving her friends. He was only three hours away, but the Cullens would be able to track her. The second option was leaving forever, possibly saving the lives of her friends and family. Mavis started into the darkness, unsure of what she would do next.