Disclaimer: Twilight does not belong to me. It belongs to Stephanie Meyer and possibly others. Harry Potter does not belong to me. It belongs to J.K. Rowling and others. No copyright infringement is intended.

The song is Elisabeth by Billy Gilman. I do not own it.

Summary: Elisabeth Edgerton is hiding from her past and a family that won't leave her alone. Luckily, she runs into Alice Cullen. Literally so.

Never Dawn

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"No one is more profoundly sad as one who laughs too much." - Jean Paul.

Chapter Two:

Singing to Myself

The year was over. She had finally met Esme, and the woman loved that there was someone in the house to cook for. Carlisle was as kind as always. Rosalie was less antagonistic now that she knew that Beth was already aware of vampires, Emmett was the big teddy bear she'd never expected, Alice was… well, Alice, Jasper was practically her brother, and Edward… well, they didn't advance physically, but emotionally… Lizzy was happy. The war was behind her and she was free from expectations… of course she was lighthearted and joyous! Problems or not, she was free! Okay, so the high had worn off a bit, but she was smiling more than she ever had. She was becoming confident in her own abilities again, too. Oh, Impressions were still an issue sometimes, but Elisabeth felt more comfortable in her own skin than she ever had. She'd even gone up to Portland to race again once – with Rosalie, no less! They had, of course, driven someone else's car home. Pink slips were lovely, and when Edward had thought to ask where Rose got the new car from, the two had shared a conspiracional smile and begun singing in their heads – well, Rosalie had, she'd just thrown up her Occlumency shields.

It was… almost like being part of their family. But despite that, there were some moments when she just felt like an outsider. This was one of them.

"Alice, I already know."

She kissed Esme on the cheek and walked out. Alice grimaced.

"Liz!"

She was here. It was two months into senior year and she was here. Elisabeth had known it was coming, but despite that already felt the hurt. Maybe to him it had just been friendship – after all, they hadn't even fooled around – but it hurt. She'd almost forgotten about it, and then… These things sort of crept up on you, she supposed. That night, she went home to cry, and just waved Jasper in when he came to rest on the tree outside her balcony. She let him hold her, because she knew.

This was the beginning of the end….

"That's the Cullens."

"Victor Borge said that "Laughter is the shortest distance between two people." Let's see if he's right," Elisabeth murmured. Rose shot her a concerned look, but Elisabeth didn't look back. She headed, with a smile, to the new girl's table.

"Hi. I'm Elisabeth Edgerton," she smiled.

The others at the table were startled. She was friendly, but mostly hung out with the very reclusive Cullen family, so it was shocking to see her there.

"Bella Swan. Nice to meet you."

Liz cracked a joke, and before the next class was out they were near best friends.

That day, she went home silent. Jasper, feeling her emotions, followed her home, but only got to see a very subdued Elisabeth make herself dinner. Already Edward knew that she was the daughter of Police Chief Charlie Swan; he hadn't even bothered to ask where Elisabeth lived. He didn't know that she'd taken guitar and violin lessons, that she knew ballet (taken up as a child for her aunt, and then for agility during the war). He didn't know that she'd been on a gymnastics team, and the only reason he knew that she painted was because of the scent. She had gotten all the basic information from Bella that Edward could hope to overhear at this stage. It was basic, and still he knew more about her than his… former, she supposed… girlfriend.

Elisabeth tried to smile, but alone – even Jasper left outside tonight – it was weak. She was free from the war, but not her own heart. But isn't that the way it goes?

Beth laughed herself to sleep ruefully. She'd take what she could get.

It was cold, but she didn't feel it, even on the road without a jacket.

She hung around with Jasper and Alice more, now. Edward was a bit confused, but mostly he was lost in his obsession with this new girl who blocked him, as he had yet to even find her mind. With her there was a barrier, a door slammed shut in the face. With Bella there was nothing. Edward obsessed. Her blood… it was to the point that he almost killed a whole classroom with his need for it, and Alice hadn't seen it coming; she could see nothing at all for Bella Swan, whereas she could for Elisabeth. Beth smiled the same, but there was a tinge of pain in it. She knew where this was going.

Emmett took her aside.

"Tell me, Bethy," he asked, sitting her on his lap.

She snuggled into his shoulder and sniffled, shaking her head.

"Esme's too nice to see the problem, but Rose and I – and everyone else – are worried about you, Bethy. Talk to me."

"It makes it so much worse because I like her!" Elisabeth wailed, uncaring that the others had definitely heard her cry. "I saw this coming; I know that she's his mate; but damn it, Emmett, it hurts! For his sake I'll never show the pain; I will be a better woman; I will treat her as the friend she's become. But just because I like her doesn't mean I love him any less. I…I'm tired of smiling, Emmett," she whispered, but she didn't cry at all. "I'm tired of playing make believe like I did my whole childhood. I know I'm just extra when it comes down to it; sweet Lizzy, always there. I – I don't mind coming in second, Em, but I'd like to be somewhere in the top ten."

"He doesn't know that I live alone; he doesn't know that I don't own a television; that I sleep four hours a night at most. He doesn't know that I wake up screaming from seeing the only man who loved me die; he doesn't know that the man had money and I inherited everything; and Emmett he doesn't even ask. Does he think I pay for my house on my salary from the coffee shop?

"I… love him, Emmett, and if I thought she wouldn't run I'd…" she choked out a sob, "I would…" He shushed her whispering an, "I know," but she continued, "It's been over a year and he barely knows me. It's been days with her and… I'm jealous," Beth admitted softly. "I'm jealous and hurt and my heart still pounds when I see him, but even if he loves me back it's nothing compared to her. I – I don't know if I can stay anymore."

Bella hadn't known her long enough to tell the difference, but Esme was still very concerned. Beth was trying her best to be friends with Bella, and had even succeeded, but whenever she saw Bells around Edward she'd have to turn away. She had always known it wouldn't be forever for them; still….

It only made her try harder to make every bit of life count, and some ghosts were even chased from her eyes in that time. She laughed harder, sung more, and painted a lot; it was all she could do to keep this endless laugh or cry moment from leading to crying on kind, friendly Emmett again.

"Fuck!" she screeched from the impression, speeding up. If I don't hurry….

She gunned it, came to a screeching, smoking stop in front of Bella, and threw the girl on the bike in front of her. She hit the gas again, but in a flash she knew she'd have to do something drastic. Protecting Bella as much as she could, Elisabeth slid between the two front wheels of the truck, slamming the bike upright when they came out from under the side. Spinning once, they came to a sudden stop.

She picked Bella up off the bike and put her to the side, hit the kickstand and went directly to Alice's arms. Her hands were shaking; she was as pale as them, not in a pretty way, and probably in shock. "A stunt driver's nightmare, and I did it for real."

She'd done some tricks in her time, but this was beyond them. Alice kept students away from her and walked her through the day; Emmett too, through sheer intimidation, and Jasper was a quiet comfort. They were good friends. Edward even took her hand all through first period, making sure she got her Latin right; he even thought to ask if Beth wanted to go home.

That was sweet, but she was shock-y and lived alone.

It was Rosalie, finally, that told the nurse she needed to leave. She had stood and let three balls hit her in gym, not even noticing them. Rose took her hand and led her out of school, "to see my Dad". She could barely sign herself out for the shaking, but just managed with Rosalie holding her hand steady. And then there was Carlisle, and she was driven back to the Cullen's place. Once she had a blanket thrown over her and threw up a bit, Elisabeth felt much better. It took a few blinks to focus on Rose and Esme, though.

"Hi."

Yeah, one Hell of a day.

*

Elisabeth laughed. It was quite a sight, seeing perfect Rosalie play baseball. She let Edward get her frustrated too easily, though. It was going to rain, soon, but Elisabeth liked that. She hoped that Bella didn't mind getting wet either, though.

James….

She and Bella had been pushed to the back, but she made sure Bella was behind her especially. If they smelled human, hopefully it would only be her. The wind changed, unfortunately, as the wind was wont to do, and they did smell it.

"Human…"

"Not completely, dear," she smirked, stepping in front of Bella and Edward. She opened her arms, and the air changed. Blue clouded their vision as she simultaneously tried to confound them; only they could see or feel it. It could only help their case.

Unfortunately, it only worked so well on a tracker.

"Aindriel Sapphire," Victoria said; fairly pleasantly, actually. Then again, Victoria above all others here would know of her viciousness.

"That is my name," she agreed with a mocking bow.

"And the girl?" James hissed.

"Will be turned, soon enough. Do you think she'd be with them otherwise?"

Disaster averted… but only for a moment. Edward ran with Bella as I collapsed to my knees gasping. It had been forever and a day since I'd seen their cruel red eyes. Alice put me in her lap as Rosalie started the car, stroking my hair and rocking me like a baby, like I imagine my mother would have. She explained to the others as she tried to calm my breathing. I was hyperventilating.

"Rosalie, don't," Carlisle cautioned, risking a sympathetic glance towards Elisabeth as he said it, "Edward loves her. That makes her a part of this family."

"She's a human!" Rose exclaimed. I knew what she meant, so didn't take offense.

"Isn't Beth?" Bella asked cautiously.

"No," I said simply, firmly. I took the jacket and hopped into Rosalie's car. "But I smell enough like one. Rose, Emmett, get in."

Later, we got the call from Alice. He'd chased us more than the others, but…

"He's not buying it!"

When we got there, Alice was sketching a place from a vision.

"It's a dance studio."

"My old dance studio," Bella confirmed.

When Bella got her own call, I knew what she would do. I stepped to the laptop and started typing. The nearest ballet studio to Bella's old home in Phoenix was…

"Namesake to Elisabeth
Her daddy's pride and joy
Baptized in her mama's tears soon after she was born
'Cause the doctor said she'd never live
To see her sweet sixteen
It's a miracle she beat those odds
And there's still no promise
She will see tomorrow
It makes me wonder
How life can give someone so much and take so much away"

Well, if this wasn't irony. Sometimes Elisabeth wished she'd never added a small radio to her bike. This was one of them. Still, she sang along with it.

"Oh, Elisabeth
You're a teacher you're a saint
And I'm so glad you came to us
Elisabeth, you make the world a better place
With the kindness of your smile and your love
And your beauty will live on

And on Elisabeth"

Tears fell. There was a reason she'd picked this name, but why the damn CD had turned on unexpectedly was beyond her. Divine providence?

"She might not ever marry
Or hold a baby of her own
Things we all take for granted
Are the things she may never know
But she believes there's always hope
And that's all she really has
So she walks through life with passion and
With dignity and class

And when she cries, she cries in silence
But never for herself
She cries for everybody else, for everybody else"

All they did have was hope. She was blocking Edward and trying to block Alice as best she could; hopefully they'd be too busy trying to find Bella to look for her.

"Elisabeth
You're a teacher you're a saint
And I'm so glad you came to us
Elisabeth, you make the world a better place
With the kindness of your smile and your love
And your beauty will live on and on"

The road was dark, but I could get there on my bike faster than Bells ever could. I would not let another one die one me; not after the war. I cut into the woods to save time.

"I'm so glad you came to us
Elisabeth, you make the world a better place
With the kindness of your smile and your love
And your beauty will live on and on"

She was too busy laughing to care about her fate. It was bitter in her mouth.

"Laughing too much is trying to pretend. I did that for a while; false laughter was better than none. It was better than crying. If I could pretend, maybe I could make it real – but I couldn't. I didn't believe…." – Elisabeth Edgerton, in a letter to a friend

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