Disclaimer: Twilight and the series' characters belong to Stephanie Meyer. The few characters I have introduced for my fanfic earn me no monetary value what so ever and hope she does not mind my imagined life for Alice that was merely referenced to in the first book of the Saga.

Author's Note: I originally posted this story on under the name "Die4TheDream". I am moving most of my stories over from the site, here as I am more active on these days. I hope you enjoy if you had not come across them before.

...

It was towards the end of 1901 when the Brandon family welcomed their first child, a daughter, into the world. Though Edison's bulb had become a street lamp fixture, and a proud source of light in higher society houses, the birthing room was lit by gas lamps and a large fire that muggy August night in Mississippi. The sweat on Mrs. Brandon's brow had been there hours before she had gone into labor, beading and running off her forehead in rivulets as she panted, the contractions coming closer as her mid-wife busied around with water and blankets.

Screaming, Camille's fingers curled into the cloth beneath her, aid rushing to her side, "Breathe, Miss, breathe." The look Mrs. Brandon shot the mid-wife was one that disclosed her impoverished upbringing and uncouthly manner growling,

"Don't you tell me to breathe! I've-" Camille's retort was cut short by another wave of pain and she grasped the other woman's arm tightly, "Where's the damn Doctor!"

Alga's eyebrows shot up at her lady's cursing but if any woman was allowed to be excused for such an improper thing, now was the time and she tried to pull her arm away. "Don't you worry about him, mam' I've done this plenty. He's on his way in any case."

Nelson paced in the living room looking out the window every so often for the doctor's arrival. A half hour had passed since he had sent the neighbor's son to the man's home but he had yet to make an appearance and Mr. Brandon had long ago begun to worry. Perhaps the boy had not found him, perhaps he had injured himself out in the dark. Could it be possible the Doctor himself had taken ill, too ill to be called from his bed to help a patient. Certainly their mid-wife was capable enough but she held no degree….

Another scream came from behind the closed doors that held his wife from view, only now they did not stop, Alga's voice muffled by the sound.

Inside the room, Alga urged the mother on, motivating her to continue when Camille was on the verge of passing out from the pain. Practiced hands eased the babe from blooded thighs, pulling it from the waste that had accompanied the birth and the woman held the child up, chord still attached to show the weary woman her gift. "A girl!"

With a quick snip the woman tied the end of the umbilical cord closed with a string until it would fall off, washing the child with a damp sponge and swaddling her in cotton. Camille cradled her in shaky arms while Alga made quick work of the mess between her legs, pulling the sheet from beneath her bottom and tossing it into a basket. Dizzy, the new mother touched her daughter's soft cheek tenderly, not taking notice of the Doctor's arrival outside.

...

While the Brandon's had been surprised by their first child's arrival, their second was less of a joyous surprise, and the beginning of a disturbing chain of events that would surround Mary Alice for the duration of her life.

On Mary Alice's fourth birthday, Camille had invited her closest friends and their daughters, in order to have a society suitable party for her little girl. White stockings and the most affordably expensive dress the Brandon's could afford, Mary Alice had sat at the table, dark hair pulled into a bun and waited politely through the chorus of Happy Birthday the other dolled up boy's and girl's sang under the watchful eyes of their mothers. As the last verse faded, when she was meant to blow out her candles, Mary Alice simply looked to Camille to cut her cake.

Reaching out, Camille trailed her fingers over her young daughter's head sweeping a few strands from her face, "You're suppose to make a wish, sweetie."

Mary Alice shook her head, the thin strands of pearls her mother had placed in her hair catching the light, "I don't have anything to wish for, Mama."

Camille tilted her head, a small smile on her lips as she leaned down, "I'm sure you can think of something."

Mary Alice shook her head innocently, tiny hands in her lap, "No Mama, I wanted a sister and I don't have to wish for her now." Reaching, Mary Alice grasped a bit of material that covered Camille's unchanged stomach and smoothed her fingers there.

A few weeks later, when Camille took ill and suffered from dizzy spells her doctor gave her news of her ailment, a second pregnancy. Though the children that had been present at the party had long forgotten the incident and their own parents brushing Mary Alice's actions aside as child play, Mrs. Brandon became wary of her little girl's manner.

- - -

Nelson Brandon had earned a position as an Auditor with the Biloxi Bank, a respectable if not much appreciated job by the populace in the Mississippi town. It afforded his family of four with the makings of a good life though not a rich one, giving them the opportunity to enter their children in the town's only all girls' private school and still attend a few choice parties.

Mary Alice did not care for the private school, but did enjoy the parties the other girls would invite her to. Camille taught her oldest to appreciate the dressings of the society life and Mary Alice shined to her mother's plans for her to become a designer though the woman had not discussed this with her yet. Mary Alice shared this plan with her friends who told their mom's who scowled at Mrs. Brandon's early planning. When Camille heard talk of the other ladies disappointment in her expectations for her seven year old she confided in her husband her worry.

A busy man, Nelson had brushed the mention off. Surely Camille had talked with one of the women and they had reacted poorly before gossiping to the others.

- - -

In the third week of Mary Alice's 5th year at the school, the same time Cynthia was allowed in, the Brandon's eldest refused to go. With a solemn expression and folded arms, Mary Alice stood stubbornly in her bedroom doorway, still in her nightgown, "I'm not going to school!"

Exasperated, Camille had picked up Cynthia to have Mary Alice grab a hold of her hand begging her to stay, "You can't take her! She'll get the hair bugs!"

Sending her daughter back to her room, Mrs. Brandon took the other to school and was presented with a case of head-lice the next morning, an epidemic that had sprung up completely unexpectedly at the school. Unforeseen by everyone, but Mary Alice.

The older Mary Alice became, the more she became aware of around town; storms, fires, robberies, deaths - all came and went as she predicted. The Brandon's pulled their daughter's from the private school when Mary Alice turned 13 and began home schooling the both of them. A rift grew between the girls, Cynthia sensing her sister's differences and Mrs. Brandon doing nothing to change her mind. Mary Alice began to write her dreams down to keep from talking about them and for a while her parents were fooled into thinking she was alright but when her father had stayed out late one night Mary Alice could not keep from speaking about a particular vision she had at dinner.

Camille had had enough of her daughter's strange behavior and bold face lies as her husband had denied the affair. Together fearing for their family's name they began to spread rumors around town, their eldest was not well they town their friends. They would be taking her to another doctor out of state, a specialist. Hopefully things would look up but….