Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer owns the major characters. There will be bits of history throughout the story. To that I thank innumerable websites. No disrespect intended if I tweaked things just a bit.

I have been inspired to create this story by so many fantastic writers found here in fandom. Some published and so many more who should be. Thank you!

To Siobhan Masen who has graciously given her time and knowledge for all things regarding writing and posting. Oh, and a wonderful pre-reader of this chapter. Thank You! Waaa Laaa!

To books-are-better, beta extraordinaire, who has shown me the value of tense, past, present and future. Thank You!

Chapter 1

A Little Bit of Swan History

Bella

A Swan has lived in what was originally known as an English Colony of Savannah, Georgia, since 1733. At the time, the homes were crude cabins and the land was vast with no fence lines to show property division. A man would pace off his claim for miles and miles and simply pound a stake into the ground to mark his territory and boarders. This land offered freshwater springs and hot springs. Creeks, rivers and marshlands, with the ocean less than a day or so ride either by horse, raft or boat.

Of course, it took the City of Savannah a few years to grow. But grow it did. It started from a little meeting place for social or religious gatherings and trading purposes, to a hamlet, to a town and then a full fledge city.

The earliest Swan settler had been a farmer in England. Eric brought with him his wife, Alethea and their two growing children, a son Evan and daughter Ashley. Along with farming equipment and seed, he brought an ox, two milk cows and a pregnant pig. He didn't know the sow was pregnant but was able sell half the litter to other settlers on board the ship. He turned his first profit as soon as his foot touched the soil of the New England, in the land of America.

He and his family took this as a good sign that their new home land would be just that—a new home, in a new land, with amazing possibilities.

We know about this history because of the journals stored in the library of our home.

As the years passed, the original home was rebuilt and expanded. Today, our home sits on a top of a rise and is a superb specimen of a two story ranch style house. It's truly beautiful, painted white with blue shutters, facing the east. There are five bedrooms, three bathrooms, and two sitting rooms upstairs. Downstairs is a front parlor, library, office, a guest bedroom, bathroom, dining room, a large kitchen with a bedroom off the side, which our housekeeper Mrs. Cope uses.

A large veranda surrounds the front of the house, held up by six large pillars. It stretches from one end to the other; it's used regularly for relaxing and enjoying family and friends, after a long days' work in the fields. I enjoy sitting out here early in the morning, greeting the day as I watch the sun rise. Alice enjoys the evening view when the sun sets behind the house with the changing colors of the sky; she says the colors changes with the season.

I think the changes in the season come from the view in the distance from the veranda. Currently, its autumn with row upon row of cotton balls waving in the breeze as far as the eye can see. Winter time when the fields are resting and cleared of the previous year's growth, you can fully see the vastness of our land stretching for miles. Springtime brings the freshly plowed soil and the beginnings of new life and growth.

Summertime is the growing season with the activities of man, birds and insects completing the cycle. To me the succession of views is mesmerizing.

Off the back porch from the kitchen are the smoke house and the original water well. The home now has plumbing but the well reminds us of how far we've come. As children we loved to work the crank and bring up the bucket with the fresh cool water from the underground spring.

Other improvements include sheds in various locations for equipment and tools needed. A large barn, used to store feed and hay for the livestock. There is also a Carriage House which was also the stable; we know longer have a stable full of horses. We have only two which my father Charlie uses when checking the fields with his foreman.

There's an old carriage which still resides in one corner of the Carriage House. Alice and I can't bear for our parents to get rid of. Built in the 1890's, it is very elaborate with brass coach lamps, full-size beveled glass doors, elegant door handles, and a silk interior with shades; it seats four comfortably. Alice and I have spent many hours playing in the carriage pretending to be grand ladies attending the opera or the carriage taking us away from our future weddings.

Now the Carriage House also holds a 1921 Buick - four door convertible automobile along with a work truck. Sure the automobile gets you to where you want to go faster but we enjoy the glamour of the carriage.

Yes, this land has seen many changes throughout the years. The people who have lived on it, have survived the Revolutionary War, the War of 1812 and the Civil War; so much blood, sweat and tears have been lost here, draining into this soil. Not only of the Swan men and women but of the men and women hired to work it. Yes, this land has seen and lived a history of a family who has always survived.

H~~H

As children, Alice my younger sister by sixteen months and I have grown up listening to the oral history and have read the family journals. We have grown up always understanding we are the legacy of a family rich in history.

But we have also changed the family history. We are the first Swan family to never have a male heir.

The first born through countless generations all the way from the first, have always been males. This was until the day I was born. Now mind you, I have always been loved and blessed with two of the greatest parents a child could have, but I did change the history. Or maybe it was my mother, Renee. She was the first Swan wife never to have any siblings.

Alice and I loved hearing their story, from their first meeting to their wedding—and having us. I can recall it word by word; I've heard it so many times, and it's written for posterity in part of a Swan journal dated 1902 to 1917:

H~~H

Miss Renee's family had only just moved to the Savannah area as she had grown up in New York City. Her father was a business man but was tired of all the hustle bustle of the big city and wanted a quieter life for his wife and daughter. He was a wealthy man who wanted to try his hand at running a plantation. Uprooting his family, they settled in the outskirts of Savannah on a small little farm on the southern border of Swan lands.

Miss Renee was a beauty even then. With her thick reddish brown hair in long pigtails, azure blue eyes and smooth porcelain skin, wearing a pretty new dress for her first day in a new school.

When my father Charlie first saw Renee his only thought was: She's an angel. He saw her as she was being chased around by a larger boy, one bully by the name of William Black. It was obvious to Charlie that Billy Black already had a crush on Miss Renee as he had known Billy all his life. He could understand why Billy had his crush. Looking at her instantly made Charlie's heart beat a little faster.

Billy Black's family had a large plantation which was settled on the northern boundaries of the Swan Plantation and grew tobacco. Billy was confident to the point of arrogance and if he wasn't given what he wanted—he would take it. This was the same attitude he learned from his father, Master Black as he preferred to be called.

My father was a quiet, fair, honest and hard-working young man—both in school and at home. He had been raised with two moral codes which he lived by. The first being: to be thankful with what you have, and the second: if you take care of the land, your home and the people in your life, then they will take care of you. To Charlie's way of thinking, there wasn't much more he could ever want.

Charlie continued to watch Billy as he kept pulling on my mother's pigtails and taunting her. Billy was trying to rile her up and Charlie was both amazed and amused. Instead of crying, as most girls would or going to tell the teacher, this beautiful, spunky girl would try to swing her fists and fight off Billy Black.

Billy would laugh, as he kept pulling on her hair, taunting her more by saying, "You're such a weak, little girl. You'll never be able to hit me."

My father had enough. As far as he was concerned, Billy was just plain ornery and needed to be taught a lesson. The school bell was rung and all the kids headed into the school house, Charlie waited at the door. As soon as Miss Renee entered, he grabbed her hand and led her to one of the double desks in the back.

Wanting to be away from Billy Black, Miss Renee easily complied.

When she seated herself, she turned to give her thanks to the boy who rescued her, but her sentence caught in her throat and she just stared.

The attraction was instant. This boy is as handsome as the day is long, she thought to herself. Her eyes wandered from his dark hair to eyes the color of milk chocolate, then to the straight nose, a smooth strong jaw and then she ended her perusal by staring at his mouth that was simply made for smiling; his lower lip a little larger than the top and she knew in an instant, she wanted her first kiss to come from those lips.

To say that Billy was livid at Charlie was an understatement. He knew immediately he had a rival for the affections of Miss Renee. It wasn't the first time either. All the girls seemed to gravitate to Charlie and Billy never understood it. The boy was too quiet, and as far as he was concerned stupid and not as good looking as him.

When my mother faced forward, she caught Billy's glare. He is just a black haired, black eyed and probably black hearted boy, she thought to herself. She just smiled sweetly and waved bye-bye to the angry boy.

Charlie, chuckling quietly, asked, "Are you all right? My name is Charlie, Charlie Swan by the way." He never used his full name of Charles M. Swan III. He felt it was too pretentious.

Miss Renee shrugged her shoulders as she was still miffed with Billy Black and flustered by the boy sitting next to her.

Charlie pulled out his pencil and a piece of paper and wrote to her instead, asking if she wanted his help in getting back at Billy? A devilish glint filled her eyes as she gave him a firm nod of her head. Then she leaned toward Charlie and whispered in his ear, "My name is Renee by the way."

"Miss Renee, it's nice to meet you." Charlie said lifting his hand to shake hers.

She took his hand, shook it firmly and said, "Renee, not Miss Renee."

Again, Charlie chuckled quietly. My father said she was spunky and he liked it, he liked it very much.

They worked together and made a plan and when the teacher dismissed the class for the lunch recess. Charlie and Renee ran out of the back door of the school house and headed for the rear of the building where the boys mostly hung out. Charlie leaned against the corner of the building, so his back would be visible from the front side of the school.

Billy Black exited the school house and not seeing Renee where all the other girls usually gathered, finally saw the back of Charlie. There was no way in his mind that Charlie was competition for the lovely, Miss Renee. Billy wandered up behind Charlie trying to hear who he was talking to.

Billy asks, "What 'cha doin Charlie?"

Charlie turned only his head to Billy answering, "Just getting a little bit of fresh air with a couple of the guys."

Billy kept trying to look in front Charlie and Harry, Charlie's best friend who now stood next to Charlie as if creating a human wall, but he couldn't see if Miss Renee was there or not. Charlie and Harry just kept moving so he couldn't really see over or around them.

Billy started getting frustrated and was about to push Charlie out of the way to get a better view, when one of his knees gave out from someone hitting the back of it. As he was teetering, he turned to see who would dare to try to take him down, when he was suddenly hit in the jaw, by none other than little Miss Renee.

He went down on both knees, yelling in pain. Miss Renee with her fist still closed the way Charlie told her, again punched him— this time in the eye.

Down Billy went on his back, to the hoots and hollering of the many boys, witnessing the event.

Billy was shocked. Then he was furious. How dare she show him up in front of all these boys? He was William Black and no one treats him like this. Billy got up, pulled his fist back, ready to hit Miss Renee, when Charlie grabbed his arm to prevent the hit. All the boys who had witnessed Billy's earlier behavior, stood in front of her, in a protective half circle with Charlie in the lead.

"Are you going to try to hit a girl?" Charlie quietly asked, but threateningly. Well, as threatening as one can sound at the age of twelve.

Billy, letting his anger take control, snidely asks Charlie, "Do you want to take her punishment instead?"

"If you think you can." Charlie shrugged.

Now, Charlie is a wiry young man; just as tall Billy, but not bulked up like he is. But to Charlie's way of thinking, bulk slows you down in the end. Billy braced himself and threw his massive fist at Charlie's face, but Charlie just bobbed out of the way. Billy swung again and Charlie dipped away.

Now, Billy is out of control with rage, blinding him, as he charged at Charlie. Charlie side stepped him and brought his locked fisted hands down on back of Billy's neck. Billy went down, sprawled on the ground. Charlie bent down, and with one knee on Billy's back said, "Enough."

Billy's yelling and swearing rang all around the school yard. Upon hearing the commotion, the teacher arrived to the back of the school house, trying to find out what was going on. Before Charlie could get in trouble, Renee explained what happened and why. The witnesses all concur from the hair pulling to Renee's revenge; to Billy's threats and attack on Charlie. Needless to say, Billy got suspended.

Master Black was so humiliated that Billy was first bested by a girl and then by the Swan boy, he brought in a private tutor, instead of sending him back to the school house. Everyone at school was happy with that bit of news and celebrated it with cupcakes the next day, which Renee brought.

From that day forward, my father and mother became best friends, boyfriend and girlfriend, then man and wife at the ages of 19 and 18 respectively in 1909.

H~~H

On September 13, 1915, Renee gave birth at the age of 25 to a little squalling dark hair girl. Me. They had tried for years to conceive, so when it was first known Renee was with child, the whole Plantation looked forward to a little one in the house. To say the Swan household was stunned by the arrival of a little girl, was an understatement. No one more than my parents.

A boy was expected! That's the way it's always been!

But, my father laughed with joy. He didn't worry about not having a male heir. He looked at his new baby girl, and thought I was the most beautiful little girl he'd ever seen, even though I may resemble him. But he could tell that I took after my mother in character, and knowing Renee's strength of mind, heart and will, he wouldn't change a thing.

He smiled at his wife, as she nursed his impatient tiny girl; all the while I was holding tight to my father's little finger as he said, "She has your traits, my love. I can feel it. What shall we name her?"

Smiling down at her little bundle of joy, Renee whispered, "She reminds me of a queen, already so demanding and regal. What do you think about the name of Isabella? I always admired Queen Isabella's forward thinking."

Charlie's grin couldn't have been larger. "Isabella, Bella for short. It means beautiful in Italian, you know. She's strong—won't let go of my finger—forward thinking, and beautiful. It's perfect. Can she have my mother's name of Marie for her middle name?"

Renee, gazing down at her little Isabella Marie Swan, thought about the initials of I M Swan. How appropriate. You are a Swan, she thought to herself. Looking up to her husband with happy tears in her eyes, was all Charlie needed to see.

"I love you Renee Swan. Thank you for my daughter." He bent to kiss her soft lips with misty eyes of his own.

H~~H

As time went by, it's been told time and again, it was a constant race to keep up and track of me once I mastered the art of walking at nine months. Walking immediately led to running, climbing and hiding.

Along with these actions, cause and effect occurred. Falling from table tops, chairs, shelves, stairs, curtains— you name it. I flourished in the world of conquering and mastering these objects. They were my mountains I had to climb.

I was rarely injured nor did I ever cry. Instead, with a look of determination crossing my brow, a look of resolve in my chocolate colored eyes, just like Charlie's, I would study said mountain I fell from for a moment before trying again and again, until it was conquered. Then I would move on to my next quest.

Of course, anyone in the vicinity would try to prevent any of this from happening, but this would only increase my need to dominate whatever obstacle was in my way.

Mrs. Cope, with a twinkle in her light blue eyes and round face, would call me her "little she devil." Everyone knew that to try to thwart me was just asking for trouble.

My mother loved the attention I would give when I was being read to. I would change instantly from the hyper 'little she devil' to the most docile child—if I was being read to.

She believes me to be incredibly intelligent, because I learned to express myself at a very early age and could ask simple questions regarding any story read to me. When I was only twelve months, often, after a book was read to me, I would take the book and study it as if I was reading.

By sixteen months I had simple stories memorized and knew the words by heart reciting them with my mother. My parents said it was as if I was a sponge and absorbed everything.

H~~H

On January 14, 1917, a new little girl was welcomed into the Swan household, born with her deep brown, almost black hair and eyes so blue, they were sure to remain and look like Renee's azure blue ones.

She was first named for Renee's mother, Mary Brandon Swan. When I first saw my little sister I was in awe of her but didn't say anything. She was so beautiful I couldn't take my eyes off her. I just sat silently on the side of the bed next to my mom and baby sister.

Charlie asked, "What are you thinking about there, so quietly, Bella?"

I looked up from this new baby girl to my daddy, "Alice," I said.

"Alice? You want to call her Alice?" Daddy asked me and I nodded.

Renee chuckled quietly, so as not to disturb the sleeping infant. Charlie was still trying to understand me, so he asked, "Why do you want to call her Alice?"

I looked back to the baby and said "Because she is curiouser and curiouser! Just like Alice in Wonderland. I can't figure out how to play with her!"

To say both parents were amused and amazed by my thoughts, was a given, and after several long minutes of laughter, Mary had a new name added. Mary Alice Brandon Swan and to me, Alice was perfect.

H~~H

I never get tired of hearing the story of our parent's love and our births.