Inspired by alxandrabb's story Bella falls for the wrong Cullen, and this story has been published with permission from the author for borrowing the concept.
"She'll be in perfectly safe hands, Charlie," Alice was promising as she carried an overnight bag from Bella's room down the stairs. Charlie Swan, the Police Chief of Forks, looked suspicious of the four foot five pixie. Alice gave him a smile as Bella reluctantly followed her best friend down the stairs. "It's just a game of Truth or Dare. And Esme and Carlisle are going to be monitoring."
"Last time you guys had a sleep over, she came back with a sprained ankle."
"She also trips over air, Charlie," Alice giggled. Charlie had to reluctantly agree to that. "Carlisle's a doctor. He's able to fix her up if she gets a paper-cut." It was reference to the disaster of a birthday party nearly eight months ago, Bella was sure, but she didn't say anything as she stood there awkwardly beside Alice.
"We also have rules," Alice continued. "The first one is that everyone has to be a willing participant and over the age of eighteen, so that they are the legal age to make decisions-"
"I sure hope you guys aren't going to be doing anything illegal."
"Oh, absolutely not," Alice promised. Bella still wasn't sure. When Alice had showed up in her room that afternoon, interrupting Bella's reading time, and insisted that Bella sleep over to play Truth or Dare, the examples she gave were pushing the legal limit. Sneaking into a National Park and picking a fight with a bear definitely seemed illegal to Bella. "We won't even leave the house. Nothing that breaks the law. All truths and dares are binding, so she'll have to do them, but Carlisle and Esme are the adjudicators if she protests for anything - they'll determine if the truth or dare needs to be changed to something more tame."
"Well, I suppose if Dr. Cullen and his wife are keeping things toned down," Charlie grumbled. Ugh, but Bella knew that they were going to be hunting anyway, and .. no, Charlie. Ground me! she wanted to cry.
"They've got a long list of rules or something," Bella admitted. "So I guess it's safe," she found herself saying. It wasn't like she wanted to play, but she knew Alice wouldn't relent.
"Of course it's safe, silly," Alice laughed, her voice twinkling like bells. "Why wouldn't it be?" Bella just rolled her eyes and Charlie chuckled.
"Because you flew her out to Italy for a weekend without telling anyone until a minute before hand," Charlie said.
Alice pouted. "That was once, and she didn't miss any school for it. It also wasn't illegal and she wanted to go." Charlie grunted, admitting it was true. "It'll be fun. I know it." And somehow, Bella knew that she was referencing her gift. To see into the future. So apparently it was going to be fun.
"Be careful, Bella," Charlie warned as Alice buzzed in excitement, carrying Bella's bag towards the front door. "And if they ask you to do anything you don't want to-"
"We don't do anything sexual, illegal, or morally repugnant, Charlie!" Alice called proudly. "It's rule fifty-seven!" Bella's eyes widened. Fifty-seven? What the hell! "Bella will have fun!"
"But you just said each dare was binding and she couldn't get out of it-" Charlie retorted. At least he was suspicious. Bella supposed that was something.
"None of them will harm her," Alice insisted, giving a quick smile as she darted back into the kitchen. "Nor will she harm any of us. We're all relatively tame. The worst dare any of us had ever had was Jasper to Emmett. Emmett had to do Jasper's homework for a month." Bella had a feeling that was most definitely a lie, but she didn't state it. Charlie was suspicious enough as is.
"Alright," Charlie sighed. "But if she breaks anything-"
"Carlisle will pay for it," Alice said brightly. "Thank you, Charlie! Love you!" And she grabbed Bella's arm, tugging her to the door.
"Uh, bye, dad!" Bella called back, but she had no chance to hear it back as she was thrust into the wet climate of Forks, and brought to the Porsche 911 Turbo. The stupid car that had been a reward for bringing Bella to Italy, saving her life. The car they had first stolen, and then Edward had purchased. And the fact that it was a nonchalant gift - at least, Edward made it seem so, made Bella really question how much money they actually had. And how much of it was obtained legally. She doubted it all was, as Carlisle couldn't have made that much as a doctor. And she felt like having an account that was three hundred years old was a bit suspicious.
As soon as the Porsche was barreling towards the Cullen house, Bella swallowed down the fear of going an impending death-promising speed, and spoke. "Alice, what was Emmett's real dare?"
Alice was silent for at least another mile. Maybe two. All the markers on the highway were a dark blur. "He couldn't see Rosalie for a month," Alice answered simply. Bella blanched. Not seeing Edward for a month? She ... she had felt like hell when he had left. And to experience that all over again... definitely not something she wanted to experience. "Don't worry," Alice continued. "Edward would throw a tantrum if he had that dare. Jasper knows better."
Yeah, Bella really wasn't feeling the game.
"Rosalie's making you some chicken when we get home, so you'll be fed." Alice always made it sound like... some hindrance. Except, that wasn't the word Bella was looking for. Like Bella being fed was an inconvenience. Except, Alice's smile was anything but. It was kind and excited. "I can't wait until you're changed and we can do the 24 hour Truth or Dare. All of the rules are out the window and-"
"Absolutely not," Bella said firmly. "Edward doesn't seem like the person that'd play it."
"Yeah, but if you played it, he would." Bella gave the small, pixie a look. "Right, well... maybe he'll be convinced down the road." Bella highly doubted that too. Edward just didn't... do anything risky. He didn't put his neck on the line. And he never let Bella do it either. And it was honestly the most annoying thing Bella had ever had to face. Even more annoying than Renee taking up a new hobby after abandoning the old one.
"Let's just face it, everything pisses Edward off, and that includes me doing anything he considers dangerous - which is just visiting my friends at the reservation." It had been something Bella just stopped doing. Because seeing Jake hadn't been worth the anger of Edward. Or the disappointment when he'd stop her from going. She hadn't seen Jake in three weeks. Not since her graduation. And that was only because he was invited to Charlie's for it. If they talked to one another, it was on the phone or via message.
And even then, he was so busy with patrols and everything that she just... didn't see him. It sucked.
"Yeah, well, Edward will be fine. This is going to be so much fun!" And Bella really wanted to believe her. Wanted a dare to be "Let Bella go to the Reservation when she wants." They had put her back together. Not the Cullens. The pack had stitched each broken piece of her until she felt whole again. Not the Cullens. And it was like they were being punished for it by her never being allowed to see them.
But Bella didn't say anything to Alice for the rest of the ride. Because, there wasn't much to say. What she wanted wouldn't happen anyway.