Disclaimer: I do not own the Twilight series but any other characters are mine.

Chapter One

"Little towns, big gossip." That's what my manger, Mr. Hendricks had pounded into my head for the past two years I had been working with him. Well, this was the fist year I had actually begun doing any actual reporting. I used to be an intern but after I turned seventeen he moved me up with the 'big dogs' and now I'm working in the journalism field too.

So, he shipped me off to a little down in Washington called Forks. What was I supposed to write about here? 'Town Named After Eating Utensil.' What idiot would take a bother to look at that? Mr. Hendricks had simply replied that there had been supernatural sightings going on in the past year and wanted an investigation.

Why me? Because I had close ties with a cousin in Forks. Pretty popular all American guy named Mike Newton - our great grandfather, I always thought, was the founder of Fig Newtons . I was going to live with him for the next month, go to school, eat, sleep, and all that good stuff. Not write, just live which was pretty difficult for me since I lived to write.

The plane ride was rough as hell and it felt like the pilot was doing loops in the air. I was happy to get off, to my amazement, searching eagerly for Mike and his mother. A small fat toddler followed me for several paces eying my Tobelrone bar until finally I broke down and gave it to him.

"Caryn?"

I looked up having dazed into my own little state of happiness. Mike had grown, I'd give him that. Is it wrong to marry your cousin? Probably unless I moved somewhere like Antarctica. "Mike," I greeted warmly wrapping him in a hug.

He pushed me away taking up my suitcase. "You're tall," He muttered leading me to the doors.

I followed close behind. "Growth spurts," I sighed looking down. He wasn't as excited to see me as I thought.

"How's your job? You're a… um…" He struggled to find the right job. Someone wasn't listening at the last family reunion.

"Reporter," I mumbled. "It's going pretty good. Everyone's really nice and I travel a lot."

He chuckled. "That's a lot coming from the person who gets car sick going to McDonald's."

I huffed out my chest piling my things into the car. "It was a very bumpy road and I had just watched 'Supersize Me'. You know that guy throws up so many times I think that's why he only gained a few pounds."

Mike shrugged watching me throw myself into the car. It was wet out, the least he could expect. "It's just water," he pointed out with a roll of his eyes.

I growled snapping the seatbelt. "How is this place not a big swimming pool? You'd think with all the rain and the ocean nearby it'd flood like hell."

"Don't cuss in my house," Mike warned, ignoring my logic. "My mom gets really angry."

I sulked in the seat deciding that any conversation wasn't worth it. Mike looked at me pathetically and an overwhelming feeling of guilt washed over me. "I know this town isn't all that great but you'll have fun," He promised. "My friend Eric has Rock Band…"

I attempted a smile sitting up a little straighter. I guess I owed Mike, even if I had to pretend to have a good time. "Sounds great," I lied. Actually I wasn't that big on video games but it was a start.

Mike nodded. "It's sounds pretty dumb at first but it's so addicting," He sighed grinning, pulling into the drive. "You'll be sleeping on the couch. We don't have a guest room." – he bit his lip – " Unless you want to sleep in my room."

"The couch is fine," I assured him. "A couch isn't the worst thing I've slept on."

Mike laughed relaxing a bit. "So you're going to school, huh?" he asked helping me out of the car.

I nodded. "Part of my assignment."

"Do you always go to school on your 'assignments'?" He asked raising his eyebrows.

I shook my head firmly. "Nope, this is a first."

Mike grinned holding open the front door. "Well I guess you have to be prepared." He let out a sharp gasp after attempting to pull out my suitcase from the trunk. "What do have in this thing?"

I giggled taking up several things from his arms. "Girl things." I paused. "You wouldn't understand."

Mike snorted fumbling in his pocket for a key. "I know a lot more about women than you think."

I eyed him carefully, a smirk playing on my lips. "Do I want to know?"

Mike laughed swinging the door open and holding it open. "I'm a lady's man now, Caryn." He grinned.

I slipped into the house welcoming the warmth. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad here. And, possibly, there was something interesting going on. If nothing else I could just interview Mike.

*Author's Note: Okay, so probably not the most exciting chapter in the world. But I promise the Cullens will come in soon along with Edward. Personally I like Jasper, but not the Jasper in the movies the Jasper in the books. Updates Wednesday.

-Alli.