A/N: Okay, so I just finished re-reading Eclipse (oh, what a little nerdling I am! I just bought it yesterday…) and I was wondering about Jane. Evil little girl who kills people…by smiling? And what about Maria, who was so war-happy (not to mention trigger-happy…or is it more bite-happy, since she's a vampire? IDK!) but still so tiny and ah-dorable? (Stephanie Meyer sure enjoys writing in sadistic chibis…yay, more people like ME!) I kinda wondered if they knew each other at any point, since they're so similar…cute and psycho…Gotta wonder about that, ya know? Okay, well, uhh…Oh, just read the story before I scare you away! XD

(Oh yeah-this is from Jane's POV unless otherwise noted)

I stared out the window of my mother's carriage as the horse trotted down the cobblestone roads of Italy. With one hand pushing back the curtains, I had to use all my strength to hold on with the other hand, or else I would be launched into my older sister's lap, and she would not be pleased with me for wrinkling her dress.

I was, at only eight years old, the youngest of my family. Claire, my sister, was sixteen, and mother was obviously the oldest. Father had left home one night and never come home, although Mother still received money from him when it came time to pay our expenses. My best friend, Maria, was also eight. We spent so much time together, it was like we were sisters. Much more so than I was to Claire, anyway.

"Mother," I began, hesitating. "Can I perhaps go with Maria? She's going to Mexico with her family."

"No. You wouldn't want to be a burden on them, dear." Mother smiled sympathetically at me, sighing. "Besides, we're going to our vacation home very soon, so you'll have to be studying, my dear."

I scowled.

"Yes, Jane. Your governess wouldn't want you to be too far behind," Claire nodded in agreement with Mother, the long feather on her hat bobbing. Then, under her breath, she added, "Wouldn't want to have to waste more time on you."

I bowed my head to hide my flashing eyes. "We're working on writing, Mother, so couldn't I do that with Maria?"

"No," Mother said firmly. "Maria has her own family, and you have us. Your Father keeps promising a visit, Jane. Surely you don't want to miss Father when he visits?"

I sighed. "No, Mother," I said softly. I knew Father wasn't going to visit; he'd given us the same false promise for years, and yet I hadn't seen him since I was barely a year old, and not old enough to remember him.

"Your writing is so vivid, my dear, you wouldn't want to mess it up, now would you?" Mother continued, smiling at me. "I mean, you write so perfectly, Maria's influence can only be negative."

"Maria is anything but a negative influence," I informed her, frowning.

"Of course, darling. I meant on your writing. You're such a perfectionist, her changes would be evident."

I bowed my head, trying not to cry out that Maria was my best influence because Maria's life was exciting. Maria's parents let her do anything, while I usually had to watch from the sidelines, being a "proper lady," as Mother always said.

Proper and boring.

000000

That night, I found myself slipping out of the house, telling Mother I wanted to walk around in the garden.

"Come back in soon, Jane," Mother had told me.

I had agreed readily and left the house behind me, its huge shadow imposing, like a watchful guardian.

I shivered as I drew my cloak closer around myself. "Maria?" I whispered, as I walked along the tree-lined paths of our garden. "Maria, are you here?"

"Boo!" She jumped out from behind our favorite willow tree, laughing. "Hey, Jane!"

"Maria!" I cried, hugging my friend. "Oh, Mother won't let me go with you and your family!"

"No? Why not?" Maria's huge brown eyes grew enormous, and she sighed. "I suppose it's because of the war? But we have our own land down there, in fact, I have my own place! Not even Father has claims on the land that they called mine."

"I know, but Mother must think it's going to be raided. You know how this new army is. They're killing everyone!" I said, shuddering. Maria rolled her eyes though, and I frowned. "What are you rolling your eyes at? This is serious!"

"Silly Jane. You're letting your imagination run away again. Perhaps you shouldn't read your own stories so much." Maria shook back her long, straight dark hair and smiled radiantly. "I'm of Mexican blood, Jane, so they have no reason to drive us off of our land. We are not people who pose a threat. As far as I can see, all they want is trouble, and my family is the last place you'll find trouble. No, I take it back. Your family is the last place they'll find touble. We're the second-to-last." Maria giggled, and I laughed too. She was enjoying herself, very clearly, but she had to go very soon.

"Trust me, Jane," she said as she left. "We'll be fine. See you when I get back, I guess."

Oh, I wish she'd been right.