A/N Hello, my dears :)

This new plotline kept nagging at me, so I decided to give in and write. The chapters will be short, about 1-2k.

Thank you, Midnight Cougar, for agreeing to beta for me yet again. xx

I hope you guys enjoy.

Chapter 1

A duck comes along carrying a leek on its back. – Japanese Proverb

The rain slashing against my windshield like a whip made me sigh.

What began as a gloomy morning had morphed into a full-blown storm, forcing most of Chicago's inhabitants into their cars and making traffic hell.

I stole a glance at the digital clock on my dashboard and was seized with panic. Fifteen minutes to nine.

I was going to be late for my meeting with the company's CEO.

I pulled out my phone and scrolled through my contacts, looking for Aro's number. My thumb hovered over his name. A minute passed; maybe two.

With a sigh, I tossed the shiny iPhone onto the passenger seat. I couldn't bring myself to do it. Aro had expectations. Although he wasn't the typical demanding boss, he was very strict when it came to punctuality, or lack thereof. As CFO working directly under him, I knew that better than anyone.

I was going to be late, and I had no excuse for it.

The blare of a horn brought me out of the depth of my thoughts. With a frown, I put the car in gear, advancing a few more yards before halting to a stop yet again.

By the time 09:07 rolled around, I was still sitting in traffic, staring out my window at the few pedestrians venturing into the pouring rain.

Debussy's Claire de Lune reached my ears, and I glanced at my phone, seeing Aro's number flash on the display. I picked it up quickly.

"I'm sorry," I said in lieu of a greeting. "I'm stuck in traffic."

"I see." Aro's cool voice rang in my ear as a bright streak of lightning hit the nearly black horizon. "I have to leave for Madison by eleven. With this weather, it's going to be a long drive. Do you think you can make it here in fifteen minutes?"

"I'll try my best."

"Good."

The line went dead, and I groaned, hitting my forehead against the wheel. This day was getting shittier by the moment.

Aro had to leave for Madison in order to meet with one of our new associates, and the reports he needed were in my car, sitting idly between my purse and the breakfast I wasn't going to eat.

A few minutes later, traffic began to dissipate, so I swung left, opting for the only shortcut I could think of through some side streets. I drove like a madwoman, desperate to get to work in the little time I had left.

~RS~

It all happened so fast, I barely had time to react.

My foot hit the brake hard, sending a wave of pain from my toes all the way up to my calf.

It was too late.

There was a deafening noise, followed by a powerful jolt as the car came to a violent stop.

The flash of blue disappeared as swiftly as it had tinted my wet windshield.

Frantic, with trembling hands, I pried open the driver's door, stepping into the hostile weather.

I rounded the front of the car, and was met with the most horrific sight of my life.

There, lying on the drenched asphalt was a young man, no more than thirty. He was on his back with his eyes closed; a mop of dark hair plastered to his forehead. His beautiful navy suit was ruined, covered in murky water, and to my utter shock, blood.

I stood there, staring at him, unable to react.

A man ran over to his side, dropping to his knees as he searched for a pulse.

My world stopped then, spinning off its axis completely.

"Call 911!" The man yelled to the gathering crowd, and I watched his mouth move in slow motion as my brain tried to cope with the reality of what had happened.

~RS~

"Ma'am," someone called. "Ma'am, can you hear me?"

I turned my head, seeing a young paramedic stare down at me with cool professionalism.

I blinked slowly, the fog in my brain starting to evaporate. The world came into focus once again. I was sitting on the front step of a coffee shop, my shoulders wrapped in an unfamiliar wool coat.

My eyes rose towards the sky, feeling as if I'd just woken up from a bad dream. The pouring rain had subsided to a light drizzle. The clouds had gone from almost black to an ominous shade of gray.

"Can you hear me?" The paramedic insisted. "Can you understand what I'm saying?"

I nodded, swallowing thickly. It hadn't been a dream. It all felt too real... the ambulance parked crookedly in the middle of the street... the heavy atmosphere... the people still lingering on the sidewalk.

Suddenly, the magnitude of what I'd done came crashing down on me.

"The man," I croaked, standing up abruptly, throwing a frantic look towards my Mercedes. There were a couple policemen taking pictures, but no sign of the man I'd hit.

"Ma'am, I need to take a look at you," the paramedic said, his voice holding a steely edge to it.

"Is he alive?" I whispered, almost unable to get the question out over the lump forming in my throat. "Please, I need to know."

"He's alive," the paramedic answered more softly. "Now, please. I need to check that you're all right."

I burst out crying. It was guilt for what I'd done, but mostly relief. I had no idea about the extent of his injuries, but in that moment I was incredibly grateful he was alive.

When I was able to calm down somewhat, and the paramedic was done with his job, I was approached by a female officer.

"Miss Swan," she spoke in a light voice, coming to stand in front of me, holding a black notebook. "I'm Officer Weber. Are you okay?"

I nodded, wordlessly.

"We're going to need to take your statement. Do you have an attorney?"

"Yes," I replied softly.

"You may want to contact him."

A/N Next chapter will be up soon.