Hey guys!! im sorry... writters block is horrible... but an annoying pixie got stuck in my brain and demanded time on this chapter! :D
hopefully you guys will like it :D
thanks to my betta: shabbyapple
and Becca... who is my personal Alice. Yes, Becca! you are Alice because Edward stays with me.. you can have Jasper.
DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN ANY TWILIGHT RELATED CHARACTERS:
August 2014
Alice Whitlock stepped out of her doctor's office humming happily to herself; thankfully, she had called beforehand to make sure Jasper's prescription was ready, so she didn't have to experience the tedious waiting time to get a simple piece of paper.
Hopping into her Porsche, she drove over to the hospital's pharmacy, which was the nearest one to her doctor's office. Once there, she quickly found an available clerk who could fill the request.
"Ok, m'am, give us about two hours and we'll have it ready for you," the nice woman told her.
Alice smiled and thanked her, she pondered whether to go back home and take care of Jasper- who was suffering a mild cold- and then come back for the medicine, or try and see if Edward could step away from a quick lunch with her. Deciding there was really no need to drive all the way home and then back Alice made her decision.
She drove to a nearby deli, picking up some lunch for Edward and herself- there was no way she was eating hospital food- and headed for Virginia Mason once again. She found parking very quickly, and ultimately decided it was her lucky day, because as soon as she stepped out of the elevator she spotted her brother signing a chart for the head nurse. Since Edward did not answer his personal cell phone when he was on call, she always had to make one of the nurses page him in order to reach him.
"Ok, he seems to be responding very well, if he has no complaints then I think we can release Mr. Thompson today." She heard Edward say.
Her brow furrowed as she realized Edward look tired, there were almost purple bruises under his eyes that showed his lack of sleep. Alice wondered how long had this recent shift lasted, Edward was known to spend up to three days working- not that he ever complained, he loved his job- however, the family worried that he was never getting the rest he needed.
When Alice stepped into his line of vision Edward's head turned instantaneously to her, she curiously noted he looked somewhat relieved to see her. Giving her a genuine smile, he handed the chart to the nurse and went to hug Alice.
"Hey there, Doctor, " Alice said hugging him back.
"Ali, what are you doing here?" Edward asked.
"Well I hadn't seen you in a while, and since you never call…" she dramatized.
Edward snorted. "Please, Alice, I had dinner with you and Jasper last week."
"And, I haven't heard from you, since." Alice pouted, but Edward knew better. Still, he didn't want to continue with her jab. He was going to visit her as soon as he was done with his shift; he needed to talk to someone about Bella.
"I'm sorry, Ali, I'll make it up to you. Lunch?" Edward asked looking at his wristwatch.
Alice smiled showing him the bag with the lunch she picked up. "I knew you would say that."
Edward snagged the bag away from her, checking the contents and moaning appreciatively, he had not eaten anything since last night not realizing how hungry he was until he smelled the food.
"I love you and your psychic ways," he said ruffling her hair.
Alice slapped his hand away, snatching the paper bag back. "Who else is gonna feed you?" she teased.
Before Edward could retort he was cut off by Rogers yelling after him. "Dr. Cullen!" the intern yelled as he ran up to him.
Edward rolled his eyes at Alice- who in turn just giggled- before turning and facing the student. "Yes, Dr. Rogers?" he replied curtly, he was hungry and he wanted to go eat with his sister.
Rogers halted inches away from bumping into Edward. "Chief Stevenson, asked if you could meet up with him sometime today," he said panting slightly.
"Very well, anything else?" Edward raised an eyebrow condescendingly, he was not normally this arrogant but he found his temper short this past few days.
Rogers, however, was never one to take Edward's superior tone to heart. "Bella, wants to know if it's possible to change her medication to something a little less strong," he said suppressing his laughter.
Edward's eyes widened, he knew that wouldn't get past Alice.
"I think it would be a good idea. She refuses to take the Vicodin you prescribed; she wants Tylenol, even when I told her it might not work as well… She's very stubborn," Rogers finished.
"Bella?" Alice's musical voice asked.
Like Edward, she was aware that 'Bella' was not a very common name. Seeing Edward's body tense, only increased her curiosity.
"Ok, yes, give her Motrin and see how she reacts," Edward said quickly leading Alice away so he could explain. "I'm taking a break…"
"But, you have to sign the change," Rogers interrupted. "You are the only physician assigned, so only you can change the medication."
Edward stopped, sighing he stepped closer to the reception. Nurse McLaggen already had Bella's chart on top, never missing a beat, she gave Edward a pen for him to note the change. He felt Alice's prying eyes as she read, and confirmed the name printed on the chart.
"Edward…" Alice said with a gasp.
For years, she had asked herself how different things might have been if Edward had married Bella. She was witness to his brother's pain all those years ago and she would be lying if she said she didn't regret her decision. At that moment she had to decide between her brother and her best friend, seeing Edward's heartache first hand had convinced Alice at first were her loyalties laid, but as time progressed she found herself questioning her initial reaction. However, at that time she felt she would betray Edward's pain if she tried to contact Bella. It pained her, but in the end she learned to live without her best friend, just like Edward learned to live without the love of his life.
Before she could ask how long Bella had been hospitalized, Edward's beeper went off. Alice wanted to yank it and throw it away from him.
Stupid pager is always interrupting!
Edward glanced at it, and Alice saw him shift completely into his Dr. Cullen persona.
And just like that, I lost him.
"Ali, I'm sorry…" he started.
Alice shook her head. "Don't worry about it, come by tonight, we'll talk," she said, her voice commanding more than asking.
Edward just nodded before throwing her a last apologetic look. "Come with me," he said to Rogers, who looked like he had just won the lottery; together they headed to the ER.
Alice stood there for a moment, worried about Edward's reaction to having Bella back -even if it was only temporary. She made a mental note to call Tanya and ask if he seemed a little out of place; she knew Tanya called him every evening even if it was just to say hello. Alice felt bad for her friend, she liked Tanya, she was good to Edward; but Alice knew the poor girl had no chance when stalked up next to a Bella Swan. At least, not in Edward's eyes.
"Room 521," McLaggen said not looking up from her monitor.
"Excuse me?" Alice asked, a little confused by the sudden interruption from her own thoughts.
"Bella Swan," the older woman said looking up from her reading glasses. "Edward said she was your best friend in highschool, she's in room 521 if you want to say 'hi'."
Figures he would say Bella was my best friend. Sure, Edward, that's all she was.
Smiling, Alice thanked the head nurse and headed for Room 521.
**
"Bella, you can't be serious! I really need you now…. God, I don't mean to be a nag- Richard is great-but you are the glue that holds us together-" Sam Madden pleaded.
"Sam…" Bella's frustration was evident in her tone. "Richard can handle the last stages of the release. It's not your first release, I don't need to hold your hand anymore."
"Belladona," Sam whined using her special nickname. "You know I can't do it without you."
Bella couldn't help but laugh, the nickname always did it, Sam was always playful and fun- he constantly made silly remarks and was one of Bella's good friends and not just work colleagues. The fact that they had been romantically involved at some point also brought a different level of trust between them.
Sam Madden, could very well be Bella's first and only real relationship since Edward Cullen; they had met at UW in Bella's last master's class. Bella almost never dated, back when she was in school, she had concentrated mostly on her studies and taking care of Jacob and Charlie- her two constants- needless to say she had no real desire to meet anyone new.
So when Sam started pursuing Bella she was reluctant at first. She couldn't deny he was a very attractive man. He was almost as tall as Jacob- although not quite; he had dark skin, handsome features, and took pride in his toned body. However, it was his incredible writing that made Bella take the plunge. After Sam begged Bella for an opinion in one of the creative writing assignments for their class Bella was completely engrossed in his skills. Faster than expected, Bella had allowed herself to start a relationship with him; thrown together by their love of literature and the struggle of being a penny-less writer in Seattle they had lived a happy two-year relationship.
In those years Bella started working in Townstead as an editorial assistant; and Sam working as a part-time teacher started working on a something new. Those had been the first drafts of the now popular novel 'Moonlight', as Bella climbed her way up she took Sam with her. His novel secured her position in Townstead, which led to her current top position; while her contacts with the publishing house had made him a well known-millionaire- author.
As Bella always knew it would, their romantic relationship ended somewhere midway as their professional one developed. Sam had been an important man in her life, but mostly professionally.
For Sam, Bella had been more than he could ever explain. If it wasn't for her then he would never be in the position he was; it was her faith in him and her brilliant suggestions that kept his ideas going. Unlike her, he had fallen completely in love with her; and the moment she realized it, was the moment she started to pull away.
Sam had been heartbroken, nonetheless, she was relentless in her support for his 'baby' and did not allow their friendship to drift apart. Years later, when his book was published and Bella called the shots in the publishing house, he finally found the courage to ask what went wrong with them- a question that nagged his brain since she broke things off.
"Pleasure of love lasts but a moment, pain of love lasts a lifetime," she had said, quoting Bette Davis. Sam was confused by her words, but soon after understood when she explained her previous experiences with love.
That conversation sealed their fate as friends, when Sam understood Bella's past he was able to let go of any platonic feelings still left for the incredible woman who had helped him so much. Now, as he visited her in the hospital after the accident that now took her away from their esteemed project, Sam was obviously reluctant to let her go without a fight.
"The Doctor said you would be out of here in two days the most, Belladona, we've worked for this ever since 'Moonlight' came out," he continued to plead.
Bella shook her head, sighing she decided to be honest with him, "Sam, its not because of the accident. I'll still be working from home as an editor and consultant; but, at least for now, I want- no, I need- some time on my own to think about… my goals," she said looking up at him.
"Goals?" he asked arching an eyebrow.
She rolled her eyes. "Yes… Sam, you don't get it, I spend most of my days looking over administrative things, publicity, budgets, management, distribution lists, marketing proposals, making sure asshole authors are happy," she joked eyeing him meaningfully, Sam held his hands trying to appear innocent.
"I just… wish I had more time to do the things I really love."
"Like writing?" he asked, finally understanding where this was going.
"Or just editing…" She shrugged, still painfully aware of the soreness in her ribs.
"Bella, you edit even more than you should, already," he scolded her. "You never have time for anything else other than work, I know Jake complains that you barely even have time for him and Nessie anymore."
She bit her lip guiltily; aware of how much her work had taken over her life. "That's why, I'm talking to Townstead so I can step down and give Richard free reign. I still wanna stay as senior editor, I just don't want to handle the politics you know?... I just wanted to tell you first."
Sam nodded and smiled. "So this means, you won't handle my paycheck no more?"
Bella laughed heartedly, wincing at the movement. "No, dumbass, I won't. Just your horrible grammar skills; and don't make me laugh… I'm in pain!" She punched his arm as hard as she could, frowning when it had no effect on him.
Damn tank.
"Bella?" a small voice asked from the doorway.
Both Sam and Bella turned to look at the new visitor. Alice stood in the doorway, having heard the last of the conversation between Bella and her friend; she decided to let her presence be known not wanting to eavesdrop on purpose.
"Alice!" Bella yelped, completely surprised by the sudden visit.
"May I come in?" the petite woman asked hesitantly, somewhat embarrassed by her old friend's awed stare and the tall man's questioning glance.
"Of course, come in, come in!" Bella exclaimed, excitedly. Sam noticed his friend's eagerness for the new visitor and threw her a questioning glance.
Alice stepped in and Bella was slightly embarrassed by her appearance. She had taken a shower with the nurses' help this morning, so she was clean. However, although lessened, the pain in her side was so strong- thanks to her refusal for medication- that she soon found out that it was better to move as little as possible. In consequence, her-now- dry hair looked like a haystack; there was not an ounce of moisturizer or makeup on her face, and the designated hospital robe was not flattering at all.
She didn't mind when Jacob checked in with her this morning, nor when Sam came by to update her on the yesterday's press conference. But seeing Alice dressed as her usual- or what she remembered as usual- perfectly fashionable attire and presentable appearance she felt a little self-conscious.
"Sam, this is Alice Cullen-"
"It's Whitlock, now," Alice corrected, beaming at Bella.
Bella's smile widened and she felt silly when happy tears formed in her eyes. Really, this 'accident' really has me topsy turvy. "Oh, Alice! Congratulations! Since when?" she asked taking Alice's hand.
Alice practically hopped in excitement, her eyes lighting with happiness, for a moment the two friends felt like they were still in high-school and Alice was just telling Bella of an exciting weekend occurrence instead of a ten year gap.
"Two years. And Emmett and Rose, too, for five years and their expecting their first this winter."
"Wow," Bella grinned at the thought of Emmett being a daddy. Before she could comment on it, though, Sam cleared his throat looking uncomfortable.
Bella rolled her eyes once more and Alice giggled. "I'm sorry, Sam, this is Alice Whitlock," she said grinning at Alice. "Alice, this is Sam Madden."
"Pleasure to meet you," he greeted shaking her stretched hand. "Likewise," Alice replied.
"Ok, Bella, I leave you with excellent company. I'll call you later, okay?" he said, kissing the top of her head.
Alice eyed them inconspicuously trying to figure out the nature of their relationship. She didn't know why it mattered if Bella was single or not since Edward was engaged, but her instinct told her it did.
"I'll call you when I'm out of here, my blackberry got lost in the crash," Bella explained watching him collect his messenger bag. "And watch our big mouth with Richard, okay, I want to tell him before you go in asking for a raise!" she yelled after him watching grumpily as he rolled his eyes and winked playfully at Alice before stepping out of the room.
"He better not say anything…" Bella mumbled making Alice giggle.
"Cause he is so afraid of you," Alice commented sarcastically, Bella shot her a dirty look.
"He better be," the brunette responded, Alice raised her eyebrows in mock surprise.
Bella smiled, gesturing Alice to take a seat on the nearby chair. Alice moved the seat closer and placed the contents of her lunch on the edge of the bed.
"Have you eaten? Edward abandoned me for lunch, and I don't want this to go to waste." Alice told her getting the sandwiches out of the bag and placing a bowl of soup on the nearby table.
"Are you sure you don't want to leave those for Edward?" Bella asked.
Alice shook her head. "Nah, the won't taste good if they're left for hours on the lunch room, besides, that 'doctor' look he had on told me he won't care about food for a while," she said shrugging her shoulders and taking a bite.
Bella copied her actions, hesitantly opening up the wrapping. She felt guilty thinking Edward hadn't eaten, still, she was not going to pass up an opportunity of tasty food. The room was silent for a moment as both women ate their meals; it wasn't uncomfortable per say, however, it was hard to break the ice after ten years of no communication.
"You quitting your job?" Alice asked, trying to ease some of the tension in the room.
Bella smiled. "Eavesdropping, Ali? Still as nosy as ever, I see," she teased breaking the ice.
Alice laughed, shaking her head she replied, "Couldn't help it if your boyfriend's complains were heard all the way out there."
"He is a bit of a drama queen," Bella replied rolling her eyes.
"So, he is your boyfriend?" Alice saw Bella blush and shake her head.
"No," Bella replied, lifting her head to catch Alice's questioning gaze. "Not anymore, he used to be… a long time ago, but now we're just friends."
"Oh." Alice wondered if she was stepping out of line, but her curiosity won out. "And Jacob?"
Bella laughed, she couldn't help it. Leave it to Alice to ask the big, loaded questions first. She always did love her for that.
"Already? I thought we were going to dance around this for a little while," Bella teased, easing some of Alice's fears of how Bella would respond.
"We can if you like, but you know I'll just bring it up again," Alice countered, nonchalantly offering Bella one of the sodas she had on her purse.
Bella took the Coke, leaving Alice with the Sprite Bella knew she preferred. Bella thought about avoiding the conversation all together, telling Alice it was all in the past just like she had done with Edward, but this time it was different.
Alice used to be her bestfriend, someone who had- at some point- known everything about her. Bella had missed her terribly, especially after Charlie's accident, when she had no one to talk to. Jake was there, but he had to deal with his own grief, and it wasn't fair for Bella to want him to understand her own. So Bella kept to herself, hiding her pain, masking her doubts, she pulled it through and in time she relied in new friends, like Angela. However, she always missed Alice, and just like with Edward, she craved for a chance to explain everything to her.
Talking with Alice was different, and Bella decided she could give her the answers she denied Edward.
"We did try, once…" Bella started, breaking the silence. "About a year after you guys left, Charlie was better and Jacob was practically living with us-"
"Charlie?" Alice interrupted, not really understanding the conversation.
Bella sighed running a hand through her hair, realizing she would have to explain everything since the beginning. Taking a deep breath she turned her whole body to Alice, and started filing her friend on her past ten years since the moment they left.
"When Edward left…"
"When he ran away," Alice corrected, in her mind 'running away' was a better description of what her brother had done.
Bella gave her a sad smile but continued. "The night Edward and I broke up I wanted to go after him, but Jacob convinced me that it was too soon and I should give Edward some time to at least cool off. I accepted that excuse, but honestly, I was too afraid to face him after what I'd just done so I agreed to wait."
Alice stepped closer reaching for Bella's shaking hands and holding them between her own. Bella was grateful for the slight comfort, it gave her the strength to continue. "I waited two days to go to your house and when I finally did, Rosalie answered the door…"
Bella closed her eyes remembering the horrible conversation that ensued and the selective curses Rosalie delivered that day.
"What did she tell you, Bella?" Alice asked, knowing full well how mean her sister could be.
Bella shook her head, then, and even now she understood Rosalie's anger. Even if callous and selfish, Rosalie lived for her family and what she did to Edward was enough to justify the blonde woman's anger.
"She just said that Edward, you and Emmett had left for Dartmouth early and that he said he wanted nothing else to do with me."
Alice wished she could deny the statement, but it was true. The night Edward and Bella broke up, Edward stormed into the house cursing everything in its path and swearing he never wanted to see Bella again.
"So I left, and that whole month I didn't talk to anyone... I was a mess, I missed you and Edward so much and I blamed Jacob for not letting me talk to Edward… I just stayed in my room and cried and thought about what went wrong… my mom tried to get me to leave with her to Florida, but I refused to leave Forks."
Bella chuckled remembering the tantrum she had to pull of to get Rene off her back. "That was the last straw for Charlie, he was so worried he called Esme."
Alice's blue eyes widened, this was new information that her mother had never revealed to her. Bella, sensing her friend's surprise continued, "I was just as impressed as you, one day I was just laying on my bed and then out of nowhere your mom and my dad come in. I was so embarrassed that I didn't even protest when Esme told me to take a shower and meet her in the kitchen. When I finally went downstairs, Esme was sitting on my kitchen table and Charlie had already left for work."
Bella's small smile told Alice of how much love she still held for the Cullen family, especially her adoptive mother. "Esme didn't judge me, she said she understood and she wanted to help. She told me that she would get me a plane ticket to New Hampshire, and since the semester at Dartmouth was already paid for, that I should at least give it a try. She convinced me to go after Edward, and try to talk to him…. I didn't even hesitate, I accepted her offer and made plans to go to Dartmouth a week before classes started."
"Then, why?" Alice asked. It seemed like the perfect plan. If Bella showed up, regardless of Edward's anger she knew they would've somehow found a way to patch things up.
Bella took a deep breath, fighting the tears she wouldn't be able to contain for long. "The last few weeks before my flight I prepared everything I needed to leave for college, I wanted to call you guys and tell you beforehand. Esme wanted to do it too, but I convinced her to wait. I didn't want anyone to be mad at her for helping me, and I thought if you guys found out you would tell her how much you didn't want me there and then I wouldn't find the strength to actually go."
"Bella…" Alice chastised her.
"I thought it was best… Then a weekend before I left, I went with Jacob to La Push. The guys were having a bonfire night and I thought it was the best way to say goodbye. We were having a great time until the police came by. At first we panicked, since we were underage and there was some stuff that wasn't supposed to be there…"
Alice chuckled, imagining the huge boys from the reservation scrambling to hide the illegal booze and pot they had at the bonfires. She stopped when she noticed Bella wasn't laughing along with her, her eyes were blank, staring into space, as if remembering.
"Bella, what happened?"
"The police didn't even care what we were doing, as soon as they got to us they took Jake and I aside and told us Billy and Charlie were in an accident…" Alice gasped. "They went fishing that day, and on they're way back they got hit by a trucker. It was raining that afternoon, and the police had been looking for us for a while… but since we were all over town enjoying my last day they didn't get to us until the bonfire."
"Bella, I'm so sorry. Was he hurt badly?"
Bella nodded. "Billy died… and Charlie's legs were paralyzed for almost two years. His nerves were… it's hard to explain… I didn't understand half of it myself."
Alice squeezed her hands. "Is that why you didn't come to New Hampshire?"
"Yes," Bella sobbed, letting the pain she had been holding escape. It was weird, even if everything was better now, explaining everything made the emotions just as real as before.
Alice had no words to comfort Bella; she did the only thing she could. Sitting on the edge of her friend's bed, she held Bella's arms and hugged her, feeling her own tears fall.
After a few moments, they both pulled back drying their tears and giggling at their ridiculous display. "I'm sorry I wasn't there for you," Alice said in sad voice.
Bella shook her head, holding her hands once more and giving them a comforting squeeze. "It's okay, I should've handled things better too."
"What did you do?" Alice asked curiously.
"I was stubborn. When the accident happened, I thought I had to fix it all by myself. Charlie was so depressed, not only about his legs, mostly for Billy. He missed his best friend so much that I wanted to be there for him at all times…. Same with Jacob, he was devastated."
"Jacob stayed with you guys?" Alice remembered at that time Jacob was underage, and it wasn't likely that he would live alone in the reservation.
"No, Rachel-his sister- came down to be his legal guardian. Its weird how things work out, because she moved back and met Paul, they fell in love instantly and got married a year after that."
"Paul?!"
Bella smiled rolling her eyes. "Jacob was little put out to say the least, it was so irritating to hear him complaining about them endlessly." Bella shrugged, "But the more annoyed he got with Rachel, the more time he spent with Charlie and me, so I wasn't complaining."
"Is this when you guys got together?" Alice asked.
Bella was so engrossed in the conversation she forgot how it started, but now she remembered the main reason she explained everything that had happened to Alice.
"Yes," Bella looked down at her hands, unable to meet Alice's gaze. Even if her relationship with Edward had been over at that time, she still felt like she betrayed him by trying a relationship with Jacob.
"After the accident I knew I had to stay, so I thanked Esme for trying to help, and decided that maybe I could try to talk to Edward when you guys came back for a break… Mrs. Newton gave me a full time position at the store and I took a year off from school to help Charlie. There was some tension between us, Dad and I… he wanted me go back to school, but I just didn't want to leave him. Jacob was the buffer; he came down every chance he could to get away from Rachel and Paul."
"We added a room downstairs for Charlie, and Jacob stayed the weekends on Charlie's old bedroom. He helped us out so much that year; we were our own little dysfunctional family, Charlie, Jake and I. It was amazing to me, how I could feel happy again, despite everything."
Bella glanced up to find understanding in Alice's eyes. "One night, Jacob and I were watching TV on the living room, Charlie was already asleep. It was July, and Esme had just told me that you guys were staying at New Hampshire for the summer. I knew that worst case scenario, Edward didn't want to see me… best case, he just didn't care anymore to visit."
Alice frowned at Bella's nonchalant attitude, but she knew the pain that statement held, nonetheless she never interrupted. She was just happy Bella could confide in her again.
"Jacob was always there, helping out, making me laugh, making me… happy. My own little sun in this foggy dark world I was living in. So that night, I took a chance and kissed him… It wasn't at all like kissing Edward, but it was nice and comforting… and I was just so lonely," Bella's heart clenched at the memory.
"It worked out for a while, and then it didn't. I kept waiting to feel more, but those feelings never actually developed. I broke things off about two months after that… I wanted to do it sooner, but I was afraid Jacob would disappear from our lives. I too was selfish and I needed him to be around."
Alice nodded telling Bella it was okay, she understood and she really didn't need an explanation. She had no right to judge her, Alice was angry at herself for not being there, and grateful at least Jacob hadn't abandoned her.
"He stayed," Alice said, sensing he was still a big part of Bella's life.
Bella nodded a small smile grazing her features. "He said if I hadn't done it, he would've have sooner or later. I guess we both needed to at least try…. to figure out we didn't belong together."
"Took him long enough," Alice joked lightening the mood.
"Yeah," Bella laughed.
"What happened afterwards?" The questions just kept coming; Alice wanted to know everything that she had missed.
"Nothing, I went back to school got my BA in the University of Seattle and an MA at UW. Carlisle helped Charlie find a specialist, he can walk now and pretty much fend for himself. Jacob just got married, and I crashed my car two days ago."
Alice frowned. "That's it?"
"You want more?" Bella arched an eyebrow. "All the drama happened that one year, I'm glad the rest of my life has been so boring," she teased.
Alice blushed, feeling silly. "I guess you're right... so no boyfriends, or husbands?"
"Nah, I've dated but I'm not that concerned of finding someone, right now." Bella shrugged.
Both women stayed silent for a while, pondering over all the information revealed.
"Enough about me, tell me what has Mrs. Whitlock, been up to?" Bella said in a fake southern accent.
Alice punched her arm, and Bella laughed despite the pain. All the Cullen's and Bella had teased Jasper endlessly about his accent went he first came to live in Forks, he was the last of the foster kids the Cullen's adopted, getting there a mere month after Bella had.
Both friends, spent the better part of the afternoon catching up. This time going over lighter topics and happy moments, their conversations felt exactly the same, almost like there had never been a wedge between them.
Alice updated Bella on her siblings. Rosalie was a mechanic engineer but had recently quit her job to stay as a full-time mom now that her baby girl was about to be born, Emmett was a lawyer at a prominent Seattle law firm, Jasper was a history professor at UW and currently defending his dissertation, and Alice had her own boutique with a new clothing line that she would be presenting on New York's fashion week.
Bella told Alice about her experiences at the publishing house, Jacob's success with his own car shop, Angela and Ben's marriage, their three year old boy: Arthur- Bella's godson- Charlie's new romance with Sue Clearwater; they talked about everything and anything, except Edward. It was like an unspoken agreement not to talk about the main reason their friendship had halted over these past years.
Before they knew it more than two hours had passed and their conversation was interrupted by Jasper's phone call.
"Oh, Jazzy, I'm sorry. I lost track of the time," Alice pouted making Bella giggle.
It seems she still has him wrapped around her little fingers.
"How are you feeling?" Alice winked at her. "Yeah, I'll be there in a little bit. Love you, bye."
Flipping her phone shut, Alice gave Bella a mischievous smile. "What are you doing this weekend?"
"Hopefully going home," Bella said pointing to the bed.
"When did Edward say you could leave?" Alice pressed, looking for something in her purse.
Bella shrugged. "I'm not sure, I think one more day until they take this tube out."
Alice found one of her cards and quickly scribbled her address on the back. "Call me the moment you're released. I need opinions for my new collection and I think I have some stuff that you would love."
"Alice," Bella whined, but she didn't really mean it.
"Oh, hush." Alice smiled. "I'll be waiting for your call, you're not gonna get rid of me that easy this time."
Bella chuckled. "Thanks, Ali."
"I really missed you, Bells." The petite woman said, practically tackling her friend with the hug.
"Ow! Ali, I missed you too, but not so hard!
Both of the laughed; after promising they would meet when Bella was released, Alice left feeling like she finally found the one thing she was missing.
Spring 2005
"I liked the black one better," Alice commented scrutinizing her best friend's choice of dress.
"You would, it barely covered my ass," the brunette replied, annoyed and tired.
Alice said nothing as she continued to circle Bella, as if looking at the dress from every angle would alter her opinion. Bella was very close to agreeing with her friend's choice just to get it over with. They had spent all day at Port Angeles, looking for something to wear for the graduation after-party they were throwing at the Cullen's.
The party was a weekend away, and Bella thought she could get away with wearing something from her closet; it wasn't until the previous evening when Alice demanded to know what she planned to wear that Bella's plans had been thwarted.
Appalled, Alice had decided they would spend the weekend searching for the perfect attire. Bella knew better than to argue, with Edward being away in a camping trip with the boys, there was no one who could save her from the annoying pixie.
"If I say yes to the black one, can we please get something to eat… I'm starving."
Alice smirked; she knew Bella would agree sooner or later. "If you insist."
Grumbling, Bella stepped down from the platform on the dressing room and changed into her comfortable jeans and t-shirt. After making their purchase, they headed down to a nearby dinner. Just before they arrived Alice spotted something inside one of the shops, Bella almost didn't notice since she was busy checking her text messages.
"Oh, I'll be right back," she mumbled stepping in before Bella could protest.
Not a minute later, Alice stepped out again holding a new plastic bag. Bella was about to ask what she bought, when her stomach grumbled making her blush.
"Come on, before Edward kills me for not feeding you," Alice said, taking Bella's hand and leading her into the restaurant.
After ordering lunch and sipping on her drinks, Bella noticed Alice looked even more bouncy than usual. "What did you buy?" she asked, arching an eyebrow.
Alice grinned from ear to ear; reaching for her bag she quickly took out three bridal magazines and laid them on the table.
Bella groaned, earning a reprimanding glare from Alice. "You said once we graduated we could start talking about wedding plans!"
"Shh, people will hear you!" Bella hissed.
"People will find out eventually," Alice countered.
Bella sighed. I knew this was going to happen.
"Bella, really, what's the problem? We are just looking, its fun to look at bridal magazines… harmless, actually."
To demonstrate her point, Alice opened one of them and showed Bella a gorgeous wedding gown. Even Bella couldn't deny the loveliness when a small smile spread through her lips.
"See, you like it!" Alice giggled pointing at her friend's smile.
Bella blushed, snapping the magazine away from Alice she agreed. "Ok, yes I do. But isn't this a little over the top? That veil looks twice as long as her."
With a knowing smile Alice moved beside her friend and together they criticized and commented on several designs. Taking a note on what Bella liked- mostly traditional but elegant- they spent most of lunch talking about the magazines.
By the time they were sharing a piece of chocolate cake- which they both suddenly had a craving for, after looking at different wedding cake displays- Alice ventured on the topic she most wanted to cover. "So, have you and Edward set a date?"
Bella laughed, she had been waiting for Alice to bombard her with these questions since she saw the ring, and was actually presently surprise when she kept her promise to wait.
"Does this mean you talked to Edward already and he denied you the information," Bella teased, taking another bite of the cake.
Alice rolled her eyes. "No, I want you to tell me."
"No, Ali, we haven't. I dunno why you're so keen to know anyways. It'll be a while before we actually do." Bella shrugged.
"What do you mean?" Alice asked a bit confused.
"Um… well its not like we're getting married right now," Bella said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.
Alice gaped at her for a moment before she could compose herself. "What?" Bella asked, a little uneasy with her friend's reaction.
"Nothing… nothing," Alice said, dismissing the question with a wave of her hand.
Bella's brow furrowed. "What's wrong?"
Alice bit her lip, mentally cursing herself for not talking to Edward beforehand. "Have you decided on Dartmouth?"
Bella was taken aback; the sudden change in topic was too bizarre not to notice. "What does Dartmouth have to do with anything?"
"Maybe you should talk to Edward about the wedding…"
"What? No, Ali, tell me… what's going on?" Bella interrupted, growing more confused by the second.
Alice looked at Bella's puzzled expression and groaned before making a decision; she was really going to have a talk with Edward about the importance of communication.
"Ok, Bells," she said turning to face her, "but you have to promise me you'll talk to Edward about this."
Bella nodded growing wearier.
"I think… Edward was hoping you guys would get married this summer, so you would leave with us in the fall," Alice grimaced waiting for an outburst.
She wasn't prepared, however, for Bella's silence. Looking at her friend, she noticed Bella looked like she was still processing the information.
It wasn't until the waitress came by asking if they needed anything else that Bella seemed to step out of her shock.
"No, thank you," Bella mumbled.
"Actually, could we get the check?" Alice stepped in, waiting of the waitress to leave before turning to the brunette. "Bella?"
Bella closed her eyes, shaking her head she asked, "Did he actually tell you that?"
"Not in so many words, no…"
"Then why do you say that?" Bella pressed, opening her eyes and looking directly at Alice.
Sighing Alice decided it was best to lay it all out there, that way Bella could get her initial reaction out of the way and hopefully have a more civilized conversation with Edward.
"Bella, sweetie, Edward loves you. I don't think it really matters to him if you get married tomorrow or ten years from now... but," she paused to make sure Bella wasn't going to interrupt, "I think he thinks the only way you would accept his help with Dartmouth is if you guys get married first."
"It's about the fucking tuition isn't it?" Bella seethed, trying to take deep breaths to ease her anger.
She felt stupid, she should've known Edward would try to pull something like this. Sure, she was considering Dartmouth, and Charlie had been so happy when they read the acceptance letter that he had encouraged her to go. She had been looking into financial aid options and student loans. Edward hadn't pressed on the subject, so she assumed he would've let her find her own way, but now, hearing about this only made her even more self conscious of the big differences in resources they both had.
"Bella, please calm down." Alice tried to placate her, rubbing her back soothingly.
"Alice, I don't need him to take care of me… I mean… letting him pay for school…" Bella paused fighting the angry tears that were threatening to fall.
"No, Bella, please listen to me." She waited until Bella turned to look at her before continuing, "Bella, you are looking at it the wrong way. Edward loves you, and he wants to spend the rest of his life with you. It's not about the money, or what college you guys actually go to. He just wants to share his life with you. For Edward that is everything, his heart, his experiences, his possessions… his money is just a small part of what he wants to offer you."
Alice gave Bella a moment, making sure her words her penetrating her mind.
"I'm sure Edward is afraid of your reaction, and that's why he hasn't said anything. Bella, please try to look at the positive side of things. Letting Edward help you with tuition will not leave him bankrupt, it would give you guys more time together, and more time with us…. I know Edward plans on going whereever you go, so if you actually come with us to New Hampshire then the six of us would be together."
Bella agreed with her in that aspect, going to College alone was a little scary, but going there to reunite with Rosalie, Emmett and Jasper would be very nice, add Alice and Edward and it would be the best scenario she could hope for.
"Think about it Bella, please."
Bella looked up at Alice, noticing her nervous expression, she decided to appease her. "I will, Ali," she said giving her a small smile.
Alice grinned, stashing away the magazines and changing the subject. Almost immediately, the waitress came by with the check. After they paid, they made their way to the car- it was starting to get dark, and Esme asked them to come back early.
Any kind of tension that might've been left dissipated on the drive back home. Singing along with the radio allowed both girls to relax and let go; Alice was relieved Bella didn't seem to be angry, and believed her promise of thinking it through. Just to be sure, she would warn Edward as soon as he came back.
Bella loved how Alice could instantly make her feel better, even if it was just singing silly songs together or just giving her some space. She had given her a lot to think about, surprisingly enough, she was glad Alice had told her instead of Edward, she could always understand Alice's reasoning, whilst she was sure the previous conversation would surely result in a huge fight if it had been with Edward.
"He wants to share his life with you. For Edward that is everything, his heart, his experiences, his possessions… his money is just a small part of what he wants to offer you…"
She kept replaying those words over and over in her hear, amazingly, they gave her comfort. Alice had been able to find a way to make Bella understand what Edward's intentions were. And she could relate to them.
Was it really so different from what she wanted? Sure, Bella couldn't offer him money, or expensive gifts, but Edward had showed her time and time again he didn't care for any of that… he cared for what Bella could give… she could give him kisses, comfort, love. She could give him all she had, and still feel like she wanted to give more.
In that moment, Bella let herself consider accepting Edward's help. She didn't like the idea of relying completely on him, but maybe they could reach some sort of compromise… after all, wasn't that what relationships were about?
Bella noticed she had spent most of the trip finalizing her decision, since they were five minutes away from the Cullen's house. The butterflies in her stomach fluttered incessantly when she noticed Emmett's jeep in the driveway, meaning the boys were back.
Giving a side glace to Alice, she saw the same excited expression on her face. When they finally parked Carlisle's Mercedes in the garage, both girls practically jumped out the car and retrieved their bags.
Just as Alice closed the trunk, Bella stepped in front of her and hugged her. "Thanks for telling me, Ali."
Alice was a little surprised for the affection but returned the hug instantly. Her heart soared when she realized she had made the right decision in telling Bella.
"What are friends for," Alice shrugged giving her one last squeeze before letting her go. "Lets go, I want to paint our toenails before Edward steals you for the night."
Bella groaned when Alice pulled her into the house.
Friendships are being rebuilt... what will Edward say when he talks to Alice? check out for the next update ;)
please review!! i promise not to take to long between updates anymore!! :D
LOVE YOU GUYS!! THANKS FOR THE SUPPORT!
I
I
I
V