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 married Robert Pattinson and been a millionaire!

Timeskip: Isabella and Elizabeth are now seventeen.

The heat of the blazing sun beat down relentlessly on pale cheeks. Warm brown eyes squinted underneath half shut eyes, a palm over her forehead as she gazed at her many, many succulents. After three years of successful growth, she was leaving them in the 'capable hands' of her mother- who even now didn't know when or how to water them. So this was her goodbye. She knew, undoubtedly that the minute she left, they'd be down and dead in the baking desert of Phoenix, Arizona- not a drip of water available. The corners of her mouth pulled down as her mind dwelled on what would happen to them as they succumbed to the never ending heat. Why did Forks have to be so cloudy all the time? Sighing, Beth's head flopped back, hand falling to her side as she reasoned that the death of her succulents was the con to moving in with her dad. But it didn't hurt any less. They were like her children, her babies.

Still, she begrudgingly admitted that the loss of her plants wouldn't be so bad. Afterall, she was gaining more time to spend with Charlie! Goodness, it had been too long since the twins had seen him. Two years long, in fact. Not that Bella minded all too much. She hated Forks with a burning passion, despite the fact that her father and grandparents still lived there. Nobody could get her to enjoy the tall trees and gloomy weather. Beth on the other hand, loved it. The weather was the perfect kind to sit at a window and read a book at, accompanied by knitted sweaters and a warm cup of coffee or tea. The twins were polar opposites like that, one preferring the dry, sweat inducing heat while the other lived for the cold and cozy. For Bella, it was self-inflicted torture, but for Beth it was heaven. And the perfect opportunity to begin knitting again. Gosh, Beth hadn't stitched or quilted in over seventeen years! That was a long time for someone who used to be a great grandma- even now, her fingers itched to get a grasp on some knitting needles. It was going to be one of her first purchases once she got to Forks. Granted, she'd have to come with an excuse when Bella and her dad inevitably asked where and when she'd learned the skill. Renee was too easily distracted to be able to sit and stitch anything, as proved when she had tried herself a few years back.

Elizabeth let go of the gardening shovel she held in her hand, head coming to its natural position as she turned away lest she actually attempt to take one of her children with her. Sniffing once, she finally and reluctantly turned her back on them and started towards the house. She was going to have to let them go eventually. It was better then than never.

As she walked, she noticed Bella was outside talking with some of those prissy, popular people who had claimed that they were friends of the twins. Elizabeth scoffed, thinking back to all the times they didn't defend Bella against her bullies when she wasn't around. Back then anyways. Bella was now a (semi) capable individual with a reasonable backbone. She hadn't physically fought back against her bullies like Beth had taught her- rather taking the high road in walking away from the petty people who couldn't stand the fact that Bella was way more attractive than them. A bitter taste developed in Beth's mouth, just thinking of them, the fakes that they were. Fortunately, the conversation the two blonde's had been having with Bella had ended as they sped away in their shiny, red Toyota. Good riddance, Beth had thanked whatever high being was above the ceiling.

Her sister's foot seemingly caught in mid air then, stumbling toward the hard concrete of the sidewalk. Hurrying over, Beth caught her just in time.

"Woah!" Beth steadied Bella quickly, "You okay?"

Blushing, Bella nodded and looked down the road where their 'friends' sped away. Upon seeing her frown, Elizabeth threw an arm over her sister's shoulder, " We won't miss them. We won't miss anything from here except mom, the plants and Phil."

Bella nodded, "The sun too."

Elizabeth giggled, her sister was such a lizard. No, not cold blooded. Rather a sun baby, basking in the rich vitamin D for hours on end despite her pale pallor. And because of Forks' ever gloomy weather and Bella's clumsiness, she was bound to have a lot of accidents like the one that just happened, accompanying her misery. Their stay in Forks was bound to be clouded by a lot of expensive hospital bills. Their dad would have a field day, frantically running around and making sure that Bella was okay all the time. Elizabeth smirked, she could just see it now.

Before either could remedy the silence that hung in the air, Renée walked out from the house with a frustrated expression. "It won't work again, baby." She complained to Bella, tossing her the troublesome phone. Bella was the tech savvy one of the two because of Beth's major dislike for this time era's technology. It was too slow for her taste, unlike the devices in her old life.

"That's because you put it on hold." Bella turned the phone to show their mother. She was hopeless.

Renée's eyebrows furrowed in disbelief, " Really?"

"Yeah, and you also called Brazil." Beth teased as she leaned over to inspect the tiny flip phone. She sighed inwardly, oh how she missed the holographic phones. Renée playfully shoved Elizabeth in revenge as the three girls laughed.

" I'll figure it out. You two gotta be able to reach me and Phil on the road," the thirty-nine year old woman got a dazed look in her eye, " - I love saying that - on the road."

The twins rolled their eyes with small grins on their faces,

"Very romantic." Bella commented.

That was when Phil decided to make an entrance into the conversation. The baseball player practically tumbled down the porch steps with at least six suitcases in hand,

"Yeah, if you call backwater towns and cheap stadium food romantic."

Beth chuckled, "Oh, yeah. Rose petals and candles are so old school."

Renée rolled her eyes, grinning despite herself. "Are you sure you guys wanna go?" The grin faltered into a sad smile and Beth found herself wanting to drag her hair out of her skull. This was the hundredth time that their mother had asked the question. And to be honest, if she asked once more, Beth would surely go insane. Bella and she shared a look that plainly said 'here we go..'.

"Mom, we're sure." Bella started.

"Like absolutely positively sure like never before." Beth completed the thought. They had been doing that alot lately too. Talking in sync seemed so natural, so flawless. It was weird too for Elizabeth who'd been an only child in her past life, only to be reborn and suddenly have a twin sister. It was almost as though they were entwined. Like they each knew each other so well that it was easy to know what the other was about to say.

Renée rolled her eyes once more, exasperated, "...If you say so."

"We do." Bella reassured her for the last time.

"Listen, I love you guys a lot, but we have a plane to catch!" Phil piped up from his spot in the driver's seat of an old station wagon. As if in agreement, the car's aged engine sprung to life and Beth swore she saw the wheels move off in warning.

"Hold your horses!" Beth ran off to join the baseball player. She hadn't even remembered that they were behind schedule. The plane to Forks was going to leave soon and come hell or highwater, Beth would make sure that Bella and her would be on it with or without their luggage. She practically skipped over to the passengers side, she couldn't wait to see her dad!

"Dad!" Beth called as soon as she caught sight of the awkward police officer leaning against his blue cruiser, and in a bold white font, the word 'Police' could be seen from a mile away. Uncaring of what other people would think, she practically sprinted the remaining distance, abandoning her suitcases half-way. The middle aged man barely had any time to open his arms before Beth had barrelled herself into him. Beth's arms tightened around his frame, stuffing her face into the fabric of his uniform. His comforting scent of pine needles and peach cobbler surrounded her. She held on for a few more moments, feeling his chin come to rest on her head for a split second before he grunted, his safe embrace loosening.

" Ease up, Beth. I want to actually have a Dad to hug too, you know." Bella teased lightly as she struggled with the six bags. She was practically dragging herself across the floor of the tiny airport. People who were coming and going passed her and her family, only tossing her weird glances as she tried to close the distance between her twin and parent.

Pulling away, she moved off to help Bella with the heavy bags as the two finally embraced, rather awkwardly.

"Hi Ch- Dad." Bella hugged him briefly. The old man grunted his greetings before moving to take the heavy luggage. Beth watched the two with a grimace. They could be so alike sometimes, what with their ability to hide their true feelings from the rest of the world. And so awkward. Sometimes it was so bad that she had the urge to bang her head repeatedly against the nearest wall. It was endearing to see them together but God, it was painful.

After deciding on the seating arrangements they were off. Bella rode shotgun because she had pulled the eldest sibling card on her and Beth was left to sit in the back, slightly peeved but contented nonetheless. It had been Bella's idea to come down here after all and It mattered less to her now that she was here,in Forks and was staying until high school was finished.

Charlie cleared his throat, "So, you guys look different."

Bella nodded, touching her hair "Yea, we cut our hair."

"Phoenix is too hot not to," Beth added from her spot in the back. It was true. Phoenix heat could rival the freaking Sahara (an over exaggeration on her part, she'd been to the Sahara as Gen and it was ten times worse).

"Oh." The awkward silence was tangible in the cruiser as they drove along.

Deciding to tune out any further conversation, Beth took out her phone and earphones to listen to music. Her eyes strayed to her right as she took in those tall trees she loved to look up at. Her lips quirked upwards, reminded of the last time she'd been here, curled under the pine trees with her favorite book. A calmness had took over her mind, feeling truly peaceful and happy since she had died.

Back in 2098 it was so rare to catch sight of thick dense forests like the ones in Washington- overpopulation, wildfires and lack of care for the environment had killed them all. But now in this life, she marveled at them, gazing up at the trees with a child-like wonder every time she caught sight of the gentle, green giants.

The familiar old, white, three bedroom house came into view as Charlie pulled into the driveway, his brakes squeaking as the car came to a stop in the mud. Nestled between the edges of two forests, it had never looked more inviting than then. Charlie had invested in it before the twins were born, back when Renee and he were still married. Apart from the stripping paint, evidently nothing much had changed in the last four years since they'd been there.

Beth didn't mind the slightest bit. But of course, Bella was- as expected- sad and miserable. Beth couldn't see what was so bad about Forks, or at least the things Bella thought was wrong with it. Forks was so slow, in terms of pace, paling greatly in comparison to Arizona. It was quiet, a lovely change from the constant horns and cuss words that flew out of the mouths of angry drivers on the highway they lived next to. The sounds of nature were pretty much the only sounds here and it was heavenly.

"I didn't really get to fix up your rooms much. Just some small changes like the bedspread and some furniture." Charlie admitted sheepishly as he helped to carry their bags up the stairs . Work had been particularly hectic in the months closer to the girls' arrival as news of strange animal attacks travelled throughout the state and nearby Oregon. So obviously, he hadn't been able to get as much time off as he wanted to get their rooms looking more like teenagers' rooms.

"It's okay." Beth assured him, she didn't mind if she had to do some decorating. She loved designing and renovating and she'd bet good money that her twin would let her do her own room too. It was a hobby that she'd taken from her past as well as knitting, among many others.

Bella nodded along, quietly moving to her room and shutting the door tightly afterwards. Charlie stood in the hallway with the last twin, looking slightly out of place in his own house. It was almost like he didn't know what to do with himself now that he wasn't the only person living in the house. Should he check up on Bella?

Beth rolled her eyes playfully at his behavior, " It's fine, dad. Bells is probably really tired from the flight. She'll be fine by tomorrow."

Charlie breathed a tired sigh, and nodded, "Okay. I gotta get back to work but there's money on the fridge for pizza or something..." He trailed off. He took a hesitant step to the stairway as if worried that Beth wasn't being totally honest, but soon left afterwards.

Breathing in, the musky scent that came with men and the smell of old books reached her nose. She relaxed, feeling years worth of tension leave her body. Finally, she felt a sense of belonging. She belonged here, it just- it felt right. And her fingers were still itching to get working on a quilt.

But first, she had to get settled and then check on Bella. Pushing open her room door, she was met with a familiarity that only came with home and contentment. Her bed was pushed to the farthest corner from the door, between two walls accompanied by a tiny wooden bedside table.. A matching white, wooden desk, her floor to ceiling bookshelf and chest of drawers sat opposite the bed. She knew that the doors to her right led to a tiny, shared bathroom and a closet- if you could call it that. The walls were painted a deep blue with white lace curtains on the window beside the bed.

She remembered when she had roped Charlie and Bella into helping her paint the room the last time they had been here. It had been quite funny when Bella had accidentally tipped over the full bucket of paint which their dad had slipped in right after. Her twin had to have gotten her clumsiness from someone and that someone was most definitely Charlie. Thankfully, the paint on the floor had been easy to remove, but the same couldn't be said for the paint that stuck onto their dad's clothes and hair. He'd gone to work the next day with blue flecks of paint stuck in random places at the back of his head. He'd asked them if he had gotten it all out, but Beth had lied - against Bella's wishes- and he'd gone to work. When he came home, his face was as read as a tomato after being teased relentlessly at the station for being part smurf, the colours clashing quite badly.

Posters of her old favorite bands lined the wall beside the door. A world map hung on one of the walls the bed was touching. It was decorated with bright red push pins and elastic bands signifying the places she wanted to travel in this life. Heaving her suitcases onto the bed, she flopped back and spread eagle on the remaining space. Her old glow in the dark stars on her ceiling greeted her eyes before she resolved to get up and comfort Bella. Afterwards, she'd have to come in and unpack, maybe even rearrange some things.

Groaning, she scraped herself off the comfortable mattress like a stubborn piece of meat on a hot grill and headed to her twin across the hall. Quiet sobs could be heard through Bella's door and Beth's heart ached to hear the sound. She hated hearing her twin in pain. Especially when this could have been avoided if Bella had just agreed to go with Renee. Nothing bad would have come of it if she had. In fact, Beth was certain she would have enjoyed travelling with their mother. But shaking her head, she was brought back into reality. She'd noticed that Bella was always the one who wanted to please everyone but herself, sacrificing her happiness for that of others. Beth couldn't stand when Bella did it to herself. Elizabteh knocked quietly, hearing the sobs come to an abrupt stop.

"Yes?" Bella's voice cracked as she tried to hide the fact that she'd been crying.

"It's me. Can I come in?"

There was some shuffling on the other side of the door before it creaked open, exposing the bedraggled and tear streaked face of Bella. Beth wordlessly opened her arms and Bella practically stumbled into them, her sobs beginning again as she sunk into the comfort of her younger siblings arms.

"It's not fair." Bella sobbed. And against Beth's will, tears started gathering in her own eyes at her twin's sadness- they shared it. Her sadness radiated between them, coating their beings as they remained standing in the doorway.

"Everyone is happy except me and I just- It sucks."

Beth hushed her, rubbing Bella's back soothingly. The two stumbled into the eldest twin's room and fell onto the bed, holding each other together.

"It's okay. You can be happy here," Beth croaked. "We can make new friends and start over- maybe even get you a date." She joked. Despite her sadness, Bella laughed shortly, and snuggled more into her twin. It had always been like this, even though Bella was older. Beth was the one that took care of her while Bella took care of their mother. It was a cycle that they had gotten used to over the many years.

"Do you want to get pizza?" Liz offered as she pulled away a few minutes later.

Bella's eyebrows scrunched up in thought and eventually nodded her consent. She was getting hungry now that she thought about it.

"You can choose the toppings, if you want?" Elizabeth offered, mumbling into her hair as her hands rubbed her sister's back in circles.

"Sure." The thought of drowning her sorrows in gooey cheese and mushrooms on toasted bread sounded really good right then.