My first instinct was to phone Alice. If she hadn't already seen what had happened and was on her way, surely she'd be happy to give me a lift. I called twice with no answer which was very strange for her. Usually she Saw that you were about to call and called you instead. Edward always hated it but I found it fun. If I'd been anywhere else besides Forks I'd have chalked up the rain to bad luck on top of my engine dying. It started out as if springing out of sprinklers installed in the sky then came down in buckets. I stayed in the car, wrapping myself up in my thin sweatshirt.

Only one other car passed me. A man leaned out and asked if I needed a lift but I declined. I wouldn't have gotten in a van like that under the best of circumstances. I knew it probably wasn't right to judge but I was in no mood to be giving strangers the benefit of the doubt.

Charlie was at work and I didn't want to bother him with something so trivial. Jacob crossed my mind but I hadn't seen him in months and I wasn't looking forward to our next reunion which was destined to be painfully awkward. But it was getting colder by the second and I was blocking the road. I needed to call somebody. I was even more weary to take Carlisle away from his work and I didn't have any of the other Cullen's numbers. Rose and Emmett would be back home by now. I suppose there was some sort of tow company I could call but I didn't have any money on me and that seemed like a last resort. I searched through my cell phone, mostly finding people's names I'd lost touch with even though we still went to the same school. If I hadn't stayed so late I might have been able to get a ride off of someone.

My fingers searched up and down through glowing contact list, hovering over a slightly better option than the tow truck but not by much. Finally realizing I had no other option unless I wanted to get even more stiff with cold, I dialed. It was a quick conversations but did the trick. I tried not to regret my decision but wasn't completely relieved when I saw the approaching car pull up alongside my truck. Without letting myself think about it I grabbed my bag and locked the car, going around to the passenger side.

"Hey hon," Cassidy greeted me with a big smile. I closed the door and reached for my seat belt. Even if she wasn't my favorite person, or driver for that matter, I felt more relaxed now that I was in a functioning vehicle. She turned up the heater and made me put my hands on the vent. It was an old car like mine but seemed to run a lot smoother. Obviously.

I was regretting not calling Jacob it got so awkward for a few moments but after a bit she began to chatter away. It wasn't so bad really, and she hadn't had to come.

"Aren't you so excited for the play?" she beamed, keeping her eyes on the sleek road to my comfort.

"Actually yeah. I can't wait to see it."

"We've all worked so hard and it's going to be-" she gasped with delight. "It's just going to be brilliant!" I couldn't help but let some of her charisma rub off on me. A faulty engine wasn't enough to spoil the day I was going to tell my best friend how I really felt about her.

"So are you and Jason, uh, going together?"

"Well we're both in the play of course. We're going out if that's what you mean. Isn't he funny? I just think he's hilarious."

"So then nothing really... nothing really happened with..."

"What, with Alice? You can talk about it you know, Bella. You're adorable, you know that?" She laughed and I half expected her to rumple my hair or something. "No, no sparks." She gave me a sideways look.

I felt that she would continue but didn't. I was sure she wanted to say something.

"What is it?"

"What?"

I shrugged but gave her a knowing look.

We were half way to my house by now.

"You really are adorable, Bella. You and Alice both. Oblivious, but cute. I hope you figure it out soon how good you two are for each other. I'm not the only one who thinks so you know. You won't be outcasted or something if that's what you're worried about. People aren't-"

"Wait, hold on, what are you talking about?"

She rolled her eyes but didn't let her smile drop. "Alice is really sweet and a good friend but I was never really into her. I mean, don't get me wrong, she's gorgeous, but she's not really my type."

I turned away and stared at the road, not really understanding. How Alice couldn't be someone's type was beyond me, but what I was being told was far more confusing.

"So that weekend, what was that then? I thought you two were flirting the whole time."

"Oh we were." She grinned mischievously. "But really I was just trying to cause some commotion, move things along you know? You guys have really got something, I can tell. Matchmaking has always been sort of a weakness of mine. And you two fit."

"Whoa, wait, are you saying you never liked her and that weekend was just to try and get us together?"

"Well it got your attention didn't it?"

I blinked. I could see my house coming up.

"I knew from when I asked you if you were interested in her that you had some things to figure out and I just thought I'd help. I hope you don't mind. It was a blast for me though."

"You were just trying to make me jealous?" It was more of a revelation than a question. Suddenly her being 'sick' made sense now. I knew she hadn't really looked ill. Alice must have seen that she faked it... but why would she go along with it? All it did was give us some privacy... I swallowed.

"Sorry for the lie. But, well, yeah. Alice is a little harder to read but I know she cares for you. Hold on, isn't that your truck?"

I tore away my attention which had been glued to Cassidy's words for the last several minutes and looked up ahead. My truck was in its usual space in the drive, a lone figure leaning against it. Who it was an how they'd beaten us here, without the key let alone, I had no clue.

Cassidy waved and the figure, too obscured by the rain for me to see, waved back.

"I have to be off now, dear, but I hope you're not angry."

"No... I don't know... no... I just.... wow. Okay. Thanks for the ride. Sorry, I'm just trying to wrap my head around this... but thanks."

She giggled. "Don't forget your bag." I almost had.

"I'll see you at school." That was all I could manage before stumbling out of the car and rushing over to my truck. Cassidy didn't hover, but honked twice as she drove off. My breathing was loud and my heartbeat much too fast. I hadn't looked at the figure yet, who stood arms crossed, leaning against the driver door. We were both completely soaked and equally indifferent. Finally, trying to get a grip on myself, I moved closer and met Alice's eyes. She must have hot wired the truck and taken another road.

"Hi," I said.

She didn't answer. I read her expression and found it calm. The only sound came from the rain pattering on the roof and the metal of my truck. It helped wash away the sweat on my palms.

"It was really nice of you to bring my truck.... um, to bring it over for me. I tried to call but um..."

"I know. I wanted her to get you." Her voice was still sweet as honey, eyes luminous through the grey rain. She didn't make any movement though I was fidgeting and switching nervously from foot to foot like an idiot.

"And why was that?" I asked, staring at the puddle forming around my feet.

"Because I wanted you two to talk."

A pause.

"Alice... I was on my way to your house. I needed to talk with you."

"I know."

I forced myself to look her in the face. Her hair was flat against her head and looked longer, a few quirky spikes sticking up around her head like a halo. I'd never seen her soaked from the rain before. It dulled the luster a little in her skin so she looked closer to human. More like a super model now than a goddess.

"I have something for you," we both said at once, each of us trying to steer the conversation. I laughed because I didn't know what else to do.

"It's in my room," I said.

"Right behind you."

We took off our soaked shoes and jackets and I grabbed a few towels. I noticed that my hands were shaking. Sometimes that happened if I forgot to eat, but I suspected this was for a different reason. I handed her our best towel while I squeezed out the rain from my hair. Silently we went up to my room and she folded the towel and courteously put it on the bed before sitting down. I noticed the remaining drops of water on her skin had crystalized into frost. I changed into some dry clothes and I let her borrow my robe. She wrapped herself in it, hugging her arms around herself, smelling the fabric.

"It smells like you," she smiled, more spikes poking up messily in her hair. More than once I caught myself staring at her but never did she look away. Even though we kept our distance it still felt like we were touching.

I took out the little box with her secret gift and went to sit on the bed. Neither of us bothered to get the lamp though it was approaching twilight. As we took out our impromptu presents we worked ourselves among the pillows and blankets and it wasn't long until I was warmed up. With slender, skilled fingers she made quick work of the little ribbon and wrapping, carefully setting each item aside as if it were part of the treasure. I made sure to pay close attention to her face when she saw the bracelet she'd admired in the boutique and was pleased to find pure surprise and joy.

"Oh, Bella, it's lovely. But it's too much."

"You should be used to this sort of thing by now," I said, stealing her line from before when she'd spoiled us with the hotel.

"It's a remarkable piece."

"Let me see you put it on."

I helped her with the clasp even though she didn't need it. It looked like pieces of a sunset caught up around her dainty wrist. I took her hand, examining it.

"Pretty dull in comparison, but you wear it well."

I got more butterflies with the way she was looking at me then. I swear I almost melted right there.

"I love it. Thank you." Then it was my turn. She produced a parcel wrapped up in silk fabric with a lace bow that probably costed more than my gift, not that it mattered. I was as carful as she was, folding the silk as soon as I removed it. It was a book.

"Look inside."

"This looks really old." I gently lifted the cover which felt like it might flake away if I held it wrong. But the binding was still good. On a yellowed page inside it read:

Peter and Wendy

Published in 1911

Sir James Matthew Barrie

The last line was signed in blue ink.

I don't know how long I stared at it, and then at her.

"This can't be. This is... but how?" I immediately set the antique down, afraid it might crumble in my hands. It belonged in a museum.

"Right place, right time. I watched him sign it in 1929."

"What? He signed this for you?"

She nodded. "Yes. Really nice person, Mr. Barrie."

I could hardly breath. "You're joking. This has got to be some sort of..." but I knew it couldn't be a joke, she wasn't cruel like that. Just one more piece of history she'd picked up over the years. And now it was mine. "Alice, this is amazing... I can't even begin to thank you..."

"Yes you can."

I looked up at her. She opened her arms and, unhesitant, I leaned into her. I'm not sure how long we stayed like that, whispering little details about our gifts and especially about the book, which led into discussing the play. She held me perfectly, as if that was the way I was supposed to have been held all my life. I felt like little more than a small mound of fluff melting into those slender arms. My head rested in the crook of her neck and her lips rested sweetly on my forehead. I knew I could have fallen asleep easily, as I had done in the hotel, wrapped up in this way, but didn't dare miss a moment. She played with her bracelet, the fading light catching through the stones. She rocked me slightly and stroked my hair and I felt sure I would drift off into paradise.

This was why she hadn't picked up her phone, why she had wanted Cassidy to pick me up. She saw this. More importantly, she'd chosen this, wanted it as much as I did. In that gloriously long moment we shared I finally knew that Cassidy was right:

We fit.

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