I woke up to the sound of Alice's voice, quietly, but franticly snarling into her phone. I stretched out, keeping my eyes closed. Someone must have carried me to the sofa, I could feel the television remote under my foot. I heard Alice snap her phone shut as she sung out "I know you're awake!" Groaning, I opened my eyes, her smile revealed her perfect, tiny teeth as she stroked her cold fingers across my face.

"The story is that you fell in the kitchen and smashed a whole lot of crockery. You're fine though, no bumps or bruises… for once…" The smile fell from her eyes as she slumped on the floor. "Ask away." She gestured into the air.

"What happened?" I tried to keep the shake from my voice, but Alice raised an eyebrow at me.

"Rose told Edward that you had… killed yourself. He was calling to see if it was true."

I winced. Would he have mourned or celebrated at the news of my death? "Where's Jake?" I whispered. Alice frowned slightly, tilting her head to stare at me.

"He left, fortunately. He's dangerous when he's angry like that." I nodded, dropping my eyes from her face. "Bella", Alice whispered, hesitating. "He's really upset. I don't know if he'll come back."

I frowned. "But… but he said he would…" I trailed off.

Alice shrugged. "Nothing is set in stone, Bella." I watched as her mouth set into a line. "I can't see what's going to happen yet, but it would be unfair to expect Jacob to stay your friend if you end up back with Edward, no matter what he may have promised."

My heart thudded in my chest. "Back with Edward? But… I don't understand!" I wailed.

Alice dropped her hands into her lap and stared at me, straightening her shoulders "I managed to talk Edward out of coming here, to let you contact him in your own time. He was terrified that Jacob had attacked you." Alice took a deep breath.

"But you have to choose. You have to. You can't run these boys around like this." She raised a hand as I tried to protest "I know you don't mean to, you wouldn't hurt them intentionally, but you are hurting Jacob, and you might hurt Edward. You have three choices. Edward, Jacob or neither. You can't have both." She shook her head "You can't. It's incredibly selfish."

"How can I choose?" I threw an arm up over my eyes "I love them both, so much."

Alice sighed again, irritation edging her voice "You know, you are allowed to be mad at Edward. He left you. He will hate me for saying this to you, but he doesn't actually deserve you." She paused, but I didn't move. "Everyone, and I mean everyone told him that leaving you was a stupid idea. Even Rose thought he was being an idiot. But he's so stubborn, so damn romantic. I mean, what kind of guy leaves the girl he says he loves? I know he says he did it to protect you, but he's so melodramatic, I think he loves the idea of living a life of denial, romantic longing." Alice snorted. I stared at her in disbelief. She thought I was too good for Edward?

She waved a tiny hand dismissively. "Don't look at me like that. Edward has been sulking since he left you. He's been a complete wreck. I want you guys to be together… but… I wouldn't be surprised if he did something like this again in the future. He loves to play the victim, he loves drama." Alice grinned apologetically "You were so under his spell. Did you ever stop to consider that he has faults?"

I shrugged, confused. "He does!" Alice cried "He's stubborn and vain. He fixates on things, on people, and then just forgets about them as soon as they don't interest him anymore. He has big, glaring, obvious personality flaws, Bella! And if you decide to choose him over Jacob, you have to realize that, and run the risk that this kind of thing will happen again!"

I stared at the back of my eyelids, tears coursing down my cheeks. Alice was knocking my Adonis from his throne, forcing me to realize that, at least in some ways, Edward was only human. I tried to remember how I had thought of him before I had fallen in love with him. He had been pompous, assuming he knew what kind of person I was. I thought back to the first day he spoke to me, in biology, trying to tell me how I felt about my mother's remarriage. Then his jealous meddling in my love-life, playing games with people's feelings.

Alice seemed restless, twining and untwining her fingers. "He's arrogant, Bella. How will you two stay together once you're turned, once his predatory attraction doesn't work, when you aren't his prey?" she sighed "Why don't you take some time. Lots of time, before you make a decision? Edward has all of the time in the world, it's not like you have to decide tonight."

I nodded, seeing the wisdom in her reasoning. "But, didn't you see me as a vampire?" I asked, rolling onto my side to see her face.

"Again, nothing is set in stone. I've also seen you dead, and..." she paused "I've seen you with the dog." A rueful smile pulled at the corners of her mouth.

I closed my eyes again. Jacob. "I need to talk to him." I groaned. "I don't know what to do." Alice sprung to her feet, growling, and stalked from the room. I sat up, scared "What did I say?" I called out.

"Nothing!" Alice's musical voice called back from the hallway "The mongrels are here!"