Prologue: The Trouble

Bella lay back in her bed, letting herself spread out over the violently colored bed spread that she had just received in the mail. It was Orange, Red, and Yellow and looked as though it had been sewn by a kindergartener, with a strange pattern of beads and colorful embroidery spinning drunkenly across every inch. She loved it.

As she spread out she felt her fingertips brush against another piece of embroidery that had a different texture to it. Burning with curiosity, Bella rolled onto her stomach with a light oof and wormed her way to the edge of the bed to read the note stitched into the comforter.

Izzy,

Stop laughing, you

know that this is the nicest

comforter you've ever

owned.

You and me, Annie

Bella couldn't keep the smile off of her face. The note was so Annie, from the haphazard stitching to the fact that she didn't even bother to write some sappy sentiment. Jeez Annie, couldn't find the sticky-notes? She held her hand on the stitches, trying to feel her twin sister through the fabric.

Before Bella had moved to Washington to live with Charlie, the longest the twins had been separated was two days, and that had been a terrifying situation in which Bella had gotten lost and Annie had gotten arrested. Needless to say, the months of not getting to see her twin were wearing on Bella, and she knew that Annie felt no differently. They called each other every night, skyped at least twice a week, but it still wasn't enough. Bella wanted to be able to curl up next to her sister to watch a movie, and sorely needed her advice on Boys, Clothing, and Life Choices.

Also, the separation was giving her a funny feeling in her gut. Sometimes she swore that she knew Annie was in trouble, and in those moments she had curled up on herself to ride out the absolute terror she felt at the thought of losing her twin, her other half.

It was that strange time of night when Bella was actually and truly alone, and so she took the time to focus on her sister, hanging on to the bedspread that connected them. Charlie was moving around downstairs, completing his nightly routine of hockey watching and beer drinking. After the game was over he'd check the locks and then climb the stairs. He'd lean an ear against her door (Bella's breathing was always even and all was quiet), and then he would put himself to bed.

After Charlie was asleep, Edward would come, leaping through the open window to lay down with Bella. Before this, Edward stayed at home with his family, biding his time until he knew Charlie would be peacefully snoring.

Now though, was that in between time, the time that Bella had entirely to herself. Tonight, instead of reading like she normally did, Bella laid in bed, fingering the comforter Annie had made and reassuring herself. Annie is fine. Annie is fine. Annie is Fine. She breathed in deeply, and let her heart beat slowly.

Her cell phone rang. Immediately her heart rate picked up again.

She fumbled with the phone for a moment before answering.

"Annie?"

"Izzy!" The voice on the other end of the line was breathy and exactly identical to her own.

"What's wrong?" Bella didn't need the beginning of a conversation, she just needed to know what was going on.

"Izzy I really need you here right now." Annie didn't sound scared, but she also didn't sound like herself. She sounded unsure. That terrified her sister.

"What! Annie why?"

"I messed up okay? And I could really use your help."