Chapter One

I leaned my head against the side of my mother's silver Honda. The windows were closed, fogging up with our hot breath and calm, quiet music played in the background, but it did little to calm my nerves.

It was freezing in Colorado, the kind of cold that bit at your cheeks and nose. That snuck up your sweaters and made your thighs and hands numb from the mere idea of it. I stared out the window, watching as the boarding school I spent the last seven years at became quickly obscured by both distance and the falling fog of snow.

I huffed irritably and pressed my face into the tyrian purple scarf tied securely around my neck. My long thick coat was draped over me like a blanket, and I loosely held my wand. I made little circles of sparkly red magic in the air, not paying attention as they began to float in the car around my knees.

I didn't want to leave Curran, especially for a place that I detest, for the next eighteen months. So what if I no longer needed the programme? Why does that mean that I couldn't stay with my friends and continue to learn magic? Why do I have to go live in a tiny town called Forks, which was damp 99% of the year? At least at Curran, I have an entire castle Library to explore and friends to hang out with during the colder months. In Forks, I have Charlie, ugh.

The same guy that my mother left, with me in tow, on her broomstick under the cover of clouds and the darkness of night to sunny Riverside, California, more than fifteen years ago. Even then, I could not shake going to Forks. Every summer, I spent a month there— until I was about ten, and was sent to Curran Academy of Therapy and Magic for being an exposure risk. MACUSA mandated that I be sent to the therapeutic magic school indefinitely. I couldn't leave and, thus, no longer forced to spend my summers in Forks. Until now, that is. I've finally been deemed 'reformed' and was quite unceremoniously packed up and moved out of the one place I called home for the last seven years.

Oh, how I loved Curran. The vigorous, sprawling grounds. The playful duels in the hallways under the guise of practice. The long nights laying by the fire in the Library, studying, writing fanfiction and discussing the various gossip of the day— I would no longer have any of that.

"Bella!" I looked up in shock to see that I had burned a hole in my jeans.

"Reparo," I muttered, mending the hole.

Good Afternoon, Passengers. This is a boarding announcement for flight 2235 to Seattle, boarding at Terminal 2, Gate 10. All Economy Class passengers, please make your way to the gate to begin boarding at this time. Have your boarding pass and identification ready for inspection. The final boarding call will start in approximately 10 minutes. Thank you.

"Bella," my mother sighed. She was staring out the window at the plane, almost as if she didn't believe it would get to this point. "I'm sorry."

I bit back the retort burning on my tongue. I might have been going to Curran to get reformed, but Renee had been going through her own training. Unfortunately, while I was deemed safe enough to return to broader society, the council decided I would be better off with my muggle father.

She can barely take care of herself, which worries me immensely. She will have Phil, but that holds little reassurance. He is a muggle like my father, and my mother was irresponsible with magic.

I was allowed home over the weekend to help her pack away her magic books, potions and all the other magical paraphernalia lying around. We placed them in the attic under an illusionment charm, so as long as Phil doesn't go poking around up there, there shouldn't be a problem.

All that was left was for her not to do magic in front of him. Which according to her letters, he has almost discovered several times already, and not because of all the owls that come through the house at frequent intervals.

Did I remember to disenchant the sink? The mop and broom? Oh, God, the washing machine‽ This is a disaster waiting to happen. Maybe I should just take her wand, why hadn't the council taken it? They take me but not her wand. How does that make any sense!? Screw MACUSA. I should just stay. I can hide in the basement if they ever show. It's better than the sure magical crisis that Renee would cause.

My mother rolled her eyes. "The washing machine was never enchanted, Bella." She took my shoulders in her hands and shook me lightly. "It'll be okay, Bella. Your dad loves you, and, if nothing else, you have Jake."

"I do love Jake," I murmured, my fingers playing with the grip of my wand, which I had hidden in my coat pocket. "And it'll give me some time to get to know Charlie better."

"He's a good man, Bella."

"I wouldn't really know that, would I?" I asked bitterly.

Renee sighed heavily. "Keep up with your magic lessons, and no —"

" — telling the non-magical folk that I am a witch, Mom, I know." It's you I am worried about.

This is the final boarding call for flight 2235 to Seattle. Please proceed to Terminal 2, Gate 10, immediately. Checks are being completed, and the captain will give the order for the doors to close in approximately 10 minutes. I repeat. This is the final boarding call for flight 2235 to Seattle. Please proceed to Terminal 2, Gate 10. Thank you.

"You don't need to worry about me," I said with fake cheerfulness. "I love you, Mom."

"It's not you I'm worried about," Renee muttered, pulling me into a hug.

I scoffed, rolling my eyes. "Goodbye, Mother," I said, patting her back and pulling away. And that was it. I got on the plane, leaving behind my mother, my friends and Curran Academy.

~o0o~

I threw myself into the aisle seat, readying myself for the four-and-a-half-hour flight from Chicago to Seattle. Flying, of course, was the easy part. It'll be the three hours in the car with Charlie driving to Forks that'll be harder.

I put my headphones in and leaned back, closing my eyes.

Charlie. I don't know what to think. He was being very nice about the entire thing, almost too nice considering his stance on magic. He hadn't hesitated to say yes when MACUSA requested that I go live with him. He was less thrilled about the reminder that I would need to be homeschooled in magic, but he managed to cover it up much better than I thought possible. The judge had almost believed him.

"Excuse me, can I get passed?"

My eyebrows furrowed, and I pulled an earbud out, looking up at the person talking to me. "Sorry, what?"

"May I get to my seat?" He asked, amused. He had a nice smile that dimpled with the gentle curve of his lips. And he was big, all muscle and height— much too big to be stuffing himself into the middle seat.

I blinked several times, speechless and smiling awkwardly as I stared into his ethereal golden-hazel eyes. "No," I said softly with a shake of my head.

His eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "Excuse me?"

"I-I mean," I looked to my left, eyeing the small middle seat and bit my lip. "Would you mind switching with me, actually? The aisle tends to give me anxiety."

His eyebrows rose, sliding under the curly black hair streaming across his forehead. "Are you sure?"

"Absolutely." I slide over, reaching down to pull my bookbag under the middle seat. I patted the seat beside me. "Please, take it."

He eyed me curiously for several more seconds before nodding, the dimpled smile once again gracing his face. "Thank you."

"Of course," I said with a smile.

I watched him from my peripheral as he settled in his seat. His eyes were unusual, not a colour you would see in the muggle world. I wondered, briefly, if that meant he was from the wizarding world and whether that would make him a wizard or dark creature. I'd never know. We tend not to reveal ourselves to those we don't know in the middle of muggle-ridden territory.

I leaned down and rifled through my bag, pulling out the winter essay packet, and book Forks High School sent me so that I would be on the same footing as the other students when I arrived. I plopped them down on the small pullout table before me and continued digging in my bag for a pencil.

"Ouch," I hissed, sitting up quickly to rub where I hit my head on the table.

I heard a chuckle from beside me and turned to glare at him. "It's not funny!"

"Pretty funny from where I am sitting," he said, dimple deepening with his smile.

He reached down into his bag for a moment and handed me a sharpened pencil, "Why not borrow mine? Save yourself the headache."

"Thank you," I smiled at him sarcastically before turning to my work.

He peered over my shoulder, suddenly in my personal space, causing me to pause and turn my head. His face was mere inches from my own, and I could feel my heart burst into a run, my cheeks heating up at the closeness. "Hey! I have that work packet too!"

"I… I, what?" Christ, he must have the longest eyelashes I've ever seen.

His grin widened as he pulled out his packet and book. Sure enough, FORKS HIGH SCHOOL AP LIT graced the top of the paper. Unlike mine, however, his questions were all filled. Whether or not the answers were correct, I couldn't tell. His handwriting wasn't legible.

I couldn't keep the incredulous look off my face. "You… you attend Forks High School?" What were the odds? I allowed myself to study his profile once more, forcing myself to bite my tongue so I wouldn't ask him how many times he had been left back.

"Since we moved here two years ago." He said with a shrug. "My father is a doctor at Forks Hospital."

I furrowed my brow. "Two years ago? Do you happen to know a guy named Jake?" Jacob mentioned a family moving into Forks a couple of years ago and the father being a doctor. It was the weirdest thing because he said he wouldn't be allowed to go to Forks Hospital because of it. He made good friends with two of the sons, despite his father's strong protest against him doing so.

"Jacob Black?"

I nodded, feeling my lips twitch. "Jake's one of my best friends. You must be one of Cullen's kids, then?"

"Yup," he said, popping the p.

"Am I to guess which one, or are you going to tell me?"

He rolled his eyes, offering his hand. "Emmett Cullen." I took his hand in mine, noting how cold it felt. Without thinking, I rubbed my fingers against his to help give them some warmth. He stared down at my hand in him. I made to move it out of his, but he held fast, giving it a slight squeeze. "So, you know my name, and yet, I've never seen you on campus before." He leaned forward, glancing at the top of my paper. "Nor in class, although we share the same period."

I snorted. "What, you mean you haven't heard about the Forks Chief of Police's wild child finally returning to Forks after seven years?"

"Isabella Swan, Charlie Swan's estranged daughter." He leaned close to me and whispered, conspiring. "I heard you've been locked up in Juvie these last few years."

I shook my head, biting my lip to keep the smile from my face. "You blow up one chemistry lab and are labelled a criminal for life!"

His eyes widened in shock before he let out a loud, barking laugh. "You're funny!"

I couldn't help the grin that spread across my face. "I aim to please."

"Well, you do an amazing job of it." Emmett, it seemed, was an incorrigible flirt.

Emmett and I spent the rest of the flight talking. He even took the time to help me with the packet, giving me pointers on what the teacher was looking for. Time flew, and we were soon getting off the plane in Seattle.

It was raining when we got there, causing me to groan. Rain was so much worse than snow, although I am sure Charlie would beg to differ. I pulled on my coat and ensured my wand was securely in my bag before pulling it on.

"Do you have a ride to Forks?" He asked while we walked off the plane shoulder to shoulder towards the luggage corral.

I nodded my head, rolling my shoulder as I fixed my bag. "Charlie is picking me up. I tried to get a flight to Port Angeles, but it wasn't meant to be."

Emmett laughed, "Yeah. It's near impossible to get flights there." He stopped at the corral and waved his hand. "Let me know which are yours, and I'll grab them."

I pointed as my large teal bag came into view. "That one, and the black one next to it."

He grabbed them for me and opened the handle, only to not hand them to me and begin pulling them towards the meeting area. "Come on. I'll make sure you get to Chief Swan okay."

"You really don't have to do that!" I protested as I practically ran to keep up with his long strides. "I'm sure your family is waiting for you."

The automatic doors flew open, revealing the sheet of rain on the other side. Raining cats and dogs did not even begin to cover it.

"Just Rose, she'll— Chief Swan!"

"Oh, no…" I groaned, stopping dead in my tracks right outside the automatic door when I caught sight of my father. "No, no, no, why!?" I whined. "Dad, why the police cruiser? How can you even drive it this far out of Forks!?" Unbelievable, weren't there laws against that!?

"Oh, come on, Bella, it's cool! I love riding in his police cruiser." Emmett chirped, stopping beside my father and dropping the handle of my teal suitcase to shake his hand.

I raised an eyebrow at him. "Just how many times have you ridden in it?"

Emmett gave me a sheepish smile. "I have a lot of unstructured time on my hands."

Charlie patted Emmett on the back, shaking out his hand when Emmett finally released it. "Emmett, keeping out of trouble? What are you doing so far away from Forks, son?"

While they were talking, I grabbed my bags and rolled them towards the back of the cruiser where Charlie had popped the trunk. As I was about to lift the first case in, it was snatched from under my hands and put safely in the boot, quickly followed by my other one.

Emmett grinned down at me before turning his gaze to Charlie. "I was visiting some family in Chicago for the holidays."

"Did you have fun?" Charlie asked.

Emmett shrugged noncommittally. "It was okay. I'm happy to be home. I missed my family."

"That's good. Sometimes you need to get away from town for a bit. It makes you appreciate what you have more." I glowered at him, not missing how that statement had been aimed towards me despite him looking at Emmett. Charlie looked around, his eyebrows furrowing. "I don't see your parents. How are you getting home?"

"My sister Rosalie is picking me up. She should be here any moment now." There was a honk of a horn, and we turned our attention to the ostentatious red BMW parked behind us. "In fact, there she is now."

Behind the driver's seat was a furious looking blonde, perhaps a year older than myself. I waved awkwardly at her before turning my back, biting my lip. The hairs on the back of my neck stood, and goosebumps rose on my arms, having nothing to do with the chill in the air.

I took a step back, slipping on the wet concrete. Emmett quickly put his hands on my shoulders, steadying me.

"Oh, Bella."

"It's slippery. Anyone could have slipped there," I said through gritted teeth, not liking the amusement on my father's face.

I looked up at Emmett and saw that he and the girl seemed to be having some type of staring contest before he sighed heavily and turned back to us. "I better go, but I'll see you tomorrow at school. Right, Bella?"

"Yeah, tomorrow," I said as I dug my nails into my hand to keep my magic at bay, feeling it sparking at my fingertips as her glare returned to me. That girl was dangerous. I'll have to watch my back around her.

~o0o~

After what seemed like an eternity, we made it to Charlie's. We didn't see Emmett the entire time, which prompted Charlie to rant about how irresponsibly the Cullen kids' drove. He was currently on the phone with their parents. I didn't envy them.

I had gone straight to my room to unpack, my bags floating up the stairs behind me. The door had been left open to air out the room, and when I stood in the entranceway, I could see that not much has changed since I was last there. The floor was still a dark mahogany— the stain from where I dropped the black nail polish I used on Jacob almost a decade ago still staining the area by my desk. The walls were still a pale blue, although they looked closer to grey now. The curtains were now a dull yellow, covered in years worth of dust.

There were only a few additions since the last time I was here–an old second-hand computer and a phone line for the modem stapled against the wall. It had been a demand of my mother so that we could keep in touch easily. Owls tended to put Charlie off, and in a small town like this, it wouldn't take long for people to notice them coming in and out of the house. The rocking chair from when I was a baby still sat innocently in the corner.

I dropped my bag onto the computer chair and pulled out my wand. I looked around my room, twirling it between my fingers, pondering my first move.

At the corner by my window, I transfigured one of my old nightstands into a large white mirror. Behind my desk, I put a giant corkboard up. With a flick of my wand, the pictures of my friends, of me and Renee, flew up from out of my bookbag and pinned themselves to the board. They were non-moving pictures, of course. I would have to hang the paper lanterns and fairy lights by hand. Magic and electricity do not mix well.

I opened my closet door and kneeled, "Revelio." The floorboards disappeared, revealing a space beneath. "Accio." My bookbag flew from the chair and landed neatly beside me. I placed my wand on the floor, and slowly I extracted my magical school books Quintessence: A Quest, Standard Book of Spells- Grade 6, Confronting the Faceless, Non-Verbal Spells Volume 3, Dark Creatures and How to Spot Them, and placed them into the floorboards. Next went my cauldron and potion tools, then my notebooks. I am homeschooled in Magic but will go to a Non-Magical school. That was Charlie's one request from the Council. 'Celare'," I muttered, concealing the books from view.

I will start practising again this weekend. Tonight I just wanted to relax. Maybe visit Jake if I had some time before dinner. For now, I would unpack, stare forlornly out the window, and cry a little bit. I wouldn't go into a full-on crying session. That would be for later tonight.

I flicked my wand and sent my clothes into their respective drawers. That was the great thing about being homeschooled. I could use my wand within certain areas without supervision, which students that studied magic at schools couldn't until they came of age. In this case, Charlie's house and the La Push Reservation where nine times out of ten someone had magical powers.

It is one of the only places in the United States where witches and wizards can freely use magic in the non-magical world without worry. La Push is considered Switzerland, a neutral ground thanks to all the natural-born werewolves that resided there. I could use my wand in other places outside of those if I had someone with me to supervise and there were no non-magical people about. Not that that will not stop me from carrying and using my wand if needed.

I looked around, satisfied with my work. I left my room, stowing my wand behind my ear as I went downstairs. "Charlie?" I called, not seeing him in the kitchen or living room.

"Out here, Bells."

Taking my coat from the hook by the door, I made my way outside. I frowned, leaning against the railing and looking over at my father. "What are you doing?"

"Just make sure the heater was running alright," Charlie responded, stepping out of the car as I approached. "Works like a charm. Jacob did a great job."

I smiled warmly. "He's quite the talented mechanic." I patted the Chevy door. "Say, Dad, I was thinking of going for a drive. The weather's cleared up, and I want to get familiar with the car before class tomorrow. Maybe map out the route?"

"I think that's a great idea, just be back before 8. It's a school night."

"Of course." I watched as he walked away, a smile pulling at my lips. "Hey, Dad?"

"Bells?"

"Thank you for the car. I love it."

"I'm glad you like it." And with that, he was back in the house.

Shaking my head, I slid into the car and shut the door, leaving the windows open. Like the Tardis, it was bigger than it appeared on the outside. It was obvious that either Charlie or Jacob had cleaned it up, but the smell of tobacco, gasoline and peppermint still permeated.

I was delighted when the engine started up immediately. It was deafening, roaring to life and then idling at top volume. Great, the entire town will hear me coming and going. At least Charlie won't have to worry about losing track of me.

The roads were still wet and slippery from the earlier downpour, but the tires held well. I turned on the radio. The one clear station I could get was playing '90s hits. I'll Stand by You, softly twining itself into the noise of the car.

"...So if you're mad, get mad

Don't hold it all inside…"

I stomped on the brake, looking out the window at the boy singing the song playing from my car.

"...Come on and talk to me now.

Hey, what you got to hide?…"

"Jake!" I called, throwing open the car. I was positive it was him. I hadn't seen him in person in quite a few years, but I wouldn't miss that voice anywhere. "Jacob!"

Jake stopped in his tracks and looked towards me, shock evident on his face. A huge smile soon replaced the shock. He walked up to me and kept singing, raising an eyebrow to challenge me.

I amusedly rolled my eyes and began to sing with him. It was something we had done since we were kids. Just sing to whatever came on the radio. See who could keep going the longest without a mistake or laughing ourselves silly. Whatever came first.

"...I get angry too

Well, I'm a lot like you."

Jacob raised an eyebrow at me, causing me to snort. My cheeks were starting to hurt with how much I was smiling. I can't believe how much I missed him.

"When you're standing at the crossroads,

And don't know which path to choose.

Let me come along,

'Cause even if you're wrong.

I'll stand by you.

I'll stand by you…"

"All right! All right!" I laughed, pulling him into a hug. I squealed when he picked me up and spun me around. He held my shoulders and kept singing, keeping his eyes locked on mine.

"…Won't let nobody hurt you

I'll stand by you

Take me in, into your darkest hour

And I'll never desert you

I'll stand by you..."

"Jacob, okay, you win!" I said breathlessly, patting him on the chest.

Jacob breathed a giggle, staring into my eyes, his own twinkling in the twilight of the day. "Of course I have. I got my best friend back."

Author's Note

I would love to hear what you think! Comments are always welcome, constructive or otherwise.

The lyrics that Jacob and Bella sing are from: I'll Stand by You - The Pretenders (1994)

Those that have read my stories previously will likely see some scenes from my old fic Edward/Bella fic 'Unconditionally and Irrevocably'. I've, simply put, felt that the Bella I created didn't fit with Edward. It was like trying to put two unpaired puzzle pieces together. I've thought long and hard about it, and after what essentially equated to hundreds of hours, I was able to create a new story. It's an entirely different pairing and definitely a different story with some of the same elements, but it is something I am proud of.

I hope that you enjoy this story as much as I have had writing it.

I do have a copy of the old version, along with copious notes on the remaining chapters that weren't written, if anyone is interested.

Keep it classy, make good choices and I will see you soon!
Chandlure