Disclaimer. I do not own the Twilight saga. I am merely playing with the characters for my own amusement.

With a sigh Renee Swan soon to become to be Higginbotham once more closed the lid to the suitcase. Despite Charlie's best efforts to convince her otherwise she was leaving Fork's. Renee hated the small town where she grew up, she wanted sunshine, she wanted to see the world. The life offered to her as a young wife of a future small town cop didn't appeal to her. Her parent's weren't supportive of her idea.

Especially as she was dragging her daughters with her. Unfortunately the decision wasn't theirs to make, lugging the suitcase downstairs she paused as she past the nursery. She was relieved to see both the girls were still asleep, at nearly one years old Bella and Abby were in the midst of teething. The former often had to be coaxed into using the rings, it was a chore Renee wasn't interested at the moment. At least she could count on Abby not to make a fuss. Then again that was another problem Renee wasn't sure she could handle.

Although there was nothing physically wrong with her youngest daughter, there was something unnatural about Abby. Throughout her pregnancy the doctor had never mentioned the possibility of twins. It had made the first few days hectic. There were several rushed shopping trips to purchase another set of baby items. The pram in particular was a sore spot as she couldn't use a single with two newborns. Thankfully Charlie had resolved that issue, which was a relief for everyone as Renee was sorely tempted to resort to violence when the store had initially refused to exchange it. Along with the extra purchases which put a further strain on the tiny amount of income the newlyweds had and then there was the gossip.

While society had slowly come to accept unwed mothers, it hadn't prevented the stigma Renee had been forced to endure. It wasn't a case that she'd forgotten birth control; although she had to admit she sometimes took hers too late. It was that the condom was defective. The result had seen her ostracised, and to make matters worse she hadn't been able to get an abortion without completely burning all her bridges. A shotgun wedding was the only solution that had presented itself. Charlie, bless him hadn't even considered walking away unlike some men who would have raced to escape responsibility, he actually wanted "that life". A wife, a house, a kid. Simple.

It was nothing Renee wanted. Not now anyway. She craved adventure, she wanted something new. It had taken nearly two years, but she was finally going to get it. Forks was the past, a chapter that she was determined to close, not only for herself but for her daughters.

A new start, somewhere warm and sunny. California to be specific. It would be a long drive, and she knew she'd need to make several stops with her children aboard. It was a pit they weren't old enough to fly. It would have saved a good chunk of money but it couldn't be helped.

Tossing the final bag in the trunk, she slammed it shut, the force causing the beat up ford to rock on it wheels. Situating Bella and Abby in their car seats, the latter who was blinking sleepily as Renee clipped the belt. She ruffled her hair gently, popping one of the stuffed animals next to the twins for comfort before closing the passenger door.

Hopefully Abby would drift back to sleep soon. Renee wanted to get out of town before Charlie got home, no doubt he'd somehow persuade her to stay at least for a while longer. She was sure it was due to the police training, while she didn't know exactly what being a cop entailed, she seen enough movies to know hostage negotiation required smooth talkers.

He'd coax her into giving their marriage another change. Depending on her mood she'd accept after or before screaming at him. It was rare for Charlie to raise his voice, oh he had bad moods, everyone did, but he internalised it. Which had led to one or two impressive blowouts.

Not many had witnessed it. Which was another reason why she wanted to leave without him knowing. After every argument, she was painted the villain. The whole town put the blame on her. She was the slut that got pregnant. She as the one who trapped such a nice boy in marriage. It didn't matter that she wasn't the only one to get pregnant after senior prom. It didn't matter if the other girls got an abortion or didn't marry the father of their child. She was the one seen as the problem, the stain of Forks and she was sick of it.

As she pulled out onto the road out she look back. The residents of the small town, where small minds. Nothing important in the grand scheme of things, they could gossip all they liked. Renee was never going back.

I never thought I'd end up being reborn into this world. Oh sure, I believed there was an afterlife. Whether it was the pearly gates, or coming back as a lower life form as a result of bad decisions, I believed there was something after death. As it turns out I was right. Although I truly hadn't expected this. I'd read so many stories online about someone dying and coming back to life in a previously fictional universe. Self-inserts, they were called. The most popular one was in the world of Naruto. I won't pretend I never imagined it myself, the idea of a new world where you become a kickass ninja sounded quite thrilling even if the reality of military dictatorship and child soldiers is something otherwise.

In fact it sounds down right pleasant compared to what I've been saddled with.

I suppose I should be grateful, after all I don't need to learn a whole new language given my parents speak English and I'm now in America. I have a rights, modern technology and things like indoor plumbing, central heating, cars and phones.

Unfortunately all I can think about is the fact my life is going get turned upside down by a bloodsucking disco ball in a few years time.

Being reborn as the identical twin of Bella Swan has its downsides.

While some people would have jumped at the chance I'd been given, I had no such desire. Had I died at the age of sixteen I would think differently, I would have probably fought Bella for Edwards attention, determined to be his one true love. I would have been eager to met the Cullens and befriend Alice.

But I'm not that starry-eyed girl anymore. I died at the age of twenty seven, I didn't die doing anything heroic or noble. I didn't die in agony being murdered or mown down by careless driver. I just died.

Sudden Adult Death syndrome to be precise. Or to put it bluntly the guy who did the autopsy didn't have a bloody clue why I'd pegged it. How did I know? Well I kind of stuck around afterwards like some twisted version of Casper. Luckily I didn't have to stick around for the entire autopsy- that would have been disturbing! My "spirit" could wander around, at first I went home- I was in denial, and I wanted my family. I didn't end up staying long, it was too painful watching them mourn me. So I went round town, watching the living carrying on with their day. I looked for others like me, I wanted someone to explain the circumstances I'd found myself in. Was this it? Was there a heaven and if so bad I not qualified?

I didn't find anything though, it seemed as though I was alone and stuck for the time being. I raged, I cried, I screams but no-one heard me.

When my funeral was held a week later, I had gone numb. I could only look on as the priest lead my family and friends though the ceremony before the casket and my body were cremated. As it was engulfed in flames, I had the pleasure of feeling once more. It felt like a cool breeze, my vision faded as and the world spun around me, and the I was floating in darkness.

I had no idea how long I stayed in that warm darkness, time was meaningless. My mind wandered constantly, sometimes I'd think of my past, all the things I'd lost. Despite the fact I was nearing thirty I hadn't been married or got pregnant. I kept on putting it off. I regretted it now. Though I'd been uncertain about being a parent. Part of me – a large part, had doubts about whether I'd be any good at it. Children were a large responsibility, to raise one properly, to be selfless enough to put the child first instead of myself…I didn't think I could do it.

It wasn't just the past and the my choices I thought about, when I surfaced from my more gloomy moods, I though about what happened next.

At some point my hearing had returned and there were sounds of more than one heartbeat. I had suspicions I was about to be reborn. It was only confirmed when I heard muffled voices, distorted by the fluid and heartbeats. There was a brief moment of panic when I felt something wrap around me. It took some time for me to figure out I wasn't alone in the womb. Movement was difficult and I couldn't see, for all I knew I'd felt the cord I was connected to. Finding out it was another baby was a bit of I surprise and I couldn't help but wonder if they were a reincarnation also.

Eventually the time came for us to leave, I'll save you the experience of my traumatising rebirth. There is a damn good reason why people aren't supposed to remember all those details.

My sight was crap, so my new parents and the midwife were blobs of colour. Hearing and touch were the only senses I could rely on. Not that I appreciated the latter as my new body was sensitive and the slap on the ass I'd received to make me cry- I'd been shock and stayed quiet which had caused the midwife to worry- had felt more like a bone snapping. Wailing at the pain and injustice, I was burrito wrapped in a itch like I towel and passed over to who I guessed was "Dad".

It was quiet for a moment, as I guessed my new parents were silently adjusting. It was "Mum" who spoke first "What are we going to call her? We only picked out one name, I wasn't expecting twins."

Dad hummed before offering "Abigail?"

"Middle name?"

"Leanne?"

"No, not only is it a mouthful but I won't make my babies initials spell a disease. Rose, Abigail Rose Swan. That sounds nice."

My mind stalled when she said my new last name. All I could think of at the time was "No, it can't be. It's just a coincidence."

Unfortunately it wasn't, fiction was reality and I'd have vampires and shapeshifter sin my future.

Knowing what was coming I didn't bother with pretending to be a normal child. Granted it did take some time to relearn how to talk and move. Muscle memory was a pain in the ass. Still I'm pretty sure I broke a few world records, even if know one else is aware of it. Charlie might have been suspicious if we were still living with him. Lucky for me, Renee had my moved shortly before I taught myself to walk. That's not to say everything and smoothly, although Renee didn't say anything about my above average intelligence, she did treat me differently than Bella. Honestly I didn't mind, I doubt I would have had the patience to act like a small child and unless my life was in serious danger. Even then I'd probably struggle, even during my first childhood I'd been a loner.

Returning to school, was a hassle, granted I tested out of elementary easily, high school however was a different matter. American spelling was different to British, and I'd never been good with trigonometry that combined with my lack of knowledge of American history and government meant I was placed into eighth grade. Embarrassing really, considering I'd graduated university in my previous life.

Renee was forever starting new hobbies, most of which she tried to include myself and Bella. Some like pottery making ended in disaster when she forgot the clay was in the oven- or the amount of mess it made. Ballet and ice skating were no goes, neither Bella nor I were keen on the tutus or all the pink frills Renee tried to force on us. That and Bella had a serious problem of staying upright, I actually wondered if there was a reason for her clumsiness, the books never mentioned if she had any sight problems but I had noticed her squinting sometimes. Was it possible she needed glasses? While I had not problem seeing things at present, I had needed glasses in my previous life before I had laser treatment.

When I asked Bella about it she said she didn't have sight problems, and either she was a better liar than Meyer wrote or she was telling the truth. Suppose it didn't matter in the end, without a genuine reason Renee never took her to get her sight checked.

Some of the hobbies and groups we joined, I kept up with, the karate classes and Girl Scouts in particular I enjoyed, given the potential for trouble in the future it was probably necessary I learnt basic survival skills a show to fight.. Surprisingly I managed to learn guitar, I'd tried to play other instruments, piano and flute in particular but I kept messing up finger positions. Renee managed to get her hands on an old upright piano shortly after we moved to Phoenix. She'd often play classical pieces on it when the mood took her, Bella would often doze off while listening to the music, whatever book she was reading would invariably land on the floor- at eight she'd yet to read Wuthering Heights or Romeo and Juliet. While both were considered classics, I preferred Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre to Emily's or Shakespeare's doomed romance.

While Bella preferred to get lost in books, I got lost in movies and music. I was gutted that I was stuck in the nineties. Technology had yet to develop, while DVDs had just become available the year before, it would be another two years before MP3 players came out an even longer for a decent iPod or iPhone.

While I was better of financially –I'd gone from working class to middle- I knew Renee would't be able to provide me with a everything I'd want so getting a job was a must.

Being so young, I couldn't get a part time job till I was in my teens so I had to make do with chores around the neighbourhood. Mainly dog-walking, gardening and car washing were difficult when there are limits to the amount of water you can use.

Being cute helped, older people were more generous when faced with a little girl than teenager. There was also the money I got gifted on birthdays and Christmas, as well as what I manage to gather from the back of the couch or pockets. Renee was definitely scatterbrained, during the seventeen years I lived with her she managed to get the electric turned off five times. She could remember to go to a yoga session or a hair appointment but paying the bills consistently on time was beyond her.

Shortly after the third time it happened, I decided to intervene. She thought it a joke at first, when it happened again she decided to give me a chance. It was all to easy, within two months I managed to save her nearly three hundred dollars. Both mine and Bella's weekly allowance rose as a result. Ever since our fifth birthday Renee had always given us ten dollars a week if kept our own rooms clean and put our dirty clothes in the wash basket. Now we were being given three times as much, while I enjoyed the increase, I thought the woman was unbelievable. It was a lot of money for the time we were living in, if I remembered the exchange rate correctly then thirty dollars was near equivalent to fifteen pounds! Growing up in a British working class household during the nineties I'd thought a single pound was a small fortune.

By the time I turned ten my bank account had just under ten grand, while it wasn't enough to pay for college it was a very nice nest egg.

Speaking of school, I was all to keen to leave it behind. I was tempted to get Renee to let me sit a GED. But I knew I the long run I wouldn't pass it. Rumours suggested that it was harder than the senior exams and were trigonometry was still the bane of my existence. At least I could bulk up my GPA with extra credit assignments.

When graduation finally came round, I was ecstatic. Bella was just so starting middle school so she had no idea what a rough time I'd had. Being classed as a pint sized genius hadn't endeared me to my peers. It was hard to make friends amongst teenagers and being physically younger had only worsened my chances.

Much like my previous education I was the subject of bullying - older kids weren't to happy having to share class with an elemental student. The fact that I placed in the top three of my year made them insecure, I'll admit it hurts being bested, especially when the competition is a five year old.

My classmates were never outright mean, there were no physical altercations, the bullying was mainly restricted to nasty comments in the corridors. Through there had been some jerks who thought it hilarious to place my bag on the top shelf of a still hurt though.

Still I was happy to leave all that in the past. College loomed next, I would be staying in Phoenix despite my desire to go further afield. Online schooling was also an option for that I considered, though eventually I'd have to move in order to attend the more practical lessons. I'll admit it took some time to think about it it what I wanted to do this time around. While I'd studied IT before I was itching to do something different.

I bounced frequently different occupations. In the end I chose to become a doctor an obstetrician to precise. I figured that I needed a skill that could transfer if I died again. I was lucky that I'd ended up in a time when electronics were on the rise, if I'd landed in Middle Earth or Game of Thrones I'd have been useless. One thing that stayed the same in pretty much every world is women giving birth. Whether I'd be called in to help Bella with hers I didn't know. Either way it was best to be prepared.

I hoped that by being absent from Forks when the Cullens were present I'd avoid getting dragged into the whole mess. I wasn't going to risk getting the attention of Volturi. One thing that hadn't changed since my arrival in this world was opinion on becoming a vampire. I barely survived attending a high school twice, if I had to suffer an eternity...I'd have no qualms about killing someone.

I'd filled out several forms since April, applying for scholarships given my youth and the fact I'd managed to keep a steady three point eight (3.8) GPA I hoped to score a free ride or at least a partial one.

Waiting for the replies was agonising. I wanted to know if I'd get accepted into one of the "seven sister" colleges, preferably one on the opposite side of the country from Forks and Phoenix- I hadn't forgotten that James would come to town eventually, being Bella identical twin meant I'd smell just as delicious and there would be no vampire to come to my rescue.

I was sorely tempted to apply for a foreign university, putting an ocean between me an a blood thirsty vampire was sure to increases my chance of survival. In the usual way of the universe I got some good offers along with some bad. I swear someone found it hilarious that I'd managed to get offered a full ride at the university in Seattle- I'd only applied there to keep Charlie happy; he been so proud his daughter was intelligent to graduate so young and given my liking to Forks had recommended I consider studying nearby. Knowing that I couldn't become a doctor through online courses alone he offered to drive me back and forth when I needed. It was a generous offer and a large part of me longed to accept it. If I didn't have to worry about potential interacts with vampires I would have.

In the end I went local taking the bus to and from campus, given Renee work hours often coincided with my classes. I found it easy to navigate the grounds, though I did get some funny looks and several people asking if I was lost. It couldn't wait till I grew up in a up, so people would stop asking me those questions.

The coursework during my first year was pretty easy, a lot of it was rehashing what I'd just learned in my science classes the previous year, so I had a plethora of free time to devote to new things. Renee's latest craze was going to the gym, as it turns out she met Phil on her second visit, it seems she spent years dating before she married him.

I had nothing against the man I just wasn't the sporty type, so I was all to quick to bow out of that hobby. I did like swimming though, unfortunately so did a good number of people in Phoenix, I had to go really early or the swimming baths would be too busy for me to enjoy myself.

When I was thirteen I spent my last summer in Forks, Bella was glad I'd finally "seen the light" as she put it. It was a pity, I always found it thoroughly enjoyable spending the majority of the time in a currently supernatural free Forks. I preferred the colder climate to Phoenix. Not to mention the lack of snakes. It wasn't that I was scared of them - spiders were my phobia- I kept getting bit by the buggers. It was why I'd jumped to take advantage the first aid course when I joined the scouts. There were so many rattlesnakes in Arizona especially in the desert which our house was pretty close to.

Charlie ended up flying out to meet us for a couple of weeks, before returning to work. With no ocean in sight he couldn't take us on fishing trips which is what he usually did when we went to visit. Instead he'd rent a car a take us to theme parks or any tourist attraction he could think of.

Last time it was my turn to choose, so I naturally chose comic con. It drove Bella forces up the wall, given she preferred the classics to my sci-fi and fantasy. Granted I had teased her buy grabbing one of those toy voodoo dolls. It even managed to get an eyebrow raise f ok Charlie, who joked I should use it for good and cure his bad back. Apparently he'd fallen asleep one to many times on the recliner and was suffering for it.

Speaking of suffering, Mother Nature had finally caught up with me, I quit the Girl Scouts shortly after my first period. While I could have stayed a part of the group longer- having a monthly visitor didn't prevent me from doing things after all! – I wasn't much fun to be around, even Bella found her temper shorter than normal and of course it got only got worse once we all started cycling together. More than once we fought for the bathroom, even though there were two in our house, we ended up having to do a up a schedule to stop arguments. There was also a problem when supplies ran low, more than once we ended cursing one another when we found the person before used the last tampon. I end up buying extra to store in my room things often got that ridiculous

As if that weren't bad enough, one spectacular blowout occurred shortly after I passed my driving test. With all the money I'd saved, I could afford myself a decent car. Staying true to my inner nerd I bought a 1977 Chevy Camaro, yellow with black racing stripes. It'd be a couple of years before people got the joke. The body engine was still in good condition but I needed to pay for new tyres and install a radio/cd player. There was also some rusty patches around the back wheels.

While it wasn't the greater car on earth I was happy with it. It was mine. Which is why I raised hell when Bella wanted to borrow it. Yes it was selfish of me to not to share, but my argument was that she never parked it in the garage.

Confused? Let me explain, I had let Bella use it on the condition that she bring it back in the same condition and that she refill the tank. While she did top up it was significantly lower than how full I usually kept it, she also left it parked outside in the open afterwards, when I made a point of always locking it in the garage. While we didn't live in a bad area, I didn't want to risk my car being stolen.

While the car was still there the next morning, I found Bella had left her jacket in the back, as if that wasn't like waving a red flag to a bull, the car started making funny noises when iI turned the ignition, I opened the hood and got fangs inserted in my left arm from a pissed off snake.

After cursing up a storm all the while prying the damn thing off- not easy given the fangs curve inwards- I had to spend a night in hospital given it was one of the more poisonous bastards. It

I suppose you imagine it was a fluke, a one in a million event. Wrong. It happened twice. In fact I was pretty sure it was the same bloody snake!

After the second incident I hadn't wanted to let Bella borrow my car again. For three months I was able to prevent her using it, it was only when Renee's car was in the shop that I had to surrender my car keys. Again my car was left outside, apparently Bella didn't feel confident in her parking skills to drive it into the garage, so I had to do it myself. This time the snake wasn't under the hood, although I did spy one slithering up the driveway, I'm pretty sure had I left it an hour later I'd be breaking out the anti-venom a third time.

Time marched on and after three and half years of dating Phil popped the question and Renee agreed to get married. Bella's decision to move to Forks to finish high school drew near. I on the other hand wouldn't be joining her. It took a lot of work but I'd arranged to stay with one of my distant cousins- Renee wasn't an only child though the books never mentioned extended family- in New York. I would have liked to get my own place but I was essentially stuck till I turned eighteen, neither Renee or Charlie would agree otherwise.

Bella was envious I managed to weasel my way out joining her "self imposed exile", not that I could blame her too much. Going to live in New York City was a dream come true for many people. While it didn't host as many celebrities as LA it was home to many iconic locations and saw plenty of attention from both the film and music industry. There were so many tourist attractions that I would be able to explore and I wouldn't have to worry about traveling long distances in order to get a good variety of shopping.

As well as finding spot to live away from the main story line, I had managed to get a part time job. Switching college midyear had been a bit difficult, it helped to know the move was coming so I could prepare in advance, I'd already made preparations so I could transition with as little difficulty as possible. Given Costa ™ was a global business I was able to transfer my job to another store closer to Berkley campus. Making sure I was up to date with my current assignments and finding out where in the syllabus I'd have to catch up to was more difficult. Even with all my preparations there was a good change I'd have to repeat a year if I wasn't careful, it also meant I'd have to get a loan because my scholarship wouldn't cover it.

It was a huge gamble and I could only hope my luck held.