Mia Cara

Chapter 1 A rose by any other name

*A/N I don't own Twilight or any of its characters. I only own my own OCs. Story contains spoilers for the books and movies.

I'm breathing extremely hard and probably too loudly for my companions' ears. But I can't help it. Bile creeps up my throat as adrenaline pumps through my veins, pushing the blood harder just under my deathly pale skin. Which is exactly what I don't need in my current circumstances although maybe the bile will off put their hunger, their thirst.

Beside me, breathing just as hard and heart thundering probably as loudly as mine, my twin clutches the pale arm that's holding her protectively. I'm grateful that he's there to protect her, to shield her. It seems so surreal that just minutes earlier, I was ready to wring his neck. Not that I could but I could imagine it very vividly.

Now, however, I don't want to picture any more gory details even if it's about the guy who broke my sister's heart. In fact, I'm fighting desperately not to see anything in my head. Fighting the nightmares that await behind closed eyes.

Some minutes earlier

"This is amazing! So much better than sitting in your room, worrying right?"

I smiled at the excited blonde beside me while she continued to gush in hushed whispers.

I'd only known Daisy Klein for a week, but in that time we'd become quite close and I'd even go so far as to say we had become fast friends. It helped that we shared an interest in the arts and architecture, but I supposed that was to be expected given we were both in Italy for the same two-week art program.

A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, I had applied for the architecture program last September before things had changed. Changed beyond repair. By the time the acceptance letter came in late January, I hadn't been so sure about going anymore.

But Dad had pushed me to go, told me to enjoy it, and he had been surprised when Bella managed to sincerely hope I could enjoy the trip. But I had known what Dad didn't know - Bella had been hoping I'd get out of town and away from the danger that literally stalked my twin. I didn't know what Bella did in her prior life to deserve the bad luck that followed her like a plague. But based on the redheaded nightmare who was just the latest in the string of terrible misfortunes to fall upon my sister in the span of only one year, I was often tempted to say she had been Hitler himself in her past life.

Either way, I hadn't been able to disagree with Bella or my father, nor had I particularly wanted to. Aside from wanting to relieve myself from the awkwardness that now seemed to permanently exist between me and Bella, I had desperately wanted to escape from the constant feeling of paranoia that had begun with the knowledge that Victoria was after us; after Bella. I trusted the wolf pack to protect my dad and Bella but I had really needed to get away before I went mad under the constant scrutiny of Bella's wolf friends and the ceaseless feeling that I was being watched by a redheaded shadow that could kill me before I even blinked. And besides, a two week art program in Italy? I'd be a fool to turn it down.

That was how I had ended up where I was in the present moment walking beside the babbling blonde I had come to call a friend.

Daisy and I had met the first day of class, taking relief in the fact that there was another American amongst the many Europeans. Not that they were snobbish in any way (well, they were but in a funny way that we often joked about together while they teased us for our 'uncouth' American ways) but it had just been nice to have that familiarity as we all sat down nervously amongst strangers. Daisy was sweet too, talking all about her family in Virginia and her father's job as a naval fleet officer, and she was quite pretty with her blonde hair and green eyes that suited her name perfectly. Best of all, she cared about me - which was how we were even walking inside an absolutely gorgeous and ornate hall.