"Are you sure you are alright, Mr. Kent?" Bella was asking her neighbour as they sat in the veranda of the hotel on a brisk, clear evening. Edward was in their room watching television while Bella and Mr. Kent were talking. It was Edward's idea actually for the two to catch up after the event which had affected Mr. Kent's life forever. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the damage the murder had caused him. His arm was in a cast and because he wore a sweater, she couldn't see his bandaged chest. However, she knew that his chest was bandaged because of the visit before.

"Yes, dear. I believe that I have replied to your question for the umpteenth time now," his sapphire eyes glistened with merriment and hint of annoyance at the young woman's consistent questions.

Bella blushed as she looked back at the beautiful night. She remarked at the beauty of the pond in front of her and Mr. Kent. Closing her eyes she let the moonlight beams fall on her as she stayed by the pond, reflecting the moon's beautiful image. Its silvery rays fell on her, causing her hair to tint with a silver touch. She tried to smile at her reflection in the pond but she knew that it didn't seem possible. She didn't know what to do and how she was going to get out of the mess she was already in.

"Bella?" she whipped her head around and saw Mr. Kent gazing at her with concern. "Are you alright, dear?"

Bella nodded absentmindedly as she tucked a piece behind her ear. Her gaze wandered towards the city and saw the many city lights. She closed her eyes once again.

"I hate you." Bella's eyes whipped open as she stared at Mr. Kent.

"Excuse me?" Her eyes widened as she saw Mr. Kent dig into his pocket for something. When something flashed off the item, she instantly knew she was in danger. "W…what are you doing?"

Bella stood up once Mr. Kent walked towards her with the gun, pointed directly at her. "What do you think I'm doing? I'm getting the revenge that I need. You let my wife die, and for that, I will let you die."

Her heart stopped for a beat when she saw him pull the trigger. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Edward stepping in through the veranda.

"Bella, are you here? I was checking up on you --"His eyes widened as soon as he saw the gun pointed at her. "BELLA!"

Mr. Kent shifted his gaze at Edward and his smirk widened, "Well, I think we have another possible candidate." He moved the gun in Edward's position and pulled the trigger.

It then all happened in a flash. Edward was on the ground in moments flat, with blood seeping from his chest. "EDWARD!!"

"EDWARD!!" Bella woke up with a scream emitted from her mouth and she realized that she had awaken Edward beside her as his concern filled eyes were staring back at her. It was a couple of days later and they had only taken a break from the work they had done. Bella had been reluctant of course but Edward managed to persuade her into having a break.

"Are you alright, Bella?" Edward asked as he and Bella sat up in their bed. Bella nodded as she raked a hand through her brown, shiny, luscious hair. Edward looked at her in puzzlement but decided to let it go. She stood up and walked towards the bathroom.

She turned around once she was there, and replied, "Let's check those files again."

"Look, this murder was taken place near home," she showed Edward the file of the death of John and Mary Grayson.

Edward nodded as he bit the end of the pen he was writing with, "But I still don't know what exactly we are looking for." He looked up at Bella's determined face, replying, "What are we looking for?"

"Any clues on how to solve this case," Bella replied as she looked at the file. Her strict demeanour softened as she remembered how she met the couple.

"Bella, come on! We are going to be late! You have to be at the school in fifteen minutes!" bellowed her mother, Renee Dwyer. She rolled her eyes before she checked her alarm clock, which was glowing 3:15. She groaned slightly as she knew that it was 3:15 in the morning, and she had to go to school. She had to go to school at three in the morning. If it were not for the trip to Italy, she would not even care if she was late to school. Yet, because this was a trip of a lifetime, she jumped out of her bed and realized that she had to make herself appear decent if she wanted to go on the plane. She rushed into her bathroom, brushed her teeth, and made her hair look decent the very least. She ran down the stairs, taking two steps at a time, and before she knew it, she tripped on the last step right into the arms of her stepfather, Phil.

His features were amused as he looked down at her in his arms, "Who knew that you'd be a morning person?"

She rolled my eyes before she jumped out of his arms and straightened out her blouse, "What are you doing up so early? I thought Mom was going to drop me off."

He shook his head, "I couldn't just let you go for two weeks without saying goodbye. What type of father would I be then?"

A father who is not even my biological father, that is who, she thought. Even though she loved Phil as a stepfather and she knew that he might be too young for my mom, he was perfect for her and she knew that he made her happy. Yet, she could not help but think what life would have been life if her mother had not left Charlie, her biological father back in Forks, Washington.

She smiled at him before she rushed into the kitchen where she put in a slice of toast. Behind her, Renee and Phil were beaming at her excitement. "Well, aren't you up and awake this morning?" Renee teased as she grabbed a piece of toast.

She rolled her eyes at her before stuffing the toast in her mouth and she muffled, "Mom, can we go now?"

Renee looked at the clock and nodded, "Your teacher wanted you to be there in fifteen minutes to board the bus. Let's go."

Bella nodded, as she jumped off her chair and pecked a kiss on Phil's cheek, before carrying her luggage outside the door. Her mom drove to her school in five minutes, and before she knew it, they were there. The school was an old school, with red stucco and tainted windows. Light could be seen through one or two of the classrooms and the main hallways light were on. She jumped out of the car, not before she let Renee give her a long-lasting hug and a slobbery kiss on her cheek. Bella wiped the saliva off her cheek before she rushed into the school. She walked into the hallways hesitatingly, but when she saw her best friend, Christy, she smiled. She rushed into the classroom she was ushering her into. She pushed her in and told her to take a seat beside her. Bella first went to give the teacher her name and then, she went to go sit by Christy.

Christy was a popular girl, and yet she hung out with her because she found Bella to be so interesting. She smiled as she listened to her rant about how excited she was to be going to Italy. It was true; it was two weeks without parents in Italy! They were going as a class, but they were allowed to tour the city they were going in separately, but they had to be together at nights and when they went on tours at museums and such. She ranted on how there were going to be cute guys in Italy, especially romantic ones and she hoped that she would meet one.

Bella chuckled when she listened to her. She sighed dreamily as she thought of her own boyfriend, Gaspard (A/N: Couldn't resist!). He had dreamy brown hair and wondrous brown eyes that Bella could drown herself in. He could not go, unfortunately, because his father was the overprotective father that everyone hated. She promised that she would text him and phone him whenever she had the chance, and Bella knew that this would not be a problem. Bella was already missing him like crazy. She looked up when she heard Miss Murphy raise her voice.

"The buses are here. It's time to board them," she had commanded which a round of cheers followed. She smiled, knowing that she was finally able to go to her dream place.

She yawned for the umpteenth time as they waited as a school for the flight to be boarded. She looked over to her right and saw Christy with droopy eyes. Bella sighed as she inhaled deeply as she knew she was tired, even though she was extremely excited. She wanted to go into the airplane and use the person next to her as a pillow. Yes, that was what she was going to do. Minutes had passed by which seemed like hours before they were allowed to board the plane.

I rushed to the desk, which allowed us to go inside. She waited impatiently as Bella showed the woman her ticket and passport and she smiled before she let Bella go inside. She ran with her handbag down the terminal and rushed passed the attendants who looked at her boarding pass. She skimmed the seats and finally found her seat. Bella quickly put her bag on the compartment ahead of her and jumped into her seat next to the window. The person beside her did not stir from their sleep and she knew that this man would be her pillow. She did not take a good picture of his face, but she knew that she was incoherent as it was four in the morning.

They were going to take departure, when she put her seatbelt on and waited for the plane to depart. As soon as they were in the air, which took fifteen minutes, she laid her head on the person beside her and closed her eyes, finally.

She woke up with a startle when she felt a shift underneath her head. Bella looked up and she saw herself being stared down by sapphire eyes.

"Uh…hello?" she replied meekly.

The man's gaze softened as he smiled and he leant out a hand, "My name is John, and this is my wife, Mary. How about you?" His wife, a woman with red curly hair, waved beside him.

Bella sighed in relief as she gave out her name, "Bella Swan."

Bella's eyes began to water but she tried her best for Edward to not to see. Her eyes caught something on the file report and she flashed out her cell phone. She dialled Alice's number with Edward looking at her in bewilderment.

"Hey, Alice? Can you do me a favour? Yeah, can you go to this address I will tell you and search for anything that may be related to the murder case of John and Mary Grayson? Yeah, it's on my computer. Password...uh…it's Forks." She looked at Edward who was now clicking with information. She smiled easily as she turned back to Alice on the phone, "Got in, 'kay. Tell me later if you find anything. Keep it top priority. Thanks Alice."

When she slammed her phone shut, Edward asked, "What do we do now?"

Bella replied as she leaned back in her chair, "We wait."

Bella picked up the phone two hours later in their hotel room and replied, "Hello?"

"Yeah, it's me Alice," the voice on the other line replied.

"You got anything?"

"Yeah, we found a blood covered shoe in a dumpster and we sent it to forensics. It turns out that it is a converse, black and white ones. Ones that can be found on the west coast, somewhere like Oregon or Washington."

"Wash--oh, I think who they belong to. Well, thanks Alice. I think we have a new lead." She hung the phone before Alice could reply. She looked at Edward who was watching television and replied, "I think I know who might have been doing it. Mike Newton, a man who had been after me in high school."

Edward stood up and walked towards her, "Do you think he could be in this?"

Bella shrugged but her eyes darted towards the "Jess" lists. Her eyes clicked in recognition at one name. "I think we've got to visit someone."

Looking at the list, Edward didn't know what she was saying. Bella rolled her eyes as she replied, "We're going to meet Jessica Stanley, and let me warn you, she might be all over you."

That's it. Was it good? Sorry for the long wait. Please review and I will update faster :) .

Forgiveness is the scent that a rose leaves on the heel that crushes it.

-Rosefire