Hello, and thank you you for reading! This is my first(-ish) Twilight fic and likely the only one to ever find its way on . There is little cause for the rating mature other than slight gore(?) later on so no excessive violence or similar. Also, sporadic updates, since I'm busy with school, and a bit of inconsistency...Sorry about that.

I hope you enjoy!

{EoC}

"Do you want to go shopping?"

"No, mom." I didn't put money aside for that here.

"How about the zoo?"

"Not today." Me? And animals? In one place? No, thank you.

"A Japanese garden?"

"No." That was in Portland.

"Then what do you want to do?"

Isabella Swan peered up from her book to look at her mother, Renee Higgins, slightly miffed. "Nothing."

They had just gotten off a five hour flight from Phoenix, Arizona to Portland, Oregon, a trip which should have been little more than two and half hours but was delayed, and then traveled by car for another two hours, made three by her mother's fascination with the surroundings, to get to their destination: Astoria. In this deceptively short amount of time, Isabella's dear, but frightfully flighty mother had been nothing short of a pain in the ten-year-old's behind. No, even before then, the strain had already been building up.

Summer vacation had begun a few days ago and Renee had wanted to "go out and experience something new". The sentiment wasn't particularly mutual but Isabella hadn't wanted to rain on her mother's parade since she'd recently just gotten over a break up. So she left her mother to planning the trip. And what a mistake that was. Had she forgotten how whimsical and irresponsible she could be? Clearly, since she practically just stood by and watched as her mother purchased plane tickets, first-class, to France, then reserved a room at a five-star hotel room in Paris with the best view of the Eiffel Tower.

Considering she'd taken over nearly all monetary affairs about six months ago, Isabella really should've seen it coming. She hadn't. But after a chance glance at her mother's unnaturally giddy grin as she began to finalize their reservation, she'd caught her and cancelled everything. Ignoring her mother's indignant demand of who was the adult, to which she could only scoff at internally, because they both knew who was more of an adult of the pair, she looked up less extravagant and costly flights and chose one that was not only within her mother's wage gained from her job as a elementary school teacher, but also had the least likely chance of leading to trouble from her airheaded parent's whims.

Astoria, Oregon had seemed like such a perfect choice. A nice, cozy city on the coast with great seafood, a favorite of her mother's, along with a nice little beach, though they probably wouldn't swim since the weather was looking a bit cloudy, and plenty of places to keep her mother's short-attention span occupied for the few days they'd be there. It was quite close to Washington, which may have worried her mother a bit, but Isabella had been able to persuade her to stay at least a week before they went elsewhere. A miracle, she knew, since the weather in Astoria was remarkably unexciting and similar to Forks, from what she could remember from when she was younger, and her mother, in no few words, had confessed her lack of desire to return there.

Fortunately, Forks was in the northernmost part of Washington, so she was able to make her mother see reason, if begrudged but reason enough.

Isabella had thought that was the end, for a while at least, of her mother's flighty behaviour when they borded the plane but then there was a delay. A bloody three hour delay. Normally, the mature girl would've accepted the delay with no grumbles or complaints, but that was before her mother began to talk. And talk and talk and talk. The woman wouldn't leave her to her book in peace for more than five seconds! And when she hadn't been talking her ear off, slowly eating her patience away, the acclaimed adult began to bother the flight attendants. They were in Business class, which had been less expensive than she'd have thought, in a morning flight before noon, and her mother had the gall to order a tall glass of white wine and a plate of an Italian dish Isabella wouldn't dare to repeat the name of. After putting a stop to that she was once again subjected to the torture known as a sulky Renee.

And adults thought children were bratty.

Once those five hours of slow death were over, two other problems arose. First, they were in Portland, meaning they were two whole hours from their planned stop with no transportation aside from a taxi, so they had to spend more cash from the careful budget she'd planned. Not too much of an issue if she limited an activity or two but that would lead to more sulking, unfortunately. She would just have to deal. Second, she'd completely forgotten to reserve a room at a hotel. How could she have forgotten the place they'd be sleeping for the next week? With a little aid from the taxi driver and her mother's skills on the internet, as Isabella was comparably illiterate in that regard, they got a nice room with twin beds and full service for a reasonable price. Luckily, she'd set the money for their room separate from activities before they left Phoenix.

Now, on the insistence of Renee, they sat just outside their hotel, Renee coming up with ideas of how to spend the rest of the day, and Isabella moodily flicking her chocolate orbs across her the pages novel.

"But Bellaaa..." Renee almost whined, causing to her daughter's lips to twitch downward. "Let's have fun, I want to have fun! Come on, can't we go to the aquarium? Didn't you say there was one?"

Childish as it was, Isabella didn't respond this time, feigning being enraptured by her book. Her mother knew very well she didn't like the shortened version of her name in any way and she wouldn't respond to it, no matter how often she tried.

Her mother huffed at the silence and crossed her arms. "Fine, be that way. I'm going to the ba...coffee shop." At the stern look from her daughter, she quickly changed her destination. She smiled innocently and began to head back into the hotel. "Bye, darling."

Isabella set her book on her lap, frowning before she called after her. "You have your cell, right? Call me if you need me. And don't stay out too late! Or talk to suspicious strangers."

Renee gave her an amused and bubbly smile. "Shouldn't I be saying that to you?" She shook her head at the expression that clearly said 'No. Where'd you get that idea?' in response. "Same to you, dear."

Isabella watched her mother closely through the glass of the hotel, not caring how strange it might look, until she saw her enter the Starbucks inside the hotel, which was thankfully close enough to be seen. She looked back down at her book for a few short minutes before sighing and closing it. She hadn't been able to read it since before the flight, and now that she had found peace, she couldn't even concentrate enough to read the words on the page. This is why she preferred peace and quiet, she couldn't finish her books otherwise.

Now she was so disturbed even peace wouldn't let her read. She sighed again and leaned back against the bench, looking up into the grey, overcast sky. Contrary to her mother's views of cloudiness being dreary and mood killing, Isabella didn't bare any ill feelings for it. To be honest, she kind of liked it. Arizona was always so warm and sunny, it had become tedious and overbearing. She was ready for something different, and that decision had nothing to do with the fact that she couldn't gain a tan no matter how long she bathed in the sun.

Astoria was overcast for the majority of the year, temperatures being between 40 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit even during the summer. That was part of why she wanted to come here. It almost reminded her of those times with her father in Forks, going fishing early in the morning, having to run with little or no game caught once it began to rain. Despite her mother's declarations of the little town being the definition of monotony and stagnancy, it was the very representation of the peace she desired for herself. Perhaps she would go back someday...

She groaned just thinking of the reaction her mother would have. It would be disastrous, and that wasn't even factoring in the matter of seeing her father again after so many years.

Isabella closed her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose. Not the time to be imagining this crap. It was summer vacation. A time for relaxation and freedom from worries, ideally, and despite being a rigid realist, a development from growing under Renee's airy, irresponsible wings, she would bask in it. Well, bask in it for as long as she believed safe, which should only be about, say, two or three hours at most, if she knew her mother well enough. She pushed herself to her feet, momentarily relishing in the stretching of her leg and arm muscles, before sending a quick glance around at her surroundings.

The city was quiet, aside from the far out sounds of people's laughter farther out at sea and on the beach. Isabella rather liked it. The salty scent of the sea carried by a cool breeze that swept past her form smoothly. Today she had worn a pair of blue jean capri's, a light blue top, and comfortable white converse. She was glad she'd chosen clothes that allowed her breathe and feel the air around her, soaking in coolness instead of heat as she did back home.

She would have to take advantage of the short time she had there. Before they left on their next "great big adventure" that was, unfortunately, a choice left up to her mother since she got to choose the first. And who knew where on earth she'd lead them, she certainly couldn't, unable to make sense of the chaotic process in the mind of her mother. With another groan, she decided to just stop thinking about Renee and began to walk in some random direction before her mind thought better of it...

And promptly tripped over air.

"Dang it!" She grunted when her knee came into contact with hard concrete and sharp pain shot up her thigh. She knelt for a moment, gritting her teeth at the familiar pain, before pushing herself back up to her feet. She ignored the pain with practiced ease as she checked for blood. There was none, thankfully, an she checked her book, which had not gotten out of her fall quite so unscathed. The spine of the book had seen better days, she knew that, and from its appearance, it had been dragged against the ground so hard it was nigh unreadable. Dang it. And she'd just gotten it the day before at a bookstore after packing.

Nothing to do about it now. She sighed again and began to walk, just enjoying the cool breeze and near silence, allowing it to soothe her being and calm her mind to less distressing thoughts.

After a few minutes of aimless walking, though she made sure to take note of land markers on her path, she came upon a park she knew if given the chance, she would visit every day of their stay in Astoria. It was a sight to behold, worthy of its claim to be the most beautiful park in Astoria, or so she had read on the city's website. Even if it weren't true, she'd be skeptic, because she could not imagine a place better than this.

The park was rather simple, neither extravagant in layout nor grandeur on its theme. Like any other park, there was a seemingly endless plain of green with bursts of color in the form of beautiful flowers, ones she couldn't name but it didn't detract anything from the sight, only adding a mysterious edge to it. She walked into the park, sticking to the path made not of concrete but what seemed to be naturally indigenous rocks and stones, until she noticed tress begin to accompany the flowers.

Vaguely, she was aware that there were also a few people to be seen now, but she payed the families or couples no mind as she followed the thickening of trees, and eventually arrived at what could be considered an alcove with a white chrome fountain in the center. The shape of it wasn't anything special, just stone sculpted into a shape remiscent of the champagne glasses stacked at a wedding, the water spouting from the top in a round spray, cascading down from bowl to bowl until it was in the bottom most part, where, unsurprisingly, a bountiful amount of coins sat undisturbed.

A place for wishes. Isabella hummed quietly, mindful enough not to disturb the few families or individuals spread a distance away, far enough their conversations didn't bother too much. Their voices were only a distant murmur in comparison to the soothing, continuous flow of water from the fountain. She glanced around herself for a moment, a bit self-conscious before sitting on the outer edge of the fountain, taking immediate pleasure in the lightest of sprays from the water.

She leaned back on her hands, shivering lightly at the coldness of the stone, looked up at the sky. It was still a light grey, swirling mass that left her thoughts as little more than a nebulous cloud of blankness. She'd never been so relaxed and thoughtless before. For all her conscious life, it had been necessary for her, when she became aware of their circumstances, to be able to make decisions about the future her mother had yet to consider. She couldn't just let everything fall into place before her as if it was meant to happen and accept it as it comes. She had to plan everything, prepare for the worst that could happen, as she knew her mother prepared for little if not nothing, had to be aware of the severity of not only her actions but her mother's as well. Even if her mother told her to be a child, she doubted she'd ever actually be able to do just that. If only because she didn't know what a child was supposed to do, what they were supposed to think.

Perhaps their minds were as content and empty as hers was at this moment. Or were they full of light and passing thoughts like her mother's? Nothing too solid or too serious so they can maintain their blissful ignorance and lightheartedness. If that were true, did she even want to be a child? Would it be so wrong if she were to grow up faster, sooner than most?

She sighed through her nose softly and closed her eyes. If I do not grow up, then who will keep our household stable? Her brows furrowed before relaxing to their previous state. No one would. It was as simple as that. Renee certainly wouldn't have, and that was alright. She didn't mind having to grow up prematurely. She didn't mind holding responsibilities her mother could not, or perhaps would not. As long as she could have these content, peaceful moments, completely undisturbed. All-consuming, blessedly accepting silence.

"Damn it!"

Isabella froze at the almost growl-like curse but didn't open her eyes, even as all conversation cut off conspicuously. It was ony after a few moments of silence that she did, and even then, it was a slow movement, a sign of her still relaxed state, though she could tell that soon the necessary adrenaline would be pumping through her veins if the situation demanded it.

As her eyes opened, the first thing she took notice of was the hurried gathering of families and their picnics, faces wary and almost fearful. They all began to filter away, quickly, and looking back as if some predator was watching them. It took a moment for Isabella to connect the sound she heard moments before to their rushed departures. Was there some kind of animal around or something? But she hadn't heard another growl, or even the sounds of an animal approaching?

As if on cue, light but quick footsteps, softened by grass, could be heard not too far away. Isabella didn't move though. Perhaps she was frozen or perhaps it was a conscious choice, she couldn't decide which as she turned in the direction of the footsteps. Directly behind her, she noticed, and depending on who or what was coming, they wouldn't be able to see her. It gave her little relief. If she had needed to get away, it was already too late. Were she to try and run at the first sign of a threat, she knew she would fall. It was an inevitable and likely unavoidable truth now.

She silently cursed her inability to follow other people's examples in exchange for appraising them. Truly, it was moments like these her individualism got in the way of proper reactions. Follow the crowd, off the cliff...away from danger, into the abyss. A crude paraphrasing of a saying she heard once but she really couldn't recall it verbatim.

Just then, a form broke through the trees at a brisk speed. Isabella could ony stare as she recognized the form as a man with one hand running roughly, haphazardly though long, thick strands of black hair, partially shading his face, but she could see his lips twisted into something of a snarl.

She remained motionless where she sat at the fountain as she watched the man sit on the opposite side of the fountain, though fortunately at an angle to where she could see his face. And what a sight that was. If she thought the park was the definition of aesthetic, simplistic beauty, the man was the incarnate of exotic exquisiteness.

Despite the twist of his features, she could see just how exquisite a being he was. He was a relatively tall man, with dark, dusky, smooth brown skin. His hair was unbound and flowed like a wave of inky blackness over his shoulder and down his back, blending in seamlessly with his dark button up top. His face was sharp and angled yet there was a softness there that made him less intimidating than he could have been, even if there was a decidedly frightening sneer besmirching his face.

At any other time, Isabella would have taken the time to study the beautiful creature before her, or maybe she would have taken the opportunity to leave as the others had, but she did neither of those things. Neither even occurred to her as she looked into the eyes of the man. She had never seen the particular shade the man's eyes were, but she had definitely seen the emotion in it, though not to such a heart wrenching extent.

Though the man's face was screwed up with the appearance of anger, of fury, Isabella could see the deep, clawing pain raging in them. Raging the deepest, cruelest depths of the sea, like the hottest of infernos in Hell. Raging like a beast torn asunder by suffering and swallowed in its own misery.

Isabella could feel her own heart cringing at the sight. She had always been hyper-aware of people's moods around her, and she could never let it go when she knew they were in serious need of help. And this man was definitely in need of someone's, maybe not just anyone's, but someone's help. Seeing as everyone had already fleed due to the man's venting, she was the only one around to provide it.

This worried her slightly, after all, she did not know the man, and in his state of mind and turmoil, who knew what could happen? But wouldn't leaving him in such a state be dangerous as well? Even more so, for himself. He could be suicidal for all she knew. And she could do nothing, letting the man wallow in pain before eventually succumbing to it.

She wouldn't allow that. Of all the ways to die, she thought suicide to be the worst. And if not the worst, definitely the saddest and most pitiful. A terrible way to leave this world.

Her decision had been made. She would, if she could, ease the man's pain in any way possible. I don't want to see him dead.

With that thought, she stood silently, placing her book aside and took a moment to steel herself. She would do this. Because she had to, because she needed to. Because she really didn't want to see this person's lifeless face as the last memory of him.

She took a few deep breaths before striding towards the man slowly. Her steps were a bit shaky at first but they quickly became firmer as she walked the small distance of ten feet to stand in front of the man. Pain gleamed in his strangely colored twin orbs and even though they were aimed nearly directly at her, he appeared to not have noticed her. Her worry increased, as did her anxiety, but she beat it down and opened her mouth.

She barely recognized the soft yet strongly compassionate, with a miniscule hint of curiosity, voice that left her lips.

"Why do you look so sad?"