My first fanfiction, so only constructive critisism please, and no flames. Disclaimer for all chapters: I don't own anything to do with Twilight/New Moon/Eclipse. Sophia is mine though.

Famliy Trees

I've always hated doing projects involving my family. They've always caused arguments between my mom, Renee, and me. Usually she has an easy-going, slightly spacy nature, but bring up the family and she gets huffy and angry. I guess I can understand that, but it's been almost 17 years.

So now, thanks to my photo teacher, I have to make a family tree and gather pictures of everyone I can. Something to do with old photos or something. All I could think about is the inevitable argument I'd have to endure because of it. Plus, I know brining up the past hurts my mom, and I hate hurting her. I'd go to my dad, Phil, but he doesn't know much and he's gone a lot. He coaches a baseball team here in Jacksonville. Actually, he went to Washington with his team at the beginning of the week for conferences and games and such. He's supposed to be home tonight.

His trip will only make it worse to talk to Renee. Anything to do with the state of Washington sets her off.

"Mom!" I called when I walked in the door of our home.

"In the den Soph!" she called back from upstairs. I put my school bag down by the door and trudged up the stairs.

"Hey," I sat down next to her at the computer desk.

"Hey sweety, how was school?"

"Uhg. It was fine...except for my photography class," I complained nervously, trying to break the news gently.

"I though you liked your photo class?" She was right, I've always liked that class. I guess it has to do with capturing a moment in time or a certain emotion.

"I do, it's just we have this new assignment now," I said weakly.

"And?" she prompted, "what's the assignment?"

"Um, well we have to make a family tree and get pictures," I explained not looking at her face. "It's supposed to show the progression of photography over time or something." I didn't have to see her face to see that she had tensed up.

"Okay, well you know we have all of that information on the computer downstairs," she said deliberately. She was lying though. We didn't have everything on the computer.

"Mom," I pushed.

"Sophia, I don't know what else you need," she snapped. "Our history is in the computer and the photos are in the boxes in the storage closet."

"Mom you know that's not all true"

"Yes it it. Everything is downstairs!" she was really upset now. I hated upsetting her, but I also hated being treated like I didn't know anything.

"Not it's not Mom and you know it!" I yelled. Why wouldn't anyone ever just talk to me about my sister. It's been 17 years!

"Sophia," she warned, her voice strained.

"You know what I need. Why wont' you just talk about it. I get that it's hard, but it's been 17 years! I think I deserve to know about my own sister!" I cried, angry tears leaking out of my eyes. I always cried when I was upset, and it only made it worse.

"You already know about her," she was trying to hold back her tears too, with little more success than me.

"No I don't! I hardly know anything! Did you think that having me would replace her? Is that all I am to you?" I cried standing up.

"No! You know that's not true!" I could hear the hurt in her voice, but I was too upset now.

"Oh yeah? Then why do you treat me like it?" With my final outburst I ran to my room, slammed the door, and flopped onto my bed and sobbed into my pillow. I distantly heard footsteps and another door being slammed and knew Renee was mimicking my actions.

We're too much alike. We're both stubborn, love the sun, and can't keep a hobby. Not to mention the tendency of being dramatic.

I must have fallen asleep at some point, because the next thing I was aware of was my dad coming in to check on me.

"Hey Dad, welcome home," I smiled.

"Hey honey, I didn't mean to wake you," he smiled apologetically.

"No worries, I should probably get up now anyway. Before I can't sleep tonight, you know." I noticed the pink sky outside my window and guessed it was around 6 or so.

"That's good," he paused, "because I have something I need to discuss with you and your mom." I noticed he was playing with his hands, a nervous habit I had inherited from him. I brushed it aside and followed him downstairs to the kitchen where Renee was attempting to cook. One would think that after all the years of trying so hard she would learn, but sadly that was not the case.

I didn't know quite what to expect from Renee. She was always more dramatic than me, so I didn't know if she was still upset about earlier or not. However, she acted completely normal when she saw us. She smiled and continued to place the noodles in the boiling water on the stove. I figured she was faking some of it, but maybe she finally understood where I was coming from. Maybe. Phil cleared his throat, and I sat at one of the bar stools.

"Okay, now that I have both of you hear, I have something that needs to be discussed as a family," he announced. And there was that word again. The word to raise the alarm. No one ever said family unless something major was coming. His statement made me look up at him, and Renee stopped what she was doing. "Well, you both know how I was in Seattle this past week," we nodded. "We had some meetings and it ended up that I was offered a really great opportunity. Now I haven't told them a decision yet. I simply let them know that I had to discuss it with the two of you first."

"What's the job?" Renee asked carefully, not hiding the suspicion that colored her words.

Phil was playing with his hands again. "They want me to coach for the Mariners," he said it casually, but I could tell, and I'm betting Mom could too, that she was excited and proud, and nervous given Mom's feelings on the great north west.

"Wow, that's great Dad!" I cheered and gave him a congratulatory hug. He grinned.

"In Washington?" Renee was another story. "Meaning we'd have to move to Washington?" Her voice was getting higher

"Now Renee, I know you don't particularly like Washington," that was an understatement alright, "but Seattle is a bit sunnier than... I think it could really work for us." Phil was always the optimist.

"Just give me some time," she said, heading toward the stairs.

"That's all I ask," Phil stated quietly. I tried to give him an encouraging smile.

"She's had a hard day," I consoled him.

"What happend?"

"Didn't she tell you?" I asked surprised. Renee always told Dad everything.

"No, she said she didn't want to talk about it.

"Oh," I paused. That's why he sprung the news on her. He didn't know she'd already had her dose of Washington for the day.

"Well, we got into a fight"

"Yeah, I got that," I rolled me eyes and continued.

"She's had a lot of Washington talk today," I explained weakly.

"Oh Sophia you didn't?" he groaned.

"It's not my fault. I have a school project. It wouldn't have happened if anyone ever gave me any information," I defended.

"Ah," Phil groaned again. "Crap. Of course she reacted badly," he chastised himself for not knowing, and went after her.

I slumped back down at the counter, but quickly jumped up when the abandoned pot on the stove sizzled as it boiled over. I turned off the hear and removed the lid. I knew that as much as Mom wouldn't want to go to Washington, she would if it made Phil happy.