Disclaimer: Things I own: One fiancé, 3 cats and a laptop that I'm still paying on

What I don't own: Twilight (though I'd sell my soul for an hour with Jasper) or Dollhouse. They belong to Stephenie Meyer and Joss Whedon respectively. I wish I were that lucky.

Special thanks to my wonderful Beta, lada_8, without whom, my grammar and mistakes would be glaringly obvious.

Chapter 1 - Career Day

I'd been dreading today ever since it had been announced several weeks ago. It was Career Day at Forks High School, and I was doing everything possible to get out of it. I had no plans of ever leaving this place and I already had a job, albeit one that I probably wouldn't get much further ahead at. There just wasn't much use of me going.

I almost made it to the parking lot when Angela caught me. "Oh, no, you don't! Where on earth do you think you're going? It's Career Day and you have got to be there." She grabbed my bag and hooked her arm in mine.

"I really couldn't care less about going, Angela. I already have a job and I'll probably never leave this place. I don't need to go to this." I half-heartedly tugged to get my arm back.

"Your dad asked me to make sure you didn't miss this today, and I told him I'd drag you there if I had to. Plus, I've been working on this non-stop for weeks to make sure we got as many different employers as possible to show us the opportunities that we could use to get out of this place."

I found myself being dragged in the opposite direction than where I wanted to be. I was getting closer to where everyone was gathering at the gym and further away from my truck. "I can't believe Charlie called you." I tried not to whine.

The whole community seemed to have gone all out on this Fair. Everyone, from the youngest freshmen to all the senior class, were expected to go to this extravaganza that was being put on. I had to admit that Angela's enthusiasm would have been catching, if it hadn't been for the out and out dread that I was feeling about all of this. Perhaps, at one time in my life, I would have been interested in all of this; but right now, I just couldn't bring myself to care. That time seemed to be an entirely different lifetime.

"Ben, Ben!" Angela started waving towards her boyfriend, who was weaving through the small crowd that had gathered in front of the gym doors. She smiled at him when he came to a stop in front of us. "Look who I caught trying to get out to the parking lot." I couldn't help but blush at her pointed look.

I knew I had to say something. "I was just going to drop my bag off, and then I would have come back around." Yeah, so I couldn't lie to save myself.

"Bella," Ben grinned at me from Angela's other side. "You and I both know that neither of us would still be here, if it weren't for Ange threatening to kick our collective butts." I rolled my eyes and laughed as Angela let go of my arm and swatted Ben. He held his arms up in mock surrender. "You know I love you babe," I flinched, "but how many of us here really get all excited about a Job fair? I bet half the grad class isn't even going to bother to show up. Now, if it was a College fair, you'd get most of us here, but jobs?" He shook his head, "not something we really need to think about yet." He yelped the last word as he was elbowed in the gut.

Everyone around us laughed at Ben's discomfort; he really did deserve it. Angela may be one of the sweetest people in Forks, but everyone knew it was the sweet ones who were the most dangerous. As long as there wasn't something lurking in the woods.

I'd given in as soon as Angela had caught me in the parking lot. So, when my arm was released, I slipped behind them and followed along. I kept my eyes pointed towards the floor and my hair in my face, trying to avoid attention. My only goal was to not trip over my own feet and make a spectacle out of myself. I just wanted to get lost in the crowd and not be noticed anymore.

"So Bella," Ben and Angela were looking back at me when I looked up at the sound of my name. "I heard the movie night sucked last week because of that flu." Ben continued, "I know we had wanted to go catch the movie and I heard you guys had to leave early because it hit Mike. A bunch of us are going tonight, you coming with?"

Damn it, I thought as we entered into the gym. "I can't tonight. I have to finish that paper for English class. I didn't get it finished over the weekend and it is due in two days. I want a chance to finish it and then look it over for any mistakes." That sounded like a good excuse, right?

"Shi... OW... Ange you didn't have to hit me!" He glared up at his girlfriend and rubbed the back of his head. "I forgot about it. Oh well, I can do it after the flick. Too bad you won't be there, Bella." He shrugged and went towards the first table that caught his eye, dragging Angela behind him. It was something to do with graphic design. Not exactly my idea of a good time, so I used it as an excuse to wander off on my own.

There wasn't much that interested me here at the fair. The local newspaper had a small booth that I thought about going by. Since I already worked in the only sporting goods store, I didn't have to go to the table that Mike's mother had set up, other than to say hello. There was one other small booth, which very few people seemed to be going near. At it sat a well-dressed, middle-aged woman. However, all that was out on the table was a pot of tea, a couple of teacups and a few sheets of paper. The woman looked like she was supposed to be at some sort of coffee shop, looking over her papers for her own job, instead of in the middle of Forks High School's gym.

The few people that went to the table only spoke to her for a few moments; she would shake her head and they would move on. I'd almost made my decision not to go over there at all, when the woman glanced up and looked me right in the eye. Looking down, I shuffled over to the table. When I saw the 'sit down' movement the woman made. I slumped into the chair across from her, mumbling, "So, what is this for?"

"Miss Isabella Swan?" I nodded, wondering how she knew my name. "My name is Adelle DeWitt, your picture does you no justice, and it looks like this is the right time."

"What?" A couple of people looked over as my voice raised, only to see the woman pouring a cup of tea for each of us.

"Oh, we've been watching your grades for awhile both here and in Phoenix, and we believe that you would be a valuable asset to our company. We, at the Rossum Corporation, are a worldwide company who are always on the lookout for bright new minds. We believe you have the kind of mind we are looking for. As for what our company is, we do several things, but most of all... we create. Your skills are something we could use." The woman was calm, sipping her tea and watching me.

My head was spinning. "What do you mean that you've been watching me? My grades haven't been that good."

"No, they have not been, however, your writing skills are. We are looking for people who are just like you. Someone who can create a life on paper that could be real, perhaps even become that life." She took another sip of her tea then placed the cup down on the table. "I know that this is hard to believe, but please, take a look over the papers here," she moved the papers across the table towards me, and I couldn't help but reach over and pick them up. "If you join us, we promise a clean slate. My number is at the top of the first paper there, Miss Swan. Call me once you've read everything over."

I sat there in a daze while she quickly stood up, holding a briefcase that had been hidden behind the table, "I will be in Port Angeles until tomorrow. Call me at any time, any hour. After tomorrow, I may not be reachable." She stepped around the table and touched my shoulder. "Think about it, Miss Swan... a truly clean slate." With that, she walked out of the gym.

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AN: I haven't written in a really long time, but this has really caught my attention lately and the bunny wouldn't let go.