Disclaimer: No, I don't own the characters. Also if this story is pure crap, then it's totally on me because I didn't use a beta! I really appreciate it when people post reviews and comments. I get if you don't like the story, but spending the time to write a flame says more about YOU than about me.

Prologue

Three years earlier – Queens, New York

Marie Higginbottam nee Anderson stepped into her bedroom after organizing a few things in the basement. She often went to downstairs when she had something urgent to do: something of the magical kind that is to say. These days she rarely had anything of that sort to do down there. Until recently, the basement was used as a regular basement like all her neighbors.

Marie sighed as she took one last look at the lab results she received earlier that week. Marie's heart condition was worsening and at any time she could have a heart attack. There wasn't much time left since her body was becoming a time bomb.

Marie was the youngest of the three Anderson sisters. What most people didn't know was that both of their parents came from long lines of witches of great ability. The manor house that Marie was raised in was built by an Anderson ancestor in the mid-1800s. The house was built to channel power from the natural elements that strengthened their powers. Marie and her sisters, Lillian and Alicia, inherited the house forty years earlier and took their positions as matriarchs of their magical family seriously. Now Marie was the only sister left. All three sisters did manage to have one child each. Their children had their powers bound many years ago. However their grandchildren had untapped abilities; only if they would embrace their heritage.

Marie had done her usual inventory over the various items in the trunks in the basement. She had quickly glanced at the pages in the thick, old book near her. She carefully placed the specified items and the appropriate amounts in a uniquely colored bag. After doing so, she carefully took out her note pad and mentioned which colored bags to use for what. This information would be part of a letter she would leave for her granddaughter Isabella, only to be given to her once she was dead.

Now in her bedroom, she gently caressed the picture that was on her writing desk. Marie carefully prepared everything she would need to leave for her granddaughter. The picture was taken nearly three years ago when her daughter Renee and Bella visited her for two weeks. It was the summer before Bella started her senior year in high school. Now Bella was at NYU starting her sophomore year in journalism. "Well Lily, let's see if you helped me pick the right one," Marie said softly.

Not long after Marie had a dizzy spell that landed her in the hospital five years ago, her sister Lillian Montgomery appeared in her dream. Lillian mentioned a name to her and told her: "Find him." It didn't take long for Marie to "find him" when she served coffee and some lasagna to a young man who appeared at her cafe late one night.

The door bell interrupted Marie's reverie and she went to answer it. She opened the door and smiled, "I've been expecting you, young man."

He offered her a warm smile and a chuckle. "Well I do owe you a great deal ma'am. If you didn't keep making your famous lasagna for me, I'd never have passed my bar exam. Helping you with your final affairs is the least I could do."

Marie stepped aside. "Come on in, Jasper."

Jasper entered the house and appreciated the interior that perfectly blended different

Chapter 1 - Three Paths in Parallel

Present Day – Queens, New York

Bella put the key into the lock and turned until it clicked open. The door opened and she stepped inside the familiar house. Bella lived in the NYU dorms during her time studying at the university. Her grandmother told her that she was more than welcome to live at the "Anderson Manor" as Granny Higginbottam's house in Queens was often called. It was a heaven-sent offer for the new graduate, who luckily got a job in New York, and was struggling to find an apartment to live in.

Bella took off her thin jacket and placed it in the hall closet. She closed the door and carefully took off her shoes. It seemed strange to be in the empty house now that her Granny Higginbottam was gone. Bella had been working at her desk doing last minute changes to her interview with one of many celebrities she was assigned to write about when she received a call from the hospital saying Granny had collapsed at her café.

Marie Anderson-Higginbottam continued running the cafe she started years ago in spite of her health condition. The customers appreciated her dedication and the staff worked extra hard so she wouldn't be as physically taxed. Granny had said to Bella, "I live life as best as I can. When it's my time, it's my time. I regret nothing, my dear."

Bella went to the kitchen and began boiling water for a mug of green tea. It was tradition of Granny's and she knew she would need it when Granny's lawyer would arrive. Marie would always ask Bella if she had enough of two things: tea bags and her special homemade candles.

Ever since Bella started college and experienced stress with her studies, Granny always told her to light her special candles and say the words: "Open my heart so I can receive, not what I want, but what I need." Bella smiled when she was first told to do that meditation. Strangely she tried it and things that she didn't expect began happening to her. One time, she was competing with other students for an internship and she was one of the lucky fifteen of two hundred to be chosen. Another time she had to score a big interview for an assignment and after a meditation session, the singer's manager called letting her know there was a free hour in his jam-packed tour schedule for the interview.

The kettle whistled just as the door bell rang. Bella shut off the stove before running to the door. Bella tripped a little before she got to the door. She opened the front door and saw a tall, handsome, blond man at the door. She smiled and opened the metal, storm door. "Hi, Jasper! Come in." Bella stepped aside.

Jasper was dressed in a light coat, button-up dress shirt and tan slacks. "Thanks, Bella."

Bella led him into the kitchen. "Why don't you take a seat? I was making some tea. Do you want some?"

Jasper shook his head. "No thanks." He carefully laid his briefcase on a chair before opening it and taking out some papers. "I have everything here you will need. This is all the paperwork you need to sign. I have to admit I was a little surprised that she left you this house. I can't imagine how hard it would be managing a house this size alone. Especially since most people would be getting apartments."

Bella made her tea. "That's true. However, this house has been in the Anderson family for a long time. It feels wrong to sell something that was important to Gran. Not to mention the house really saves me the effort of finding a much smaller place to live in that costs almost as much. I suppose I could always get a roommate or two." Bella had been considering that idea for the past few days.

Jasper seemed to smile at that. "Well I'm sure it would get lonely living in a large house like this by yourself. I think Miss Marie said this place has four bedrooms?"

Bella couldn't help but grin every time Jasper demonstrated his southern mannerisms, like calling older women "Miss" or "ma'am."

"Very true. Gran wasn't kidding when she said this was a manor house. One of the bedrooms used to be a room for two maids to live in along with a master bedroom and two bedrooms for children in the family to live in. Can't remember how the rooms used to be configured, but of course places like the kitchen and living room haven't changed really other than updating things for modern times," Bella said before sipping her tea.

Jasper whistled slightly. He couldn't help but be impressed as very few houses of this size existed in New York City. "Not sure how Miss Marie managed to live here by herself before you moved in. She's been very generous from the paperwork I was reviewing. She left you her café too. Not planning on selling it are you?"

Bella chuckled at that. "No, I'm not. Angela is running the place for now. I'm still in the middle of some articles I'm working on, but I've given notice to my boss. As soon as I finish writing those stories, I'm going to work full-time at the café."

Jasper sighed with relief. "Glad to hear that! I would really miss eating that lasagna your grandmother makes. Only lasagna I ever ate close to that was in Italy. Let me tell you… I'm not going all the way to Italy just for lasagna," he said with a wink.

Bella couldn't help but laugh at that. There was something about Jasper that put her at ease the few times she had met him over the years. Gran referred to Jasper as one of her regulars at the diner even though he lived in Manhattan and their part of Queens was out of the way for him. "Glad to know you're still going to come back on Sundays for lunch then."

Jasper nodded his head. "Well if you ever need help, I'm around. Oh! Before I forget…" Jasper went to a pocket in his briefcase and pulled an envelope with Bella's name on it. He handed it to her.

Bella touched the envelope and smiled at her grandmother's familiar handwriting. The envelope seemed to be fairly thick. Bella was curious about what Granny could have written to her about. She glanced at Jasper and offered him a friendly smile. Whatever it is would have to wait. She had some paperwork to handle. "So, where do we begin?"

Mary Alice Brandon was totally at home in New York. She knew ever since she was seven that New York was her destiny. It wasn't just the fact her beloved Grammy Carter was born here. Some people would say Mary Alice, or Alice as she preferred to be called, was a weirdo. Alice never let that negative talk get to her. That was because she had a sixth sense. At least that was what Grammy called it and Grammy was the only one in the Carter/Brandon family that didn't doubt her ability.

The last thing that Grammy Carter taught her before she died ten years ago was a special recipe. Most grandmothers would teach their granddaughters how to garden, how to knit and sew, or that special cookie recipe they loved. Grammy Carter did all of those things, but she left her with a special recipe that all the other girls Alice knew didn't learn. So on a fine Sunday afternoon in April, Alice was working on that special recipe in her apartment kitchen she shared with Jessica Stanley.

Jessica narrowed her eyes as she watched her roommate humming and flittering around the kitchen. "Alice! Are you making candles again? Didn't you already make like a hundred of those last Sunday?"

Alice offered her annoyed roommate a warm smile. "Oh, I realized that what I made last Sunday wasn't enough. In fact I think I'll need a lot in the near future. I'll have to make more next Sunday too." Alice carefully poured hot wax into the various containers as she prepared the special candles like her Grammy taught her.

Jessica rolled her eyes. "You're making enough candles to supply a Yankee Candle Company store! Why the heck do you need so many of them anyway?"

Alice stopped a moment to consider the question. "Honestly? I have no idea." She said with a shrug before turning back to her work.

Jessica gaped at Alice. "What do you mean you have no idea?!"

Alice frowned and took a deep breath before turning back to her candle making. "It's just that ever since I was a little kid, as far back as I can remember, I've always had this… I guess you could call it a sixth sense about things. I'd just get these ideas and feelings… really strong ones."

Jessica arched an eyebrow. "So you're running on gut instinct and feelings? Sheesh, how can someone live like that?"

Alice finished making the current batch and she was preparing the last few bars of wax to produce the special candles. "They aren't just gut instinct and feelings. It's like I just know what I should do and how to make things happen the way they should." Alice took a breath and released it slowly. "I admit it's not easy to explain."

Jessica frowned. "So… like what does it all mean? Are you a psychic or something?"

Alice stirred the pot to help melt wax. "I don't know what it really all means. I just know that whatever this sense I have is, it hasn't failed me before. In fact I've been getting a strong feeling that some big changes are coming my way. Hence I should have lots of these meditation candles ready just in case."

Jessica offered her a tiny smile. "So what do you see? In the future, I mean."

Alice frowned from her stirring. "What do you mean, Jess?"

Jessica pulled one of the chairs at the kitchen table and took a seat. "The lease to this place comes up in a couple months. I was planning to stay here, but you've never talked about signing the renewal. I mean you're usually the one who reminds me about bills that need to be paid and stuff. What else can I think except you're thinking about moving out?"

Alice stirred the melted wax before turning off the flame. "As cliché as this totally sounds, I kind of knew that I wouldn't be your roommate for long. I mean living with you has been great, but we both kind of know that we're too different to be roommates forever, you know? I had the feeling that us being roommates was for some sort of purpose, other than the practical fact that we were both fashion students about to graduate and needed a place to live."

"So what does it all mean?"

"I believe that pretty soon, I'll get a sign. A sign of what I should do next. I will make a decision soon, I promise. How about after I finish making this last batch, I'll treat you to dinner? It'll be my apology," said Alice.

Jessica stood up and nodded approvingly. "I keep hearing about this place from some co-workers of mine at Fashion Today. It's called New Moon Lounge. Pretty nice décor, amazing food, and I hear there's a really hot bartender that works Sundays," Jessica said with a smirk.

Alice giggled and nodded. "That sounds great. Just give me another hour to finish this and clean up the kitchen."

Jessica smiled. "Perfect! I'll go to Whole Foods and restock the fridge and the pantry." Jessica got up and left the kitchen. After a couple minutes the door to the apartment opened and closed.

Not long after Alice began getting her sixth sense feelings, Grammy Carter taught her two important lessons. The first lesson was that Alice possessed a special gift and gifts that important should be used to help people. Alice took this particular lesson to heart and tried to use her unusual skill to help where she could. The second lesson that Alice learned was that sometimes people can't handle the truth. Alice had done her meditation as Grammy taught her: "Open my heart so I can receive, not what I want, but what I need."

Before she had started working on her candles, Alice grabbed old newspapers and laid them down on all the available table and countertop space. It would make it easier to clean up afterwards. About half an hour after Jessica left, Alice was done and began to clean up. It was during this clean up that Alice noticed that a few drops landed on some random sheets. The drops landed on words: "moon," "lounge," and "new." Alice just wasn't sure how Jessica would react if she knew that her choice for dinner tonight was somehow meant to be.

Four months ago, Rosalie Hale had the ideal life. She was young, beautiful, and had money in one of the fashion capitals of the world. Rosalie was twenty-two and enjoying her life. She came from a fairly wealthy family, so she never had to worry about food, shelter, or clothing. Rosalie smirked as she walked down the street in her chic ensemble towards her long-time boyfriend's penthouse apartment.

Rosalie first met Royce King two years earlier at a society function. Rosalie was happy to see how well she and Royce looked together; the perfect couple that inspired envy and awe. The Hales and Kings were both in local New York State banking for generations with various business interests. If things go just right, she would become Mrs. Royce King II and unite two important families. It was the closest thing to royalty Rosalie could achieve, short of meeting a European prince.

Rosalie entered the apartment building and offered the doorman a gracious smile. "Afternoon, John."

John's eyes widened almost unnoticeably, but still managed to smile and tipped his hat. "Afternoon, Miss Hale."

Rosalie's smile dimmed slightly in confusion before shaking her head. It's probably nothing, she thought to herself.

Rosalie walked to the elevators and waited for its arrival. She admired her reflection in the shiny frame of the elevator doors. Her long, blond hair was neatly styled into a bun. Her makeup was flawless. The elevator doors opened and stepped inside the empty car. She pressed the button for the penthouse and the doors closed. It took only a minute for her to reach the 22nd floor.

The doors open and Rosalie stepped into the hallway. Facing the elevator was the door to the penthouse. Rosalie pulled out the keys from her Ferragamo handbag. She put the key into the lock and entered the penthouse. She barely walked two steps past the threshold, when she heard the sounds of laughter. There was the familiar guffaw of her boyfriend, but it was accompanied by the trilling giggles of a woman. Rosalie's eyes widened and she followed the sounds.

Rosalie glared as she quickly followed the sounds to the master bedroom. She shoved the door open so it banged against the wall. Rosalie glowered at her cheating boyfriend in bed with another woman. "You bastard!"

Royce shot up and the giggling girl on top of him rolled off him onto the empty side of the bed. "Rosalie! Darling, I wasn't expecting you!"

Rosalie narrowed her eyes. "Clearly you didn't or you wouldn't be in bed with that whore!"

Royce's redhead lover gasped at the insult. "Royce! You didn't tell me you were seeing someone!"

"Lila…" Royce replied weakly as his eyes darted back and forth between the two women. He could quickly see there was no way out of his mess.

Rosalie replied disgustedly, "Ugh!" She promptly threw her hands up in frustration. "In case you haven't figured it out, Royce, we are totally over!"

Royce's eyes widened. "But Rosalie!"

Rosalie growled at him. "Don't you dare! This is absolutely it! I'm not going to let you treat me like this and take it!" She turned around and quickly left the penthouse. In her hurry, she barely noticed the smoke alarm beeping and Lila shrieking about sparks followed by Royce's shouting.

Looking back on it all now, Rosalie was relieved she never actually moved into Royce's apartment after she finished college. Her parents had left for London for a few months ago. The Hales had business interests in England and it was a convenient excuse to go on an extended vacation. Consequently, it left Rosalie the opportunity to live in her parents' penthouse alone. Her parents had assured her that she was more than welcome to live with them as long as she wished, particularly in light of her recent heart break. However Rosalie realized that in order move past Royce, she had to move out. After all, her parents were still friends with the Kings, in spite of the awkwardness between their two children. It was only a matter of time before Rosalie would run into that cheating scum again.

Rather than drive herself crazy, Rosalie decided she should go out for dinner and relax before she continued her search for an apartment. A few of her acquaintances mentioned a new club in Midtown that was both cool and very classy. New Moon Lounge was the place to be without there being loud music or ridiculously long lines wrapping the block. There wasn't any reason for Rosalie to think her relaxing night out would change her life forever.

AN: Editted & Posted – December 29, 2012