Author's Note:

I must apologize for how long it has taken me to update. Unfortunately, real life has been really hectic with exams and other things. Hopefully I'll be able to update quicker now it's the summer, so watch this space…

Thanks, as always, go to those who read and review this story – you have no idea how much it means to me. This chapter is dedicated to gaby47 – thanks for your lovely review!

I also have to thank HeathersTwilight who made me a wonderful banner for this story which you can check out on Twilighted (dot) net

Last, but most definitely not least, I must thank LisaDawn who makes these chapters readable for you.

Anyway, I think I've rambled long enough now so here's the next chapter. Oh, and I don't own Twilight (as I'm sure you all know) but the plot of this fanfic is mine, okay?

"The greatest harm can result from the best intentions."

Stone of Tears

She awoke in anticipation, a plan formed perfectly in her mind. For once she was eager to get out of bed, keen to do something. It would never be the same anticipation that set her heart racing when meeting him, but it was an improvement all the same.

It was sunny for once in Forks, so Charlie had gone fishing with Billy, leaving Bella with the house for herself. The morning passed quickly as she did the laundry, cleaned the dishes and completed a bit of homework. Fixing herself some lunch, Bella went through the plan once more in her head.

"I can do this," Bella murmured aloud. "I can do this, I can do this…oh, what am I thinking? There's no way I can follow through with this."

Frustrated, Bella stomped up the stairs before roughly pulling off her clothes and stepping into the shower. Bella's muscles automatically relaxed as she felt the warm water caress her back. She inhaled the familiar scent of shampoo that was being lathered into her hair.

With her hair soap-free and her body carefully washed, she stepped out and dried herself thoroughly with a fluffy towel. Next, she shaved her legs and underarms carefully, making sure every hair disappeared. A bit too much pressure was applied to her skin, and Bella revelled in the discomfort it caused, a wry smile creeping up when she spotted the blood appearing from the scratches she had created. Luckily, they weren't too noticeable; it saved explaining them to someone too perceptive for their own good.

Ever since that day in class when she had focused on the teacher's words to the point that they began to make no sense, Bella had learned to busy herself in order to keep the painful memories from seeping into her mind. So, for the next couple of hours, she did everything from sorting out her closet to cleaning the oven. The time passed slowly, but eventually five o'clock rolled around and it was time to get dressed for the night.

She needed something drastic to wear...something not Bella, which was quite difficult, seeing as it was her closet. A blue shirt? No, he liked her in that colour. A khaki skirt? No, she wore that the first time she met his family. But instead of causing her to shed tears, the reminders only made her more determined to find something suitable to wear.

Yes! At the back of her closet underneath several items was a shopping bag that had not been opened since the items were placed in there. A bag full of clothes bought by Alice. Taking a deep breath, she opened up the bag to find the perfect outfit: a long-sleeved v-neck white shirt and a black skirt with a slit up the back.

After putting it on, she realised that it was still too...modest. So she put a black lace bra on underneath the shirt and rolled the waistband of the skirt up several times. To complete the look, she added some fishnet tights she had bought with Jessica as a joke and a pair of black heeled boots.

Bella's make-up was another story. She had never really applied much before except a bit of mascara and lip gloss, but she decided that tonight deserved a bit more attention. She chose to go for a 'smoky eye look' which ended up making her look like she had a black eye instead. So in the end, she just put on some eye-liner, a couple of coats of mascara and went for the daring choice of red lipstick.

Walking over to the floor length mirror, Bella braced herself for the new her. Looking back at her in the mirror was a confident and sexy girl that you didn't mess with. She didn't let boys…or other creatures mess her around. She was her own person. Bella was shocked by her appearance, but decided things couldn't get any worse than they already were. It was the perfect way to cover up the real Bella that she had to protect, too.

Bella's old truck rumbled to life once more as she pulled out of the driveway. The loud rattling of the engine prevented the journey from being silent without the radio on. She had long since removed the stereo that his family had bought for her. She had torn it out with the bare fingers, clawing desperately until just a hole remained – just another hole to add to her life.

An internal battle was currently going on with the more sane side of Bella's brain insisting she was crazy, and the more daring side telling her to go for it. In the end the daring side won and she stepped out onto the sidewalk outside a club in Port Angeles.

She had heard several conversations about this particular nightclub in the cafeteria at lunch, mainly about how it was supposed to be the coolest place to hang out, but the strictest on I.D. So, she stupidly thought the first thing in her quest to become 'normal' would be to get into a club underage and have a drink at the most difficult place to enter.

As she walked up to the entrance, Bella heard the thumping music and bubble of voices from inside. What worried her the most, however, were the two intimidating looking bouncers outside. They were both over 6 feet in height and looked as though they were made of steel.

The next few hours were like an out of body experience for Bella. She was no longer the quiet, sensible and considerable Bella, but a confident, sexy and daring young woman. She put her shoulders back, undid the first couple of buttons on her shirt and then lifted her head, putting on what she thought to be a mischievous grin.

She strutted up to the bouncers, swinging her hips and gave them a cheeky wink. Oh God, what the hell am I doing? Bella thought. This is never going to work. I should be back at home moping on my bed.

"Have a good night, darling," the bouncer announced, returning her grin and stepping aside.

Wow. It really did work – I, Bella Swan, am in a club. Wait, Bella is only here in body, not mind. She never would have actually gone through with the plan.

So, stage one was complete – enter a club. The two other things on her three-point plan were having a drink and chatting with a guy. Taking a glance around the club, she knew there were plenty of males that she could talk to but none seemed to grab her attention, not like...

Stop it Bella! You are here to do something different and slightly dangerous, not dwell on the past.

Gathering her courage, she stepped up to the bar and ordered a beer. The bartender was too busy eyeing up a blonde sitting on the other side of the club to bother seeing if she was underage before handing over the ice cold bottle. Bella struggled to keep the bitter liquid down as she took a swig from it.

Deciding it would be best to finish her drink before completing the plan, she chugged the remaining alcohol down and left the bottle on the counter.

On the other side of the club, someone became aware of Bella's presence. He was appreciative of her attire, as he looked her up and down before settling on her chest. She would do for tonight, he thought. Time to turn the charm on.

Out of the corner of her eye, Bella noticed the stranger that was admiring her from afar. A smirk appeared on his tanned face as he caught her watching him. On closer inspection, he wasn't that bad looking – large blue eyes and a mop of messy blonde hair complete with a million dollar smile.

But his eyes weren't deep or ochre in colour, his hair didn't have the same casual disarray and Bella preferred a crooked grin any day.

However, Bella's bronze-haired boy was no longer hers and she needed to feel something again. The numbness had returned almost instantly after her cutting session. She needed to feel fear, excitement, adrenaline, anything.

So she looked directly into those shallow blue eyes and beckoned him over with her index finger. He was stunned for a moment, surprised that she had made the first move. It made things easier for him if she was interested though. His signature smile appeared whilst he strode arrogantly over to where Bella was stood.

"So, what's your name?" The stranger asked in a husky tone. "I'm Luke."

"Rosalie," she replied instantly before realising whose name she had used. Her brain had figured that only someone like Rosalie would be confident enough to do this sort of thing. Unfortunately, he would have to put up with her simple looks, she thought.

"Well then Rose, let me get you a drink," he stated cockily, using what he thought would be her preferred nickname. Before she could protest, he was already ordering a martini from the bar.

"Where are you from? I'm sure I would have noticed a girl as pretty as you around here before."

"Ummm." She couldn't tell him she lived in Forks. Things spread like wildfire around there, and she certainly didn't want Charlie knowing his underage daughter had been to a club, drinking alcohol.

"I'm on vacation." The lies spilled easily from her lips. "I live in Phoenix." Well she used to, so at least if he started asking questions about it, then she could answer them. It would be rather difficult making up a story about her life in somewhere like Britain which she knew nothing about.

"Do you have a boyfriend?"

His bluntness caught Bella off guard. Luke didn't want to get involved if there was a boyfriend around. Through past experiences he had learnt that it wasn't worth the trouble, although he considered bending them a bit for this 'Rose'.

Avoiding the question, Bella gulped down some of her Martini – it tasted much better than the beer she'd had earlier.

"So..." Luke gestured with his hand, looking expectant.

For most people, this would be a simple yes or no answer. Black and white. Chalk and cheese. But Bella was always the unfortunate one, stuck in the grey, in-between pile.

She could say no. That wouldn't be lying after all. Nobody called her 'their Bella' and the one person who had, could never be considered such a small thing as a boyfriend. He was far from it.

She could say yes. This Luke guy would realise she was taken and Bella thought he would find someone else to play with. After inspecting 'Rose' closer though, Luke had the same intentions whether she was taken or not – screw the consequences.

Saying yes wouldn't be lying either. Nobody called her their own, but she had already given her heart and soul to someone, even if she couldn't have his in return. Never would someone be able to have the same hold over her or form the connection that she once had.

Bella became frustrated for allowing herself to wallow in her thoughts, so she took the easy option, as always, deciding to distract herself from the problem at hand.

"Why don't we get some shots?"

Luke was taken aback by 'Rose's' forwardness, not pegging her to be the type to be a heavy drinker, but ordered the shots all the same.

"So what d'ya think of Port Angeles?" Luke asked, his arm resting casually around her shoulders. His touch was hot, too hot, and she couldn't help but wish for the icy cold fingertips that would cool her down in the humid atmosphere.

"It's alright," Bella replied distractedly. She could feel the alcohol start to seep through her body, the way it made everything around seem different. Sharp lines became fuzzy, near object were suddenly further away and the floor was suddenly much closer as she swayed on her heels.

"Woah!" Strong arms quickly saved her from yet another meeting with the ground and she sank into them, feeling at home, safe. The world seemed a much nicer place when Bella was being held. The limbs seemed to hold her broken body together and, just for a moment, she thought she was Rose, not Bella with all the baggage attached.

"Need a knight in shining armour?" Bella instantly stiffened, panic holding her body taught like a puppeteer's maisonette. She'd let her guard down. She was not safe in this stranger's arms and the world was a cruel and lonely place.

"I think I'm going to go out for a bit of fresh air," she mumbled, desperate to try and clear her head.

Dodging the sweaty bodies on her way out, Bella's breath caught in her throat as she spotted a flash of bronze hair. Wheeling round, she realised she'd been mistaken. Familiar laughter filtered through her ears as she wildly tried to place it. Once more, she came up short.

Bella no longer liked this place, the way it played tricks on her mind. The alcohol had been a bad idea too, she decided. She'd wanted to forget the memories for an evening, become a stronger person. But the alcohol had rendered her powerless and Bella felt like she was drowning in the mass of people.

"Hey Rose - wait for me!" Luke called, his voice becoming swallowed by the music.

He managed to catch up with Bella quickly, grabbing her wrist and tugging it sharply.

"You weren't going to leave me all alone were you?" He feigned sadness before breaking into a smirk.

Bella didn't have much coordination sober, but drunk and in heels she was a complete disaster and the force of his pull sent her toppling into his side. In an effort to stand upright, she clawed at his shirt.

"Eager are we?" he whispered in her ear. Bella missed the meaning of his words, but his tight grasp left her no other choice but to follow like a lost puppy.

The cool breeze was welcoming against her flushed cheeks and her ears were ringing once in the quiet street from the pounding music.

Wasting no time, Luke strode towards an empty alleyway, pushing Bella's body up against the wall. The rough bricks offered no comfort to her thumping headache.

"I've wanted to do this since I set eyes on that body of yours," he stated, an edge to his voice as he leaned closer.

Bella was frozen to the spot, unsure of what to do and then his lips crashed into hers. These weren't the cold, careful kisses she was used to. They were desperate, hard and wet, his hands roaming over her body of their own accord.

The stench of alcohol on his breath was revolting, but she wasn't strong enough to push him off her. His hands trailed boldly up her sides before resting on her chest. He began to slowly unbutton the white shirt before becoming frustrated and tearing it from her body. The buttons bounced as they hit the concrete, echoing off the walls.

That was it – he had no right to touch what wasn't his to touch. She did belong to someone whether they wanted her or not – the real Bella had returned and the confident, sexy Rosalie had disappeared, abandoning her in an alleyway in the middle of the night.

So she leaned in as though to kiss him, feeling him loosen his hold before she ducked away and ran.

She pushed her legs harder than she had ever done before, leaving the heels way back with that disgusting man by the name of Luke. He could consider it a gift, she thought wryly – it was all he was getting from her.

Once she was sure that she was far enough away from him, she stopped and caught her breath.

The reality of her situation suddenly came crashing down. There was no way she could drive home – the constant talks from Charlie about the number of accidents from drunk drivers had taught her that it was the one way she could make this evening worse.

Secondly, Charlie, being the Chief of Police, would be able to smell the alcohol on her breath from four states away.

She groaned. This had been a stupid idea. What had see been thinking? Getting drunk and then letting a stranger kiss her in an alleyway? That wasn't Bella doing those things- it was someone else.

The cool air was strangely sobering, allowing Bella to feel the full force of her mistakes. She wished that she was back moping in her bedroom, snuggled up in her covers without the stench of smoke clinging to her clothing.

Bella managed to find her way back to her truck, sliding down the side of it so she was sat on the gravel. She had to hold her shirt together without the buttons, her skirt was mucky from being pressed against the wall and her fishnet tights were torn from running.

She didn't even want to think about what her make-up or hair looked like now. Bella's eyes drooped as she allowed her mind to think back to the events of the evening. Her memory was different though. It was not Luke kissing her, but one of the men from the day she had been shopping with Angela and Jessica in Port Angeles. The others surrounding him in a loose semi-circle and this time someone did save her. A Volvo skidded around the corner and there he was in all his beauty. Eyes dark with fury, his bronze hair wind-swept from running.

But then the man morphed back into Luke and her saviour's image faded until he was no longer there. That was what had really happened. No one had been there to save her this time. She was alone.

The tears spilled over and Bella had never felt so small or lost. Bella wallowed in her self pity for a few moments longer before realising that she didn't have to be alone. People, or more specifically, someone, had offered to be there for her.

Removing her cell phone from her purse, Bella scrolled through the contacts before reaching the one she wanted. It rang a couple of times before a kind voice answered, "Hello?"

"Hi…it's Bella…Bella Swan. Would you come help me?" Bella whispered hoarsely, clinging onto the tendrils of comfort Angela's voice offered.

A/N:

Well there you go! Thanks so much for reading and I'll see you at the next update!

CrazyLittleWriter

P.S. If you want a dedication in the next chapter, then you have to leave the best review for this chapter