There is a small gap in time and I might write a chapter in between, but I was slightly ;) influenced by my skiing break and came up with this. I hope you like it.

Running with the wind

Alaska was a beautiful country, especially when you wanted to hide seven vampires and one little girl and still be free. Edward was running, the wind blowing through his hair. Miles of snowy plains passed by him. He loved this freedom, this peace, this calm and his speed. Every year of his vampire life he went at least once a week on these kind of runs, always alone. This time he was not alone, but surprisingly it made the run better than worse.

'It feels like I am flying through a blur of white.' She yelled excited.

Bella was sitting on his back, her arms tightly around his neck. Her chin was leaning on his shoulder and her cheek was warming the side of his neck. He rushed on, hearing her giggles in his ears. The snow was deep and a perfect surface of white. He ran so hard that he hardly left a trail. His footprints were barely detectable to the human eye. He breathed in the fresh, wintery air and revelled in all the smells. The wind picked up and he felt a fierce blow in his face. He was suddenly worried that Bella would get too cold. The temperatures could be extreme in Alaska in the middle of winter. It felt cold even to him.

He slowed down, ignoring her sounds of protest. In one sweep he had her from his back, checking her out top to bottom. Her cheeks were rosy and her eyes were watery, but at least she was not shivering. He had packed her in many layers of clothing. She looked like a ball of fur with a small shining face. He chuckled. She was looking over his shoulder.

'Look! I see a wolf.'

With inhuman speed he turned his head, his over-protectiveness kicking in again. A wolf was no match for him, but Bella could be completely devoured by the beast. Quickly he turned around and placed Bella on his back again, keeping his body between her and the wolf during the whole movement. It was a large wolf and it acted unnatural by just standing there at a distance, watching them. Edward felt ill at ease. He remembered the werewolves they once encountered in Forks and this wolf was very large for his kind. He used his senses, but the wolf was too far away to smell the subtle difference between werewolf and normal wolf. He wanted to investigate, but he had Bella with him. Even though there was not really a risk, werewolf or no werewolf, he wasn't going to take any chances with her. She sensed his slight worry.

'Is the wolf going to hurt us?' She asked with no real fear.

He smiled. The idea that the wolf could even put one foot in her direction was ridiculous.

'Silly Bella, I will never let anyone or anything hurt you.'

She kissed his cheek.

'You are strong, Edward. Nothing can get through you.' She said it with so much conviction, Edward had to swallow a lump in his troth. He didn't know if he should contradict it. She was so young and somehow her lost parents hadn't touched her innocence yet. She believed that everything in her world was secure and untouchable. He had learned the hard way that wasn't true, the moment his father passed away and he and his mother were dying of Spanish influenza. The people you love could be killed, nothing was secure, not even the life of a vampire. He had never loved anyone more than he loved Bella. Only the image of her getting hurt or killed was too much for him to handle. He walked backwards slowly, putting more distance between them and the wolf. The beast didn't follow, so he relaxed. Still it was time to get back, Bella was shivering slightly and he didn't want her to get sick. He anchored one of his arms backwards to keep her in place and rushed home.

Arriving to their overly large home, Alice was waiting for him. Her thoughts called out to him before he could reach her.

The Denali's are coming for a visit.

Edward tensed immediately. Along their residence in Alaska the Denali's had visited them many times, but it was the first time since the arrival of Bella. He knew they were vegetarians, but Bella's scent was particularly sweet. How were they going to respond to their new addition? That wasn't the only concern. They were vampires with special abilities and inhuman strength. Bella could be hurt by them. He frowned to Alice when she showed him a vision of their arrival in just a few hours.

'What about Bella?' He asked with a tense voice.

'That's why I have been waiting for you. We need to prepare. I've called Carlisle and Jazz back from their hunting trip. They arrived only a few minutes before you did.'

He followed Alice to the living room.

'Maybe we should hide Bella?'

Alice shook her head.

You are so over-protective. The Denali's would never harm a child, beside I don't see anything bad happening.

'I need you to be sure.' He said agitated.

'Edward, stop pressuring Alice.' Esme chided him.

She pulled Bella off his back and stripped down some layers of clothing.

'Mommy, Edward and I saw a wolf.' She told her excited.

'Did you? A big grey one?' She smiled to Bella, but her thoughts were concerned.

You didn't let the beast anywhere near her, did you?

'Of course not, mom.' He answered soft and low.

Good.

'No, it was red, coppery, but it was very large and it just stared at us, didn't it Edward?'

She gave him a knowingly look and he smiled.

'It sure did.'

Very strange behaviour. You don't suppose...

She left the thought lingering and Edward nodded slightly.

'Maybe it wants to be our friend?' Bella said it with a sparkle in her eyes. Everybody was a friend in her eyes, even vicious wolves. What was he going to do with her?

We need to investigate, just in case. With Bella around, we can't have anything dangerous roaming close.

'I will go investigate with Carlisle and Emmett. We will be back before the Denali's arrive. I still think we should hide Bella, until everything is completely safe.'

He had talked at vampire speed, but somehow Bella had caught his last statement. Her face fell and her eyes filled with tears.

'Are you going to leave me alone?' She asked with a trembling voice.

He grabbed her face, turning it so he could see her tearstained eyes.

'We are never going to leave you.' His sincere voice could leave no room for doubt. He was telling the absolute truth.

'Never!' Esme completed his reassurance.

A little smile broke through her face and Edward smiled back. He wanted to hold her, but if he was going to leave soon with Carlisle and Emmett it was better he didn't. It was hard to let her go when the situation was not completely safe. He reminded himself he was not the only one who cared for Bella. Esme loved her like her own. He breathed deeply while he caressed her cheek, filling his senses with her scent, her sweet strawberry scent. With a sigh he turned around, seeing that Emmett and Carlisle were already waiting for him.