Welcome to my new story, I hope you like it.

The town where most of the story is based is of my imagination and also the setting as well.

This will be shorter than my normal stories as I wanted to have it finished by Christmas.

E L James owns everything fifty, I'm just playing around with the character.

This is un-betered so all mistakes are my own.

Enjoy x

APOV

"Have a good thanksgiving Ana" Kate said as we walked out of our apartment.

"You too, and try not to kill Ethan."

"That, I will not promise. Have a save trip."

Giving my best friend a hug, I climbed into my car. It was all packed up as I was heading home. The trunk, full of groceries as it was easier to pick them up here instead of the little store in town.

I pulled out of the car park, switched the heating and the radio on and then I was on my way. I knew the closer I got to home, the temperature would drop.

I had grown up in a little town called Winchester Falls which is tucked away in the Cascade Mountains. It's a beautiful little town and by little, I mean that. We have the sheriffs office, small emergency room, doctors office, the diner, one restaurant, Bar, a few stores and the church. Not forgetting my old school. There is a small bed and breakfast that fills up quickly, usually with families visiting from out of town.

It was the sort of town where everyone knows everyone, so when a new relationship starts, it's big news. I had been the focus of the towns gossip more than once.

Having your Dad as the chief of police, most boys would run a mile. Boys who would speak to me at school, would barely say hello when dad was nearby. Except for Jose, he was like my brother from another mother. We had grown up together like siblings as our dads were close and we had spent a lot of time together.

The only other person who came close was Paul. Like with Jose, we went to the same school although he was two years older than me. I was so happy when he had first asked me out. He was polite to my dad and even got on with Jose. He was my first everything and I was quickly falling for him.

I always believed in true love, love at first sight, the usual things you believe in when you're younger. I believed him when he said going away to college wouldn't change anything but it changed everything.

He said he was struggling but his way of coping with it was to go out and party and then complain the next day when his professors got on his back about the work he should have been doing the night before. Eventually he was given the option, knuckle down and do the work or lose his scholarship. He chose the easy way out and left.

He had no plan, he started to work for his Dad at the hardware store and things seemed to go back to normal, until it was my turn to go to college.

He didn't want me to go and made it pretty clear he wasn't happy. I was to stay in the small town and become the little wife but I had dreams of my own. Dreams that would hopefully help me become an editor one day.

I came back from my first semester to find him in the arms or someone else. That was my punishment for having dreams of my own. I had caused it, I was told for leaving him.

Well I left his arse for good and haven't looked back and as I drive over the familiar bridge on my way home for thanks giving, I'm proud of everything I have done. I work for a small publishing company in Seattle and with hard work, I have the job I always dreamed of.

My Dad is proud of me and that is all that matters.

WELCOME YOU'RE NOW ENTERING WINCHESTER FALLS: POPULATION 1972

I always smile when the sign comes into view. Yes there are a few ghost here, but it's home.

As I slowly moved through town, now I have turned the radio off, the crunch of the snow under my wheels could be heard. I headed straight for the sheriffs office, knowing if I didn't let Dad know I was home he would only worry.

Parking up out the front, I made sure my hat and gloves were in place and my coat done up. I had gotten used to the heat blasting through the car but I know from experience that it will be freezing as soon as I step outside.

I got out of the car, and made my way up the de-iced steps and into the warmth of the sheriffs office.

"Hello sweetheart" I was greeted by Kelly who's worked here since I was a little girl.

"Hi Kelly, its gotten just a little bit colder around here."

"A little, its bloody freezing. Its calm at the moment but looking at that sky, despite what the forecast is saying that it would be clear for the next couple of days. I know that when the clouds are that white, more snow is on the way."

"You missed your calling" I laughed, hearing my Dad on the phone as I approached his office.

"What's that, a weather girl."

"NO a barometer."

I could hear her laughing as she shouted she would put the kettle on.

"Knock knock" I said opening the door when I had heard the phone put down.

"Annie how are you, how was the drive."

"I'm fine Dad, and the drive was beautiful. White as far as the eye could see."

He pulled me into one of his Dad hugs that I loved so much.

"Have you spoken to your mother" he asked when we pulled apart, making me grumble.

"Yes she managed to find five minutes in her busy schedule to speak to her daughter. I told her to stop calling you and call me instead, she has my number."

I took a seat in front of his desk, warming my hands on the heater.

"I think she likes to call me, to tell me what a fabulous life she has" that wouldn't surprise me.

"Her plans were cancelled at the last minute, so she wanted me to fly to Georgia to see her. I told her I wasn't changing my plans yet again and I was spending it here with you. Apparently she has a cruise with Bob at Christmas so she will be busy then." I said rolling my eyes.

I feel like a small child again when I do that, but my mother makes me feel like that sometimes. She wants to see me, when she has the time and expects everyone to drop everything just to make time for her.

"Ana, it was her who cancelled on you in the first place and I would thank her, if it didn't upset you as I get to spend thanksgiving with you."

"I'm not upset Dad, I've gotten used to it."

Kelly brought us a drink in before I looked around for the one who was missing.

"Where's Boomer" I asked.

"He's on patrol with Bradley at the moment. I was out at the school this morning so instead of leaving him here to get under Kelly's feet, Bradley took Boomer with him."

I spoke to my dad as we enjoyed our drinks. He is worse than a woman for gossip as he told me what had been going on in town.

"Are you hungry" I asked Dad.

"Starving, are you going to feed me" he laughed.

"If going to the diner is feeding you, then sure I will feed you."

We thanked Kelly for her drink and walked over to the diner. I said hello to the people who we met on the way, some I haven't seen for a while. I try to get home for the weekend, a couple of times a month but if I'm busy I end up staying in Seattle.

"Ana, you're home" Jose greeted me as he came around the counter and hugged me tight.

"For a the rest of the week at least, how are you doing."

"Same as always, kids driving me mad but I wouldn't swap them or Leisa for the world."

Dad and I made our way over to the table where we always sat and picked up the menu.

"Jose are you getting brave, steak sandwiches." I laughed as he stuck his tongue out at me. This menu has never changed from when he took it over from his mother after we had left high school.

I dared to be brave and ordered a steak sandwich and a coke and waited for it to arrive after Dad had ordered. I turned around when I felt someone watching me and came face to face with Paul. He was sat with his friends at the table across the room and smiled at me. I acknowledged him. That was all I would give him, before turning back to my Dad when he asked me how work was going.

"Its going really good, I love my job and my boss is great so I have no complaints."

I had been working at Seattle Independent Publishing for the past few years, starting out as an intern. My boss was a great teacher and I had worked my way up to the job I had always wanted to do. Editor.

"Ignore him sweetheart" Dad said looking over my shoulder to Paul.

"Dad he doesn't bother me any more, I'm polite and will acknowledge him, only because we live in a small town. If he was in Seattle, I would never see him again. I won't make it uncomfortable for everyone around us."

"You always were the brains of the family."

"Ha" I laughed "I got them from you, thank god."

We clinked our cups together and tucked into our lunch. The steak sandwich was nice. Jose, should have make changes years ago but a lot of people here are reluctant to change even if that is their sandwich choice.

"Boomer" I shouted when we walked back towards the station.

His head shot towards me and he was off running. His tail was going crazy and so was he as he tried to lick my hands and face. Its a good job my Dad was supporting me otherwise I would have been making angels in the snow.

"Why don't you take him with you tonight as there is no way I'm going to be able to calm him down now he knows you're here."

"What time do you get off" I asked him.

"When people stop speeding on the ice and wrapping cars around trees" he said kissing my cheek as he held the door open for me to get in my car.

Dad put Boomer in the back and I started the journey to my house. It had original been my grandparents house that had been left to me when they had passed away. Dad had a place in town which is more convenient for his job and more convenient for the bar or diner when he did take a day off.

Being a couple of miles out of town and going further up the mountain, the snow was deeper up here and the phone reception was non existent. The closer I got to my house, it disappeared altogether.

Once I was off the main road, I slowed down. The road up to my house looked like it had been ploughed a few days ago but already more snow had been laid.

The house came into view and I smiled. I truly loved it up here, it was so peaceful. The only sounds were the wind through the trees and the little critters that scurried around the woods. Stepping out of the car I could see my breath in front of my face. Dragons breath is what my grandfather had called it when I was little and it truly was.

I opened the door and brought my groceries in that I had brought from Seattle.

"Give me a minute boy" I said, looking at Boomer stretching out in front of the darkened fireplace.

After putting the groceries away, I set about making the fire which didn't take long to get it started. Even though we did have heating, there was nothing better than sitting in front of an open fire.

"Hey Ana are you there" Dad's voice came over the radio.

I'm sure he times me to get here because you can guarantee within 15 minutes of arriving, he is on the radio.

"Yes I'm here, just finished putting my groceries away. I'm going to take Boomer out in a minute. You're missing the scenery" I told him seeing Mt Rainier in the distance.

"I wish I was there, don't stay out to long in case the snow comes in early."

"You sound like Kelly" I told him laughing.

"Who do you think gives me the forecast."

"I won't be out long. If I get snowed in, I have everything I need for a week or so unless Boomer eats it all."

"Don't fatten my dog up, I had to put him on the treadmill last time you had him."

"That's his fault not mine, stay safe Dad" I told him. Knowing snow or not if he was needed, he would be out there.

"You too"

Putting the radio back down, I made sure there was no chance of the fire going out before we got back. I opened the door watching Boomer run to the nearest tree before shutting it behind me. There was no one around for miles but I didn't want to come back and find a wild animal had taken root on my couch.

Standing here on the deck I could see the lights starting to come on in the little towns below. I had a perfect uninterrupted view in front of me.

"Come on boy" I called to him as we started to walk.

My boots scrunched the snow under foot as we walked the familiar worn path away from the house.

Boomer ran ahead of me, sniffing everything he could find. His scent was all over the area so its not like he would find anything new apart from a small animal that crossed our path. I wouldn't go far just to the giant fir tree I had spent time climbing as a child. It was only a few minutes walk and then we would head back.

I patted the tree when I had reached it before shouting Boomer, that we were heading home. Coming back through the trees into the small clearing where my house way I starting back up the path again. It was getting colder and I was looking forward to being in front of the fire again.

I had just reached the deck of the house when I heard a loud noise. It wasn't unusual to hear the helicopter tours that took place throughout the area but this sounded wrong, like it was in trouble.

I looked around not seeing anything but soon there was a thundering sound up above. I grabbed for Boomer not wanting him to be spooked. Not knowing also if the house was going to be hit, we both ended up in the snow.

The helicopter barely skimmed the tops of the trees as it came over my house. It was so low, it needed to climb but it wasn't going to as it started to take the trees out. I groaned as I watched the rotor take the top of my favourite tree off. A tree only minutes ago, I had been stood by.

"Its OK boy" I tried to calm Boomer down but the sound of metal against rock was deafening.

I could feel my heart, heavy in my chest as I looked at the carnage in front of me. The helicopter had come to a stop in a snow bank. The rotor looked mangled and my garden looked just as bad with all the bits of trees and dirt that had been thrown around. I normally wouldn't have been able to see that area through the trees from the house, but I could now.

I got up from where I had fallen, I didn't know what I would find when I reached the helicopter but if someone was still alive in there, I had to do something.

My feet were moving before I had realised it and I was soon running towards my future.

Thank you for reading.

I have been working on the summary since the summer but wanted to wait until it, at least got towards the end of the year before posting it.

Until next time, take care.

Take care

Caroline.