FOREVER

Aid

Aid

"Alice!" I shouted, racing towards the figure that loomed at the end of the hallway. She smelled just like I remembered and it got stronger as I neared. When I made contact with her it was like hitting a brick wall and I wouldn't have it another way. I wrapped my arms around her, my body shivering from a mix of surprise and cold. Jacob could be heard far off somewhere, panting in the doorway and I could practically feel his eyes burning holes into my back.

Then Alice stiffened. Her arms stayed firmly at her sides and I realized that my arms were wrapped around her waist. My arms should have been around her back. Her chest was pushing into mine, almost even with me but just a bit taller. I was 5'6.

This was not Alice.

My heart began to race and the figure stiffened even more, which I didn't think was possible. Slowly, I undid my grasp on her, (chest to chest, I figured out that she was indeed female) and lifted my head.

Blackened eyes stared down at me and her downturned head allowed her blonde hair to fall around her pale face like a strange sort of halo. I swallowed hard and she blinked the most intimidating slow blink I had ever witnessed. I tried taking a step back from her but my foot caught the rug I had upturned in my run. I started to stumble backwards but soon felt a cold sensation on my hand. Rosalie had grabbed my fingers in a most gentile manner. I found my balance again only to notice that Rosalie hadn't let go of my hand. In fact, she took my hand and turned it over to where my palm was facing up. I noticed a few fresh cuts from being thrown around today. For a moment I thought that they were too fresh for her to handle but she seemed completely reserved. In fact, she looked to ignore the cuts entirely as she placed two fingers to my wrist. She held it there for a moment then finally allowed my hand to drop. Her eyes shot over my shoulder to Jacob, who had since joined this strange meeting.

"What happened to her? Why is she so weak?" Rosalie demanded, definitely not in the mood for bullshit. I really hoped that Jacob could sense that. But she was also right; I was feeling really weak. Especially since she had mentioned it. My knees started to wobble and all I wanted to do was collapse. I heard him growl a bit as he stepped forward.

"What are you doing in Bella's house, leech?"

Rosalie rolled her eyes and suddenly I didn't feel the ground anymore. I lifted my head, which had somehow lolled to gawk at the floor and found that I was on the couch now. It was nice and soft and warm and I closed my eyes, listening to the conversation that carried on above me.

"I asked you a question, boy. It would do you well to answer it."

"Or what?"

I heard a strange noise. It was something like a growl but much more...Rosalie-like. Rosalie would never growl. "Look, her pulse is frighteningly low, she's pale and her hair is wet. Are you aware that it's below freezing outside? Please, what happened?" I really wanted to get up and tell her, but my body would have none of that. In fact, my brain seemed to be the only thing awake at the moment as I realized I couldn't really feel my body. That probably wasn't a good thing. Jacob heaved one of his sighs and I could picture the both of them glaring at each other, as they like to do.

"The redheaded vampire came back. She roughed Bella up on the cliff and when we showed up Bella tried to run and ending up tripping off of the edge of the cliff. But we saved her and she's fine."

"Yes, she looks fit for a marathon. Why was she alone on your territory?"

"If you must know she was distraught over your leaving. So don't act like we're the ones to blame."

"But you clearly are. Bella should not have been alone with another vampire about. We told you all of this before we left. It's a good thing I came back."