A/N: Ok, so this is just something that came to me while I had the flu. Not sure if you're gonna like it. You might hate it. I don't know. But I have some later plans for this.

And I felt like I just needed a new story to write. I dunno.

So… read on and let me know what you think.

Only the beginning.

Prologue

"It just didn't work out, ok? I can't stay in this stupid little town any longer!"

"Renee, how could you even say that? After all that we have been through together, you're just going to throw it all away like a piece of garbage?"

"Yes, Charlie, that is exactly what I am planning to do!"

"But what about Bella? What about the life we have built here?"

I could hear my parents arguing over the pouring rain from my porch steps – I couldn't lie when I thought that I wasn't scared. Although my parents argue a lot, it has never gotten this bad.

I tended to hide outside until my parents stopped screaming at each other – which sometimes, seemed like hours. Usually, my best friend Edward came and sat beside me. Just like always, he was sitting beside me now, as I covered her ears with my pale palms.

"It's ok, Bella," Edward whispered, his arm around my small, frail shoulders. "It'll be ok. They'll stop soon."

I believed him, but only because that's what I wanted to think. Of course they were never going to stop. They haven't stopped in days, so why would they do me the honor of stopping tonight?

A loud crash was heard by both of us, and I cringed. I turned her face into Edward's shoulder, as the tears began to flow. This is when it is most terrifying – when the loud noises began. This is when I became filled with horror and anxiety.

"Just let me go, Charlie!"

The silence felt like a million tiny needles being stuck into my ears painfully and slowly.

I didn't understand why my parents were fighting – they had been happy just a few months ago – so what had torn them apart? Why is my father talking about throwing it all away?

"Bella." Renee appeared from behind them on the porch, but neither of the us turned around. Renee came and sat on the other side of me, and softly took my hand. When I looked up, Irealized my mother's kind, pretty face was streaked and blotchy with anger and tears. "Bella, would you mind coming inside for a minute? Your father and I need to talk to you."

Edward heard the powerful engine of his father's Mercedes, and looked up. Carlisle was parked in Renee, and Charlie and I's driveway, with the passenger door open and waiting. He peered through the rain at the three people sitting on the porch, his face hollow and sad. Though it looked like he understood.

Edward stood up, and began walking to his father's car without saying a word. He waved goodbye to me and whispered a "goodnight", then I had already been taken inside and sat at the mismatched dining room table set in the yellow kitchen.

My dad was sitting next to me, and my mom took the seat on the other side. They both took one of my hands, and began talking.

Although they tried to make it so I would understand, I still found myself feeling upset and confused. I may only be six years old, but I wasn't stupid. I knew why my parents had sat me down, because it had happened on TV and in movies so many times. It was just that simple.

"We're leaving Forks?" I whispered, my voice husky from tears.

My mother leaned forward to push one of my deep chestnut locks behind my ear. It still managed to fall back in my face, but she didn't bother to push it back again. "It's for the best, I promise you, sweetheart."

"Where do we go? Is dad coming? What about Edward? What about Alice? Carlisle and Esme…?" I struggled to finish.

Alice was my other friend and Edward's sister—they were nowhere near as close as Edward and Bella were, though. They seemed to connect in a different way. Not anywhere near as deeply.

"You can still see them. We will visit, so you can see your dad and your friends." Mom said. I realized that her mother was doing most of the talking – maybe because my dad looked like he was about to start crying.

"But I don't want to leave dad. I don't want to leave Edward." I said, forming a pout with my lips and crossing my arms over my little chest. I didn't like this. Not one bit.

"I'm sorry, honey, but that's just how it has to be. We're leaving in a few days, once we pack all of our things."

I looked down, at the faded brown seat cover I was sitting on. I was going to miss everything – Edward, my dad, Alice, her home…

"Where are we going?"

"Phoenix, in Arizona."

The thought made tears begin to flood my eyes again; wasn't Arizona… hot? Nothing like Forks. How will I survive without the rain and the cold? What will I do without my home?

"We'll start packing in the morning." Mom said after a few long minutes of silence. She looked around the kitchen, clearly taking it all in; although on the inside, I knew my mom couldn't wait to leave this place. "We still love you… very, very much."

I leaned away from my mom and more towards my dad. He responded by wrapping his arms around my small body and pulling me closer to him. He kissed my hair as the silent tears now began pouring down my reddened cheeks.

I couldn't say I didn't see this coming. With all the screaming, and shouting, and the noise; I knew something was wrong. I was only six years old, but I knew a lot for her age.

I was only six years old, and my parents were separating.

Not only were my parents separating, but Edward and I will be separating. Not seeing each other for months, maybe years at a time. It'll be a change, after we usually see each other every single day for hours on end.

That's what best friends do, don't they? What will become of our friendship now?

Later that night, as I was lying in my bed in the fetal position, letting the tears flow down my nose and onto my pillow, I couldn't help but think of Edward's parents, Carlisle and Esme. They were always so happy together. They never fight. They always slept in the same bed, unlike my parents. Why couldn't my mom and dad be like them? Why can't they just be happy?

I felt like I was crying from my soul, not just from my soft brown eyes. It felt too powerful to be tears out of sadness, rather than loneliness.

If I could, I would have gone right over the Cullen's house right now and told Edward what had happened that night. But the Cullens lived in a house deep in the woods near the Callawah River; I could never make it there unless I was driven. I would have to tell Edward tomorrow, when my dad drives me to their house, just like every Saturday morning.

I fell asleep slowly and painfully, and the tears never stopped.

Early that morning, my Dad and I were already on our way to the Cullen mansion. It seemed like a whole other home for me, I came here so often. So not only will I miss my house with my mom and dad, but the Cullen house too. Especially the Cullen house.

"I'll come and pick you up after lunch, Bells." Dad said, leaning across the console to kiss his only, beloved daughter. He was already wondering how he would live without his little girl. "I love you, kid."

My voice shook as I opened the door and forced out the words, "I love you too, dad. See ya later."

I dashed across the slippery green lawn and straight into the open door where Edward and his family were waiting. Edward was the first to take her hand, as if his life depended on it. As if he was going to lose her soon.

"Edward," I still felt upset after last night; I knew my mom was packing right now. I knew her dad was going to help my mom pack, and they'd be leaving tomorrow. That was it. "I… we're leaving Forks. My mom and I, I mean."

"What? Why?" I could see Edward was horrified. Surprised. Confused.

"What's happening, Bella?" Alice said, stepping forward and taking my other hand. Alice was tiny for her age; she had short limbs and a tiny body. Her spiky black hair stood out from her head, pointing every which way. It's what made her Alice.

"My… my parents, they just… mom doesn't, really… she…" I struggled with the words; not because of tears, but because I couldn't explain it on my own.

Esme and Carlisle came forward, and embraced me in a warm hug. They both smelled delicious, as always. Sort of like vanilla and cinnamon. Not only did they smell good, but they were pretty. Really pretty, just like Edward and Alice.

"I'm so sorry, Bella." Esme said, kneeling in front of me and blocking Edward and Alice out of view. "You know it'll all work out. Sometimes… things like this happen. It's just meant to be."

I looked down, and squeezed Edward's hand. I was going to miss everyone so much… I will hardly get a goodbye. I wasn't sure how to react.

"Where are you going?" Edward asked, sounding a little angry. Probably cause he was being left out. That was so Edward.

"Arizona." I sighed longingly.

"That's not too far away. We can visit." Carlisle said, smiling at me. I couldn't return the smile, but I could try. "And you will visit your father, won't you?"

"Sure.. Yeah." I nodded, and closed my eyes for a moment. "We're leaving tomorrow."

Everyone in the room fell silent for a moment, and I thought I had said something wrong; but of course I had. She was about to tear Edward's world apart.

"Tomorrow?" Edward and Alice said, perfectly in synch. Sometimes I thought they were twins.

"Bella, that's too soon." Edward said, stubborn and frowning.

"It's not like I wanna go, Edward!" I looked down and bit my lip. "Can we just… have fun today? I don't want to think about this. I've had to think about it all night, and…"

"Good idea Bella." Esme said, smiling. "How about we all go to the kitchen and have some breakfast? You all must be hungry."

They all nodded and headed towards the island in the middle of the Cullen luxurious. Everything was made of stainless steel and white marble. Even the silverware was worth more than my father made in a year.

"So what should we do today?" Esme asked pleasantly. Everyone knew she was trying to change the subject from what I had announced, but everyone found it hard.

"I think we should go to the mall," Little Alice beamed in her very-Alice way.

"We went to the mall yesterday." Edward said, clearly not amused. And focusing on eating his piece of brownie.

"And the day before. And the day before that." Carlisle said, smiling at his daughter adoringly. Everyone knew Carlisle loved his children more than anything.

Alice slumped in her seat.

"Can we just… hang out here today?" I said, smiling a little apologetically. I felt bad for taking up their Saturday with something as boring as skulking around the house.

Carlisle and Esme exchanged a worried look.

"Sure, honey." Esme said. "We understand."

I didn't understand herself. So how did Carlisle and Esme understand? I guessed they just knew everything.

"We're going to go upstairs." Edward said, looking at me and climbing down from his stool. He took my hand and led me upstairs to his room, where we sat on his floor against his bed, just like always.

"You can't replace me, Edward." I said, staring at him and biting on my lip.

"I would never replace you. You'll always be my best friend. How could you even say that, Bell?"

I looked down at my lap and breathed a sigh. I knew as soon as my parents told me they were moving, that this would be hard. Leaving Edward would be just as hard as leaving her dad. If not harder.

"We can't forget each other. We have to write every single day." Edward said, turning towards me and smiling, not only with his pink lips, but with his emerald green eyes too. The sight made me want to bury my face into his shoulder and cry.

"I'm not going to forget you. Ever. I'm only worried that you'll meet another girl and then she'll become your new best friend."

"Of course not. No one could replace you as my best friend."

"Not even when we're older? When we're teenagers?"

"You won't even be gone that long. You'll be back within a few years. I promise."

Both the children looked down, unsure of their future – although we were only six, we knew we'd be best friends forever. Till hell freezes over.

"We have to start high school together." Edward said, turning his head back to me and grinning at me as if he had a secret. He looked excited.

"We will." I promised, squeezing his hand and looking into his eyes. I hoped I would never forget them and that they would never change.

Edward looked backed at me – my rosy red cheeks, my long brown hair, my eyes the color of milk chocolate in the sun… and he wondered.

How would he live without his best friend?

Alice then bounded into the room, breaking the silence with her bouncy footsteps and high pitched squeals. She was clapping her hands and grinning like a child on Christmas morning.

"Bella, Edward! You didn't think you could leave me out of this, did you?"

We sighed but both smiled at our other friend – a friend who had no idea what she had just interrupted.

Alice sat across from the us, and crossed her legs. "Let's remember our good times."

Edward looked over at me. "Um… I don't think that's a good idea, Alice—"

"No, Edward. It might be good." I smiled thankfully but turned to Alice.

"Ok, I'll go first!" Alice squealed and positioned herself so she was kneeling. "Remember that time, when we were playing truth or dare, and Bella had to eat dirt!"

I rolled her eyes. "Yeah, I remember. It wasn't so bad."

"Well, I remember when we were playing hide and seek, and Bella decided to hide in the washing machine.. It took mom awhile to realize that Bella was in there before she threw a whole lot of washing in!" Edward threw his head back and laughed while I crossed her arms and scowled at him.

"What is this?" I threw her hands up but was still grinning. That's the only way Edward knew that I was joking. "Pick on Bella day?"

"Silly Bella," Edward snaked his arm around my shoulders and pulled me down onto his lap so he could ruffled her hair. "Every day is pick on Bella day."

I sighed, and before Edward had time to ask why I had stopped squirming, I was crying into his lap. Alice looked at him with a confused look, but she just shrugged and rubbed my shoulder.

Edward couldn't sympathize with what I was going through; he had never had to move. Although, there was one thing Edward did get – they both had to leave their best friends. He felt my pain, and soon, he was crying too. We cried together, until Charlie came to get me. It was time to say goodbye, but it seemed too soon.

"I'm gonna call you." I was pushing away the tears now. I was trying to be strong. "Every day. And you're gonna pick up, ok?"

Edward nodded, and we embraced in a long hug. Alice soon joined, but then Charlie told me it was time. Esme and Carlisle gave me a longer hug than Edward had; Esme had tears in her eyes and Carlisle's mouth was turned down in a sad grimace.

"I love you, Edward." I said, from the window of her dad's police cruiser. I hated it. "Don't forget about me."

"Of course I won't." Edward whispered, tears pricking into the corners of his eyes. Alice held onto his hand as she cried too.

When Charlie and I got home, the house was nothing but boxes. Ok, clearly, most of the possessions in this house were mom's. I noticed my dad looking around sadly, then down at me. I would miss him, and although I was young, I knew he would miss me too.

Renee came tumbling out of the kitchen, holding a box bigger than her lean body could manage. Charlie took it off her and set it down by the door.

"Thanks, Charlie."

"So… you got all your flights booked for tomorrow? Everything is arranged?" Charlie grumbled, stuffing his hands into his pockets and looking down at the floor.

"Yep. Everything is arranged. We're leaving early tomorrow morning."

I looked down at the floor and played with the corner of my t-shirt. The tears felt dry and cold on my cheeks, but they wouldn't go away.

"Bella, baby, don't cry." Ok, maybe they weren't so dry. "You're gonna visit me every summer."

"Every summer?" I whispered, shocked. "That's only once a year!"

"Yes, but…" Charlie looked up at Renee with an icy glare. I could still see the sadness in them, though. "It's just how it has to be. Sometimes… in life… you just have to forget that you don't want to do it, and… soldier on." He squeezed my hands. "You're a strong girl. You can do it."

My bottom lip was quivering and my whole body was trembling… it was all too much. I felt sick. I felt sad. And we hadn't even left yet.

I didn't feel like I could soldier on.

Like the past few weeks, Mom made me eat separately to Dad. He ate at the diner down the street, while Mom made me dinner. And her dinners weren't always… edible. I vowed to learn to cook soon. Very soon.

I politely picked at Renee's chocolate candles, incredibly wary. After awhile, Mom took the meal away and gave me a tub of yoghurt. I was starving, but this would have to do.

"So… you said goodbye to Edward today." Renee said, looking down at her own tub of strawberry yoghurt and moving it around in the container.

I nodded.

"And Alice?"

I nodded again.

"Are they going to miss you?"

I wanted to know why her Mom was asking such stupid questions. Once again, she was so caught up in her own problems, she was struggling to grasp her six-year-old daughter's.

A six year old shouldn't have any problems.

"Yeah. They are. Can I go to bed?" I asked, putting down my spoon and instantly losing my appetite. Without waiting for an answer, I stomped up the stairs and shut the door to my room.

My room has always been too old for me – I had a desk, and a double bed, and a rocking chair in the corner. Dad had painted my room green when they had moved in. My Mom had arranged the furniture.

I changed into my pajamas and crawled into bed. I pulled the quilt my grandma made me and inhaled as deeply as I could. It still smelled like her. Like Rosemary and Lavender.

I couldn't believe this was happening. I couldn't believe my Mom was doing this to me. I felt like my legs had been pulled from under me, and I was lying face first on the cold, hardwood floor.

When I couldn't sleep, I wandered downstairs to get a glass of water. On my way to the kitchen, I heard a deep, sad sound – I realized it was coming from the couch.

My father was crying.

"Dad?" I whispered, padding over to the sofa and sitting on the arm. My father was lying on his side, tears in his eyes. The moon shone through the window, casting a glowing light right on his eyes. "Oh, Daddy, don't cry."

Charlie reached towards me and held onto my hand. I started to cry, and then Dad was the one comforting her. It was all so mixed up. It was all so confusing. No one knew this was going to happen. Not even Dad.

"You should go to bed, honey." Charlie said after minute of silent tears. "It's late. I'm sorry I woke you up."

"You didn't. I was getting a glass of water." I whispered, trying not to wake my mother. "Goodnight, dad. I love you."

"I love you too, Bells." Charlie sniffed, and smoothed down my hair. "Have a good sleep."

I wandered back towards my room, and instantly fell under, thinking about my distraught father crying on the sofa.

"Bella? Bella, sweetheart, it's time to go."

I opened her eyes and sighed. It was time to leave Forks. Time to leave my father. Time to leave Edward and Alice and Esme and Carlisle.

I got dressed into the clothes my mother had left out and stuffed my pajamas into her backpack. I threw it over my shoulder, and realized what I was wearing – a lace singlet. I would never wear this in Forks. Nor would I wear denim shorts.

Charlie was waiting outside in his police gear, leaning against his cruiser. I said my goodbyes to the house and wandered outside into the sprinkling rain. It was still dark, and very cold.

"You take care of yourself, Renee." Charlie said, smiling pleasantly at Renee and offering his hand. They stiffly shook hands, and then Charlie bent down to speak to me.

"I'm gonna miss you dad." I whispered, the tears not yet flowing. I could feel a lump in the back of my throat, though.

"I'm going to miss you too, Bells. But it's alright. We can talk on the phone, and I can visit, and you can visit… it'll be as if you never left."

We hugged each other, then Mom took my hand and led me to the waiting taxi. As we drove off, I waved to my dad with tears in my eyes and Edward in my head. I wonder if he realized I was going. I wonder if he could feel it.

Goodbye Forks. Goodbye dad. Goodbye Edward.

Goodbye… everything.