Chapter One

New Beginnings

I awoke to the muffled voices in the background. Although I didn't know what they were saying, the voices sounded worried. I knew it was time to wake up. I opened my eyes as slow as my body would let me. I didn't realise that I would regret it as soon as it was done. The brilliant white lights were blinding. I assumed I was in the hospital because the room smelt strongly of disinfectant. I tried to open my eyes again, this time squinting. I took in my surroundings gradually. I noticed something wasn't right. I had woken up to the sound of voices, but I could see that there was no one else here.

I tried to make a sound, anything, so i could alert someone i was awake. My voice was nothing but a small, hoarse whisper. I had obviously not used it in a long time. Panic and fear came in quick, shallow breaths. Where is my mum? Where are my brothers? I welcomed the burning tears that rolled slowly down my face. They landed soundlessly on the uncomfortable, itchy bed linen. The memories of the eventful night came flooding back to me too quickly, I felt like I was drowning.

"Mum are you sure this is safe? I don't want there to be an accident tonight." Me and my mum had been decorating the Christmas tree ready for a very early Christmas Party. Every year my mums boss, Ian, asks her to host a Christmas Party for some reason. This year my mum has decided to put the Christmas Tree right next to the open log fire.

"Stop worrying, will you? Tonight is supposed to be fun! If you'd ike, John and Andrew will put up the fire guard up later." She says 'fun', my idea of fun is not getting pulled into the corner my gross drunk men and grouped. Luckily every year my brothers come and save me. Its been getting worse now that I am older. "Now you go get changed into that pretty dress. Now what time will the guests be arriving again?" My mum,ever the forgetful.

"They wont be here for another three hours! If you think it will take that long to get ready, I will go get changed right now. I'll go tell the twins to come down and sort out the fire, so you can get ready too. The house looks great." I turned just in time to see a wide smile spread across her face.

I climbed up three sets of mahogany stair cases just to get to my brothers' room. I waited politely outside their door after knocking. I couldn't help but laugh at the sight of my two brothers' dressed in identical elf costumes.

"Wow! Well don't you two look... handsome." I laughed again, "Who's genius idea was it to use my green tights?" I turned towards one of my brothers. Andrew always was the joker.

"How do you do that! Mum can't even tell us apart and she was the one who gave birth to us. You know us to well." Both of my brothers always did get annoyed that I could tell them apart.

"Yes, too well indeed." John was always the smart sensible one, but Andrew could make him do all sorts of things. He was too persuasive.

"Anyway... Mum wouldn't mind some help downstairs with the fire guard. Please." They wouldn't do anything for you unless you said 'please' or 'thank you'.

They smiled in unison. It always did used to scare me when I was younger. But now, it was quite endearing.

"We would gladly help you little sister." They were also famous for mocking others. "You go get that lovely dress on, and we'll sort out mother."

I loved my brothers, it was hard not to. They were over six foot in height and had identical sandy brown hair cuts. "You know I really do love you." I smiled

"Well of course you do. I don't see any reason you wouldn't, do you John?"

"No." He wasn't a man of many words John.

I turned slowly and stalked around the corner to my bedroom. I made sure my hair and make-up was perfect before putting on the awful dress my mum had picked out. I turned towards my wardrobe and took a few deep breaths, I knew I was being over dramatic, but I didn't care. The dresses my mum picked out were always too revealing and now that I am fifteen, I had assets worth revealing. This dress wasn't even moderate in length. The only good thing about it was the colour. It was the most beautiful shade of emerald green I had seen. I slipped the dress on and took one last look in the mirror before turning to my door.

Just as I turned the handle, screams came at me from all directions. Something was wrong, terribly wrong. I ran down two sets of stairs, then stopped so I could try figure out what was happening. The screams kept coming, sounder weaker every time. I started to run down the last set of stairs, falling at the bottom. The entire hall way was full of black smoke. I tried my best to stand back up, I must of broken my leg whilst falling. I could hear the screams again, they were all in the dining room. The screams gave me that extra push I needed, I was now standing up again but the walls were taking all of my wait.

"Bella! Bella where are you!" My mum sounded desperate. I shuffled as quickly as I could in the direction of the dining room.

"I'm right here mum! I'm on my way!" I needed to get to her. I had to save her.

"Don't you dare come down here! Get out of here and get some help!"

"Where are my brothers?" If she thought I was leaving now, she was wrong.

"Don't worry Bella! Were all going to be okay if you go get help." I knew there was something else wrong, something she wasn't telling me. But she was right, I needed to go get help and every second I was wasting standing here, my mum and brothers were dying.

I still didn't want to move, I didn't want to leave them in there. The screams were painful to listen to. In that last moment of hesitation, I heard a loud crash and it all went black.

I let out a piercing scream and the new tears came faster an harsher. Doctors and nurses came rushing in from all directions.

"Miss Swan, what's wrong? Can we get you anything? Someone to talk to, perhaps?"

"What's going on? Why am I here? Where is my mum? Where are John and Andrew?" I knew I sounded really pathetic, I was and I couldn't help that. I needed answers and I needed them now.

"I'm so sorry Miss Swan, your mother and brothers... they didn't make it. We did the best we could." I looked up and could tell that this man wasn't used to dealing with matters like these, he was far too young.

"You have been in a coma since the incident. It's been three months now, you were the only one left with a steady heart beat. Whilst in the house, you obtained many injuries, would you like to know now?" I could tell he was trying to take my mind of it, but there was no use.

I didn't want to talk, in case I started crying again i just nodded.

"Well there wasn't much damage to your face. Which was quite surprising considering the amount of glass-"

"What glass?" I stopped her short, I didn't remember any glass. This was going too fast.

"Yes, glass. When the doctors found you, you were covered in glass. A mirror had exploded and hit you from different directions. There was a rather large piece on your neck. I'm afraid you will be getting a bit of scaring."

I was glad I was getting a scar, it would remind me of what a terrible person I am, I left my family and now I'm getting punished for it. "You had a broken leg," I knew it. "which healed itself when you were in a... coma." Okay, this was definitley going too fast.

"I'm sorry Doctor, do we have to talk about this right now. I really just want to leave. I would leave right now if I could. When can I get out of here?" Maybe a distant aunt that I didn't know about, or even a cousin. I could only hope.

"Because you are only fifteen, you wont be able to live by yourself until your eighteen." I didn't care so I waited for him to continue, guessing there was going to be more. "Also because of this... unique situation. All of your mothers and brothers money now go to you, considering they left it all to you." This wasn't making anything better. "You wont be able to have all of it until you are eighteen.

"That's fine, I don't need money. I don't even want to stay at my old school any more." The doctor nodded. "When can I get out of here?" I would leave now if I had somewhere to go.

"We are trying to sort this out as quick as possible."

"Good. I want to get far away from here, please." I was not going to stay in Kensington. Sure it was nice, but there are too many memories. "What about somewhere like Scotland?"

"I'm sorry Bella, you do realise that isn't possible." At my confused look he continued, "You're going to be living with your father. In America..."

"My dad is dead." Well, the last time I asked, I was told he was dead.

"Miss Swan, you must be mistaken. Your father, Charlie Swan, he lives in Forks, Wahington. I apologise again, I thought this would have been common knowlede. He sounded so excited to see you when we spoke on the telephone."

"This can't be possible, I was always told he wasn't even alive. Before that, wasn't he in prison?" I was panicing again. He was supposed to be dead, they all told me he was dead! Did Andrew and John konw that they still had a father? Or was it just me?

"No, he is very much alive. He was in prison too. He had been arrested for attacking someone whilst intoxicated, but that was a long time ago. He is out now and he has been in rehab as well. He will be perfectly safe to live with. I assure you, he is very exciting to see you again." and with that, the Doctors gave me one last look before leaving me alone so I could 'think about things' as they put it.