"You're going to go pre-maturely grey. I mean, REALLY, Bella, you worry too much," Alice gave me an annoyed look.
I froze. "W-What?"
Some had once said the exact same thing to me. Some one with the same bell-like voice as Alice. Some one who hadn't changed a bit in the five years I had known her.
Alice raised one eyebrow at me. "Bella, you look like you've seen a ghost. What's wrong?"
My mind was raising - connecting dots I had never known existed. Then it clicked.
"Alice... you said that there is nothing to worry about, you'll all be able to handle the newborns, even though you're out-numbered?"
"We're only outnumbered by three - right now. Their numbers go down every day." Alice sniffed.
"Wh-what if I could raise your numbers?"
"Bella," Alice rolled her eyes. "Edward won't let us turn you right now. Besides, the battle would just be harder if YOU were a newborn too."
"No," I said, staring wide-eyed into empty space. "Not me. What if we OUTNUMBERED the newborns? What if we had more full-grown vampires? Say, seven more?"
"Then they REALLY wouldn't stand a chance." Alice frowned. "What are you talking about?"
"Can I borrow you cell?"
"Why?"
"Cause they might not answer if I use Charlie's phone," I held my shaking hand out and, frowning in confusion, Alice dropped the phone into my hand.
She couldn't see them coming then. Probably because they didn't have a decision whether or not they WOULD pick up.
My fingers were trembling as I dialed the number. I hadn't called them in years. Not since Renee and I had lived in New York - where the sun hardly shone.
The phone rang three times before she answered.
"Hello?" her bright voice asked eagerly.
It was late there. Normal humans should have been asleep by now.
My suspicion was confirmed. And by the way Alice's eyes lit up and then turned dark at the sound of the voice on the other end, I knew she knew too.
"Hey, remember me? Bella Swan?" I nearly choked on the words.
I heard a sharp intake of breath but I continued before my old friend could speak.
"I'm calling in that favor you said you owed me. How soon can you get to Forks, Washington?"
"Um, er, Bella, I can't come to Forks right now... I, er -?"
She was stumbling. She wasn't as quick on her feet as the Cullens were, but that didn't matter. I knew.
"I know what you and your family are. MY family is in danger, and we need your help."
"Bella, what are you talking about?" she asked nervously.
"I know that you're all vampires."