Mistaken Identity: Chapter One

Caius Zottola and Harry Clearwater glared at one another from opposite ends of the table each with an agenda far different from the others. "For once can't you just do the right thing?" Harry implored placing his hand gently over Bella's on the expansive conference room table.

Caius eyed Isabella Swan up one side and down the other. He wouldn't be District Attorney for much longer what did it matter to him if this girl went into the witness protection program or not. Not to mention that Alec Volante had been a thorn in his side from the word go. Somehow it seemed only fitting to allow her to walk, he would finally have the last laugh. Yet he couldn't resist twisting the knife just a little. "What's in it for me counselor?" Caius asked arrogantly.

"You and I both know this was a pure case of self-defense. Bella didn't have a choice Alec was attacking her!" Harry did what he could to remain calm however difficult that was since Caius Zottola had a way of pushing all of his buttons. The smug expression the man across the table wore made his skin crawl. What his wife ever saw in him Harry would never know.

"Well," Caius began with his typical flourish, "I agreed not to level charges against her," he smirked. "What more do you want?"

"You know damn well what I want!" Harry gritted his teeth anger growing from the pit of his stomach. "Who gives a damn that you've decided not to prosecute the case or not. That's not the issue here and you know it!"

"Please, do enlighten me." Caius folded his arms against his chest and waited, waited for what he knew was coming. Harry Clearwater was about to go into a lengthy litany as to the evils of Alec Volante's family.

"How can you be such a bastard?" Harry quipped. He detested the fact that Caius was using this situation as a way to get back at him for Sue choosing him all those years before. This was Bella's life he was toying with.

"If you have a point, might I suggest you make it?"

"My point is that Bella isn't safe here in Forks. Whether you prosecute or not, that doesn't really matter to Volante family. I know damn well either way she's a target for them. You don't kill one of their own and get away with it," Harry said dryly.

"I don't really see how that is my problem," Caius countered arrogantly.

"I'm making it your problem," Harry forced.

"Exactly what is it you expect me to do? As you are well aware, I will no longer be the DA in a few days. What clout do you think I have anymore?"

"I want Bella in the witness protection program. It's the only way that I see her staying alive. You have the power to make that happen."

"I believe you overestimate my authority. I got my fingers slapped don't you remember? I think perhaps you are barking up the wrong tree."

'Fingers slapped my ass' Harry thought to himself Caius was lucky to have not been disbarred for all his corrupt acts. "Don't give me that load of bull shit, Caius or have you forgotten that I was once District Attorney too? I know all the rules Zottola. You still have the power to make this happen. Just do it!"

Bella sat quietly listening to the men banter back and forth. Her heart in her mouth with each new argument. This was a complete nightmare. She had never expected to be sitting in the DA's office bargaining for her life. She had also never thought that she would have killed a man, in self-defense or not. That day on the beach was still such a vivid memory. Each time she closed her eyes all that she could see was Alec's face leering towards her and the smell of the alcohol that hung on his breath as he told her of all the things he wanted to do to her. The memory still caused her to shudder.

That night it had been his life or hers. Pure survival instinct took over, Bella would have done whatever it took to stay alive and for all intents and purposes she had. The thud that the rock made when it had come in contact with Alec's skull still resounded in her ears if she allowed herself to think about it too long. It was a deafening sound that haunted her. It was a blur all Bella remembered doing was running as hard and as fast as she could away from the beach. It wasn't until the following day that she realized that she had actually killed him. The story was plastered over every newspaper, TV and radio station in town. The headline read "Next in line to head Volante Crime Family found dead on the beach". It was at that moment that Bella understood what was about to happen to her. The ruthlessness of the Volante's was a well known fact. They set the rules of the game and this was a game she knew she wasn't about to win. Now the only way to save herself was to become a different person. If Caius agreed to Harry's deal Isabella Swan for cease to exist. That was a thought she wasn't quite yet prepared for.

"Are we in agreement or not?" Harry's voice pulled Bella back to her surroundings.

"I believe I can accommodate your request. I won't have the paper work for a day or so. That means that Bella will need to stay at a federal safe house until everything is in place."

"We understand," Harry said gently squeezing Bella's trembling hand.

"Are you sure you are ready for this, Bella?" Caius focused his comment directly to her for the first time since she had entered the room. "You understand that this means you can never come home again, that as of right now Isabella Swan is no more, and Forks will be nothing but a distant memory for you?"

"Yes, yes I understand," she answered knowing it in her head but her heart, well, that was a completely different thing all together.

The streets of Forks flew by as Bella stared out the side window of Harry's car as he navigated his way towards her home. Caius Zottola's final statements bounced in the recesses of her brain. Life as she knew it was coming to an end. She'd never be Isabella Swan again, never be able to come back to Forks, the only place she had even known. The life she had envisioned for herself had gone up in a puff of magician's smoke. And there wasn't a damn thing she could do about it. Her fate had been sealed that night on the beach. She may have taken Alec Volante's life but he had stolen hers too.

Without warning the tears fell. The sight of what she had always called home, a place after tonight she would never step foot in again, the flood of emotions was far too great. So many wonderful things had happened to her in this place. She had learned to ride a two-wheeler in the driveway, gotten her first grown up kiss under the trellis in the backyard, the scent of Renee's perfume that still lingered in the house after all these years. All those things would be no more than memories for her now.

"Bella?" Harry rested his hand on her shoulder. In his quiet way his did his best to fill the void left by her father. Charlie was off god knows where doing god knows what. It angered him that his friend dropped the ball so to speak when it came to his daughter. In the years Charlie Swan had been gone, Harry watched Bella struggle and grow into a wonderful woman. It was such a shame he had chosen to miss all of that.

"I'm fine," she responded wiping the tears from her cheeks. She knew what he was going to ask before the words left his lips. "I just can't imagine leaving here and never looking back," anguish consumed her voice.

"I wish there was another way, but it's something you have to do," Harry assured her.

As true as his words were, they brought little comfort to her at the moment. "I understand that here," she said pointing to her head, "But it hurts so much here," Bella laid her hands across her heart.

"If there was any other way you know I would have explored it. I just don't see one," Harry added sympathetically.

"I know," Bella agreed with a lifeless tone.

"I'll wait out here while you go in and gather your things."

Bella closed the car door behind and pulled out her house key for what she knew would be the final time. Jiggling the key the lock that was known for sticking eventually broke free and the door swung open. She never realized how eerily quiet an empty house could be. Absently Bella wondered if this was what she could expect for her life from this point forward deafening silence. She tried not to get lost in memories as she made her way from room to room. Visions of Renee and Charlie assaulted her from every angle. She laughed thinking back to the times Charlie would stink up the kitchen cooking the fish he had caught and how Renee would follow behind him spraying air freshener. Glancing up the staircase she recalled the look on her father's face when she came down in her prom gown. So many memories of a life that was now by all rights over. Climbing the stairs, Bella went to her room and began packing her suitcase generically. Nothing that represented the person she currently was could go with her. Nothing that would remotely give away who she had been. That was one of the most difficult things for her, leaving behind the things that had been her last tie to Renee before she passed away. It felt like she was losing her mother all over again.

"Bella," Harry's voice from the first floor startled her. "We really need to be going."

"Okay," she said her voice shook as she did what she could to stave off a new wave of tears.

"Have everything?" Harry knew how ridiculous his question sounded but he wasn't sure what else to say.

"I guess," Bella returned as she followed Harry to his awaiting car. "What will you tell Charlie if he ever decides to come home?"

"What I can without revealing too much. I won't jeopardize your safety."

Bella watched as her home disappeared into the distance. She felt as if she had been sentenced to death row rather than witness protection. At this moment Bella didn't think death could be much worse.