The last vestiges of the setting sun disappeared over the horizon, the copper hues giving way to a dusty purple scattered with the occasional glitter of a faraway star. The distant skyline stood silhouetted against a velvety sky, the golden dusk enveloped by the twilight sky.

I drove through town with some takeout as my father was stuck in a meeting, at times you could see the effort he was putting forth. The food smelled good but in the end it be fatting and hell who cares. I knew Edwards was stalking me in his own protective way but a day ago it was handed down he was not allowed in my room unless he was given my permission.

It was late Friday night and here like some loser I was sitting in my ripped jammies shoveling chicken nuggets into my mouth, Bach was playing in the back round calming me but like that the Misfits come on, my playlist was ever changing. I felt my eyes getting heaver as they finally closed…

I bolt up having fallen asleep in my lounge chair, chicken nuggets had fallen from their box covering me and the carpet. I cleaned it up and dressed for the day, some old ripped jeans and the same oily but white crop top, my old beat up Vans already in the garage. The familiar smell of filter coffee rose and dissipated into the crisp air. My nose tingled with the usual morning flavor.

Wisps of hazy white rose from the hot brown liquid. I took the warm cup from my father who held it out to me, my tense muscles relaxing as I sipped slowly at the Irish cream coffee. The smell of freshly grounded coffee beans stimulated every single feeling of bliss in me. I drank it slowly and admitted to myself that my addictive tongue whirled around the very existence of coffee.

Dad spoke low, "So is what Carlisle alerted me to true?"

Oh no…

"I have no clue what Dr. Cullen has alerted you too," my tone low but deep down I knew what was said there was one single thing they would both find important.

Now he scoffed getting his briefcase together, "I don't imagine you're that dense, Caprice. He alerted me to you and his Edward being mated,"

"Yes, but we shouldn't get them killed either. Aro, as we know will not hesitate to kill anyone who is standing in his way," using my tone to say this was final, they would die to protect me, and never could I have that on my soul.

Coffee in hand, in the other was a warm Blueberry pop-tart as I left the house. The grass flattened under the wind in beautiful shimmering waves, each blade turned momentarily to reflect brilliant sunlight. Each one was no more than a slim wand of green, yet together they danced in way that bought out my pain and let a little goodness in. I watched it as my feet carried me to my garage, the grass was cool on my bare feet, my socks tucked into my back pocket.

Her truck was in disarray, old parts waiting to be tossed for pickup newer parts wrapped and laid out on the long table for us to install. I tied my shoes and got to work, Alice was supposed to be here to do the interior today while Rose and I started putting it back together. For the last three weeks it has been cleaning it up and taking it apart since unlike her, I had school work and had to eat and sleep, so it was a weekend only deal. But we figured the painting would be complete by Sunday of next week.

The oil was slick as it touched my fingers, but in this I was at home in my element doing something that I couldn't mess up. She arrived, "You couldn't wait for me?"

I countered, "You never checked on me while in the shower, could have drowned,"

"Doubtful," she was dressed down with a wrench in hand as we got to work, today was about reassembling the Beast. Bella was due soon and I figured Alice, Theo, and Edward would arrive. "Please, turn on the stereo,"

I knew they arrived, for one Rose cocked her head as a heads up to me but like her it was just a vibe in the hearing. "Nice," rubbing my nose.

"You know Debussy?" He sounded surprised, too at my playlist.

"Not well," I admitted. "The schooling I had the head guy plays a lot of classical music around the halls - I only know my favorites."

"It's one of my favorites, too." He stared out through the rain, lost in thought.

I listened to the music, relaxing but my eyes drifted to him and his to mine while Bella was with Alice looking at the leather interior with happiness. "Bella, can you manage not to fall while getting some cokes for us, I would but your gas tank needs to be bolted to the manifold," the strain was heard, my own hands shaking a little until his long pale white fingers moved to hold it up with such ease.

"About time," but I was wearing this stupid smile as he slid under the truck with me. "You should have asked,"

"What is was your mother like?" he asked me suddenly.

I glanced over to see him studying me with curious eyes.

"She looks a lot like me from pictures, but she's prettier," I said. He raised his eyebrows. "I have too much daddy in me. She's was at one time more outgoing than I am. She was brilliant but slightly eccentric. She gave her young life to give me life, and so I am going to make sure I live for her until I chose otherwise," I stopped talking about her was making me depressed. I only heard about her never once got to meet her but knowing she was out there as one of them gave me hope she at least remembered me but the human memories fade.

He laughed, and there was an edge to his laughter.

"Have fun at the beach... good weather for sunbathing." He glanced out at the sheeting rain once again as we had taken a break for Rose to call Emmett and for Bella and I to drink and eat.

"Won't I see you tomorrow?"

"No. Emmett and I are starting the four weekend early."

"What are you going to do?" I hoped the disappointment wasn't too apparent in my voice.

"We're going to be hiking in the Goat Rocks Wilderness, just south of Rainier."

I remembered Uncle Charlie had said the Cullens went camping frequently, but daddy said they went hunting away from Forks.

"Oh, well, have fun." I tried to sound enthusiastic. I don't think I fooled him, though. A smile was playing around the edges of his lips.

"Will you do something for me this weekend?" He turned to look me straight in the face, utilizing the full power of his burning gold eyes.

I nodded helplessly, this wasn't me I was supposed to be this weapon that was created, but he made it all bearable.

"Don't be offended, but you seem to be one of those people who just attract accidents like a magnet. So... try and be safe," He smiled crookedly.

I set the Coke down, "At least unlike my clumsy cousin the Ocean and stuff are not liable for me to fall into. But I will and Theo she will be safe with me, I promise," in my tone he heard something, something that made his tenseness dispense.

"Thank you," he was perfect for her.

The Newtons' Olympic Outfitters store was just north of town. I'd seen the store, but I'd never stopped there. In the parking lot I recognized Mike's Suburban and Tyler's Sentra. As I pulled up next to their vehicles, we could see the group standing around in front of the Suburban. Eric was there, along with two other boys I had class with; I was fairly sure their names were Neil and Conner. Jess was there, flanked by Angela and Lauren. Three other girls stood with them, including one I remembered Bella falling over in Gym on Friday. That one gave me a dirty look as I got out of my Mustang,and whispered something to Lauren. Lauren shook out her cornsilk hair and eyed me scornfully.

So it was going to be one of those days. "Come on Bells," helping her from the car.

"You both came!" he called, delighted. "And I said it would be sunny today, didn't I?"

"I told you we were coming," Bella reminded him.

"We're just waiting for Lee and Samantha... unless you two invited someone," Mike added.

Bella sighed, "Theo and Edward are out of town, we are flying solo," I was not with Edward but we stuck together and it was what everyone was thinking.

I added, "We will meet you in La Push, Angela you want to ride with us?" she looked gleeful as she left the other two girls to join us. I just shut Bella in and drove off it was only fifteen miles to La Push from Forks, with gorgeous, dense green forests edging the road most of the way and the wide Quillayute River snaking beneath it twice.

I'd been to the beaches around La Push many times as a child playing with Bella, Leah, and her cousin Emily, so the mile-long crescent of First Beach was familiar to me. It was still breathtaking. The water was dark gray, even in the sunlight, white-capped and heaving to the gray, rocky shore. Islands rose out of the steel harbor waters with sheer cliff sides, reaching to uneven summits, and crowned with austere, soaring firs. The beach had only a thin border of actual sand at the water's edge, after which it grew into millions of large, smooth stones that looked uniformly gray from a distance, but close up were every shade a stone could be: terra-cotta, sea green, lavender, blue gray, dull gold. The tide line was strewn with huge driftwood trees, bleached bone white in the salt waves, some piled together against the edge of the forest fringe, some lying solitary, just out of reach of the waves.

There was a brisk wind coming off the waves, cool and briny. Pelicans floated on the swells while seagulls and a lone eagle wheeled above them. The clouds still circled the sky, threatening to invade at any moment, but for now the sun shone bravely in its halo of blue sky.

We picked our way down to the beach before the rest arrived.

Bella leading the way to a ring of driftwood logs that had obviously been used for parties like ours before. There was a fire circle already in place, filled with black ashes. Bella and I watched the strange salt reaction in the drift wood, the fire welcomed when a semi girly voice echoed.

"Bella," my head snapped to the side, the boy he looked fourteen, maybe fifteen, and had long, glossy black hair pulled back with a rubber band at the nape of his neck. His skin was beautiful, silky and russet-colored; his eyes were dark, set deep above the high planes of his cheekbones. He still had just a hint of childish roundness left around his chin. Altogether, a very pretty face.

She smiled, "Hey, Jake,"

Her eyes turned to me, "He was smaller than us, Jacob Black. His sister is Rachel and Rebecca," I knew her, she was older than us but she was as sweet as could be.

"Jake this is my cousin, Caprice Swan," his hand was out but it made me hesitate, but in the end, we shook hands. Are they here?" I examined the girls at the ocean's edge, wondering if I would recognize them now.

"No." Jacob shook his head. "Rachel got a scholarship to Washington State, and Rebecca married a Samoan surfer - she lives in Hawaii now."

"Married. Wow." I was stunned. The twins were only a little over a year older than Bella and I.

"Leah or Emily," he pointed towards the houses.

"You know Caprice, Jacob?" Lauren asked - in what I imagined was an insolent tone - from across the fire.

"We've sort of known each other since I was born same with Bella," he laughed, smiling at Bella, poor kids was in for a harsh wake up call.

"How nice." She didn't sound like she thought it was nice at all, and her pale, fishy eyes narrowed.

"Caprice," she called again, watching my face carefully, "I was just saying to Tyler that it was too bad none of the Cullens could come out today. Didn't anyone think to invite them?" Her expression of concern was unconvincing.

I smirked, "Don't think it may sprain your face, in fact I'd like to kick you in the teeth, but why improve your looks," her anger fumed as Tyler dragged her away as I stand.

"You mean Dr. Carlisle Cullen's family?" He was really closer to a man than a boy, and his voice was very deep. He finished, "The Cullens don't come here," he said in a tone that closed the subject, ignoring her question.

I gave him a look, I knew him it all came back. "We know they don't, Sam,"

He smiled, "Welcome home Caprice,"