Stand in the Rain

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"It is 8 o'clock in the freaking morning! Who the hell gets up this early on a Sunday?"

Brooke could hear Edward chuckling as she covered her face with a pillow, blocking out the offending brightness that was now streaming through her window. She felt a tug on the corner of the pillow, and she threw her arms across it, clutching in to her face for dear life.

"Brooke, I hate to say it, but she's not going to leave," Edward laughed, leaning on his elbow next to her.

Brooke groaned, lifting a corner of the pillow and glaring at the godlike vampire at her side. "Just because your little hyperactive pixie sister doesn't sleep does not mean that I don't."

The corner of the pillow dropped again, and she felt the mattress shake with his laughter.

The door to her bedroom flew open and banged against the wall.

"Brooke Penelope Davis!" a stern, high-pitched voice scolded from the doorway.

Brooke groaned, ignoring Alice even as she heard her tiny feet enter the bedroom and stop at the foot of the bed.

"I woke you up ten minutes ago!" Alice continued, and Brooke could just picture her standing there with her hands on her tiny hips, a scowl on her pale face. "There are only so many hours in day for me to bond with my new best friend."

"I don't do bonding until after noon," she mumbled from underneath the pillow.

She heard an irritated sigh. "I can flip you out of that bed in less than a second, Brooke," she threatened. "And I can have you dressed and in my car in another two. I can promise you that Edward will do nothing but stand by and be a witness to it all."

Realizing that arguing with someone who never had to stop to take a breath, Brooke sighed, defeated, and tossed the pillow to the side, glaring at the now beaming face of the pixie-haired brunette. "You are a horrible, mean little person."

Alice giggled, the sound of tinkling bells. "And I work very hard at it. Now get up and get ready. I'll be back in EXACTLY fifteen minutes." Her amber eyes narrowed at her brother. "Hear that, Edward? FIFTEEN minutes. So keep your hands to yourself and let her get dressed." She grinned suddenly, all anger and annoyance gone from her face as she twirled on her heel and pranced out the room, closing the door behind her with a quiet click.

Brooke stared after her for a long second, laughing in disbelief, and let her head fall back against her pillows. "Wow," she said. "A couple of decades of that and you're still sane?"

Edward chuckled. "Selective hearing," he said. "It's really a miracle solution."

She laughed, turning her head to look at him for the first time since she was rudely awakened, and smiled. " 'Keep your hands to yourself,' huh? Were you planning on getting a little action this morning, Cullen?"

Edward chuckled, grinning down at her. "You are quite irresistible first thing in the morning," he said, his eyes taking in her rumpled hair and sleepy expression. She rolled her eyes, raking her fingers through her hair in an attempt to tame it, and he laughed again, catching her hands with his own. "I wasn't joking, Brooke."

Brooke snorted, rolling her eyes. "Yeah? And how many times in the last 100 years have you used that line," she teased.

She watched as Edward's face softened, his smile slipping party away, and his expression turned serious. "You're the first," he said softly, stroking her cheek.

She stared at him mouth slightly agape, brows furrowed. The first as in…THE first?, she thought to herself in disbelief. His eyes were searching hers, and she opened her mouth to reply, but an irritated, high-pitched voice interrupted.

"Edward, she has exactly 12 ½ minutes left to get ready!" Alice yelled from somewhere in the apartment, bringing a sigh to Edward's lips.

"I should go," he said. "God knows it will be a matter of moment before she carries through her threat."

He sat up and rose to his feet, running a hand through his bronze hair as he did.

Brooke pushed herself up to her elbows, shaking off her shock and confusion at his earlier statement, and looked up at him. "Any advice on what I can expect for today?"

Edward chuckled, shrugging into his jacket. "You're asking me to delve into the inner working of Alice's mind," he said, smiling. "Her thoughts are too sporadic to sift through, and most of the time I'm not positive I'd like to know."

She nodded, chuckling. "And what are you doing today?"

"Hunting with Emmett upstate," he said. "We should be back before nightfall."

Brooke looked at him. "Back as in…here?" she asked hopefully.

Edward laughed, leaning down to stare her in the eyes. "Your wish is my command," he said, leaning forward and pressing a chaste kiss on her forehead. "I'll see you tonight."

Brooke nodded, fighting the chill she felt as his cold touch, and smiled at him.

He was through the door in a second, and Brooke heard a distinct thump, followed by a very high-pitched, "Edward!!" She couldn't help but laugh when she heard his distant chuckling before the front door closed. Alice was at her bedroom door a second later, a scowl on her face. "10 minutes, Brooke," she said, shutting the door behind her.

Brooke, smiled, shaking her head, and flopped back on the bed, sighing. "Vampires."

Okay. So, Brooke loved to shop. She'd be the first to admit that. She loved clothes and shoes and all the typical girlie stuff.

But Alice Cullen? You couldn't say that Alice loved to shop. No. When Alice shopped, it went beyond love.

She was like a hyena on crack.

"Alice, seriously, I'm loving the whole 'bonding' thing, but I REALLY need to take a break," Brooke moaned, looking pleadingly at the small girl at her side.

Alice rolled her amber eyes, sighing, but a smile was on her pale face. "You humans and your lack of energy," she teased, leading her over to small area of tables.

Brooke plopped down in one of the cushioned seats, sighing in contentment, a sigh of relief escaping her lips. She stretched her heeled-feet out, silently cursing Edward for being right when he said to wear comfortable shoes. Stupid, know-it-all vampire, she thought.

Alice sat across from her, a bright smile on her pale face. She folded her hands on the tabletop, and leaned across it to smile at her. "I like you, Brooke," she said suddenly.

Brooke laughed, looking at her. "I like you, too, Alice."

She grinned, her pale face glowing with the intensity of her smile, and sat back in her seat. "You and I are going to be best friends, Brooke Davis," she said confidently, nodding her head once in confirmation.

Brooke smiled, shaking her head. "Is that coming from the whole I-know-what's-going-to-happen thing?"

Alice shrugged, smiling. "It certainly helps," she sang, laughing. She watched as Brooke chuckled before she fell silent, letting her gaze travel the crowded mall. Alice frowned, cocking her head to the side. "I did mean what I said about humans and energy, Brooke. I don't always remember that everyone else has to rest and breathe and eat. We could leave, if you like."

Brooke whipped her head back towards the spiky-haired brunette. She held up a hand, shaking her head. "No, no, Alice, I'm fine," she said, smiling. "Really. It's been awhile since I've had this good of a time."

"Then what's bothering you?"

Brooke frowned.

"I don't have to be psychic to know something amiss, Brooke," she said. "Edward might not think so, but your face is far too easy to read."

Brooke sighed, realizing that when you're arguing with a vampire that actually DOES know everything, it's better to just give in. "Alice, have you…seen…much when it comes to me and Edward?"

A frown graced Alice's perfect face, and her head tilted slightly to the side. "I DID," she said slowly, her eyes seeming to fog over just slightly before they became their clear, topaz color again. "But, since things just turned a little fuzzy, I'm assuming you're not sure?"

She shrugged.

"Brooke, if this is about your heart not being up to it--"

"It's not," Brooke interceded. At Alice's look, she shrugged. "Okay, so maybe a little part of it is. I just…can't help feeling that it's almost too good to be true, you know? The fact that Edward would like me even though I'm all wrong for him."

"Because you're human?"

Brooke nodding, scoffing softly. "I didn't even consider that," she said softly, shaking her head. She shrugged. "I guess that, too. It's just that…he's so GOOD…you know? I mean, here's this hundred year old vampire who, by all social standards is a monster, which I completely disagree with, who obviously has these almost…unrealistic morals that completely baffle me, and I just…don't."

Alice frowned, head still tilted. "Don't what?"

"Have morals," Brooke clarified, shrugging. "I never have. It's what made me Brooke. The girl who never said no," she said bitterly, shaking her head. She sighed, raising her head to look at her newfound friend. "I didn't have any morals, Alice, but after meeting Edward…I wish that I had."

"So…you think that just because you were a little slutty back in Tree Hill that you're not good enough for Edward?" Alice asked skeptically. When the brunette merely shrugged and looked back at the tabletop, she laughed. "Brooke…Edward is a masochist. He sees himself as a monster, which is ridiculous, I agree. Like you said, he's bizarrely moral for a vampire. He over-analyzes every situation, he has a tendency to overreact. He's determined and very, very stubborn. He's insanely competitive, which drives me bonkers. He mopes. All. The. Time. Occasionally, he's so depressing to be around that it makes my head hurt. If anything, HE'S the one that not good enough for YOU." She leaned across the table, gently covering one of Brooke's hands with her own. "Brooke, believe me when I say that he won't care in the slightest bit. You could be a mass murderer and it wouldn't make the slightest difference to him. Or to any of us.

"You can't see the difference in him like we do, Brooke. He's so…light-hearted now. Fun, even," she said, an almost frightened tone to her voice. Brooke chuckled, and she smiled. "You know, it would make sense that you would be worried about what he would think about your loose ways when he's the one that killed people before."

Brooke shook her head. "That doesn't matter, Alice. He was a--"

"Different person?" she finished, shrugging. "So were you. I may not have known you back in your old town, Brooke, but I can tell you with certainty that you aren't the same girl. And, Edward not the same either. So, maybe instead of lingering on your doubts and insecurities, wondering if he's going to snap out of his infatuated state with you, you should consider this a clean slate. A new start."

Brooke smiled softly, nodding. "A new start," she agreed.

Alice sat back in her seat, content, and smiled happily. "There. Now everything with the two of you is clear as a bell again. Really, Brooke, you need to stop pulling an Edward and overreacting. It's not good for your complexion."

Brooke laughed. "Says Snow White," she said, laughing again when Alice stuck her pink tongue out at her. She smiled. "I'm glad you're my friend, Alice."

"Of course you are," Alice said, rising to her feet. "Now come on! Our bonding time is running low!"

"You know, all of these bags are just going to add to the clutter that's littering my apartment, Alice."

Alice skipped up the stairs after her, smiling brightly, swinging two shopping bags at her sides. "I wouldn't be so sure of that," she said, gliding like a ballerina to Brooke's apartment door. Brooke looked at her quizzically and she shrugged. "Let's just say that Esme wanted to give you a 'welcome to the family' present."

"What do you mean?"

Alice giggled, snatching the keys from Brooke's hand and flew open the door. She led the way inside, spinning on her heel to see Brooke's reaction, and grinned. "Surprise!!"

Brooke's eyes widened at the sight of her apartment, its walls now a deep shade of purple. The boxes that had crowded the corners of her living room were nowhere in sight. She pointed wordlessly to the new furniture that now sat in the center of the room. A long leather sofa. A large, cushy-looking recliner. Bookshelves and end tables. Decorative painting graced her walls, and peeking into the kitchen revealed new appliances and all of her dishes behind cupboard doors.

"She kept you bed," Alice said, moving over to plop down on the sofa. "She said it was too you to part with."

Brooke shook her head, smiling, and finally noticed that her once white front door was now a bright red. "Alice, this is…too much."

"We Cullens don't acknowledge that term, Brooke," Alice said, rolling her eyes. "Esme adores you. She just wanted to make you feel a bit more at home."

She laughed, setting her bags on the floor and put her hands on her hips. "So your so-called 'bonding' experience was just a ploy to get me out the apartment?"

Alice's hand flew to her chest, and her topaz eyes widened in shock even as a smile spread across her face. "Brooke, I am insulted that you would think something so hurtful about me. It was merely an added incentive."

Brooke laughed, plopping down next to her and taking in the big screen TV that now faced her. She shook her head. "Thank you, Alice," she said, wrapping her arm around the small girl's petite shoulders. "I really mean it. This is probably the nicest thing anyone has ever done for me. Tell Esme I love it all."

Alice laughed, reaching over to envelope her in a tight embrace. "You're welcome, Brooke," she said softly. "Welcome to the family."

Welcome to the family, Brooke thought, grinning.

Right now, she could care less that she was sitting on an insanely expensive couch hugging a who-know-how-old vampire.

For the first time in 18 years, she felt at home.

Sorry for the lack of Edward. I kind of wanted to forge the bond between Brooke and Alice this chapter. Edward will be present in the next chapter, cross my heart.

Thanks to everyone who voted in the poll! Jacob will be making an appearance pretty soon, and the love…whatever shape it will become, will start to form.

Let me know what you guys thought!