After her brother's death Andria DeAngelo is leaving Lake Tahoe, California in search of a new start. The tragic death of Bella Cullen has torn the Cullen family apart and left Edward in a constant depression. He only lives because of Renesmee. When Edward and Andria meet Edward must control his desire to kill her. Can Andria get away from the memory of her brother's tragic accident? Will the Cullens be torn apart forever? Or can Andria save Edward and the Cullens and show them happiness and love again?

Chapter 1 - A New Start

I didn't know which town I was headed for or where I would end up, but I knew I was going north. My bags were packed into my brother's black Ford Explorer. Clothes, books, pictures, knick-knacks, my brother's guns, and everything I had that was mine was loaded into the back of the vehicle. I had two thousand dollars in cash and another seventy-five thousand in the bank account connected to my debit card in my purse. That money was thanks to my brother Travis and my grandparents.

Pain ripped through my chest at the thought of my brother. I squeezed my eyes shut and gripped the back of the Explorer. Travis had given so much to me, and I had not been able to give him anything in return. I ground my teeth together and inhaled sharply. I slowly exhaled and the pain in my chest lessened.

I turned and smiled at Vanessa. She had been Travis' girlfriend and my best friend. She understood my pain and I understood hers. She understood that my pain was much worse. She gave a weak smile and tears began to stream down her face again.

"Do you have to leave, Alexandria?" She asked. "It's only been three weeks." Her beautiful, soft voice was full of sadness. She pushed back her short, curly brown hair with one hand, and wiped her tears with the other.

I hugged her tightly, wishing it was Travis I was hugging. I wished that I was leaving for college and that he wasn't truly gone forever. "I have to Vanessa. I just can't stay here. Travis is gone, and he was my life. He wasn't just my brother; he was my best friend. I just can't stay," I choked out against the growing pain in my chest.

"I understand." Her voice was stronger now. "Travis would be happy you were getting away from your parents. He always talked about getting you away from Tahoe. Good luck." She rubbed my shoulder, something Travis used to do when I was upset. She didn't miss that I had noticed that and quickly dropped her hand to her side.

I kneeled down and stroked my husky- pit bull mix, while my brother's lab placed his head in my lap and let out a soft whine. "Take good care of Mocha and Bear, okay? They both love you anyway, they should be able to adjust without me fairly easily." I kissed Bear on his head and he licked my face, Mocha did the same thing as she pawed at my leg. I wrapped them both in a huge hug and then stood back up.

"Andria, I'll take good care of your dogs. You just have to make sure you come back to see me, okay?" She tried to bat away the tears in her eyes, but they started to fall again.

"I will. I don't know when I'll be back, but you will be the first one I come see." I tried to sound reassuring as I attempted to hold back my own tears.

We hugged one more time and I got in my brother's SUV. It was the second hardest goodbye I had ever had the unfortunate opportunity of saying in my life. The first had been my goodbye to Travis - my brother, my best friend, my saving grace. The tears fell freely down my face as I thought of Travis. The funeral had been beautiful and it was the last goodbye I would ever say to my brother. I wouldn't see my brother again for a long time.

I stopped myself short; I couldn't do this. If I kept thinking about Travis like I was, I would never make it out of Tahoe. I quickly wiped my face with the back of my hand, started the engine, and threw it into drive. I looked back in the rearview mirror at Vanessa and the rising sun. This was definitely the second hardest goodbye. I pulled out of Vanessa's driveway and headed for the interstate.

North sounded like a good direction; a sensible direction. It would be closer to Tahoe than trying to make it to Bath, North Carolina to my grandparents. That would be a three or four day trip from Tahoe, California. Bath was beautiful and it was my home, but I need something new. I needed something away from memories of Travis and my parents for awhile. Maybe one day in a few years I would be able to come back to Tahoe.

Maybe in a few years I could bare the idea that I was alone. That Travis was gone, that he had been… I couldn't even think about it. I couldn't imagine the idea that someone had killed Travis. I shook my head and tried to focus on the road.

My conscience screamed "coward" because I was leaving, but I had to get away. Without my brother by my side, our father's anger would be unleashed on me again. My brother would not be there to prevent it and my mother wouldn't stop him from beating his daughter.

Travis was the only one who had ever stopped him from harming me. I pushed the thoughts out of my head. I could not think of Travis, it would make me cry. It made the pain in my chest worse.

I drove straight through Oregon and made it to Washington by nightfall. I stopped at a small gas station and filled up the vehicle again. I bought a candy bar, chips, and a drink, used the bathroom, and began to look at tourist booklets. I spotted one about a beach named First Beach, and about the La Push Reservation near Forks. It sounded like a nice, small town- quiet. I liked it. I looked at the map and talked to the old man at the register to get clearer directions, and headed for Forks, Washington.

I made it to Forks and drove through the town until I found a small hotel. I pulled in and shut off the SUV. I grabbed my one bag that I had packed as an overnight bag and walked into the lobby and up to the reception desk. The hotel was small, probably built in the late seventies, but it would do until I could find a house.

"Hello, how may I help you?" a white-haired woman asked as she stepped up to the counter. Her voice was soft and high pitched, but her smile was warm and welcoming.

"I need to rent a room for a few days. I'm new in town and haven't found a place to stay yet," I replied.

"Oh! Well, welcome to Forks. There is actually a house for sale or rent on the same road as Dr. Cullen's house."

"Dr. Cullen? I'm sorry, I don't know who you are talking about, ma'am." I really didn't care who I lived near as long as I found a place to stay.

"Oh dear. I'm sorry I forgot you're new to town. Dr. Cullen is one of the main doctors at the hospital. He and his family live on the outskirts of town. You reach the house before you get to the Cullen house."

"Is it a large house?" I asked. I was more intrigued by the house than Dr. Cullen and his family. "The one for sale, I mean."

"No dear. It is a small, two bedroom house. You should go see it tomorrow morning. It's been for sale for a few months now," the woman said.

"Why?" I asked.

"No one likes to live around the Cullens. Dr. Cullen is very nice, but the family is… they tend to keep to themselves."

"Oh, well that's okay. I'll go look at the house tomorrow morning. I guess I'll just rent a room for one night."

"Okay, I'll put you in room two; it's on the right, down the hall to my left. I'll get you some directions for the house. They'll be here at the desk waiting for you in the morning." She paused and turned around, opened a small cabinet and retrieved a small key. "Here you go. Have a good night, sweetie, and welcome to Forks."

"Thanks, and thank you for letting me know about the house."

I walked down to my room and unlocked the door. I flipped on the light and smiled. The room was soft cream color with pale green accents and light oak wood. It was a decent size; an armchair was in the corner along with a lamp. A desk, dresser, television, and bed were also in the room. The bathroom was a decent size, with a shower- tub combination and small vanity. I sat my bag and the floor and flopped down on the bed. I looked at the ceiling and sighed.

My conscience screamed "coward" again. I told myself I wasn't. I was protecting myself from abuse I wouldn't be able to escape, and heartache that would never end. I had not run out of fear, I had left for my own good. I had made the decision to leave my home and start a new life. Vanessa understood and supported me.

Travis had been her whole life since she was a sophomore. I had been a sophomore too; we were on the dance team together, and best friends. Travis was a senior. She'd fallen for him instantly and he fell for her. Travis was my best friend, but Vanessa never cared that Travis always kept me around. She understood, I was abused and mistreated, she saw me as her sister, and her best friend.

I couldn't keep thinking about this. I had to get my mind on something else. I needed to make a list, a plan of what I needed to do to get on my feet here.

I got up from the bed, walked the few short steps to the dresser, slid a pen and pad of paper in front of me, and sat down on the chair. On the top of the page I wrote "Plan For New Start" and the number one below it. I began to think about my plan to start my life here.

First, I would go look at the house. I would then have to find some furniture and dishes; I had enough knick-knacks and things to decorate with, hopefully. Then I would go find a dance studio, and hopefully get a job. I loved to dance - I was good at it and maybe that would help me get my feet on the ground here. I finished my list and got back into the bed. I fell asleep almost instantly.

I woke up around seven thirty. I took a hot shower and got dressed. I dried my hair and cleaned up after myself. I picked up my bag, scanning the room once more to make sure I hadn't somehow managed to forget something, and left the room. The old woman was still at the counter this morning. She handed me the directions, written on a yellow piece of paper, with a warm smile on her face. I thanked her and told hergoodbye.

I got in my car and drove to the house. I turned off the main road and onto a small back road. The wooded and winding path finally lead to a gravel driveway where a small, light blue house with dark blue shutters sat in the middle of a field. I turned down the driveway and parked next to the car that was already there. The realtor walked up to me and smiled.

"Hello, are you interested in the house? Mrs. Waters, the owner of the hotel, told me I should be here today." The blonde haired woman wearing a pale, purple pant suit spoke as she walked up to me. She was very bubbly and friendly. She held out her hand, "I'm Brandi Saleh. I'll go ahead and show you the house if you would like."

"Sure, I'm Andria DeAngelo. It's nice to meet you, Mrs. Saleh," I said, as I noticed her wedding ring. She smiled and we walked towards the house.

"You seem mighty young to be looking for a house all by yourself," she said as she glanced at me.

I knew she was going to be skeptical about this. "Mrs. Saleh, I'm seventeen years old, but I promise, I'm not a runaway, my parents aren't going to come looking for me, and you won't get in trouble for selling me a house. I swear. I really am looking for a place to stay. I turn eighteen in September."

She smiled warmly at me and then nodded her head as we walked up the steps. Then she started to tour of the house.

"The house was built in the early eighties. The front porch wraps around the right side of the house and has a side door that opens from the master bedroom." She opened the front door, which was the same color as the shutters, and we stepped into an open foyer and living room. The living room drifted into the kitchen. We walked to the hall and into the master bedroom. It was large and open, with French doors on the right of the room opening to the porch, like she said. We walked up the stairs to the second bedroom, which was the entire second floor. We walked back downstairs as she rambled on about the house, its previous owner and finally asked if I liked the house.

"Yes, I do. I like it a lot. How much is it being sold for?" I asked as we walked back out onto the front porch.

"Well the house has been on the market for some time," she said. "The owners originally listed it at seventy-five thousand, but they said they would accept sixty-nine thousand." She said.

I thought about it, staring off into the woods. The house was small; the whole second floor was the second bedroom. The main floor had a living room, kitchen, bedroom, and one and a half bathrooms. It was small, but I liked it.

I sighed; Travis would be proud. "Okay, I'll take it. Can we go to the bank so I can withdraw the money to pay you?"

She gave me a funny look. "Are you paying a payment?"

"No ma'am, I'm paying in full. My grandparents made sure I would be able to stand on my own two feet when the time came. I'm going to pay for the house in full so I can be sure I have a place of my own."

She smiled. "Well as long as you're happy with the home."She paused. She seemed skeptical, but also eager to finally sell the house.

"Mrs. Saleh, I promise that I'm not trying to fool you. I have the money and I really do want the house."

She smiled and nodded. "Let's go back to town to my office. You can stop at the bank on the way. We will fix the paperwork and get you all set up."

"Thank you Mrs. Saleh." I smiled back at her. I could scratch number one from my list.

We drove to town. I stopped at the bank to make sure I was cleared to write a check for sixty-nine thousand dollars, and then met her at her office by eleven. We worked on the paperwork and the payment, which I handed to her in full. She immediately put the check into an envelope and into the safe behind her desk. We finalized the paperwork and I signed the deed to my new home.

At three, I left Mrs. Saleh's office and drove back to my house. I unpacked my two suitcases, duffle bag, and travel bag of clothes. Then I grabbed my brother's guns, leaving the heavy cabinet in the back, and set them inside, along with the bullets for each. Then I went back and grabbed the four large boxes of stuff to put in my house. I had no idea how Vanessa and I had managed to fit all of my stuff into the SUV but we'd accomplished it and now I was a resident of Forks, Washington. I moved my clothes into the bedroom and set them against the wall.

I looked at one box and pushed it over to the middle of the living room. I opened the box and started to unpack what I had brought with me. I pulled out the picture frames of me and my brother, friends, some landscapes of North Carolina and Tahoe, and dance pictures.

I placed them in a pile on the kitchen counter. There were at least fifteen large pictures and more than twenty smaller ones, plus five photo albums. I then pulled out the stacks of books I had brought with me and the book ends to hold them up. I sat them next to the albums on the counter. Finally I pulled out my yearbooks from middle and high school.

The second box had my lamps, vases, and my decorative crystal and cut glass dishes and bowls that Vanessa and I had found at a yard sale. I set them on the counter also. I pulled out small knickknacks and some little trinkets and placed them on the counter.

The third box held most of my dance things - shoes, tights, and tapes and DVDs of my performances. I left everything in that box and moved it into the spare bedroom. The last box was smaller than the others, but still came up almost to my waist. I opened it and looked at my movie and CD collection. I decided to unpack those when I actually had a place to put them.

I found a pen and pad in my travel bag and sat down on the floor against the wall. I stared around the living room and thought about what I would need to furnish the house the way I wanted it. I went upstairs. I figured I could make this my dance studio; the room was the size of the kitchen, bedroom, and living room downstairs combined. I would eventually buy the material to put up mirrors and a barre on one wall, and a desk and CD rack for the other wall.

I went back downstairs and looked at my phone. It was three-thirty in the afternoon. I plugged the refrigerator into the wall, grabbed my purse, and decided to head to the antique store I had seen on my way in. I made it to the store at 3:45. I walked in and began to look around the building.

I found a coffee and end table for the living room, a four-poster bed and two matching night tables, a coat rack, stools, a breakfast table and chairs, and a chaise lounge. The man behind the counter smiled at me.

"You're going to need some help moving all of this stuff, ma'am," he said.

"Yes sir, I just moved here."

"Well, welcome to Forks. I'll have all of your things brought to your house tomorrow morning."

"Thank you so much, that would be wonderful." I smiled and handed him a one hundred dollar bill.

He looked at it and then back at me and tried to hand it back to me. "I can't take this from you."

"Yes, you can. I'm okay, I promise. I can't let you deliver all that for free," I said, and then started to walk out of the store.

He thanked me as I stepped out of the door. I got in the Explorer and headed to the grocery store. It took me an hour and a half at the store before I finally made it back to my new home. I unloaded my groceries and decided I would go to Seattle tomorrow to find everything else I needed for the house.

For Washington, the weather had been rather pleasant. Sunny, warm, no rain. The forecast was the same until tomorrow night, so I decided I would sleep on the porch swing. I searched around for two small blankets and my travel pillow, grabbed my book, and went outside on the porch.

I laid the first blanket over the white wicker swing and put the pillow against the arm rest. I laid down and began to read Judith McNaught's, A Kingdom of Dreams, for the third time.

I woke up to the sound of a truck coming down the driveway. I jumped up, ran a hand through my hair, and straightened my clothes. Then I reached down and picked the book off the ground. The man from the shop opened the driver door. A younger man stepped out of the passenger side. I met them at the front steps.

"Goodmorning miss, I didn't fully introduce myself yesterday. I'm Daniel Ashburn, the owner of the store." I shook his hand. "And this is Jacob Black, he volunteered to help me this morning."

"It's nice to meet you Jacob, I'm Alexandria DeAngelo, Andria for short." I shook his hand too, it was burning up. I froze, unable let go. I looked up into his eyes, he held my gaze, smiled, and released my hand as he spoke. He was huge, easily six foot four or taller with broad shoulders.

"It's nice to meet you too." His words shook me out of my daze.

"Um.. well I'll go ahead and point out where I would like things, and if you could just put them in the room."

They nodded and began to unload the truck.

"Looks like you still have some things to find," Jacob said when they had finished unloading the truck.

"Yeah, I'm going to go to Seattle today."

"Be careful up there by yourself," he said, the warning tone in his voice all too serious.

"I'll be okay, I can take care of myself, but thank you for your concern Jacob," I said

"Well, we will let you go ahead and get ready to go to Seattle," Mr. Ashburn said. I thanked them again.

Jacob was almost to the truck when I called out his name.

"Jacob?" He turned and looked at me. "Is there any possible way you could come back later this afternoon and help me unload the mattress I plan on getting today?"

He smiled and nodded his head.

"I'll come by around six. Will you be back by then?"

"Yeah, that sounds good. Thanks again, Jacob," I said, smiling, and watched them drive down the driveway. I turned back into the house and showered, gathered my stuff together, and headed for Seattle.