{Preface}

The sun hung low in the beautifully coloured sky. It was not long before the light would disappear completely, and the night could begin. Next to the sounds of the birds and the rushing of the nearby waterfall, it was quiet.

Small clouds left Bella's mouth as she exhaled into the cold air. She was sitting in the snow, trying not to let the low temperature bother her. It was cooling down quickly, now that the sun was setting. The tree at her back and the ones surrounding her provided her with a bit of protection from the wind, but it was not much. She knew it was time to pack up and return home, but she could not help wanting to stay for a little longer.

This place had become her sanctuary ever since she had discovered it not long after she and Dad had moved here. At the time she had been overwhelmed by all the new impressions and in her search for calm she had happened to come across this small meadow. She could still vividly remember sitting in this spot for the first time, against the tree, a few feet from the water. It was here that she had found some much needed peace.

Bella had returned nearly every week since that day. At times she would bring one of her friends, but she mostly preferred to go here on her own. This place always helped her to clear her mind as she isolated herself from reality for a few hours.

Her dad had not been happy when he had found out where she disappeared to so often. It was quite a hike away from civilisation and he had been worried for her safety. Though Bella appreciated his concern, she had stood her ground with this issue. In the end her dad had given in, though he made her promise to always take her phone.

On this particular afternoon, Bella had forgone her homework and had instead gotten her warmest clothes out, as well as a thermos full of hot tea. With a book under her arm she had stepped outside before making her way up the trail.

The book currently lay forgotten on her bag in the snow. She had tried to read for a while but had given up when she caught herself staring at the same page for several minutes. Sometimes her mind was simply too busy for her to be able to focus. Instead she had closed her eyes and had breathed in the icy air.

It had already been several hours since she had left the house, but she did not feel compelled to leave this place just yet. In a while she would go back home to take a warm shower and listen to her dad's loving scolding. For now, though, she just sat back and enjoyed the calm. Here, in the middle of nowhere, she did not have to worry about what tomorrow would bring.

~o~

The snow crunched under Alice's feet as she sped through the forest. Purely relying on her instincts and reflexes, she swerved through the trees, jumping and dodging for any loose branches. There was no need to think about her movements when she was away from civilisation, and she was able to shut her thoughts off, enjoying the present.

It had been quite a while since she had last been alone. Privacy and me-time were nearly impossible to find in a coven of vampires with enhanced senses, who also never slept. Luckily Alice adored her family and she could not imagine her life without them. She would gladly give up her privacy if it meant she would always have them around. Usually when she went out on a run, she would ask Edward or Jasper to join her, but today she had gotten the strong feeling she should go on her own. She trusted her instincts, even though she had no idea why she should be alone and had grabbed the change to sneak off when the others had been occupied.

She had seen that no one would be following her any time soon.

Alice inhaled the wonderful smells of the forest as she sped up, putting all her energy into her movements. She might not be the fastest of the family, but she could achieve quite the speed if she wanted to. A grin spread across her face as she remembered when she had beaten Emmett in a race last year. Her triumph had been great and although her brother had acted sad, the spark in his eyes had told her something different.

Her family was all she had, and she loved them with her entire heart.

When Alice neared a stream of water she slowed down, coming to a stop. She closed her eyes, focussing on her other senses.

She could hear the birds up above screeching, the rustling of the leaves. She noticed a herd of moose several miles away but did not feel like hunting them.

Just seconds later, she came upon a new sound. The familiar beating made her frown, while a deep breath confirmed her suspicions. Immediately she opened her sixth sense, rapidly scanning through the near future. However, no matter what choice she made, nothing came up. Her breath halted, and Alice was sure that if her heart had still worked, it would be beating out of her chest by now. The anticipation she felt, did not correspond with her visions, and her mind raced through her different options. It was not long before her curiosity got the best of her and she set off into the direction of the heartbeat which had caught her attention.

As she neared, the sound got more pronounced, and she started to move through the shadows to stay hidden from view. The lack of light helped her to be unseen to anyone other than a vampire.

Alice moved closer and closer, until she could finally see the one who had thrown her gift off track. She inhaled sharply, her eyes widening in surprise. A few feet away, across the stream of water, a girl was seated in the snow. She was leaning against a tree and her eyes were closed, but Alice knew she was not asleep.

The brunette seemed to be not much taller than Alice herself, and she guessed the girl was about the same physical age too, though she could be younger. Something about her made Alice want to get closer, to know her name, know who she was and what she was doing here. The vampire could not make herself look away.

The girl still hadn't moved when Alice slowly lowered herself down into the snow. The wetness which was seeping through her thin clothes did not bother her. She drew her knees up to her chest, clasping her arms around them as she glanced at the beautiful brunette across the water before closing her eyes.

Together they sat in undisturbed peace.

"Life is like a waterfall - it is constantly moving and there is always an uneven flow to it."

A/N: Hey! Please leave me a review, they make me very happy.

- Laura