A/N: Thank you for your patience!

Alice and I weren't able to talk for a day after the play... well, after the morning when she brought me home. So we had some time to think things over. I did everything to prove to myself that I was nuts, that I had imagined everything, that it was all just an elaborate fantasy. But I could not. I knew her arms had been around me, her lips... her dove soft lips on mine, her scent, her beautiful voice lingering in my dreams. I remember lounging around in bed for a long time before getting up, replaying the night's events over and over.

After breakfast I took a book and went into the woods, taking a light jacket. Forks had never seemed so beautiful to me before. The morning's air was crisp and the ground was layered with fresh pine needles, their smell amplified by the night's rain. I climbed a tree, something I realized I had never done before oddly, and read as the sun rose. I was rejuvenated, rekindled. Birds and small woodland creatures chirped and scuttled around underfoot. I had a strange urge to climb higher to look over the entire expanse. I was further from my house than I thought. Up at the top before the branches were too thin to support me, I watched the sky catch fire. I rested my head on the trunk, the slick bark feeling rough. I felt it with my hand, absentmindedly working my fingertips into the thick grooves. Too thick to be natural. I looked at the indents and saw that someone had carved on of those hearts with theirs and their sweetheart's initials inside.

A & B FOREVER

I smiled, delighted by the coincidence. Someone else with our initials had shared this tree, had thought they would stay together for the rest of their lives. Maybe they had. The idea of it comforted me but was somewhat foreign. To be with someone forever. I had always know I would have Alice as my friend for life, but now that we were together would that change? I liked to think no matter how our romantic relationship went we would have the resilience to stay friends, but it was too early to tell and not to mention worry about it. I found that for the rest of the day I could not stop smiling. The next morning I woke up not being able to stand not seeing her. I liked it though. Her absence had left me ravenous for her attention and I was torn between dressing as quickly as possible and taking care to look my best. Somehow even though I was hurrying, I still took an hour to get ready. I was up before Charlie and it was another gorgeous morning. I was biassed of course, by her, but I wasn't complaining. Had I known happiness or excitement before this? That kiss-I mean, that thimble-was changing everything.

Esme let me in. We hugged simultaneously. Usually either one or both of us was hesitant with the Cullens when it came to touching. Her skin was cool and my body longed even more for the woman upstairs. When I went up, surprising Emmett with my speed, hearing his chuckle from downstairs. I didn't see her at first. None of the doors were closed. I expected living together for so long created an infallible sense of trust. I let myself wander, enjoying the beautiful house as I looked for her. She was in Carlisle's office, feet up on the desk, leaning back in the chair with a pipe between her smiling lips. She blew smoke rings my way.

"Looks like you found me, my dear Watson."

I shut the door.

"Hello, Alice."

"You're blushing."

"What an amazing detective you are. I didn't know vampires could smoke."

"It's just as bad for us as it is for you, just in different ways. You dislike it?"

I walked over, sitting on the edge of the wooden desk, fingering a pen somewhat nervously.

"As adorable as you are, I'm not too crazy about the idea of kissing something that tastes like an ash tray."

"Fair enough. Though... What do you think of the idea in general?"

"What, kissing you? Or smoking?"

"The former."

"Well I can't really be sure. Now that we're so far from Neverland, things could have changed." I was leaning in, pulled in by her own gravity.

She leaned in too, eyes slowly shutting. "As far as I'm concerned, sweetie, I never left."

I'll admit it was weirder this time. Not physically. Just the opposite in fact. But mentally I couldn't stop thinking-

"I'm kissing a girl," I said aloud.

"Yes, you are. You'll make a fine detective too one day."

"No... but I mean... " I pulled away. "Wow."

"Do you need a moment?" she giggled. "To identify your gender, sexual orientation, and another slew of pointless, generally answerless questions which society has forced you to analyze?"

"Probably. You seem to be pretty comfortable with it."

"Very."

"Have you... been with other..."

"Girls? Boys? People somewhere in between and outside of the spectrum?"

I gave a weird sort of shrug.

She smiled. "Let's just say you haven't been exposed to much."

"I can agree with that. So will you be the one to enlighten me?"

A gleam and a mischievous little smile spread across her face. I barely noticed her eyes dart to the clock on the wall.

"Have you ever tried yoga?" she asked, surprising me.

"Um, no..." I laughed, trying to figure out the sudden subject change. "My mom was in to that for a week or something."

"It's an excellent stress reliever and does wonders for the figure."

I pretended to look offended. "So you think I'm stressed and out of shape do you?"

I turned my back to her dramatically, crossing my arms in a huff. I heard her set down the pipe and move out of the chair. She came around and uncrossed my arms, holding both of my hands. She looked dreamily into my eyes before nodding.

"Yes."

My facade melted into truth.

"Yes?"

"Stressed over how crazy you are for me. And as for being out of shape, I think I'll be able to remedy that fairly quickly."

She had her hands on my hips, arms encircling my waist. A hand found its way from my back up to my neck, caressing the skin. I wanted so badly to kiss her, for her to show me all that I had not been exposed to...

"Is this moving too fast for you?" she whispered.

"No. It's actually a little bit perfect."

"Good. Because I want to take this to the next level."

I stared at her in suspense, gasping as her cold fingers stroked my cheek. She leaned in gently.

"Bella... Nothing would please me more than to help you pick out a yoga mat." She was smiling halfway through her sentence and laughing when she reached the end.

I rolled my eyes. "Are you going to do that often?" I pushed her away, but was smiling myself.

"What?"

"Teasing me."

A look of innocence crossed her face as she pulled me towards the door. "Why, I would never do that to you!"

"You do it just by occupying the same room," I said without thinking, blushing bright red. She rested her cool hands against my burning cheeks.

"So do you, love."

It wasn't until we'd purchased some work out clothes and a yoga mat that I realized how bad an idea it was.

"Of course it's a good idea. It'll be fun."

"No, but really, you know how clumsy I am."

"This will help with that."

"I'm horrible at any sport that-"

"It's not a sport, or a competition. We can stop if you don't like it, but at least give it a try. For me?"

"For you, you annoying little pixie?" I joked, kissing her forehead. With a sigh, "Fine."

We drove to a fitness center just outside of Forks. I felt ridiculous in those tight clothes and even worse when we went inside. There were a bunch of miraculously fit women waiting patiently on their colorful mats. It was then I noticed that Alice didn't have one.

"Oh no, you're not leaving me here alone are you?" I panicked. "I mean, you didn't bring a mat. Does that mean we can go?"

"Don't be silly. I keep mine here." I watched with alarm as she walked up to the front of the room and unrolled her own matt, sitting down facing the room. "Welcome back everyone," she greeted us.

She was the instructor.

"Let's start by taking some relaxing breaths. Inhale... and exhale... Hands resting on the knees, eyes softly closed."

You've got to be joking.

"Bella, if you'd like to join us," she smiled. Dumbfounded, I unrolled the mat and copied the people around me. I tried to do as she said, but my heart was pounding. I was a mix of nerves and a little excitement to see Alice give the class.

"Now, we're going to circle our heads all the way around our necks, relieving any tension there. Slowly, that's good."

Okay, so maybe this wasn't going to be too hard. Once my breathing calmed down it was actually pretty nice. I was easily deceived.

She brought us through a series of balancing and stretching that I could either not do or just barely manage. By the end I was panting and sweating, muscles protesting. She was right, I was out of shape. But still, I had to admit that I felt pretty good. At one point she'd been walking around to help us with our alignment and it did not slip past my notice how long she lingered on me. I lost my balance just having her close, but she steadied me and placed her cool hands on my burning skin. Her fingers slid along one of my legs while the other hand readjusted my hips.

We showered and got dressed in a change of clothes we'd brought. We talked and sang loudly to music on the ride back.

"Did you like it?" she asked hopefully.

"It was... interesting."

"Oh," she looked disappointed.

"But not horrible. I mean, that's the first exercise that I haven't completely failed at."

She beamed. "I thought you might like it."

"I had no idea you were an instructor though."

She shrugged. "Well there's lots of things you don't know about me." She winked.

"Like what? You've been in the olympics?"

"I wish," she laughed. "We're not allowed." We were at her house now. She had my door open for me before I'd undone my seat belt.

"Who isn't?"

"Vampires. We'd be exposing ourselves if we won everything."

"Oh... that kind of sucks, I'm sorry." "Don't. I have fun with the teaching. I do offer dance classes occasionally as well, but I doubt that'd be something you'd be interested in." We went in and sat in the living room. The atmosphere was fresh and open. I felt at home at once.

"I was a little embarrassed being the only beginner in there today," I admitted. "I don't think dancing would improve things."

She disappeared into the kitchen for a moment and returned with a plate of chopped fruit and vegetables. I hadn't realized how hungry I was.

"Perhaps you'd like a few private lessons first?" she suggested. "I won't charge you of course. By the way, it's twenty dollars for the yoga class," she laughed.

"I don't have the cash on me. Perhaps I could pay you... some other way?"

"Perhaps, but I think watching you stumble and trip over yourself just about does it."

"Hey, be nice."

She smiled. "No."

I stared at her for a moment, letting everything that had happened between us soak in.

"You're amazing," I told her. "I really don't know how this is happening."

She moved closer, pulling me in to lean on her shoulder, stroking my hair like I loved.

For a while she said nothing, then, "I know just how you feel."