This story is going to replace Crashing Down. I thought that that story would bring a lot of interest for me, but it rather died down. Therefore, I am going to try to write a new story, which will help me be inspired to update my other stories, hopefully.

Prologue

I let my eyes wander outside the snow-covered window, as I gazed out into the uncommon blizzard. In where I lived, Forks, it was very uncommon to have snow, nevertheless blizzards. I knew that somehow Mother Nature was punishing us for all of our deeds by making us endure this harsh, cruel weather. I gasped at what I had thought. I was never like this, thinking that an invisible force was there to punish us. To your guess, I was atheist; even though Charlie thought he was Catholic by going to church every so often, but more like never. I did not know what to do. I felt so helpless. I felt as if I should just break down and let my emotion all out. I wanted to leave this wretched life, go out there, and pursue my dream. I laughed, knowing that I was going helplessly crazy. I knew that when he was here, I would never be able to leave Forks.

I stood up, closed the curtains before I walked out my bedroom, the room I had occupied for five years now. I felt so helpless. How many times could I repeat that before it would have the effect on people that I needed? I walked until I felt a piece of paper crunch against my sock covered feet. I leant down to retrieve it and smiled instantly when I looked at it. I smoothed it out before I read it. It was a letter from my best friend from high school, Alice Cullen. She had lived here for most of high school before her father met her stepmother, who lived in New York. Alice had no choice but to move with him, and her older brother, Emmett. Ever since then, Alice and I kept in touch, but I almost never had the freedom to read the letters from her, because of him. I shook my head and read the letter he had crumpled during a fight we had two nights ago.

Dear Bella,

Hey, girl, how is it going there? I hope you are able to read this, especially with him around. Seriously, I do not understand why you keep staying with him. It is not as if you cannot leave him, come, and live with me in New York. Man, that would be a dream come true. Besides, I know you are probably dreaming of the same thing too. Anyways, life for me has been good, and sorry I could not reply sooner.

There was this guy I met lately: Jasper Whitlock. I met him at a Thai Café. So it was the regular day, with me and my French Vanilla. –You know how much I love my French Vanilla. – Anyways, I was sipping my French Vanilla from my cup when I saw him walking through the entrance door, and I was blown away for a second. Bella, he was awesome! He was 6' 3" tall; he had golden honey blond hair and was muscular, but lean. Bella, he was the one! I knew that moment I saw him that he was the one for me. Love at first sight, as cheesy as that sounds. Anyways, he came to sit by me, as there were not any other seats available and we were well acquainted. Before I knew it, we were going out. Just yesterday, he asked me to become official with him. I was so happy! I seriously did not know what to say but I meekly nodded yes. You should have seen the beam that was forming on his face. After that, we have become inseparable. In fact, he is sharing my flat with me. Isn't that awesome?

In addition to my love life, my career has been off with great success. I had been to Paris and London the past few months for a tour for my designs. They were astounded by creativity and enthusiasm. They said so themselves! They even promised me a new line of clothing under my name. So watch out, Bells, for the new line from fabulous designer Alice Cullen!

Well, I think that pretty much sums up my life up to date. Reply soon!

Your friend,

Alice Cullen

P.S. - Really, why can't we just email each other?

I smiled meekly, at the thought of my best friend having such a wonderful life. I wished my life was as glorious as that, yet, even an idiot could figure out that that will never happen. I put the letter in my workroom, which was the old guest room. I was working as a writer obliviously to him. I was even surprised of how I actually pulled off that I merely was a homemaker, instead of a writer. I was never the one to be so sleuth like, yet he, for some reason, did not find out yet.

I travelled down the stairs of the slightly old house to journey into the kitchen. Peeking inside the fridge as to what edibles we had, I took out frozen chicken legs and carrots and countless of other vegetables. I figured I could make pasta with chicken legs as a side dish. I set a pot on the stove with boiling water, until I put in some vegetables, which I had diced in many small pieces. Afterwards, I rummaged in the pantry to look for some pasta, yet I found something better: macaroni. I knew that he would not mind having macaroni without cheese for one day. I marinated the chicken legs after I put them in water to be cleansed of bacteria. When I put the chicken legs into the oven, I heard the doorbell ring. My eyes darted off to the front entrance, as I was frightened from heads to toes. I set down the towel I used to wipe my hands and I took off my apron.

Frightened, I crept up to the door and opened the door unhurriedly. On the other side of the door, I saw a man with black hair, specks of grey hair revealing. His eyes were blue, crystal blue once before that incident that had changed my entire life. He was middle aged and it showed slowly, but an instant look at him would not reveal his true age. Honestly, he looked like he was a lot younger than he was.

I cracked a smile at him as I took hold of his jacket, "Hello, dear."

He smiled back at me before leaning down to peck a kiss on my cheek, "Hello, Bella." This man was my husband, Dwayne Morrison, and he was the reason why I could not leave Forks. He was forty-five while I was twenty-three. I laid his coat on the couch as I ushered him into the kitchen.

"Dinner's almost ready, so if you wash up, I will give you your food," I told him as he nodded obediently before rushing into the bathroom to wash his hands. I rolled my eyes when I took the chicken legs out. As I put the macaroni and chicken on two plates, I thought of how I got in this position. Charlie was the police chief until Dwayne came into town. At first, Charlie thought Dwayne was an awesome assistant, before things got out of hand. One day, during a police chase, a robber shot Charlie. He never made it. After that, Dwayne became police chief and he came into my life without permission. Before I knew it, he had proposed to me. He knew that I had no source of income other than what I received from Mrs. Newton's shop, and that barely covered what I needed for food. I could not go back to Florida as Renee and Phil had died in a car accident two years before Charlie died. I had no choice other than to accept. We married in a small church, and one year later, here I am Isabella Marie Morrison. I needed help to get out of this very wrong relationship. I did not love Dwayne, and he knew that himself. Heck, he was as old enough to be my father! Why did he have to marry me? Why could not he just adopt me if he wanted me to be part of his family so much? I set the plates on the table in front of me and called for him to come and have dinner.

Once we started eating, it always begun with silence, before he would bring up a problem he had with work. I rolled my eyes thinking of how Charlie never brought problems from work home. Never. My eyes started to well up with tears as I thought of my father. Dwayne looked up from his ranting and his eyes glowered, "Why are you crying?"

I looked up at him in shock as I heard him snap at me. My shock started to subsidize, as I knew that he was always like this. "Yes, you got a problem with that?" I snapped back.

He was taken aback before he replied, "Yes, yes, in a matter of fact, I do. I do not want to eat my dinner with someone crying at the table."

I glared at his choice of words. Someone? Was I really a 'someone' to him? "Then, maybe you should leave the table if I bother you so much."

"No." I stared at him at his definite answer.

"No?" I echoed, with doubt in my voice.

"No."

I glared at him before I bellowed, "Move."

Grinding his teeth, I watched as his knuckles went from regular color to pale white within seconds. "WHY ARE YOU SO UNGRATEFUL TOWARDS ME? WHAT HAVE I NOT DONE TO YOU? WHAT HAVE I NOT DONE TO MAKE YOU HAPPY?"

My eyes flashed with anger while I replied, "What didn't you do? What didn't you do?! I will tell you what you did not do. You never gave me a proper role as a wife. All I was to you was someone who you could sleep with, have someone cook for you, and have someone clean the house for you. Other than that, I am nothing to you! I wouldn't be surprised if you had a concubine!"

It all happened within a minute. He raised his hands to slap me on my face. My eyes widened where my hand landed on my cheek. I knew that there was going to be an ugly bruise there. I ran up the stairs not bothering to look back at my now shocked husband.

I picked up the phone and dialled the phone number as quickly as my shaking fingers could. After a few rings, a person picked up. "Hello?" the person had doubt in their voice.

"Alice?" I replied, still shaking from the hit.

"Bella? Bella, what is wrong? You sound like you've been hit." At the silence at my end of the conversation, I heard her gasp. "He did it again, didn't he?"

I nodded, while I replied a shy, "Yes."

"Oh, Bella, what are we going to do?" Alice asked with desperation.

I answered the question with the only humane and right answer, "I'm going to leave Forks."

"Bella…"

"No, Alice, you were right before. I have to leave here, but I have to do it without him knowing. Do you think you can come?"

"Definitely, but I won't be able to keep you here, as he would know that you would be coming here."

I hit my head in exasperation. How could I be so stupid? Of course, he would know I would be going there. Unless… "Do you think I can get a passport to go into Canada?"

"Why do you want to go to Canada?"

"Jake's there and I'll stay with him until I get this cleared."

"But you won't be able to stay out of Dwayne's reach though, he's a police officer. You're going to need help."

I sighed, knowing that she was right. "Where am I going to get help other than from you?"

I heard her sigh, before it was silent for two minutes before she replied, "I could get my brother to keep you in his custody before you leave the country. He's a FBI agent."

"Emmett's a FBI agent?" Regardless of how dire the situation was, I could not help but laugh at the thought of Emmett being an agent for the country. That person was more of a clown, that a serious FBI agent.

"No, not Emmett, my stepbrother, Edward," she replied.

I raised my eyebrow, as I never heard of this Edward character. "Can I trust him?"

"Of course you can, he's my brother after all."

"Stepbrother," I corrected her.

"Fine, stepbrother. Nonetheless, he is very trustworthy."

"Ok, but the sooner I leave, the better. When can someone come and fetch me?" I asked scared.

"Emmett and Rosalie are nearby, Seattle I think. I could get them to see you within a few hours. Just get ready and when someone calls you, it'd probably be them."

I sighed in relief as I muttered, "Thank you so much, Alice."

"Hey, what are friends for? Anyways, I'll call Em, and he should be here soon." With that, she hung up, knowing that Dwayne would probably hear from the line downstairs. I rushed downstairs to see Dwayne just finishing his dinner. He looked up with pained filled eyes. I rolled my eyes knowing that he was faking it.

He rushed up to me and gave me a hug, "I'm sorry, Bells. I just…rather lost it. I swear, it will never happen again."

I smiled into the embrace but for another reason, "I know, I know."

---------------------------------

I had packed clothes into a duffle bag, which I stowed away in my workroom. Dwayne never went there, so I knew that it would be safe for the moment. He had gone to sleep, and I was sitting on the window ledge, waiting for Emmett and Rosalie. They had called an hour before while Dwayne was watching television that they would be here in an hour. I sat here waiting impatiently, before I saw a car drive into our driveway. I picked up my duffle bag and tiptoed across the hallway down the stairs. I rushed to the front door, grabbed my coat, hat, mitts and scarf and took one last minute of my home. I knew that it would be hard, but it was for the better. I opened the door, trying not to make a sound. I shut the door behind me, before I ran in the snow right into Emmett and Rosalie's rental car.

When I jumped into the backseat, I saw Emmett and his wife, Rosalie turn around. Emmett smiled at me, "Didn't know you were so eager to let go of your husband." Rosalie just smacked him on the arm, when she turned back to me.

"Hope we didn't come too late. We came as fast as we could," Rosalie said sincerely.

I sighed, happily, as I sunk into the backseat, "You came on time. I just called you late. And oh, Emmett," he looked back at me, "You have no idea."

Emmett smiled before he put the key into the ignition and drove away from my home. I sunk into the car's leather seats, knowing that finally I was free.

Did you like it? I hope you people would review as I got my Math and Science final marks back today. They were not so good, and I was crying like crazy. I got 92 in Math and 93 in Science. If you people would review, it would definitely make my day.

Forgiveness is the scent that a rose leaves on the heel that crushes it.

-Rosefire