Though not my first FF, it is certainly my first serious attempt to no-shit actually finish one. This, I suppose is your pretty stereotypical Bella meets vampires pre-Forks, then shows up and low and behold, more vamps. If it's been written, I've read it – I'm not kidding. Each and every time I think, "Well that's fucking dumb" or "Jesus, I know what would make a better story". Here is my attempt. We shall see I suppose.

Just My Luck

Chapter 1

There are all kinds of sayings that are suppose to boost morale and get you through your "tough time":

Calm waters doesn't make a good sailor.

On the other side of fear is freedom.

Where there's a will, there's a way.

All kinds really – I could go on and on because Lord knows I've heard them all at this stage of the game. My therapist is telling me I'm too indifferent. My mother just wants me to break down and let out all the bad "vibes" to be "born anew". I don't buy any of it, frankly. After the great bicycle accident of 2004 at the ripe old age of 9 I always knew I was never meant to live too long – I just wasn't one of those lucky kind of people.

What doesn't kill you only makes you stronger.

I suppose I would have to agree with that saying. How it applies to me though I'm not quite sure. Maybe it would be more apt to a Twinkie or maybe a cockroach – I just seem to keep living no matter what I'm faced with. Personally, I saw myself as that childhood stuff bear. You know, the kind that has taken so many beatings that eventually it just one tragic trip out the backyard with the family dog that finally gives Mom no choice but to cut her losses in patching up the poor thing and tosses it out. Yeah, that's me. I'm just about to the toss out point I think.

Thus far I've managed to break no less than ten bones. Or maybe it was fifteen. I've forgotten how many times I've broken a toe at this stage of my life. The ER staff, despite being in the bustling city of Phoenix, knows me by name. There isn't a single angle you can look at my body from that you don't see a pretty little scar. I'm pretty sure I could make a go for the Guiness World Record Book for the largest medical record acquired by someone under the age of 20. I'm pretty proud actually. It'll probably be my only accomplishment. My only talent of course is getting into any conceivable trouble within a solid 50 mile radius, maybe even 100.

None the less, the fact that I found myself in the hospital, once again, shouldn't surprise me. I've certainly managed to outdo myself though. This time I'm sporting a lovely cast on my leg (broken in two places of course), two broken ribs and one cracked, a broken finger, and bruises all over. The only unusual thing where the litters of two inch cuts up and down the underside of my forearms. There was even a beautiful cresset shaped laceration on my hand. They said it looked like knife wounds. I didn't bother correcting them.

Actually, the Phoenix PD managed to do a beautiful job piecing together the past two weeks of my life. I was abducted off of Walton Ave on the 12th of July between the hours of 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. I was them transported to an abandoned warehouse off of Race St. on the outskirts of the South Side where I was kept there for two weeks. They suspect I was terribly tortured – physically and mentally abused by my capturer. It was the fire that tipped authorities off. An anonymous citizen called 911 wanting to report hearing loud noises and smoke coming from a large opposing building that supposed had been a closed down factory from the 80's. I was found conscious, to their surprise, chained to the wall minus my clothes with the body of a wanted man sprawled not far from me, his brains splattered all over the nasty concrete floor. Case closed. No, I never had to save a thing, they did fabulously on their own. I never bothered to correct them on the details. It just never seemed important.

A week later, on this fine 3rd of August, I was finally discharged. My therapist and I had done quite a number on my mother too. Bless Renee's heart and her healing crystals, but it really was in my best interest for me to get away from this damned city and the horrid memories. A fresh start and all that jazz. I whole heartedly agreed.

A flash by the door startled me, bringing me out of my thoughts.

"Bella baby, are you ready to go? I got your crutches here from downstairs and had Philly pick up your meds. Did you need me to get you anything else? Did you want another sweater? A drink?" Renee asked, fluttering around the room, gathering my bag from the corner and placing my crutches nearby.

I couldn't bring myself to say anything so I just shook my head and scooted closer to the edge of the bed. My ribs protested the movement greatly, but I ignored it like the professional invalid that I am.

"Now, baby, I called your father Charlie and he seems pretty excited for you to come live with him, though I'm sure he wishes it was under better circumstances. He said that he'd enroll you at the school there as soon as you buy your ticket." She pauses and turns to me. "You can stay Bella. Phil and I would love for you to stay with us."

I just shook my head. I couldn't wait to leave this nightmare behind. "It's time I go spend time with Charlie, Mom." I said quietly as I made my way out the door in front of her. I could hear her sigh as I navigated slowly through the hospital. This was a wing I knew like the back of my hand. On the upside, learning the Forks Hospital would take for less time. Always the silver lining.

Phil had the car out front under the out-patient car drive. Out the corner of my eye I saw a couple security guards holding back some crazy media folk who have nothing better than to shove their nose where it didn't belong. No, it was long past time that I tried to embrace the great Pacific Northwest.

Read and Review! Please make suggestions about what you want to see happen in the story – what you like, what you hate. Flame it for all I care, I'm at uni now and have thicker skin than a gater (do they have thick skin?).

Thanks for reading!

-Jennifer