AN Things should start to pick up soon………………promise

Mrs.. Meyer owns her characters not me

Comfort

BPV

After Carlisle looked at Nessie and pronounced her healthy Edward carried her and I followed to the Cottage. Normally it would seem to be a beautiful night but to me even the trees and stars seemed to be weeping. I could find no beauty in anything and my darling weeping Nessie seemed to emphasize that very point. I hope she slept soon and envied her the peace that sleep used to bring me as a mortal.

Edwards' strength was a constant source of amazement to me. He remained stoic and strong even after we arrived at the cottage. I ran immediately to the massive billowing white bed and buried my head into a pillow still sobbing and it seemed Nessie could find no peace either. She clung to Edward as if he were a life preserver and she a castaway lost at sea, crying her beautiful golden brown eyes out.

Edward did appear to be a bit flummoxed, watching the two people he loved most sink into the utter abyss of agony. I could hardly blame him as he was caught between the Scylla and carboys of two women who seemed utterly beyond his ability to comfort. A small part of me wished desperately I was stronger but I couldn't even compare this to my sadness when Edward had left, they were utterly different. I only knew one thing with a certainty. Had Edward not left none of this would have happened, it was his absence that led me to become so close to Jacob and a small part of me might not now ever completely forgive him and more importantly, myself, for ever allowing that to happen.

I was sobbing even more at that melancholy thought when I heard our front door open with out benefit of a knock………..

APV

I couldn't stand this a moment longer, the moments were like hours thinking of someone I loved suffering. Finally I looked at Jasper and said.

"I need to go to Bella."

His face grew sad and I wondered once more how much he knew, we'd tried so very hard not to hurt anyone. We'd never taken into account someone hurting one of us so very badly. Love is, as Romeo and Juliet, a very messy thing indeed sometimes.

"You probably should, she likely needs you and certain Edward is more than a bit overwhelmed right now."

My heart was hurting when I told Jasper, "I'll be back when I can."

I didn't look back when I turned and left our room.

I leapt the river and ran to Bella and Edward's cottage. The moonlight, normally so romantic upon Esme's little monument to Bella and Edward's love did not affect me at all this evening. I knew what I needed to do and I knew Bella needed me. As I walked to the door I was surprised to see Leah, in wolf form, lying beside the door. Even more surprising, she did not move as I walked past her through the door.

Edward sat in an overstuffed chair, Nessie in his arms, still sobbing. She did not even look up at me, which showed just how out of it she was, normally she'd have run over and hugged me with glee.

"Do you think she'll sleep at all tonight?"

"I don't know." Edward answered

"Where's Bella?"

Edward simply nodded towards the bedroom. He knew I knew the Cottage's layout as well as anyone, with the exception of Esme.

"She needs to come with me." I said simply

"Alice do you think this is appropriate?" He said with a slightly pained look on his face.

"I'm going to put this as circumspectly as possible Edward, Nessie needs someone and Bella is in no condition to be of any comfort to her. Bella is suffering too. She needs someone who loves her too. There is only one you."

There was a moments pause. Finally Edward said.

"You can talk to her, but I'm not certain she's in any condition to go anywhere at the moment Alice."

"You should know I usually get my way by now Edward."

He simply nodded.

I walked into the island inspired bedroom. My Bella lay, sobbing in the strange way we vampires do, on the massive white billowing bed, head buried in a pillow. My heart broke a little bit more to witness it. I approached the bed and softly lay a hand on her shoulder.

"You need to come with me Bella." I almost whispered.

She looked at me her face made even more heartbreakingly beautiful by her complete sadness.

"I don't think I can Alice"

"You need to, Bella, Nessie needs to be with someone, bur heart is broken too, you can't be alone right now."

"No I mean I don't think I could walk ten feet right now."

"Bella I'll be here for you, I'll walk with you when you need me to and when you cannot walk, I'll carry you."

And with that I picked her up from the bed. I walked through the living past a the weeping Nessie and Edward still desperately trying to comfort her. I'm not certain Edward even noticed us. As we exited the cottage Leah most certainly did as we exited the cottage.

"Where are we going Alice?" Bella asked me softly.

"We're going to our place Bella, we're going to our place."

I'd been hunting one day quite a bit a field from our normal hunting zones when I happened upon a hunting cabin, clearly unused for years. I'd put that out of my mind for many years. Much later events transpired and at this point any hunter would be horrified with the place. Outside it still looked quite rustic but inside it was straight out of Gossip Girl. I've never been one to under do things and when I decided Bella and I needed a place I may have went overboard a bit. Wind turbines powered electricity provided power and the interior was finished as if had been lacquered in subtle pinks. I was there I carried Bella.

Finally we arrived. I entered and laid Bella upon the large overstuffed leather couch. I stroked her beautiful hair and leaned down to kiss her beautiful lips.

"Alice, I, I ….can't."

"I know you can't my darling Bella," I snuggled next to her, "Tonight I hold you, I hold you tight."

And I did.