Part 1

The heat was suffocating as soon as she stepped out of the truck. It was May, the end of Brazil's summer, but compared to the chill of Washington it was like being in a sauna. Especially with rain on the horizon. Bella grabbed her two large duffel bags and followed her guide, a college student studying marine biology named Jim, to the small charter plane they'd be taking to the Arquipélago de Trindade e Martim Vaz. Her mom Renee and step dad Phil were already at the research station, all set up. She'd be spending the summer with them before she started college in the fall.

While Jim and the pilot loaded the supplies they were taking to the archipelago, a taxi pulled up and a young guy, maybe her age, stepped out. He had tousled dark red hair and a chiseled face. They certainly did not make boys like that in Forks, or Phoenix, or any of the other cities she'd lived in.

"Edward?" Jim seemed to know him. "Glad you made it. Why don't you and Bella go find yourselves a seat. We should be taking off soon." Bella tossed her duffel bags in the plane and hopped in, followed shortly by Edward and Jim. "Edward Cullen, this is Bella Swan. Bella's parents are climatologists and Edward's parents are biologists." Introductions out of the way, the loud motor stifled anymore conversation.

Bella couldn't help but look on in wonder as they rose in the air. The rest of her travels had been in commercial airplanes and then the long drive with Jim in a cramped truck. These were the first real views she was getting of Brazil. The water along the shore was turquoise, but deepened into a dark blue the farther out they went. It was fascinating watching the rain come in. The sky darkened, and the rain seemed to make the water dance as it hit it.

It all was dream like until the turbulence started. What started as light rain, now pummeled against the plane. Bella took a moment to survey the other passengers aboard the plane. The pilot and Jim were arguing. She thought she heard something about rerouting south or turning around, but the whipping of the wind and the thrashing of the rain made it almost impossible to hear. Her eyes then moved over to Edward. His knuckles were white from his grip on the sides of the seat. She looked up at his face and saw a look of pure panic. His piercing green eyes captured hers and she couldn't look away.

It sounded like they'd agreed to go south and the plan appeared to be working. The rain and the wind had let up some. When she finally looked away from Edward's eyes, she became aware that somehow they'd ended up holding hands.

"Looks like we beat it. I'm going to have to radio in for an emergency landing. We're way off course, but if we head back towards the coast-" A flash of light and then a bang.