24 years later…

24 years later…

"Mu-um!" called Anna anxiously, "I'm going to be late for my first day of Kindy!"

Bella laughed in amusement. "You have your first day of Kindy every three years; I'm sure being late for one won't kill you. And what did I say about calling me mum? I am your sister!"

Anna pouted and stomped her foot. "Fine, but don't blame me if I accidentally lose all control and suck Ayla's blood…"

Bella glared. "Do. Not. Threaten. My. Ayla."

Anna shrunk back, "sorry," she mumbled insincerely.

"Dane! Gilan! Get your ugly butts down here! Ayla, love, could you please hurry up?"

Fourteen year old Dane came gilding down the stairs, his uniform immaculate, and picked Anna up swiftly, "I'm here!" he stated unnecessarily.

Gilan came down the stairs, looking like the player he was, with his wild hair and messy uniform. He frowned, "Oh, sure, we get called down like dogs, while Bella's little human girlfriend gets beckoned like a princess," he mumbled sarcastically to Dane.

"That's 'cuz I am a princess, Gil!" called a cheeky voice from the top of the staircase.

"Yeah, whatever you say…" he said, completely unconvincing.

She started walking down the stairs, carefully.

"Don't trip!" he cried with fake concern. She glared.

"Ayla," Bella sighed, tugging the tall blonde towards her, and kissing her fiercely.

"Get a room!" Gilan rolled his eyes.

The females turned to face him, "Okay," they said in unison, turning towards the stairs.

"No!" Dane cried, "I want to get to school, now!"

Gilan coughed, it sounded suspiciously like, "nerd."

Dane pointedly ignored him.

Bella sighed in amusement, "Alright, everyone in the van!"

There was a simultaneous cheer from Dane and Anna, and a groan from Ayla and Gilan.

Bella rolled her eyes, "Ayla, love, you want to be a vampire, you're going to have to get used to going to school for the rest of eternity…"

Ayla stepped forward, kissing Bella softly on the lips, "I'd do anything for you," she whispered.

"Aww…I think I'm going to be sick! Now, let's go!"

The all headed towards the door.

"Oh! Kids!" called an older, male voice, John, "remember, we are having some guest over tonight, vegetarian vampires," he added at Bella's involuntary movement – pulling Ayla closer, "so remember, be home by five, don't be late!"

"Yes, John," said Dane, ever the suck-up, "I'll make sure of it!"

And off to school they went; all thoughts of another vampire coven forgotten.

--

"Lunch. Lunch. Lunch. Lunch," Ayla mumbled under her breath, watching the seconds on the clock tick by.

Bella, sitting next to her, chuckled, but had an annoyed look on her face. She was upset about the fact that she couldn't publicly show affection to Ayla, like she did at home, because, well…A lesbian relationship would just cause unnecessary attention to their coven, so any contact they had was stopped at 'very close best friends.' It was frustrating her to no end -in more ways than one.

Finally, the bell rang, signalling for lunch.

"Yes!" Ayla cried out, earning stares.

She jumped from her seat and started pulling Bella towards the cafeteria, her girlfriend allowed herself to be pulled along uncomplaining, both knowing full well that if Bella didn't want to be moved, Ayla couldn't do a thing about it. Except strip on the other side of the room…That always got Bella moving…

When they reached the cafeteria, Bella spied Dane and Gilan sitting at a corner table, talking animatedly and pointedly ignoring any and all female advances.

"Dane!" Ayla called enthusiastically, "Gilan!"

The looked up in confusion, Dane raised an eyebrow.

"You're in a good mood," he observed once Ayla had arrived, Bella just behind her.

Ayla nodded, "Lunch. Food. Yum."

Gilan snorted. "Human. Food. Yum."

Bella pushed down on Ayla's shoulders gently, signalling for her to sit, "I'm going to get food for the human. No eating her while I'm away," she joked.

Gilan mock saluted, "sir, yes, sir!"

"Good man!" Bella called as she walked towards the line, "and don't call me sir!"

As Bella approached the trays, she picked up an oddly familiar scent, but no matter how much she concentrated, she just couldn't place why she recognized it, or where she recognized it from.

She stealthily tilted her head upwards and searched around the small room. Nothing suspicious.

She shrugged it off as a mixture of the food and continued.

--

Edward's POV

Forks.

We had moved back to Forks.

Twenty-four long years.

I had fought against it, but had lost.

Why here?

The memories came flooding back as Rosalie pulled into the school parking lot.

Flashback

The family was all in the lounge room, I, as usual, was moping, thinking about Bella…

It had been only two weeks since I had left her, and I was already preparing a speech to say when I came crawling back, begging for forgiveness, and for her to take me back.

"And now," said the news reporter, "we continue the story of the missing teenager."

"Two weeks ago, in the small town of Forks," my ears pricked up, "the chief policeman, Charlie Swan," I was suddenly alert, as was the rest of my family, had something happened to Charlie? Was Bella alone? Oh, God, she'd never forgive me for leaving her when she needed me the most… "filed a report, stating that his eighteen year old daughter, Isabella Swan, had gone missing, without a trace."

I let out an agonised cry, and my family gasped, moaned or cried with me.

"Two weeks have passed since that fateful day, and there has been not luck, even though practically the whole town has been involved in the search."

I was now shamelessly staring at the screen, hoping, praying, for even the smallest piece of information.

Suddenly, and image of a pale and tired looking Charlie appeared.

"I just want my baby back," he said, his voice frail and raspy.

A reporter behind the camera asked, "Are there any suspects?"

He shook his head, "Not officially, but personally, I suspect her boyfriend, who disappeared the same day she did."

"No…" I moaned, "I left to protect her!"

A picture of a smiling Bella appeared on the screen and my heart both sang and broke. I had taken that picture…

"If you have any information on the whereabouts-" the reported stopped, "no, wait, this just in!"

I would have been hyperventilating.

"Traces of Bella have been found! Ah…Blood, and scraps of clothes…"

The reporters face turned grave.

"T-the search has been called off, and Isabella Marie Swan had just been officially declared dead. Our heartfelt sympathies to her family and all the residents of Forks. Back to you, Emily."

Dead…Dead…Dead…

I could hear Esme and Alice heaving dry sobs, the surprise radiating from Jasper, the disbelieving faces of Rosalie and Carlisle, and the distraught shaking of Emmett, who had lost a little sister.

But none of that mattered.

Nothing mattered anymore.

Because everything that mattered to me was gone.

Dead.

My sun.

My love.

My life.

My Bella.

Dead.

--

I shook my head to clear it of depressing thoughts.

She was gone. I had to move on.

But I knew I couldn't. I wouldn't.

--

Yay!! Wow…that was depressing…Don't worry, they'll meet later on, and everything will become first - Hilariously dramatic, then just hilarious.

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