A/N - Sorry for the extremely long wait, and I know that to boot this chapter is short, but I felt like I had to get something down for you guys. So enjoy!

BPOV

I knew that I could not abandon my duty to daydream about the future, no matter how much I wanted to. With full access to my weapons once more, and Charlie safe in the knowledge that I was 'asleep', I slipped out of the window of my room, intent on preventing anything tragic from happening on the eve of the day that had filled me with such joy.

Landing soundlessly, I began a slow circle of the usual area. During my 'absence', I had established a patrol pattern that left me with enough time to return to Port Angeles before sunrise. Now, this simply became the norm. I covered the majority of the forest around Forks, up to that strange border of scents. I didn't like to cross it; disturbing the line didn't sit right with me. But it did puzzle me how a certain combination of scents could fill me with such a feeling of foreboding, when I had come across the reality of much worse before.

As I ran, I was unable to prevent my mind from drifting to the consequences of the day's events. On the plus side, Alice was my girlfriend. My wonderful, powerful, perfect girlfriend. On the not so good side, Alice had seen me running at non-human speed. I could see that she had not bought my bullshit attempt, but was simply leaving it for a later time, and that worried me. And of course, in stating the bloody obvious: Alice was a vampire.

What in Satan's fish-basket was Rick gonna say?

My roaming thoughts were brought back to earth with a 'whump', as a silhouette dashed across my path. Screeching to a halt, I cast around for a scent, but I was overpowered by that wet dog smell again. Was I over the border? Why didn't I notice? But it didn't look like I was, and as the gentle night breeze cleared the air around me, the scent disappeared. No. That was actually one of the wet doggy smelling things. Whatever the heck they are. Curious, and perhaps slightly fearful, I tried to locate the scent, but the wind grew stronger, mixing up everything until I couldn't even recognise the normal forest odours.

Ah well, it's not what I was looking out for, and I know absolutely nothing about it. It could be a lot stronger than me for all I know. Uneasy in this knowledge, I circled back round to my house and returned to my room, eager to get some shut-eye in preparation for the next day. However, as I scrambled back in the open window, I found the dog scent saturated in my room. I retched, wondering briefly…Charlie! I rushed along the corridor, but quickly calmed when I peeked round his door and saw him snoring contentedly. So…what the hell?

I returned to my room once more with the intention of examining the scent further, but found no trace of it. Seriously, WTF? My brows drew together as I expressed my confusion, before throwing myself onto my bed. I massaged my temples for a moment, attempting to ease the oncoming headache. It made no sense. How could a scent just suddenly disappear?

It was then I realised I had painted myself into a corner. I didn't want to phone Rick, in case he asked awkward questions about the Cullens and my stay with Kristie. I couldn't ask Alice, because she didn't know for sure yet what I was. Something had to give, but the question was; which one would it be?

I must have drifted off at some point during my worry fest, because the next thing I knew I was being rudely disturbed by my alarm. Seriously, what was up with me and the sleeping thing? It was starting to get worrying, and I was afraid that I was going to have to crack and talk to Rick earlier than I wanted to. Even as I was getting ready, my mind was still dozing.

It seemed like fog was still covering my mind as I was driving to school, and it was only when I arrived that it actually occurred to me; I gotta deal with curious kids wondering about my absence. I hated having to spin webs of lies, 'cos eventually you slip up, and then everything came crashing down around you. Better suck it up, Bella.

"Bella!"

Brilliant. Jessica tottered over to me hurriedly, clearly having trouble with the killer heels someone had obviously talked her into wearing today. I tried to walk in the opposite direction, but unfortunately she was between me and the school building. Reluctantly, I acknowledged her.

"Bella, where've you been? It's been like, a month, and everyone's been talking about you not being here."

I shrugged, made a non-committal noise and said, "There was some stuff I needed to take care of back in Phoenix, that's all."

The bimbo nodded, as if she understood deeply, and made to say something more, but thankfully her babbling and general guff was interrupted by the only voice that I could never get tired of hearing.

"Hey, Bella."

I spun immediately, hoping desperately that I wasn't too fast, and met a honey gold gaze. Immediately I felt my knees weaken, and my mind drifted back to the previous day, one event in particular springing to mind as my eyes roamed up and down Alice's body. There was a sound of throat clearing, and I suddenly realised I'd been staring a little too long.

"Er…sorry. Hi to you to, Alice," I managed to stumble out, my cheeks warming.

"May I accompany you to class? The bell is about to ring," Alice asked, her head tilted slightly to one side.

"Of course," I assented, reaching for her hand and entwining our fingers. For a brief moment, we strolled in silence towards the school building, but suspense settle over me like a damp blanket until Alice began to speak.

"Bella, I understand that you've only just got back and all, but you must understand that I don't for one minute believe half the excuses you made to me yesterday, okay?"

Ouch. There is was. I closed my eyes and took a long breath, before meeting the eyes of the vampire beside me.

"I'm sorry, Alice. I really don't want to get off on the wrong foot or anything, and that's gonna mean having no secrets between us. All I ask is that you give me just a little bit of time to work out how I can explain to you exactly what is going on with me. Please?" She halted us, sighing.

"Bella, I thought a lot about this last night, and I need to know before I can commit myself. It's obvious that you have a few secrets of your own, and I respect that. But they're going to get in the way of us being together if I don't understand them. Believe me, I know." She tapped her temple. "So take your time, just don't hold it inside forever, okay?"

I nodded feebly, and we resumed our walk towards the school buildings, just as the first bell rang. So I'd bought myself some time. The question was, just exactly what do I do next?