Bella had to love Fall in Chicago, it was her summer really. Ever since she had gotten sick in her senior year of high school Bella's body couldn't take the stifling heat. In the summer she became a recluse, only going from air condition to air condition; any time in the humid or hot air could potentially put her in the hospital. Having her little quirks, it was lucky that Bella's job was pretty flexible. In reality it didn't matter, owning your own business had its perks. Without Bella there would be no IMSW (Isabella Marie SWan) Corporation; without Bella there would be no product or sales.

Isabella Swan was the most sought after computer analyst, computer programmer and software writer that, some would say, in the last ten years. The handful of software that she had written was used by a lot of companies to help with everything from keeping track of employees to keeping their books better; it was a big money maker for IMSW. She had also wrote programs to be used in schools for the students to use; but that was more for the community and not so much for the money.

That was another reason that she enjoyed the fall. Not only did she take she vacation at this time, but during the first couple of weeks of September many companies took opportunity to have trainings on the software that she had been apart of. They brought all new employees at once into Chicago to be trained on the software from her company. She didn't teach per say in these trainings, but supported the teachers there. It was also a good time to get feedback on what worked and didn't in the software; always filling her with ideas for new products or updates to the old.

Bella never thought herself as smart; at least not in the beginning of her life. In everyones life there is a turning point, or fork in the road, where they either change and become stronger, or take the more destructive path and learn nothing. Bella's turning point came in high school, her senior year. It was the same year that she had gotten sick. In fact it was that sickness that was the major part of her change; but it wasn't the only thing.

It was during the early part of Bella's school year that a new student, Jasper Whitlock, was welcomed into the fold. They fell in love. She thought he was the one for her, and to this day she felt the same way. Jasper, she thought, felt the same way. When unexpectedly Jasper left in the night, with no contact for months, it became apparent to Bella that he didn't.

Maybe a little more background is needed. Bella Swan, was a normal senior in a normal high school, with a normal GPA, with normal dreams, who fell in love with the new mysterious foreign exchange student; at least that's what it felt like to her. They started dating, and eventually she found out what made him so mysterious. Jasper was no ordinary teenager, he in fact was the Prince of Denmark, who was sent to the United States for protection. There was a threat on his parents and him, so his parents, and their councilors, thought it would be a good idea to hide the heir there. Of course, she didn't know that when they started to date. Bella wasn't sure if she would have been brave, or stupid, enough to get anywhere near him if she knew.

Jasper worked really hard to have Bella see him as just a man, and not the crown, once she found out. She did not want to be seen as a gold digger, not wanting to been as trying to raise her station by dating Jasper. She was not someone that enjoyed the spotlight and dating a prince would surely throw her into one. Jasper had always called her his 'Mouse', saying that wiggled her way into his heart and stole it in the night like a mouse stealing the cheese. Finally, she came to the realization that she could care less what people thought; she loved Jasper, and he her, and that was the only thing that mattered. We were together, screw everyone else.

In the end, they had a whirlwind love affair, and like most, they ended up sleeping together. Which then lead to her sickness... She missed a period, took a grocery store pregnancy test and it was positive. She then went to her doctor and again every test said she was pregnant. Jasper was with her for everything; every test, every discussion with her parents and school. Then one morning he was gone; never to be seen again.

With Jasper gone, it seemed that Bella's life turned upside down even more. She just went through the motions of school and being pregnant all alone. She talked to few, kept her head down and did nothing but school work; which is how she became so good with computers. It had been 3 months since Jasper left and her pregnancy was not going as it should. She was unable to keep anything down, and was losing weight along with being very weak. Eventually she went to another doctor. Low and behold she was not pregnant, instead she had a cancerous tumor in her stomach. After many surgeries, chemo therapy, she finally was given a clean bill of health. Even with everything, she ended up graduating top of her class and getting a full scholarship to any college she wanted to attend.

One week before she was scheduled to moved to Chicago for school, the first letter appeared. It was from Jasper. Bella refused to read it. She tore it up and threw it away. From then on, she had a letter a week, even after she moved. It seemed that Jasper was still in contact with someone from school and their old group of friends because they were the only ones, besides Bella's parents, that knew which school she chose and her address. It was the only way he could have gotten it; there was no way her parents were going to give that information to Jasper.

One letter a week continued to come while she was in school, but still never read a single one. Even after college the letters continued, much to her ire. She always thought she should have read the stupid letters, seen what he wanted and then maybe they would have stopped. Bella was stubborn though, she just couldn't bring herself to read them. She hated the fact they started to come when she was better, that now she was deemed suitable to be acquainted too. It just pissed her off. Bella was not going to give Jasper the satisfaction of reading anything now, she had already given him enough.

As it was, no matter how hard she tried, Jasper still owned her heart. There was no man that held anything near the flame of attraction that she had for Jasper. She tried to move on, there were many that were willing to help; she could not. It was Jasper or no one else; Bella hated him, but still loved him. Not saying that if Jasper would show up in front of her, she would take him back. She would not, or so she thought; he lost that right when he left. At this point in life she wasn't even sure that she could be friends with him; the anger, the pain, the love for him would make it too hard. At least she didn't think she would, but if Jasper really was standing in front of her? There would be no telling what her heart would do; it might even overpower her brain and common sense.

But that is enough of a trip down memory lane... It was Autumn and time for Bella's vacation at the Chicago Hyatt Hotel. Even though it was suppose to be a break for Bella, she still spent the first few weeks working and dealing with company trainings. Still, all in all, it was a vacation. It also gave her time to meet with an old school friend and her husband, Angela Weber and Ben Cheney, who were going to be visiting with family. Bella had stayed in contact with very few from high school, only one or two of those she truly wanted to spend actual time with; Angela and Ben were among them.

Bella could not wait to spend time with Angela again. She was always by her side in school, even when Bella's character was tarnished in the public eye when everyone thought she going to be an unwed mother. Her companionship didn't falter in the slightest when Bella was confined to a hospital bed and Angela had to wear a mask to see her. To spend time with her now in a normal setting made Bella ecstatic.

Bella was eating dinner, alone, in one of the restaurants of the hotel when she received a text from Angela informing her that Angela and Ben were about five minutes from the hotel. With a quick response back she told her that they would meet in the lobby. Throwing her phone back in her bag Bella caught the attention of the waitress and asked for the check. Once she had settled the bill, Bella was on her way to meet with her friends.

Little did she know that she would also meet with a shadow from her past and that nothing was going to be the same, or easy, again.

"Bella," squealed a grown woman as she entered the prestigious hotel, the haughty wealthy guests looking down their noses at her as she passed. Bella could care less what they thought, even if she was as wealthy, or more so than they were.

"Ang," Bella gave her a squeeze when she jumped into her arms, "it is so good to see you."

"You look great," Angela said holding Bella at arms length as she gave her a once over. "It seems you got over your aversion to fashion," she said with a laugh and a smile. It was true, that in the past Bella hated fashion, mainly the idea of spending hours and hours, and money, on just clothing.

"It was not the idea of fashion that I detested, as you well know," Bella said wrapping an arm around Angela's waist and bumped her shoulder with Angela's while turning to the door looking for Ben. "But now that you mention it, I have found that I don't mind looking nice. Every now and then anyway." They both laughed, Angela shaking her head. "Now where did you lose Ben to? You didn't kill him on the trip did you?"

"No, he is..."

"Hells Bells," came a slightly quieter call then his wife, but still loud. There striding toward the pair was one Ben Cheney with a large smile. Bella wished he would forget that high school nickname, but the more she protested the more he used it. Bella would have her revenge though...

"Benny Boy," she called loudly, her smirk grew as his eyes narrowed at the name.

"Must you say that so loud," Ben asked as he took Bella from Angela's arms and hugged her with a kiss on the cheek.

"It could be so much worse," she whispered into his ear as Angela snickered. "If you insist on calling me what you did, then it causes me to retaliate."

"The name stays," Ben said, "do your worse," he said with a shrug.

"As you wish," Bella replied. "Have you two stopped for dinner," she asked turning to Angela.

"No, not yet," Angela answered giving a glare at Ben. "Someone would not stop until we got here."

"We have not even checked in yet," Ben said looking everywhere but his wife.

"Why don't you guys check in, get your crap and find your room. Then come with me to my suites and order room service, my treat. I have already eaten, but could do with some dessert," Bella suggested.

"Only got a suite did you," asked Ben with a laugh winking at his friend. They knew that Bella had made a name for herself, which included the money that came with it.

"I would have gotten the large presidential suite, but some dignitary is staying here for a conference or something," Bella answered with a shrug. "So I had to get something smaller."

"What a shame," Angela said good naturally, "to have to take a downgrade like that."

"It is what it is," Bella said with a shrug and waiving her comment off. "Now go," she said giving Angela a slight shove toward the main desk, "go and sign in and get your stuff. I want my dessert."

"Alright, alright," Angela said stepping from Bella's pushing hands, "stop your pushing."

"Are you okay with waiting," asked Ben taking Angela's hand.

"Of course you silly boy," Bella said with a chuckle reaching into her bag and pulling out her Kindle. "I have all the entertainment I need while I wait," she said wagging it slightly at her friends.

"You and your books," Ben shook his head. "So you'll be good?"

"Sure will," said Bella taking a few steps back and leaned on a pillar. "I'll be right here when you're ready."

"We won't be long," Angela said turning away and to the registration desk.

"Take your time," she said waving the Kindle again as they walked away then she turned down to start to read.

It was less than five minutes before Bella was pulled from her reading. As she turned a page a shadow fell across the screen of her Kindle. With a sigh of irritation she shifted slightly and into more light, but sadly it seemed she was not meant to get back into her book.

"Miss," said the shadow standing before her as the shadow, again, moved in front of her, "I need you to..."

"You are blocking my light," Bella said, again shifting for more light.

"I am going to have to ask you to move along Madam," stated the shadow.

"You can ask all you want," she sighed, closing the cover around the kindle and placing it back into her bag and looked up at the talking shadow, "that does not mean I am going to listen."

"I don't think you understand," said the man who was now getting angry, his arms crossing over his chest. Bella had no idea who this person was, but she could tell this was someone that most would not want to mess with. With his arms crossed his tailor made jacket from his suit no longer hung properly and she could plainly see the bulge of a gun at his side. There was a good possibility that here in front of her was some-one's personal security, but that did not stop Bella from voicing her displeasure. After all, emotional pain, rejection and abandonment makes even a saint slightly bidder and bitchy with the world.

"No, I don't think you understand," Bella said, her hands going to her hips, "I am a paying guest of this hotel and this is a public area, which means that I have every right to stand where I please while I wait for some friends." He tried to interrupt her, but she was having none of that. "Now, I understand that you have a job to do, but I think you might be going overboard. I am nowhere near the path of the elevators or the registration desk, nor am I close enough to the front door to make a mad rush at who ever you protecting."

"Bella!" Bella heard Angela's gasp before she saw her come up; Bella was too zeroed in on the gentleman in front of her.

"Aren't you lucky," Bella said cocking her head as she narrowed her eyes, "there is no longer a reason for me to stand here, you get your wish after all," she said as she brushed passed the angered man.

"What the Hell was that all about, Bella," Angela asked after they moved further away from the guard.

"Absolutely nothing," Bella said with a shrug as she started to watch the main entrance. She was now curious as to who might be coming.

Angela snorted slightly, "One of these days your attitude is going to piss off the wrong person. There will be no one to blame, but yourself," she ranted at her friend.

But Bella was no longer paying attention to her. Honestly, she hadn't heard a thing passed Angela's snort; Bella's eyes had found the special guest. There standing less the fifty feet in front of her was a ghost from from past. There in all his glory was Jasper.