Disclaimer

Twilight and all affiliated characters are the property of Stephanie Meyer. I do not own any of the aforementioned characters except Beth and the plot of this story (that is, should it stray from the original Twilight). This story is for entertainment only and is not part of the official story line. I am not in any way, shape, or form benefiting financially from the publishing of this story on this site and am very grateful for Mrs. Meyer's creation. Besides, if I did own Twilight, I'd have bought shares in Apple so that I could be doubly rich!

The early morning was draped in a blanket of gray, the sky heavy with clouds that threatened rain. The room was dimly lit, shadows dancing across the walls as the pale light of dawn filtered through the curtains. Beth lay in bed, the soft sheets tangled around her limbs, her eyes half-lidded as she hovered on the edge of sleep. Suddenly, piercing through the quiet, a heart-wrenching scream shattered the stillness. Beth shot upright, her heart racing in her chest. It was Bella. She recognized that voice anywhere, even when it was distorted by fear. The sound of her sister's screams echoed in her ears, a haunting melody that she wished she could erase. Without a second thought, Beth flung the covers aside and leaped out of bed, her feet finding the cold floor. Panic gripped her chest as she dashed down the hallway, her heart pounding louder than the rain that tapped insistently against the windows. She burst into Bella's room, her breath catching in her throat at the sight that greeted her. Bella was thrashing on her bed, sweat-soaked and disoriented, her eyes squeezed shut. The distress etched on her face was enough to break Beth's heart.

"Bella!" Beth's voice was urgent, but gentle as she crossed the room in quick strides. She reached out, shaking Bella's shoulder gently. "Bella, wake up!"

Bella's eyes snapped open, wide and wild, as her body jolted upright. She gasped for air, her chest heaving as she looked around, her gaze unfocused.

"It's okay, Bella," Beth whispered, her voice soothing as she pulled Bella into a tight hug. She could feel her sister's racing heartbeat against her chest, the tremors that racked her body gradually subsiding.

"It was just a dream," Beth continued softly, rubbing Bella's back in slow circles. "You're safe. I've got you."

Bella clung to her sister, her grip tight as if she were afraid to let go. Her breathing began to slow, her ragged inhales gradually evening out. As the minutes ticked by, the room seemed to hold its breath, the rain outside providing a calming backdrop to the sisters' embrace. Beth's own heart was heavy with concern as she held Bella close. She had seen the nightmare play out on her sister's face before – the vampire with red hair, the one who seemed to haunt her dreams. Beth's thoughts raced, torn between comforting her sister and grappling with the guilt that gnawed at her. She knew more about Bella's dreams than she had let on. She knew that the vampire with red hair was no figment of imagination, but a memory that Bella couldn't piece together.

"I'm here, Bella," Beth whispered, her voice a gentle reassurance. "I'll always be here for you."

Bella pulled away slightly, her eyes finding her sister's. There was a mixture of gratitude and exhaustion in her gaze, a silent acknowledgment of the bond they shared.

Beth brushed a strand of hair away from Bella's face, her touch gentle. "You should try to get some more rest. It's still pretty early."

Bella nodded weakly, her fingers still intertwined with Beth's. Beth couldn't shake the weight of the secrets she was keeping, the guilt that was tearing her apart. She longed to tell Bella the truth, to release her from the shadows of her nightmares, but she feared the consequences. It wasn't her truth to tell.

As the room lightened, the rain not easing in the slightest- Beth settled into the chair beside Bella's bed, her gaze fixed on her sister's form and a mouth covering her mouth in thought. The rain outside continued its steady rhythm, a reminder that even in the midst of darkness, there was a world that continued to move forward. And as Beth listened to the rain, her heart heavy with the knowledge, she scoffed "Some birthday."

It had been a few hours later, the delectable scent of food growing stronger, that made them both get up from their respective positions to investigate . As they descended, the warmth of the kitchen greeted them, wrapping around them like a cozy blanket against the gray morning. And there, standing by the stove, was their grandmother Helen. She wore a worn apron, her silver hair tied back in a loose bun. Her presence exuded a sense of comfort and home that immediately put the sisters at ease. She'd been staying with them for the better part of summer, ever since they'd found Grandpa Geoff those months ago. The open wound still ached with a vengeance on all of them, Helen and Charlie most of all. And poor Charlie, who'd lost not only Waylon, his best friend, but his father not long after had taken the emotional brunt. But it was no question when his own mother, who'd been married to the man for close to fifty years, still felt the hurt so deeply.

"Morning, Grandma," Bella greeted with a sleepy smile, rubbing her eyes.

"Morning, my darlings," The older woman replied, her eyes crinkling with a smile. Grandma Helen turned back to the stove, her spatula expertly flipping pancakes on the griddle.

"Did you sleep well, Grandma?"

Their grandmother hummed, noncommittal in her response before replying quietly, "Not really. Something woke me up this morning so I thought I'd make myself a little productive and make you both a special breakfast since it's your birthday,"

The sisters exchanged an uneasy look and Bella shifted in her seat uncomfortably. "It was just a bad dream," Bella explained softly, looking down at her plate. "I'm sorry if I woke you up, Grandma."

Helen's gaze softened "Oh, my dear, don't you worry about that. Nightmares can be quite frightening, can't they?"

The conversation lulled for a moment, the room filled with the sound of rain tapping against the windows. As they settled around the kitchen table, Helen plated the fluffy pancakes along with scrambled eggs and crispy bacon. The aroma of food filled the air, and they dug in with gusto, savoring every bite. For a moment, the nightmare and the darkness seemed distant, replaced by the simple pleasure of a shared meal with family.

Just as Beth was about to speak up, the kitchen door swung open, revealing their father, Charlie, still looking a bit disheveled from his impromptu sleeping arrangement on the living room couch.

"Morning, girls," he mumbled, stifling a yawn. His dark hair was adorably mussed, and a crick in his neck seemed to have set in overnight. He stretched and yawned at the same time, shuffling along the cold floor, barefoot.

"Morning, Dad," they both chimed in unison.

"Good morning, mom," he greeted her gruffly, planting a kiss on her aged cheek. And then walking over to the cupboard, he pulled out two wrapped gifts, placing them on the table in front of Beth and Bella.

"Happy birthday." The man half-sang, a cheeky and cautious smile tugging beneath his mustache.

"Dad!"

"Dad, I thought we agreed on no presents?" Bella argued, hands reaching for the gifts despite her statement. Across from them, Grandma Helen smiled at the exchange behind her steaming mug of coffee.

The man shrugged, unapologetic, "Well, the one from your grandma and I isn't wrapped, so - It doesn't count."

The twins exchanged a glance, excitement bubbling up as they finally saw the beautiful pink digital camera with a matching bow on top, its silver lens glinting under the kitchen light. And under it sat a large, flat object covered in wrapping paper with cute little cacti on it. When Bella had finally gotten it unwrapped, a large black book was uncovered and inside, corners for photographs on every page; it was an empty scrapbook.

"Your mom and I coordinated," He explained, grabbing a mug to get some coffee for himself. "It's to put your pictures in, you know, for Senior year."

"That's actually great, dad. Thanks," Bella managed to choke out, her voice filled with emotion. Beside her, Beth grinned, already thinking of ways to fill up the pages and decorate them with the memoirs she'd collected from the past year.

Charlie's smile grew, "How'd you guys get so old so fast?"

"We didn't," Beth argued, ironically, being over one hundred herself.

"I don't know," he muttered before taking a sip, "Isn't that a gray hair?" He pointed to Bella's hairline. Beth choked on a laugh, biting into her first of many pancakes as she saw her sister's mortified expression as she sprung up to find a place to look at her reflection. It wasn't a joke though, Bella did have gray hairs. As in, more than one. Grandma Helen laughed along with her, finger combing her silver locks,

"Don't worry, honey. We Swan girls look wonderful in full gray!"

Beth grappled for her water as she heard the sound of her twin slip on the stairway in her frantic attempts to get up to the bathroom, a curse greeting her ears as Beth gulped down her water through her giggles.

The school day had begun, and the dull drone of students filled the hallways as Beth and Bella navigated their way to their lockers. Their footsteps echoed against the linoleum floors as they exchanged quiet words, both still carrying the warmth of the morning spent with their father and grandmother.

"Ready for another thrilling day of high school?" Beth teased, a hint of a smile playing on her lips. It was only her second time around, afterall.

Bella rolled her eyes, but her lips twitched in amusement, dark circles contrasting the skin under her eyes "Oh, you know it."

Mike, Jess, Angela, Ben, and Eric formed a familiar circle, each face lighting up as they spotted the twins.

"Hey, guys!" Mike greeted with his usual enthusiasm.

"Morning," Jess chimed in, a mischievous glint in her eyes. Angela offered a shy smile, wrapped up in Ben's embrace, who nodded in greeting. Bella and Angela hadn't really spoken of their previous interaction at the Girl's choice dance, but it went unspoken of Angela's deep regret in the way she'd behaved toward Bella following the event. Now, it was all in the past and Angela had somehow ended up dating Ben over the summer, making their natural chemistry lead the way of their relationship- the taboo kiss between the two girls all but a distant memory. And to be fair, Bella was fine with that, still unsure of her own feelings on the matter.

Eric, the ever enthusiastic one, reached forward to hug them both.

"Today's the big day," Jess reminded her friend, the brunette in question nearly getting whiplash from how fast she spun to face her.

"What?" Bella worried, fingers tugging on the strap of her school bag. Beside her, Beth snorted and turned away when her twin shot her a glare.

"R & J Essay due?"

"Do try to be a bit more obvious," Beth encouraged her quietly, suffering an elbow to the ribs for her comment. The group laughed at the exchange.

Her sister's shoulders visibly relaxed as the tension drained from her frame. Bella had practically begged Elizabeth not to tell anyone about their birthday, not wanting to be "swarmed by the masses" because of it- whatever that meant. The other girl had never really liked the attention they got from a very young age, her 'suffer in silence' persona permeating every birthday she'd ever spent with her twin. Unfortunately for her, by the time Bella had requested, Edward (and by extension, his entire family) had already been told. Thankfully, it hadn't been anyone else, and Bella had even accosted Edward during the last days of summer and made him swear not to say anything about it to anyone else. The penny haired vampire, thankfully, didn't refuse despite being made to a) swear on his life and b) threatened to be hung up by his pale balls in the gymnasium (in Bella's words). Beth had nearly shed a tear that day, pride exhuming from her being in spite of Edward's neverending and half-offended amusement.

"So, anything exciting planned for today?" Mike asked, looking around at the group.

Bella shook her head quickly, "Not really, just another day of classes."

Mike groaned, his arm pulling Jessica closer by where it rested across her shoulders, his letterman jacket draped over her slim frame. "C'mon, it's the first day of Senior year!"

The group grumbled back, knowing that after the long day, nobody would feel up to doing anything anyways.

"Actually, guys, we have a favor to ask," Beth hinted.

"Our parents gave us this scrapbook," Bella began, upon clueing into what her sister was getting at, "they want us to fill it with memories of our senior year." She turned to her twin, an awkwardly hopeful smile on her face as she pulled out the camera.

The group exchanged amused looks before nodding in agreement. "Sure thing," Jess said, "a picture for posterity!"

Angela's gentle smile warmed the air, her new pair of white glasses contrasting nicely against her olive tone, "Sounds like a nice idea, Bella." Ever the shy one, Ben just nodded beside her.

Mike pumped his fist in the air, his grin wide. "You know I'm always up for a photo op."

"You'll photoshop this if my nose looks too big, right?" Jess asked as she adjusted her bra to ensure her bosom looked wonderfully plump as Bella positioned the camera toward the group, Beth standing off to the side. Bella laughed softly, a warmth blooming in her chest. The sound of the camera shuttered as the first photo was taken.

"Okay, guys, and now gather around Beth," Bella instructed jokingly, almost professionally.

As their friends moved into position around Beth, the camera clicked again, capturing the moment forever. A few more photos were taken, with Bella crouched under her arm and the group behind her and another with just Bella and the group, then a load more with a few silly poses courtesy of Eric and Mike. In each photo, the twins' smiles were genuine, their friends radiating their own brand of happiness and camaraderie. Laughter echoed around them as they chatted and posed, until a familiar figure caught their attention. Edward Cullen stood to the side, his gaze fixed on Beth. Bella couldn't resist leaning in to whisper to Beth, "Hey, looks like your other side is finally here."

Beth playfully pinched her sister before she walked over, leaving the group behind with the remnants of her cheer trailing behind her like a ribbon of joy- unaware of the sound of the shutter going off again and Bella's conspiratorial smile once she reached Edward.

"Happy Birthday," Edward greeted, his voice a soothing melody.

"Thanks," Beth replied, trying to sound casual despite the small flutter in her chest. As Beth found herself walking alongside Edward, her cheeks warmed at the memory of Bella's joke. She hoped her blush wasn't too noticeable, though she had a sneaking suspicion that Edward could easily read the emotions splayed across her face despite her best efforts to hide them. He grinned, his arm casually draping over her shoulder to pull her close as he led the way to her class. The gesture was unexpected, but it felt surprisingly natural.

Beth couldn't help but smile. "You heard everything, didn't you?"

Edward's chuckle sent a shiver down her spine. "Every word. Your sister has quite the sense of humor."

They continued walking, the weight of their unspoken connection hanging in the air between them. Edward's voice grew more serious as he spoke again. "By the way, I have something for you."

Beth raised an eyebrow, a playful smile tugging at her lips. "Really? Should I remind you that you didn't allow me to get you anything for your birthday?"

Edward's lips quivered into a smile. "Well, I've had a change of heart."

Beth crossed her arms, feigning skepticism. "Oh, so now you're allowing presents?"

He chuckled, his gaze softening. "You could say that. It's different now."

Beth tilted her head, a teasing glint in her eyes. "Different how?"

"Because," he said, his voice carrying a note of sincerity, "I want to see you happy."

Beth's heart skipped a beat, the warmth of his words spreading through her chest. And then a memory tugged at her subconscious, a moment with her saying the exact same thing to him on the twentieth of June. "Well, now you're a bit of a hypocrite, aren't you?"

Edward laughed, a sound that resonated deep within her. "I suppose you could say that."

As they reached her first class, Beth felt a mixture of embarrassment and delight as the students milling around them shot the two curious looks. Before she could respond, Edward playfully and very gently bumped his hard shoulder against hers. "I'll make sure it's worth your while."

Beth shook her head. "You have to let me get you something then,"

The bell rang, signaling the start of the class, but the memory of their playful banter lingered as it got cut short. Beth entered the classroom with a smile on her lips, feeling a sense of lightness that had been absent for far too long with all that had happened. As the day went on, Beth's anticipation grew. After her last class, she headed towards the parking lot, her heart racing as she spotted Edward leaning against his car, a playful grin on his lips.

"So," he began, his voice a mixture of mischief and sincerity, "have you thought about my offer?"

Beth crossed her arms, a challenging glint in her eyes but curiosity taking over, "I might have considered it."

Edward raised an eyebrow, his eyes dancing with amusement. "Oh? And?"

Beth huffed, feigning annoyance. "I guess I can't refuse a birthday present, now can I?"

He laughed, his voice like a melody in the air. "I knew you'd come around."

As they bantered back and forth, Beth found herself truly enjoying the moment. The playfulness in their interaction felt comfortable and familiar, like slipping into an old routine. Their conversation took an unexpected turn as Edward's expression turned more serious. "By the way, my family is throwing a small party tonight. Would you like to come?"

Beth considered it for a moment, then smiled. "I'd love to, but on one condition."

Edward arched an eyebrow, intrigued. "And what's that?"

"Bella has to be invited too," Beth stated firmly, not wanting to leave her twin out of the loop.

Edward's lips curved into an amused smile. "Deal." As they exchanged smiles, Beth felt a sense of warmth that she hadn't experienced in a long time.

"I'll pick you guys up at six."