Hi!

Welcome to my new story I hope you all enjoy it!

This story has been floating around in my head for a while it nice to let it out.

No copyright infringement is intended!

Things that make you go Hmmm!

Alice POV

I was so excited!

One of my best friends was on her way over to visit. Isabella Swan, my amazing Jasper's cousin, was stopping in Seattle for a few days on her way to whichever exotic location she would be photographing next. I hadn't seen her in six months.

Isabella and I had met in kindergarten; our teacher had sat us next to each other on the first day. We'd been best friends ever since. I'd missed her so much when in the sixth grade her parents had moved to Australia of all places! But with technology the way it is, we'd kept in touch. One Christmas, Jasper and his family were going to visit Bella's, and with lots of tears and begging, my parents let me go too.

Bella was a bit of a free spirit, never liking to be still and constantly looking for something new. So it came as no shock, that a few months after I started college, I got an email from her telling me that she was in Africa, and that I would love it.

I was never sure where in the world she was, but I knew she loved it. I still remembered the video chat we had one night when we were about twenty.

"Grr…Alice this is bull shit!" she'd grumbled.

"What?"

"This waitress job is so boring. I just need $500 more, and I'm out of here!" Her whole face was alight; she was so full of life.

"Where are you now?" I had to ask, as I couldn't remember.

"London," she sighed.

"Really, Bella. Is it that bad?"

"Oh no, Alice, it's amazing - the people the food, the animals - even the buildings are amazing. I've be taking lots of photos; I'll send you some. I just want to see Russia before winter's over."

"Well," I had just had an idea. "Why don't you sell some of those photos, I'm sure the tourists would love them."

Bella stared at me for a few seconds and slowly a huge smile spread across her face.

"Al, I love you! You are a genius!"

And the rest, as they say, is history.

Bella did start selling her photos to raise the money to get to her next destination. The money started rolling in. But it was when one of her photos ended up of the cover of the National Geographic, that Bella no longer need to sell photos to travel. After that, she was paid to travel to take photos - no job had ever suited any one better.

Now twenty five years old, Bella was one of the most highly sort after and well paid photographers in the world. Jasper always said it was because she was crazy and never said no! I knew that it was because she was brilliant.

I glanced around my living room. The photo over the mantle had been a wedding gift from Bella; it was one of a kind. The mass of color always made me smile. At a distance, that was all it appeared to be - colors, but when you got closer, you realised the scene was a swarm of butterflies. It had been taken in a butterfly house in India, and I loved it.

I heard the crunch of tires in the drive, she was here!

Jasper had picked Bella up, so that I could get everything ready for dinner. She was getting out of the car; her hair was in two loose braids which hung over her shoulders. She was wearing the standard hiking boots, jeans, singlet and open button up white shirt. The ever present camera bag hung from her left shoulder.

Bella looked up the few steps and smiled.

"I've got a present for you, pixie."

I smiled. I loved presents, what girl didn't!

"What is it?"

"Not telling until Rose gets here. I have one for her too."

Bella wrapped her arms around me, hugging me tight, "I missed you, Ally."

"Me too."

"Why don't you two go inside; I'll take Bella's luggage in," Jasper called from where he was bending down into the trunk.

With our arms around each other, Bella and I walked into the living room and sat on the couch.

We talked for about an hour about everything that had happened in the last six months. I was extremely focused on Bella's story about the shoot she'd just finished for People magazine. Sexy Vampires. We were just getting up to the Twilight gang when the front door banged opened, and I heard my bear of a big brother bellow from down the hall.

"Bells, where are you? Ready or not here I come!"

"EMMY!"

Bella launched over the couch ducking down just as Emmett, grinning from ear to ear, entered the room followed by an indulgent Rose.

"Emmett, you need to grow up," she smiled. "And Bella, you need to stop encouraging him."

Bella didn't say a word. This was a game that Emmett and she had played since they were kids. Emmett started stomping around the room. Jasper had just walked into the room when Emmett made it to the couch. Emmett, looking triumphant, stood ready to pounce. When he did, Bella jumped up, leaving him standing with her white shirt over his head as she danced out of the way.

"Hey Rose, hun." Bella smiled. "Permission to kiss your big dummy, mama?" she saluted.

"Granted." Rose laughed

Bella took the shirt from Emmett and kissed him nosily on the cheek. Emmett, in return, wrapped his arms around to give her a bear hug.

"Missed you, Bells." He grinned as he squeezed.

"Missed you to, Em." Bella breathed.

"When is dinner, I'm starving?" Emmett asked.

"Just waiting for Edward," Jasper answered. "Wait Bella, did you get another tattoo?"

"What?" Bella asked while pulling her shirt back over her singlet.

"I thought I saw something on your shoulder just then. Did you get another tattoo?"

I doubt anyone else saw it, but Bella's face looked scared when he asked that question! Hmmm, Bella, "Miss take photos of a great white shark with no cage? Sure why not" was scared that Jasper might have seen something.

"No Jasper, it was probably my bra strap, you prev," she retorted after composing her face.

Her reply had the desired effect as Jasper blushed. Rose and Emmett burst into peals of laughter, and Bella relaxed.

"What's so funny?" I heard my twin brother in the hall.

Edward walked in the room and Bella yelled, "Eddie!"

She then ran the distance to him and wrapped her arms around his neck, kissing him on the cheek. I wondered if I was also the only one that saw something flash in his eyes when she kissed him. Giggling, Bella stepped back, and looked him up and down.

"Isabella, I see the winds have blown you back into town."

Bella laughed, but it didn't really reach her eyes though.

"Well, you never know, Edward, I might just stay this time."

Edward raised an eyebrow.

"Oh Bella, could you stay anywhere for more than a month?" His crocked grin was now firmly in place as he teased her.

"Well..." Bella had a serious expression on her face. "I stayed in a monastery in Tibet for six months does that count?"

"Why yes, I think it does." Edward laughed.

"Dinner time, I think," I called.

Emmett whooped. We started to make a way to the dining room when Bella stopped.

"I'll be there in a second," she told me as I looked questioningly at her.

Everyone was seated when Bella walked in holding two Stetson hats; she handed one to me and the other to Rose.

"What's this?" Rose asked, placing the hat that was a little too big on her head.

"Your presents, look inside." Bella was grinning.

I looked inside and noticed writing. I was about to read it when Rose screamed and ran to Bella hugging her.

"I love you, I love you, I love you," Rose chanted, bouncing up and down as she clutched the hat to her heart.

I looked at my again and read.

Dear Alice,

Hope you enjoy the hat!

Jackson Rathbone

"OMG," I breathed. "Bella, you are the most amazing friend anyone could ever have. No offense, Rose."

"None taken! I completely agree!" Rose squealed.

"Do you have any idea what's going on?" I heard Jaz ask, as I too went to hug Bella.

"Nope," Edward answered.

"Nada," Emmett added.

"Look at this!" Rose held the hat to Emmett's face so he could read it.

"Who the fuck is Kellan Lutz?" Emmett demanded.

Edward sighed, "Twilight. Bro."

"Oh, say no more." Emmett grimaced.

Dinner progressed with a lot of laughing and alcohol. One of the funniest parts of the night was when Bella had asked Emmett, "If vegetarians eat vegetables, what did humanitarians eat?"

Emmett laughed so hard he fell off his chair!

Later when all of the dishes had been cleared, we moved in to the living room, and Bella took out her camera and start snapping photos. The poses got more and more ridiculous as we started calling out names of animals. I laughed so hard I couldn't breathe when Emmett told Edward he was a jellyfish. Bella, in true Austin Powers style, declared herself spent and flopped on the couch.

"Oh, I haven't laughed this hard since the last time I was here." Bella grinned.

"You should come back more often," Edward informed her.

"Yeah, I should." She told the roof.

Hmmm

Not long after that, we all decided some sleep was in order. However Emmett's and Edward's keys seem to have disappeared! So in the end, Rose, Bella and I were laying in my king bed giggling as the guys found other places to sleep.

It's horrible, how when you really want time to slow down, you find that in no time at all three days have passed in a blur. Then you're standing at the airport waving goodbye to your best-friend, who's on her way to take photos of elephants in Africa.

"Don't get eaten by a lion!" Emmett yelled.

Bella turned and grinned at us. We were all there. Even Edward, the workaholic, had taken time off to say good bye.

"I promise," she laughed.

"Or baboons," Jasper added with a grin.

Bella smiled and waved as she disappeared around a corner.

"Just be safe." I heard Edward whisper as he turned to leave. I knew I wasn't supposed to hear it.

And all I could think was…Hmmm.

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