Alice stood at the foot of the stairs as I scrubbed the dishes and I couldn't help wondering if she knew what had just happened. Ofcourse she couldn't 'see' what had happened. Alice couldn't see werewolves, and for once I was truly thankful for that. But Alice had a way of knowing these things, and I'm sure she wouldn't approve of my interest in a young werewolf. They could be dangerous and unpredictable, and Alice was almost as protective of me as Ed...He was. Alice's golden eyes looked me up and down as she scrutinised my outfit. A black t-shirt, a grey cardigan and my favourite carki skirt. I was never the dressy type, a fact Alice refused to accept.

"Such a waste." I thought I heard her mutter as she tugged lightly at my knit cardigan.

"We're going shopping" She said with a smile on her pixie like face "but first we must make you look presentable" she added, a smile in her voice. Alice loved to dress me up. Usually I resisted and tried to get out of going on her little shopping sprees, but I hadn't seen her in so long. I wasn't sure how long she would be here and I may aswell make the most of the little time we had. As if she could read my mind her hand was in mine and she was leading me up to my bedroom.

"Let's see what we have to work with here" Alice said, her voice like a bell as she flicked through the clothes in my wardrobe.

"No, no, heavens no!.......wait" she said as she as she came across a pair of blue jeans. "Put these on" she said as she took the jeans off the hanger and threw them onto my bed at super human speed.

"And wear this around your waist" she added, passing me a wide belt I didn't even know I owned.

Alice looked impatient as I struggled to fasten the catch on my belt, once again my coordination was not on my side.

"Here" she said gently moving my hands to the side and fastening my belt for me. She took three steps back and admired her work.

"Still needs something" Alice said, her hands reaching around the back of her elegant neck to unclip one of her many necklaces. She appeared behind me at inhuman speed and lifted my hair to fasten the swarkovski crystal chain, letting it hang loosely just over the neckline of the black shirt I wore originally.

"Perfect!" She concluded.

I'd forgotten how fast Alice drove. But all the memories came flooding back to me as she sped down the road to Port Angeles.

"Can we slow down?" I asked Alice as she put the car into fifth gear.

"But I'm only doing 150" she pleaded.

"Just a little" I pushed "I'll let you dress me up all you want and you can even buy me clothes"

"I'm going to do that anyway..." Alice said in her tiny voice "but since you're being so unusually cooperative, I guess I can compromise" she said as she lifted her foot slightly off the clutch slowing to a modest 120. Well, modest for a Cullen.

Even with Alice driving slower than usual it didn't take long to reach Port Angeles. It felt like hardly any time had passed when Alice pulled Carlisles Mercedes into the parking lot.

"How long are you staying for?" I asked as we stepped out of the car. It would be hard for me when Alice left again but I knew Jacob would help me through, even though I had no right to expect it.

"I leave tomorrow, I'm sorry Bella I should never have come. It's only going to make things harder for you when I go." Alice said regretfully.

"No, no, It's okay. I figured you wouldn't be here that long, Jasper must be missing you" I said. Alice and Jasper had hardly been apart since they first met.

"He'll be fine. He's off doing guy stuff with Emmett." Alice said with a cheeky smile in her voice, obviously knowing more about what they were up to than she let on. I figured I probably didn't want to know. Growing up as the police chiefs daughter I was opposed to grand theft auto and the like.

We took our time walking along the high street of Port Angeles. Stopping in practically every shop we passed coming out with bags full of clothing and jewelry. I felt sorry for Jasper. Alice probably made him carry all of her purchases when she brought him along.

"Try this one on" Alice said, handing me a ornate white blouse "It's perfect."

I looked closer at it. It wasn't my usual style but it was pretty. I sat on the ottoman at the front of the store waiting for a free change room. I watched Alice was sifting through racks of clothes to fast to remain inconspicuous and listened to the voices whirling around the room to kill time. Two girls were arguing over who found a sale item first, a young boy was asking his mother when he could leave, and two familiar voices bickered just outside the shop window. I walked over to Alice and handed her the blouse.

"Can you hold this for a second, I've just got to check on something" I said, handing her the top and racing outside."

"Did it fit?" she called after me, but I was already to far to answer her.

"He is going to kill us!" I heard one male whisper rather loudly.

"We have no choice" the other male answered "We have to follow orders and besides, he will be even angrier if Bella gets hurt."

I stood straight against a wall, looking around the corner trying to identify the two boys. Quil and Embry. I cleared my throat as I approached to make my presence know.

"What do you think you're doing here!" I snapped.

"Oh, hey Bella" Quil said looking panicky "fancy seeing you here"

"Don't give me that" I said sternly, surprising even myself "who sent you here?"

"Sent us?" Embry asked, slightly more convincingly than Quil "what do you mean?"

"I can trust Alice, now who sent you here?"

"Someone said my name" Alice said sweetly,arriving at my side "Oh! I'm sorry Bella, I can't see them and I was so distracted I didn't notice the smell."

Quil and Embry glared at Alice and she smiled back so innocently I had to hold back a laugh.

"Who. Sent. You?" I said in a no nonsense tone. I would get the answer even if I had to beat it out of them.

"Paul" Quil said guiltily. Embry elbowed him in the ribs and he let out a loud "Ouch!"

Of course. Once again Paul felt the need to make my life difficult.

"Well consider yourself dismissed" I said trying to calm myself

"Sorry Bella, we can't disobey a direct order" Embry said sincerely.

"Well in that case" Alice said breaking her silence "you can hold our bags" She said, smiling like the Cheshire cat as she handed Quil and Embry four bags each "We'll be out in half an hour" She added before walking back inside the store, shaking with laughter. I however was not amused.

It was a tense ride home with Alice. I was furious with Sam for sending Quil and Embry to spy on me. As if Alice would hurt me.

"What's the matter?" Alice asked noticing my clenched fists.

"Sam! He sent Quil and Embry to spy on us. He didn't trust you." I said, practically busting at the seams with rage.

"They're werewolves Bella. We're...." she stopped short "I'm a vampire. I figured they'd probably send someone. They're just worried about you" She said trying to calm me down.

"But they should know that you wouldn't hurt me" I said, trying to keep my voice calm.

"I know Bella. And if I thought I was a danger to you I wouldn't be here. But try not to worry about it." She said reasuringly " They're running the perimeter so you should be fine from here" She said as she pulled into Charlies driveway. It annoyed me that she thought I would be in any danger walking from the driveway to the house, but the last thing I wanted to do was fight with Alice now so I let it slide and hugged Alice goodbye as she walked me to my door. It was going to be harder than I thought when she left.