Chapter 2

Bella looked over at Alice wondering why she was staring at her so strangely. It almost looked as if her friend was in some kind of trance. Maybe she's having a vision. Bella considered before looking to Edward, but he too was watching his sister closely.

Stepping away from him Bella moved forward but just as she got within reach of Alice she seemed to shake herself back into awareness. "Are you okay Alice?"

Alice blinked, her eyes briefly flitting to Edward, hoping he wouldn't mention the images of Bella asleep, alone in her room, or the one of the two of them shopping at the mall together, that she'd just experienced. Luckily he merely raised an eyebrow at her and kept quiet.

"Alice?" Bella repeated, this time touching the vampire lightly on the arm. She was worried something was wrong, but then she relaxed as the petite girl smiled at her.

"I'm sorry Bella, I'm fine, was the play very good?" She asked hoping to distract Bella as much as Edward. She was desperately trying to think of what to do, but with her brother's ability to read her thoughts she couldn't allow him to know what had happened moments before his arrival.

What she did understand was that no matter how much she concentrated on seeing into Bella's future, all she saw was the girl in front of her.

As Bella and Esme recounted their evening out to a small theatre in Port Angeles, Alice glanced to her husband. Jasper had a pained look on his face that he tried to cover as best he could, it was a look all too familiar when he was in Bella's presence. Alice often wondered whether it was guilt over his actions on her birthday or if he still had trouble dealing with being so close to a human, even if that human was Bella.

Jasper caught Alice looking over at him and he offered her a smile. He knew to watch over his thoughts while around Edward but he couldn't help worry about what was going on and what it would mean for his family. They had after all only just recently returned to life in Forks, leaving again would cause...

"Leave?" Edward said aloud with a frown having caught that particular thought coming from Jasper.

This brought an end to the conversation going on about costume designs and beautifully produced sets that Bella and Esme were engaged in as they recounted their night out to Alice.

Jasper noted all the attention was now firmly placed on him as the others waited for an explanation to Edwards comment. He smiled calmly at his family before responding to the questioning look his brother was sending him by turning to Bella with an apologetic sigh. "Sorry to interrupt, but perhaps it would be best if I joined the others for the remainder of the night." He told them.

Bella didn't understand at first, and then she realised that Rosalie and Emmett weren't home. "Oh." They must be out hunting...and Jasper wants to go...because of me. That thought disappointed her as it once again showed the differences there was between her and this family she adored.

"We can catch up in the morning if you would like Bella." Jasper said feeling the sadness she was experiencing at the thought of causing his departure.

"Of course." Bella replied trying to smile as Edward came to her and placed his hand on her shoulder.

Jasper nodded at her. "Have a nice evening." And then he moved off towards the stairs.

Esme watched her son leave and was pained to know he still had so much trouble being close to Bella, she had really thought he'd been doing better these last few weeks. Perhaps after he has fed he will be okay. Which reminded her. "I promised someone hot chocolate!" She said excitedly as she went over to Bella and ushered her into the kitchen. Bella chuckled as she was led away, it was nice to have Esme so concerned with her human needs, even if she did sometimes overdo it. But when it came to hot chocolate being offered to her, who was she to turn it down?

Alice once again felt Edward turn his attentions to her thoughts, and while usually she accepted his constant intrusion, right now it was the last thing she needed.

She ignored her brother and spared a moment to inform Carlisle that she was going to see if Jasper needed company.

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Jasper entered his room and tilted his head as he watched this Bella lounging on the bed reading one of his books. She didn't acknowledge him, simply continued on with her reading. Silently he moved to the side of the large room he shared with his wife and turned on his CD player, the sounds of a trumpet began to float around the room followed by the recognisable voice of Louis Armstrong.

"Good book?" Jasper questioned softly knowing between his whisper and the music that no one else in the house would have heard him unless they were in the same room.

"Hm." Bella grunted, she wasn't normally one for war books but it was either that or one of Alice's many, many fashion magazines. She went with the less painful choice. "It's not bad." She replied, keeping her voice just as quiet. She could still smell the human downstairs. But she could also smell more vampires, and by the voices she'd heard she knew Esme and Carlisle had returned home, along with Edward. She was less pleased with his arrival but she very much would have liked to have gone down and greeted the other two.

That would have to wait however, at least until there was one less human around.

Jasper snorted from his position leaning against the wall on the other side of the room next to the door. Bella hadn't even looked up from the page she was reading, the Bella he knew had better manners than that.

Just then Bella placed the book down and stared over at him. He frowned as he noted her gaze wasn't on him at all but on the door, which began to open.

Bella sat up as Alice closed the door behind her. "Hey." She greeted the other vampire but Alice just walked straight over to her and glared down at her.

"Who are you?" Alice asked.

It was Bella's turn to frown as she stood up. "Who do you think I am?" She asked, still keeping her voice lowered.

Alice felt Jasper trying to calm her anger but she refused to back down, she'd looked into Bella's future and all she'd seen was the human Bella which left her wondering who exactly was standing in front of her.

Her scent was similar to Bella but it just wasn't possible. "Bella is down stairs, and still human, so who exactly are you?" She demanded.

Bella couldn't help keep a grin from crossing her features. "You're asking the wrong question."

Alice lifted her lip and flashed her teeth at the other vampire, she wasn't in the mood for games.

Bella let a laugh slip past her lips, charmed by Alice's posturing, but a moment later she found herself being slammed into the far wall of the room, plaster crumbling to the floor from the impact as Alice held her tightly in place. "Who or what, are you?" Alice asked again as Jasper stood closely behind her.

Again Bella smiled, completely unconcerned by the anger being directed at her.

"I looked for you and all I saw was Edwards Bella, alive and well, so before I drag you down there to be introduced to the rest of my family I'll ask you again, who are you?" Alice said.

Bella did her best not to snap her teeth at Alice for her comment about Bella belonging to Edward. She really didn't want to have to explain everything with a human Bella in the room, that would definitely do the situation no good at all.

Bella closed her eyes and let the fact that she was here, in the home of the Cullen's calm her down, even if two of them were angry with her just now, being here meant it was all worth it.

She opened her eyes again and stared into the eyes so close to her own. "You rely too much on your power Alice, you always have." She told her in a gentle scold. "Look at me, do you think I'm here to cause you trouble, is there anything about me that tells you that you should be afraid?" Bella asked, still allowing Alice to keep her in place.

Bella let out a sigh as Alice refused to loosen her grip. "I'm not here to hurt any of you," Well that wasn't strictly true, but Bella knew better that to give all her secrets away. "I can leave and return later if it would make you feel more comfortable." She offered. As much as she didn't want Alice to accept, Bella had worked out the date and was satisfied she could hold off for another few days, maybe even as much as a week or two, without risk to her reason for being here.

"You'd just leave?" Jasper asked still standing just behind Alice. He could feel a solid anger inside Bella but he could also feel just how happy she was to be here with them.

Bella nodded at him, she wouldn't go very far because she couldn't take that chance, but she'd let the family have some time to talk over her arrival.

Alice frowned and eased back, letting Bella back down onto her feet. She still didn't understand what was going on, but she didn't sense that they were in any danger from the other vampire, she just hated that her visions had given her nothing to go on.

Bella automatically set about readjusting her clothes once Alice had released her before she shook her head at the pointlessness of her actions. "Bit of a lost cause." She mumbled to herself as she finally took in how damaged her clothes were from her travels to get here. She looked at the pair with a shrug. "So," She asked them, "What's it to be? I can take off or I can hang out up here until the human leaves, your choice."

Jasper rubbed his forehead. The idea that Bella had been changed into one of them had been such a relief once he had gotten past the shock, he hated that he couldn't be trusted around Bella because of how appealing her blood was. Now? He didn't want to return downstairs if Bella remained in the house, maybe his excuse of needing to go hunting hadn't been such a bad idea after all.

"Bella sometimes stays over." He informed the vampire.

Bella grinned and shrugged back at him. "So? Alice could simply go down and tell the others she had a vision of a visitor arriving soon and it would be best if she went off home."

"That's not a bad idea." Jasper replied clearly impressed.

Bella winked at Alice as Jasper started to pace the room.

Alice rolled her eyes, annoyed that the other girl didn't seem to understand just how serious this was for her family.

"Edward could take Bella home and by the time he returned Emmett and Rosalie should be close to returning. That way everyone would be here to discuss this at the same time." He said to them, glancing at them to see if they agreed with his idea.

Bella just smiled leaving it to Alice to decide.

"Fine!" She bit out with a jerk of her hands into the air. Bella chuckled so too did Jasper only he stopped when his wife glared at him.

"Well, now that we have that settled, I guess now I just need to go find a human to eat."

Alice and Jasper turned to Bella in shock, eyes wide.

"I'm kidding!" Bella laughed, but she could tell Alice wasn't completely convinced. "Look," She said pointing to her eye, "No red eye, I eat a 'vegetarian' diet just like you do."

"That wasn't funny." Alice replied once she had double checked there was no red tinge to the other vampire's eyes.

"Sure it was." Bella hit back, still smiling and turned to Jasper and raised an eyebrow at him to see what he thought.

But he wasn't stupid, he'd lived with Alice long enough to know not to take sides. "No comment."

Bella coughed, "Woose." At him, she'd seen him holding back a grin as Alice looked at her eyes just to make sure.

Jasper smiled at Bella. He really was starting to like her. "Tell you what, why don't I join you, I find myself needing to hunt anyway."

Bella looked extremely pleased with the idea. "Cool!"

Alice once again found herself rolling her eyes at Bella. She wasn't sure how it was possible but she couldn't even try to stay mad at the other girl for very long.

"Aww, don't be jealous, it's not our fault you can't come out to play." Bella said to Alice as Jasper went over to the glass wall and opened one section of it for them to jump down from.

Alice folded her arms across her chest and narrowed her eyes at Bella but it had no affect at all.

"If we run into Emmett and Rose we'll bring them back with us." Jasper said leaning down and placing a kiss to his wife's cheek before dropping silently out into the darkness.

"Will we?" Bella asked Alice with a tilt of her head as she stepped past the dark headed vampire.

Alice focused on Rose for a few seconds, once again going into a trance. Then she nodded and laughed. "You just like causing trouble don't you."

Bella grinned wickedly as she readied herself to leap down after Jasper. But at the last second she looked back at Alice with a serious expression on her face. "I really am just here to help." She whispered quietly.

Alice stared back at her before nodding.

"Oh," Bella said as she positioned her toes just on the ledge, planning on showing off a little with a fancy flip on her way down. "About that," She continued jerking her chin over to the indent in the wall. "I plan on demanding a rematch later."

Alice smiled for the first time since she'd come into the room. "Is that right? Are you sure you're up to it?"

Bella showed off her teeth as she grinned widely. Just as she was about to make a smart reply, there was a knock at the bedroom door.

"Alice? Jasper?"

Alice glanced over hoping Carlisle remained outside the room while Bella was still in view. "Go, we'll talk later." She urged the other vampire as she began to close the glass pane back over.

"But? Wait, what if-"

Alice giggled as she closed the panel over just as the door opened. She turned to Carlisle and did her best to look innocent.

"I thought I...well," Carlisle looked around, frowning as he noticed the damage to the back wall. He raised an eyebrow but decided it was better simply not to ask. "Did Jasper get off okay?" There's that smell again.

Alice danced over to her father figure and laced her arm through his as she turned him back towards the door.

"Yes he did, I also asked him if he could bring Emmett and Rose back with him." She explained as she angled them towards the stairs.

"Did you, any particular reason why?" He asked feeling that there must be for his daughter to have brought it up.

"Yes." Alice replied. "I just had a vision. Bella needs to be taken home now."

Carlisle took in her expression before nodding. While he didn't think the others would be pleased with sending Bella home, he took heed of Alice's suggestion. If she advised it was best for Bella to return to her own home, then that's what would happen.

"Okay. Let's tell the others then."

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Jasper did his best not to laugh as Bella pulled herself to her feet. "Well," He said neutrally, holding back a smile. "Given how you were as a human, I should have expected that."

Bella huffed as she stood up. "Oh shut up, Alice pushed me!" She defended her less than graceful plummet from his room. "Carlisle turned up at the door."

"Oh." That had him glancing upwards to see if he could spot the older vampire looking down at them.

Bella sighed and grabbed for his hand. "Come on, before anyone does see us."