Disclaimer: I do not own the story or the characters of Twilight. They belong to Stephanie Meyer. However, the plot of this story and characters belong to me.

Chapter 1

Between two worlds life hovers like a star,

'Twixt night and morn, upon the horizon's verge.

How little do we know that which we are!

How less what we may be!

- Lord Byron, Don Juan

5th September 2004

The thing I was most certain about right now was that I was absolutely and irrevocably screwed. It wasn't in the 'drunk teenager got in trouble trying to sneak in after curfew' kind of way either- no, this was some deep shit. Slouched over a stolen cup of coffee while trying not to look people in the eye, I sat stiff as a statue in the waiting area of the Seattle airport for the last hour and half. The nonexistence of a passport or any sort of identification whatsoever in a foreign country tended do that to you.

His dark promises still rang clear in my head. 'You don't know what I can do sweetheart. You don't know me.' 'I'd hate to break our little Neil.' Neil- what I wouldn't give to feel his little hand in mine right now. The image of his sweet face as I told him I would be gone for a while was one that would stick with me for a long time. But I couldn't dwell on it now. There were more pressing matters at hand. Like how a girl having no family or relatives or record of existence would strive in an altered world, a different universe.

I drummed my fingers along my thigh contemplating the best way to go about it. Not that there was anything to be done. He had said that things would 'play out the way it's supposed to'- whatever garbage that meant. But I couldn't just sit here and twiddle my thumbs in anticipation of something miraculous. Time was ticking and the guards at the terminal were starting to give me side glances every now and then so I realized I must have started to resemble a runaway criminal.

I was mulling over the best course of action when I heard a commotion. A woman, probably in her 60s, was charging in my general direction like a bull. "There you are! I have been looking everywhere for you!" She cried, waving her hands.

I looked behind me to see who she was yelling at but when she swept me in a massive bear hug I became convinced it was me. "Oh wow. Okay", I huffed.

She released me before it got too difficult to breathe. "Elani dear. Oh dear, it's been too long. How have you been?" Without waiting for a response she cupped my face and peered closely. "Oh hun, you look just like your mother", she sniffed. I managed an awkward smile.

Who was she? And how did she know my name? A hundred and one such questions sprang up in my mind but before any answer could be considered she was already ushering me out of the exit terminal and into her car.

"You're going to love it in Forks, I know it. All your things arrived a week ago. I got your room set up and everything. Hope you don't mind dear?" She asked hopefully. I shook my head. That was about the only reaction I was capable of giving. Forks? What? How-What?

The ride from Seattle to Forks was expectedly long and tiring. The entire journey the woman tried to engage me in various conversations and I nodded and shook my head in appropriate places but mostly kept the responses one worded. I cannot believe I exist in this world. I did not want to seem rude to the person who was hopefully going to provide a roof over my head and food in my belly for the next-god knows how many-days. I tried to smile at her effort. But seeing her dejected face I'm pretty sure it came out more forced than I expected. "I'm just tired is all", I offered a pitiful explanation.

"Oh yes I understand dear. Coming all the way from Darjeeling must be exhausting", she said kindly. I felt even guiltier for my aloofness.

I looked out the window at the passing scenery. The high rise apartments and buildings of the city were slowly giving way to lush green trees that grew denser as we passed by. The wind grew steadily chillier and the air of uncertainty hung over my head like a dark cloud.

The events of the past few hours replayed like a reel in my mind. The things I picked up from the one sided conversation we shared was that the woman was my grandmother Illora, my mother's mother, and she owned the only diner in Forks. I considered the possibilities. I never knew my grandmother since she died before I was born. But there definitely were similarities between her and my mother- similar body build and the same hazelnut eyes and dimpled smile that said 'you are the only thing that matter in the world'. Besides, a lot of things were possible, it seemed, such as a door opening to a different universe, a different time and a man I thought I knew threatening me with my little brother's life for something he wanted. God only knew what he wanted. 'Once you've settled in the world I'm sending you, you'll know exactly what I want.' 'Know? How will I know?' Like a villain that he was, he didn't wait to provide an answer.

I let out a soft sigh as I watched the 'Welcome to Forks' sign go by. I did not want to think about what awaited me in this peculiar innocuous looking town but whatever it was I'll be damned before I let anything come between me and getting back home to my family.

We parked in the garage of a small graying single storeyed house. It looked old, like it could use a paint job, but otherwise sat daintily behind a lawn that overgrew with all sorts of vibrant flowers that stood out from the plain green and grey of its surrounding.

"Home sweet home", Nan announced as I stepped inside the front veranda.

Not my home, I thought swallowing the bitter taste. How can a life so perfectly ordinary take a 180 turn for the worse? Only a week ago I was a normal 19 year old girl trying to navigate through college and work and taking care of an 11 year old kid and a sick mother but now I was someone thrown head first into a conundrum I did not even understand to begin with. When people say life gets harder I don't think they mean this.

"You go ahead and check out your room dear. Go through that corridor and it's the door to your right. I'll fix you something to eat", Nan called out as she went to what I assumed was the kitchen.

"Okay. Thanks", I said and trudged silently to my room. Sleep usually did not come to me easily in situations such as this, so it was unexpected when as soon as I saw the bed I collapsed onto it and passed out like dead weight.

AN: Hello to anyone reading this! This is my first fanfiction ever, or kind of my first story ever, for that matter. I'm just a random someone trying to figure out if writing is my thing or if I should move on to other stuff. So reviews and constructive criticisms are very much welcome. Also, English is not my first language, so feel free correct me if there are any mistakes.

Enjoy!