Sorry I haven't responded to reviews lately, I've been so busy! I usually do respond though, so I'll be getting back into the habit.

Disclaimer: All recognizable themes and characters are property of Stephenie Meyer.

We entered that house that used to be my second home. The feeling of happiness still remained, yet things were different. It was like looking back at your old elementary school and realizing how different it looked in your eyes back then. Yet the time span was only one month, and the feeling broke my heart. I stopped to run my fingers along the frame of an old photo of me and Alice after our first communion. We were so young and happy. Everything changed for the worst.

Edward returned to my side and put his hand on my shoulder. "You miss her," he whispered in my ear, "More than you're telling anybody." His words, though a simple statement, were comforting and soothing. It was a signal that I was finally understood. I tried desperately to hold in my tears, but one manage to escape through my efforts. He caught it quickly, though, and wiped it away.

"Don't cry." He pleaded.

I looked down at the floor, my eyes trailing along the mahogany wood we stood on. "I'm sorry, I-"

He put a finger to my lips and smiled. "You don't need to explain. I know what you're feeling."

"But you lost more than me... and here I am, crying. I'm so sorry, Edward." He pulled me against his chest gently, stroking my hair to calm me down. Though we may have looked different to prying eyes, it was a gesture of friendship. The feeling between us was not one of a secret love, or a wanting of more than just friendship. It was friendship. And that was all. But friendship meant more than going to the movies together. It meant caring, and that's exactly what we did.

Things had moved so quickly. Upon the second time of meeting, we were in each others arms. It was strange to think of how alone I felt that morning and how whole I felt that afternoon. We had so much to learn about each other but we had so much time. Time enough to spare a few days on sitting and thinking.

He pulled away after a few moments of allowing my tears to land on his clean shirt. Without a word he placed his hand back in mine and pulled me along up the stairs into the room that lay across from Alice's. I didn't dare look inside to see how they had changed it... I wanted to remember it the way it was.

The door opened to show a golden shaded room. The thick carpet was gold, matching the lighter tone of the golden walls. A large window was in place, casting light across the the space and warming the black leather couch which sat against the wall. In the center of the room was a bed with golden blankets and pillows. The color was not over-whelming, though. It made felt warm and at home. The most noticeable furnishing was the clearly expensive stereo system matched with rows and rows of endless Cd's.

As we took a seat on the couch I laughed. "Into music?"

He grinned back at me. "Yes. And I play piano too."

"Really? Do you have one?" I knew there was never a piano in this house before Edward's arrival.

"Its a grand piano, in the living room downstairs. Maybe I'll play for you sometime."

A moment of silence passed between us. It didn't feel awkward on my part, because I thought about Edward the entire time. His soft hair and bright green eyes just drew you in... he was beautiful.

"Tell me about Alice." He whispered, hoping, you could tell, not to upset me.

I paused for a moment. I was going to try with all my strength not to cry. But I had very little strength, to be honest. "She was... amazing. I mean, she was filled with energy. All the time. She was never sad, except when she found out... well, you know. She could have had so many friends, yet she chose me over anyone else. I never knew why, though. We were best friends for as long as I can remember. Mr. and Mrs. Anderson took her in when she was really little and never got any other kids. She loved to shop more than anything. The largest portion of my wardrobe came from her. She didn't know her parents, but she was given a lot of money in a bank account. The Anderson's would never take any, though, to pay for her necessities. She probably could've stayed if they had... Anyways, she was really great. She was my best friend."

Edward was smiling. "She sounds really great. Have you talked to her recently?"

"I- well- Yes. Today, actually. She hadn't called because she met a boy... Jasper. This is sort of scandalous, but they live together. She's adopted, now. They all were. Well, Jasper, Rosalie, and Emmett, I mean. Rosalie is Jasper's sister and she's married to Emmett. Now Jasper and Alice are starting to come together. It's really strange. My father talked highly about them- saying they're polite and well rounded. I met their father, Carlisle Cullen, during my many trips to the hospital when I visit my real dad in Forks, Washington. Carlisle is a doctor and my dad is the sheriff. They know each other pretty well."

Edward's eyebrows were raised. "Wow. That really is... strange." We laughed together.

"I'm sorry." He looked down, his eyes filled with sorrow that he didn't want me to see.

"For what?"

He looked back into my eyes. "For taking her away from you."

My jaw dropped open. I couldn't believe he was blaming himself. Then again, I had blamed him too, before I met him. But I was thinking irrationally; He should know better! "Edward, this isn't your fault. You can't blame yourself. Besides, I would have never met you if you hadn't moved here."

He didn't respond, so I decided to take the guilt off of his mind.

"So... will you tell me about you now?"