Gosh, it's been a month since I updated last. I've actually had it sitting on my flash drive, but I don't use my computer very often, so I haven't had a chance to upload it. Sorry about that. Right now I'm also working on two other stories, but I'm not going to post them until I finish this one.

Chapter 17 Miranda

"What is she doing back here?" Rosalie demanded as soon as we walked in. I stepped sideways so I was half hidden behind Carlisle

"She is a part of this family," Carlisle said calmly.

"Family? Did you forget the past hour?"

Instead of answering, he said, "We're leaving for Arizona. We have until sunrise."

"And what, exactly, do you expect us to do in Arizona?"

"We're going to one of the human resistance groups. They need a doctor. As for hunting, we'll figure something out."

"The Volturi? This is all her fault."

"Rosalie," Esme warned. Rosalie rolled her eyes. "Pack up and meet in the garage."

We all jumped into action then, packing everything we had into suitcases to bring to the cars. Since I had left my bag at La Push, I was the first one ready, and the only one who noticed the knocking at the door. I cautiously opened the door, only partway.

"It's me," Seth said. "I have your purse. What's going on?"

"We're leaving."

"Leaving? What about Jacob?"

"I don't know."

"You can't leave! What about-"

"We have to. We're not allowed to be here after sunrise."

"Says who?

"Says the wolves. It was their condition for letting Carlisle go."

"Letting – what?"

I suddenly remembered that Seth had left the main pack to stay with Jacob, so he didn't know about what I had almost done. "I told them that Carlisle changed me without my permission. I was angry and… I wish I hadn't done it."

"Where are you going?"

"Arizona. There's a resistance group of humans there."

"How do you get there?"

I suddenly realized what Seth was planning. "Seth, you can't follow us. What if someone finds you? A soul?"

"I heal fast," he mumbled.

"No." I insisted. "You still have your family. Go home to them."

"Jacob is going with you. Because of Renesmee. He's my pack leader; I'm going with him."

Alice came down the stairs then. "Is there a wolf here? I can't see- hi, Seth."

"You can't leave without Jacob. And if Jacob is going, so am I. I don't want to go back to Sam's pack."

Alice looked at me. "I kind of told him we were going to Arizona. Was that a bad idea?"

"It would have been a lot easier to leave if they didn't know, yes. But I guess there's going to be no convincing them to stay now."

"Sorry."

"Don't apologize. I just need to tell Esme that we'll need room for two extra people." She ran off in the direction of the garage. Seth looked at me with a smug expression.

"You remind me of my friend Nathan," I said suddenly. I didn't know where that came from – I hadn't really talked about him since I left Italy.

"Nathan?"

"He was-" I realized that Seth didn't know the details about my encounter with the Volturi, so I changed what I was going to say. "Captured," I lied. "By the souls."

"I'm sorry."

"It's okay."

Alice came in then, with Esme right behind her. "If you want to get Jacob now," Esme said, "We're almost ready to leave. Meet us in the garage, okay?"

"Sure thing, Mrs. Cullen." Seth left and Alice led me to the garage. All the bags were in the Jeep already.

"Miranda, we're going to have you ride with Bella, Edward, Renesmee, and I in the Mercedes, since you're the only one who knows how to get to the resistance. Emmett can drive with Seth, Jacob, and Esme in the Jeep. Alice, drive Rosalie and Jasper in your Porsche. We'll have to leave Rosalie's car here. Is everybody ready?"

Seth came in with Jacob just then. "You two will be riding with us," Esme said, walking toward the Jeep.

"All right. We just have a couple of bags."

Jacob fit them easily in the back of the Jeep and we drove out of the garage.