So I made a new story. Yes. Why? Well, to start off with, I really need a break. I've been dealing with some tough things for school and just life in general, I'll go back to writing my other stories sometime later.

I just thought it would be nice to move away from all clichés for a while. This is a story about Edward and Bella, of course. I think it's original, but I haven't read every single fanfic story. I didn't steal it, so maybe not.

This story will be slightly different than my others. For one, I'm going to try to make longer chapters, and more often. This story will also be considerably long, and Bella and Edward won't fall in love immediately. This story will include new characters, but no, it's not going to be all these new vampires with ridiculous talents and stupid personalities. As far as I've planned, there will only be two new characters.

They are:

Mrs. Caldwell – You'll learn more about her in the next chapter

Edward's Brother – You'll learn more about him in a few chapters, including his name

That can change, but either way, I don't plan on adding anyone else. Both play important parts in the story, so I'm going against my rule of no new characters. They both will be developed.

All the Cullens will make an appearance. The Swans will too.

So that's it (:

I don't own Twilight, or it's characters.

I don't mean to offend anyone in this story.

Each chapter will be named after a song.

This is the prologue, the rest of the story will not go like this, in past tense. This chapter is bad, but it's to give background information.

This chapter, like the story, is called Stand by Rascal Flatts.

EPOV

All I remember from that day was firing noises, the smell of smoke, my unit panicking, and pain. A lot of pain. Then it was dark, and I was numb. I woke up in a C-7, surrounded by wounded soldiers. I had realized what was happening a split second before I went under again.

I was wounded myself. I found out later in the hospital that I had been shot three times. Twice in my leg, and once in my shoulder. Unfortunately for me, one shot ricocheted, hitting my spine once. Paralyzed. That's what they told me. It was just one leg, oddly enough. I didn't care though. I cared more about who was lost, not what.

My brother. He died in the shooting. I sat there in my wheelchair during his funeral. My mother couldn't take it anymore. My mother and father didn't say anything. I think they were disappointed. That I survived, I mean. My brother had been so much more than me.

I wish it had been me. I would give my life for his in the blink of an eye. But it wasn't for me to decide. God took him, and left me.

I was retired from the military, they didn't think I would regain use of my leg. I didn't think so either. The rest of my unit didn't get hurt. Only the Masen brothers. They all sent letters, but I couldn't bring myself to read them. I couldn't take my parent's looks of pity, or sorrow. I couldn't stand all the "I'm so sorry about your loss" comments. I knew so many people were truly sincere, but I couldn't take it.

There was no way to describe the agony, the anguish. No one else would understand. Not even my parents. They lost a son, but I had lost not only my brother, but my best friend. He had been there for me my entire life. My big brother, always there to protect me. I had idolized him my entire life. And now he was gone.

I packed my purple heart and the letters into a box, and packed the rest of my belongings in a bag. I was going back home for a while, to sort things out. My parents stayed at their house in new York, but I traveled west to Washington.

I saw the old house, and that only made things worse. I remembered my brother and I, chasing each other across the lawn, playing in the broom cupboard, sliding down the banister.

I was in a trance for days. My parents had ordered food to be delivered to the house, and I slept in the downstairs bedroom, unable to go up the stairs even if I could take the memories. I couldn't get used to my wheelchair. I ran into things constantly, and had trouble steering it. I started to become lazy and bitter, living all alone.

That's when Alice and Jasper came. Jasper had been one of my best friends in high school, and Alice was his high school sweetheart turned wife. We knew each other well. They had heard about the accident, and they came to help. They didn't expect to see me in the state I was. Frustrated and annoyed.

"Edward," Jasper had said. Sternly, I might add. "You will not spend the rest of your life rotting away like this. Tomorrow, you're going to the physical therapist. No buts about it."

And they left. I grumbled more, feeling more like a grumpy old man than I ever had this entire time.

I wanted to shout to the heavens. Why had this happened to me? I was 24 years old, in the prime of my life. I was about to go to college, I was about to start a life, right after I was sent home.

But then I lose my legs, and then my brother. My opinion had warped since my days in the hospital. I cared what had happened to me. It didn't seem fair.

So the next day, I sat in my chair, zoning out while the instructor talked about the equipment. There were a few people here and there, but they were all so old, and none of them were in wheelchairs. Most had a walker, or they had something wrong with their arms. I felt like a sore thumb, and even more agitated than usual.

Then he left me at a weight machine to try to lift my leg. I tried a few times, actually, I tried all day. Jasper and Alice had left, so had everyone in the gym. The instructor was in his office. For the hundredth time, I tried lifting it, but nothing. I screamed in frustration, feeling as if I was about to boil over. It wasn't fair, it wasn't.

And then I felt a cool hand on my tense shoulders. Something about the touch, it made me relax considerably.

"Are you alright?" A smooth and calm voice asked. I didn't turn around.

"What do you think?" I spat. I immediately felt ashamed, as I always did. I knew I was a different person than before.

"Do you want to talk?" the voice asked. I shut my eyes tight, refusing to let tears escape.

"Just leave me alone." And they did. I turned and saw no one, not a soul.

So what do you think? Next chapter will come out either later tonight or tomorrow (:

Review please, I want some feedback, to know if anyone likes the story.

Edward is going through a tough time, and someone coughcough will help him. He's not really that angry. He's just upset over losing his brother, not his leg.

Who do you think the "someone" is? Who do you think is the one who spoke in the last part?

Review!