BPOV

Four years. Four years since my world was shattered, and my heart destroyed.

Three years since I picked myself up again and started to move forward.

Two years since I left Forks in search of something. Anything.

Two long, empty years in downtown New York and I still hadn't found it. In fact, I'm not entirely sure what I was looking for in the first place. A new life maybe, or simply a distraction from the one I left behind.

Jacob, my sun, pieced me back together when I was incapable of doing it myself. We became close after Edward left. I thought I might even be able to give him something from my otherwise barren soul. But, as usual, things did not go to plan. Jacob was patient with me and was willing to wait until I was ready for something more than a heavily dependant friendship, but fate thought otherwise. Jacob found Elle, his beautiful imprint and no longer had time for plain, boring, broken Bella.

I tried to be angry with him, but I knew it wasn't his fault. They were irrevocably linked and I was just in the way. It still hurt though.

I packed my bags and ran off to a giant city I could lose myself in and forget. I didn't want to think about the perfect family I could have had, or the warm pack I had grown to love. I didn't want to think about my Jacob…Elle's Jacob…and their darling little boy. I couldn't have given him children anyway. He's better off with someone whole.

I got a job at a dingy bar and rented a tiny 'apartment' (I would call it 'closet') near the subway line. I worked, I slept, I ate. Perhaps if circumstances had been different, I would have chosen college. As it was, I could barely make ends meet with my waitressing salary. I wasn't loud or flirty enough for big tips and the other girls mostly ignored me when I showed no interest in being friends.

Thursday night found me yet again behind the bar, serving drinks to sleazy guys. I had grown a little in four years, but I was still short. I was thin- probably too thin, and my hair hung to my waist when I let it out. Usually though it sat in a bun at the back of my head. One of my tables was full of college boys tonight. Loud, seedy, raucous boys. I dreaded having to walk over there when their beers ran out lest one of them try to talk to me. The bar's 'uniform policy' was basically: if it's skimpy, it's good. The owner had no problem with lust-based tips and sales. Therefore, while my outfit of minishorts, boots, tank top and leather jacket might have looked good on the golden, lovely, Rosalie...it made me cringe and sent the wrong message to my customers. Flirty, confident and up for a good night I most certainly was not.

Walking towards the boys' table, I felt a shiver down my spine. Despite the hot, crowded floor I worked on I felt cold, like I was being watched. I shook the feeling and arrived at my table. Taking the order, I turned and my tray full of empty glasses went flying. I found myself looking straight into a pair of gorgeous amber eyes.

RPOV

After leaving Jasper and Emmett at the house, I drove into the city, hoping to find something to do. We'd been at the New York house for three weeks now. Surrounded by city, it was inconvenient for hunting but the three of us had left the family in a rush, without many options. The little pixie bitch had fucked Jasper over and run off with the 'true mate' she met in London while she and Jazz were separated. I was furious. First, she pins Bella's birthday fiasco on Jasper, and then leaves him while he's stewing in the guilt she fed him. She hasn't come home since breaking it off with Jazz over the fucking phone. A wise decision- I was about ready to rip her head off when I heard the conversation.

"Jazz, you knew we were never going to last forever. This is the best way for both of us. I've seen it."

"No Alice. I did not know that. Is there anything else you'd like to fill me in on while we're at it? Please Ali, this can't be true. Come home, and we can work this out. Please."

"I'm sorry Jasper. I just can't deal with being your babysitter anymore."

I will never forgive Alice for the broken expression on Jasper's face while he pleaded with her to come back. Kind, generous, strong Jasper should never have been reduced to that. No-one had seen or heard of Edward since the day he broke up with Bella. He'd not even come to Alaska with us. Our family had fallen apart. Carlisle and Esme were still living with the Denalis without their 'children'. They called us every week, Esme begging us to come home. Every time we refused. Jasper was still a wreck and I wouldn't risk the pixie coming home with her new mate and hurting Jazz some more. So, Jasper, Em and I were living here until we thought of a better idea. Initially bringing Jasper here, with so many people, did not sound like a good idea, but he's been perfectly controlled. He's not even been worried going out at night. I have a feeling Alice was making him out to be a bigger threat to our lifestyle than strictly true. Just another thing to kick her shiny ass over when she comes back.

Parking the car in a lot, I decided to walk for a bit. It was a pleasant evening; warm and promising some rain. The warmth of the air didn't do much for my marble skin, but it intensified the smells around me; something vampires instinctually enjoy. I found myself outside a dingy place that reeked of alcohol of sweat, like most bars. I was about to keep walking when I caught a tiny whiff of a scent I recognized. It was floral and oh-so-sweet. Bella's scent.

But it couldn't be her, because Alice saw her die at La Push. She jumped off a cliff. Jasper of course took the blame for her suicide, from both Alice and himself. The rest of the family was just sad it had happened. Emmett took it the horribly, but Esme was the worst. She was convinced we never should have left her behind. She was still grieving for her lost daughter when we left. I never disliked the girl as much as I let her believe. I was very sorry our leaving lead to her death. I had hoped we were setting her free to find someone better for her. I could see she and Edward were not meant for each other. He controlled every little thing about their relationship. I couldn't understand how she'd let him do that. She obviously loved him very much, but I had my doubts, sometimes, that Edward felt otherwise. I think he was more obsessed with her quiet mind than her personality. A real loss on his part, because she was a truly beautiful person. So kind, so loving. Our life was not for her.

I decided to find out who could smell as enticing as our dead sister and walked into the bar. Scanning the crowd, I could see people grinding against each other on the dance floor, the air thick with sweat and lust. There were some tables, most of them full, and a dirty-looking bar where some people were sitting, chatting with what looked like the owner. Looking again at the tables, my superfluous breath caught. She was here. Bella was here, she wasn't dead. Even my vampire brain was having trouble processing this. It was her. It had to be. The same dark hair and white skin, the same slim frame. The same delicious scent. Bella was here, working in this dump. For a moment I didn't know what to do. Would she react badly if I walked up to her? Was she mad at us? Did she even care? I shook these thoughts from my head. Why was I worried what a human girl would think of seeing me? I'm a vampy-goddess for goodness' sake!

I walked through the people, momentarily enjoying the attention that I always received in public and came up behind her. Meaning to tap her on the shoulder, I raised my arm as she turned around. The tray she was holding hit my stony arm and clattered to the floor. I looked into Bella's chocolate eyes and saw nothing. No life, no emotion. Those eyes belonged on a corpse.

"Rosalie?" Bella quietly spoke my name, not dropping my stare. I might have had trouble hearing the word had I been human.

"Bella." My response was far from intelligent, but I was waiting for her to set the tone. I didn't know how she felt about seeing me again, after my family abandoned her.

BPOV

"Rosalie…I…what are you doing here?"

I felt cold and shaky. This could not be happening. I had left these memories behind in Forks. I could not deal with this again. The people that had claimed to love me as one of their own had gone, and I had accepted that they weren't coming back. Yet here in front of me stood a very real member of the family I had so dearly wanted to join. She was looking straight into my eyes, holding my gaze. I don't think I could drop it if I wanted to. I was frozen, the hole inside me slowly pulling apart once more.

She opened her mouth to speak and then stopped. When she started again, her voice was soft and unexpectedly kind.

"Bella, what happened to you? You look horrible."

That did it. The hole in my chest ripped open and everything I had decided to leave behind was brought back in that simple comment. I was suddenly angry. So angry, I wanted to scream.

"What happened, Rosalie? You and your family did. They waltzed into my life and took everything away when they left. You broke me, ice queen and now I'm here, trying to keep my head above water." My voice dripped with venom and my hands shook.

Before I could continue, I felt a drop in my stomach and then cold arms whisking me outside. In a matter of moments, we were in an alley near the bar, Rosalie carefully putting me down from where she had held me. I could not contain my fury.

"How dare you touch me, bitch? I am no longer a plaything for you and your perfect family. Why did you have to come here and remind me? Why can't your kind just leave me alone?"

I had started screaming, but by the end I was sobbing; my shoulder shaking along with my hands, my knees weak. Why couldn't I have some peace?

"Bella. I am sorry. I thought you might scream out about vampires or blood or something in that place and then I would have had to kill you. I did not come looking for you tonight, I smelt you while walking past your…place of work and came in because Alice told us you were dead. I will not waste your time as you're obviously not happy to see me."

"What do you mean, you thought I was dead? Did no-one think to check? Or was it not terribly important Edward's former pet had carked it? Not surprising. I should have died on that forest floor in the first place. I would have if Sam hadn't found me."

Rose looked surprised at my outburst. Did she expect something else? Before I could ask, she spoke.

"Alice had a vision of you committing suicide. She told us you were dead. Edward forbade us from going back to you or even saying goodbye after he's ended it with you, and he said the rule still stood whether you were dead or not. Bella, what did you mean by forest floor? Alice saw you jumping from a cliff."

I wasn't sure I could say anything more without losing it completely, so told Rosalie if we wanted to talk, she could meet me at the end of my shift. The rest of the night passed in a blur. I didn't actually expect her do still be there when I came out- her interest in me had been minimal at best- but still, I found it hard to concentrate on anything but the anger and hurt once again bubbling just below the surface. I hadn't been this dazed since before Jake saved me. I paid even less attention than normal to my customers, earning me a dressing down from my boss and a drink spilt on my top. After drying it in the bathroom, I wandered out the back door and found Rosalie, gorgeous as always, leaning against a wall. Approaching her, she looked up at me. She held no hostility in her eyes. I had expected some at least- there had always been a healthy dose when the Cullens had been around. Instead she spoke to me calmly.

"I think there is a lot the rest of the family and I don't know about what happened after your birthday that year. I would like to hear it, if you will speak."

I was stuck. I could talk to her, and open up the wound again or I could turn and leave. I know that some part of me really wanted to speak to someone I could be honest with, but I knew that when she left I'd be worse than before she came. I would have to heal all over again. Before I had decided completely though, the part of my brain that wanted companionship opened the door to my truck and motioned for her to join me.

A/N- This is my first fic on this site. Please review and tell me what you think. This story will be a long one you can sink your teeth into .