Title: The Dead And Gone

Chapter: 1

Author: Istealurfrenchfries

Disclaimer: I do not, and will never own The Twilight Saga.

Betas: Unbeta'd. I tried, but face it, there's gonna be some mistakes. My apologies.

Rating: T for some language and mature themes. Possibly some slight gore later.

Pairing: Peter/Bella

A/N: This is my first shot at a Peter/Bella pairing and I hope that all goes well. As a warning, my Bella will be OOC in this story.

Bella POV

I was in London, when Sue Clearwater called and gave me the news. I dropped everything and hightailed my ass home.

He's gone. The only person in my life whom I cared about anymore was gone. Dead. Forever.

~OoOoO~

It's been five years since Edward, and in that time I've grown up. For the first few months after Edward left me in the woods, I was hopeless. Then I woke up and realized that no one was coming back for me. I finished school with straight A's and completed college. Now, I had been traveling, seeing the world and living life to its full extent. No more vampires.

I am not the same doe eyed teenager that let Edward and his family push her around. I'd hardened up and became wiser. I found out who I am in this world, and I am stronger than I have ever been.

Except for today.

I had been in Forks for about a week now, and for the worst reason. Charlie was dead. My father, the one who has been there for everything. He protected this small town and people respected him. He never deserved any of this.

It was explained to me that Charlie had pulled someone over, when he was shot in the heart from another car. He didn't even make it to an ambulance. My daddy died there right on that road. The police have no leads, no license number, nothing to help them find the shooter. Great.

It seemed as if I was suddenly reverted back to my eight year old self. I just wanted to run and hide away, but I can't. I'm an adult and they don't things like that. Everyone expected me to by responsible about this. Well fuck them! I wanted to feel the loss. I wanted to be in denial. I wanted to feel guilty. I wanted to be angry. I wanted to feel.

I almost didn't make it through his funeral, but I thought that I owed my father that one last favor. It was all I could do just to sit there and give my speech to the entire town. I swore I almost broke poor Sue's hand with the death grip of my own. Seeing his casket while everyone payed their respects almost sent me into hysterics. I was just glad that the damned thing is over now.

I guessed what really hurt was the fact that I was never there. Charlie and the Pack were always calling me and asking me to come back home, but I never listened. I was off seeing the world. Rebuilding myself after Edward royally screwed me all up. Now, I regret every second of it. I would go through the utter heartbreak and pain from Edward all over again, if it would've kept Charlie safe.

Now, sitting alone in an empty house, I was left to think. Everyone left about an hour ago, some giving me looks of pity, while others had given me hard glares. I guessed those people blamed me just as much as I did.

I sat down in my dad's recliner. I remembered him watching the games and-No. I refused to let myself think about that.

What if I had been home more? Would I have been able to make a difference? Would I have kept Charlie from getting shot? No, I didn't think so. There's not much that I could've done. Still, I should've at least been in town! If the Cullens were still here..

The Cullens! What if they were still here?

Edward's fuck up of a family. If they were here, would my father be dead? Would he have been shot in the heart then? I was suddenly on my feet, pacing furiously.

No. He wouldn't be. Alice would've saw it. Charlie would have been protected. If they hadn't left, my father would still be alive. He wouldn't be six feet under the ground right now!

I hadn't thought about the Cullens in over four years! I'd let it go, but now...Now...Damn it! This is their fault!

I kicked the wall in my anger and frustration. The pain didn't even register anymore.

Their fault!

Did Alice see this five years ago? Did she decide to leave, and then see Charlie's death? Wouldn't she know that my dad dying would absolutely crush me? I thought she actually gave a damn about me. I guess that was a foolish way of thinking, wasn't it? None of them actually cared.

I couldn't stay in this house, surrounded by my father's stuff, his scent. I just knew that Sue would be coming by everyday, probably to check up on me. Regardless of what she's done for me, I was selfish and I couldn't face her. I couldn't face seeing the sadness in her eyes. I couldn't stand seeing the sadness in everybody's eyes.

Too many thoughts were going on inside my head. More than I was used to. I just...Needed to go.

Charlie is dead. Sue Clearwater. Pity. The Cullens. Edward. Rosalie. Jasper. Esme. Emmett. Alice. Carlisle. Their fault! Is it mine? They're gone! They never cared! I hate them! It's all their fault!

I grabbed my keys off the hook and ran outside. Five years, and I still had my piece of crap truck. I had taken it to the shop and got it fixed up. It didn't run perfectly, but it worked for traveling around and seeing the world. It did the job, and it did it good.

I threw it into drive and started to pull out of the driveway frantically, not paying any attention to the surprised faces on either side of me. I guess they thought I would be holed up in my house for the next four months like the last time I had a huge blow to my life. Nope. Not a chance. I was a different person now. I was no longer the scrawny awkward seventeen year old that I had been five years ago. I'd matured; physically and mentally. However, that doesn't mean that what I was about to do would be completely sane. I could feel the smile creeping up on my face.

I left my neighbors behind as I drove further down the familiar path. I hadn't been on this road for so long, but it would forever be etched into my mind. I had driven this way too many times to be able to forget it. Funny, my memory.

Huh, Eddie-boy, I guess you were wrong for once. Remember what you told me the day you left?

'Don't worry.' He smiled 'You're human-Your memory is no more than a sieve. Time heals all wounds for your kind.'

I'd never forgotten anything about that family. Edward made me believe that I would forget them, but he was wrong. Nothing would ever make me forget them. Nothing. I'd st buried those memories deep in the back of my mind, so it seemed like I was forgetting them. Trust me, I wished I could forget all about the vampires that invaded my life. But I couldn't, life never works in my favor. It never has.

Yeah, time healed my wounds, all right. It also taught me to grow the fuck up and to stop counting on people to be there for me. When you let yourself believe in people, you are the one who gets hurt in the end. It's easier to trust no one, and be independent. If you let your guard down, be prepared to feel pain, and a lot of it. That's the only thing people are good for; causing pain and heartbreak on each other. The stronger people have control over the weaker ones, and the weaker ones take it because we don't know any better.

Yes, it's much better to never let anyone in. That lesson would stick with me for the rest of my pathetic human existence.

I turned off the main road, onto the wide dirt path that I always thought was too long to be a driveway, but of course I'm a human and what do I know? It didn't matter what I think. It had never mattered what I thought. Nobody cared about my thoughts.

After what felt like fifteen minutes, I saw it. I saw the big mansion of what was the Cullen's abandoned house. To say that the yard was overgrown would be an understatement. The entire property could be passed off as a jungle. Weeds were everywhere and vines were climbing up the sides of the house. The grass was easily as tall as my waist. Esme's poor garden looks like it had lost the battle against nature. There was green everywhere you looked, the different shades blending and merging into each other. Nothing had touched the house since they left. It sat there, completely undisturbed. My face twisted into a smile. Great.

I parked my truck and stepped out onto the ground, trying not to get tripped up by overwhelming amount of green. This will be for Charlie. I fought to keep the tears at bay, instead forcing that smile that I knew no one will see. Good, no one needed to see my face.

It took me ten minutes just to get past the weeds and get their front door open. It was unlocked. I guess that Eddie was either in such a hurry to leave me behind that he forgot to lock the door, or..He expected me to come back as soon as the family was gone. Was I really that weak and pathetic back then?

Once I was in, I noticed that it is much neater inside than outside. The only things left in the house was the furniture, and that was wrapped up in crisp, white sheets. Esme must've done this, God knows no one else would've.

I had the sudden urge to see everything in ruins. I wanted to see their pretty little mansion destroyed. I wanted to see the flames.

It's all their fault. My dad is dead because of them. They didn't protect him! Their fault!

Then I saw it; Edward's grand piano. I fought to hold back the maniacal bubbling laughter that wanted to escape. He loved that damn thing more than he ever pretended to love me. It's kinda funny how he could delicately stroke those keys, but of course, when I asked for any physical affection, he was suddenly 'too strong and dangerous to kiss me.' Pathetic.

I crept closer and pulled off the white sheet that was covering the piano. A cloud of dust sprung into the air, making me cough and my eyes water. This only served in making me more hysterical. In my anger, I kicked the leg of the instrument. Pain bloomed in my foot and up my leg but I ignored it, kicking it again. I kept kicking, punching and hitting the top of the piano angrily. It didn't even budge.

Suddenly, a thought came to my mind and I giggled hysterically, turning around and running across the house to the door that led into the garage. It was painted crystal clean white like the rest of the house. Mindlessly, I threw the door open and tripped as I ran forward. Unfazed by my almost face-plant, I ran through the room, searching for what I needed. Surely they had been in too much of a hurry to take everything with them. I mean, they left Eddie's prized possession behind. I looked around me frantically, my moves jerky and stiff. Where the hell is it? I was about to give up when I saw what I wanted.

Ha! Finally!

In the corner of the garage, under a bunch of useless scraps, a sledge hammer was laying on the ground, seemingly forgotten. Huh, well I guess we have something in common. I shook my head, knowing that a normally sane person would not be mentally talking to an object. Strangely, it didn't bother me in the slightest. I quickly grabbed the tool, grinning with anticipation.

I walked back through the house, banging the hammer against the walls as I passed by, pleased by the large dents it left behind. I crept up behind the piano as one would to execute a murder plan.

Without warning, the smile was gone and tears spilled down my face. I stopped, remembering every time I ever heard Edward play for me. He even composed a song to show me his so called 'love' for me. How stupid was I to believe it?

Brushing away the tears, I stepped closer to the offending object. Using every amount of strength I had, I lifted the sledge hammer into the air, posing it above the instrument.

Oh, if only you were here, Edward Cullen.

I felt a burst of regret and anger well up in me. I could never bring my father back, there would always been that pain in my heart. If it weren't for them, he wouldn't be dead. He'd be alive and well right now. If it weren't for them..

Releasing a pent up scream, I brought the hammer down on the sleek back wood, watching as the impact made a softball sized dent. My anger fueling my strength, I brought the tool back up into the air, slamming it into the hard surface again, seeing the wood cave in with a sense of satisfaction. I may not be getting my father back, but at least I would be gaining something, however small and pointless it was. My own little piece of closure.

I moved around the, now disgraceful, piano. This time I went for the ivory keys, destroying several. I was stuck on an adrenaline rush, seemingly gaining strength from it.

I continued, moving and maneuvering the tool in my hand, my entire being filled with an angry haze. My actions might be considered graceful if they weren't muddled with such hatred. From my mouth escaped furious grunts and shouts, seemingly growing ever more hostile.

After the piano was no less than destroyed, a mess of wood, wires, metal, and ivory on the floor, I stood back to look over the mess. When I looked at the rest of the house-The clean floors, the clear glass windows, the stairs- something snapped. Edward's piano wasn't enough. I needed more. Edward may have broken me, but the entire family had wronged me. Each in their own, individual way.

I went through each room of the house, leaving my mark. I wrecked havoc on everything in sight; shattering windows and mirrors. I left large holes in the walls and knocked over all the dressers, desks, and tables in the house. I destroyed the doors on their hinges. I ripped all the books from their bookshelves and tore the pages out, reducing Carlisle's treasured book collection into debris.

All their fault!

I was in a haze, tearing up anything that I set my eyes on. When -If- The Cullens ever come back, they'd see their ruined property. They would know who it was. They would be forced to remember the poor little human who was just too curious for her own good.

Ha, bet you never thought I was capable of this, Cullens.

Turns out, Alice had left some of her clothing behind. It must have been her least favorite collection, which surely would have cost me several months worth of paychecks from Newton's Olympic Outfitters back then. It didn't take me long to have the top designer fabrics strewn across the house, cut into shreds. I upturned all the mattresses in almost every room.

When I reached his room, I noticed how untouched it looked. Nothing was wrapped up in the protective plastic like the rest of the house. Edward's impressive collection of CD's were still up on their shelves neatly. Everything was the same as it were five years ago, before my life was ruined. Several pieces of hand written sheet music were still scattered on the desk from the last day I spent in here with him. I remembered that day, it had been perfect. It was the day before my birthday, and I had been watching him compose different melodies and verses on that paper, his hand swiftly writing the notes with grace. At the time, it had captivated me.

I walked forward and trailed a hand across one of the white walls. The only difference to the room was the layer of dust that covered the furniture. When I reached the overly large window, I froze, my mind coming up with yet another outcome of destruction, this one far more permanent lasting.

I ran out of the room and flew down the stairs, tripping twice. On the last step, I stumbled on a scrap of what used to be a pair of jeans. I fell to the ground with an undignified grunt, knowing that I had just earned myself a bruise. I picked myself up and raced out the front door, through the massive amount of weeds and to my truck.

I rummaged around the bed of my truck, fishing out a full two gallon gasoline can. This would be sure to do the trick. It was perfect.

Fire.

I made my way back in, starting with the inside of the house. I let the flammable substance slosh over the lip of the can and hit the floor. I saturated the curtains and Alice's left-behind clothing. I poured gas on the staircase and hall floors. The white carpet was stained with it.

Running outside, I used the last forth of the gasoline on the porch. After everything was set up to my liking, I tossed the can away from me and pulled out the Zippo from my back pocket. It was a gift from Renee three years ago, before she cut all ties with me. Although my own mother wanted nothing to do with me, I still carried the lighter with me wherever I went. A safe keeping of sorts.

Not that it matters now.

I flicked open and tossed it through the open door and into the house. It didn't take long for the flame to catch on the carpet, spreading and growing. I did a pretty damn good job of arsonist if I do say so myself. I ran back away from the house as the flame grew even more, crackling across the wood floor and outside. I knew that there wouldn't be a danger to the rest of the town as the weeds and greenery was too wet for the fire to spread any farther than the house. I may hate the Cullens, but the rest of Forks doesn't deserve my rage.

The whole damn house was lighting up now, yellow and orange flames erupting from the house. Blake smoke arose into the sky. I watched as the windows cracked under the heat, the curtains now completely burned up. The exterior of the house was changing into a smoky grey color. The conflagration brought a sense of contentment over me. I was finally overcoming my obstacles. I had burned away the only proof that the Cullens ever existed. I was strong, stronger than anyone would ever care to admit.

Watching the with a certain interest, my attention was brought away from the flames. I started to notice something-Or rather felt something. Becoming gradually more aware, it was an unnerving feeling. Unexplainable, like I was being watched, inspected. I whirled around, expecting to see someone had had followed me, Jacob maybe. The treaty was blown off after the Cullens left, so it could've been anyone from the pack.

Finding no one, I realized that it was a familiar feeling. One that no human could perform. Not even a wolf, with their lack of stealth. There was no breathing to be heard. I kept turning around and around, trying to deny what I knew was true. There was only one creature that could maintain secrecy like that. Realization hit me hard.

Vampire.

Did they come back? Did Edwards perfect family come back just as I demolished their house? Did they watch me set their beautiful home on fire but decide to stay quiet? I whipped around, staring into the woods at nothing, trying to spot the people who had destroyed my life.

"Are you happy, Edward?!" The words left my mouth in an angry shout. "Huh?! Your human pet isn't so innocent now, is she?" I turned towards the still burning house. It was starting to get dark and I was finding it harder to see into the woods. "Go to hell, all of you!"

I was breathing hard, heating up from the anger and the heat from the fire. If they were all here, if he tried to take me back...I might as well just throw myself into the fire.

Getting ready to march into the woods and find them from their hiding places, I suddenly spotted something. I barely saw it in the fading daylight but it was there, I was sure of it. Hair, but it wasn't the messy bronze color that I used to love so much. It wasn't Alice's jet black hair or Jasper's honey blond locks. No, it was wild and red. I'd recognize the person anywhere. Red hair.

Victoria.

My eyes widened. I was wrong, so so wrong. It wasn't Edward, or the Cullens at all. Victoria was still after me. I always knew she would be after James' death. Edward never wanted to listen to me, but I knew she'd come for revenge on account of her dead mate.

My anger dissipated into fear as I sprinted to my truck. It was a futile and pointless attempt of escape but I had to try. If anything, this was for Charlie. His death wouldn't be in vain, I had to live for him. And if I died, what would the town think? That the Chief's daughter killed herself after the tragedy of his death. I had to try.

I ripped the driver door open and jumped into the cab, frantically starting the engine. She was coming for me, I could feel it. Inside me, I knew that this would be the end. After successfully getting the engine to start, I tore up the driveway, leaving the chaos of the Cullen home behind. I kept looking out the window for the vampire who was stalking me as I drove across the gravel. Why can't the drive way just be shorter? My odds were decreasing with every second.

I had to get to the pack. Jacob, Sam, Embry, everyone, they would protect me. All of them would easily overpower Victoria, I just have to get there. It seemed impossible, the rez is across town.

Finally getting to the main road, I sped up as fast as I could go. Nobody was on the road, probably still mourning the loss of my father inside their houses.

I'm going to die. I'm going to die. I'm going to die.

I still couldn't see her, but I could feel her. I raced down the road, trying to get to the Reservation. What if..What if they weren't there, or wouldn't help me? What if they blamed me for Charlie's death enough to let me die? Nevertheless, I continued, seeing it as my only chance at living.

It's funny, five years ago after Edward left me, I would have gladly let Victoria kill me. I wasn't really living back then. I was too far in my depression to think otherwise. Back then, I was still the girl who loved Edward Cullen. Now, although I'd lost the one person who was more important to me than anyone, I had the will to live on.

I looked out into the woods again. I still had that feeling, but I couldn't see her. Where the hell is she? I already knew something was going to happen, I just didn't know when. I pressed on the accelerator harder, breaking the speed limit big time. Unfortunately, my old truck was no match for the speed of a human drinking vampire.

Looking back to the road, she was suddenly there. No more than fifteen feet from my truck, Victoria stood in the middle of the road, that grin on her face. I began to wonder if she had anything to do with why the road was vacant.

Not even having time to scream, my hands jerked the wheel to the left, trying to avoid her. She didn't move as I ran off the pavement. I was going way too fast to stop if I tried, not that I would with Victoria so close anyway. There was no guard rail to stop my truck from tumbling down the steep hill.

I'm gonna wreck!

I did scream this time as the entire truck fell to it's side, then upside down. The drivers door caved in with the impact. I hadn't had time to even think about putting on my seat belt, so I locked my hands against the roof of my truck in an effort to stay in my position as I was bounced around. No longer was I thinking about Victoria.

Oh God! It's over.

Not being able to stay seated, my body was thrown around like a rag doll. Everything in my truck spun around with me, some of it hitting me.

I continued to slide, my world spinning as the truck flipped onto its other side and around again. I watched, feeling as if time had slowed down, as the safety glass of the windshield cracked. With the next roll, it shattered, glass flying outwards. I squeezed my eyes shut, screaming.

Everything bounced and I hit the door hard. Pain blossomed through my side and my arms flailed uselessly.

Everything tilted one more time as the truck finally stopped, landing on it's tires. I had ended up sprawled across the bench seat, my head towards the passenger door. I opened my eyes and immediately wished I hadn't. My head hurt the worst of everything, having hit it on the door. I let put a low groan of pain, feeling blood run down the side of my head. I sucked in a short, painful breath. The scent made me nauseous, as it always did.

I didn't move, afraid to feel what had possibly been broken, although it didn't seem is if I could move anyway. Each of my limbs felt as if there were hundred pound weights attached to them. My head ached and pounded. I started to see black spots in my vision and I just knew that I would lose consciousness.

I was confused as I heard quiet footsteps near my truck. What? They got closer and my eyes widened in realization. I suddenly remembered why I was in my truck in the first place. Victoria was still out there, ready to kill me. I had completely forgotten about her, trying not to be crushed by my truck. There was no way I'd be living now. I can't even move. The footsteps grew louder.

"Be-lla!" Her sickly sweet voice rang out, making my head hurt even worse. When I didn't respond, she spoke again. "You didn't actually think you could out run me, did you?" She was right beside my truck now, I could hear her on the other side of the passenger door.

I could tell that she was getting bored with my silence, and was deciding to speed up the process of killing me. I clenched my teeth in fear and anticipation. Suddenly, the door the ripped right off and her face was no more than five inches away from mine. Her long curly hair dropped down like a veil around my face. She growled and spoke in a much more terrifying voice than before, like nails being scrapped across a chalkboard.

"You're dead."

She made to lunge but in the next second, she was ripped away. Confused and in pain, I tried to look around.

I heard someone else with heavier footsteps. A man? Growls from two people were heard from about thirty feet away from me. I could make out the sounds of struggling, then Victoria shouting.

"She's mine to kill! She killed my mate! She's mine!"

I felt like crying, the rough sound of stone against stone penetrating my hearing. It heard the grunts and growls from both ends. The shredding sound of a limb being ripped off was loud and I was glad that no one else was here to witness it. The last thing to be heard was the lighter, retreating footsteps of my attacker.

Finally, it was silent, other than the footsteps that walked in my direction. I had started to panic until I recognized these as the other person's footsteps.

Who is it and what do they want with me? Are they looking to kill me just like Victoria wanted to? The fear was back as these thoughts ran through my muddled brain.

I whimpered and let out a shriek as I felt cold hands touch my shoulders. They were definitely the hands of a male, calloused and large. The mystery man instantly shuffled back at the noise.

"Are you alright, darlin'? Is there anywhere I can take you?"

His voice had a heavy southern accent. It was deep and gruff, but also maintained the politeness of a gentleman. A part of me wished I could see his face, but I couldn't see anything. My head throbbed in pain and it was making it harder to even think clearly.

After a few long moments, his question rang through my head. Is there anywhere I can take you? No. I couldn't go back to Charlie's house and be haunted by the memories of my father. I couldn't go to Florida to my mother. Renee wanted nothing to do with me. I had nothing.

"It..It's all gone," I struggled to get the words out before I let unconsciousness consume me.

A/N: So there you have it! If you liked (Or didn't like) this first chapter, feel free to drop me a review!