A heads up: If anyone finds any information incorrect with what we definitely know about Alice, please let me know. That'd be great. Please Read and review!

Disclaimer:

Roses are red,

Violets are blue

I don't own Twilight

And neither do you!

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May 30th, 1901

"My goodness Mama, isn't she the prettiest little thing?"

Catharine Rose Brandon looked at her other daughter, five year old Cynthia Ruth, and then at the baby in her arms. She smiled.

"Why yes, Cindy," Catharine whispered. "I do believe she is."

The baby Catharine had just given birth to was tiny, even for a new-born. She already had a full head of dark, silky hair covering her head. The baby opened her eyes to reveal a sparkling, brilliant blue, innocent to the world. She made a soft gurgling noise, and then shut her eyes again.

A male's laugh sounded. "She looks exactly like you, Cat,"

Catharine swiveled her head to see a tall, blonde man standing beside her. It was her husband, Gardner, to whom she affectionately referred to as Gard.

Catharine looked at her baby again, and then tugged on a strand of her own dark silky hair. It had come out of it's elegant up-do, and fell around her shoulders. A smile played on Catharine's lips. The baby did look like her, with her tiny nose and long lashes. In fact, the baby almost resembled Catharine's mother, Mary.

The baby opened her eyes again, and looked at Gard.

"My goodness!" he exclaimed. "She has the same eyes as Alice."

Catharine looked at Gard, puzzled. "Don't all babies have blue eyes?"

"I guess they do," Gard murmured. "But hers look like they belong to my Alice."

Alice was Gard's younger sister, who had recently passed. She had caught pneumonia, after visiting the mountains with her now widowed husband. Catharine looked at her baby, to realize that she indeed had Alice's eyes.

"Mary Alice," Catharine murmured, looking at the child. She rocked her slowly, and the baby gurgled again.

"What?" Gard asked, looking at his wife.

"Mary Alice," Catharine explained. "That's what we should name the baby."

Catharine looked at her other daughter, Cynthia. "What do you think, Cindy?"

Cynthia smiled and shook her blonde curls. "I love it!"

Gard gazed affectionately at his daughter. "Mary Alice… my little Alice…."

Catharine's head turned at the sound of footsteps in the room. It was Dr. Coffey, one of the working doctors at the Biloxi, Mississippi Memorial Hospital. The doctor was short, with mousey brown hair and light brown eyes to match. Even though he was small, he was one of smartest doctors in the hospital.

"How's the little girl?" Dr. Coffey asked mildly. Catharine smiled in response.

"Good, good. I'm going to have my medical assistant, Dr. Spadea check her length and weight to put on the birth certificate."

Catharine nodded, and handed little Mary Alice to Dr. Coffey. He walked out of the room, and then returned with her a few minutes later.

"Alright, her length is nineteen inches and her weight is exactly five pounds."

Dr. Coffey handed Catharine her baby, who immediately snuggled in towards her mother's chest. It was only when Catharine heard the measurements aloud that she realized exactly how tiny Mary Alice was.

"God bless her," Catharine whispered aloud, as Dr. Coffey kept on talking.

He turned to Gard. "We'll keep her through the night, just to be sure there are no concerns. Then, you can come pick her up in the morning and return home."

"Great," Gard said, shaking the doctor's hand. "Thank you for everything."

Dr. Coffey smiled warmly. "Yes, yes, you're very welcome. Come back to see me if there are any problems."

After an awkward pause, Dr. Coffey left the room. Gard walked over to Catharine, and kissed her hand. He glanced at his watch.

"It's almost eight o' clock," he said softly. "I should be getting the little one home."

As if on cue, Cynthia let out a big yawn. Gard laughed, and scooped the sleepy five-year old into his arms.

"Well, off we go. I'll be here in the morning to pick you up."

"Bye…"she whispered, staring at her husband adoringly. Then she looked down at her baby.

Catharine felt as if her life were perfect; she finally felt complete.

A nurse came in to set up the crib that Catharine had requested earlier. Catharine didn't want to be separated from her beautiful Mary Alice. The entire reason Catharine insisted on traveling to the hospital instead of birthing at home with a midwife because Cynthia's convulsions. Shortly after she was born, Cynthia had had a fit, crying and shaking. While the seizure had been scary, it had had no lasting health effects, and Cynthia had never had one again. Still, Catharine remembered the terror as she watched, helpless, and wanted to be sure if something went wrong, someone would be there to fix it.

The nurse lifted Mary Alice from Catharine's arms, and laid her in the makeshift crib. She nodded at Catharine and then obediently left the room without saying a word.

Catharine looked at Mary once again. She was curled up and sucking on a knuckle, already fast asleep.

Catharine smiled, and reflected on the birthing ordeal. She was content, but definitely tired. Slowly, she drifted off to sleep.

***

Catharine woke up to complete silence.

A change in position had woken Catharine. She glanced out the window, to realize it was still night. It seems about midnight, Catharine thought tiredly, as she gazed lovingly at the crib.

The little shape seemed peaceful, still curled into a ball. Catharine stood, trying to make her way over to the crib. She reached over, and stroked her baby's cheek.

That was when Catharine realized Mary Alice wasn't breathing.

Panic shot through Catharine's body, a stampede of terrified horses released into her blood stream. Alarmed, she picked her baby. She ran for Dr. Coffey's office.

She ran up the hall, the green tile rushing by her in a blur. Please, she prayed. Please don't let it be too late. The big wooden door with Dr. Coffey's name on it seemed heavy as she kicked it, making a loud thud against the wall and possibly knocking over a plant.

Dr. Coffey was snoring over some papers. When he heard Catharine's fuss, he jolted awaked.

"W-What's wrong?"

Catharine, too terrorized to speak, thrust her baby at him.

Dr. Coffey took the baby, seeming alarmed. As he looked at Mary Alice, a look of puzzlement spread across his face.

"Mrs. Brandon? What seems to be the problem?"

"Mary Alice!" Catharine explained desperately. "She's not breathing. Please, do something quickly!"

Dr. Coffey just stared at her, before saying, "The baby is fine, see?"

Sure enough, as Dr. Coffey held Catharine's baby out to her, she could see Mary Alice was breathing fine. She had slept right through the mess, and was now snuggling contentedly against her mother.

"But, she wasn't moving! Her breathing was still! She-"

"Perhaps it was just a nightmare," said Dr. Coffey calmly, yet with finality.

Catharine's shoulders slumped, and she walked out of Dr. Coffey's office and back to her room.

As she laid Mary Alice in her crib, doubt overcame her. Catharine knew the she should trust Dr. Coffey, but she knew she hadn't imagined Mary Alice's lack of breath. What had happened to Catharine's baby was a mystery. Catharine just hoped it was like Cynthia;s siezure, that it would never happen again.

She laid in her hospital bed, and with a final look at Mary Alice, drifted off to sleep.

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