That night over dinner Charlie questioned his wife and daughter about the day's events, trying hard not to grill them like a law enforcement officer.

"It was amazing Dad. Carlisle taught me how to relax and let my wings out. I can do it whenever I want to now. I don't think .. I'm pretty sure I won't let them out accidentally now."

"You should see her Charlie. She flew. I can't describe what it felt like to see our little girl fly. It was just so beautiful."

Bella smiled warmly at her Mom.

"We're lucky Charlie. I believe they want to help just like they promised, and I'm starting to trust them."

Bella pointed to the small pile of manuscripts and that Carlisle had loaned her. "Carlisle gave me these books to read. He has been researching and working hard to help me find out about myself. Already he's told us some things about angels that will help. Some of them have gifts, and Carlisle thinks I may have powers."

"Powers?"

Renee squeezed Charlie's forearm. "Bella healed a little bird. And she may have some ability to control the wind. They're going to test it later in the week. But Carlisle has been good. He's not pressuring her. He's not asking her to do anything we wouldn't agree to. I have to go to work tomorrow and I'm not worried about leaving her with them tomorrow. "

Charlie nodded slowly. He'd always trusted his wife's opinion and ability to read others. He was starting to relax about his decision to give the Cullens a chance. Carlisle was widely respected in town, and Esme volunteered at the hospital. There was nothing to suggest they were anything but the caring and generous people that they appeared to be, even if they kept to themselves and had their own strange secrets. Charlie understood exactly what it was like to need to guard his family closely, and how that made close friendships all but impossible. He was beginning to wonder whether the Cullens might not offer the kind of friendship his family had had to go without.

He rose from the table, kissing his daughter on the top of her head. "We're proud of you Bella. Just make sure you show me those flying skills soon kid. And the minute they ask you to do something you don't like you call me or your Mom, ok?"

On Tuesday, after a morning of gentle testing focussing on Bella's flight speed, height and endurance, Carlisle had had to return to the hospital, leaving Bella to spend time with Alice. Esme was home, but was trying to give the girls some space. Rosalie and the three boys were at school. Alice and Bella were sitting in the music room, and Bella was staring at a single stray beam of weak sunlight that was shining through the window and highlighting the dust particles in the air.

"Emmett is desperate to find out how strong you are. Don't be surprised if he challenges you to an arm wrestle."

Bella thought the idea was ridiculous. "I do feel different. Stronger and faster. I don't seem to get tired when I'm doing stuff, even flying. And I don't need as much sleep as I used to. But I'm pretty sure any one of you could still crush me like a bug."

"Don't be so sure. I can feel you getting stronger. Sometimes when you are nervous and you hold my hand and squeeze it, well, I can really feel it. I'd only thought other vampires could do that."

Part of Bella knew she should have been worried about the possibility of actually hurting Alice, but a bigger part was focussed on Alice's mention of holding hands and other vampires. She hadn't really thought about it much, but Alice was, well, a lot older and probably a lot more experienced. Bella had no right to be jealous, it wasn't as though they she and Alice were girlfriends, but she couldn't stop herself asking.

"Have .. have you held many vampires' hands?"

Alice couldn't help but smirk at the question. "Held hands?"

"Well, you know, have you had boyfriends. Or .. or girlfriends."

Alice sighed. "Hmm. I'm 19. I've been 19 for 93 years. I'd never found anyone special. Not like Rose and Em. Or Jasper and Edward. Or Carlisle and Esme. But, it .. it's a long time to be alone, waiting for that special one. So yes, I've had relationships. And yes, I like girls. I'm not a virgin Bella."

"Oh. Right. I guess you think I'm pretty .. um ... naive."

Alice took both Bella's hands in hers and leaned in so that their foreheads were touching. "I don't care what you have or haven't done. No, that's not quite true. I can't help it but I'm happy I was the first one to kiss you. That was wonderful. You are wonderful. We're all lucky to have met you. Emmett is crazy about you. Honey, even Rose likes you and that never happens with new people. It took years for her to warm up to me, and I'm awesome. And I like you Bella. A lot. I've already told you that."

Bella was blushing furiously by now, but she gave Alice an adoring smile. "I like you too."

Once again Alice found herself wanting to tell Bella everything about vampires, good and bad, about how vampire's have one true mate and how she really felt about her. Even worse was the almost overwhelming need to show Bella how she felt. It was becoming physically painful for the little vampire to hold back her desire. Vampires were not designed to exercise restraint. Their nature was ultimately quite simple. They had two basic needs, blood and sex. Alice may have been a vampire for almost a century, but in vampire years she was still young, not much more than an adolescent, and her impulses were becoming harder and harder to control the more time she spent with Bella.

And what Alice felt with Bella was like nothing she'd ever heard of before, not even from the rest of her family. The moment she'd seen her in the cafeteria it was instantaneous, the shock of finding a part of herself she didn't know she was missing, and only now was she beginning to realize that the thread of connection had begun that day 5 years ago in the forest and had been growing ever since.

It was even worse when they were apart. Alice felt a physical ache in her chest when Bella went home to her parents, like a part of her was being torn away from her. But she couldn't quite bring herself to do anything about it. Bella was so young, and dealing with so much change in her life already. It felt wrong to add to that pressure. So Alice suppressed her needs and wants for another day.

Alice released Bella's hands before she reached the point where she couldn't let go, and hid her pain with a gentle smile. "Well, now that we have re-established that we like each other, how about we go for a walk? I'm going to find that sunbeam again for you. There's something I want to show you."

A few minutes later the girls were outside and Alice reached out into a single weak ray of light. Bella watched as her hand sparkled like a diamond, throwing off glimmers of rainbow colored light as Alice twisted her hand.

"Oh my God. You sparkle."

"Crazy huh?"

"It's beautiful. You're beautiful."

"Pretty damned useless though. It makes life hard when we have to make sure we stay out of the sunlight around humans. Our family is lucky, I can see when it is going to be sunny and we can plan around it. Stone hard skin is a great defense, but whoever thought sparkles would be a useful evolutionary trait should have their head examined."

Bella grinned. "You're almost indestructible aren't you?"

"Pretty much. Not much can kill us. Fire. Ripping off our heads. That works." Bella winced.

"Feeling brave?"

"Why? Do you want to fight me or something?" Alice wriggled her eyebrows jokingly.

"Or something. Want to go flying?"

Alice's eyes lit up. "Could you? I mean, do you think you could carry me?"

"I'm pretty certain I can." And with that she picked up Alice bridal style, unfurled her wings, and lifted off. It was unexpectedly easy holding her whilst she flew higher and higher, and Bella loved the feeling of Alice pressed close to her in her arms. "Tell me if you get cold".

"We don't feel the cold." Alice nuzzled her face into Bella's neck, speaking softly but directly into Bella's ear so that her words weren't drowned out by the rushing wind.

They flew high, through the damp layer of cloud that hung over Forks almost every day, directly into bright sunlight. The effect on Alice's skin was instantaneous, and the small glimpse of sun on Alice's hand was nothing compared to bright clear sunlight hitting the vampire's exposed skin. It was almost blinding, and Bella laughed from the exquisite joy and beauty of it.

They flew beyond Forks, circling high over the nearby forest and mountains before turning to head out towards the sea. Alice had never experienced anything like it, the sheer freedom and exhilaration of silent flight was breathtaking, even for a creature that didn't need to breathe. Droplets of frozen water sparkled on her cheeks like tears of happiness and she hugged Bella's neck with barely suppressed adoration.

When they finally landed 30 minutes later Alice could barely speak, and simply hugged Bella tight, pressing her lips against her neck as she regained her composure.

"Are .. are you ok?"

"OK? That was the most amazing thing EVER. It was .. I don't know how to describe it. You'll take me again wont you?"

"I'll take you flying any time you want Alice."

Alice squealed and hugged her again. "Don't .. don't tell the others yet. Please? I ...I want it to be our thing. Just for a while? They always know everything that happens to me as soon as I do and for once I'd like a secret that is just mine and yours."

"Just us." Bella promised.

The flight hadn't gone unobserved though. Dashiel had been watching again from the tree line. The little vampire was clearly the one his Watcher had spoken of. Isabella's mate. And things were moving fast. Too fast. If he was going to intervene it would have to be soon, before anything happened between them. A mating would hasten the development of Isabella's powers. The manifestation of that kind of creative power at a time when she was emotionally immature, perhaps even unstable, before she had been trained to be properly attuned to her surroundings, could prove disastrous.

Why then did he feel so conflicted? Something was niggling at the back of his mind. Doubt. And an angel couldn't afford to have doubts.

Later that afternoon Bella was seated with Alice on an old log at the edge of the garden, talking to Jasper and Edward who had just arrived home from school. Bella seemed distracted.

"Hey, um. You know how I told you yesterday that I think I may have healed a little finch?" Bella nodded over in the direction of a small yellow bird that had been flitting around them for the last half hour. "I think that might be him."

The goldfinch chose that moment to fly down and perch on the log that the two girls were sitting on.

"Hey fella." Bella cooed at him.

The bird sang back at her excitedly. Four sets of eyes watched him with fascination as he tweeted and danced sideways up and down the log. Then suddenly he was airborne, performing a series of cute aerial maneuvers in the air directly above and in front of Bella, singing as he flew. He began to fly in wide circles, warbling sweetly. After a while he swerved towards the nearest tree, landing and then jumping from perch to perch, still warbling, making his way around a large group of trees.

Jasper seemed fascinated and was watching the finch and then looking over at Bella, grinning widely.

"If he starts diving down at her and back up again you're in trouble Alice." Alice shot Jasper a puzzled look.

Almost on cue the little bird swooped in close to Bella, rose into the air, and began a long flat flight, tucking his wings close to his body, plummeting earthward and catching himself by spreading his wings to glide upward in a series of loops. He repeated this twice before returning to perch back on the log close to Bella, tweeting happily at her like something out of a Disney cartoon.

Edward was looking over at Jasper with a curious expression, before the two of them began giggling hysterically as they stared at the two girls.

"What? You're seriously starting to annoy me you two. What is it?" Alice glowered at the pair of them as they grinned like a pair of idiots.

Jasper seemed to be having trouble forming words, but finally managed to explain. "You have competition Pixie. Our little feathered friend has just completed his courtship ritual. For Bella. He is in lurve."

Edward snickered. "So was it good for you too Bells?"

Bella grinned. "Aww, it IS kind of flattering. My little Romeo."

Alice's face was priceless. She glared at the bird and then at Bella, not sure why she was annoyed or who she should be mad at. More than a little embarrassed at her own reaction, she grabbed Bella's hand and dragged her towards the house without a word, leaving behind two amused vampires and a lovestruck goldfinch.

"I don't understand."

"What is there to understand Dashiel? They must be separated." The angel sat near the top of a mountain peak, seemingly alone except for the glowing orb of blue light the ebbed and pulsed with energy. He was handsome, although not classically so, his dark hair flecked with silver, blue eyes and a strong determined jaw. His age was hard to guess, perhaps somewhere in his 50s, although his aura seemed ancient.

"I haven't seen any evidence of the vampire harming her. I've been watching. They don't even drink from humans, they feed on animals. This coven is different, the young vampire is different. I could help. I could teach Isabella, I could teach her mate too."

"And if Isabella manifests and isn't able to control her power, or worse, if the vampire corrupts her, we may never be able to stop her. Vampires can't suppress their true nature. They always give in to evil in the end. What if they drink from Isabella?"

"If they try to drink from an angel, they die. That's what has always happened."

"Not if she allows it."

Dashiel looked shocked. "You never told me that."

"There was never any reason to let you know. An angel's blood only turns poisonous if a vampire drinks by force or coercion. It is one way we have ensured you stay hidden from their kind. But if she should allow it, it will not kill the vampire. It may simply change her."

"Change?"

"Even we don't know how. It has never happened."

"Still, what you want me to do, I can see it will hurt Isabella. You created us to protect. And you are supposed to guide us, not force us to take away the free will of our own kind. That is not how it should be. She is still an innocent."

The Watcher hesitated. Emotion was something his kind rarely indulged in, but the angel was dangerously close to insubordination and he was struggling for the first time in centuries not to give in to anger. "An innocent who can be corrupted too easily if we do not act. What she can't remember will not hurt her. Keep observing," he ordered. "You will receive ... instructions ... when the time is right." With that the soft orb of light was gone.