A/N: Yeah Yeah Yeah… Blah Blah… no copyright… not mine….Twi references belong to Ms Meyer.

Thank you for all the encouragement and draft reviews from my dear friends renas40 and twilighterNY. Please bear with me as I build towards the events of the prologue.

Also thank you to my lovely new beta callsignc30….

Please note as an Australian I use British English spelling. I hope that does not put you off too much. Thanks

15 years earlier

As I stood in the doorway, he lifted his gun and pointed it at me.

Like an 8 year old child watching television, I did not understand that this was real. At first.

My eyes darted, from the masked intruder to the bed where my parents lay. They seemed very peaceful and if it hadn't been for the blood on the white bed sheets, I would not have known anything was wrong other than my parents cuddling in their room, as they often did.

A movement caught my eye and snapped me back to the present.

My mother was still alive.

I wanted to run to her and throw myself into her arms, as was my routine when I returned home from summer days, traipsing all over Forks with my friends.

My mother whimpered as she saw me, shaking her head in a silent plea whilst blindly reaching for my father as she always did when she needed support or comfort.

Tears began streaming from my eyes, holding me frozen in the doorway, as I realised the truth before me.

"Sweetie," she gasped. Her hand lifted, palm facing up, outstretched as if she was reaching for me. I darted a look at the man holding the gun. His eyes never wavered from me as he seemed not to notice my mother. I took a step forward into the room.

Her mouth opened, as if in slow motion, and the blood silently seeped out. "Love …Seek... Alice…Hide."

Her words appeared to drain every last ounce of motherly love from her body as her arm collapsed to her side after she finished. It was as if she had reached out to protect me with her dying breaths.

Suddenly the meaning of her words flashed before my eyes. Understanding dawned. Once again, she had graced me with a gift she had given so lovingly before...a chance at life.

Upon hearing her, the man exploded into action, swinging his gun round and pointing it at her. He walked to the bed and bent down, placing the gun menacingly against her head.

My mother's words churned in my stomach and I saw my chance.

Without thinking too much, I dashed from the room where my parents lay dying and stumbled through the house.

Behind me a single shot rang out and I broke blindly into a run.

I could hear movement in the bedroom and scurrying footsteps behind me. The man started yelling "You little bitch. Where are you? Come on Bella, we won't hurt you."

Every word got louder and angrier. I knew he was lying. And he wasn't alone. After further shouting, I heard a voice sneer "Come on, the little bitch must have headed across the field. Her mother told her to head to the Cullen's. Let's go, we can catch her by foot,"

I ran into my mother's Dressing Room and into the wardrobe. Crouching down, behind the built in cupboards, I curled in upon myself.

Alice and I often hid here, every time we played Hide and Seek. No one knew my hiding spot other than my best friend. It was difficult to find if you didn't know it was there. The cupboards in the Dressing Room wardrobe looked like they reached all the way to the back. They didn't. They left a small gap in which a child of 8 could easily hide...and often did.

My friends never found me here when we played, even though Alice knew exactly where it was. Like any other best friends, it was our secret hiding spot.

I had no idea that my mother had known this was where I played or hid when I wanted to avoid a scolding. She had never indicated her knowledge, often pretending to look for me just yards away, talking to me as she searched.

Now I realised she had always known exactly where I was every time and it reminded me of how loved I was.

I tried to stay still as I remembered.

Noiseless.

Breathless.

But with the smell of my mother's perfume cloaking the clothes in the wardrobe, the tears came harder.

After what felt like forever, there I was, still curled up in my secret hiding spot. I could hear frantic shouting. The voices sounded foreign to me, however they didn't sound like the voice of the man who had hurt my mother.

The noises of the ambulances were drowning out the yelling. I was scared but I knew they were trying to save my mother. It was only a few moments later when everything went silent and I finally could make out the words. They were going from room to room calling my name in the hopes of finding me safe. The searching continued. People entered the dressing room, opening the wardrobe and shining a light around in a circular motion, looking for an 8 year old child.

I remained hidden behind the cupboard. All I wanted to do was get up and find my mother. I wanted to comfort her and tell her everything was going to be fine. But I knew it was already too late.

I didn't move.

Finally the wardrobe doors closed and footsteps left the room. Out in the hall, I heard a defeated voice. "I'm sorry ma'am; she doesn't appear to be on the premises. Could she have gone somewhere?"

I heard quick gasps and a pleading voice. "Oh dear God, where is she? Bella! Bella! Oh Edward, please don't tell me they got her!" Esme, my godmother, sounded scared. The pitch of her voice increased with every word, reflecting her anxiety and fear.

"Mother, she's here. Alice told us where to find her. Let's keep looking. We will find her. We have to find her," Edward told her determinedly, trying to calm her and possibly himself, with the confident tone.

I made no sound to help them locate me. My whole body was paralysed as if I had been trapped in ice. I shivered from the cold, not knowing if it was real or imagined.

Footsteps re- entered the Dressing Room where I hid. Through the slats of the wardrobe doors, I could see movement.

"Alice said she would be in here. Let's look again." Suddenly the Wardrobe door was wrenched open and a light was shone directly behind the cupboard and straight into my face. Unfamiliar hands reached in and pulled me from my curled up foetal position on the floor.

I started screaming at the top of my lungs.

"Give her to me! She knows us! She needs us!" Edward was shouting to the Officer.

He may have only been 17 but he was a Cullen and he spoke with authority.

I was lifted out and placed in his arms. Recognising his voice and the familiar smell of his aftershave, I suddenly quietened.

Esme fluttered around. "Oh Bella, oh thank goodness! Bella, my poor dear." Her voice cracked on the last word and tears rolled down her face. She reached out gently to touch my face as she had done many times before.

But this time, as her hand approached, I shrank back in fright and ducked my head into Edward's shoulder.

I anxiously clutched Edward's arms and they tightened in reflex around me. For the first time in hours, I felt warm.

He bent his head closer, lifting me higher and quietly crooned in my ear. "Bella," he took a slow deep breath before continuing "My little Bella, I've got you. I've got you, you're safe my little Bella."

As he finished speaking, I hesitantly looked up. My gaze was captured by warm green eyes glistening with relief and something else, looking perilously like tears.

I threw my arms around his neck, hanging on for dear life and began weeping silently.

Edward had me. I was safe.