Hello to all! It's been a while, I know. But let's get this party started shall we?

Are you ready to go on a fourteen-week adventure with me? This story is COMPLETE, but I will only post a chapter every week! I will post a chapter every Friday, so you will have time over the weekend to read it!

This story begins during the 'missing' chapters in New Moon, where Bella's mother comes to try and convince her to go back to Florida with her. Don't worry; we won't be dwelling on Bella's 'zombie' state for long.

You may notice that most of my stories are missing from my profile; I decided to take them all down for maintenance. I will eventually repost them completely redone and better then they were. So in the mean time please enjoy this story, and my rewrite of Nights Of Twilight

Let's get to it! Happy Reading!

~When Souls Ignite~

~~~~~~~~oOo~~~~~~~~

2005:

The sound of the front door opening and closing again did not startle me. I was too lost in all the memories of Edward and that fateful day. Then I heard my mother's voice coming from downstairs.

"Charlie! What is going on?" She screeched out.

"I'm not sure, Renee. She won't come out of her room unless it's time for school." I wasn't expecting to hear my father's voice; he was usually so soft spoken at home.

"Well, why haven't you called me before now?" She demanded. Her voice was getting louder with each sentence.

"It didn't seem necessary until now. I figured she would have come out of it by now. Clearly I was wrong."

"Where is she, Charlie?"

I tuned out their conversation after that. I wasn't interested in listening anymore, and the pain was sucking me back into my mind, where I have been living for the past two months, though it has felt like a century

I was brought out of the memories by the creaking of my door being opened. I heard light footsteps walk across the floorboards, and I inwardly groaned. I knew she wanted to talk to me, but I wasn't interested in listening to what she had to say. The only person I wanted to talk to was him, but I knew I didn't have a chance in hell of ever seeing him again.

"Bella! Are you listening? Bella…"

I heard her voice but I really couldn't concentrate on it, the sight of him blurred my eyes, my ears were filled with the sound of his voice, and I just couldn't escape the scene of him leaving me. It played through my mind in a never-ending loop.

I knew I shouldn't dwell on the breakup, that I should move on, but something inside kept me stuck here, in this place.

The gaping hole in my chest would not let me forget him.

"It will be as if I never existed." Those words were the lie he told me. I wasn't stupid. I knew he existed; the pain reminded me of that every minute.

"I don't want you." Another lie. I knew he loved me just as much as I loved him. It wasn't a fickle love; it was strong and unbreakable.

My mothers voice continued to drone on and on, and I just couldn't focus on her. I was stuck in this loop. Then all of a sudden I had the biggest epiphany; it didn't matter what he said at that moment, I knew our love was unbreakable. I needed to do something; I just needed to figure out what it was I needed to do. I didn't think I'd be able to find him, even if I scoured the earth for a thousand years. But there had to be some way to figure it out.

"Bella, that's it! I'm packing your bags, and you're coming back to Florida with me. This place is no good for you!"

My moms voice finally registered, and my eyes focused on her. I watched as she whipped my suitcase out from under my bed and threw it on my mattress. She began to haphazardly throw the contents of my dresser into it.

As she began to take my clothes out of my closet and place them on my bed, I finally realized that she was serious. I wouldn't put it past her to drag me out of this house, and I would need to think fast. I knew I couldn't leave Forks. I had work to do.

I slid off the bed while she was in the closet, and started putting my things back in the dresser. When she came back out with the next load of clothes to dump on my bed, she stopped in her tracks and watched me for a few minutes. She set the clothes down and approached me slowly.

"Bella? What are you doing?"

"What's it look like I'm doing? I'm putting my things away; I don't know why you made such a mess. I'm not planning on going anywhere."

"Of course you are! I am taking you back to Florida with me. I'm not going to let you sit here like this anymore. You need to get over this and get on with your life!"

'Get over this… move on with my life? How am I supposed to do that with out Edward in it? Why did no one understand!'

As she was talking, I reached down to pick up a pair of pants to put back in the drawer, and she grabbed my arm to stop me. That's when I lost it. I wrenched my arm out of her grasp and slapped her hard across the face.

"I said I wasn't going anywhere! Get the hell out of my room! Go back to Florida with your husband and leave me the hell alone! I can't even stand to look at you right now! How DARE you tell me what I need when I've been taking care of you since I was a child!" In my rage, I sent the suitcase flying into the window, where it went right through and out onto the ground.

The next thing I knew, Charlie was standing in my doorway, and I was staring at the broken window with horror.

"What the hell is going on in here?" He demanded loudly.

I turned to face him and noticed my mom standing there with her hand cupped over her cheek where I slapped her, her eyes wide in disbelief.

"Did you call her and tell her to come here to take me away, Charlie? I'm sorry I'm not the perfect daughter and you don't want me either, but I am not leaving Forks! If you don't want me here, then I will go stay somewhere else. I'm eighteen now; I don't need to live here!"

"No, Bella, I called her to come here and talk to you. I didn't ask her to take you away; I just want to help you. Please understand. I love you, and I can't stand to see you hurting like this. I just want you to get your life back, get out of the house, and start living again."

I deflated quickly after his speech; what the hell was I doing? I knew one thing for sure; I needed to get in contact with Alice. Maybe if I went to their house, I could get her to have a vision of me, and she would call me.

"I'm sorry for the window dad, I'll pay for it. But right now, I have somewhere to be… I'll be back later." I didn't wait for anyone to say anything. I threw on my shoes, grabbed my cell phone, and ran down the stairs, tripping on the bottom step like always. I didn't even know what clothes I was wearing I just had to go.

My keys were hanging in the usual spot, and I was surprised that my truck started right up without any issues. How long was I under? I didn't know what day, or even month it was. I decided I would get those answers later. I pulled away from the curb and headed towards the highway.

The drive was automatic. I didn't even need to think about where the entrance was as I turned and made the three-mile drive up the dirt path. My breath caught as the trees opened up and the house came into view; it was like coming home. Even though this was never my actual home, my heart lived here and would remain missing until I found Edward again.

I pulled up to the front of the house and shut my truck off, but couldn't bring myself to get out. The memories were flooding me, hitting me like a giant wave while the crushing weight held me there. I didn't know how to breathe anymore.

I didn't know how long I sat there, whether minutes, hours, or days, but finally the memories started to recede. I was able to take shallow breaths again and decided to get out of the truck.

The house was dark and seemed unwelcoming, so I walked to the top of the stairs and just sat on the porch. I also didn't think Charlie or Renee would come looking for me, not after my outburst. Now, what would grab Alice's attention? It would have to be something drastic enough that would make her pause.

I could go to the gas station and get some gas to burn the house down… no, that wouldn't matter to them, they have the means to just rebuild without a care… I could just drive my truck through the house… no, same thing, the damages wouldn't matter… hmm, drive my truck into the river… I don't think I want to welcome death, not today anyways…

I let my mind wander, but nothing seemed to be drastic or urgent enough for Alice to call me. My imagination was just not up to par. So I gave up and decided to see if the door was unlocked. I approached the door slowly. I was nervous, and it felt like I was trespassing. I pushed on; maybe Edward left something behind that I could hold on to.

The doorknob turned with ease, and the door swung open silently just like it always did. The entrance was dark, but backlit by the light coming in from the glass window wall. I walked into the living room and found all the furniture covered in white sheets. There, pinned on the couch, was a folded piece of paper with my name on it. With shaking hands, I reached out, took the paper, and opened it. It was a letter.

Dear Bella,

I knew you would come at some point, and don't worry, this was your home as much as it was ours. It is okay that you are here; I hope it helps you to feel close to us. I miss you already, even though I haven't left town yet. I'm really struggling to leave, and I can't believe that Edward is making us leave without saying goodbye.

I'm sure you have figured out that Edward lied to you with his exit speech, and that he loves you more then life itself. You are his mate; he can't stop loving you. That pain you feel? He feels it too; he's suffering as well. And I wish I knew how to get you back together again, but sadly he's too stubborn to break his vow to you, or to us. Maybe more like his pride and honor won't let him.

Always know that we all love you dearly, and I hope someday we will be together again in some way. Don't give up hope just yet, but in the mean time, try to push past the pain and live a little.

With all my love,

Your sister,

Alice.

Tears were streaming down my face, and a smile was on my lips. I should have known that Edward was the reason why Alice did not come to say goodbye. I don't think he realized how hurtful he was being, not only to me, but to his family as well.

I went back out to the porch, forgetting my mission to find something of Edward's. I began to contemplate how to find Alice and the others. There had to be a way. I sat on the porch rereading Alice's letter and listening to the birds chirping in the trees, when suddenly they stopped singing their songs. I shrugged it off as a bear or some other animal in the area, and just continued thinking of ways to find the Cullen's.

It wasn't until I heard the crunch of gravel that I looked up and was actually alarmed!

Leaning against the closest cedar trees under the shade was a person; he was male, and tall. His hair was a coppery red, and he had broad shoulders, but his waist seemed thin.

"Who are you? And what are you doing here?" I asked in a shaky voice. From this distance I didn't know if I was safe or not.

"Well, I am going to just say that I was in the area, and wanted to stop by and see who was home. It would appear that no one is." He had a thick Irish accent, and sounded unsure of himself. I knew then he was a vampire and was trying to hide the fact. I stood up abruptly and walked towards him. Maybe I did have a death wish after all.

"More like you smelled them, a lot of them, all in one place, and you were curious. Don't worry, they're long gone." I looked into his eyes now that I was close enough and let out a breath of relief when I noticed that he had golden eyes.

"You… you know about us?" He stammered out. I realized that he was nervous now, and I let out a low chuckle.

"Yes, I do. You see my mate lived here with his family. There was almost an accident, and he left, making his family leave with him. I came here today to find some answers but have been unsuccessful."

"Hmm… I see, tell me more about this lost love of yours." Was he serious? Why would he be interested in my story? But then again, why not? It's not like I could talk to my mom about it. Or even a friend from school.

"Well, I met him in school, and it didn't start off so great; he wanted to kill me. He told me my blood called to him more than anyone else's. He left for a week, and when he came back he decided to get to know me better, and we fell deeply in love. I'm sure you know about being mated, so we will skip over that. Well, on my eighteenth birthday, against my wishes they threw me a party, and well, I'm a klutz. I got a paper cut, and Jasper –my mate's brother- was really thirsty, and he lunged at me.

"Not to get side tracked, but he is an empath, and well, they may not realize this, but he feels everyone else's thirst, magnifying his. Because everyone was also thirsty, he just couldn't help himself. Edward –my mate- threw me to protect me and I landed on the glass table, shattering it, and the dishes as well. I was bleeding pretty badly, and well… everyone had to leave the house, everyone except their father, Carlisle. He's a doctor, so he cleaned up my wounds, and stitched me up.

"Over the next few days, Edward became very distant, and then all of a sudden he took me out to the woods and left me. And now I'm here and he's gone. I'm so lost without him; I can't breathe or think. The hole in my chest is just too large." I went silent after that, trying to keep the pain and the memories at bay.

"Wait, did you say Carlisle? As in Carlisle Cullen?" He seemed to be very excited about Carlisle, and it did make me a little nervous. What if he wasn't a good vampire? What if he wanted to find them and hurt them?

"Yes…" I said hesitantly. Oh god! What if he runs to the Volturi? I started to hyperventilate.

"It's okay, I met Carlisle a long time ago, back before he started to make his family. He doesn't know, but he's the reason why I hunt animals now. He really changed my life, and I would love to help make his family whole again." He was smiling now, no doubt thinking of a time long ago.

"My name is Ciaran, by the way, it has been a pleasure to meet you… "He paused, and it took me a few seconds to realize he didn't know my name either.

"I'm Bella, it's nice to meet you. Thank you for listening to me ramble on about all of this. I haven't been able to really talk to anyone… you know, humans and all." I shrugged at the end, I'm sure he would understand what I meant.

Ciaran looked at me, and had a speculative look on his face. The silence that followed seemed to stretch on forever. Finally, he looked at me again and nodded, clearly making some kind of decision.

"Bella, I'm going to tell you something and offer you a great opportunity. If you choose to accept, we will have a lot of preparations to get through. If you choose not to accept… well… we will cross that bridge when we get there." I suddenly felt very threatened, and sat up straighter.

"Sounds intriguing." I smiled at him, and took a deep breath, waiting for this 'offer'.

"First, let me give you a little back history. I was changed way back in 1775 in Ireland. It was a time of peace, and I was a simple countryman, a farmer if you will. I was out in the field watching over the sheep and had fallen asleep. I remember feeling a presence, and the sheep were screaming because they too felt the presence of a predator. As I walked over the hill, I was slammed into the ground, and the next thing I knew, I was being burned alive. I woke three days later about 500 miles away from home, to this life.

"It took me years to realize I was blessed with a gift. I was ten years into this life, and wished to go home to see my wife and kids. I was thinking about the time when I got married, and then all of a sudden I was transported back to that time. I got to do it all over again. I spent the next fifty years in a loop, always ending at the same time, like that was the plan for me all along. Even when I realized I could also get myself back to the 'present' I would always wake up a vampire.

"I've always been a nomad, ever roaming, then I met Carlisle in 1900. We talked for a long time, and I learned about his lifestyle, which was very strange to me at the time. A year after we parted, I had decimated an entire family, including their newborn daughter, and it killed a part of me. All I could think about was losing my family when I was changed. I decided to run to the woods, where I planned on starving myself. The talk I had with Carlisle ran through my mind, so I decided to give this new way of hunting a try. Surprisingly, I found it very satisfying, and have since been on this diet."

He sucked in an unnecessary breath and looked at me. I didn't know what he was expecting to find, but it sure wasn't the compassion I had for him. His plight reminded me so much of Edward's 'rebellion years' that I couldn't help but have understanding for him.

"Bella, I feel for you, and I want to send you back in time where you can meet your human mate and fall in love. Of course there will be consequences. Any of your actions in the past it will change the course of the future. And if you ever wish to return to this time, you will have to find me." I was perplexed. Could this really be done? Could I go and fall in love with a human Edward? And what would happen when the influenza struck? Would we only get a short time together, just to die?

"Ciaran, I have so many questions before I can even begin to contemplate doing this. After we have discussed my questions, can I have time to think about it and to tie up loose ends? I have a feeling that if I decide to take you up on your offer, I won't be seeing my parents ever again, and I'd really like to have some closure." My heart was racing; whether in anticipation or trepidation I wasn't sure.

"Of course, I'd rather you be well informed and have the information you need. This is not something you should do lightly. I have only sent one person back to the past, and I never heard from them again. I hope they lived their life to the fullest and got everything they wanted from the experience. The same I would hope for you, should you wish to proceed."

"Edward was changed in 1918, during the Spanish Influenza epidemic. If I went back to that time, how would we survive it? I don't want to have just a short time with him." After I spoke it out loud, I realized that I already had my answer. Carlisle would be the key I would need to unlock.

"Never mind, I already know." I looked at him as excitement danced across my features.

"Well, that was an easy one… next?"

"Money? Would I be able to 'travel' with personal possessions?" His eyebrows creased together as he thought.

"I honestly don't know, but it wont hurt to try."

"Okay, I would really like to think about this a little more, can you give me until tomorrow? I will meet you here, in this spot tomorrow evening at seven?"

"Sure, please take your time. I will just try the hunting in this region."

~~~~~~~~oOo~~~~~~~~

I got home to find both Charlie and Renee pacing the floors; I didn't understand why. What was going on?

"Bella! Where have you been?" My mother shrieked at me.

"Mom, I went and cleared my head. What is your problem? Why are you pacing the floor?"

"We're going to miss our flight. We have to leave now and get to Port Angeles." Her voice was still shrill, and I couldn't believe that she was still expecting me to leave with her like I was a little girl who had no choice.

"Mom, I thought I had made myself clear earlier. I am not going to Florida with you. I am staying right here!" I spat out at her, the venom in my tone completely going over her head.

"You're obviously in a bad way Bella, and dare I say, too unstable to make a decision. As your mother I am telling you that you are leaving with me." Her tone was condescending, and quite frankly it pissed me off.

"No! I said NO! Need I remind you, I am eighteen, and there isn't a damn thing you can do or say to make me leave against my will! I am so sick of everyone taking my choices away from me! You will not be another to do so to me!" I was reaching my breaking point with her, and I didn't know how much longer I was going to be able to keep this boiling rage inside me.

"Bella…" I wasn't going to let her to continue the rebuttals; she's just making this decision easier for me by the second.

"No, no more, the time for talking is over. I have made my decision, and I am not going to change my mind. Now, get your bags, and get in the truck. I'm taking you to the airport so you don't miss your flight…" I left her there as I went upstairs to grab some money for gas, and something for dinner. I knew I was going to have to have a difficult conversation with Charlie when I got home.

When I got back downstairs Renee was outside with her bags in the back of the truck, and Charlie was standing at the kitchen window.

"I love you, dad. I'll be back shortly, and we'll talk, okay?

"Love you too Bells, be safe. And by the way, I'm proud of you for standing up to her." He went silent after that, and I took that as a dismissal.

I silently got in the truck, started it up, and pulled away from the curb. Port Angeles was a forty-five-minute trip due to the fact that this truck wouldn't drive faster than fifty-five. I wondered how long it would take for Renee to break the silence.

Surprisingly, she lasted the whole trip. I parked the truck and contemplated just letting her get out without saying a word; I unbuckled and got out with a sigh. She was surprised too when I fell into step beside her. She smiled and reached for my arm, but I frowned and shrugged her off.

We reached her gate, and there was still an hour wait before her flight began to board. So now I was stuck with her for a whole hour.

After about fifteen minutes of sitting there silently, she finally sighed.

"Bella, I love you, and I really only want what's best for you, I just wish you would reconsider coming with me. Life would be good in the sunshine; you know you miss it."

I sighed in return. "Mom, seriously, I'm not interested in going to Florida. Sure, I miss the sun sometimes, but I really like it here. I've made some great friends, and I don't want to leave. I love you too, but you have really upset me today; I wont forget that for a while." It was probably too harsh for her, or for anyone within hearing range, but when will she stop viewing me as a little girl?

The rest of the wait was silent, and when they finally called for her flight to board, I stood with her and gave her a tight hug.

"I love you, mom, and I'm going to miss you." It was the best I could do, given the circumstances of the day and both our actions. When she sniffled into my hair I regretted that this was ending on such a sour note, but it was for the best. Letting go would be much easier for me with this on my mind.

I watched her board her plane through the viewing window, and I waved when she turned. I could see the sadness in her demeanor, no doubt she was crying, but I knew I couldn't dwell on it. Talking to Charlie was going to be even harder.

~~~~~~~~oOo~~~~~~~~

The ride home was filled with trepidation; Charlie was going to flip his lid. I had been practicing my speech the whole way home. When I pulled up to the curb and turned the engine off, I took two deep breaths to steady myself.

'Come on Bella, you can do this. Be brave! It's either this half life or the chance to be with Edward again.'

I knew I would always choose Edward; there would never be anything that would make me choose different. I squared my shoulders and got out of the truck.

Charlie was in his recliner watching a football game when I entered the house. As soon as I walked into the living room, he shut the TV off. He must have a lot to say because he would normally just mute the TV. I sat down on the couch and waited for him to begin. It didn't take long.

"Bella, I just wanted to say again, that I am proud of you for standing up to your mother. I'm sorry she did that to you. It wasn't my intention for her to come here and try to take you away." I think that may have been his longest speech to date. He was always a silent man.

"Thanks, dad. I really didn't want to leave with her. This is going to be hard, and I just hope you will understand." My hands were shaking, and I could feel tightness in my throat. I knew by the end of the night I was going to be in tears.

"What do I need to understand Bella? What is going on?" I took a steadying breath; it was now or never.

"Well, I've decided that I need to leave. I need to figure some things out, and I can't do that here. I just need space to clear my head. All of this stuff about Edward has been silently killing me, and I just need to find a way to let it all go." I let it out in a rush, like ripping off a Band-Aid.

"Wait, what?! You've spent two months being locked away, going through the motions of life without even living, and now all of a sudden you 'wake up' and want to just leave? I don't think that is a good idea. I can't let you go like that."

I knew this was going to be difficult, and I knew he wasn't just going to let me go like that. And he was right; I have been locked away inside myself for a long time.

"Dad, I understand your concern, but I really just need some time. I know my behavior lately has been less then stellar, and for that I am sorry. You also know that I am more mature than others my age. I'm not making this decision lightly; I have thought this through. I also have enough money saved up to get me through." One tear slid down my cheek out of desperation to have Charlie let me go.

"What about school, Bella? You'll be graduating in just a few months; can't you wait until after that to take your… whatever you want to call it?" Oh! I did not see this coming, and actually didn't think about it, because after tomorrow, it won't matter.

Think fast. I should have all the answers!

"I'll call the school tomorrow morning and see if I can pick up my assignments for while I am gone, that way I don't fall behind." I hoped that would appease him, and I held my breath.

"That sounds fair to me. I'm not happy about this Bella, and I'm reluctant to even consider letting you go. But in all honesty, the way you stood up to your mother today and fought for yourself is keeping me from throwing you into a jail cell just to keep you here." His words left his mouth on a defeated sigh. And I knew then, that Charlie loved me more than I loved him, and it broke my heart just a little bit. But I needed to do what makes me happy for once in my life.

Charlie looked at me for a while with red-rimmed eyes, and I could see that he clearly was having a hard time. He swallowed a few times and tried to smile. Without a word he stood up and went straight to the stairs. I heard the click of his bedroom door, and then it was silent. My tears came then, and I cried for the loss of my father. We may not have always had a great relationship, but it was still hard to let go.

I spent an hour on the couch remembering all the times when I was little and I would come visit, and how ungrateful I was because I didn't want to go fishing or hang out at the police station. I lost so many years with him, and now… now I was going to never get them back.

Looking around I knew I wanted to clean the house for him before I left. So I got up and began all the quite cleaning I could do while he was sleeping.

At four in the morning I finally decided to go to bed for a few hours, I was going to have to go to school in the morning and take care of the things I promised Charlie. I set the alarm and got under the covers.

When I woke, the excitement crept over me again, bit now it had a tinge of sadness mixed in. I was just going to have to suck it down and deal with it. I grabbed my clothes and toiletry bag and headed to the shower. I was going to have hurry this morning; I was late, but it was on purpose. I wanted to get to the school after first hour already started so I would miss the other students.

I parked my truck near the office, no point in parking in the student lot, and went into the building. Mrs. Cope was at her desk, like always. When the door shut, she looked up and her eyes widened.

"Bella? Is everything all right?" She sounded shocked to see me late to school.

"Oh yes, things couldn't be better actually. I was hoping I could get my teachers to round up my assignments for the next few weeks? I need to leave school for some personal matters, but I don't want to fall behind. I can come back this afternoon to pick them up." The look of confusion on her face was almost comical.

"Oh, I don't know if we can do that. Have you talked to the school counselor? You may want to do that." What? Was she serious?

"No, I don't think I need to talk to anyone. Please see what can be done, and I will come back this afternoon and check in. I need to prepare for my trip." I stated sternly. I was not about to justify my actions to anyone, let alone a school counselor.

"Bella, I really think…"

"No! Please stop and just honor my request. Thank you." With that, I turned and walked away.

I figured while I was out, I would stop at the store and pick up some things to cook for dinner. Charlie's favorite meal was beef stroganoff, and I knew my grandmother's recipe by heart.

Thankfully I was able to get in and out of the store without any fanfare. The whole time, I was hoping to not run into anyone who would have any more questions. Apparently I just couldn't catch a break. I guess I could understand; I've basically been a 'zombie' for two months, and now… I seem just fine, if not just a bit erratic. Still, the nosiness of some people knew no bounds. I just wish everyone would leave me the hell alone!

I went home, put away everything from the store, and finished up the housework to kill time before going back to the school. While the last load of laundry was in the dryer, I headed back to the school to see if they were able to get my assignments.

Thankfully the school was quiet and the office was empty, except for Mrs. Cope of course. She looked up expectantly as I entered, then frowned in my direction.

"Good afternoon, Bella. I don't have any assignments for you. Mr. Greene declined your request since you refused to meet with the school counselor. I'm very sorry. He said to inform you that if you still want them, just set up the meeting."

"That's okay, thank you Mrs. Cope. I will return in a few weeks. If you have any questions you're welcome to contact my dad." I turned and went back out. At least I tried, for Charlie's sake.

I got back home empty handed and started working on the dinner for Charlie. While the beef stewed to get tender, I folded all the laundry and put it away. I knew Charlie would come straight home after his shift, especially after last night. I don't think this dinner will be enough to prepare him for the fact that I am leaving tonight.

Once I got the sauce prepared, the beef cooking in it, and the water for the noodles on to boil, I went upstairs to pack my bag. I hoped I'd be able to carry these things with me. I threw in a few of my favorite books, the money I have saved up, and some undergarments. I knew the clothes I wear now, would not be appropriate attire for the time I am traveling to.

I set my bags downstairs by the front door, and went and finished dinner. I was hoping to have it finished just as Charlie walked in the door at five-thirty.

I had just finished washing up some of the dishes, so I wouldn't have many to do after dinner when I heard the cruiser pull into the driveway.

"Bella? Are you here?" Charlie called out as he slammed the front door.

"In the kitchen dad." Where else would I be at this tine of day?

"Something sure smells good. What did you make?" Why was he so interested in what I made? He never usually tried to make much conversation.

"Grandma Swan's beef stroganoff."

"Mmm… that's my favorite." Yes, Charlie, I know. That's why I made it.

We ate in silence after that. Which was the normal for us. When I got up to clear the table, he began.

"I noticed that you have your bags packed. Are you leaving today?" He didn't sound upset, just curious, which surprised me.

"Yeah dad, I am. I need to do it now. I really think it will be beneficial to my mental health, just like you and your fishing."

"What time were you leaving? Billy and Jacob are coming over at seven to watch the game." Oh? Well… nope, I can't hold it off.

"I'm sorry dad, I'm actually heading out just after I wash these dishes up." I said it reluctantly, even though I was really getting excited.

"Can you tell me where you are going? I just want to make sure you are safe." There's the concerned cop I've been waiting for.

"I honestly don't know… I'm just going to drive for a while I think; I need some distance. But when I find a place, I'll give you a call. I promise."

I drained and rinsed the sink out, and turned around. He was still standing there, I'm not really sure what he was waiting for, but I walked over to him and gave him a hug.

"I'll miss you dad, I'll be gone three weeks tops, and you wont have time to miss me. And I promise, if I get into any kind of trouble, I'll call you."

"Love you Bella." His voice cracked and tears threatened to fall. I knew it was time, and I also knew I would never see him again.

~~~~~~~~oOo~~~~~~~~

I arrived at the Cullen's house at six thirty. I was early, and Ciaran was not there. If there was one thing I learned about vampires, it was the fact that they were always on time, never late, and never early. I decided I would sit on the porch and just wait for him.

At exactly seven, Ciaran walked out of the trees, right where I found him yesterday.

"Hello Bella, I was hoping you would decide to take me up on my offer. At least, I hope that is why you are here."

"Yes, I am here to take you up on the offer. I'm excited, but also very nervous. So tell me, what do I need to know." I steeled my nerves, and expectantly looked at him.

"Well, what do you know about the Great War or World War One?" Oh my! History was never my strong suit.

"Well, I know it lasted from 1914 through 1918. And it was a time of sacrifice, many were poor, and the food was scarce. But not much else."

"You're right about that. You also have to understand that times were drastically different then, and women were expected to behave a certain way. You should probably spend a day or two observing the people around you to get a feel for their day-to-day lives, and try to mimic them to the best of your ability. You will need a cover story. I'm guessing here and am going to say that you're about eighteen, so you should still be living with your parents, preparing for your marriage. If you don't have any money with you, I would suggest you quickly find a job. And I think that is about it.

"Oh wait! If you need housing, you will find many boarding houses, kinda like a bed and breakfast, I suppose."

"Ok, so cover story, I could say I was from New York, and my parents died, so I was traveling to resettle somewhere, and Chicago seemed like a place of opportunity. As for money, I have a little I am taking with me; I'm hoping it will get me through for a while. I read a book once about women in that time period so I have a good idea what to expect, but I will also do some people watching and get a better idea."

"Sounds like we have almost everything covered. Please wait here just a moment." He was gone in an instant, but back just as quickly.

"I did a little experiment last night after hunting, and learned that personal items can 'travel'. I was concerned about your clothes, and knew you wouldn't have the proper attire, so I went back and bought you a few items."

I glanced behind him and sitting on the ground was a large travel trunk. It was beautiful. The wood was dark cherry, with black straps, and embossed in silver.

"Now, please don't be embarrassed, but I got you everything from undergarments to overcoats. You have three complete outfits here. Well four, since you will need proper traveling clothes."

He reached into one of the drawers and pulled out a neatly stacked pile.

"Here, if you're ready, go change and meet me back out here." I blew out a breath, and gingerly took the stack of clothes out of his outstretched hands and went into the house.

The clothes were in order on how to put them on. Thankfully I remembered from that book I read.

Once I got the undergarments on, and thankfully there was no corset, I slipped the silky dress over my head. I was amazed how well it fit. It wasn't very form fitting, though that was the way it was supposed to be. The dress was a pale lavender, with white accents… a perfect day dress. I rolled the knee-high socks over my feet and put the shoes on; they were more like boots in today's time. The buttons were horrendous. Why did there need to be so many? I found the hair clip next and knew I would need to put it back and roll it into a coif, much like a French twist, which I managed with some difficulty. I looked at the hat and decided I would take it outside with me; I didn't think it was necessary. The coat was last, it was also light lavender, and came almost down to my ankles.

I stepped back out on the porch and was met with Ciaran's wide, shocked eyes.

"If you weren't already in love with someone, I would travel with you and try to claim you as mine. You will be one of the most beautiful women of that time. Do try to not draw too much attention to yourself, otherwise Edward will be in for a fight with other suitors." Was he serious? Plain ole me? I'd beg to differ, but I didn't have the energy.

"Thanks Ciaran, I will keep that in mind. I guess I'm ready now, better do it before I throw up from all these frayed nerves." I was feeling a bit queasy, and I didn't want to lose my dinner.

"Okay Bella, listen carefully, I'm sending you to the year 1917, it will still be the same month and day as today. You will 'land' in Washington Park, hopefully within the trees. There will be a boarding house on the east side of the park, two blocks over. Go there, the house is beautiful and the rent will be cheap, and there is a sign outside saying 'boarding house'."

This was really happening, and now I was worried that perhaps I wouldn't be beautiful enough to catch Edward's attention without the singer call of my blood.

"Ciaran, could you help me repack my bags into the travel trunk? There are some things I want to take with me." He walked over to the truck and pulled my backpack out, carefully emptying the contents into the travel trunk.

"Bella, this is important, make sure you have a firm grip onto your trunk and empty your mind. Take a deep breath and close your eyes when you are ready. You will feel my touch on your forehead, and then it will feel like you are falling. Do not panic. When you feel your feet firmly on the ground, open your eyes slowly. You may be a little disoriented and feel faint. I don't have the ability to pinpoint the time of day, just the date. I am unsure of the weather on this day, so be careful, it will be cold."

I took a few deep breaths to steady myself, gripped my trunk as tight as I could, and closed my eyes. After a few moments I felt Ciaran's cold touch lightly press on my forehead, and then… then I was falling…

~~~~~~~~oOo~~~~~~~~

Alice's POV:

It has been two months since our departure from Forks, and everyone was so sad. The house was always so somber and quiet. Not even Emmett was joking around and being loud. Not only did we lose Bella, Edward left us as well. He was somewhere in South America, sulking in an abandoned building. I was so mad at him that I couldn't even be bothered to show real concern. I did check on him once a week, but he was always in the same place. I did notice his eyes getting darker every time, but again, I will just let him wallow.

Bella on the other hand was not doing well at all. I knew I promised Edward I wouldn't interfere with her life, but she's supposed to be my sister; and I wasn't able to just forget about her.

For some reason, every time I checked in on her, I could see her, but could not hear any sound in the vision. I could see the movement of their lips, but that was it.

It was early in the day when I got a vision of Bella. Usually I had to go to her, but this time it came to me. She must be actively making a decision. I sat back to watch, and I was surprised.

Her mother was flying through her room throwing things into a suitcase. Bella stood up after a while and started putting her things away, and then there seemed to be shouting. I watched in fascination as Bella slapped her mother across the face. I let out a gasp at the look of anger on Bella's face.At my gasp, Jasper flew to my side, but I held up a hand to silence him so I could continue watching.

She left the house, and surprisingly, went to our old home. She sat outside for a while, and I was slammed with visions of her doing damage to the house. She kept changing her mind, and then she got up and went inside. I almost called her, but since she stopped thinking about the damage, it wasn't necessary.

A smile graced my face as I watched her read the note I left for her. I saw her tears, and I hoped that she was happy I had thought to leave the note for her. She went back outside and was sitting there reading the note, when all of a sudden a vampire entered the yard and was watched her with surprise and curiosity. I panned my vision to see him more clearly and noticed he had gold eyes, but that didn't mean anything.

Bella looked up and was startled. She was having a conversation with him, and she clearly relaxed, which calmed me down as well. After a while she left, and the vision went out.

Jasper was looking at me expectantly, so I recanted the vision. He smiled, though he did seem concerned about the unknown vampire talking to Bella. I wasn't worried though. If he let her go, then I didn't think there was any danger.

When the rest of the family came home, I gave them the unchanging update on Edward, and then told them about the vision I had concerning Bella. Emmett became more animated, and Esme was on the verge of tears. Carlisle also seemed concerned for her, and Rosalie was still indifferent. She was still upset with Bella for being the 'cause' off all our discord and the reason we had to move away.

I finally had enough of all the analyzing in the living room; I went upstairs and started working on a drawing. It was a beautiful light lavender gown, from the 1900's. I wasn't sure why this dress came to me, but it was very beautiful.

When I was finished, I took it to show Esme. She agreed that is was beautiful, but was also dumbfounded on why I would have a vision of this dress.

~~~~~~~~oOo~~~~~~~~

I was out in the woods with Jasper finishing our hunting trip, before school resumed. It was getting rather late, and we were heading back home when I felt a sharp pain in my temple. The world started to go blurry. I've never had a vision like this before.

"Jasper, help me over to that rock. This vision is coming in hard, and I don't know what it means." He seemed as panicked as I was at the moment, but carried me over to the large rock and sat me down in his lap, while he rubbed my head. The pain was so intense I had to close my eyes.

Bella was sitting on the porch of our home again, watching the woods. She wasn't sitting there long when the unknown vampire showed back up. She stood up and smiled at him, and they talked for a few minutes. Then he ran off into the woods and instantly came back with a large travel trunk. Bella looked at it with surprise and he opened it and took out a stack of fabric. She took it from him and went into the house.

A little while later she came back out, wearing the dress I had drawn the night before.

Wait? What was going on here?

She was absolutely stunning in the dress, and looked like a high-class lady from the 1900's.

The vampire seemed to be giving her some form of instruction his facial expression was serious. She asked him something, and he darted over to her truck and got a bag, dumping it into the chest. He carefully closed it before he spoke. Bella nodded, then held onto the chest and closed her eyes. He sucked in a large breath and touched Bella's forehead. All of a sudden she started to shimmer, then she was gone.

He stood there for a few moments and was then gone as well, almost as if he was a ghost.

I opened my eyes and screamed. I went to turn to Jasper, but I was alone on the rock. Scanning the tree line for him, I noticed that everything seemed to be disappearing around me. Then everything just faded away. I looked down and noticed that I too was fading. I screamed in terror again, and everything went black, and I was falling…

~~~~~~~~oOo~~~~~~~~

I would like to give a huge shout out to nicoleXben for being my beta on this chapter, and hopefully for the rest of this story!

Leave me your thoughts; I would love to hear what you think!