Though there was some discussions of traveling, we still had time. Right now I was with Bella, Renesmee, and Demetri. Bella and Renesmee just finished hunting. Renesmee didn't like it as much but with Seth or I competing against her she thought of it as a game. When I wasn't helping with that I would let Demetri sit on my back as I ran through the woods, Renesmee too. They loved it.

Bella and I stopped in a meadow to allow the kids to play in the snow.

"come on Demetri... look" Renesmee called. She was staring at the snowflakes fluttering high above her head, the fluffs floating down to the snow-covered ground. Her ruffled ivory dress was just a shade darker than the snow, and her reddish-brown curls managed to shimmer, though the sun was buried deeply behind the clouds.

Demetri likewise was just as big as her though his hair was shorter and he often preferred it a little longer and messy, like Jasper or Alice. Though Jasper liked to think it was him. He was wearing jeans and a pullover, Rosalie's idea.

Demetri was her little man, so she was going to dress him like one. He of course, being a mommy's boy didn't mind as long as he could still go outside and play with Renesmee or members of the pack.

As we watched, Renesmee crouched for an instant and then sprang fifteen feet up into the air. Her little hands closed around a flake, and she dropped lightly to her feet. Demetri watched her then looked back at me as if to ask if he could try as well. I nodded my wolfy head and just like Renesmee, Demetri sprang into the air catching a snowflake.

They both returned to us and opened their hands. "Look aunt Bella, it's a snowflake" Demetri said as they opened their hands, the snow melted not to long after, but they were happy.

"it's very pretty, just like you guys"

Renesmee shook her head "Demetri's a boy, he can't be pretty"

"he can't?" Bella asked.

Demetri shook his head "mommy says I'm a handsome man"

"well, I don't think snowflakes are handsome, but your mommy is right" Bella amended. "why don't you go catch some more"

The two took off through the meadow playing in the snow and occasionally jumping to catch more flakes. It was then my internal alarm went off, my maternal instinct flaring. Bella seemed to acknowledge it too as she stood up.

I could smell something different, a thrumming that wasn't supposed to be here. As my eyes flitted across the edge of a distant cliff, standing out starkly blue gray against the green-black forest, a glint of silver - or was it gold? - gripped my attention.

My gaze zeroed in on the color that shouldn't have been there, so far away in the haze that an eagle wouldn't have been able to make it out. I stared.

She stared back.

That she was a vampire was obvious. Her skin was marble white, the texture a million times smoother than human skin. Even under the clouds, she glistened ever so slightly. If her skin had not given her away, her stillness would have. Only vampires and statues could be so perfectly motionless.

Her hair was blonde a golden color. This was the gleam that had caught my eye. It was in an elegant updo, but it stood out in the horizon, paired with her fur coat.

I let out a small grumble, which both the kids heard and ran back to us, hiding behind my legs. "who is that?" Renesmee asked.

"I think that's our cousin from Denali"

"she doesn't look happy" Demetri muttered; he was right. Her lip twisted the tiniest bit, making her face hostile. She held a glare reserved just for me. Her face spasmed in pain suddenly. Then returned to its previous expression. She turned back to me, and her lip curled back over her teeth. Her jaw unlocked as she growled.

I couldn't help but to respond but by the time that the sound reached out she ran. Bella took off after her while I gestured for the pups to climb on my back.

Seth was the only one in wolf form, so I called him too me. He waited with me as we watched for Bella. The moment I caught her eyes on the ledge I gestured to the home, running alongside Seth.

We beat Bella by a few seconds.

The others filed out of the house clearly confused. "We saw Irina, and she saw us, I think she saw Renesmee and Demetri catching snowflakes. And then she saw Alex. And ran away"

"it's okay, I'll call Tanya and Kate"

I leaned down to let the pups off my back before going to phase back. "I'm sorry, I should have been paying better attention" I told Rosalie, she gave me a small smile.

"it's not your fault. We knew she would be coming"

"yeah but if I wasn't phased she might not have run..." I sighed "it doesn't help that I was the one to kill him" I whispered. Rose wrapped her arm around my waist and put her head on my shoulder.

In the end, there wasn't much to be done. Carlisle had called Tanya with the disappointing news. Tanya and Kate hadn't seen Irina since they'd decided to come to the wedding, and they were distraught that Irina had come so close and yet not returned home; it wasn't easy for them to lose their sister, however temporary the separation might be.

I wondered if this brought back hard memories of losing their mother so many centuries ago.

Alice was able to catch a few glimpses of Irina's immediate future, nothing too concrete. She wasn't going back to Denali, as far as Alice could tell. The picture was hazy. All Alice could see was that Irina was visibly upset; she wandered in the snow-swathed wilderness - to the north? To the east? - with a devastated expression. She made no decisions for a new course beyond her directionless grieving.

Days passed and, though of course I forgot nothing, Irina and her pain moved to the back of my mind. There were more important things to think of now. Bella would leave for Italy in just a few days. When she got back, we'd all be off.

Everything had been discussed a hundred times, planned to the exact detail. Despite this, I hadn't told my mom about the trip, I knew she would be okay with it, but I wanted to wait till Bella broke the news to Charlie.