A/N Hello all! I'm back! sorry for the delay, just got a bit is sort of a long chapter, so hopefully you like it. Bella will be continuing her growth and get some insight to more than one of her friends. THank you all so much for your review by the way. It's great and helpful to hear feed back. As always, I do not own Twilight. Happy reading friends.

Chapter ten

I tremble they're gonna eat me alive If I stumble They're gonna eat me alive can you hear my heart beating like a hammer beating like a hammer

Help I'm alive my heart keeps beating like a hammer hard to be soft tough to be tender come take my pulse the pace is on a runaway train help I'm alive my heart keeps beating like a hammer

If you're still alive My regrets are few If my life is mine what shouldn't I do?

- Help I'm Alive by Metric

What's that thing they say about life? It goes on. Bella continued to struggle with her guilt, but still managed to keep up with school and her friends. She was stuck in a rut. She tried to keep busy so she wouldn't dwell, but it was hard. Leah was also having difficulties. She and Seth had mourned their loss and then immediately joined the pack. Unfortunately, the telepathic bond the wolves shared meant that every time Sam thought about Emily, which was a lot, Leah could see it, hear it, and feel it. Her resulting pain, embarrassment, and anger was then broadcast to every member of the pack. The pack, was less than sympathetic to her plight, telling her she need to get over it since imprinting was out of their control, and therefore not Sam's fault. Only Jacob and Seth seemed to be on her side.

Almost two weeks before spring break, Bella was trying, and failing, to study for Spanish when she suddenly felt compelled to look at her research on Alice again. She had hit a wall, and it was driving her crazy. If only she could go to the library in Biloxi. They probably had tons of old newspapers that hadn't ever been scanned. Maybe she could even visit the remaining family. Personal stories passed down within a family could be packed full of information. She was about to shove it all away in her desk again when she suddenly remembered something. She went to the closet and dug out the box from her floorboards from where she'd stashed it after finding it. She pulled out the plane tickets that Carlisle and Esme had bought for her and Edward. She looked up the airline and then called them and made some plans. Then she called Leah.

"Hello?"

Bella's excitement was palpable through the phone. "Leah? Our schools have spring break together right?"

"Um, yeah. Why?"

"Because you and I are going on a trip." and Bella explained her plan. Two weeks later they were sitting in first class accommodations on their way to Biloxi, Mississippi. It had been surprisingly easy to switch the ticket from one destination to the next. After Bella had explained the project to Leah, she had been supportive of the idea, and eager to help.

"Are you sure you'd rather do this than see your mom?" Leah asked as the settled into their seats. Bella never really talked about her mother in great detail, but Leah found it a little odd that she would rather investigate a vampire than visit her mother, regardless of how interesting said vampire was.

"Definitely." Bella said without hesitation. "Spending time with my mom is like reading seventeen magazine. Full of tips and lifestyle advice for some teenager, just no one I've ever met. Besides, last time we talked she had taken up frisbee golf, and I just don't think I have it in me."

Leah laughed. "As long as you're one hundred percent sure that this is how you want to spend your spring break."

"Totally. This is going to be fun. I feel like Nancy Drew"

"Who?"

"You're kidding?! Wait..." Bella started fishing through her bag, and produced a book which she handed to Leah. "Here! I just so happened to bring one of her mysteries. I'm in that kind of mood. She's one of the greatest literary detectives."

"What are you going to read?

"I brought like, six books. Don't worry."

"We're gonna be there for a week, right?"

"Yeah"

Leah laughed and opened the book. The flight lasted a little over six hours. Thanks to the money Bella had managed to save from her job, as well as a pretty nice donation from a very confused Charlie, Bella and Leah were staying in a very nice room in a rather upscale hotel. The spent the first day binging on room service and relaxing by the pool. It was the south in late spring after all, and they figured they'd be crazy not to take advantage of the warm weather. The next day they picked up the car that Charlie had rented for them and began the investigation.

They were using the story that they were doing a project for school that involved researching people who had been committed to various asylums, during various periods of history. They said they needed specific information to properly paint the picture they were trying to create. They started at the old asylum, but ran into the same dead ends. Next, they went to the county library, and just as Bella had hoped, they found a large collection of old newspapers. They pored over all the newspapers from that time they could find for information on Alice's family. When they found all they could in the the time period they needed, they laid it all out.

"Okay, her parents married in 1900, and Alice, well Mary Alice, was born in 1902." Leah said as they started putting everything together.

"Look at this" Bella said as she read through an article. "'Local family suffers tragedy at well'.It looks like one of her cousins fell into a well and died. His mother claimed that her niece had 'seen' it before it happened, and tried to warn her. The child's not named, but that's got to be Alice. This happened in 1910. She was eight."

"I'm surprised they didn't commit her then. Or even her aunt." Leah commented.

"It looks like they chalked it up to grief and just ignored her. God, I wonder what else Alice saw."

"Her mother was murdered."

"What!?" Bella moved to stand beside Leah as they read the article Leah was referencing.

"'Gertrude Pearl Brandon was founded stabbed to death in her home on Tuesday the twenty-fifth. She was discovered by her daughter, Mary Alice Brandon, who had become quite hysterical by the time the authorities arrived on the scene.'" Leah read. "A month later her father remarried. Guess he grieved quickly."

"Huh. and a month after that he had her involuntarily committed to the asylum. Claimed she never got over her mothers death. Well that's suspicious."

"Bella, I think it's time for phase two: home visits."

Bella stiffened at the thought. "Look, I know I said..." But Leah cut her off before she had a chance to continue.

"Bella, don't even try it. You said yourself, talking to the remaining family could really put things together. We may even find letters or something. It's the main reason we traveled all the way out here."

"I know just...not yet. Let's give it a couple days. Let's do some exploring. We're in a new city after all, we should look around a little. don't you think?"

Leah rolled her eyes, but gave in, and they headed back to the hotel. On the way, Bella saw that Leah had her phone out and was texting.

"Who're you talking to?"

"Jacob" Leah smiled "He thinks you're a chicken."

"Jerk" Bella muttered. She waited a minute before continuing. "So... you guys have been spending a lot more time together."

Leah eyed Bella, her eyes instantly suspicious of the new direction the conversation was taking. "Well yeah. Members of the same pack and all."

"Mhm" Bella hummed as she parked the car.

"Bella, whatever you're thinking...don't."

"I'm just saying that you guys have obviously gotten very close recently."

"Bella, we're werewolves share a telepathic link. Of course we're close." Leah whispered as they made their way to their room.

"Oh, of course. You're right, that must be it. That explains why you spend so much time texting Embry and Paul." Bella giggled as Leah threw a pillow at her. "I'm just saying, that you guys have known each other for a long time, and I think you two would work."

"This conversation is done. I'm taking a shower." Leah said, huffing as she closed the bathroom door behind her.

Later, as they ate pizza and watched TV, Leah was the one who brought it up again. "It's not like it hasn't crossed my mind you know."

"Jacob?" Bella clarified.

"Yeah. The situation is just so screwed up though. I have to guard my thoughts so carefully in wolf form in case he, or god forbid, one of the other hears. If I tell him how I feel and he rejects me, it would be hard for both of us not to think about it, and the others would probably call me a tramp or something."

"You guys are a pack, why is there so much dissonance?"

"Because for a long time, it was just Sam, Jared, and Paul. Then, all of a sudden there's five new wolves to deal with. Some of them are confused, some just want to blame the Cullens completely and start an all out war. Then there's the whole Jacob/Sam thing."

"What Jacob/Sam thing?"

"Jacob is technically supposed to be the Alpha. It's his birth right. When Sam first phased, the threat was very low, so it was just him, and a few others, since they were of age. Now that Jake is a wolf, it's within his right to take over control of the pack, but he doesn't want to. He's still coming to terms with the fact that this is all real. He's afraid to lead."

"I think he'd make a great leader."

"So do I, but until he can see it, he's not interested. But the pack is torn between being upset that he might usurp Sam, and being upset that he wont."

"Wow. Who needs daytime TV with you guys around."

Leah laughed, and then turned serious again. "I'm afraid to tell Jacob what I'm feeling Bella. On top of everything else, what if he does say yes, and then he imprints on someone else? I'm afraid to trust my own feelings anymore."

"Peter Mcwilliams said "It is a risk to love. What if it doesn't work. Ah, but what if it does"

"Where did you hear that crap?"

"Oprah. But...just think about it. And Leah? Of all the things you have to worry about, I don't think Jacob rejecting you is one of them."

"Oh really? And how can you say that?"

"Because I've seen the way he looks at you when you're not paying attention." With that, they went back to their pizza and show; Bella not wanting to push it, and Leah not wanting to think about it too much.

They spent the next few days exploring Biloxi. The checked out the downtown area, the few museums, and any other historical sites Bella could find. She was stalling for time, and they both knew it. She was suddenly very nervous about what she would find if she kept looking into Alice's past. Leah finally put her foot down at the maritime and seafood industry museum. "Bella, I'm pretty sure the chamber of commerce is going to offer you a job if you keep digging up ridiculous landmarks to see." So on the morning of their last full day, Bella found herself knocking on the front door of a beautiful, large plantation home.

"Yes?" Any chance that they were in the wrong place vanished when a young brunette woman, who bore a striking resemblance to Alice answered the door.

"Hi. Um, we're here doing a research paper for school about um..." As Bella started to lose her nerve, the woman interrupted her.

"Oh my god, you're her aren't you?" Bella looked up at the girl in confusion.

"What..."

"Are you here about Alice?"

Bella and Leah wore matching looks of surprise on their faces as the girl gave them a warm smile, as if they'd been friends for years. "I'm Sarah, please come in" she motioned for them to enter, and directed them to sit on the sofa. She then brought them each a glass of lemonade, and finally brought in a beautiful wooden box, which she placed on the table between them.

"How's the lemonade? It's simple, but the recipe's been in my family just as long, well just as long as this box" She spoke with a pleasant southern twang in her voice. "It's so...incredible. I mean, we've always wanted to believe it was true, but to have it actually confirmed..."

"Have what confirmed, exactly" Bella asked.

"That my Great Aunt Alice really was psychic. She told her sister, my great grandmother that two girls would show up on this exact date asking questions, and that we should give them this box." She nodded toward the large box she'd brought in.

"What is it?" Asked Leah.

"There's a letter on top, addressed to you," she indicated towards Bella, "'the girl with the long brown hair'. The rest is her journal. We've never read it. She was specific in her last letter to her sister that it was imperative to the safety of our family that we not read that journal. I guess whatever else she said was enough, because Grandma Grace never opened it, or let any of her children. To this day I haven't, mostly out of respect I guess. It's really freaky that you showed up, but then again, everything else happened."

"Everything else?" Bella asked.

"There were a few predictions she left us. Things to avoid, people to talk to . She left some detailed...investment tips. They've served us pretty well."

The three chatted for a while, until Bella and Leah left, and returned once again the their hotel room. They found themselves sitting on Bella's bed, with the journal and the unopened letter in between them.

"Do you want me to give you some privacy?" asked Leah, torn between trying to be respectful, and her raging curiosity.

"No, stay. We've come this far together. Okay, let's do this." Bella opened the letter and started reading it out loud.

Dear Friend

It's strange to address a letter to a friend when I don't even know your name. I know that we're friends though, as impossible as it may seem. I can see you reading this letter. I see you sitting on a bed with a floral print blanket, next to your friend with the short black hair. As it goes on, your eyes start to water, and tears start to fall, and for that I am sorry. I don't know how we know each other, but I do know that this is the furthest into the future I've ever seen, and it's very hazy.

I'm writing this letter from a bare room in the asylum, where I've lived for almost a year. For as clearly as I can see what happens in the future, my memories are scattered, and missing. My friend tells me that it's due to the shock treatments I've been receiving. They are cruel here, and sometimes, when I'm tired of playing nice, I tell them about the terrible things I see in their futures. That's usually when they lead to the room for the treatments. Fortunately, I've been keeping a journal of my life. I started writing it when I turned fifteen. I didn't know why specifically at the time, but I knew I'd need everything to be written down. I hope the information there is what you are looking for.

I don't have much time. I have to get this letter and my journal sent out to Grace tonight or it will be too late. I'm going to die tomorrow. I'm not sure exactly how, but it will happen. I don't know what fate awaits me after death, I'm only sure that it's not the end. Will I fade away? Will I rise like a phoenix? I know that you know me, and care for me, but I can't see how, and that scares me. Maybe I'm a ghost.

I can see that this isn't the end of your journey either. There are still troubling times ahead for you. I wish I could tell you that everything will turn out for the better, but I can't see the end, only this beginning. Please know though, that while I can see that I'm not with you, I'm thinking of you wherever I am, and I love you.

The hunter is circling me, waiting to trap me, but I will not be caught without a fight.

I am no bird; and no net ensnares me: I am a free human being with an independent will.

Love, Mary Alice Brandon

Tears were falling freely from Bella's eyes, and a small laugh escaped her as she read the last line. "She has read Jane Eyre" she smiled. Leah didn't know why that was funny, but moved over to give her friend a hug. They opened the journal to the first page.

Sixth of June, nineteen seventeen

I have started writing this journal on my fifteenth birthday because I have seen something in my future that is unyielding, and unavoidable, and this journal will be the only true account of what follows. I think I should start at the beginning.

When I was eight years old I watched my cousin fall into a well and die, only to see him walk casually into the room moments later. I didn't understand what had happened at first so I kept it to myself. Then, later that day, I saw my mother drop our supper as she took it out of the stove. I ran into the kitchen, just in time to see it happen again. That's when I understood. I was seeing the future. As I slept, I had the vision of my cousin dying again. The next day I ran to him and begged him to stay away from the well. He pushed me down and called me crazy. I went to my aunt, but she told me I was wicked and I would be punished for making up such wild stories. I didn't know what to do. I ran to my sister, Grace, and I told her everything. She believed me without any proof, and we decided to save him ourselves, but we were too late. By the time we caught up with him, he was already in the well. As if, he had sought it out, just to spite me. I wondered if maybe that is what happened, and if I hadn't said anything, maybe it wouldn't have happened at all. My aunt told me I was a wicked, terrible girl, and she tried to tel everyone that I was a witch. Everyone seemed to think she was just hysterical with grief, so they ignored her. To this day she refuses to speak to me, or acknowledge my presence.

Grace is the only one who knows about my secret. She helped me then, when I was scared that this was a curse. That I really was evil as my aunt suggested. She held my hand and told me that God would not have given me a gift like this if I was evil. I don't know if I believe in God anymore, but I believe in Grace, and if I were evil, she would be able to see it. After that incident, she helped me keep the visions a secret. She told me to draw what I saw, and we would try to make sense of it together. But I'm afraid that she cannot help me with this. I have not felt this afraid since I was that eight year old girl. Today I saw myself die.

The journal continued on for pages and pages. Alice dedicated some of it to her past, as well as current events. She seemed to understand that her memories would not be there forever, and she needed them to be preserved somehow. She did not mention her death again. She wrote about seeing the great war begin, and how it would end. She also knew that even though they called it "The War to end all wars", it wouldn't be. She wrote about the frustration of seeing something happen thirty miles away, and having no way to stop it. She wrote about some of her victories, like being able to get everyone into the storm cellar before a tornado hit, as she learned how to lie more convincingly. She wrote about the cruel irony that occurred when she tried to change events that would not be tried to stop a neighbor from falling off of a ladder, only to see him slip on a patch of ice and crack his skull. In very Alice fashion, she and her sister used the visions to play pranks on mean classmates, or rude adults. She learned how to control it to an extent. She learned that if she concentrated she could look into specific peoples futures, or even trace certain events. Reading along, it was easy to forget the first entry. Then things got interesting.

By 1919, Alice's father had grown even more distant and moody than he had been throughout her childhood. She could hear his arguments with her mother at night when he'd come home late, sometimes with drink on his breath. Things in the house were strained. As terrified as Alice had been to see her death, nothing could have prepared her for the horror of seeing her own mother murdered in their living room. She couldn't see who the murderer was, but it was definitely her mother. She went to her mother, unable to justify trying to hide the truth anymore, She told her everything, begged her to listen, and at first her mother seemed to believe her, and tried to heed her daughters warnings, never staying in the house alone, and maintaining a constant alertness. They decided it would be best if Grace were sent somewhere safe, so she was sent away to live with a different aunt for a while. After six months, though Alice's vision remained unchanged, her mother eventually let her guard down. When they heard someone break into their house, Alice's mother shoved her in a closet and told her to remain absolutely silent. Then, a stranger entered the house, and murdered her mother. As he turned to leave, Alice saw his face, and immediately had a vision of him and her father talking, shaking hands, and exchanging funds. Then, only a month later, her father remarried.

After that, Alice didn't bother trying to hide anymore. She talked openly about her visions, using them to tease and torment her father and his cruel bride. Finally, they sent her away, The asylum they chose was terrible. The staff ranged from indifferent to cruel. Her entries in the journal became patchy and scattered as the "treatments" took their toll, but she mentioned one friend. Some one who saw something in both her abilities and her spirit that he took a liking to. She referred to him as a guardian angel with pale skin and golden eyes. She said even though she knew she should be afraid, she knew her friend would never hurt her.

First of May, nineteen twenty one

This will be my last entry. The angel who watches over me told me that the hunter with red eyes will be here soon. That my blood calls strongly to him. I can see him in my dreams. He looks so much like my friend, except for the eyes, which are different in both color and emotion. My friends eyes are kind. The hunters are cruel. They eyes of a killer. I am scared. My friend says that he can save me, but the future is uncertain. He says it will hurt more than a thousand electric shocks. I've seen my death, but now I don't know. I'm seeing things that happen so far in the future. There's a girl, and I'm sure I know her, but how? All I know is we're close. I wish she were here now. There's something else. Sometimes when I look into my future, I feel more than see. I feel peace, and love, and acceptance. It's so overwhelming that I have to stop.

My biggest concern is for my sister, but I think I've done right my her. She's happy with our aunt, and they're treating her well. I used my gift to give her enough future knowledge to ensure that she and her family will live quite comfortably. It may be cheating, but it's for Grace. She deserves it. My friend is here, he says it's time. So here I go.

Bella and Leah sat there, both effectively silenced by the journal. They'd sat there for hours, and read the entire thing. Leah was the first one to break the silence.

"I know that instinctually I'm supposed to hate her, but I don't think I can. Reading this, I feel like I know her. She was just a girl."

"She still is in a lot of ways. Reading this, I see so much of the Alice I know in here."

"What now?"

"I guess we go home. We'll finish up the school year, and see what the future holds."

"I mean what are you going to do about all this?" Leah gestured to the journal.

Bella sighed. "I don't know Leah. I wish I did, but I just don't know. I thought having the pieces of this puzzle would bring me closure, but I just feel more connected to her than ever. It helped, just not in the way I was hoping." Leah nodded sympathetically. "Well, let's go to sleep. Maybe things will be clear in the morning."