It was dark and cold and wet. So wet. All I wanted was to go home, but where was home? I knew it wasn't here. I laid my head back down in the swerve water. She wasn't coming back. She wasn't coming back. I squeezed my eyes shut tight and hugged my knees close to my chest. She said she was going to find papa and come back. I'll be right back Isabella, she said. It felt like it had been forever since then. The sun had gone down outside of the sewer tunnels where I was tucked away. She wasn't coming back. I started crying, tears running down my numb cheeks. I was all alone.

Suddenly I heard a swift intake of breath. My eyes shot open and I stared up at a man with blond hair. His clothes looked fancy. Much fancier then anything mama and papa wore. I was quickly scorched away, remembering mama said bad people were out today. He knelt down, dirtying his knees and gave me a smile.

"It's alright, my dear, I won't harm you," he said, his voice gentle and warm, "what's your name?"

"Isabella," I whispered.

"Well Isabella, my name is Carlisle," he smiled warmly at me. "Where are your parents?"

I glanced towards the entrance of the tunnel then quickly looked back to Carlisle, "I don't know."

Carlisle's eyebrows furrowed with concern. After a moment of thinking, he stuck out his hand to me. "Would you like to go home with me now, and I'll send someone to find your parents?"

I nodded and stood up, my tattered dress drenched in water, and slowly took his hand. Carlisle gave me a reassuring smile as we began to walk away from my hiding place.

"Tell me, Isabella, how old are you?" Carlisle asked in a light tone.

"I'll be five soon," I replied, remembering my birthday with a smile, "mama said she'll bake me a cake."

"Oh really," Carlisle gasped in much surprise, though there was sadness in his eyes, "won't that be grand."

I smiled up at Carlisle and giggled as he lead me out of the tunnel.

Thirteen years later:

I stood gazing out the window, slowly folding linen. It had been years since Carlisle had found me in that tunnel. Sometimes I wondered what a man of his statue was doing roaming the sewer tunnels during the civil war that was raging at the time. But Carlisle had never told me why. He always just smiled and ruffled my hair. After he took me home, I was bathed and groomed till I was completely rid of sewer smell. My long mahogany hair was brushed till my scalp ached and I was put in a simple dress with a small corset. Carlisle told me I was to be his youngest daughter, Alice's, personal maid until my mother was found. Of course she wasn't found. And so I grew up with the Cullen children. I even called Carlisle 'papa' behind closed doors. He was like my papa. Smart and kind. His wife, Esme was kind as well. She dressed me and treated me just like Alice, who became in all intents and purposes my sister.

Although I was a personal maid, as I grew I realized there was still so much to do in a house as big and grand as the Cullen's mansion. Gardeners were always tending the lush gardens around the house. Servants were constantly cleaning and the kitchen was always in full swing. At the moment I had taken some time to myself by offering to fold the laundry. It was calming and I didn't have to be surrounded by yelling. I sighed, watching the sun slowly sink below the horizon, coloring the sky in colors I couldn't begin to name.

"Isabella!"

I jumped, dropping the basket of sheets I had in my arms and twirled around to see Edward laughing at my reaction. His bronze hair glistened with the light from the window while he bent over laughing at me. I glared at him and quickly picked up the linens. Edward, along with the other Cullen boys, had always been like brothers to me. They teased me and bullied me and protected me from everything. Putting myself back together, I pushed Edward aside and began walking to the east wing of the house.

"What do you want Edward?" I called behind me impatiently, annoyed that he disturbed my peaceful moment.

"Alice has been calling for you," He replied with a shrug. "something about a new gown."

I sighed. As much as I loved Alice, I hated having to deal with her enormous wardrobe. I quickly dropped off the laundry and hurried up the stairs to Alice's room, Edward following close behind. I knocked gently on the lavishly ornamented door and pushed it aside, peeking in apprehensively.

"Bella! I'm so glad you're here!" Alice squealed excitedly, grabbing my and yanking me into the room, "Edward go away, it's girl time!"

"Awww but Alice, you know how much I love to watch while you torture poor Bella!" Edward protested with a smirk, " I do love her faces."

"OUT!" Alice slammed the door and quickly turned her attention to me, "guess what?"

I looked at her wearily but i couldn't help smiling at the sparkle of excitement that twinkled in her eyes. "Did you get a new dress?"

Alice laughed as if what I said was ridiculous. "No, you got a new dress!"

I stared at her. "What?!"

Alice giggled and dragged me over to the mirror. She pulled back my hair and began running a comb through it. "As you know, tomorrow papa is having a party to celebrate Emmett's engagement to that Clearwater girl..."

"Leah," I corrected her.

"...and you are to be present as a member of the family, " Alice continued like I didn't even speak. "So I asked papa and he allowed me to design a new dress for you!"

I stood there for a second, trying to understand what she said. I was to be presented as family...?

"Papa said this?" I asked quietly.

Alice nodded happily, braiding my hair to the side. She then walked to her wardrobe and pulled out a beautiful royal blue gown. The intricate beading swirled about the bodice and through out the whole dress. It was a little too open at the top. No doubt it would show off a considerable amount of cleavage, which was obviously Alice's plan. I ran my hand down the smooth satan sleeves, not believing that something so beautiful was mine. I looked up at Alice who was beaming at the dress with pride.

"Alice...what does this mean?" I asked in a hushed voice, " I'm your maid. I'm not a Cullen..."

"Absurd! Of course you are! You have been since you first came here," Alice said with a wave of her hand, "now come try this on."

I smiled and followed orders. The rest of the night we spent trying on clothes and doing each other's hair like we used to when we were small girls. I don't remember when I fell asleep but when I awoke it was bright outside and the birds were singing a song of spring. I quickly dressed without waking Alice, and ran down to the kitchen to help with breakfast. Esme was there telling the kitchen maids what she wanted them to make for lunch and the party tonight. As soon as she saw me she gave me a bright smile.

"Isabella, darling!" She exclaimed with a warm smile.

I smiled back. "sorry I'm late, Esme, I overslept. It won't happen again," I promised.

Esme shook her head. "Don't be ridiculous sweetheart, you aren't working today. Run along to Alice, and get ready for tonight!"

I stared at confusion at her and slowly nodded. I glanced at the other maids, and winced at the daggers that were being thrown at me. Backing out of the kitchen, I slowly began walking back towards Alice's room. A million things were flying through my mind, so I wasn't paying attention to where I was going and I ran straight into...Carlisle. I started my descent towards the hard unforgiving marble floor when a pair of arms caught me and propped me back on my feet. I laughed nervously as Carlisle gazed down at me curiously. It's like he hadn't aged a day since the first day I had met him so many years ago.

"I'm sorry papa, I should have watched where I was going," I apologized sheepishly.

"It's quite alright, Isabella," he said with kind smile. " are you alright?"

I opened my mouth and closed it, not sure what to say. I probably looked like a fish because I did it so many times before finally saying something.

"Honestly papa, I'm confused," I admitted. "I know that tonight I'll be introduced as a Cullen. But I don't understand why. I'm just a maid. I've always seen you as my family, but to say so to the entire community...there will be Lords and Ladies...Barons...Dukes...I am not royalty."

I hung my head as I spoke, realizing how lowly I really truly was. I wasn't special. I was a little girl that was happened to have been found in a sewer. Carlisle analyzed my face intensely for a moment before breaking out into a huge smile.

"Isabella, did you know that most of my children are not of my own flesh and blood?" He asked quietly.

My head shot up in surprise. "They aren't?"

Carlisle laughed, "no child. Alice and Emmett and Jasper are not my own. Like you I found them, and Esme and I, not able to have our own children brought them in as our own. Esme would go away for a year and come back having pretended to have had a new child. No one ever knew. It was harder with you because you were 4 when I found you. Just a little thing, in need of a home and love. Esme wanted nothing more then to keep you and name you a Cullen. But you can understand how hard it is with our...position in society. Tonight, my dear Isabella, you will be a Cullen. Forever and always."

I stared up at him, silent tears streaming down my cheeks. "But what makes me so special?"

Carlisle brushed strand of hair behind my ear and smiled while lifting my chin up, "Isabella, you are destined for greatness. You must give yourself more credit then you do."

And without further explanation, he walked off. After a moment, I made my way to Alice. She was up and about and chirping away about the party tonight. I just sat there in a complete daze as she curled and twisted and pinned up my hair. I hardly even realized until after the fact that she was tightening my corset with absolute brute strength. That pretty much snapped me out of my daze. Then I started freaking out.

"What if I do something wrong Alice," I began panicking. "What if I faint!"

"Why would you faint?" Alice asked frowning, pausing for a moment.

"Because I can't breathe!" I huffed, pulling that the corset.

"Oh stop complaining," Alice chided, and sliding my dress up into place before she started buttoning it. "You'll do wonderful and look fabulous."

I looked at the mirror and could hardly recognize the creature that stared back at me. Her skin was creamy and smooth, her large brown eyes round and innocent. Her hair fell in ringlets about her neck, the rest pinned up artistically. She was fluid even in stillness. Alice pinched my cheeks hard to add a little blush, and smiled at my reflection.

"See?" She said gently. "Beautiful. Now help me get dressed!"

After two agonizing hours of changing gowns and hair styles multiple times, Alice was finally ready. The sun was beginning to set, and guests were beginning to arrive. Alice and I stood on the stairs and watched as the mayor and his family entered our home. The mayor was a lean man, with russet skin and jet black hair, but age seemed not to be doing so good for him. Behind him came his wife, a beautiful woman with the same completion and kind brown eyes. Behind them walked a boy and two girls. Next to me Alice squeaked and pulled me down the stairs with her.

"Bella, this is Rachel and Rebecca Black!" She said pulling me in front of the two beautiful girls, "Rachel, Rebecca, this is my sister Isabella!"

They both smiled at me and turned their attention elsewhere. The boy that walked in with mayor black turned to great us, and for a moment I was stunned into silence. His skin was also russet colored. His thick black hair was short and slightly mused which wasn't surprising with how often he ran his fingers through it. His smile was lopsided and absolutely adorable. But it was his eyes that drew me in...his deep brown eyes. So deep I felt like I was drowning in them. Something in them seemed to pull me to him, and suddenly I wanted to touch him. Feels his arms around me, his lips close to mine. I quickly shook away these inappropriate thoughts and tried my best not to look thunderstruck. He smiled back at me, his eyes wide as if surprised but he kept his composure.

"Jacob! Isabella this is Jacob black," Alice chirped, "he's mayor Blacks son and Leah clear waters cousin so we will be very close!"

I nodded at him shyly, "hello."

The entire time Alice spoke, Jacobs eyes did not leave mine. His smile grew at the sound of my name, and he gently took my hand brushing his lips across my knuckles every so gently. "I believe, we will be a lot closer then just sharing a relative, don't you Alice?"

His eyes smoldered me from underneath his eyelashes, making it even harder to breathe in this god forsaken corset. His eyes told me of promises that were yet to come, promises of things I only dared to think about when I was alone. I gulped, lost in his eyes, unable to look away. I was definitely in trouble.

Hey guys! So excited to be writing this. Leave reviews please! Tell me if you like it, hate it, or if there is anything you'd want me to change or add. Still struggling whether to make them human or not. Put your opinion. Thanks guys xoxoxo