This is owned by SM not me.

Thanks to the awesome ScottishRose1028 for beta'ing this story for me! I am excited to work with her on this story!

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Two lost souls trying to figure out where they belong, collide. What happens when Isabella wants out of the plain life she leads that Edward wants to be accepted into? Will Edward face what he is running from to leave with Bella? Or will Bella surrender and embrace her culture?

Isabella woke up before the sun every morning. This day was no different from any other day at Nickle Mine. She dressed quickly in her calf length blue dress, carefully tied the black apron around her waist and made sure her bonnet was secure atop her neat bun. She had two options when fixing her hair; bun or braids. She refused to wear braids since her sister had gone.

She resented the attire she was forced to wear day in and day out. It was so plain, although that was the point. According to her culture clothes should not draw attention, the common theme is plainness.

Isabella longed to continue learning, but had already graduated school at eighth grade. At the young age of fifteen, it was expected that Isabella would begin Rumspringa. So, when she was sixteen she could become baptized and solidify herself as a member of the Amish church and be able to marry.

The thought revolted her. She was quite certain she would follow in her sister's footsteps and leave the Amish way of living behind. She missed Rose desperately. She wasn't even allowed to mutter her name, and if her father found the letters they had been writing to each other since Rose was shunned, she was sure to be punished. Their father, Charles, was the bishop. It was his strong views on shunning that made it a strong possibility that she would never see her sister again. Not unless she was brave enough to endure being shunned.

Rose was happy, in love with Emmett McCarty whom she met while she was on Rumspringa. The time was designed for the youth to "run around" until it was time to fully commit to living a plain life. She lived only about forty minutes away. Emmett was a hard working man, and provided Rose the help she needed in completing her education. According to her last letter she just received her high school diploma and was applying to several colleges. Isabella was jealous that her older sister was able to do the things she dreamed of.

It wasn't as if Isabella didn't love her family, or love the Lord, but she wanted more. She was a simple young woman, but very bright. She felt as if she couldn't live up to her full potential living as an Amish woman.

There was nothing Isabella enjoyed about sewing, she was awful at it. She always ended up sticking her finger with the sharp needles. She also hated scrubbing the clothes on the laundry board, milking the cows, and baking. She wasn't the best singer so the weekly sing alongs for the youth in her community made her uncomfortable. She found the smell of hay, and barn animals nauseating. It was as if she was born into the wrong world.

Rose on the other hand, was very talented. Her quilts were always perfectly done, her food always cooked to perfection, and when she sang it sent chills up and down your spine. It was such a shock when Rose declared she found love and wanted to marry outside of the Amish community. She seemed so well suited for the simple life.

Isabella was sad that she didn't even have a photograph of Rose it was frowned upon to use photography. Isabella relied on her sketches of Rose to remember her beautiful sister.

What Isabella did enjoy was learning, reading books, playing piano, and drawing. All things that were not taken seriously, and frowned upon if one spent too much time in their indulgences.

She didn't have a choice but to go out and milk the cow, or help her mother, Renee, sew a quilt. It was the Amish way.

Her thoughts drifted to her sister living a modern life,; she wanted to believe she was as strong as Rose and would be able to leave one day as well- though she did have doubts. She loved her father more than anything. The thought of him shunning her made her stomach twist and turn into a big lump.

She couldn't stand the idea of breaking his heart the way Rose had. The Amish man does not show many emotions, but Isabella hadn't failed to notice the sounds of her father crying some nights over the loss of Rose. It might as well have been that she was dead. It pained Isabella to think that her loving father would lose both his daughters.

Isabella was excited - in two days time school would begin, and Mary Alice had asked her to be her teacher's assistant this year at the one room school house. With the new school year also loomed her sixteenth birthday, which only reminded her of her father's expectations. Charles was expecting his daughter to spend the year with relaxed rules so that by this time next year she would be ready to commit to live plain, to become married, and to serve God.

Although she didn't feel ready to be married in a year's time, she toyed with the idea of following Mary Alice's footsteps and becoming a teacher. Mary Alice had become very close to Jasper Hale, and once she married she could no longer hold her position in the community as a teacher. Relationship's were not openly discussed, and people did not pry or ask questions.

Charles was hoping Isabella would find love with Jacob Black, his best friend's son. Isabella enjoyed Jacobs company, and she knew the others in the community thought that they were on track to become married someday, seeing as Isabella had ridden with him in his courting buggy last week after the sing-along. She felt bad leading him on, but she couldn't tell him her plans to leave one day. She knew Jacob would not leave with her.

Isabella set the table for breakfast with her mother as her father Charles came in from the barn. The once larger family sat at the table and held hands as Charles thanked their Heavenly Father for the meal they were about to receive.

"I have some important news to share," Charles said, stroking his long beard. "Remember I was talking to you about Edward Cullen? Well, he has decided he wants to join the Amish community and become baptized. Of course I told him he would have to live with us for at least a year before we would baptize him into the church. He is expected to arrive today before dinner - Izzy, you make sure the guest room is ready for him." Charles wasn't asking, he was telling.

"Brutzing!" Isabella complained. It upset her a great deal to have her father refer to Rose's room as a 'guest room.'

"Don't be a nix nootze, Izzy!" Charles warned his daughter.

"I am not a child," Isabella boldly spoke back to her father.

"You will do as I say, do you understand?" Charles demanded.

"Yah, well," Isabella said with a thick German accent.

Isabella couldn't understand why on Earth anyone would chose to live like this. She felt as if she were in a prison, bound not by shackles or bars, but by expectations and fear. She had no idea that the young man due that evening had once physically been bound by shackles and bars. That he knew true fear, and failed to meet the expectations once set for him.

The new addition to her home knew nothing of forgiveness, or how to bestow it upon others or himself. Isabella couldn't have known he was seeking the answers he felt that the Amish held.

Edward Cullen wanted nothing to do with the life he was living. As a twenty-one year old man, he had experienced enough pain for three lifetimes; he didn't wish the pain on his worst enemy. His life was never simple, never plain, and he thought the Amish seemed to have the right idea.

He longed for his biggest task of the day to be plowing a field. He was happily giving up all the luxuries of electric, television, radio, and cell phones. All it did was remind him of how screwed up his life was, and how much pain he had suffered.

Simple sounded good. He was impressed with the Amish's ability to forgive, and that sounded even better. But what sounded the best was starting over.

Edward rode the bus through the expanse highway into Lancaster County. Prepared to start anew. The bishop Charles had been very helpful and supportive during the numerous meetings they had discussing what Edward would need to do to be accepted into the community.

He told Edward it would be expected that he learn to speak the dialect; Dutch English. He assured him his only daughter Izzy, who was very smart, would be able to help him learn during his time living with them.

Edward was never very religious, it wasn't that he was against it; he just wasn't raised around church. It wasn't his faith calling him to become Amish; it was the idea of a simple life. He would embrace the religion though. He had every intention to embrace living life as an Amish man.

He was sick of violence, hate, and war. All of which people claimed to do in the name of God.

What bullshit,he thought.

He didn't think about the life he left behind. It wasn't much of life anymore. He couldn't seem to function on a level that pleased his parents since his return home. Thoughts of the past two years made him shudder and he quickly pushed them back. He liked to pretend it was a nightmare. He didn't speak of it and he tried his hardest not to think of it.

Edward didn't even say good-bye to his family when he left. They were worried sick about his well being, they knew how close Edward was to snapping. They had been working hard to find him the help he so desperately needed to continue to live. Edward, however, wasn't as willing to try their methods.

This option seemed best to him. He left Chicago with one bag and not much cash as he left for a new start. He left a note to his family, begging them not to look for him. To just give him the chance to start fresh and hopefully find them again one day in the future, when he was a better man. He was comforted with the knowledge that becoming Amish did not mean he couldn't converse with his family once he became baptized.

Edward took in the beautiful scenery along the Lancaster highway. He was greeted with green and golden fields, beautiful horses, and tall green corn stalks. Edward loved the smell of fresh air and hay. It only took a few visits before he fell in love with everything Lancaster had to offer.

Once he had returned home, physically intact, he couldn't stand being there. He hated the pain he couldn't forget. He hated seeing the pain in his mother's eyes because there was nothing she could do or say to make the nightmares stop. All he was doing was upsetting her more. It would have been better if he had died. He left one morning, unsure of his path, and stumbled into an Amish community in Ohio. He found it so peaceful. He longed to be like them. They told him all about their way of life and told him to visit Pennsylvania to see the Dutch. Caius, told him about Charles and set up a meeting for Edward.

Edward knew the first time he came to Lancaster that it was his only chance to find peace. He almost forgot the rest of the world while he visited. He had several meetings with Charles before accepting the offer to live with him and his family for a year to see if he truly did want to become a simple man.

When the bus dropped him off in front of a newly built house adorned with a wrap around porch and red barn in the distance, a smile appeared on his normally sullen face. This was his new home. His second chance, and Edward was relieved to feel a flash of hope.

Edward adjusted the duffel bag on his shoulder as he stood in front of the white picket fence taking in the place he would call home. He had brought a few clothes, his toiletries, and a few of his favorite books. He didn't exactly have Amish attire, but he did try to keep his appearance simple and plain. He wore a black t-shirt, jeans, and his Doc Martens. Out of habit, his hand immediately found the top of his head and he instantly regretted not combing the mess of golden sun-kissed hair that was always unruly.

Edward carefully unlatched the fence and stepped onto the soft grass to make his way to the front door.

He cleared his throat before bringing his closed fist to knock three times on the simple wooden door. It didn't take long for Charles to answer the door.

He greeted Edward with s sincere smile and warm embrace. "Edward, so glad to have you! Please come in," Charles said motioning for Edward to come inside.

Edward couldn't help but enjoy the scent of home baked bread. It always amazed him how clean everything was. The Amish housewife took pride in her daily work to keep the housework up to par. Edward doubted he would be able to find one dust bunny along the dark hardwood floors.

The house had oil lamps and hand made quilts. It was very comfortable, warm, and inviting. "Thank you Bishop Swan. I appreciate you inviting me into your home," Edward told him.

Charles led Edward into the kitchen where his girls worked hard to prepare dinner. "Edward, this is my wife Renee, and our daughter Isabella, ladies, this is Edward Cullen," Charlie introduced them.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, ladies," Edward said extending his hand to Renee. She quickly wiped the flour off her hands on her apron before shaking Edward's outstretched hand.

"Please, make yourself at home Edward. What is ours is yours. It's so nice to have you join us," Renee said humbly.

Isabella tried to hide her confusion as she greeted Edward. She did not want to come across as rude. After all, most of the English people wouldn't give the Amish the time or day. They laughed, and joked. It didn't bother her, but she had hope that they were not all judgmental. Edward seemed like proof of that. After all, he was standing in her home, anxious to learn everything he could about their way of life.

"It's nice to meet you, sir," Isabella said approaching him slowly. She did not make eye contact with the new man. She reached out her hand to his and when his palm touched hers, a warm tingling sensation shot up her arm, butterflies fluttered in her stomach, and she felt her heart rate accelerate. She dropped his hand quickly, and looked up into his eyes.

The green embers were burning into her; she could see sadness behind them and felt a surge of compassion for him. She felt her cheeks go red at his intense gaze. She couldn't help but notice how breathtakingly beautiful he was or how broken he looked beneath his cool composure. His sharp jaw line was just begging to be touched. Isabella was not use to the urges she was feeling in his presence.

She thought about placing her hand on his chest and feeling down his stomach. She imagined feeling the hair that stuck out of his shirt and running her index finger along his beautiful lips. She wondered if they were as soft as they looked, what they might taste like and feel like against hers. She quickly stumbled backwards, afraid of the impure thoughts this man evoked inside her.

Edward raised his eyebrow at Isabella, confused as to why she so quickly withdrew her hand from his. He had the urge to kiss the top of it before she withdrew it. It was probably for the best, he wasn't sure if that would be considered appropriate. He still had a lot to learn about this new life. He too felt the heat from her hand touching his and warming his heart from the cold stone it had become. When her eyes met his, he was in awe of her subtle, natural beauty. Lost in her chocolate doe eyes.

He tried to think back and remember everything Charles had told him about his daughter, other than the fact she was smart, but there was nothing else.

"Can I take your Bag, Edward?" Renee asked, causing Edward and Bella to break eye contact.

"Oh...um," Edward struggled. He didn't want to refuse help, they might find that rude. He also was used to the man in him that took bags for ladies, and held doors open for them. He hadn't seen that man in a long time, but relished in his short appearance. "If you show me where my room is, I can bring it up ma'am," Edward told her.

Isabella turned away and began pounding and kneading the dough on the counter, annoyed that this stranger was taking Rose's room. Who did he think he was? Making her have all these impure thoughts, and taking her only sisters room! She barely noticed that Renee had already led him up the stairs, to take the place of his sister. There was nothing forgiving about being shunned. It made Isabella's blood boil.

I can't wait to get out of here, Isabella thought with a scowl.

Up the stairs and across the hallway from Isabella's room, Edward tried to settle in. He took note of the handmade clothes folded nicely on the end of the bed, complete with a red, blue, and green quilt. He placed his books down on the nightstand, and sat of the bed taking in the beginning of this new life.

I am so glad to be here,Edward thought with a smile.

So Review please, tell me if I should keep going... I need some feedback.