Sorry it's been so long, my laptop broke down on me and I just moved house! life's so hectic! Thanks for sticking with me and a big, big thank you to my Beta windsongspringheart! Strong language and don't own anything.

I woke up feeling fresh, like I had slept for 3 days straight. Sleeping beauty ain't got nothing on me, but the night before still plagued my mind.

Why had I gotten so mad? And out of nowhere like that? What was that flash past my window? Was I losing it?

I had spent most of my morning under the covers on my iPhone googling the possibilities, shooting stars, weather, burglaries...and nothing. A big fat nada.

I'd even asked Maggie if she and Charlie had heard or seen anything suspicious. Of course they hadn't, and my talk just made her look at me funny and act worried about me. I was starting to think I was going crazy and I'm sure I'm not the only one who thought so.

I pushed the thoughts aside for now. I mean it must just be the fact I'm still settling in, right?

But, I promised myself if it happened again I would have to do something about it.

Maggie hadn't said much this morning and Charlie was just as quiet, so I'm guessing she'd let him have it once he got home. Missing dinner sure is a big deal to a country girl.

Charlie being quiet made the car ride to work worse. It left too much space for my head to think. Mainly about what ghosts and goblins could be doing outside my window at night. I couldn't wait to just get out of this car and start busying myself with the paperwork I had to file today, and of course see James. Swoon.

Much to my disappointment I didn't see him the whole of my shift and it was full of people scurrying around the office in hectic waves. I wondered if there had been a break-through on the case or something.

I was just popping my head around Charlie's office door to say bye when I heard, "Bella!" I turned to see James stumbling into the office looking flustered and sleep deprived. He must have noticed the worry on my face.

"My car was set on fire last night, so I had to speak to the fire and police departments till early this morning and then file an insurance claim and go pick a car to rent until it's gone through. It's been a nightmare. I mean who the f*** would do that? Didn't take anything, didn't steal the car just set it on fire?!." He said while running a hand over his face and sighing.

"I'm so sorry, James. Is there anything I can do? Shall we re-schedule our date for another time?" I said not knowing what to do. I was staring at my feet waiting for him to take the out I had just given him for our date.

I mean, I couldn't blame the guy for canceling could I? He had just had to deal with his car being randomly set on fire the day before our date. Sure, I had been looking forward to it. Sure, I would probably die and never be able to look him in the eye again, but you know I couldn't blame him. Not really. Can you hear the sarcasm?

"No, no don't worry about it. I've taken care of everything that needed doing so just have to wait for the insurance people to get their ass's in gear, ha. Time you want picking up tomorrow?" He asked smirking now at my taken aback expression.

Trying to recover smoothly I answered quickly, "Around one sound okay to you?"

His face lit up with a smile then and even though he looked tired, he looked so adorable and absolutely fuck-able right then.

"Yeah, great. I'll see you then," he hesitated before walking away and then smiled once more before rushing off to his office.

Feeling like my day here hadn't been a total waste, I knocked on Charlie's door.

"Come in"

"Can't be long, father. Maggie should be here soon. Just thought I'd say bye." I cheerfully sang as I plopped myself down in front of his desk in one of the two chairs available.

"Urgh, don't get me started on that woman." He grumbled, looking away and out the window scanning the parking lot.

"Dad, don't say that. That woman is lovely and treats you well. You can't blame her for being upset that you pushed her aside for work. You have a tendency to do that sometimes, you know." My voice was light, but I was shocked that I'd been so harsh. Filter Bella, filter. Looking into Charlie's eyes I could see I'd hurt him, and that made my stomach shrivel up and jump into my throat.

"I'm sorry...I shouldn't have said that..." I trailed off ,my mood suddenly plummeting as I stared at my shoes for the second time in five minutes, feeling like a little girl all over again. Especially with the weight of his stare on me.

"No. Urgh, it's ok. I'll see you at home, kid" he mumbled before turning back to his notes.

"Ok...see you later"

I didn't waste time getting out of there as I said my goodbye. My face was beet red, I'm sure, by this point. God could my morning get any worse?! I needed a cig.

I ran to the car as I spotted Maggie's frantically waving hand popping out the window of her muddy blue car, her face smiling ear to ear.

As I got in, she immediately started filling me in on last night and what had been said between my dad and her. I just looked out the window while I listened, nodding and "yes"-ing in all the right places.

"I cooked for us, Bella. Like I do every night! And every night what happens, he's five minutes late, then it's ten, then twenty and then it's I'm not coming home for tea! Is that acceptable?! No. I know it's work and I know it's important, especially to him but does it have to be every night?! And then he tells me I'm overreacting! Well that just did it, I did not hold back. I told him straight!" By this point she has worked herself up and her attitude was coming out more along with her southern twang.

"You have done this to me once too many! This is the last time I come second because if it happens again, you just wait and see Charlie Swan! That's what I told him, will it make a difference?! No. Does he listen?! No!" She huffed and sagged into her seat as she stopped at red light, her hand agitatedly tapping on the driving wheel.

I sighed and looked at her. She just looked sad and defeated.

"Do you, maybe, wanna do this another time?" I asked as the light turned from red to amber and then green. I didn't totally feel up to it now, my morning sucked. I could find something that I already had that was suitable for the date.

"Hush honey, no. We're not gonna also let him ruin girls day!" She said pasting on a smile and throwing a wink my way. I smiled back and tried to shake off my mood.

The mall was packed and swarming with people, so obviously I hated it ,but Maggie quickly took my mind off of that and pulled me into a beauty salon. It was all pink and there were potted plants everywhere. Leopard print was dotted about and the stack of magazines on the table in the middle of the waiting room was overflowing.

Pushing me into a chair and throwing a magazine at me, Maggie went over to the receptionist, who after a brief word, quickly whisked her away.

Huffing at her for not telling me what we were doing here, I settled in to wait for her to come back, flicking through the latest gossip on Miley and Liam.

But before I could get too engrossed in the will-they-won't-they I had an older woman dressed in a pink overall tapping me on the shoulder and looking at me expectantly.

"Come, it's your turn." She said tugging on my arm, I was sure that was bad for business. Pushy people.

"No, I think you have the wrong person. I'm just here with my...stepmom." I said looking around for her, where the hell was she?!

"You're Isabella, right?" she asked, arching an eyebrow and tapping her foot. That was too much, in my opinion.

"Urghmmmm...yeah? But I didn't book anything..." Before I could finish, she'd already pulled me out of my chair and was tugging me along to a room around the back. Did she want to pull my arm off?

The room was pink, with flower pictures all over the walls and a single plant in the corner. The bed had, what to me was a doctor's roll all the way down it and there was a lavender scent in the air.

Before I could scope anymore of my surroundings she'd shut the door and told me to take my pants off while she turned to face the wall. Now it even felt like a doctors appointment.

"What treatment am I exactly getting?" I asked, hesitantly taking my jeans off. Hopefully just a leg wax or something. I kept my panties on and hopped onto the bed.

"The works of course, darlin. Now stop your squirming about. Ain't nothin I ain't seen before and you know I ain't got time for all this messin. Time is a wastin and time is Montey." She drawled at me, and stuck her hand in my face rubbing her fingers together, indicating money. I got to really look at her then.

Her dark red hair was all big and poofy on top of her head with a hair net on. She had flowers poking out and hair clips all over keeping it all up there. Her face was clean and very full, hardly any wrinkles but in a way that she couldn't frown. Her eyes were dark blue and her make up light but her voice sounded older her thick drawl and confidence told me she'd been doing this a long, long time. She reminded me of a drunk smoking grandma from a tv show but young looking.

First she did my legs, which was fine. Then my underarms, which hurt, but again was fine. Then any facial hair I needed doing, and that saved me a job. But when she started asking what kind of bikini I wanted, that's when I started to shit myself.

"Wh-what?! I've not had one before, I'm okay on that front. I think." I said started to get up, before I could her long acrylic finger nail was in my shoulder stopping me, more like stabbing me.

"Ya sure? Maggie told me ya gotta date. So what ya gonna do if ya know, ya get some? Can't just go there all hairy and stuff, ya gotta impress!" she said looking all matter of fact. Any other time, any other place, I would have pissed myself laughing. I would love her but right now I just wanted to get the fuck out of dodge!

"Now, there's Brazilian and that where ya gotta strip of hair. Then ya got the Hollywood which is no hair at all. Which ya want?" She asked, demonstrating on her own crotch as she told me the options.

I must have taken too long answering as I gaped at her, because in the end she answered for me. "All of it is." She muttered turning away again to let me take my panties off. She then started playing with wax looking like an evil scientist to me. Bitch.

Once we were done and I was hobbling out to meet Maggie, who was blissfully having her feet done, I'd decided it was hell for about two minutes then I felt like I could be in porn or run around the mall naked. I wanted to go up to someone and just be like 'LOOK HOW PRETTY' It was great. I was ready to go, well, if you know, it got that far.

I sat next to Maggie just as, Pearl, I learned her name was, came out and started buffing my toes.
"See, told ya I'd get her to go through with it didn't a Maggs!" She said winking up at me and nudging Maggie's leg.

After spending another hour of non-stop bitching about Charlie and me gushing about James, we were buffed, polished and preened and ready to go to a pageant. I quickly picked a black skin-tight dress that was off the shoulders and around mid thigh length dress. I didn't want anything too much, and black and simple was much more to my taste. Plus, I had a pair of heels already in mind. Maggie seemed a little disappointed I didn't want anything pink.

With not much time left before I had to get to work at the diner, we headed back and I told her about what happened to James's car on the way home.

"Why would anyone do that? Is it being investigated?" She asked as her eyes flickered about on the road.

"Yeah he said that he's had to put claim on his insurance, so I'm guessing they will investigate it. He seemed tired, didn't want to cancel. So that's an eager sign?" I question, biting my lip wondering if it was a good idea to even go. He did have a lot on his plate.

"Yes, definitely! He must really like you, Bella. If after everything he's got going on, he wants to take you out. that's nice of him to not cancel." She said with a sigh.

"I may have hurt Charlie's feelings today, too...I didn't mean too but urhh. I think he's really upset." I say as we pull up in the driveway.

"Do you want to tell me about it, hunny?" she asks as she pushes some hair away from my face. Things like this made me so at home around her. Renee used to do that all the time to me, as if I was still that little girl that needed her band-aids kissed better. It was a sweet touch I took comfort in.

"I said something to him about him picking his work over me and you. He used to do it a lot when I was a kid. I just don't have a filter all the time," I grab my bag with my dress in and head into the house.

"He'll be fine, Bella. Don't worry yourself. He knows he does it. Did it, even. It's one of his regrets about when you was growing up, so for him to still be acting like this now you live here?! Foolish! He'll have to pull his head out, won't he, and think about what you've said. I think it'll be a good thing you've actually told him what's on your mind. Now quit worrying, and go get ready for work, hunny. I'll drop you off." she patted me on the back and gave me a smile.

Looking at the uniform laid out on my bed, I wanted to throw up. A dark mustard little dress with a bright blue pinny to go over the top, a plain name badge and a headband with the slogan printed on. I sighed in defeat and threw it on without looking. I out on my converse and pulled my hair up into a high ponytail.

Looking down at the offending pieces of clothing, one thought came to mind. This is my life now...
I gave another sigh before heading out to find Maggie.

My feet felt like they literally had a pulse. Like someone had taken a hammer and just gone to town on them. It was already dark outside and I was half an hour away from my shift ending. There was a lone man who sat at the front of the diner watching the local news on the telly above the counter. Ellie, who also worked here, had gone for her break so I was left to mop the floor before I left and we closed.

I let my hands and my body do the work as my mind drifted to what my mum was doing, I hadn't managed to get her on the phone yet with her always traveling, but we sent texts and I knew she would ring when she could. I was pulled out of my thoughts as a woman bumped into me and instinctively I grabbed her to stop her from falling on the wet floor. She stared at me for what seemed like forever, studying my face and then her eyes traveling down to my feet.

Her hair was long and blonde. She was the same height as me, but a bit more on the curvier side. Her face was beautiful and round. Her features were sharp, though, and her eyes were intense...but seemed off, like a burgundy brown?

She broke the silence then and let go of my arm "I'm sorry about that darlin, I'm just so clumsy." She said smiling and fixing her hair.

"Don't worry about it, I should have put a sign up. Been one of those days" I laughed and shrugged, moving around her to go find a cone or something.

When I came back out, she was sitting at the end booth with two other males. One was sitting at the same side of the girl with his arm slung over her shoulder and playing with the tips of her hair. He had the same blonde hair as she did and was a lot taller. His hair was short and slicked back with a black cowboy hat covering the rest of his face. The other male sat at the opposite side of them and was staring at me with a burning intensity. I looked away and propped the sign up before he could catch me staring.

His hair was long, hanging in corn gold waves down to his chin. His face was beautifully sculpted, with high cheek bones and a little dimple in his chin. His eyebrows were thick and suited him, his eyes were startling, the same burgundy only darker, more like black. His lips were plump pressed together. He leaned causally into the booth, still staring at me and I couldn't help my body's reaction to him. Didn't just need the wet floor sign because of the mop anymore. Yeah, that kind of reaction.

We're they models?! They sure fucking looked like them. They were gorgeous and sex on legs!

I took the bucket and mop to the back, taking a minute to rub my thighs together to stop the shaking and try to stop the other problem. I grabbed my pad and pen and using my confident facade I usually did, strutted out there to take there order.

"What can I get ya?" I asked, looking at the blonde female who was smiling at me widely and looking from me to the rest of the table.

"We'll just get three waters please? Bottled if you have any?" She answered, I wrote it down, not that I needed to and looked at the rest of them.

"That all?" I asked and she just nodded before shaking her head at the sex god behind me,. I turned to look at him and there he was staring at me again. It was kinda unnerving and weird. I was starting to get a creepy vibe no matter how much I would like to jump his bones right now.

I went and got the bottles and took it over to their table with three glasses, but as I put the tray down, the guy grabbed my wrist and didn't let go. The guy with the creepy stare. I looked up confused and was about to ask what he was doing when he let go and then smiled slightly as if he hadn't just been the world biggest weirdo.

I stumbled back and pointed to where I would be if they needed me before rushing off. I wiped a few tables and tried to distract myself from the encounter, but my eyes kept flickering back to them. I didn't know whether to warn Ellie about that guy before I left.

As I was pulling on my coat and bag from the pegs on the wall, Ellie came back in and smelt of cigarettes which made me itch since I hadn't had one yet. Her face was flushed from the evening heat and her eyes were tired.

"Bit of a handsy guy in the last booth with a group. Just a warning" I said. She didn't seem to take any notice though, and just nodded and walked out.

I had at least tried to tell her. I took out my cigs in anticipation and walked to the door, I didn't look back at the table. I wouldn't see them again, so let Mr Hands think he hadn't affected me.

I lit the cig that hung from my lips and took my phone out. There was a text from James and Charlie. I smiled and started to reply.

Charlie wanted to come pick me up after work, so I text back letting him know I'd finished. James just text telling me he was excited for our date. I had to give him credit.

"Didn't anyone ever tell you those will kill ya?" The voice was husky and the accent was thick, it ran over me smoothly and lit a fire in my stomach.

"Doesn't everything these days? Don't eat bacon, cancer! Don't eat tomatoes, cancer!" I said theatrically as I smirked at him. Sex on legs, also known as Mr Hands, smirked back and leaned into the railing of the stairs that led up to the diner door.

I looked around and away from him. It was really dark now and trees loomed over our heads. Kinda spooky, but the warmth in the air was nice. He didn't say anything for a long time and then before I knew what was going on, I was flying through the air.

Okay, that might be wrong, but I had no clue what was happening. I was moving, but yet I wasn't. Things where swooshing by in a blur of colour. I tried to scream, but a hand clamped over mine and that's when terror ran down my back.

Oh my god aliens have got me, aliens have abducted me. That must be it. God, please don't let me be probed by some creepy little green man and then be one of those people you see on the news acting all crazy. I felt the hand around my mouth but it felt human shaped and not slimy or scaly...I looked up and could see the white t-shirt stretched over muscle. The guy from the diner.

But how? What was happening to us, then?

Yep, this is it Bella. You've gone insane. You knew this day was coming and now it's here. Just let it happen. I mean, what can you do now? Nothing, it's already happened! You thought you was being abducted by aliens a minute ago, and now you're what? Flying with a guy you met once? Yeah, okay.

My tongue peeked out and licked the hand that covered my lips. Yes, definitely not slimy and it didn't taste green and scaly. How can you taste green, anyway?

I'm losing it. Urgh. God help me.

The hand disappeared for a moment and then was back over my mouth again but tighter this time. Maybe it was a bad idea to lick the quite nice tasting hand. Well, they shouldn't be so rude to muzzle me like a dog!

In the end, I closed my eyes, I couldn't see anything, it was so dark. And even if I could, it was all blurs of colour.

I must have fallen asleep because when I woke up, I was on a sofa in a room I didn't recognize and in a house I'd never been in before. I could hear yelling. Muffled yelling.

I was disorientated, like I needed to throw up. I wondered how I got here. Maybe I'm in an alternate universe?

I patted my pockets for my phone.

Eureka!

I quickly pulled it out and started to debate weather to ring Charlie or the police...I mean Charlie was police but would I be better with a simple 999? Or is it 911? Urhh, I don't even know which to ring. How am I a cops daughter?!

Deciding Charlie was my best bet, I searched the room for somewhere to hide as I pressed call.

The room was large with two walls just plain old brick with multiple colours in them. The theme seemed to be white, grey, and black but there were some splashes of red dotted around. The other two walls were black and the furniture a mixture of all the colours but it was simple, a tv and a sofa with a few things like a bookshelf and a desk that's it. They must suck at hide and seek. I saw a door at the far end of the room and stepping as quietly as I could on the creaky oak flooring, I tip-toed over to it, hoping it was a toilet with a lock or a coat cupboard.

The phone was ringing and ringing and nothing. I was just opening the door and about to start speaking into the voicemail when...

*COUGH COUGH*

My breath caught in my throat and before I could turn around my hands were empty. No phone.

Shit.

I slowly turned and came face to face with the two males and the female from the diner. The woman just stood, glaring at the sex god with her arms crossed and foot tapping away. The guy with a cowboy hat on was looking at me with a cocky smirk on his lips. He was all sorts of delicious, too, but I had a feeling he was already taken.

My eyes landed on the guy with the white top on. The same white top I remember seeing in the middle of that daze. His eyes were burning into me and he looked mad.

No one said anything for a real long time and I began to realize they weren't gonna start talking anytime soon, so I took that as my cue.

"Look, I find it really rude that your all making me break the ice when your the ones that have, essentially kidnapped me. Now, let's all just decide it's probably better I go home, get on with my tragic life, eh? I've got a date tomorrow, depending on the time and I don't plan on missing it cause you all want to pull some stupid shit. So where am so I can get the fuck out of here?"

They all just kinda looked at me for a moment before cowboy hat spoke up.

"Haha, well now we have to keep her cause I just about fell in love with her ya'll!"