Seventeen year old Bella stood at her open window, taking in the Southern night air, and looking into her family's huge backyard. The sun was sinking low towards the horizon, making the sky pink and orange. Cradled in her arms she held her two month old baby boy. As she looked down she could see the servants at work placing lights up and food out. She could also see her twin brother, Emmett and his girlfriend, Rosalie walking hand in hand down the grassy hill back to the house.

A late-summer wind came bustling in the window, Bella shut it and clutched her baby tighter.

"Come on Bella, please!" Alice begged her from the doorway. "Besides me and your family, nobody has seen you in almost a year! Please, please, please!"

Bella sighed and turned around to face Alice. "Please keep your voice down," Bella said nodding to the infant in her arms.

"Bella-"

"No Alice," Bella said calmly, no emotion showing on her face. "I'm not going."

Alice huffed and sat down on Bella's bed.

"You can't stay in here forever. You need to get your life back," Alice whispered barely audible for Bella to hear.

Bella shifted her weight from her right leg to her left.

"The baby is going to need a father figure in his life," Alice said.

"Alice," Bella said serenely. "I'm just fine being a single mom. I wouldn't have kept him, if I knew I wouldn't be able to handle him."

"I'm not saying...ugh...Bella," Alice took a deep breath, and then stared Bella square in the eye. "I just think that it would be better if you just socialized before school starts soon. Kind of...um...get back to your old ways. "I mean look at what you are wearing, Bella, you have never worn sweats until you knew you were pregnant."

Bella sighed.

"Jasper and I could watch him while you're-"

"No," Bella practically screamed, scaring Alice. "I don't want anybody to see him. He's off limits to everyone, but you and me." Bella sat down on the bed next to Alice. "I know you want me to have fun, but I have a baby now, Alice. I have to protect him and do what is best for him," she whispered with such emotion that Alice's eyes got teary.

"I guess I see your point, but I really wish you would go. Well, if you change your mind, you know where the party is," Alice said sliding off the bed and walking to the door.

"Alice, wait," Bella said sliding off the bed and walking over to Alice and wrapping her in a one armed hug (the other arm was still holding the baby). "Thanks for sticking with me, you're my best friend."