I had to walk a couple blocks to get back to my car, so I ended up driving back on my own as well. Edward actually offered to walk me there, seeming a little concerned about me walking in the dark but I just lied and told him I had pepper spray in my purse. He seemed to think about arguing… Bella's growling stomach settled that pretty quickly.

Because every guy always picks her over me.

I was pretty distracted on the drive home. I still wasn't sure about going to the Spring Dance with Tyler: sure he was currently my dream date, but was I being too soft? Girls are supposed to be hard to get, aren't they? And never ask the guy out? Then again, that wasn't how I'd gotten Paul. I rolled my eyes at the thought of Paul: it had reminded me that I still needed to text Jacob Black back. Yuck.

The drive went pretty quickly until the end, lack of scenery and much to think about making the time fly by. As I neared Forks I hit a stop sign and stopped, thinking I should just give the kid a quick 'hi, added you' and be on my way. But when I flipped the phone open, there were three missed calls…

From Dad

Knowing I was almost home, I ignored them. I mean, really, all that was between me and the house was the police station: why should I sit at the stop sign for twenty minutes in an awkward phone call, when in ten minutes I would be in a safer neighborhood with an easy lie about not checking my phone? I frowned for a second: did I lie too much?

This thought was chased away rather thoroughly as I approached the police station and found that my dad's car was still there. I peered into the parking lot, growing more concerned as I noted that there were quite a few other cars, including an ambulance, scattered across the station's tiny parking lot: I don't think I'd ever seen more than two cars there before.

I glanced down at my phone, biting my lip. I was literally driving away from my sister's last near death experience: what were the chances that someone else had been hurt at the same time? But better safe than sorry: at the very least I could go inside and make sure my dad wasn't going to be angry at me for not calling him back.

I swung into the parking lot a bit faster then I meant to and my tires made a screech as I pulled into an empty spot. I didn't bother to grab my phone as I slammed the door open and jumped out, barely remembering to lock it up behind me as I hurried to get inside the station.

"Genny?" One of my dad's old officer friends: I didn't know her name. She hadn't seen me since I was ten.

"What's going on?" I asked nervously. "Is my dad here?"

"At his desk, hon." She said. She looked incredibly tired.

I walked quickly over, ignoring people glancing up at my quick pace. Everyone looked a little on edge, their eyes startled as they heard my footsteps. I walked faster as I approached my dad's desk, wanting to hide from the eyes, wanting to check that my dad was actually fine. I found him with his head bowed, elbows on the desk, hand pinching the bridge of his nose as he sat beside piles of paperwork he would probably never be ready to do.

"Dad…?"

"Gen!" My dad looked up and leapt out of the chair, leaving it swiveling wildly as he walked up to me. "You didn't answer my call." He snapped.

"I saw it right before I got here." I explained, glancing at the paperwork as he pulled me into a hug. I ducked out of his arms quickly, squirming away awkwardly and moving to the desk. "What happened…" A name caught my eye. "No!"

"Gen…?" My dad wasn't listening to me. He was looking back the way I'd come, searching the office.

"Mr. Forge… Dad, how awful." I flipped the page to look for some sort of report on what had happened but nothing else was filled in, not even a medical examination. There was a pile of photos a few feet away but something told me I would not want to see them.

"Gen." My dad said, his voice stern.

I didn't even glance up. "Yeah?" I wasn't really paying attention to him. It was the animal attack, wasn't it? The one he wouldn't tell me about. Maybe Tyler…

"Gen!" My dad snapped.

I looked up, startled at the anger in his face. "Dad?"

"Where is your sister?" He demanded.

"Um…" I stared at him. "Bella?"

"Yes, Bella!" Charlie said stiffly. "Where is she?"

"Uh…" I stared at him, confused. "Still in Port Angeles, I think. Eating supper? I don't know, maybe they finished by now."

"Gen!" Charlie put a hand over his eyes and sagged back against the cubicle wall. He shook his head tiredly and then looked at me, running his hand over his hair before staring at the floor. "You'd think you'd have a little more concern for your sister's wellbeing."

"I… What?" I stared at him, confused.

"We need to be the ones looking out for her." Charlie said, his tone still disappointed as he looked at my confused face. "We're her family, Gen. You owe her more than this."

My mouth opened and I was close, this close to telling him, to pointing out that I'd spent my entire evening looking out for that flighty little twit. I wanted to point out that I was his daughter too, that I'd stayed with him, I'd lived here in boring old Forks for years: my choice! And Bella comes along and suddenly she's so special, so wonderful, something new and perfect with no issues except that too many boys like her. And she hadn't even picked him! She'd picked Mom! Mom! Who left us! But I've been here! I stayed!

I wanted to say all that.

But instead I found that I was about to start crying.

I clenched my jaw and stormed out of the building, ignoring my dad as he angrily called my name: he wouldn't want to make a scene by chasing me and he wouldn't be angry tomorrow. I took the steps at the door two at a time and made it to the car just as Dr. Cullen was climbing out of one of his family's many, many cars.

"Miss Swan! Hello!" He said, smiling kindly. "Feeling alright?"

I shrugged, itching at my nose to hide how red it was getting. Luckily, I was still holding in the tears. "Hi, Dr. Cullen. Just leaving."

He looked about to stop me, concern in his face, but I just walked faster and refused to react when he called my name again. Soon enough I was in the car, blasting my loudest rock cd and slamming the car into reverse with only a quick check that there was no one behind me.

By the time I got home, I was sobbing.

I made it through a very long, very hot shower in which I cried at least 10 minutes and swore for a lot longer, a change of clothes, an episode of some soap opera, and an 11 o'clock snack before I thought it out—the Edward thing, I mean.

I was sitting on my bed, phone in hand, delaying my inevitable courteous reply to let Jacob Black know he had the right number, and I was trying to think of other things. My mind was still racing a bit, running on adrenaline, not only from the anger at my father, but also from all the fear I'd had for my 'little' sister. Some people said that twins could tell when the other was in danger… I supposed that was only true with identical twins, though. I certainly hadn't felt anything other than the usual grumpy acceptance that Bella was yet again in a tight spot for me to yank her out of…

Actually…

I still had that feeling.

I frowned at the wall in the dark, lighting up my phone every few seconds, just out of habit.

What was it? Things had seemed normal after we got her… And the feeling was from before I talked to Dad, too. So what could it be? She definitely seemed to like Cullen. He'd seemed worried about her… though a bit more angry than anything else, I supposed. That was weird. Ok, so was I worried he had a temper? No… I bit my lip and brought the phone up to my head, tapping it at my forehead as though it could help me remember. Something was off. Something was off! But what?

"Ugh!" I leaned my head against the wall. "Who cares?" I asked myself out loud. "Does it even matter? I mean, who knows what he was even doing there…?"

Wait.

What was Edward Cullen doing all the way out in Port Angeles?

I sat up straight, my breathing beginning to quicken. The Cullens were supposed to be out at some mountain hike, weren't they? So why was he alone, hanging out all the way over in some tiny town? I screwed my eyes closed, trying to picture our time together. Something else had been weird… We'd driven around looking… then his phone buzzed… then we found Bella?

I glanced up, my thoughts gathering to drive one last idea home just as a pair of headlights gleamed across my window. Dropping my phone on the dresser, I walked over to the window and stared down to see Edward's Volvo. It only took maybe a minute for Bella to clamber out but by the time she did I was almost sick to my stomach.

I walked back to my bed and slid beneath the covers, curling up into a ball as I listened for the sound of Bella coming up the stairs.

I think Edward Cullen arranged an attack on my sister.

I closed my eyes and tried to fall asleep.

I think Edward Cullen is stalking my sister.

I pushed the thought away, knowing I was too tired to think. With a groan I rolled over and nestled further into my bed. I fell asleep quickly, dreaming I was being chased by some unknown person.

My phone sat open on my dresser.

Text unanswered.

...

Author's Note:

Almost done writing the first book... will probably slow down on the updates as I figure out the second. Thanks for reading!

leiatemperance: I believe she started with 'We'll be a Dream.' And I know, I know. I keep skipping ahead to write Jacob scenes because they don't all fit in this book. He'll be popping up more and more as Gen starts to find out more about things... (don't want to say when)

chocolatecookielover: Thanks.

cppjjgjgjgjg-make me a picture for my last chapter scene!

Loves to read books: here it is!

January Lily: I know! Tyler is such a jerk.

...

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