— 𝟐𝟎𝟎𝟔 —
𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐬, 𝐖𝐚𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐭𝐨𝐧

The Swan living room was cozy and warm. Cassandra decided that she would not mind living there.

While the house was not pristine, it was not messy. There was an empty beer bottle or two on the coffee table and a half-eaten pizza box. A few random boots were scattered across the carpet as well.

A faded red couch and a comfy rocking chair were in the corner. Sandy recognized a football game playing on the television: the Rams vs. the Seahawks. It was the middle of the third quarter.

It was then that Sandy noticed the Seahawks jersey that Charlie was wearing, it was football Sunday.

Charlie saw her staring at his jersey. "You a Seattle Seahawks fan?" He quirked a brow.

Sandy had a feeling that her answer would determine if she started off on the right foot with Charlie Swan, and so she grinned happily. "Of course! Can anyone who lives in the state of Washington not be a Seahawks fan?"

The truth of the matter was that if Sandy had to pick a favorite American football team then it would be the Dallas Cowboys.

Charlie chuckled and smiled at the girl—he already liked her. "You do make a good point..." he nodded before turning toward the staircase, "Bells, come down! Your friend is here!"

Sandy's heart sped up, in retrospect, this was a rushed and reckless plan—to just show up at the Swan residence randomly! She only hoped Bella would know who she was and go along with it.

From up in her room, Bella's brows furrowed and her heart jumped.

She has no friends at the moment. Mike may have still a puppy-hearted crush on her but he knew better than to randomly show up at her house. Angela respected her privacy and need for distance along with Eric, neither of them would be here either.

Lauren Mallory and Jessica Stanley were both bitter with her—Lauren would never show up no matter what mental state Bella was in, and Bella would first need to apologize for not talking to Jessica for months before she could even hope for the brunette to start talking to her again.

This all to say, the Swan girl left her room cautiously. Her face was for once, not blank and devoid of absolute life, rather it was apprehensive and confused.

She did not dare allow her hopes to get up that perhaps Edward or one of the other Cullens had returned.

The sweatpants she wore swayed as she walked down the steps, her t-shirt oversized on her body and feet bare. She only ever got ready if she was going to school anymore, other than that, Bella Swan stayed in her room. Apart from the times that she cooked dinner for herself and Charlie.

The steps creaked as she walked down.

Charlie's home was built sometime in the early 70s', so it was anything but new or modern. Although multiple different updates and safety features had been placed in the house since its creation, so they did not need to worry about it collapsing on itself.

Bella was at the bottom of the staircase, and almost immediately her doe eyes darted to where another girl stood.

Bella was surprised by this girl, but she recognized her immediately.

One might take her for a girl, but she was not just any girl—she was a faerie.

She had heard her fair share of stories about Cassandra; just as she also had heard about the Denali's. Not too much information, only that Sandy was a fae who was friends with Rosalie and Alice.

The rest of the Cullens had yet to meet her but they considered her a family friend all the same.

Alice had once described the girl as looking like a beautiful ball of sunshine—petite but taller than Alice, with naturally tan skin and many freckles.

She also described the fae as having vibrant eyes that mimicked the very forests around Forks.

Bella could see now that Alice had not been lying.

Even if Bella had not known about Cassandra from the Cullens, she might have guessed that the girl was a supernatural because of her prettiness. It was not quite the perfection of a vampire but she was still different than the average mortal.

However, to see Cassandra standing in her living room dressed as any other teenager was almost unreal. Except, she was not any other teenager. Bella knew that Sandy was far older than she was portraying herself, both physically and mentally.

Alice had once told her that Sandy suspected she physically stopped aging at 23 but she was born in the later side of the 1600s. Over three hundred years ago!

She was about the same age as Carlisle. In both manners.

Bella stood almost gaping, because of all the visitors in the world: this was one who she would least expect.

Sandy hummed under her breath as she took in Isabella Swan.

The girl was pale, and even if she had a natural paleness to her, this pale looked sickly. As though someone had stolen her glow of health. Dark bags rested under her eyes and her soft brunette locks were tied in a low ponytail.

She was not particularly tall but she was not necessarily short either. However, she was eerily boney, as though she rarely ate. And that was true, Bella would make dinner for Charlie and he would force her to eat as well.

But she skipped breakfast and lunch.

Sandy noticed that Bella's eyes were large, and she could see that the pretty doe-brown had once held curiosity and life. Now, they only looked sad and bored.

It almost reminded her of the look that Marcus of the Volturi constantly sported. Her mate.

A shiver raced down her spine at the thought of him.

The last time she had been gifted a dreamwalking vision had been a little less than two weeks ago. Aro, Caius, and Marcus had been in trial and she watched from the sidelines before waking. It was nothing too interesting.

Not like the series of dreamwalking visions she had a few years prior — the time she also made the daisy glow. The leaders had yet to find an answer to it, but Aro and Marcus were determined.

After all, it had been many centuries since they had a mystery to solve. While Aro wanted to find the answer out of his pure thirst for knowledge and curiosity: Marcus (while also curious) wanted to know if it was truly Didyme's phantom or not.

Not that Marcus knew this, but Aro certainly hoped it was not his late sister's phantom.

It would cause unneeded problems.

Sandy was snapped out of her thoughts by Bella moving forward, her head tilted.

She was obviously not doing well, which was to be expected considering the human had been abandoned by her mate. Sandy wanted to click her tongue and shake her head: the Cullens had left this girl in worse shape than they probably even realized.

Disappointment at their actions settled in her gut.

"Cassandra?" Bella finally asked, her voice breathless and filled with wonder.

There was also the slightest bit of excitement hidden underneath. Something that Charlie picked up upon. The Chief of Police's heart nearly melted and tears almost sprang to his eyes.

Because how long had it been since Bella sounded anything but empty or miserable?

Months... not since Edward left her standing in that forest.

Sandy smiled even brighter. "Who else?"

Her voice sounded as one might guess, a happy cheer with an almost siren-like lilt to it. Sandy quickly took her raincoat off, placing it on the coathanger before buzzing toward the stairs.

She linked arms with Bella, guiding her up the steps and waving to Charlie.

"It was great meeting you, Chief Swan!"

Charlie nodded his head, a large grin on his face as the two girls left his view. He nodded his head happily while sitting and watching the rest of the game: maybe this was the day that Bella finally started to get better.

As soon as they were up the stairs, Bella practically shoved Sandy into her room and closed the door. Sandy was surprised by the human's strength.

"What are you doing here? Are the Cullens back too? How did you know where I live? Are you really a faerie? Alice said you're over three hundred, have you—?" Bella was firing questions almost as fast as Sandy did when she got excited, and the fae was happily pleased to see some sort of a spark come in her eyes upon meeting her.

Sandy was quick to calm the girl, taking her hands and leading her to the twin bed.

Bella's room was rather pretty: purple and light blue themes with a simplistic nature.

"I am here because I figured you could use a friend, losing a mate is not the easiest thing in the world, after all..." Sandy said calmly and Bella looked away almost embarrassed.

Since they left, Bella hated talking about Edward or any of the other Cullens. However, something about Sandy made her feel as though she could open up about it. Other than the Cullen's, only Sandy understood exactly what it was that Edward was to Bella.

"I don't see how we can be mates if Edward no longer wants me..." her voice was quieter, more timid, and self-conscious. "I mean..." Bella was running a hand through her brown hair. "Isn't that how mates work? Isn't it supposed to be impossible to leave each other?"

Sandy bit her lip. "No, Bella, that's not necessarily the case with mates. Is it hard to leave? Absolutely. Impossible though? No. I know you are probably not going to believe this... but Edward has issues that have nothing to do with you... he left because he feels as though you deserve a happy human life... he does not believe himself to be good for you... Edward is the problem, not you."

Bella sniffled. "That's not what he told me... he said that he doesn't want me—" Bella became choked, unable to get the last word out as she was suddenly back in the forest, listening to Edward's words of ice.

Before Bella could burst into tears, Sandy surged forward and wrapped her in a tight and warm hug. Bella was shocked — she could not remember the last time she had been hugged like this.

Her awkwardness melted away amid the warmth that the fae radiated. Bella could not stop herself from hugging her back, digging her face into Sandy's shoulder and simply crying.

Her cries were not loud: they were silent as her shoulders shook. Sandy's heart sang in sadness for the girl, and she only held her tighter producing every ounce of comfort that she could.

Sandy knew a simple hug would not be enough to heal the damage that Edward did, but sometimes a hug could go a long way, and Sandy only hoped that it provided Bella with momentary relief.

———————

They spent hours talking: both getting to know each other. Sandy answered every one of Bella's questions — never dodging or lying about anything.

It was the same vice versa.

Bella was surprised that she had technically met Sandy before the majority of the Cullen's seeing as Alice and Rosalie were the only ones to have ever met the fae face to face.

Edward only spoke briefly of the fae—mentioning Sandy when he was giving a small overview of the supernatural world.

According to Sandy, it sounded as though Edward had left much out when he explained his world.

Edward said whilst he'd never met nor spoken to Cassandra, Alice and Rosalie were quite good friends with her and Carlisle had spoke to her a handful of times over the phone.

All Edward said was that Sandy was a family friend concerned about Bella's wellbeing seeing as Bella was a human caught in the middle of a vampire nest.

Bella was intrigued by all the events and histories Sandy had lived through.

Arguably, Bella suspected that Sandy had done more than even Carlisle in her time on this planet. After all, they were roughly about the same age: but Carlisle spent his time learning about vampirism and studying to be the best doctor in the world.

Sandy, on the other hand, had spent her years doing everything and anything possible.

From her most recent endeavors of studying ballet and performing on broadway to her older endeavors like painting and cooking.

When she first escaped Lithiovai, she'd been captured by humans and forced into slavery for many years.

When she got away from the chains of white plantation-owning humans, she ran to the North.

When the time came, she became a soldier-spy during the civil war. Sandy wanted nothing more than for all people to be free: she had been a prisoner all her life and thirsted for freedom and peace for all.

And like many others of that time: she had fought tooth and nail to achieve this goal.

She'd been a nurse during World War I and II. A major protestant of the Vietnam war and a supporter of peace, love, and unity.

Sandy was an activist of the civil rights movement — she marched hand in hand with Martin Luther King Jr. and many others.

She'd sat in coffee shops and restaurants she had been unwelcome in: sitting as they screamed slurs and dumped piping hot drinks on her and others with similar skin tones as she.

She'd been a Bob Marley follower through and through. So much so that she was considered a friend by him when he was alive.

Cassandra told tales to Bella of these events—of how much times had changed. Of how change occurred every single day and it took Sandy over a hundred years to finally be able to spot that change in every day life.

"So what kind of magic do you have...?" Bella questioned, rolling to her side to face Sandy who lay next to her on her bed. "I mean is it like Luke Skywalker and the force kind of level...?" Bella's voice was full of untapped curiosity.

Sandy rolled to face Bella, propping her head on her arm, her eyes alight with amusement.

They had previously been laying next to each other as Sandy retold her life history to Bella.

Or at least the shortened version of it seeing as there was over three hundred years that Sandy had to cover.

"Star Wars fan?" She asked the teen who nodded.

"Yep," Bella popped the word, "Biggest Star Wars nerd you'll ever meet..." she claimed.

Sandy tilted her head, before lazily falling back into the mountain of pillows. Bella's room was exceptionally clean—cleaner than Sandy was able to keep her own living space. She was rather impressed by this feat but said nothing about it.

Mostly because she did not want to out herself as being a chaotically messy person.

"Favorite movie of the series?" The faerie found herself asking as she rather liked Star Wars as well.

Bella cringed, "Empire Strikes Back, but it's like everyone's favorite of the series so..."

"Hey, only a real fan would know that it's the usual favorite, so that proves you're a true fan!" Sandy laughed before adding, "I quite liked Revenge of the Sith myself..."

"That just came out in May though..." Bella said, she was surprised that the newest movie that had come out less than a year ago was Sandy's favorite.

"Yeah, well I am just full of surprises," Sandy clapped her hands before sitting up in bed, "BUT—you were asking about magic! Mine is quite simple... well actually... not really—it's pretty complicated. I can do everything and nothing all at once!"

"Everything and nothing?" Bella said, her voice portraying how she did not understand but was interested nevertheless.

"Everything and nothing!" Sandy confirmed with a cheer. "Nature magic: weather, elements, all that fun jazz comes easily. I'm connected to the Earth—not just connected, but a part of it. A warrior of Mother Nature. I am the last child of The Green—AKA nature." Cassandra explained carefully before continuing. "Spells, on the other hand, not so much, I've had to work hard to be able to perform and perfect spells, even if I am better than most other fae were, I am nothing compared to a trained witch..."

"You said that your sister is a witch?" Bella spoke earnestly.

"Yes," Sandy sighed almost sadly, "Abigail, she is arguably the most powerful witch in current existence... I've never come across another power like hers. Nicholas is a warlock, he is powerful in his own right, but even then he has nothing on our sister..."

Bella's brows furrowed. "So Abigail would beat Nicholas if they ever got into a fight?" Bella asked.

"Definitely..." Sandy whistled, "I think he would be able to hold his own for a bit, but I don't think he could ever win a fight against Abigail on his own..."

"What about you?" Bella spoke quietly.

Sandy raised a brow. "What about me?"

"Could you take on Abigail?"

Cassandra thought long and hard about her answer.

"Maybe..." She sighed as though the thought physically pained her. "Abigail has the stronger hand in spells against me, but I have a stronger connection to nature magic than she. We would be pretty evenly matched... but... Abigail is more ruthless than I am. She has more of an edge—I would need to go into a dark mental space for even a chance at beating her..."

"That's intense..." Bella hummed.

"Isn't it?" Sandy hummed right back as the girls fell into a comfortable silence.

There was a few minutes of silence before Bella sat up. "Can I see some magic?" She asked almost shyly.

Sandy sat up as well, and with a smile she brought her right arm up. With a snap of her fingers, every single light in Bella's room suddenly went out with a spark and Bella yelped in surprise. In the next second, there was another snap and the lights all turned back on as they were before.

"Holy shit!" Bella laughed as she looked around. "How did you do that?"

"I stopped the electricity flow into your room, of course!"

"Woah, could you do the whole house?"

"Yeah, it might actually be easier to do the whole house seeing as I wouldn't need to put all my focus into one area..." Sandy said thoughtfully.

She was unable to ponder on it for any longer as Charlie Swan opened the bedroom door.

"You girls okay, I heard yelling?!" The Police Chief said, and Sandy noticed that his hand was resting on a handgun that hung by his side.

A true Chief of Police indeed.

"Yes, Dad, we're good... can you knock next time?" Bella asked her father in an embarrassed tone of voice.

Charlie let out a breath of relief before slowly nodding his head. "Yep, sure, definitely..." he spits awkwardly before slamming Bella's door closed and retreating back downstairs.

Bella groaned in embarrassment and Sandy was laughing.

"Aww, he's so sweet, Bells..." the fae said.

"Yeah, but that was just humiliating..." the teen sighed.

Sandy shook her head, standing up and looking toward the window where darkness crept in. She did not feel like driving home, and she was getting rather tired.

"Do you care if I sleep over?" She turned to Bella.

Bella nodded very suddenly, her eyes widening in surprise, but the girl was secretly satisfied. While Sandy's arrival had not totally closed the hole in her heart that Edward had left, it had at least momentarily patched it up.

"Sure! Let me just go tell Charlie real quick!" Bella leaped from her bed and ran out the door.

Sandy shrugged before quickly wiggling out of her jeans and pulling off her flannel. She took her bra out from under her tanktop — twisting her hair into a topknot before launching herself back into Bella's soft bed and under her warm covers.

A minute or two later, Bella crashed back into her room, closing the door behind her. Her face was red from how fast she was moving, deep breaths racking through her body. Sandy noticed how her sweatpants were slightly uneven and her shirt was ruffled ever so slightly.

Bella still looked pretty though, her wide brown eyes quickly searching the room for Sandy. Her heartbeat sped up thinking that the fae may have left but she relaxed seeing her laying comfortably under the duvet.

It was unhealthy, but Bella had already taken to anchoring herself to Sandy in the wake of the Cullens' disappearance.

It was not that Bella was using her as a 'rebound' or anything because the two genuinely did get along; it was more that Bella's current abandonment issues were not helping.

She sighed in relief before turning her lights off causing the fairy lights that hung above her bed to flicker on. It was then she noticed the point to Sandy's ears.

"Your ears!" She gasped.

"Oh yeah," Sandy yawned tiredly. "I dropped my illusion, hope you don't mind?"

"Not at all!" Bella was quick to crawl into bed next to her new friend, looking at her ears with fascination.

"You can touch them if you want..." Sandy said as she felt Bella's desires but knew the girl would never ask such a thing.

Bella hesitated. "Are you sure?" She did not want to make her feel uncomfortable.

Whilst Sandy appreciated the sentiment, she truly did not care. "Of course, I must warn you though..." she paused dramatically and Bella held her breath, "they just feel like normal ears..."

Bella snickered at her before hesitantly reaching her hand out and brushing her fingers against the pointed ear. As Sandy had said before, they just felt like normal ears with a point at the end.

"Cool..." Bella breathed before bringing her hands back down and digging herself under the duvet as well. "You know you remind me a lot of Carlisle..."

"Do I? I unfortunately must say that I haven't met this man in person yet."

"You do—you both give off the same energy... both kind and compassionate... safe..."

Both girl's legs brushed against each other from the smallness of the bed, but neither cared.

Sandy smiled at her words.

"Breakfast tomorrow? I heard there is a good diner in town..." Sandy was once again yawning, halfway into the realm of dreams seeing as she had been awake for almost 24 hours with all the traveling she had done.

"Definitely... I could use a good breakfast..." Bella breathed, her own eyes suddenly feeling heavy.

She could not remember the last time she had actually eaten breakfast, nor could she remember the last time she had felt this peaceful when she was about to fall asleep. She had a feeling that Sandy's presence next to her might just fight off the night terrors that would come.

"Goodnight, Bells, sleep tight..."

"You too, Sandy," Bella mumbled into her pillow before both of them were fast asleep, small snores leaving them.