"All Again For You" by We The Kings as a story. If you haven't heard the song, LISTEN NOW!!!! It is amazing.

Disclaimer: No, I don't own anything. Hope you enjoy!

Bella

"Bella, do you really need all that?" My mom, Renee, asked, as I was about to put my gray sweatshirt in my suitcase. Although I hardly had any clothes to pack, Renee kept on me like a hawk. Her always-disapproving eyes scanned my single suitcase and traveled down my scrawny body, making me feel self-conscious.

"Yeah, it'll be cold there," I heard myself say. My voice made that high-pitched sound it always did when I talked to my mom. She sighed.

"I'll be waiting in the car. We have to get going soon, so don't take long." And with that she disappeared. I heard the door slam, and let out a sigh of relief.

It was official—I was leaving. This time, for good.

I gave my room a once-over and said my goodbyes. It's not like the room held any good memories. Quite the opposite, actually. I threw on my beat up hoodie, blaring the name of Phoenix's high school's football team on it, (though I was never actually at the games. Sports weren't really my thing) and grabbed my suitcase.

My parents had split when I was six. My dad, Charlie, relocated to Forks while my mother stayed in Phoenix. Every summer since the split I'd visit my mother in Phoenix. At first, I was fine with that—I loved the warm weather and large buildings. Renee was always welcoming, even if she wasn't always there. She went out a lot and often came home after midnight, but I was a big girl now. I took care of myself.

The hard thing about my mom was that she never used to be like that. She was responsible, a little crazy here and there, but always loving. When I was little, she spoiled me as much as possible and made me laugh and gave me her full attention.

But after the breakup with my dad, I noticed she'd...changed. It was hard...realizing my mother didn't love me as much. She didn't care as much. And then I slowly started figuring out why this summer.

Renee had been abused. And not just by some random guy, from my father. Charlie. Flashbacks started happening, recurring nightmares in my dreams that were part of my childhood. My subconscious remembered it all—the screams of terror, the yelling, the striking...

So this summer, I put my foot down. I couldn't stay in Phoenix anymore. I couldn't cause my mother so much pain.

Because she wasn't my mother, not anymore. She's changed after Charlie had left her. She'd changed for the worst.

She was a stranger.

I knew that I'd have to go back to Charlie now, with all the horrifying memories in the front of my mind. I wouldn't see him as "dad" anymore. I'd see him as a monster. I'll admit, I was scared. I didn't want to go back to a man who turned my mother into this ghost, like the real Renee had died years ago. I wanted to blame him for everything. I wanted to hate him.

But he was my father.

And whatever he did, past or present or future, he'd always be my father.

He'd be the only family I had.

After I told Renee I wasn't coming back next year, or the year after, she was angry. No, she was furious. I think it was because the thought of someone else leaving her was too much to bear. As much as it hurt, I couldn't stay here. Renee wasn't my mother anymore.

Before I could stop them, images flooded back.

"Mom?" I called from the kitchen. My voice wavered as I continued sautéing the chicken for our dinner. Renee stepped into the room, her hair messy and her eyes bloodshot.

"What do you want, Bella?" she asked. She was holding a cigarette between her fingers and blowing smoke.

I cleared my throat. "Well...I've been thinking lately, and I...I don't think I'll be coming next summer."

The cigarette dropped from her mouth and onto the floor. She didn't seem to notice. Her eyes were wilder than before, her mouth twisted into a scowl.

"What. Did. You. Just. Say?"

I closed my eyes. "I just don't think I'll be able to—"

"Isabella Swan, you are coming back next summer. You are not leaving me."

I took a deep breath. "I won't be leaving you, mom, I'm just taking some time—"

Renee took a threatening step forward. By Instinct, I took a step back. Suddenly she lunged and gripped my arm tightly. I winced.

"I am your mother. You are to do as I say!"

"Renee, let go of me."

Her face boiled and she squeezed tighter. "What the hell is wrong with you? You're to address me as your mother, young lady, because that is who I am!" Her nails dug into my skin. She glared at me before her eyes lifted slightly to just above my eyes.

"It's embarrassing to call you my daughter, but that is what you are. A mistake, yes, but my mistake. I gave you life. You obey me!" She made a strange sound, like a strangled cry.

"Are you wearing eyeliner?" she hissed. Before I could respond, she slapped me across the face. My skin tingled, and my eyes began to water from the contact. She ignored it.

"You slut! You think you're an adult now, don't you? Making decisions without asking me, wearing makeup. You're probably having sex too, in my bed when I'm not home!"

I paled. How could she even think that about me?

"Bella, you—"

"Bella! Hurry your ass up!" Renee called, jerking me from my reverie. I realized my face was wet, that I'd been crying. I quickly pulled myself together.

"Coming!"

And, taking one last look at my bedroom, I was gone.

--

Edward

I could hear the shouting and crying even in the confines of my room. Without thinking, I grabbed the razor on the floor, where I'd left it last night, and dragged it along my arm. I needed a way out. It was too much—I couldn't do this anymore. I didn't want to feel anything.

The numbness started coming, and I sighed in relief. I pushed the blades deeper into my skin, urging the numbness to continue. Anything was better than the thoughts in my head, or the sounds outside my door. Anything.

I stopped myself short. I'd do this later—because there was someone who probably needed comfort more than I did. Someone was suffering worse than me right now.

I tiptoed to the door, as if even the slightest noise would cause a disaster, and creaked my door open a centimeter. The voices were louder, piercing. I sucked in my breath and bolted to the room across from mine. Immediately I locked the door and sank down to the ground.

Safe. Finally.

I could hear the crying still, but this time from inside the room. I bit my lip and went to stand up—but hit my shoulder on the bureau instead. I gasped out.

The sobs stopped at once, followed by nervous gasps. I cursed myself for being so careless.

"It's okay, Alice. It's just me."

My sister peeled herself off an old mattress identical to mine and came slowly toward me. Her shirt was soaked and her eyes were red and blotchy. The sight of my sister's sadness was like a knife to the heart.

Silently she sat at my side and we listened to the noise outside. Even though it was still horrible, at least I wasn't alone.

Our current foster parents, Mr. and Mrs. Smith, were at it again. My sister and I had been orphans since we were nine, when our parents died in a fatal accident. Ever since, we've been moved from foster family to foster family, settling in a house that would never be "home." I'd lost track of how many roofs we'd been moved to.

These were our current "parents", fighting again over us—the kids. Mr. and Mrs. Smith had a lot of foster kids, most of them six or younger. They were a horrible influence, always fighting and swearing at each other. Alice and I took care of the little ones, kept them preoccupied while the adults battled it out.

I was a father to them, to the kids and even Alice. I was the tough guy, the one who took care of them all. I wasn't allowed to show any sign of worry in front of them.

But sometimes it was too hard. Sometimes, I broke.

It hadn't always been just Alice and me. We had two other brothers—Jasper and Emmett. We were separated from them in the orphanage, and have been searching for each other ever since.

I closed my eyes—I couldn't think these things. Not now. I needed to stay strong for Alice. For everyone.

I smiled weakly at her and she returned it, though the smile didn't reach her eyes. I was seeing less and less of her happiness these days, and it was like torture.

Alice used to be the most joyful person, always cheering people up, always the optimist. But after Jasper and Emmett were gone, and it started to dawn on her that we might never get out of this mess, her happiness started dwindling. Rapidly. I think I was in denial at first, when she started keeping to herself more. I didn't want to accept the fact that my sister might be slipping away.

Because then I'd be alone.

"Edward," Alice whispered, interrupting my thoughts.

"Yeah?" I said, just as softly.

She sighed. "I miss you."

I chuckled. "Because it's not like I'm always in here at night,"

She cracked a smile, and I glowed inside. But just as quickly as it'd appeared, it was gone. My heart deflated.

"No, I'm serious. I...I feel farther away from you these days. We don't talk as much, and...I don't like it. It's scary, not having anyone to talk to."

Her words hurt more than my razors. My throat felt thick, but I didn't let is show.

"You know you can talk to your big bro," I said lightly, trying to get a laugh out of her, or at least a smile. Alice and I were twins, but I was born two minutes before her. We always made a joke of it, when we were younger.

But she didn't even smile. Her eyes stayed distant, and I wondered how much of that cheerful Alice was left inside of her. I hadn't seen that side of her in so long. Just to see a glimpse of that wonderful grin, or to hear that laughter, soft as wind chimes...

"Older bro," she repeated, and let out a sigh and turned to me. "Emmett would've kicked your ass for that one. He always sided with me."

I laughed, though hearing my lost brother's name hurt. "I know. For some reason, that goof always sided with you. He loved you a lot, Alice. More than me or Jazz combined."

Wrong thing to say. Alice bit her bottom lip, and a tear slid down her cheek. I cursed myself again for causing my sister pain. I could never do anything right, could I?

"Edward, I don't want to do this anymore," she said between her sobs. "I want to go home. I want this to all be a bad dream and when I wake up, mom will be making pancakes and dad will be whistling, and Jazz will be watching TV and Emmett will be challenging you to an arm wrestle."

I wrapped her in a hug and smoothed her hair. "Shh, shh, it's okay. Everything's okay," I whispered into her back. Her body wracked with quiet sobs and I closed my eyes in pain. It was like we were part of each other—whenever one of us felt pain, the other couldn't help but feel it too.

Minutes passed, and soon her breathing became even. Alice was asleep. I could've left, I could've gone back to my room for the night and befriended my razor again. But I didn't want to.

I wasn't going to leave Alice. I would stay with her, because that was what I did.

I never let my guard down.