Diclaimer: I don't own Twilight or anything associated with it, I just play in the sandbox. I do lay claim to any original characters seen throughout and the development of the Fey world.

AN: Honestly thought this chapter would be longer but didn't want to over-fill with words or descriptions, so left it as it is. ~Hannah

Chapter Fifty-Seven – You Mean Nothing to Me

Fortunately. No. Happily? No. THANKFULLY, the last couple of weeks had been, dare I say it, good! Well, as good as can be with nefarious character's running around. I had been wondering whether I'd ever feel normal again. My PTSD seemed to have disappeared almost entirely, only rearing its ugly head on occasion. I was no longer the gossip of the school cafeteria; my friends and family were no longer watching my every move and my relationship with Edward had reached a point where we were once again comfortable with each other. I had fully recovered from the events of the summer, though I knew I could relapse at any moment.

Lauren's casual acceptance of the supernatural world had been a blessing I didn't realise I craved. I had been dreading the moment when she'd find out as I assumed I'd lose the budding friendship we'd gained. Never had I dreamed she'd be exposed so quickly or that she'd be the mate of one of the Volturi. Her casual words about her family had set me on edge also. I suddenly felt guilty for the way I had treated her at school, though neither of us had been nice to each other, I felt I'd judged her too harshly. I'd just written her off as being a big bitch and never bother to delve further into her personality. Knowing now what I did, it wasn't hard to see why she'd morphed into the bitchy persona but I was glad to have found a friend in her now and seen the person that hid behind the curtain.

I was told repeatedly by my sister, Angela and Lauren, that Edward and I had become the 'couple' of the school without realising. Something to do with us always being loved up and mushy. I'm not entirely sure if it was a good thing or a bad thing. I didn't care for the stares and the whispers but at least they'd moved on from gossiping about the summer incident and now looked at me without pity or accusation.

I remembered briefly that bad things come in threes. Having thought I'd gotten off lightly and that Fate had been kind enough to give us all a break, I couldn't have been more wrong. In hindsight, it was a defining moment for me. Could I have done without it? Absolutely.

[x]

Bella and I had been lounging in front of the television, trying to do homework and not procrastinate when the doorbell rang. Me, being lazy, made Bella go see who it was.

"Mum?"

Mum? Wtf.

"Bella!"

"What are you doing here Mum?"

Urgh, Renee. I was attempting to disappear upstairs when I was caught. I'd been under the impression that Renee was still standing on our front porch but while I'd got up to make my escape, she'd barged past Bella and into the house.

"Where do you think you're going Ella?"

"Upstairs, away from you."

"Don't you dare move. You're both coming with me right now."

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me! You're both coming home to Jacksonville with me. This has gone on for far too long, it's time to give up the farce and come home where you belong."

"Firstly, how dare you turn up here unannounced and secondly, how dare you insist we come home."

"I'm your Mother, it is my right to order you both home."

"That's new, you've never really been my Mother have you."

"How fucking dare, you. You think you're so perfect don't you Ella? Well you aren't, I wish I could have got rid of you but I wasn't willing to lose Bella. I am still your Mother and have legal custody of you until you're eighteen."

"You're a joke Renee, what? Did you remember that you couldn't cook for yourself, remember to pay your bills on time and basically fail at being an adult without Bella and myself there to help you?"

"You've got some nerve girl."

"Are you having a fucking laugh?"

"Do I look like I'm laughing Ella?"

I vaguely heard Bella talking on the phone, hopefully calling for reinforcements like Dad and the Cullen's. Didn't matter either way, I was on a roll now and all my pent-up anger was coming out. I just hoped Renee didn't do anything stupid.

"Bella, who are you calling? Get off the phone and come here. Talk some sense into Ella and go pack. I know you don't like it here Bella, come home with me."

"No Mum, we're happy here. We aren't going anywhere with you."

"Bella what are you talking about."

"Mum, listen to me, neither Ella or I are going anywhere with you. We like it here in Forks, we like living with Dad and neither of us want to move to Jacksonville. I suggest you leave, calm down and then we can talk."

"I see what's happening. You've turned Bella against me haven't you Ella. Such an evil little child aren't you Ella. Like a demon you've been poisoning our lives, well no more."

Renee had always been a pretty terrible parent, but she'd never been this batshit crazy. I knew Bella still loved our Mother and thought this situation must be hard on her. I didn't know what had gotten into Renee, whether she'd been drinking, was having a mid-life crisis or was possessed by a demon herself, but I was starting to worry about the situation we were in and hoped Dad arrived soon.

"You don't mean it Bella, I know you'd prefer to be with me. It's all Ella's fault, I'll get rid of her and then everything will be alright."

Grabbing my arm with strength I didn't think she had, Renee started to drag me from the house. I put up a good fight, my fingers clinging onto the doorframe as she forcibly pulled me away. Bella looked at me worriedly and mouthed the words 'stall her' as Renee dragged me outside. Knowing Bella was worried about the situation had me more worried about what was happening. Once we had cleared the driveway I managed to get my body to work with what my mind wanted to do.

Pushing Renee away from me with force made her scrape her nails over my skin which drew blood and hurt like a bitch.

"What the hell is wrong with you Renee. First you turn up here unannounced and then you go off on one like a crazy person whose sold their soul to a cult. You didn't care for me when I was in your care and you don't care for me now. You never once bothered with us after we moved in with Dad, nor did you put up a fight when we asked to leave. You like to blame all your problems on me but the true is you have a lot of issues and they aren't going away. You need to buck up, accept them and get some fucking help because I'm not going to be your escape goat anymore."

The hairs on the back of my neck stood up, alerting me to the distinct possibility that there were now more than just my sister watching me but I couldn't be bothered to stop and check. I was on a roll that I didn't want to end.

"You're delusional Ella. What have you got here? Nothing. No one will miss you when you're gone. No one will love you and no one will need you. You're a useless filler and people wish you would just disappear. I named you appropriately, Ella, Cinderella…you were good at being the underdog, good at knowing your place in life. Why do you think I stopped your visits with Charlie? He was letting you dream bigger than you deserved. That you were born when I wished you not to be was a nightmare, I wasn't going to allow you to ruin my life. I'm your Mother and I didn't want you, what hope do you have of others wanting you."

"Get off my property Renee," called Dad, the familiar sound of his shotgun being loaded sounded in the background.

"You have no right here Charlie. I'm taking my girls back where they belong."

"I filed for legal guardianship three months ago. You missed two court appearances and your attitude towards Ella certainly didn't help your case. I won. You don't have legal guardianship of either girl. Get off my property before I arrest you."

"You can't do this to me! You love me remember, I'm the best thing that ever happened to you."

"Actually, he loves me. Though you gave him two daughters that he loves dearly, he'd rather forget you ever existed," said Katherine.

"Who the fuck are you?"

"Oh, didn't I mention in our last phone call? Dad's engaged now," said Bella.

"Yeah, and she even lets us call her Mum," I spat.

"You are nothing, do you hear me Ella? NOTHING. Whatever you think you'll achieve in life, you'll fail at and when your world comes crashing down and you have nowhere left to turn you'll remember the offer I gave you and wish you'd accepted your place in life. Amongst the cinders and the scum is where you belong. It would have been a fairy-tale ending Ella but you had to throw it all away."

"Ella's not throwing anything away, if anything she's gaining the world just by renouncing you as her Mother."

"And you would be?"

"Edward Cullen, Ella's boyfriend."

"Boyfriend? That's rich! What, did she spread her legs for you that quickly? Whoring yourself out won't make him stay Ella."

"How can you call yourself a Mother? I have never heard such vile words through at such treasures before. Yes, treasures, for children are the best gift to ever receive in life and you have thrown the love of your children away for what? What could Ella have possibly done to make you treat her so poorly?" asked Esme.

"She was born."

"That's it, I'm not giving you anymore warnings. You have exactly ten seconds to get off my property before I arrest you. As it is I'm already going to press charges against you and make sure you never gain access to Ella or Bella again."

"Fine. I didn't want to be here anyway. With all the poison flying around I can see there is nothing left for me here. Works out quite nicely actually. I can start afresh. I don't have any children holding me back now."

Watching as Renee stormed across the road and got in her car was like watching a slow-mo scene in a film. It seemed everyone was afraid to talk lest someone have a breakdown. I was a prime candidate for a breakdown but I felt oddly fine about the whole ordeal. I felt lighter and higher. The door to Renee had been closed and I didn't have to fear her anymore.

I turned as the car disappeared down the road, and looked, not to the congregation of people outside the house but to my sister Bella.

"Are you alright Bells?"

"Me, Ella?"

"Yes you. Renee was always a Mum to you and I always tried to make sure she remained a Mum to you."

"I knew she wasn't perfect. I knew she had issues. Seeing her like that was hard but I knew it was there. I always worried she'd turn on me one day and I guess I was right. She blames us for the life she's lead which is unfair on both of us. I think she needs mental help. I'm sad about what just happened and more than a little traumatised but at the same time I'm relieved. Does that make me a bad daughter?"

"No, never. You and me against the world remember."

"Pinky promise?"

"Pinky promise."