DUSK

Disclaimer: The characters and events portrayed in this book are fictitious. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author. All rights reserved to Stephanie Meyer.

Summary: A retelling of Twilight; When seventeen-year-old twins Carina and Bella Swan leave Phoenix to live with their father in Forks, Washington, their world is turned on an axis when they come to realize that the exquisitely attractive family at their new school are not wholly human. What's a girl to do when the one you love turns out to be a vampire?

Warnings: Predominantly OC focused, OC POV, Mature themes, Sexual themes

Pairings: Bella/Edward | OC/Rosalie | Esme/Carlisle | Alice/Jasper | Emmett/ TBA

Sporadic updates depending how long it takes me to write 4k per page. Read at your own discretion.

I write this purely for fun only, don't expect a literary masterpiece.

PREFACE

I'd never given much thought to how I would die — though I'd had reason enough in the last few months, but even if I had, I would not have imagined it like this.

This wasn't exactly how most people went after all.

I stare defiantly across the long room, into the dark eyes of the hunter, and he looked pleasantly back at me.

If I was going to die, I was at least happy that I would be dying in the place of someone I loved— Not that I was going down without a fight. Terrified as I was, weak as I was, I would make sure that my life ended in a blaze of glory.

The hunter smiled in a friendly way as he sauntered forward to kill me.

I gave a toothy grin back.

THE BEGINNING

Carina Helen Swan.

I was born eighteen minutes and twenty-five seconds after my twin sister Isabella Marie Swan. It took exactly that amount of time for doctors to realize there had been a complication and then proceed to undergo an emergency cesarean by which point it became apparent that during the birthing process I somehow managed to turn around and sit upright within the womb. I often irrationally wonder if it was because of this that my mother, Renée Swan (nee; Higginbotham) favored my sister over me. I don't think she ever really forgave me for the scars. But, claiming that her behavior towards me was based solely on one incident would be juvenile, obviously there was more to it than that and the only way you could really understand the dynamic of our relationship would be to go right to the beginning of hers.

As my father, my grandmother and even Renée would tell me in snippets throughout my childhood- though I know my mother would guiltily protest my rendition of the story, Charlie and Renée's romance had been a whirlwind one. My father a born and bred Forks native, and my mother, a flighty Californian adventurist. They met straight out of high school when she was driving up the Pacific Highway with a group of her friends where they stopped to camp at First Beach in La Push during the same time Charlie was visiting his friend, Billy Black.

It took them one week of knowing each other to get married and to them it was a blissful life together. No one could deny that they were truly, madly, in love with each other but a few months after their union, Renée found out she was pregnant and despite putting on a brave face, she was terrified. She never wanted children so soon, she had only just finally left her stifling mother's house and there was so much out there in the world that she hadn't explored yet. The day she went for her ultrasound was the day things slowly fell apart. Knowing you were going to be a young mother when you weren't ready was hard, but finding out that you were going to be a young mother to twins was a nightmare for Renée. Despite Charlie's reassurances, antenatal anxiety was all-consuming.

I suppose the only light within this dark period was during our birth, before I complicated things. When Renée first laid eyes on Bella, she had claimed that there had been a few seconds where every negative thought in her head flew out the window. My sister was beautiful, with dark hair and large chocolate doe eyes. It helped that she looked so much like our father, Renée couldn't help but fall in love at first sight.

Then I came along. Despite being identical twins— developed from one zygote which split and formed two embryos; genetics was a gamble. My hair was much lighter than Bella's, my eyes; darker. I had retained the Higginbotham genes a bit more than Renée had wished, reminding her less of Charlie and more of her mother, Marie. It didn't take a genius to realize the reason why my mother rarely looked at me, she could barely speak her own mother's name without frowning. It was ironic then that the daughter she loved so much had 'Marie' as her middle name, perhaps it was in order to associate the name with positive things.

I assumed it also didn't do much good that the brief moment where she forgot her anxiety and terror while holding Bella was thrown back full force due to my chaotic birth. Her cesarean scars would always be a physical reminder of how I was destined for failure in the race for my mother's affections.

Things soon took a further downturn when our paternal grandmother, Helen's, Alzheimer worsened and Charlie spent most of his days helping his father, Geoffrey, care for her. At the same time, depression began to take a major toll on Renée. She wanted Charlie to leave Forks with her and start over somewhere sunnier, but Charlie couldn't leave his parents. Depression mixed with postpartum hormones were always bound to be volatile and a few months after we were born Renée snapped, leaving Charlie and taking us with her.

With nowhere to go, Renée reluctantly moved back in with her mother in California. The distance between us increased the more Marie doted upon us, especially me. Grandmother Marie was every bit the upper class lady she was bred to be and despite how disappointingly 'plebeian' her daughter had turned out; marrying a poor man from an indistinct forgotten town, she was adamant about instilling her values on us. Renée's desire to leave intensified the more I looked too alike her mother and too at home in the Higginbotham household, unlike sweet Bella— awkward like our father and a memory beacon for the time when Renée had successfully rebelled the stuffy life that Marie had planned for her. Tension grew to the point where as soon as Renée received her kindergarten teaching degree, we moved again.

Despite his devastation, Charlie still loved my mother which was why he didn't contest the child support or the divorce- instead pleading for my mother to just let him spend time with us. My mother didn't object, and four years later within six months of each other our paternal grandparents passed away leaving Charlie completely alone besides our summer visits.

Growing up, any hope that because we were twins, our interests would be the same were quickly dashed for Renée. Similarities would have bred more affection so that her favoritism wouldn't be as noticeable, after all, how do you pick favorites when you had two of the same kind? That wasn't the case for us.

Everything about Bella and I were fundamentally opposite to each other, it would be like comparing apples and oranges. Bella was always more compliant than I was and this was shown at an early age when my mother tried to put us into Ballet lessons. Despite Bella's deep reluctance she still went to the lessons whereas I simply flat out refused and with my mother's whimsical nature and short-lived hobbies and interests, this became a pattern. Bella would cave in to my mother's desires and I would rebel. It probably brought them closer but it felt too much like I was competing for her love and compromising my values, something I couldn't stomach doing.

Physical appearance was also a large factor. Renée always gushed over how beautiful my sister was. Bella's life indoors gave her a porcelain complexion, her clumsiness justified her lack of physical activity, leaving an impression of delicateness; even her shyness in social contexts was considered endearing.

In contrast, with my home-cut bob that I did with kitchen scissors at my dad's place when I was old enough to realize I didn't want to have long hair anymore, along with a dark tan from my life outdoors, I was never the pretty little girl like Bella was. I spent my youth outside running, swimming, hiking and fishing with my dad and uncle Billy. The fact that I also loved Forks was another point of contention between my mother and I. My mother had been thrilled when Bella refused to visit Forks anymore, nothing against my dad of course, she asked Charlie to come to Phoenix instead. The only damper was that I was insistent on continuing my visits, meaning that she had to split our visitations so that I spent time in Forks alone with my dad for the summer and during the winter, for a week a year, my dad would visit Bella. It had went against all her plans for our holidays, or so my mother had said. She just didn't understand that though I loved the scorching suns of Riverside, California where we lived until we were six and then of course Phoenix, Arizona, the forests of Forks was also my home.

One thing Bella and I did have in common was our shared responsibilities in the house. With a mother who could barely raise herself, and often forgetful of bills and groceries, Bella and I had to raise ourselves and Renée as well. It was a sigh of relief from both Bella and I knowing that our mother would finally be taken care of when after a list of failed relationships under Renée's belt, she finally met a decent man by the name of Phil Dwyer, a minor league baseball player. When Bella suggested we move back to Forks to give them space, I agreed wholeheartedly, mostly to escape having to live with the awkward distance between my mother and I. We barely talked to each other and when we did there would be periods of stilted silence between us.

This was how we came to be currently sitting in the back seat of my mother's car with the windows rolled down on the way to the airport.

I huff at the dejected look in Bella's eyes as she nervously fiddled with the hem of her favorite shirt— sleeveless, white eyelet lace; despite being the one to suggest moving to Forks, I knew it was hard on her. She was so similar to Renée in that they both detested the small rainy town, and the pathetic smile on her face was testament to her poor acting skills.

I could never understand their dislike of Forks, the lush greenery and beautiful lakes could rival tourist destination spots if it wasn't so isolated and more mainstream. Of course I could understand Bella's love for the cloudless blue skies and scorching heat, but I always thought the cool green and blue of Forks suited her more, it was the perfect environment for warm blankets and reading, something Bella adored.

"Bella, Rina," our mom starts for what feels like the millionth time as we stand outside ready to board our flights, her eyes focused solely on Bella despite addressing the both of us, her tone beseeching, "you guys don't have to do this,"

I've become used to her not looking at me. It wasn't that she was being hostile, I knew she loved me in her own way, this was just our dynamic.

"It'll be fine," I interrupt cheerfully at the same time as Bella who replies semi-convincingly "I want to," with how many times she's said this lie, I was proud that at least it was sounding more truthful.

Renée looks doubtful but she lets it go, "tell Charlie I said hi,"

"we will."

"I'll see you guys soon," she insisted. "You can both come home whenever you want — I'll come right back as soon as you need me,"

I could see it in Bella's expression that she really wanted to stay, but the sacrifice in my mother's eyes were noticeable too— both of them incapable of hiding their feelings, so it wasn't a surprise when Bella bit her lips and stayed silent.

"Don't worry about us, mom," I reply, taking pity on my sister who would probably blurt out how much she didn't want to go and then hate herself for ruining things for our mother, "it'll be great and we love you, take care okay?"

Our mother pulls us into one final tight hug and then we were on the plane and she was gone. Bella finally lets her face look as miserable as she felt.

"Cheer up Belsy," I say as I put an arm around her, she glances at me sadly but with a half smile at her nickname, "listen, it'll only be for two years and then you'll get accepted into some fancy college and become a snooty English professor living it big in a fiery hot city of your choice,"

She gives me a halfhearted laugh but I can feel her relaxing a little at the thought, "I like how confident you are that I'll get into a 'fancy' college,"

"Hey, we both know your marks in school, especially in English, are nerd worthy, you're the smart twin in this family,"

"Ri, you're not dreadful academically either,"

"Not as great as you though, especially in English!"

"In PE though, it's basically your version of English," Bella argues, her eyes already lighting up now that she's distracted from her moping.

"True, true, I've actually been thinking of becoming a PE teacher or something, y'know cause the thought of causing children misery sounds pretty fun," I grin when Bella rolls her eyes at me,

"Why are you such a menace?" She grumbles at me, I shrug good naturedly, "you love me," I answer, Bella just shakes her head before rifling through her bag for her iPod and earphones, handing me one side, she rests her head on my shoulder and we settle back and listen to music together. I like Bella's taste in music, it's always calming and with my life sometimes feeling like a workout marathon, it's nice to just breathe sometimes.

It's a four-hour flight from Phoenix to Seattle, another hour in a small plane up to Port Angeles, and then an hour drive back down to Forks. When we landed in Port Angeles, it was raining. I inhale deeply, loving the smell of nature and clean air while Bella looks up at the sky with a frown.

"It'll be fine Bells, just think positive," I say quietly into her ear before I spot our dad standing by the police cruiser.

"Daddy!" I shriek joyfully as I barrel into him and hug him tightly, he chuckles and gives me a squeeze before releasing me,

"Ri-bear, how you been?" He asks happily,

"Oh you know, same old same old!" I answer as I glance at Bella who was standing at a distance looking uncomfortable, our dad looks at her too and I bite back a groan as both of them stand there stiffly. Sensing everyone's discomfort Bella slowly approaches him— only it was more like tripping into him.

"It's good to see you, Bells," he murmurs, smiling as he automatically caught and steadied her. "You haven't changed much. How's Renée?"

"Mom's fine. It's good to see you, too, Dad." Bella replies and I feel pleased that she didn't call him Charlie. I don't know why she insists on calling our dad by his first name, it was strangely formal and distant, it was weird. He was dad and Renee was mom. Dad places our bags in the cruiser while we get into the car and with how little Bella brought it doesn't take up much space.

"I found a good car for you, Bells, really cheap," he announces when we were strapped in the cruiser, poor dad wanted to bond with her so badly but they were both so alike and incredibly emotionally stunted.

"What kind of car?" Bella asks, her face looking disbelieving and highly suspicious.

"Well, it's a truck actually, a Chevy."

"Where did you find it?"

"Do you remember Billy Black down at La Push?"

"No."

"He used to go fishing with us during the summer," Dad prompts and I snicker at Bella's blank expression, of course she didn't remember— to Bella, everything involving nature and Forks had been traumatizing enough to be blocked out of her memories.

"He's in a wheelchair now," Dad continued when she didn't respond, "so he can't drive anymore, and he offered to sell me his truck cheap."

"What year is it?" I could see from his change of expression that this was the question he was hoping Bella wouldn't ask. He looked like he swallowed a lemon.

"Well, Billy's done a lot of work on the engine — it's only a few years old, really."

Bella looked like she was ready to start an argument, "When did he buy it?"

"He bought it in 1984, I think."

"Did he buy it new?"

"Well, no. I think it was new in the early sixties — or late fifties at the earliest," dad admitted sheepishly.

"Ch — Dad, I don't really know anything about cars. I wouldn't be able to fix it if anything went wrong, and I couldn't afford a mechanic…"

I sigh at the slip up, I knew it was too good to be true that she was calling him dad now, mom probably told her she wasn't allowed to call him Charlie to his face.

"Really, Bella, the thing runs great. They don't build them like that anymore." He persists, hoping to convince her.

Seeing how earnest our dad was being, Bella finally relents, "How cheap is cheap?" I knew she was very touchy on people buying her things of large monetary value. But then again, it made me awkward too so I couldn't blame her.

"Well, honey, I kind of already bought it for you. As a homecoming gift." Dad peeked at her through the mirror with a hopeful expression.

"You didn't need to do that, Dad. I was going to buy myself a car." Bella protests weakly,

"I don't mind. I want you to be happy here." He was looking ahead at the road when he said this. Oh god, here comes the Swan display of affection.

"That's really nice, Dad. Thanks. I really appreciate it." Bella responds, looking away as well, I grunt in disgust and she turns briefly to give me a glare.

"Well, now, you're welcome," Dad mumbles, embarrassed by her thanks, but I knew he was secretly pleased and touched; he never got to spend enough time with Bella, it was very exciting for him to have us live with him finally.

"Ri-bear, don't think I forgot you, I had Jake touch up yours just to make sure it was running smoothly," he added and I smile at him,

"Thanks dad, you're the best," and he was, I loved that he didn't play favorites. I loved that he cared.

We finally made it to dad's place and I practically leapt out of the cruiser when I saw my baby in the driveway. I had slaved away in a million casual jobs in order to raise enough to buy a used 1995 Suzuki Swift GL FWD, it was white and I loved it like it was my own child.

"Wow, Dad, I love it! Thanks!" I heard Bella say and I glance at the disaster that was called Bella's truck. It was absolutely hideous but Bella looked like she genuinely loved it. Go figure.

"I'm glad you like it," dad said gruffly, embarrassed again.

It took only one trip to get all of Bella's and my stuff inside the house. I had most of my things here already but Bella would have to go on a shopping trip sometime soon to get clothes suitable for Forks weather.

With how often I came to Forks and now with Bella here as well, my dad thought it would be worth it to renovate. Despite the drastic changes, it didn't even cost as much as you would assume- especially with most of the paint-work being DIY. The first floor was a simple repainting- the kitchen now a simple white, pale blue and wood instead of the pastel green and linoleum that it used to be. The dining room retained the same light blue walls, mostly because it looked pretty, and the living room was the same as well. Then came the renovation of the upper floors. Dad hired builders who tore apart Bella's room as well as the storage and bathroom and expanded the entire west side so that he could split it into two rooms, it was nice that I now had a window overlooking the yard like Bella. My old room next to Dad's room was now rebuilt into a bathroom with a storage dividing the bathroom and his room. It was pretty nice not having a wall between my dad's room and mine now, Bella at least didn't snore.

Bella glanced around surprised, "you guys did redecorate," she walks into the brand new kitchen and I knew she was admiring the repainted cabinets and newly tiled floors, she liked to cook and now it wasn't in a pastel green kitchen.

"Wait till you see your room," I chirp as I drag her up the stairs to the door with a beautifully calligraphed 'Bella' sign on it.

With my help, dad and I redecorated Bella's room. Now being more teenage friendly and less like a nursery. We replaced the light blue walls for a deep blue with white border, and switched out the yellow lace curtains for a sheer lavender. I also bought an led string light from Kmart and hung it across the wall that the bed was leaning on. Bella's literary addiction wasn't forgotten, we lined the remaining walls with bookshelves where throughout the months Dad and I bought her nearly all of the classics as well as other books we knew locals wanted to throw out. Dad even bought an ottoman that was pushed against the wall under the window, and a blue bed set to complete the room.

It took us ages to get the house perfect, but it was pretty fun when we were decorating. Plus, it was a proud moment when Bella's jaw dropped in shock.

"What..." Bella breathed, at a loss for words, I grinned smugly at her.

"Bet you thought you'd come back to some dingy nursery didn't you," I say cheekily, Bella turns to me with barely in check emotion, I suddenly felt very uncomfortable.

"You guys did all this?" She asks quietly, I shrugged.

"Dad was the one who hired the people to renovate the house, his buddy gave him a pretty sizeable discount too, and I mean, I live with you so it wasn't hard to paint the room a colour you'd like or y'know, decorate it, and we know how much you don't like Forks so we thought we'd make it more comfortable for you, the bathroom is amazing-"

She threw herself at me and hugged me tight, cutting off my ramble, "this is great Ri, thank you for this, honestly," she said, her voice muffled since she shoved her face into my neck, I patted her awkwardly,

"All good Belsy, Just hang out with dad more, he just wants you happy here," I mumble, embarrassed. I didn't think she'd be so touched by it. "You should thank him, he's the one who suggested the change and helped me paint your room and decorate it,"

"You're right, I have to go thank him, he's still by the cruiser isn't he?"

"Yeah, looks like it,"

I felt warm when Bella went downstairs and I watched her hug him as tightly as I hugged him when I saw him at the airport, hopefully she'll finally spend more time with him, he missed her a lot. Dad looked in high spirits when they stumbled in. Bella went upstairs with her bags, intent on seeing what books were on her bookshelves.

"Thanks Ri-bear, I'm glad we fixed up the house," Dad says, "it does looks pretty nice, doesn't it?"

I nod, "of course it looks good, we have great taste, and yeah, I didn't expect Bella to like it so much but I'm glad."

"Who knows, maybe she'll really enjoy living here" he says optimistically, I hope so, the thought of her moping for the next two years sounded like hell.

Going upstairs, I entered my room, if I was proud of Bella's room, I was definitely feeling accomplished with my own. I had always loved the green of the forests in Forks, so that was my bedroom's theme. With a deep green wall and hanging plants on the sheer green curtained windows, it just added to the ambiance of the rain outside. There was one bookshelf beside my desk located next to my bed and I had a stand set up opposite the bed for my TV and consoles. It was mostly so I could sit in a cocoon if blankets whilst playing video games. My actual school work would being done on my laptop. It was my quiet place and I wanted it to suit the natural environment that I lived in.

One of the best things about Dad was that he didn't hover. He left both Bella and I alone to unpack and get settled, a feat that would have been altogether impossible for our mother who didn't know the definition of space. I hoped Bella would be less gloomy with a more comfortable room, I didn't want her crying alone at night when she thought everyone was asleep but suspecting she might be wallowing in her misery and anxiety anyways, I gave a quick knock on her door. Hearing a muffled, "Who is it?" I answered quietly, "me, Belsy"

"Come in,"

Opening the door I gave her a weak smile seeing her red-rimmed eyes, at least the tears hadn't fallen yet.

"What's wrong Bells?"

"Forks High has a dismal total of only three hundred and fifty-seven — now three hundred and fifty-nine, Ri, all of the kids here have grown up together — their grandparents had been toddlers together. We're going to be the new girls from the big city, a curiosity, a freak," she mutters glumly, biting her lips in anxiety,

"It won't be so bad, honestly, you just have to think positive," I say as I run a hand through her hair, "think of how easy it's going to be to make friends!"

"That's easy for you to say, you're the spitting image of what a girl from Phoenix should look like!" She snaps bitterly, "you're sporty, you're tanned and you may not be blonde but you fit in to the sunshine stereotype...meanwhile I'm pale and clumsy,"

I roll my eyes, "you're being stupid, Bella, no one is going to shun you just because you're not tanned and athletic,"

"It's not just that! I just... I don't get along with people our age."

She was so melodramatic. I was highly sure it was because our mother encouraged it, always telling her she was older than she appeared and all that crap.

"Bella you get along with people our age just fine, it'll be okay I swear," I say convincingly, Bella just shakes her head miserably,

"Ri, you're just not getting it," she huffs wetly, "while you had a bunch of friends and guys crushing on you in school, I was the outcast,"

Bella always lamented over never having had a boyfriend but I saw the way the guys looked at her from afar. It was just difficult to approach someone who had no friends. Not because she couldn't get any, but because she didn't put in the effort and was lost in her own world, nose buried in a book. At least I tried to be social, and yeah I dated around but they never felt right enough for me to continue the relationship for more than a few weeks. I had tried once before to include her in my social events but Bella would always turn down every opportunity I gave her to meet new people.

"C'mon Belsy, it's a new school, the past doesn't matter anymore, just be your friendly self and put yourself out there," I nudge, she looks at me for a moment as if she's about to push her point further but I give her a warning look, sometimes with Bella you had to put your foot down or she'll continue being dramatic for hours. She sighs and nods.

"Sorry Ri-ri, I'm being a downer, you're right, I'll try," she agrees meekly before giving me a brief hug. As insufferable as Bella was sometimes, she was still my sister and I loved her. What a frustrating dynamic. Bella goes and cleans herself after a day of travel and I go downstairs to hang with Charlie who, predictably, is watching the sports channel for a while until she comes out. When she does, I decide to clean myself up as well, taking a steamy shower to wash away the grime of being in a plane before I brush my teeth, say goodnight to my family and then tuck myself into bed. The sound of rain against my window comforts me as I slowly drift off into a peaceful dreamless slumber.

Preview

FIRST SIGHT: I sleepily wake up to my alarm at around 5am. Thick fog was all I could see outside my window in the morning as I dress and do my daily routine before going out for a jog around the neighborhood. It was always good to get my endorphins kicking before a day of school and the scenery during my run was something enviable.