Heya guys. Here's a new story for ya! Not going to be nearly as long as Not Alone, but I had the thought and it wouldn't go away no matter how hard I tried to make it. Not Alone is done, but I'm making some final changes :) That being said, let us focus on this. I haven't spent too much time with little kids so I am guessing at speech and what not. Let me know what you guys think.

Thanks for checking this out. Love always,

Cassiel

Isabella Swan- 6 years old

"Bella! Come on!"

"Timmy, hold on!" I yell at Timmy my best friend.

"Don't be such a girl, Bella!" Timmy shouts in front of me.

"Hey!" I yell back, mad that he called me a girl, and hurry to catch up with him. Timmy looks back at me before running off as fast as he can, calling me a slow poke. I call after him but I trip over something and land on the ground.

My hands and knees hurt and when I get up my ankle hurts enough that I start to cry. Not wanting Timmy to laugh at me, I wipe the tears away and swallow. I sit on the log that I tripped over and look around. I don't know where I am and it's starting to get cold. It looks similar to where I live, but mommy said that we weren't close.

Mommy said that we were going to vacation with a friend of hers who lived in Alaska. That she had a son who was my age and that we would get along great! Timmy was nice, but he liked to pick on me alot. He told me he had a secret place in the woods outside his house and he wanted to show me. So we left and he wanted to race, saying that girls aren't allowed to see his secret place, but that if I could beat him he would let me, just this once.

"Timmy! This isn't funny! I'm scared." I can feel my eyes burning but I refuse to cry cause mommy calls me her big girl. "Big girls don't cry, Bella. Timmy will never show you his secret place if you do!" I wipe at my eyes and suck in a deep breath. I stand up and start to walk in the direction of Timmy's house. If Timmy is going to be mean and leave me out here then I don't want to play anymore.

I start walking and walking and walking. I don't remember it taking this long to get to Timmy's house before, but I went in the direction we came from. The forest is starting to get scary and it's really cold out. It's starting to get dark and I know that at home the street lights would be on and I would have to be inside. I don't want mommy to be mad so I continue walking.

I walk until my feet get tired and I can't walk anymore. I find another log and sit down. I can't be far from Timmy's now.

"Timmy! Mommy! Mrs. Holland!" I yell but no one answers. I sit quiet once more and look around. Everything looks the same. Trees and leaves and...green and brown. Stupid forest. Stupid Tommy for leaving me behind. I don't like Alaska.

I jump when something makes a loud noise behind me but I remember Mrs. Holland telling me all about the owls that live near them and the sounds they make. I look around for it, but I can't see it. Stupid owls. I jump again when there is a loud snap and climb further onto the log.

"Wh-who's there? Mommy? Timmy? Timmy, if that's you this isn't funny! I want to go home!" I say but no noise comes from where the snapping came from. I feel the tears start running down my face but I don't care. "Please, I'm scared and I want to go home." No one answers but I see something move and I scream. The shadow steps into light right in front of my log.

"Hey, hey shhh. It's okay sweetie. Hey, it's alright." The girl says and I stop screaming. She smiles and kneels down. "What's your name?"

"Is-Isabella." I say trying not to cry.

"What a pretty name for a pretty girl! Hi Isabella, I'm Alice."

"Bella. Just Bella." I say, I don't like to be called Isabella even by scary strangers.

"Bella. Where are your mom and dad?" Alice asks and I relax a little, letting my feet dangle off the log.

"Daddy is at home and Mommy is at Timmy's house. Mommy and I are on vacation. Timmy was going to show me his secret place, but he ran too fast and I tripped and mommy and Mrs. Holland are going to be mad that I didn't come home." I say and I can feel the tears again.

"Oh, sweetheart no. Your mommy isn't going to be mad. Do you know Timmy's address?" I shake my head and she smiles. "That's okay. Hey, Bella, would you like to come to my house and call your mommy? So that she can come get you." Alice asks, her voice soft but I shake my head again. Alice's pretty smile goes away for a second but it comes back. "Why not?"

"Mommy says I shouldn't talk with or go anywhere with strangers." I say and Alice looks at me, smiling, before putting a hand on her chin.

"Well." She pauses and glances at the log. "Do you mind if I sit down?" I shake my head again and she sits. "Well, that's good advice. How do we become friends then?" I shrug and look at my shoes. "How about we ask each other some questions?" I nod and she smiles, her teeth super shiny in the low light. "Great. What's your favorite color?" I think it over before answering.

"Orange. What's your favorite animal?" I ask, turning more towards her.

"I'd say cats." I can't help but make a face and Alice giggles. "What?"

"Horses are so much better. You can't ride a cat around!" Alice laughs and I laugh with her.

"Do you have any siblings, Bella?"

"No, I want some though. It'd be cool to be a big sister!"

"You'd make a really good one." I smile at Alice and scoot closer.

"You think? Do you have any brothers or sisters?"

"I do. Three brothers and one sister." I stare at her. Most of my friends only had one or two other siblings.

"That's a big family."

"It is, but I love them all very much. Would you like to meet them?" I smile and bounce a little in the log. But what my mommy always says comes back to me and I look away. "I think we're friends now, don't you, Bella? We can talk some more, if you want. But it's getting dark and cold." She makes a face and asks, "aren't you cold?" I shrug and rub at my arms. I don't want to tell her that I can't really feel my arms and hands. "Silly girl." Alice says softly before moving and taking off her jacket. She offers it to me.

"No thank you. I don't want you to be cold." Alice smiles again, her eyes twinkling.

"I'd like you to have it, Bella. As a gift. From a friend." I stare at the jacket for a moment before taking it and putting it on. I stare at the ground for a minute before looking up at Alice's smiling face.

"Can...can I still meet your brothers and sisters?" I ask softly and Alice jumps up from the log, laughing.

"Of course, sweetie, and we can continue talking on the way there!" She holds her hand out and I take it before quickly letting go. Alice looks at me funny and I stare at her hand.

"Alice. You're cold. I knew you should have kept the jacket, here." I go to take it off, but hands on my shoulders stop me.

"Bella, I'm fine. I promise. Please, keep the jacket." I glance down at the much too big jacket.

"You promise?" Alice nods and I hold out a hand, completely serious. "Pinky promise?" Alice giggles again before hooking her pinky with mine.

"Pinky promise. Now let's go meet the family!"

I take her hand again and hop off the log before falling to the ground, my ankle hurting.

"Ow, ow, ow." Alice is next to me immediately, my hand still in hers.

"Bella, what's wrong? Are you okay?" I poke my ankle and my eyes get blurry.

"When I tripped I hurt my ankle. It really hurts, especially when I walk." Alice is silent for a moment.

"Bella, may I look at it?" I nod and she rolls up my pant leg. "No wonder it hurts. You sprained it, silly."

"What?" Alice laughs and rolls her eyes.

"You hurt it. You shouldn't walk on it. Can I carry you?" I don't want her to carry me, I'm a big girl! But I poke my ankle again and when it yells at me I nod. "Alright, Bella, up we go." Alice puts one arm under my knees and the other under my shoulders and lifts me.

"Is it far to your house?" I ask and she tilts so that I am leaning more against her chest.

"It's not too far. We will be there soon." She looks down at me before smiling. "Cats are better than horses." I gasp and pinch her.

"They are not!" Alice just nods and starts walking. "Horses are great. They can run really fast and jump. They are really pretty and friendly. You can ride them, Alice!" I feel her laugh and I cross my arms. "Cats are mean. They only want to play when they feel like it and they hiss and scratch." Alice laughs some more and moves me so that I am comfortable. I yawn and she hums.

"Do you have a horse, Bella?"

"No, but I want one. And she will sleep in my room with me and I'll ride her to school." I pause and look at Alice. "Do you and your family have a cat, or do your mommy and daddy not let you?"

"Some of my family aren't animal people, sadly."

"Tell me about them?" I ask yawning. She laughs softly and I snuggle into her more, feeling more and more tired.

"Well, like I said, I have four brothers and sisters. There is Edward, Emmett, Jasper, and Rosalie. My mom is Esme and my dad is Carlisle. Dad is a doctor..." Alice's says and I close my eyes.