The Call

"No! No, no, no, NO!" Alice shrieked, eyes, flashing open, wide with horror. She flew up out of her chair, almost tipping it over. The little wooden construction teetered on its back leg for about a second before Alice started rushing up the stairs.

"Alice!" Jasper screamed, running after her. "Alice, what is it? What did you see?"

Alice's bedroom door slammed, and I could hear her packing a suitcase while Jasper tried to talk to her through the door.

"Alice, Alice!" Jasper cried, obviously frightened as well, "What happened? What's wrong?"

Her suitcase locked as she gently but feverishly pushed back Jasper and pranced down the stairs, Jazz close on her heels.

Esme was clutching to Carlisle's arm, worry and concern lining her face. Her mouth was hanging open, her soft features looking about ready to burst into tears. Carlisle was the first to speak, all the rest of us too stunned to try. "Alice, what is it? Is it Edward?"

"No," she wailed, shaking her head impatiently. "It's Bella. She jumped off of a cliff. I saw her, and I saw her drown." She bit her lip and added, "I think she's dead."

Emmett's arms stiffened around me and he shook his head, chin resting on my shoulder, in my long blonde hair. I stroked his arms around my waist and turned my lips to kiss his forehead, his eyebrows pulling together with grief.

I never liked the human girl that much for her decisions—she'd trade the life I'd give anything to have for this hellish immortality. I've never understood her for that. But if she loved my brother enough to kill herself? That's at least one thing I could relate with her on. If Emmett ever left me or something were to happen to him—I'd kill myself, somehow. Being immortal, there's not many options, but I'd do it.

I hung my head in mourning as Em rested his head on mine.

Esme's delicate face was buried in Carlisle's shoulder, sobbing dryly as he rubbed her arm gently.

"Are you sure, Alice?" Carlisle asked, but she kept muttering, "I've got to get to Forks, I've got to get to Forks," while pacing back and forth to get her suitcase and purse.

Jasper finally stopped her by grabbing her face and looking deep into the depths of her troubled eyes. "I'm coming with you," he finally said, twining his fingers in hers.

She gently pulled her hand away and rested it on his cheek. She smiled faintly at him, bore her eyes into his and said, "I've got to go alone. Charlie needs me." She kissed him quickly but passionately.

Alice ran out the door, shouting a quick, "I love you!" to all of us as she pulled away with Carlisle's Mercedes.

Emmett kissed me softly as Jasper pulled him outside for a quick man-to-man conference and Carlisle pulled a heartbroken Esme against him on the couch.

I went upstairs to my room and sat on my leather couch to think. The only thing I could think that seemed right to do was to call Edward and tell him…tell him what? That the love of his life just died? That his girlfriend jumped off a cliff? I sighed as I ran a hand through my blonde locks and dug my cell phone out of my jeans.

My hand was slightly shaky as I dialed his speed dial number.

Well, he'd have to find out sometime.

Edward picked up on the second ring. "Yeah, Rosalie?" he answered, voice rough and wary.

I gulped. "E-Edward," I began, my voice trembling, "there's been some news a-about B-Bell—"

"What about her?" His voice was like ice splinters, shattering my careful letdown.

"She's, um…she's…" I choked out the last word, "…dead"

Edward made a tortured noise like a choking animal. He started hyperventilating and gasping unevenly, roaring, "NO!" in between sobs.

After regaining a little control, he managed to whisper, "How?"

It hurt so much just to picture his face and actions, probably clutching his head and writhing in pain as I told him. "Alice saw her jump off a cliff and…and drown…"

Edward wailed in torment on the other line. "When?" he whispered, voice painted with agony.

"Just a few minutes ago," I whispered back. I wish I'd never have to tell him all this.

"Edward, I'm so sorry." This time I meant it.

My hand shook as his response flooded through the phone:

"DAMNIT, NO!" he screamed, sobbing uncontrollably now. I heard the click-clack of the phone dropping out of his hand and hitting the floor.

I was startled when his screams of pain abruptly cut off, only to find he hung up. I cried for a little while too, only to stop when Jasper and Emmett came barging through my door.

Em rushed over and put his arms around me, stroking my hair and kissing the top of my head as he pulled me into him.

"Was that Edward we heard on the phone?" Jazz asked, crossing his arms.

"Yeah," I sniffled.

"Why were you on the phone with him, babe?" Emmett questioned softly, still kissing me.

I hesitated. "Well, I, um, just told him about Bella."

Jasper and Emmett stiffened at the same time. Em's lips froze on my forehead.

"You…told…him?" Em stated with an upper inflection, straining to keep his voice level with me.

"That wasn't really the best thing to do, Rosalie!" Jasper growled, obviously now angry with me.

Em started stroking my hair soothingly again, but a little bit harder. He reminded, "Alice said she thought Bella was dead, Rose."

"You probably just scared the hell out of him…he'll never believe us now even if she is ok." Jazz cussed under his breath a bit.

I threw Jazzy a look. "If it was about his precious little Bella"—I reflexively sneered the name—"he had every right to know."

Striding towards me and spreading both hands on my knees, Jasper hoarsely whispered in my face, "But if Bella's alive, we can't persuade him that she is! No matter if she's alive or dead, knowing Edward, he's going to do something stupid."

Just then, my cell phone buzzed and bleeped from inside my clenched fist; I was surprised it wasn't crushed by now. I looked down to pick up the phone just as Jasper stormed out of the room muttering, "If it's Edward, don't pick it up," and Emmett draped his arm over my shoulders.

I childishly stuck my tongue out in Jasper's general direction before looking at the luminescent blue glow coming off the caller I.D.

It's Alice!

I flicked open the phone. "Alice?"

"Rose," she breathed, "Bella's alive!" Her voice was exuberant.

"I TOLD YOU!" Jasper commented from the downstairs living room, obviously listening. I hissed under my breath, hoping he'd hear that, too.

I interrupted her murmuring to Bella to say something that would crush her happiness to an unfortunate degree: "Alice, I…I kind of already told Edward that…that she was dead." I was knowing away at my perfectly manicured nail while Em tried desperately to comfort me with gentle, loving gestures such as brushing back loose hair strands and wrapping his arms around me.

Alice's murmuring cut off abruptly. "Why? Why would you do that, Rosalie?!"

I bit down on my full, perfect bottom lip as the dry tears stung.

"I-I really though she was, and you said you saw her dead, so I told him, and—"

"Well, you're wrong on both counts, though, Rosalie, so that would be a problem, don't you think?" Her usually bubbly voice was acidic with rage.

I swallowed hard. "So she's fine?"

"Yes, that's right. She's absolutely fine—I was wrong…"

"How is she still alive? You said she drowned!"

"It's a long story…"

"But she killed herself because she lost her love, didn't she?!" I was trying desperately to understand, hysteria creeping up on me as my voice shot through two octaves.

"You're wrong about that part, too, which is why I'm calling…"

"But you saw her jump!"

"Yes, that's exactly what I saw."

I was baffled. Not just from her responses, but by why she seemed so…cold—why her voice was icy, why her responses were so brief and hollow. Why was she so seemingly freaked out? We could always just call him and tell him it was a mistake and she's really fine! Alice the little overreacter. My frozen mind started to thaw as it fell into place; Alice had always been a pretty good whiner—and a fantastic liar. This was all probably set up to teach me some kind of lesson. Probably to get me to warm up to Bella. Not happening until she embraced being human for once.

I hardened my voice. "Well, I'm sorry," I snapped, "but it can be fixed, can't it?"

I heard her growl softly. "It's a bit late for that, Rosalie. Save your remorse for someone who believes it," she hissed.

In the quick, vibrant talk we all possess, she whispered in a second, too low and quick for Bella to hear:

"He's going to Italy."

Then the line went dead as I sat trembling in Emmett's arms.