Switched at birth Chapter 1: MEET THE RUSSELLS, a twilight fanfic

Disclaimer: I don't own twilight, any of the songs or the poem used in this chapter.

Please review and let me know what you think.

Peter's POV

'I am sorry, but she didn't make it' Doctor Laurence said as she came out of my Amanda's room.

I placed my arm around my wife Helen and my eldest daughter Kelly upon hearing this, I can't believe this, only two weeks ago we were told about Amanda not being our daughter, that the daughter Helen gave birth to wasn't the one we brought home and cared for all her life. Don't get me wrong, Helen and I loved Amanda like our own even for the past two weeks, we didn't tell any of the kids that the little girl their mum gave birth to isn't the girl they grew up with.

After letting it sink in that Amanda was no longer with us I heard my wife mutter quietly to herself, 'No, no, no. my baby she can't be gone, she can't' while at the same time Kelly saying to me 'I told her she would ok daddy, I told her.' That was upsetting to hear; you probably want to know what was wrong with Amanda to cause her to die at the age of fifteen, three months ago Amanda was diagnosed with cardiovascular disorder during the test there was an anomaly when they found out that her blood type was A positive, when it should be O negative. Today she went into the hospital for a heart transplant and she slipped into a coma and hour after surgery, when we went into her room to see her she went into cardiac arrest.

'Can we see her?' I asked Doctor Laurence after awhile.

'Sure' she replied moving her way to the room,

'Thank you doctor, thank you very much.'

Kelly, Helen and myself got up and made our way over to the room Amanda was in, at first I wasn't sure what to expect, walking in I saw her still connected to the machines that was yet to be unhooked, she looked so peaceful from where I was standing, Helen made her way over to the bed and gently hugged Amanda while softly crying, Kelly stood beside me and was cry uncontrollably looking over at where Amanda lay, putting my arm around her I pulled her close to me, letting a tear roll down I was thinking of every single happy memory I had of Amanda, every single birthday, family outings and other days when she was happy.

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No one spoke on the way home, Helen had tears running down her face, Kelly was looking out the window watching the scenery past by, I was concentrating on the road. Before I knew it we had arrived home, the thing I was dreading was how I was going to let my other children, Jane, Billy, Katrina, Molly, Nathan and Daniel about the news of their sister dying. I know most of them would understand this but Daniel was only seven and I don't know how he is going to take it.

Getting out I grabbed Helens hand and walked with her into the house, Jane, Billy, Katrina and Molly were all still awake and looked up at us as soon as we entered all with the same eager expression on their faces to hear how Amanda was doing.

'Dad?' asked Molly, 'how is she?' Helen and Kelly walked past and went into the bedroom,

'Dad? What's wrong?'

'Guys, Amanda didn't make it, she died this evening after slipping into a coma.' Katrina and Jane left the room crying and went into my wife's and my bedroom, molly got up to come and hugged me and Billy just sat there looking up into space with tears silently falling down his cheeks, putting my arm around Molly I held her just like I did Kelly when we went into Amanda's room before we left the hospital. Smoothly I made guided Molly and myself over to the sofa and sat down next to Billy and comforted Molly. Half an hour later Molly had cried herself to sleep, Billy was still staring into space and Helen, Katrina, Jane and Kelly were still in the bedroom, my guess they may have fallen asleep by now.

It has been three days since Amanda has died; Helen was in Amanda's room sorting out a few things, finding something for her to wear when she is buried. Walking in I sat down on the bed next to Helen and sat there looking at my wife, seeing her so distraught was killing me inside because I was looking at Helen I didn't notice her talking to me.

'.....know! How did this all happen' she finished as I was coming out of my day dream.

'Sorry Hun, I was away with the fairies, what did say?'

'I said Peter, how did we not know! How did this all happen?'

'I don't know! I am still shocked,' I replied

'How are we going to tell the others? Do you want to go and search for our daughter? What is our next step?' before I could answer her question the house phone rang, 'hello?' I asked.

'Mr Russell, I am Lucy Waters and I have a few questions regarding your deceased daughter and the fact that she may have been switched .....'

'How do you know that? Who told you?' by now Helen was looking up at me inquisitively

'I am sorry sir, but someone from the hospital told me,'

'Look I don't care who told you but I wish that you do anything with that information,'

'I respect that sir, but I cannot guarantee that other reporters would be sympathetic towards you and run the story within a matter of hours'

'We haven't even told our other children, so what makes you think we will tell you a stranger?'

'I am sorry about that but please understand me that others may write about this before they consult you, maybe even make it worst'

'thank you, call back in a few days, we will tell our children soon, but only me you got it, don't speak to anyone else'

'Ok, that sounds reasonable, thank you for your time'

'You're welcome.'

Placing the phone down I looked at Helen. 'We have to tell them soon, otherwise chances are they will find out from reading a newspaper.'

'Can't we even lay Amanda to rest before we tell them? Can't we as a family have time to grieve?' by now Helen had tears falling down her face, reaching over I pulled her close to hug me and we stayed like this until Kelly came looking for us to tell us that dinner was ready.

Today is the day of Amanda's funeral, today is also the day we are telling our children the news about the switch at Amanda's birth. Before we left we decided to have everyone sitting down and just tell them.

'ok kids, your mum and I have something very important to tell you.' They all sat there waiting for me to continue. 'remember when you mother and I had to have a blood test around the time Amanda got sick?' they all nodded so I continued, ' well the tests showed that Amanda wasn't the little girl that your mother gave birth to.'

'What are you saying? That Amanda wasn't our sister?' questioned Billy.

'That's exactly what I am saying, we think someone switched Amanda and our little girl.'

'Blood doesn't matter dad, Amanda was still our sister, and she always will be.' Shouted Molly.

'I know honey, I know! But reporters are sniffing around and soon it will be in the newspaper, we need you guys to know before you find out.'

After a few more minutes of silence as my children were allowing the fact that Amanda wasn't their biological sister it was time to go.

At the church there were many friends of Amanda, her best friends Hannah and Stacie were sitting in the second row, the first song began and the whole church which consisted of friends and family began to sing :

"Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound,

That saved a wretch like me....

I once was lost but now am found,

Was blind, but now, I see.

T'was Grace that taught...

my heart to fear.

And Grace, my fears relieved.

How precious did that Grace appear...

the hour I first believed.

Through many dangers, toils and snares...

we have already come.

T'was Grace that brought us safe thus far...

and Grace will lead us home.

The Lord has promised good to me...

His word my hope secures.

He will my shield and portion be...

as long as life endures.

When we've been here ten thousand years...

bright shining as the sun.

We've no less days to sing God's praise...

then when we've first begun.

"Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound,

That saved a wretch like me....

I once was lost but now am found,

Was blind, but now, I see. (end)

As it ended I looked around almost everyone was crying, the ceremony was lovely, many people wanted to say something about Amanda but only Hannah, grace, Kelly and Katrina said something about her. We asked Billy to read Amanda's favourite poem which was footsteps in the sand,

One night a man had a dream.

He dreamed he was walking along the beach with the LORD.

Across the sky flashed scenes from his life.

For each scene, he noticed two sets of footprints in the sand:

one belonging to him, and the other to the LORD.

When the last scene of his life flashed before him

he looked back, at the footprints in the sand.

He noticed that many times along the path of his life

there was only one set of footprints.

He also noticed that it happened at the very lowest and saddest times of his life.

This really bothered him and he questioned the LORD about it:

"LORD, you said that once I decided to follow you,

you'd walk with me all the way.

But I have noticed that during the most troublesome times in my life

there is only one set of footprints.

I don't understand why when I needed you most you would leave me."

The LORD replied:

"My son, My precious child, I love you and I would never leave you,

During your times of trial and suffering,

when you see only one set of footprints, it was then that I carried you."

Billy was crying throughout the reading, as he came to the end he came and sat down it was time for her burial, as her casket was being carried out the soloist we had arranged began singing on eagle's wings

You who dwell in the shelter of the Lord,

Who abide in His shadow for life,

Say to the Lord, "My Refuge,

My Rock in Whom I trust."

Refrain

And He will raise you up on eagle's wings,

Bear you on the breath of dawn,

Make you to shine like the sun,

And hold you in the palm of His Hand.

The snare of the fowler will never capture you,

And famine will bring you no fear;

Under His Wings your refuge,

His faithfulness your shield.

Refrain

And He will raise you up on eagle's wings,

Bear you on the breath of dawn,

Make you to shine like the sun,

And hold you in the palm of His Hand.

You need not fear the terror of the night,

Nor the arrow that flies by day,

Though thousands fall about you,

Near you it shall not come.

Refrain

And He will raise you up on eagle's wings,

Bear you on the breath of dawn,

Make you to shine like the sun,

And hold you in the palm of His Hand.

For to His angels He's given a command,

To guard you in all of your ways,

Upon their hands they will bear you up,

Lest you dash your foot against a stone.

Refrain

And He will raise you up on eagle's wings,

Bear you on the breath of dawn,

Make you to shine like the sun,

And hold you in the palm of His Hand.

You who dwell in the shelter of the Lord,

Who abide in His shadow for life,

Say to the Lord, "My Refuge,

My Rock in Whom I trust."

Refrain

And He will raise you up on eagle's wings,

Bear you on the breath of dawn,

Make you to shine like the sun,

And hold you in the palm of His Hand.

The snare of the fowler will never capture you,

And famine will bring you no fear;

Under His Wings your refuge,

His faithfulness your shield.

Refrain

And He will raise you up on eagle's wings,

Bear you on the breath of dawn,

Make you to shine like the sun,

And hold you in the palm of His Hand.

You need not fear the terror of the night,

Nor the arrow that flies by day,

Though thousands fall about you,

Near you it shall not come.

Refrain

And He will raise you up on eagle's wings,

Bear you on the breath of dawn,

Make you to shine like the sun,

And hold you in the palm of His Hand.

For to His angels He's given a command,

To guard you in all of your ways,

Upon their hands they will bear you up,

Lest you dash your foot against a stone.

Refrain

And He will raise you up on eagle's wings,

Bear you on the breath of dawn,

Make you to shine like the sun,

And hold you in the palm of His Hand.

Only close friends and family were allowed at the cemetery, the priest said a little prayer and then Amanda was lowered into ground, that was our last goodbye, my little girl was gone forever.

Thank you for reading this, I am hoping to add a new chapter soon. Please review so I know that this wasn't a waste of time.