Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

Beta: Twilight Drama Teach

Chapter 6

Bella's POV

April 21 (Tuesday)

As great as the weekend had been, the week was turning to shit. Alice's show had been fantastic and well received. We partied until the early morning hours. Well, Alice had to schmooze and rub elbows, but Edward kept me company. He had been so much fun to hang out with all weekend. Our day at Catalina Island was amazing. Then, we'd spent the day of the show while Ali was on location just playing tourist. We ate at The Ivy; how he got reservations was beyond me. All he'd said was that he had connections. We went to Chinatown, Griffiths Observatory, and West Hollywood.

It was so nice to just enjoy the sights without having to worry about deadlines. Mike always had something he had to do, somewhere he had to be. It was like our time was always cut short. Thinking about Mike made me even angrier. He'd taken me to dinner last night to say goodbye. I checked my watch. He'd been on the plane to India for about two hours. He'd wanted to be sent off properly. My blood boiled remembering our date.

He'd taken me to McCormick and Schmick's Seafood Restaurant. Don't get me wrong, the place is a damn fine restaurant. I'd told him, though, that I wanted to cook dinner for him. I wanted to spend time with him, not him and 100 other people. He wanted to take me out though, so I conceded. I didn't realize he was trying to wine, dine, and 69 me. We'd gone back to his house where he'd decided to get drunk. He poured me a glass of wine, which I'd refused, for the third time that night. He knew I didn't drink.

Then he'd gotten rough. I wasn't opposed to sleeping with him even though he'd not been familiar with my O in months, but he'd been so…abrupt and insistent. It didn't feel loving. Well, I didn't love him, but it didn't feel like there were any emotions involved expect a need for release. I'd pushed him off then he'd tried to pin me down. He may have succeeded had he not been drunk off his ass. He accused me of 'fucking that Edward guy' over the weekend. I slapped him then left. He hadn't called since, hadn't apologized. He'd just gotten on the plane and left.

I hadn't fucked Edward. I would never cheat on someone. I wouldn't be like my mother. I was nothing like my mother. Edward was too good to do something like that also. He was respectful, kind, caring, gorgeous, ki- I shook my head to clear it. I couldn't be thinking that. I'd realized long ago that Edward was out of my league. I had to stop hoping for something to happen between us. Sometimes though, I wish I had the balls to just tell him how I felt. Maybe getting it off my chest would relieve some of the burden.

I was with Mike though. He was whom I wanted. Well, he was whom I wanted to want. Until yesterday that is. I was done with him, and as soon as he was back in the States, I'd tell him so.

"Hello," I answered my phone when it startled me from the thoughts.

"Hey BB," Alice said. I could tell she was in a car. "We're gonna be on the way soon."

"Great. Stay safe. The rain's gettin' heavier by the second."

"Why do you call her that?" I heard Edward ask in the background.

"She's my best friend."

"That don't make sense." I heard Ali sigh and smiled. I could just picture her frustration.

"She's my bestie. Bestie Bella. BB. Duh."

"Don't say 'duh' like I should know what you're talkin' 'bout."

"We will be." I could tell she was talkin' to me again. "I'll see ya in about an hour." I hung up the phone and tried to focus. My mind was all over the place.

I sat on the couch, my laptop resting on my lap. My eyes were bleary as I stared at the screen. The scrawling lightening was making it hard for my eyes to stay adjusted to the glow of the screen. It clawed at the sky creating a hauntingly beautiful scene. The D Magazine article I had to submit the following day was being elusive. I needed to finish it before my tornado of a friend arrived. Once she tore through that door, all hell would break loose and there would be no concentrating on the piece. I checked the blue digital clock above my new 52' LCD flat-screen television. It was 6:47pm. Alice would be here soon, but I had time if I could just pound out something.

I was glad when Edward offered to drive her over. He was passing by anyway on his way to a nighttime shoot in Plano. We wouldn't have to worry about her car tomorrow when we went shopping. I couldn't wait to see what he photographed. His after dark photos were always gorgeous. I looked out the window to watch the heavy sheets of slanted rain and wind whip the trees in the front yard. I hoped he had better luck with the weather on location though it wasn't far from Garland so chances were slim.

I had the television on but muted. I was keeping an eye on it in case the weatherwoman came on the give any updates. She issued a thunderstorm warning earlier in the day, and Mother Nature did not disappoint. Currently, Dallas County was under a tornado watch. That meant conditions were favorable for a tornado, but there were no sightings yet. I wasn't too worried. Yes, I lived in Tornado Alley, but I had lived her for six years without a tornado. I thought I should probably call my family back home in case they happened to see the news.

I turned back to my article hoping to get it hammered out. A loud crack of thunder sounded causing me to jump. I checked the clock again. 7:04. She was supposed to arrive at 7:15. I glanced at the television to see the weatherwoman on the screen. I reached for the remote and unmuted the television.

"I repeat, a tornado warning has been issued-" A loud clap of thunder cut her off and reverberated through the room; the lights flickered and died.

The storm outside seemed to have calmed and quieted. The wind was a light breeze and the sky looked an odd green color. I sat my laptop aside and walked to the window. I looked outside and everything was eerily calm. The atmosphere felt statically charged as if waiting. For what I didn't know. Then a siren pierced the silence.

It took me a moment to realize it was the tornado siren, as I had never heard it before. My eyes grew wide as I looked to the west in time to see a funnel form and descend from the sky. A high-pitched whine started and the wind picked up again. I snatched my phone, the flashlight I had set out earlier, and my laptop. I grabbed a thick blanket and went into the hall closet.

I covered myself and frantically dialed Alice's number. I could hear the house groaning and things snapping. The phone had no signal. Glass shattered and things smashed into the walls. My breathing and heartbeat increased. Oh God. What's happening? The sounds were horrific and made worse by the inability to see what was happening. I heard what sounded like knocking and wondered what it could be. I thought about pressing closer to the door until I felt the house shift. I hovered into a corner and crouched as low as I could.

I'm going to die. That was the only thought running through my head. I felt things falling. They were so light I thought it was shoeboxes and clothes. Then heavier things started falling, but I didn't dare pull off the blanket and investigate. I couldn't tell if it was two minutes or two hours later when things calmed and quieted. Is it over? I was about to uncover and venture out to inspect the damage; that is, until I heard a loud groan, then crack, and froze. I extended my legs in front of me the adrenaline fading and making my body ache.

Without warning, something shifted, and I both felt and heard the ceiling collapse. Debris fell heavily onto my body. I covered my head in the vain attempt to protect myself, but there was just too much. It wasn't a chunk of the ceiling. It was the whole house. It collapsed in a cacophony of groans, snaps, cracks, and pops. The pain was instantaneous and severe. I felt a stinging sensation as something fell on my legs, then my breath was knocked out of me when I felt a piece of the house slam into my chest.

I tried to move, but my legs wouldn't budge; something pinned them down. I could feel something constricting my chest. It was getting harder and harder to breath. I panted shallowly praying for the oxygen I needed. I reached for my phone, but it wasn't there. I tried to scream, but I couldn't find my voice. Not like this. I don't want to die like this. I hadn't talked to Charlie in two weeks. I hadn't done everything I wanted to do. I hadn't told him everything I wanted to.

I opened my eyes, but it was dark. I don't know if my vision tunneled. I don't know if I could even see. I don't know if being trapped was real or my body was too weak to fight. I don't know much of anything after that first piece fell on me. I do know, it hurt like hell and it was too hard to breathe. I let my head fall back and closed my eyes.

Alice's POV

I woke up slowly to a steady beepin' noise. Where am I? I looked around and realized I was in a hospital. A heart monitor was beside me, and an IV was taped to my hand. I couldn't remember gettin' here. I couldn't remember what happened. All I remembered was Edward driving me to Bella's on his way to a shoot. Bella! Something was wrong. I felt it. I just knew.

"Ali?" I heard Edward say. I turned to where he was walking into the room.

"Edward," I said, my voice crackin'. I could feel the tears tryin' to surface. "Bella. She's hurt."

"What?" He walked to the bed quickly and sat down. "Did ya talk to her? Where is she?" I shook my head.

"I haven't talked to her. I just know she's hurt. Edward, she needs help. You have to help her. Somethin's wrong." I sat up with the intent to leave. He pushed my back down lightly.

"You ain't goin' anywhere, lil sister. You're not well enough to leave. You have to stay here overnight for observation." My heart was poundin'. We didn't have time to wait.

"We have to get to her." He shook his head, his features set.

"No. You were hurt, Ali. A piece of debris hit you. You have a contusion on your head. The CT came back clean, but we can't be 100% sure yet. You're not goin' anywhere until the doctor releases you." The door opened and a tall muscular man walked in.

"Hello, Miss Cullen," he said cheerily. "It's good to see you awake. I'm Dr. McCarty, but you can call me Emmett."

"You have to release me. My friend's in trouble. We have to go help her," I tried to make him understand. He smiled at me supportively.

"I understand you're worried, but I can't do that. You need to stay here until I'm sure you're out of the woods. Have you spoken with your friend?"

"No, but somethin's wrong. I can feel it." He pulled somethin' out of his pocket. It was a syringe. He injected it in my IV. "What are you doin'?" I could feel myself grow sleepy.

"Sleep, firecracker. Just rest." I couldn't answer. The medicine was takin' effect. I tried to protest, but it was fruitless. I slipped unconscious.

AN: Unbetaed. I told y'all ya wouldn't hafta wait so long for the prologue this time. I hope you liked it. I'm sure there are lots of people happy that Bella seems to be done with Mike. Now, if she can just follow through when he returns. Review, and I'll send ya a sneak peek of the next chapter.