A/N: A big lovely thank you to all of you that continue to read my story. I heart you all.

Two big huge hugs and thanks to isnoggedmalfoy and druscilla831 for giving this a careful look over.

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DISCLAIMER: I don't own the characters or the companies I mention in this story. I'm sure if I did, I'd be out spending all that money! :)

I couldn't sleep. When I could catch a few fleeting moments of rest, my head was filled with images of skin and lips caressing each other slowly. Right before I could get a clear image I'd wake up with a sweat on my brow. I didn't need to see the face in my dreams to know who I was kissing, I was positive it was Jacob, burning me now even in my dreams.

I watched the sky growing lighter out of my bedroom window and put my head in my hands in frustration. I had been beating myself up all night saying to myself that I should have pushed him away, not given him any encouragement. Now he was under the impression that I 'needed' him, like I was a hobbling girl in need of a crutch. No, what I needed was to get out of this town and clear my head. I'd have to rely on either the Europe trip or college to do it.

I was tossing around the idea of telling my family about NYU before I left for Europe, but decided against it for fear that they may not let me go on the trip so I could stay home and 'discuss this.' I kept telling myself it could wait; I would have almost two weeks away from home to come up with a good debate. The thought turned my stomach in knots. What if they didn't want to understand?

Trying to get my stomach to settle, I scanned my room to make a mental check list of what I needed to do before my trip. Charlie and Evelyn had taken off work this weekend to help me pack and take me to the airport. I threw the covers back and started to clean up what little mess that was in my room. It was too early for me to make breakfast for everyone yet so I had to kill time.

I was working at a pretty good clip when I spotted the UPS box from my mom in the corner. Snatching it up, I sat down on my bed and pulled and pried on the shipping tape until finally it snapped. Peanuts flew all over my bed as the box tilted on its side, but I managed to fish the card out of the sea of them still left in the box.

'I told you I'd make it up to you. 3 Mom & Phil'

I smiled as I spotted the black handle peeking out of the box. There was no stopping the flood of packing material that hit the bed and bounced to the floor as I pulled the object out. I nearly squealed in delight as I realized what she'd given me. It was a camera bag and it had weight to it. In a rush I flipped back the top of the bag to reveal a brand new Nikon D40. My jaw went slack and fell open just as I read the second note inside the bag.

'Take lots of pictures. Wish I could be there.'

****

My bags were packed and I was sitting on the back porch listening to the thunder in the distance. The rain had started up again an hour ago, keeping me locked inside and unable to play with my camera. So I opted to read the manual to get more familiar with it. I smiled to myself remembering how many times I'd thanked my mom and seeing the look on my dad's face. It was pretty obvious that mom had out done him again and he was bitter about it. Not that it mattered to me, I loved both gifts equally and felt they were both more than I deserved.

I heard footsteps coming through the house towards the backdoor and looked up to see Jacob smile in a greeting. He dropped his heavy body in the rocking chair across from me with a deep sigh. He must have run here; his hair was damp with rain, he gleaned with a thin layer of sweat and his breathing was deeper than normal.

"Out for a run?" I asked, arching an eyebrow.

"Yeah, just running off the nerves," he laughed and looked to the floor.

My memory threatened to rekindle itself to last night's events as I stared at his hair dripping onto his shirt. I stood and began to head to the backdoor when he looked at me in confusion.

"I'm going to get you some water," I lied. What I really needed was a distraction.

I returned a few moments later to find him more relaxed and peeking into my chair to see what I was reading. I grabbed the manual and marked my spot as I handed him the tall glass of ice water. He drank it so fast it was like there wasn't water there to begin with.

"Want to try and drink an ocean next?" I laughed, making the mood lighter.

"I probably could do it if it wasn't so salty," he retorted, making a disgusted face.

We laughed again and the nerves ebbed away from the both of us. It was almost back to being 'just friends' when he started to pull something out of the pocket in his shorts. I watched him curiously as a piece of tanned leather wrapped in cord appeared in his hands.

"Listen, I was going to give you this Friday night but it still needed to be finished," he passed me the little package, "Happy belated graduation."

"Thanks," I said, my skin turning a dusky pink.

I pulled at the cords as I held the leather case in my other hand. I noticed Jacob watching me very intently, and I grew worried that whatever was in this package was fragile. I took extra care to pull the cords slower, but he sighed in impatience.

"Want me to open it Bella?"

"No! It's my present. I don't want to break it!"

He laughed at my worry. After I pulled the last of the cord away, I unfolded the hide to reveal a thick wooden circle with a hole in the center large enough for a wrist. I held it up so I could examine the sides and discovered that there was a pattern etched into the wood across the entire surface.

"Wolves?" I questioned, arching my eyebrow at him again.

"My tribe's ancestors," he grinned.

I traced my finger across the patterns, noting the roughness of the carving and the amount of detail that went into the scene. The pattern was three wolves chasing each other around the pattern, but met at a detailed carving of a wolf's head.

"It's beautiful Jacob," I smiled, "How long did it take you?" I had to assume he had made it himself; the pride was coming off of him in waves.

"A month or so off and on. I had to stain it this week but it should be fine to wear now."

I slipped my fingers through the opening and pushed the bangle over my hand and onto my wrist. It was thick and looked heavy but was surprisingly light. I twirled it with my fingers to look at the pattern over and over, it really was magnificent.

"Bella," he said snapping me out of my thoughts.

I looked up to his face, and all of the smiling was gone, his face showing a serious look. I questioned the change in his mood with my eyes as he stood and knelt in front of my rocking chair. His eyes took on the same look as they had at Jessica's party.

"Jacob, I can't do this," I sighed. I gave him the best 'serious business' look I could muster. I didn't want to argue. I just wanted to be friends. His eyes fell to the floor in defeat, but I lifted his chin so he could look at my face.

"I like you as my friend Jacob, my best friend," I put emphasis on the words, "I don't want to see either of us be hurt by a relationship that just can't work."

"But it can work Bella we just…"

I held my finger to my lips to shush him.

"Jacob, I'm going to be on the other side of the country as of August, you can't leave your dad OR the reservation until you graduate. It's just not feasible."

"You could go to UCLA."

"But I'm not."

He rocked back off of his knee to sit Indian style on the porch floor. I watched the emotions cross his face until he came to what looked like a state of acceptance. If he was about to pout, he wasn't showing it.

"So what do you want from me Bella?"

"A friend Jacob, just a friend."

****

The scene at the airport was total chaos. There were families hugging and wishing their children a safe trip and begging for phone calls when they landed. The principal and other trip chaperones were trying to corral all of the students into a group to get their bags checked and head to the gate were our flight awaited us. Thankfully Charlie and Evelyn said their goodbyes quickly and were on their way, no tears or excess worries. They knew I'd call when I could and take care of myself just fine.

I checked my one bag of luggage and slung my camera bag over my shoulder as I walked towards the security check. I had packed light, despite all of the clothes Jessica and Angela insisted I bring in our phone conversation the previous night. I wanted to make sure I had plenty of room for anything that I might buy and need to bring back.

I finally reached the waiting area and took a seat with all of my friends. I double checked to make sure I had my passport, ID and tickets. Heaven forbid that I land in Chicago and can't fly to England, I'd be devastated. I spotted Angela ogling my camera bag from the seat next to me and Jessica was staring at the bangle on my wrist. I had decided after talking with Jacob that I'd wear it all of the time. It was gorgeous and I wanted to show off his incredible craftsmanship. I didn't really have to stress to him that it wasn't anything more than a friendly gesture; I think he got the hint the first couple times I insisted we only be friends. As far as I knew, we were in complete agreement when he left Saturday evening.

The flight attendant took her place at the stand outside of the gate's doorway and announced that it was time for us to board. The flight itinerary was a long one; we would stop in Chicago and then fly on to London with a long layover in between. According to the papers we'd received in our trip packet, we wouldn't get to England until about 4 AM Grand Meridian Time. I groaned inwardly about sitting still on a plane for that long. I was glad to get a window seat and be able to sit near Angela and Jessica was on the other side of her. It wasn't long before we were told to fasten our seatbelts and prepare for take off.

I looked out my window as we rose above the low hanging clouds and the sun cast its full glory in my window.

"Let the journey begin," I whispered softly.

****

The plane touched down and jolted me out of my sleep. I looked at the tiny watch on Angela's arm to see that it was 9:15 pm. She probably hadn't set her watch for the time here in London. I opened the shade on the window and looked out onto the runway. It certainly looked like it could be that late.

The plane came to a stop and everyone began to rise and grab their carry-on luggage out of the overhead compartments. Angela handed me my camera bag, grabbed her purse and handed Jessica hers. We filed in line and dragged ourselves off of the plane, looking like a horde of zombies looking for their next target.

I was still trying to wipe the sleep out of my eyes when Angela wheeled her bag and mine over to where I was standing.

"Ang, you're a life saver," I managed slur out.

"Not a problem," she smiled. She had to be an early riser.

I rolled my luggage along behind me as we headed towards where the rest of the group was assembling. In Chicago, we had joined up with a second school that had booked under the same student travel package as us, so the coordinator was waiting for both groups to come to the area before we proceeded. Her platinum blonde hair and perky smile made me slightly nauseous at this hour. How could anyone be so alert and happy this early?

"Can I have your attention please?" she yelled to the group. Everyone snapped alert except for me, I had seen it coming.

"I'll be directing you to your buses shortly. Please make sure that you have all of your belongings before we leave the airport. We will be heading to the hotel so you all can rest up for the tour this afternoon!"

Luggage, check. Camera bag, check. I was good. Packing light had more benefits than I thought.

After the last of the students grabbed their luggage, we made our way to the exit and onto the awaiting double decker buses awaiting us. All of the Chicago students on the bus I entered took the seats on the top deck which left only seats in the bottom for me and the rest of my friends. Jessica had woken up fully and was chattering to my left with Mike and Tyler. Angela rode in silence, patting my arm when I fell asleep just before we stopped at the hotel.

I didn't get a chance to see the room before I passed out. I knew I got on the elevator and I got into the room with Angela somehow, but I was so exhausted from such a terrible time of trying to sleep on the plane that I had no desire to look now. I was fully clothed and spread across my bed with my feet and hands hanging off the edges when I finally found sleep. And how peaceful it was.

****

I heard an alarm clock go off and I groaned loudly, swatting at the table beside me to make the noise go away. My tries were fruitless; someone had moved the clock to the other side of the room. I heard snickering from the other side of my head and I flopped around to see Jessica and Angela sitting on the bed next to mine, giggling and snorting at my grouchiness. I stuck my tongue out at them; it was not nice to make fun of the morning impaired.

"You sleep like a rock Bella," Jessica giggled, "I think a bomb could have gone off and you would never know the difference."

"Apparently I can't," I sneered as I got up and headed to the bathroom, "I couldn't sleep at all on the first plane ride because you couldn't shut up!"

I slammed the door of the bathroom for dramatic effect, but it only conjured more laughter from the other side.

I looked down to realize that I was still in my clothes from the day before. I felt like I had been balled up and thrown in a trash can, then removed and unwrinkled.

'Disgusting,' I thought to myself and stripped down for a shower.

****

I walked out of the bathroom in a robe feeling much better about myself. Angela had knocked on the door to tell me that we had to meet everyone for the tour at 3 pm and that it was 1:30. Jessica was putting on her makeup in the vanity mirror and Angela started flipping through stations on the TV.

"Where did you sleep last night Jess?" I asked. There were only two beds in this room that I could see.

"One of the coordinators stuck me in a room with Lauren," I saw her shudder, "But Angela said I'm more than welcome to share a bed with her to get away from the Queen Bitch."

"Yikes," I hissed through my teeth.

I found my bag next to my night stand and heaved it up onto the bed.

"Good God this thing weights a ton!" I whined.

"That's what happens when you pack your entire closet Bella," Jessica giggled from the vanity.

"I didn't pack my whole closet Jessica! I barely packed anything!"

Angela turned to me with worry on her brow.

"Are you sure you didn't pick up Jessica's bag?" she asked.

"I know she didn't," Jessica piped up, "Mine is under my feet." She bounced her feet on the bag to make her point.

I looked at the bag and I looked to the girls.

"Maybe it just felt lighter because it was on wheels Bella," Angela tried to comfort me.

"Maybe," I replied.

I found the zipper on the bag that looked exactly like mine and gave it a generous tug around the outer edge. I peeled back the lid and the inner protective cover, revealing what looked like an entire super model's closet. I felt my face forming some resemblance of shock and awe as I looked at the clothes before me; this was definitely not my bag. The clothes where too neatly folded and pressed, and clearly not my style. I spotted a bathing suit and reached out to hold it up. It was chocolate brown in color and had an ultra deep neckline with cut out sides.

Jessica's mouth fell open in the mirror she looked into.

"Damn Bella," she all but squealed, "Are you trying to get laid on this trip or what?!"

My teeth mashed together.

"It's not my bag," I hissed.

Angela's face was a look of distress.

"I swear I thought I grabbed the right one."

I put the bathing suit back in the bag and started searching for an ID tag. Something with a name and a number that I could return this person's luggage to them. There were no tags on the outside of the bag, and I began to panic. I started searching through an inner pocket and found it, but noticed that it looked like someone had torn it off and thrown it in the pocket. Thankfully the person's name, address and number were listed. I grabbed my iPhone from a side pocket in my camera bag and dialed the number.

'We are sorry; you must first contact AT&T to activate international service before making this call.'

"Shit!" I cursed out loud and threw the phone on the bed.

"What's wrong?" Angela and Jessica asked in unison, they had been silent until now.

"I can't use my phone here. How am I going to find this girl?!" I was panicking.

I noticed some papers sticking out of the pocket where the tag had been hiding that donned the same logo as the student travel company we were with. The girl's luggage was addressed from Chicago.

"The school we met up with in Chicago is staying in this same hotel right?" I asked.

The girls looked at each other. "Yeah," Angela answered.

"Fabulous," I said and grabbed the phone on the night stand.

I dialed down to the front desk and explained my problem to the person that answered. They asked me for the person's name so they could look her up in the system.

"Alice Cullen," I replied and listened to the typing on the other end.

"Ah yes, she's in room 664 on the 6th floor."

"Thank you," I said and hung up the phone.

"What's our room number Ang?"

"601."

I said a silent thank you in my head that I wouldn't have to change floors. I placed the tag back into the bag and zipped it back up. I pulled my hair up into a ponytail and wrapped the robe tightly around my frame and tied the sash so it wouldn't fly open with a strange hallway breeze. There was no way in hell I was putting my clothes from the airplane back on. I heaved the luggage off the bed and onto its wheels, rolling it to the door before Jessica piped up.

"Aren't you going to put something on?"

I peered out the door and the hallway was completely empty.

"No one is out here Jess. Not to mention it's only a girl, live a little," I winked at her and closed the door behind me.

I stopped at the map on the wall near the elevator and continued around the corner until I spotted the door numbered 664. I could only hope that she had made the same mistake and grabbed my bag as well, seeing as how without it, I would have to spend all of my souvenir money on clothes. My bare feet padded down the hall on the bristly carpet towards my destination. I looked over my shoulder before knocking on the door softly.

I could hear music on the other side of the door, but I couldn't make out what kind it was. It was faint so it couldn't be so loud that it had drowned out my knocking. Maybe she was in the shower? That's what most normal girls did before going out in public. I knocked again with a little more force this time and continuing to look over my shoulder for anyone who might catch me out here in my robe. The music behind the door still played and I couldn't hear footsteps.

I was starting to get angry as I banged on the door for a third time. I knew someone was in there, maybe my banging would make them hurry up. I had to be ready for this tour too, and without knowing if my clothes were in there I may not be able to go. I pressed my ear to the door to see if I could hear anything other than music. Someone moving perhaps? I heard what sounded like a shower running and the music was louder with my ear on the cool metal. Great, just what I needed; a princess pampering herself and not even concerned about her missing clothes.

I raised my hand and pulled it back to strike at the door one final time before I was going to give up when suddenly the door swung open. I felt my jaw go slack and my skin flush in pure embarrassment. Standing on the other side of the door was what I could only describe as a marble god, with his hair in wet disarray and a towel wrapped around his waist.

A/N: Marble Gods wrapped in towels make my girl parts happy!

What would you do if you found out you had Alice's wardrobe in your hands? Discuss. :)