Disclaimer: Sadly I don't own Twilight Stephenie Meyer does.

A/N Thank you for reading, reviewing, alerting or adding to favorites! Hi! It's been a week and I finally managed to write another update. I hope you'll like it. I'm still going slow but some real Bella/Alice interaction is near and should be in the next chapter. I'm sorry if it's taking too long, but I kind of have the storyline in my head and don't want to rush things! Please review!

Chapter 11

While driving to the Cullen house Bella was nervously drumming her fingers against her steering wheel while trying to clear all lingering traces of doubt from her mind. Unfortunately that proved be more difficult than she would have liked it to be. Carlisle's proposal had been the only constant in her mind since Tuesday. Well, if she was being completely honest with herself Carlisle's proposal and Alice had been on her mind since Tuesday, but since Bella didn't want to be thinking about Alice she was in denial about thinking about Alice. She sighed knowing that if it sounded that stupid in her head, it would sound absolutely ridiculous if she said it out loud. She groaned then, realizing that she was thinking about Alice again. 'Focus, Bella!' She told herself.

"Ok, I'm going to go in there give Carlisle an answer and stick with it no matter how hard it gets," Bella said to herself before turning down the street that would lead her into the forest and to the Cullen house.

Alice was pacing. Bella was coming. She knew that because there were holes in her visions and holes meant Bella. She hoped that Bella would accept Carlise's help because she knew that it would allow her to spend some time with Bella, but also because Carlisle really wanted to help Bella. So far Bella had avoided them all and that both scared and comforted Alice. It scared her because she was afraid that Bella would stay away from them because of what they were. Something any smart, not suicidal human would do. But Alice was also comforted by it because if Bella was avoiding them all it meant she didn't dislike Alice specifically. So if that was the case maybe if she tried really hard she still had a chance at befriending Bella? Alice sighed she knew that was a ridiculous thought and that she must be driving Edward crazy, but she was desperate and would grasp at any straws she could find because she genuinely liked Bella. Even her vampiric side demanded that she spend time with her and it wasn't because of her blood which. was an odd sensation for a vampire: wanting a human for something else than dinner.

Alice's head shot up when she heard the roar of an engine coming closer. She was already walking down the stairs when she heard the brakes followed by the engine being cut of. She joined the rest of her family in the living room and barely restrained herself from shooting up and opening the door as Bella knocked softly. Both Carlisle and Esme went to the door to greet the girl and they could all hear her heart rate double.

"She's very nervous," Jasper murmured in a voice so soft only vampires could hear it.

"Hello Bella, it's good to see you again," Esme said smiling and hugging the girl and to everyone's surprise Bella allowed her to without stiffening or backing up.

"Is she scared?" Alice asked Jasper watching the display in confusion.

"She's not. She's still nervous but she's not scared."

"Thanks, good to see you too," Bella answered softly.

"Well, maybe it's best we take this to my office?" Carlisle said sensing Bella's nervousness and knowing that the rest of the family would be able to hear the conversation regardless of where it was held.

"Sure," Bella said following Carlisle to his office nodding at the rest of the Cullens leaving Alice to stare at her retreating form in confusion.

"She wasn't scared?" Alice murmured more to herself than to anyone else but Jasper still answered: "No, she wasn't."

"But she should be," Alice said slowly not understanding.

"I thought you'd be happy," Edward said frowning, knowing how worried his sister had been that Bella would reject them because they were vampires.

"I am," Alice said only half telling the truth. She really was happy, but she was also incredibly confused. 'If Bella wasn't scared of them than why had she avoided them all? And why wasn't she scared of them? They were vampires designed to kill and suck humans dry.'

"Oh, you have such a nice way of saying that," Edward said annoyed.

"Sorry," Alice mumbled. "But you have to admit it's strange!"

"Yeah, yeah, it's strange and I'm sure she'll explain it to Carlisle. Now be quiet I want to hear what they're talking about," Emmett said in a mature manner that was rarely seen of him.

"Have you reached a decision?" Carlisle asked as he sat down behind his desk.

"I have, but I have some questions first. That is, if you don't mind?" Bella said hesitant and nervous.

"Of course I don't. Ask away."

"Well, I was wondering about what Edward said the last time I was here. He said something about you having gifts or more gifts than the speed and everything and I was wondering what kind of gifts?" Bella asked knowing that if she didn't like the answer it could change her mind. She was doubting her decision to accept Carlisle's proposal as it was.

"He was right. Some vampires do have gifts. Mostly those gifts are enhancements of a gift the vampire in question had in his human life."

"So do you have a gift? Or anyone in your family?" Bella asked picking up on the fact that he had said some vampires and not all vampires.

"I don't really. I mean I guess you could say my compassion has been enhanced which enabled me to resist human blood. As for my family I would prefer if you'd ask them yourself if you don't mind? We could go and ask them right now," Carlisle said knowing instinctively that she wanted to know before she told him her decision and not feeling comfortable telling her something that wasn't his to tell.

"Okay," Bella said her nervousness reappearing again and following Carlisle back downstairs to the living room.

"Bella wants to ask you a question," Carlisle said to his family who were all present in the living room.

"Euh yeah. I just wanted to know what you're gifts were?"

"I can see the future," Alice answered immediately hoping she could get Bella to look at her which she did.

"The future?" Bella asked confused.

"Yeah, it's coupled with the decisions people take. Whenever someone I concentrate on makes a decision I have a vision. I mainly concentrate on the visions that have to do with us," Alice explained ecstatic that Bella was finally looking at her and talking to her.

"But I thought you said it's coupled with gifts you had as a human?"

"We think Alice had visions as a human too," Carlisle answered.

"You think?"

"Yeah, I don't actually remember anything about my human life," Alice answered with a hint of regret in her voice.

"Oh, I'm sorry," Bella apologized picking up on the regret.

"It's okay. I don't really need to remember," Alice smiled believing in what she said. Did she regret not knowing? Yes. Did she need to know to be happy? No.

"And does anyone else have a gift?" Bella asked finally tearing her eyes away from Alice and breaking the eye contact between them.

"I can sense and manipulate emotions," Jasper said smiling at Bella and knowing she was still a little nervous sending her a wave of calm.

"Oh," Bella said surprised by the calm that overtook her. It was a really strange feeling to suddenly go from nervous to calm.

"I'm extra strong for a vampire," Emmett grinned.

"Beauty," Rosalie said.

"My ability to love someone was enhanced," Esme said with a friendly smile.

"I can read people's minds," Edward said making Bella's eyes go wide. 'Read minds? That wasn't good. He had heard everything she had thought?'

"Not yours though," Edward added grinning. It was obvious she had had thoughts she really didn't want him to hear.

"Not mine?" Bella repeated frowning.

"No, only Jasper's gift seems to work on you. Edward can't read you and Alice can't see your future," Carlisle answered hoping he would find out why exactly that was.

"Oh," Bella said surprised, but happy that Edward hadn't heard her thoughts then she thought of her own mindreading abilities and she frowned again.

"How do you do it?" she asked Edward.

"Do what?"

"Hear everything the people around you are thinking? I mean sometimes or well in my case most times it's just disgusting and when it's more people at once it's downright chaotic and painful."

"I've learned to tune it out, but you're right hearing what people are thinking isn't half as fun as it sounds."

"I'll say," Bella said thinking about Mike Newton's last fantasy. She shuddered in disgust.

Alice cocked her head studying Bella. She didn't get this girl. She hadn't panicked when they told her they were vampires, but she had distanced herself this week. They had all assumed that she was afraid of them and had prepared for her to be terrified today, but she only seemed a little nervous and even that seemed to have disappeared after Jasper's little wave of calm.

"So Bella," Carlisle started hesitantly. "Do you have any more questions?"

"No, not really."

"So can you tell me what you have decided then?"

"Well, I can't say I haven't hesitated a lot nor am I really all that sure about my decision now," Bella started and was interrupted by Carlisle: "It's understandable that you have doubts and are hesitating."

"Yes, it is. But I seriously doubt you know why I'm hesitating," Bella answered making all the Cullens look at her in confusion. "It's not because you're vampires. That's who you are and you can't change that. To be honest I think it's admirable to go against your own nature like that because of your morals and beliefs. However breaking into my house and chasing me through forests is a choice and in my opinion that makes you kind of untrustworthy," Bella continued with a courage she didn't know she had in her and making the Cullens' eyes go wide. None of them had expected that she would have more problems with that than with them being vampires.

"But that said," Bella continued not realizing she had shocked them. "I'll accept your offer because I don't think I can do this alone and I don't know who else is going to be able to help."

"Thank you and I promise you I will do my best to help you out. Also there will be no more break ins or chases," Carlisle answered sincerely still confused but also relieved that she had accepted his offer.

"Now, would you mind telling us your entire story? I need to know how you acquired these gifts."

"Euh sure," Bella answered and told the Cullens everything about the weird room, the headaches, the passing out and about Johansson. They had all listened quietly but none of them had expected such a story. They had thought it would have been something supernatural not a scientific experiment gone wrong.

"Well, if you don't mind I would like to take some scans and some blood. I have no idea what kind of effects being in that room has had on your body but I'll try and find out," Carlisle said his head already on the scans he was going to take.

The rest of the Cullens expected Bella to freak out since a vampire had just asked her for her blood but Bella just shrugged and agreed. 'I really don't understand her,' went through Alice's head again as she watched Bella in wonder.

"Do you have time for it now?" Carlisle asked.

"Sure, but I want to be home on time to make dinner if you don't mind," Bella said thinking about Charlie's idea of dinner.

"Of course. Follow me please," Carlisle said and he led her to his lab.

Bella spend about an hour in Carlisle's lab with him. He took several different scans, x-rayed her body and drew her blood. When he was done he told her he would examine the different scans and her blood and would know more the next day so he asked her to come back the next day to which she agreed.

The following day Bella was on her way to the Cullen house again. Carlisle had requested she came as soon as she could which turned out to be around noon because she had needed to catch up on her sleep. Absently her mind drifted back to Alice and the moment where they had stared in each other's eyes. Confused Bella wondered why she was thinking about that again. It wasn't like it was odd to look at someone while you were talking to them, but Bella had felt a little odd. She had felt a flash of warmth go through her and it had surprised her so much that she had broken the eye contact. Now she was left wondering what in the world had happened to her because her feelings around Alice were everything but normal. Instead of being guarded and feeling a little insecure like she felt around the rest of the Cullens, she felt warm and tingly around Alice. She sighed as she stopped the car, got out and knocked. She still felt a little nervous being here with people she hardly knew. The door opened and standing there looking absolutely vibrant and gorgeous was Alice Cullen. Alice smiled and Bella had a revelation: she liked her. She liked Alice Cullen and not just in a friendly way either judging by her rapidly beating heart and the warm feeling that went through her again. No she didn't just like her, she was attracted to Alice Cullen…