Written for the Fandom 4 Tsunami Compilation

Summary: Bella Swan is a focused art student utilizing the early morning open studio hours to finish a watercolor painting for one of her classes at The Academy of Art University in San Francisco when an 8.1 earthquake rocks Northern California at 7:28 a.m. The tragedy and destruction she is faced with quickly puts into perspective her priorities in life. She suddenly realizes just how alone she is in the world, and that the one person who's comforting embrace she craves more than anything is the same person that she has pushed away.

Thank you to MsAmbrosia for the amazing banner and to Hibbleton78 and Holly1980 for helping to make this little tale into something I am truly proud of. Love to you all! Words cannot express my gratitude.

Standard disclaimer applies. I do not own Twilight or its characters.

Shaken

Day 1 – 6:05 a.m.

It was a typical brisk, foggy morning in San Francisco as Bella Swan made her way down the three steep blocks from her tiny, one bedroom apartment provided by campus housing to the New Montgomery Street location of the Academy of Art University. She pulled her cobalt blue pea coat tight across her chest over her colorful hand knitted scarf in an effort to fight off the chill in the air.

She made a stop at her favorite little hole in the wall coffee shop directly across the street from the main university building to acquire her daily caffeine fix. Juggling her steaming cup of coffee in one hand and her black art portfolio in the other with her messenger bag slung haphazardly over her shoulder, she waited eagerly for the doors to be unlocked so she could get a jump on her current project.

Mrs. Cope, a portly older woman who worked in the admissions office, showed up moments later and let her in. Bella's black leather heeled boots clicked on the sleek marble flooring causing an echo throughout the empty lobby as she made her way to the elevator.

She watched the bright numbers above the stainless steel doors tick off her ascent. The elevator chimed, acknowledging her arrival on the fifth floor where the assigned studio for her watercolor class was located.

The corner room, NM-505, had a surplus of windows that allowed for plenty of natural sunlight during the day. However, at this early hour the low fog that veiled the city gave Bella an eerie feeling of impending doom as she entered. The overhead fluorescent lights hummed to life as she headed to the far wooden easel that she had long ago claimed as hers for the semester. After unloading her supplies she hung her coat on an old coat tree by the door in exchange for a generic white painting smock.

She filled an old mason jar with water and selected her preferred sable paint brushes best suited for the task at hand. The heavy weight watercolor paper was propped up on the sturdy easel along with her palette of paints. Perched on the cold metal stool in front of the easel, she took a minute to try and decide where to begin.

After a moment's hesitation, she plucked her lime green iPod from her bag and popped her metallic purple ear buds in her ears. She scrolled through her playlists until she came to one simply titled "EC." Her thumb faltered over the play button for a second as she gazed at his initials before lively piano music began to flow from the ear buds.

She dared not think his name or dwell too much on the past, fearing the heartache his absence from her life might dredge up. But for whatever reason, his music, which he'd composed solely for her, always brought her some manner of peace and comfort. With that in mind, her round sable brush loaded with the vivid colors of her imagination danced across the stark white paper bringing her most intimate dreams to life.

Day 1 – 6:32 a.m.

Bella startled as the solid wood door of the studio slammed open with a resounding bang. A pixie-like girl with spiky black hair flitted into the room, her gleeful disposition of smiles and rainbows in direct juxtaposition to the gloom and doom of the foggy weather outside. She wore pink and black striped stockings under a black tutu skirt matched with a hot pink pleather jacket. The colorful outfits of the artistic souls Bella attended art school with were as inspiring to her as the many unique façades of San Francisco itself.

She yanked her ear buds free to greet her friend, the only other person that regularly took advantage of the early morning open studio hours. They hadn't had any classes together yet, but they'd bonded over their similar artistic styles and preferences while spending time together every day spilling their secrets onto their canvases.

"Hi, Alice."

"Morning, gorgeous. Whatcha working on?"

"Number twenty-four of the required forty portfolio pieces for my watercolor class."

"Wow. This is really beautiful," Alice commented, peering over Bella's shoulder. "Is this place for real?" she asked as her hand hovered in awe over the painting, a magnificent meadow of bright orange California poppies that Bella had recreated from memory.

"Yes," she answered simply, not offering up any more information to the inquisitive girl.

The faraway look in her eyes did not go unnoticed by her friend who quickly dropped the subject and pulled out her own vibrant painting to resume work on.

Day 1 – 7:00 a.m.

The old clock on the wall that methodically ticked away the minutes of the day buzzed, alerting the girls of the new hour. They smiled at each other, each taking a moment to admire the progress that the other had made on their paintings in the past half hour.

Alice's work depicted a solemn ballerina, broken and alone in a colorful, mysterious wonderland. Bella's cheery meadow had expanded to showcase a sad, lonely girl waiting patiently for the love of her life to return.

Outside the room, the hallway began to stir with activity as students and professors arrived for their early morning classes. Glancing out the window, Bella noticed that the fog was still persistently hanging around, blocking her view of the surrounding city that was just starting to come to life with hurried pedestrians and morning traffic.

Day 1 – 7:28 a.m.

Bella's paint brush fell from her hand with a messy splat as something abruptly jolted her backwards, violently rocking the metal stool she was sitting on. Just as she recovered and began to stand up to catch her bearings, feeling slightly dizzy and disoriented, a loud rumble began to drown out the soft tinkling of piano keys in her ears.

She quickly yanked the ear buds out as the room around her came to life. She watched the glass mason jar of water she had been painting with begin to vibrate and rattle towards the edge of the small shelf on the bottom of the easel where it was perched.

Before Bella could even think the word 'earthquake,' Alice, whose feet were folded gracefully underneath her as she balanced atop her own stool, let out a frightened scream as the whole thing toppled over with her still on it.

The sickening sound of her head smacking the linoleum floor spurred Bella into action. She tried to make a move to aid her friend but was wobbly on her own legs as the shaking progressed to an unimaginable magnitude.

The retrofitted earthquake shocks in the high rise building began to crack and snap with the hostile swaying motion. Cabinets on the far wall swung open, spilling their contents of glass jars, paints, and papers onto the countertops and floor. In a split second the room had transformed from a serene art studio into a terrifying funhouse of chaos and destruction straight out of a psychopath's nightmare.

Bella dropped down on her hands and knees just as the corner window next to her burst into a million lethal shards of glass.

She swiftly crawled over to Alice's lifeless body, slipping and sliding with each rolling motion of the quake, and covered her friend's helpless form with her own. Trembling uncontrollably, she listened to the evidence of mayhem all around her while she buried her face in Alice's hair praying and crying out to God for the madness to end.

The building groaned painfully with each harsh movement. Shattered glass rained down like confetti all around her. Ceiling tiles and light fixtures plummeted to the ground in thunderous crashes. Metal clanged as easels and stools toppled over and fell. Each ear piercing sound caused her to cringe and cling more tightly to Alice.

Worst of all were the screams of horror carrying through the heavy door of the studio as her classmates suffered through the decimation of the quake.

Day 1 – 7:29 a.m.

It took a moment for Bella to realize the shaking had stopped as her own body continued to tremble in fright. As soon as she heard the unmistakable rumble of footsteps from the other students stampeding towards the exit, she began to scream for help with all her might.

"Help!" she wailed, before she took a deep breath and tried again.

"Someone, help! Anyone! God, please, help!" Her voice cracked with fear and hopelessness, but she was positive she had never before managed to scream so loudly in her entire life.

"Alice, wake up, honey. Please wake up." Panic-induced tears began to well in her eyes as she shook her friend. "Shit."

"Help!"

"Wake up. We have to get out of here," she sobbed. "Please. Wake up."

Grabbing her messenger bag and slinging it over her body, she rearranged Alice so that she could hook her arms underneath her armpits and began to drag her limp body towards the door. Somewhere in the back of her mind she knew that moving an unconscious person was a bad idea, but with the magnitude of the quake she could take no chances in leaving her behind. The threat of an aftershock, gas leak, or one of the many other possible horrors that could follow in the wake of this disaster was too great.

Day 1 – 7:30 a.m.

Bella was halfway across the room, carefully picking her path through the rubble when the door swung open. Mr. Whitlock, one of the part-time fine art instructors, appeared in the doorway. His eyes frantically flew around the demolished room in search for something or someone.

A frigid early morning wind whipped through the shattered window scattering papers everywhere. Dust clouds from the destruction obstructed his view of the two girls that were now only a few feet away from him.

His head whipped around as he heard Bella's desperate voice call out for help once again. He coughed and wheezed breathing in the dusty air as he made his way towards the sound of her voice.

And then he saw them, huddled low to the floor. He immediately noticed the beautiful, quirky girl he had become so enthralled with over the past few months lying lifeless in Bella's arms. He rushed to them, dropping down onto his knees in front of Alice to appraise the situation.

"Is she okay? What happened to her?" His voice betrayed both his terror and unusual interest in the young girl as he looked up to Bella for answers. His hands shook uncontrollably as he gently cradled Alice's face.

"She fell and hit her head. She won't wake up."

Jasper pressed his ear against her Alice's chest, immediately detecting a heartbeat and feeling the soft rise and fall of her labored breaths.

"She's breathing!" he exclaimed in a combination of relief and sheer joy. The thought of losing her before they had really had a chance to experience life together was too much for him to bear.

"Oh thank god."

"We have to get out of here. Now." He scooped up Alice as if she weighed no more than a sack of potatoes and turned to Bella, "Are you okay? Are you hurt at all?"

"I-I'm fine."

Day 1 – 7:31 a.m.

Bella trailed behind Mr. Whitlock cursing her choice of stiletto heeled boots as he ran full bore down the long hallway to the emergency staircase. She rushed around him to wrench the heavy steel door open and ushered him through.

He propped Alice up in his arms to ensure he had a secure grip as he began the long descent down the five flights of stairs. Below them, he could hear the steady thumping of footsteps, slamming of doors, and murmur of worried voices as more students and professors spilled in the stairwell.

Halfway down the first flight of stairs both Mr. Whitlock and Bella began to cough from a combination of physical exertion, and breathing in the hazy air laden with unhealthy dust particles. They both pushed forward, propelled by sheer adrenaline in the precarious situation.

Alice began to stir the young instructor's arms, moaning quietly in confusion and pain, not quite coherent but rapidly regaining consciousness. He hugged her small frame closer to his body. His large hand cradled her throbbing head against his shoulder as he sent up his own prayer of thanks to God that his beautiful girl was alive.

Day 1 – 7:37 a.m.

They burst through the emergency exit door and spilled out into the alley between the University and the neighboring high-rise into a sea of terror. Bella looked around into the frightened eyes of the crowd noticing tears, cuts, scrapes, bruises, blood, blood, and more blood.

Before she realized what was happening she was buckled over, emptying the contents of her stomach into street. When her heaving morphed into shuddering sobs, she wiped her mouth with the back of hand realizing too late that she had left her bag and all of her belongings upstairs.

She glanced up to meet Mr. Whitlock's concerned blue eyes and forced herself to regain her composure with a few deep breaths. Instantly she felt awful for allowing herself to fall apart when so many other people were worse off, like her sweet friend Alice.

"Are you alright, Isabella?" the handsome blond instructor asked.

"Y-yes. I'm sorry. I'm not sure why that happened. Thank you so much, Mr. Whitlock. You saved us both," she said with sincere gratitude as she rose up to check on Alice. "And it's just Bella," she added with a thankful smile.

"It was my pleasure. And please call me Jasper."

"Jasper," she said his name tentatively, trying it out for the first time. "Is she going to be okay?" Her hand trembled noticeably as she grazed a single finger down Alice's pale cheek.

"I don't know, but I hope so." His soft tone caught her off guard, causing her to analyze the meticulous care and fondness in his actions toward her friend.

In this new light, it was impossible not to notice the love gleaming in his eyes. She didn't know the extent of their relationship, or if his feelings were even reciprocated, but she immediately felt a deep sympathy for the heroic man before her. He was staring at Alice the exact way that her love used to gaze upon her: with tender devotion.

The realization sent her into a downward emotional spiral to a hollow pit of emptiness and despair. She had never felt more alone in crowd of people than she did at that exact moment.

Day 1 – 7:52 a.m.

Jasper had been pulled away to locate and account for each of the students enrolled in his early morning Beginning Figure Drawing course. He made quick work of getting each of them to sign off on the roster as dictated by the school's emergency evacuation procedure. After pawning the rest of his administrative responsibilities off onto a more senior professor, he was free to tend to Alice and her needs.

"I need to get her to a hospital," Jasper stated, indicating to where the younger girl was lying on the sidewalk with her head in Bella's lap. "Emergency response is overwhelmed with calls right now. I'm just going to take her myself."

Alice had briefly regained consciousness twice only to slip back under before they could fully assess her condition. It was easy to guess that she had at least a concussion, but Jasper would take no chances without knowing the full extent of her injuries.

"How are we going to get there?" Bella asked, gesturing to the mayhem on the streets before them. Cars had careened into each other and large cracks and ripples had erupted in the surface of the asphalt as a result of the monstrous quake. Gridlock was an understatement.

"I'll walk if I have to. She needs medical attention. San Francisco General is too far, but I think we can make it to St. Francis Memorial on foot from here."

"You'll have to go through the heart of downtown. That's going to be chaos."

"I don't care. I need to find her help. Listen, Bella, you don't need to come. I'll tell Alice that you're worried about her, and I'm certain she'll be in touch with you as soon as she's feeling better. You should go. I'm sure you have family or a significant other worried sick about you. I promise to take care of her." He swallowed hard before quietly adding, "She's all I have." His eyes implored her to allow him this honor of being the one to care for and protect Alice.

"No. Please, I want to come," Bella pled. "No one will be looking for me. My parents are gone, and… And there's no one else."

Jasper's heart broke for the meek girl holding his sweetheart in her arms. He nodded mutely not wanting to make her any more uncomfortable than she already was admitting her sad truth. Instead he leaned over to gather up Alice in his arms once again, throwing a comforting arm around Bella's shoulders at the same time. She had protected Alice; if she was truly alone in this world the least he could do was to protect her in return.

Day 1 – 8:03 a.m.

As they made their hasty retreat onto Market Street next to the beautiful landmark Palace Hotel that was now riddled with unsightly cracks, Bella had a fleeting thought about whether or not the historic hotel's stained glass dome had survived the quake as well as the 1909 Maxfield Parrish mural of "The Pied Piper of Hamlin" that adorned its bar. She quickly squashed her wandering thoughts of lost art and culture as they were clearly not as important as the many people that must have been injured—or worse—in the city.

Before she had time to ponder the severity of that sinking thought, a soft groan alerted both her and Jasper that Alice had awoke.

"Alice?" Jasper's voice shook with emotion as he loosened his grip on her body enough to see her pretty face.

"Jazz? What's going on?" Her eyes blinked repeatedly in confusion as she tried to place her surroundings. When her gazed settled on Bella she startled and immediately began to push against Jasper's chest in an effort to get him to release her so she could stand on her own two feet. He acquiesced, though he refused to let go of her completely lest she should be unsteady and fall.

"Are you okay?"

"Does your head hurt?"

"Do you feel sick?"

"Do you remember anything?"

Alice cringed back as they bombarded her with questions of her wellbeing. It took her a moment to remember what had happened. She could recall being in the studio with Bella, the sudden violent shaking, and falling off of her stool, but after that—nothing.

"Oh my god. There was an earthquake. I remember…" she started as she looked around taking in the devastation on the streets surrounding them. "How did we get here?"

"We're taking you to the hospital. How are you feeling, angel?" Jasper asked, his hand rubbing small reassuring circles on her back.

Alice's eyes widened at the use of his term of endearment in front of present company. They had only been seeing each other for a short period of time, but they had quickly become experts in keeping their relationship under wraps. She absolutely refused to do anything to jeopardize his job at the Academy of Art.

Beside them, Bella chuckled lightly as she realized what it was that had Alice so worked up, simply glad that her friend was alive and well.

"Your secret's safe with me," she whispered with a conspiratorial giggle. "I promise. Don't you worry your pretty little head."

Jasper beamed in reply, well aware that he had done nothing to disguise his feelings for Alice in light of the tragedy. His first and only concern was her safety and wellbeing, job be damned.

"Now, how are you feeling?" Jasper persisted. After ascertaining that her head was indeed throbbing and she felt nauseous they set off once again in the direction of the hospital, regardless of Alice's assurances that she would be fine with time.

Day 1 – 8:34 a.m.

Time felt like it came to a standstill as the group approached Union Square. Swarms of scared and disoriented people filled the surrounding streets and park. It looked like a living, breathing organism, pulsing with desperation.

They were immediately assaulted by gut wrenching wailing coming from those around them already mourning the loss of loved ones. Cries and pleas for more help came from all directions from others searching for their missing families and friends.

Business men and women hopelessly stumbled through the rubble in their finest attire calling out names. Homeless panhandlers in their dingy garb aided rescue workers in pulling trapped civilians from collapsed buildings.

None of them would ever forget the dusty faces of the individuals being pulled from the wreckage. Everywhere they looked wide eyes searched out theirs pleading for help.

Humanity had been brought to its knees by an act of God.

Day 1 – 8:39 a.m.

Flashing emergency lights on the far side of the park indicated the location of the makeshift trauma center that rescue teams had setup. With an end in sight, Jasper began pushing through the mob of civilians to get Alice to safety. She insisted on walking, but he supported most of her weight with a secure arm wrapped around her. Bella used her small stature to wind a serpentine path through the sea of bodies, Alice and Jasper trailing quickly behind her.

Day 1 – 8:44 a.m.

"Señorita! Mi bebé! Ayuda! Help!"

Just as they neared the triage area where another ambulance was arriving on the scene to aid the current Fire Search and Rescue teams, Bella felt a violent tug on her arm. The pull was strong enough to catch her off balance, causing the right heel of her stiletto boot to slip and her ankle to twist painfully. She cried out as a petite Hispanic woman yanked on her arm again, ranting like a madwoman in her panicked state.

"Let her go! You're hurting her," Alice bellowed, as she tried to help Bella stay upright. Jasper immediately shot into action, trying to pry the woman's fingers off of her. He didn't know Bella well, but he felt a kinship to her.

"Ayuda, por favor! My baby… She hurt. She need help." The woman's broken English may have been hard to decipher, but the pain in her voice was unmistakable. "You are doctor?" she asked, pulling on the sleeve of Bella's white painting smock.

Bella's eyes shot up as realization set in. She immediately softened her expression to one of compassion and empathy. "No, I'm sorry. I'm not a doctor. I'm an artist." She pointed out the now obvious splotches of green and orange paint on the front of her smock.

The older woman's eyes filled with hopeless tears and her shoulders slumped in defeat.

"I can try to help," Bella offered, willing to do anything to wipe that expression off of this stranger's face.

"Bella, no. If we get split up we may not find you again," Jasper rationalized, gesturing to the hordes of people surrounding them.

"I can't just not do anything. It'll be fine. I can meet you back here."

"And then someone else will grab you for help. It's chaos here."

"All the more reason to help out. I'm fine. These people need help."

"Fine. You stay with Alice and make sure she gets seen. I'll go help this lady… if I can."

"Jasper…"

"This isn't up for discussion." His commanding tone softened as he pulled both of the girls into his chest for a departing hug. "Take care of each other. We'll meet back here in front of that palm tree," he said, pointing towards the towering giant just behind us.

Bella turned her head to give the pair of lovers a moment to say their temporary goodbyes in peace. She gave the confused older woman still waiting for help and awkward hug and wished her well. Glancing up a second too soon she caught sight of Jasper leaning in to steal one more kiss from his sweetheart before he turned and left with the other lady.

Day 1 – 9:11 a.m.

Bella stood with Alice sitting at her feet waiting in the long, unorganized line of people waiting for medical aid. Those pulled out of buildings on stretchers and with obvious life threatening injuries were summoned forward first. The others continued to wait.

"This is ridiculous, Bella. I'm gonna be fine. We should be helping not just sitting here."

"Jasper will kill me if you don't get checked out. You hit your head really hard, and you were unconscious for a long time. It could be more serious than you think."

"I know," she sighed in defeat.

"How are you feeling?"

"Still nauseous, but probably a hell of a lot better than a lot of these people."

"Just rest. Who knows if we'll even have homes to go back to? You may need your strength."

Alice was quiet for a long time, leading Bella to believe that she had perhaps dozed off sitting up. She moved to quietly sit down next to her friend, so as not to disturb her only to become alarmed when she noticed fat tears streaming down Alice's face. Without a word she pulled her friend into her arms, carefully cradling her head against her shoulder.

"Is it your head?" she whispered. Surely the noise of the crowds, sirens, emergency crews, and the helicopter circling overhead were getting to her.

"N-no. I was just thinking about my parents. I haven't talked to them all week. They must be so worried seeing all of this on the news."

"Do you want to use my phone?" Bella offered.

"You have your cell with you?" Alice question with wide, exasperated eyes. "Why the hell haven't you used it?"

Bella quickly rifled through her messenger bag and handed over her phone. Alice snatched it without hesitation and began dialing.

"Come on, come on," she pleaded as she held the phone to her ear. A second later she cursed and started dialing again, when she still didn't get through she handed the phone back to Bella. "All circuits are busy," she intoned, mocking the feminine, robotic voice on the line.

"Shit. Sorry."

Day 1 – 9:39 a.m.

A group of men in reflective orange vests began handing out water bottles to the ever growing crowd of people gathering in Union Square. The location had been a refugee camp for survivors of the great 1906 earthquake until the surrounding buildings caught fire chasing out its occupants. It looked like history would be repeating itself as the headcount continued to grow.

Murmurs of the degree of destruction left by the quake began to rumble through the crowd. Bella caught glimpses of various conversations: the Bay Bridge had collapsed, out of control fires blazed in Oakland, rock slides along the coastline, a fallen overpass closing off Highway 101, flooding from a broken water main in the Castro district, a gas main explosion just south of the city, and countless landmark buildings that were no more. There were reports that the earthquake had been felt as far north as Southern Oregon and as far south as Los Angeles. Power was out in the city and much of the surrounding Bay Area.

Initial numbers on the quake rated it as a magnitude 8.1.

Listening to the people around her confer about just how far the damage of the quake had reached, brought on another terrifying thought.

Are the Cullen's safe?

Images of their beautiful faces danced behind her eyes: Carlisle with his graying hair and kind blue eyes that wrinkled at the corners with his fatherly, knowing smile; Esme with her gentle and accepting hugs that could warm you from the inside out and her inhuman beauty; Emmett with his hulking build and heart of teddy bear; and her Edward—her perfect match—with the capacity to love more than she could ever possibly understand. He deserved so much more than the shell she had become after her parents' accident.

She hadn't seen any of the Cullen's in almost eighteen months now, but they were practically her extended family. Well they would have been if she hadn't been so screwed up and pushed him away when he was just trying to get her help.

In her heart, she'd known at the time that he'd only had her best interests at heart, but it still hurt when he'd treated her like something that needed to be fixed—a project. In response, she'd thrown herself into her art and pushed him further and further away until their relationship was no more.

Glancing at Alice—who was looking a little green and worse for wear—she discreetly dialed his number from memory and pressed the phone to her ear. When the operator's voice came on with the prerecorded, 'We're sorry, all circuits are currently busy. Please try your call again,' a heart wrenching sob tore from her throat. For the first time since the beginning of this horrific day, Bella allowed herself to really cry. And just like she had done for Alice, she felt tiny arms wrap around her and hold her close while she let out all of her pain, fear, and frustration. As much as she tried to find comfort in her friend's embrace, she longed for her Edward and the electricity of his touch.

How would she go on if something had happened to him?

Day 1 – 11:14 a.m.

Alice was resting on a makeshift cot in one of the many tents that the Red Cross had setup within the last hour for injured victims of the quake. Emergency rooms in the city were overflowing with patients so anyone that could be effectively treated and cared for onsite was kept here. Those who were not so fortunate were flown by helicopter out of the city to surrounding hospitals.

The pain medication they had administered was starting to take the edge off of her headache but the nausea had only increased. She was kept for observation to determine whether a trip to the hospital was imminent or not.

Her head lolled to the side lazily and she focused her gaze on Bella, who was holding a little red-headed boy's hand while a paramedic cleaned up some cuts on his head. She'd taken to helping out in whatever little ways she could with other patients while Alice was tended to by the medical team. When she was done she made her way back over to Alice, who was starting to get some more color in her cheeks.

"Hey, how are you feeling?" she asked in a soft voice, trying not to disturb her friend's peaceful state.

"A little better. I wish I could be more helpful like you."

"Shush. You're job is to get better."

"I wonder when Jasper will be back. I hope he's okay."

"Someone miss me?" a deep voice called out from behind the girls. Alice rolled over onto her other side to see Jasper, covered in dirt and soot, smiling down at her. "So what's the prognosis?"

"They said she definitely has a concussion. If she starts to slur her speech, stumbling, or anything like that she has to be admitted to a hospital. For now they gave her something for the pain and said to keep her hydrated and as comfortable as possible. She can stay here if there's nowhere safe for us to take her." Jasper nodded as Bella relayed all of the information she had from the medics.

"You're so dirty," Alice croaked as he leaned in to kiss her on the forehead. "What happened?"

"I apologize, angel," he replied with a chuckle. "Had to do some real manual labor today." His expression quickly became somber. "That little girl didn't make it…"

Bella gasped, "I'm so sorry, Jasper. I shouldn't have made you feel like you had to go. That must have been horrible to see."

"It's okay. It was my choice, and I'm glad for it. I got together with a group of guys and we pulled a family of three out of a neighboring house. That made it all worth it." He paused a beat, stroking a single finger down Alice's cheek. "It's bad out there. My apartment building is gone—a pile of rubble. I don't know what we're going to do. But I'm so glad that you're okay. You make this world so much more beautiful."

Tiny fissures around Bella's heart began to rupture like fault lines as she listened to Alice and Jasper's tender exchange. She closed her eyes and turned her face toward the heavens and prayed for the second time that day. She asked the Lord for Edward's safety and protection and that if there were ever a second chance at love that she may be granted such an opportunity. She vowed if she were given such a possibility that she would never, ever let him go again.

Day 1 – 2:39 p.m.

"Oh crap! Do you even have your keys with you? We didn't grab your bag from the studio."

"I have a key," Jasper said with an embarrassed flush, as he stepped in front of the girls to open up Alice's apartment.

"Okay, come out with it. How long have you two been together?" Bella laughed.

Her teasing was cut short when the floor below their feet began to tremble. Their eyes simultaneously widened and Jasper quickly grabbed both of the girls that he had just ushered into the apartment and pulled them back into the doorway. The steady trembling was punctuated with harsh shakes from side to side.

Bella braced herself against the doorframe while Jasper and Alice leaned against the other side wrapped tightly in each other's arms. Before they realized it the door began to swing on its hinges with the back and forth motion, sending it suddenly slamming shut on Bella's fingers where she gripped the frame. She cried out in pain before she could stop herself.

Jasper kicked the door open and cradled Bella's hand in his large ones. Her fingers were already swelling and discolored. Alice wrapped her arms around Bella's waist and hung on tightly while the three rode out the rest of the aftershock together.

Day 1 – 2:45 p.m.

"I think your fingers might be broken," Alice said, resting her head on Bella's shoulder where they sat side by side on the small, plum colored couch.

Jasper came back into the room with a bag of frozen peas, some Advil, and three bottles of water.

"There's no power, but everything in the freezer is still nice and cold," he commented as he laid the bag delicately across Bella's swollen right hand. "Do you want me to take you to the hospital? Or back to the medical tents?"

"No. I'll be fine. They can't do much for fingers anyway. There are so many people in critical condition that need their attention."

Alice and Jasper both nodded in understanding.

"We should decide what we're going to do," Jasper started. "There are enough provisions here to get us through a few days if we want to stay, but I think we should find a way out of the city. If the aftershocks keep up, things could get a lot worse before they get better. But I'm not sure if either of you are going to be up for travel either."

"Maybe we should rest for a while and then pack up and try to leave tomorrow," Alice offered.

"Agreed," Bella said.

"Okay, tomorrow it is. I'm gonna go get cleaned up."

Jasper disappeared into Alice's bedroom and the girls fell into a fitful sleep with Alice's head on Bella's shoulder and Bella's head resting atop hers.

Day 2 – 5:45 a.m.

Like clockwork, Bella awoke at 5:45 on the dot. She blinked away the sleep in her eyes and rubbed her face in confusion. Sitting up to take in her strange surroundings, reality set in as she remembered that she was at Alice's apartment. A blanket was tucked snugly around her and a pillow had been placed under her head. Her body was stiff from sleeping on the small couch and she stretched to work out the kinks and knots, her body making odd snaps and pops as she moved.

They'd had two more aftershocks the previous day, bringing the total number of earthquakes to four so far. Each one unnerved her a little more than the previous. Flashes of Alice falling off her stool and the window next to her erupting into a million shards of glass replayed on an endless loop in her mind. She'd never been one to be frightened of earthquakes, but she wasn't so sure even wanted to stay in California after all of this.

Bella quietly made her way to the only bathroom in the apartment to freshen up and do her business. There was no hot water in the building, but hopefully they would be in a hotel room somewhere south of San Francisco by this afternoon anyway.

Alice had lent her a pair of pajamas to sleep in and for that she was grateful. Her feet were still throbbing and blistered from her poor choice of shoes the day before and she wasn't looking forward to wearing them again until she could get her hands on something else. She swore to herself that she'd never wear another pair of high heels if she could help it. That thought made her realize she would need to get back to her apartment to gather some clothes and other basic necessities before they fled the city.

As she settled back down onto the couch she fished her cell phone out of her bag. Her finger hesitating for just a moment over the call button before she redialed the last number she'd tried to call—his number.

"We're sorry, all circuits are currently busy—" She threw her phone down with a resounding bang and immediately regretted her actions, not wanting wake Jasper and Alice who were sleeping just down the hall with the door open in case anything were to happen.

"God, Edward, please be okay. You have to be okay," she whispered to herself.

Day 2 – 6:04 a.m.

Without electricity or gas, food was a challenge. Fortunately Bella was able to scrounge up some dry cereal and some orange juice in the fridge that was still cool but would definitely go bad quickly if not consumed soon.

I would kill for a cup of coffee, she thought to herself.

Day 2 – 8:32 a.m.

Bella entertained herself by trying to contact Edward every five minutes or so while Jasper and Alice slept. Every time she heard the prerecorded voice tell her that her call could not go through was slightly more annoying than the time before. She even changed it up and tried the Cullen's house number once just for kicks. At some point she childishly flipped the bird at her phone.

"Morning. How long have you been awake?" a frumpy Alice asked, as she perched on the arm of the couch.

"A while. Couldn't sleep. How's the head?"

"Sore, but fine. How's the hand?"

"Throbbing, but fine. How's Jasper?"

"Amazing. Who's the guy you keep trying to call?"

"W-what?"

"Oh, come on, Bella. I've been watching you for a good fifteen minutes. Who are you trying to reach?"

"Nobody." She tried to shrug off the question but Alice's pointed look made it obvious that she wouldn't get away with evasiveness this time. "He's just a friend… Well, he used to be a friend but… He was my boyfriend but I haven't seen him…" She tried and failed to come up with the right way to explain her situation.

"So he's just a friend or he's your boyfriend?"

"He's my ex-boyfriend. God, I hate that term. It sounds so bad." She scrubbed her hands over her face in frustration. "He was my boyfriend but things got complicated and we just grew apart, I guess. I just wanted to make sure he was okay."

"Phone's still not working?"

"No. Sorry." Alice gave her a sad nod of acceptance.

Day 2 – 9:49 a.m.

Clad in a pair of Alice's sweats and a borrowed pair of ill fitting tennis shoes that were still more comfortable than her stiletto boots and going against Jasper's better judgment, Bella made her way down to her apartment building to scope things out and hopefully pack a bag. Much of the street was still closed off, but she carefully picked her way through the debris and up the sidewalk. When she was fifty yards or so from her destination her cell phone came to life in her messenger bag, vibrating and ringing for the first time since the quake.

A spring of hope welled inside her as her hands frantically grasped for the phone as if it was her very soul's salvation from this tragedy. Her heart lurched into her throat when she saw the name that flashed on her screen—Edward. With shaking hands she pressed the talk button to accept the call.

"H-hello?" Her voice was raw to her own ears. When she heard nothing but a loud breath whoosh into the phone receiver, she tried again. "Hello? Edward?" Nothing. "Is that you? Can you hear me? Are you there?"

She heard a muffled commotion come across the line, like someone had dropped the phone. And then as if out of her most vivid dreams, she heard a voice she would never—could never—forget call out her name as plain as day. Only it didn't come from the cell phone that was pressed impossibly tight against her ear so as not to miss a sound. No, it came from directly in front of her.

Her head whipped up at a break neck speed, spotting a man running full bore towards her. It took a second for her to fully comprehend who it was and what was going on.

As if straight out of a romantic movie, the morning clouds seemed to part at that very second allowing a bright ray of sunshine to burst forth through the dreary haze of fog and destruction. A spotlight was cast directly onto the man running at her, revealing a shock of unmistakable bronze hair and a look of complete and utter desperation.

Edward.

Day 2 – 9:50 a.m.

Without any hesitation Bella hurdled herself into his open arms. They held each other tightly, the familiarity of their embrace the only comfort for their broken spirits.

"Edward," his name fell from her mouth in a desperate sob. "I can't believe you're here. How? Why?" Her words were muffled by his shirt as she clung to him, breathing in his scent and soaking up his essence.

"Oh god, Bella. I just... As soon as the quake hit and I couldn't get you on the phone to make sure you were okay… God, I just needed to see you with my own eyes. I needed to see that you were alright. That you were alive and safe. You are okay, aren't you? Are you hurt?"

"I'm fine. Everything's fine now that you're here."

He pulled back and began to take a visual inventory of her body. When his eyes came to her right hand that was cradled gently in her left he stopped short.

"What happened to your hand?"

"Oh, uh, I think I may have a few broken fingers. It got slammed in the door during an aftershock yesterday. It's no big deal, really."

"Ouch. This doesn't look good." His cool fingers caressed her tender skin as he inspected her injury. After a moment he brought her hand up to his mouth and placed a gentle kiss on it. As soon as his lips left her skin he seemed to think better of it and muttered a quiet apology.

"It's okay." She had been praying for his presence for over twenty-four hours but now that he was here she wasn't sure what to say. Did she beg for him to take her back? Apologize for losing it in the wake of her parents' accident? Make promises about her mental state that she wasn't so sure were true? She settled on asking about his family.

"Everyone's fine. Mom lost her grandma's china and Emmett lost his new flat screen, but no one was hurt. Mom and Dad have been worried about you though. San Francisco was definitely hit the hardest. Is your apartment okay?"

"Umm, I don't know. This is the first time I've been back here."

He gave her an inquisitive look that was tinged with fear before he voiced his question. "You stayed with someone else?" It did not go unnoticed by Bella that he was unable to make eye contact with her as he asked about her whereabouts. In fact, he looked downright uncomfortable.

"Yeah, I stayed with my friend Alice and her boyfriend Jasper last night. She was hurt pretty badly in the quake. Hit her head. Jasper's place was destroyed and her apartment was the closer than mine. So…" She shrugged.

"Well I'm glad you weren't alone. I was worried about you."

Day 2 – 10:18 a.m.

Edward walked aimlessly around the small one bedroom apartment that he used to know so well. So much was the same and yet so much had changed. All traces of a male ever cohabitating in the space had been removed, yet there were pictures of him—of them together—everywhere.

He wondered what it meant. Were her feelings still as strong as his? Was there any chance for reconciliation of their previous relationship? He'd prayed so many times for a second chance, but more importantly he just wanted Bella to be happy and find peace. He had been so worried about her after her parents' untimely death.

The Swans had practically become extended family to the Cullens. Edward and Bella's lives were so entwined that it had just seemed natural for holidays and important family events to follow suit. Before they'd realized what was happening, their parents had become the best of friends. Their absence in Cullens' lives was a hollow echo of pain reverberating through time. They would never be forgotten and there would always be an empty void in their hearts that could not be filled. But what hurt even more than the loss of Charlie and Renee was the sudden absence of Bella from their lives. She had been more than Edward's long time girlfriend and lover. Bella was also a beloved daughter and sister to the Cullens.

Unfortunately, she had taken her parents death particularly hard. Edward had tried everything he could think of to get her to move forward and start to live again, but she had shut down and in the process shut him out. In the end she had completely pushed him away claiming that she couldn't be what he needed or deserved. She didn't want to love anymore because she didn't want to hurt.

He'd spent months afterwards wondering if he had pushed her too hard too soon. She didn't want to accept help or counseling to get through her grief. His constant concern and worrying seemed to be the catalyst that spurred her to end the best relationship he'd ever experienced.

He picked up a picture of the two of them standing in the field of poppies behind his parents' home in Palo Alto. They weren't even looking at the camera, just grinning at each other like the fools in love that they were. There were so many precious memories in that field like their first kiss and first declarations of love.

"That one's my favorite," Bella murmured from behind him barely loud enough for him to hear, yet still causing him to startle.

"Mine too," he admitted. As he moved to place the picture frame back down on the shelf where he found it, Bella shocked him by gently pulling it from his hands and turning to pack it in her duffle bag.

Day 2 – 10:34 a.m.

"So you never told me how you got here? Did you drive? I thought most of the roads were blocked."

The two walked side by side down the street as Bella directed them back to Alice's apartment. Edward carried a small cardboard box of her most valuable possessions in case of fires or looting, while Bella lugged a brown and turquoise polka-dotted duffle bag stuffed full of clothing and bare necessities to get her through the immediate future.

"I rode up with my dad. He was meeting a mission team of doctors up here to help out with the emergency triage units that are being set up around the city to alleviate the ER overflow." He went on to explain where they had parked the car and how they had to walk a few miles into the city. "Where were you guys planning on staying?"

"Just a hotel. Whatever we could find that was out of the immediate disaster area."

"Listen, Bella. I don't want to make you uncomfortable or anything since we're not together… But you know that you can come stay at my folks' house. In fact, Mom would probably skin me if I didn't offer." As if reading her mind he added, "Your friends can come too. And Dad can check out your hand."

"Really? I mean I should check with Alice and Jasper first. They've been so good to me. I should make sure they're okay with it."

Day 2 – 11:21 a.m.

Bella reached forward to ring the door bell with her good hand at the same time that it swung open, as if someone were staring out the peep hole expectantly.

"Thank god you're back! I was getting ready to send a search party. I knew I should have put my foot down and made you take Jasper with you." While Alice nervously ranted, Jasper stepped forward to take her duffle back from her.

Edward shifted uncomfortably behind Bella; the motion caused Alice to look up for the first time and take notice of the handsome man accompanying her friend.

"Oh," she squeaked. "Who's this?"

"This is Edward Cullen. He's a very close friend." Alice shot her friend a knowing smirk that caused her cheeks to burn. She was hoping she hadn't said too much, but the gentle and reassuring smile that Edward sent her told her that he was pleased with her wording.

It turned out that Bella didn't really need to check with Alice and Jasper first. Alice's gleeful response decided any concerns that Jasper would have had about imposing on another family's hospitality.

After introductions were made Edward stuck closely to Bella's side, a little intimidated by the not-so-subtle matchmaker techniques that Alice was already using to try and reignite the couple's relationship.

Not that he wasn't all for the idea, but he couldn't be sure what Bella's thoughts on the subject were. He was certain it would kill him if she were forced to admit that she no longer loved him. The sting of rejection was not something that he could handle on top of the whirlwind of emotion the past day had already launched upon him.

Day 2 – 8:32 p.m.

"You work at Stanford Medical? That's a very prestigious hospital," Alice chatted up Carlisle in the front seat. Bella had to fight back her smile at how quickly such a horrible disaster was becoming a rather happy event. Well maybe happy wasn't the right word, but then again, the way her thigh and shoulder were pressed so tightly against Edward was far from a tragedy.

She was in the backseat sandwiched between Edward and Jasper. Alice was up front because she was still fighting off some lingering nausea from the concussion. Carlisle thought it would be best for her to avoid aggravating her condition with any motion sickness since the road to their house was full of twists and turns.

Carlisle had worked a long, full day in the city. He would have elected to stay behind and continue on helping out in any way he could if it were not for the car full of people that he wanted to make sure made it to safety. There hadn't been any noteworthy aftershocks today, but you just never knew. Seeing the girl he'd always assumed would become his daughter-in-law one day had brought out some long repressed emotions. She was important to his family, important to his son, and he'd made a silent promise on his friend's grave that he would watch over his daughter in his absence.

If something had happened to her while she was all alone in that big city… He couldn't even think it. His eyes watered as he glanced in the rear view mirror catching his son's eyes. There was a light in them that had been missing for eighteen long months.

Day 2 – 9:18 p.m.

Ever the gentleman, Edward offered his hand to Bella to help her from the car. They both held onto each other for a beat too long after the door was closed securely behind her. She only let go when she heard Esme's voice calling out for her. Overwhelmed by how good it felt to be on the receiving end of her motherly hug, the tears came unbidden.

"Oh, sweet girl, we've missed you so much. I'm so glad you're okay." The two women held each other tightly as they cried and reconnected. "Emmett will be here in the morning. He can't wait to see you either. He's engaged to Rosalie now. You remember her? They're such a funny couple. She really puts him in his place. Let's see what else…"

Edward looked on feeling relief, hope, and a bit helpless. He couldn't fight the feeling that he just wanted to hold Bella close to him and never let her go again, but he was also wary that his time with her might have an expiration date.

Day 2 – 10:31 p.m.

When Carlisle was done examining and wrapping Bella's hand and he'd given her an ice pack and some medication for the pain, Esme peeked her head into the small study to deal out room assignments for the night.

"You all must be exhausted. I have the guest bedroom set up for Alice and Jasper. Bella you can take Edward's old room." She turned to Edward, "And you, young man, are gonna have to take the couch."

"Of course," he chuckled. "Come on, Swan. I'll show you to my room," he said with a teasing tone.

His room was much the same as she remembered, down to the same brushed cotton, sterling gray comforter. She smiled softly as her hand ghosted over the fabric.

"You okay?" Edward asked, concern evident on his face.

She nodded. "Just remembering."

"Yeah, I guess there are a lot of memories in here." He came to stand beside her, and she noted the way his hand clenched and flexed as if he were fighting an urge to reach for something. Without thought she took his hand in hers and twined their fingers.

"I've missed you," she whispered shyly. When he didn't respond, she looked up to find him gazing at their hands. "Are you okay with me being here?" she asked.

Seeing him had been such a relief and the prospect of being back with people she'd always considered her second family such a welcome distraction from the tragedy that she hadn't even thought about how being near her may affect him. He didn't seem to hate her by any means, but that didn't mean he wasn't angry. Perhaps he had even moved on. She hadn't thought to ask if he had a girlfriend. The idea was too uncomfortable to consider.

"I'm fine. Good even. It's just… You're here. I never thought… I didn't know if I'd ever get to see you again. Just a little overwhelmed, I guess. Sorry."

"Don't apologize. And thank you."

"For what?"

She sat down on the bed still holding his hand in hers. "Coming for me. You didn't have to, but you did and it meant a lot to me." He sat down next to her imploring her with his eyes to continue. "I was so alone. I pushed everyone away. It was my fault. I did it to myself, but there was no one—no one to call. I've screwed up so bad, Edward. So alone..." She began to cry hard, her words coming out in broken sobs. Edward was only able to pick up bits and pieces, but one word repeated over and over broke his heart—alone.

His arms wrapped around her on their own accord, and he began to rock her softly back and forth. "Shh… You're not alone. I'm here. I've always been here," he murmured softly in her ear, while placing comforting kisses on her temple.

Day 3 – 12:00 a.m.

Edward slowly and quietly peeled himself out of Bella's arms and laid her sleeping form back on the pillow. He took off her shoes and carefully shifted her body so he could cover her with a blanket. Brushing the hair from her face he bent over and placed a soft kiss on her forehead.

"Sweet dreams, love," he whispered into the dark.

He'd held her until she'd cried herself to sleep, and even then had a difficult time letting her go as he knew he should. Turning to tiptoe quietly from the room, he heard a soft moan that stopped him in his tracks, afraid he had accidently woken her.

"Edward."

"Bella?" he questioned as he walked back towards the bed, but as he got closer he noticed that her eyes were still closed in sleep. He smiled to himself as he realized that some things didn't change. She obviously still mumbled nonsensical things in her sleep.

Day 3 – 12:06 a.m.

Unable to fight against the pull to be with her, Edward decided on sleeping in the small arm chair in the corner of the bedroom rather than the couch downstairs. He rationalized with himself that this way he would be there for Bella in case she awoke disoriented or sad. And he also wouldn't miss any of her silly sleep mumblings.

Day 3 – 2:47 a.m.

Edward felt like he had just barely fallen to sleep when he was suddenly jarred awake by violent shaking. He jumped to his feet taking only a split second to remember where he was. Bella began to whimper, not quite awake yet, just as Edward made it to the bed in two long strides. He climbed up next to her and wrapped his arms around her, fully ready to protect her with his own life if it became much worse.

Bella turned in his arms and grabbed tightly onto his t-shirt. "Aftershock?" she whimpered, her voice full of fear.

Edward nodded against her. "I've got you." He felt her tears soaking through his shirt as nightmares from her horrifying experience replayed on loop in her mind.

Bella pulled back suddenly and looked him directly in the eye, "Edward, I need to tell you something in case…"—she swallowed hard—"I love you."

The shaking began to stop, but Edward realized he was still trembling. Not with fear but with overwhelming emotion. "What?"

"I love you. I've always loved you. I haven't stopped. And I'm sorry that I've hurt you. I know you may never be able to forgive me for pushing you away, and that's okay. But you have to know just how much I love you."

"Are you just saying this because of the quake? Because you're scared? Please, Bella, I need to know what you're thinking. If you're going to change your mind… I just… I can't lose you again."

"No. I'm not telling you because I'm scared, but because this has put everything into perspective. I love you. I don't want to be without you."

His hand gently cradled her face. "You love me?" he asked in wonder. She nodded, rubbing her cheek against his palm. "You love me!" he exclaimed and then he brought his lips down on hers.

Day 3 – 2:49 a.m.

A soft knocking on the bedroom door caused the couple to break apart wearing matching embarrassed grins.

"Are you okay, Bella?" Carlisle called through the door.

She tried to contain her nervous giggle as she called back, "I'm fine, thanks."

"Good. I don't mean to pry, but is my son in there by any chance? It didn't look like he made it out to the couch."

"Yeah, I'm here, Dad."

"Busted," Bella whispered to Edward, playfully elbowing him in the ribs.

"Alright then. Goodnight, kids."

"Night," they called back in unison.

After thirty seconds of a somewhat awkward silence, they both dissolved into a fit of laughter.

"Emmett's gonna have a field day with this tomorrow, you know," Edward stated. "You've been here a few hours and we're already caught in bed together."

"Some things never change."

"I sure hope not."

"Now where were we?"

"Right"—he kissed her forehead—"about"—he kissed her cheek—"here"—he kissed her lips.

Soft sighs filled the room as their kissing grew more passionate and they slowly rediscovered each other's bodies. Lips caressed, tongues tasted, fingers massaged, and hands wandered in exploration.

"Bella?" Edward whispered against her neck.

"Hmm?" she hummed in reply as he continued to worship her throat.

He propped himself up onto his elbows to gaze down upon her. "I love you too."

Bella wrapped her good hand around the back of his neck and brought his lips down to hers in another searing kiss.

"Edward?"

"Yes?"

"Make love to me."

Day 366 – 7:00 a.m.

One year. It had been one long, trying year since that fretful day that shook the Bay Area and flattened much of San Francisco. Loved ones had been lost, upwards of 6000 experts said. It was a tragedy that would not be soon forgotten.

It took seven long and grueling months for most of the rubble to be cleared out of the city, and it would take even longer for rebuilding efforts to make a substantial positive impact. Much of the population had relocated, forced from their homes because of the lack of transportation, accessibility, or infrastructure.

Today they stood together, united in their memories and loss.

All around Union Square hands were clasped as the diverse community came together to honor the memory of those that didn't survive. At exactly 7:28 a.m. there would be a moment of silence followed up by the revealing of a memorial erected in honor of those forever lost to this world so that all future generations could pay their respects.

Edward gazed down at the beauty by his side, once again admiring her strength and trying to offer her any amount of comfort from the pain.

His thumb traced over the diamond ring on her left hand. It was his commitment to love, cherish, and protect her for all time. But it was even more than that. Putting his ring on her finger was a promise that he would always be there for her, and that she would never have to wonder who her family was again.

Bella squeezed his hand in return and then released it in favor of burying herself in his warmth. His arms wrapped fully around her, surrounding her in love, comfort, and hope. She was not alone.

She was his, and he was hers. Forever.

The End

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