A/N: Short and sweet: this note and the chapter. Ok, not so sweet, but short! Thanks to Project Team Beta for the quick turn-around. As we all do, I've made some changes after their review, so any mistakes belong to me. Just like this plot! ;)

CHAPTER 21:

Oh, the weather outside is frightful,

But the fire is so delightful,

And since we've no place to go,

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow…

I struggled to free myself from my burrow beneath my sheets, blankets and comforters and slammed my hand down on my alarm clock. I loved Christmas music but not at that volume and definitely not this early.

When we were dropped off at home last night, I could have sworn I could smell my mom's sweet potato casserole coming from the kitchen. It reminded me that breakfast would not be ready and waiting for me Christmas morning, as was usual in my family. I decided to get up before my dad and make him a special breakfast. This involved getting up at the ungodly hour of five in the morning since Charlie was usually up by six.

I rolled slowly out of bed and grabbed a large barrette off my dresser. I twisted and spun my hair into a messy bun and slid the barrette in to hold it. When I opened my bedroom door, I was immediately assaulted by smells I could identify as coffee, bacon and either pancakes or French toast. I felt my cheeks pull up in a big grin.

I trotted down the stairs and called out, "Something smells fantastic! Dad, did you make breakfast?"

I was confused to find Dad sitting calmly at the table sipping a coffee while the pans on the stove sizzled away.

"No," a deep voice from behind me said, causing my heart to jump in my chest. "I did."

I spun around and flung myself at my moose of a brother. Tears sprung to my eyes as I wrapped my arms around him and squeezed him with all my might.

"Easy there, Slugger. I need to get back to the food before it burns."

"Emmett! When? How? What?" I laughed and shook my head at my inability to complete a sentence. "I'm so happy you're here!"

"Merry Christmas, Little Bird." He gave me a big bear hug, and I melted. I had missed my big brother.

"Okay, kids. I think the bacon's getting a bit crispier than you might like…"

I chuckled at Charlie and released Emmett. I took a quick look around to see what food had already been prepared, then grabbed the loaf of bread off the counter and got to toasting.

Our bellies were finally full, and the kitchen was cleaned up. I sat on the floor in front of the Christmas tree playing Santa to my dad and brother. Charlie and Emmett were awkward with each other, having only met briefly a handful of times. They did their best to make me happy, and it was a wonderful morning. Christmas carols were playing in the background, and Emmett had brought his gifts with him in his luggage. I was surprised he fit them all in there until he told me what he'd packed for his visit: three changes of clothes, deodorant and his toothbrush. He was staying for a week. I just shook my head and told him to remind me to show him how the washing machine works. He was going to need it.

"What? I figured you had soap and shampoo." He shrugged.

Charlie and I laughed while I continued passing out gifts. We had opened almost everything when Emmett pulled two packages out from under the couch. I recognized the writing on each of them immediately: one from Rose, the other from Alice.

*~AtR~*

EDWARD

"No."

"Edward, you need to talk to her." Mom's consistent reasonableness really got on my nerves.

"No, I don't." I put my headphones back over my ears. Of course, Mom pulled them back off.

"Edward. She's come by every day for a week looking like someone kicked her puppy. It's Christmas. At least hear the poor girl out."

I narrowed my eyes at her, but she just stared right back at me.

"Fine."

"So you'll come down and talk to her?" Mom stood up and smoothed the spot on my comforter where she'd been sitting, then ran her hands down the front of her trousers.

"No. She can come up here." The raised eyebrow reminded me that I was talking to my mother, not one of my friends. "Uh, I mean, can she come up? Please?"

"I guess so. The door stays open."

I rolled my eyes at that. No worries on that front.

Mom looked at me with confusion all over her face. "Look honey, I have only the barest understanding of what's going on with you and your friends right now, but I really hope you know what you're doing."

I couldn't help snorting at that as I replaced my headphones, yet again. I had no idea what I was doing. None of this stuff was my idea. I'd just been tossed into the pool with my hands tied behind me and told to swim.

Shortly after Mom went downstairs, there was a knock on my door. I considered pretending I couldn't hear her over the music playing but thought better of it. I wanted to get this conversation over with. There was nothing she could say that was going to make the shit-storm any better.

"Hi," she said softly. "Merry Christmas."

"Alice." I dropped the headphones on my bed and pushed myself up so that I was sitting against the headboard. "It hasn't been very merry around here. I doubt it has been for you either."

"I don't know what to do, Edward. None of this was supposed to happen." She walked over and perched herself on the corner of my bed. Her eyes stayed on her knee where she began picking at the material of her tight leggy things.

"A little late for that, don't you think?" I snapped at her. I felt a little bad, but then again, all of this was her brilliant idea after all.

Her face crumpled, and she began to cry. Perfect.

"Look, Alice. Why don't you just call Jasper and explain things to him."

"Don't you think I've tried that! He wouldn't talk to me. At school he avoids me, and I've been stopping by his house every flipping night where he tells his mother he has nothing to say to me. Rose hates me. I tried to tell her what I did, but she just walks away from me. I've come to your house trying to get someone to talk to me. You're the first one who's given me a chance in weeks."

I stared at the poster on my wall trying to think of something to say to her.

"Why, Alice? What on earth made you think any of this was a good idea. I don't know why the hell I went along with you in the first place. You didn't really give me a choice though. You just announced that we were a couple out of the blue, fluttered your lashes and gave me those big, blue eyes and pouty face, and I trusted you enough to agree. What were you trying to do?" I laid my head back against the wall waiting for her reply.

She used her palm and the sleeve of her red Christmas sweater to wipe away her tears and her runny nose. Gross.

"I've had a crush on Jasper for, well, forever. He's always been friendly to me but never really seemed to be interested. I thought maybe if he thought someone else was paying me some attention then maybe he'd pay some attention to me."

"Okay, sure, I get that, but why me? I've always been your friend, Alice. Couldn't you just have told me you wanted to try and make him jealous? I thought we were just hanging out since Bella was away, then the next thing I know I found out you've been telling everyone we're together."

I leaned forward for emphasis before continuing.

"Well, you certainly got their attention. So did I. My two best friends won't talk to me. Rose shoots me glares every time I see her, and Bella deleted me from her chat contacts. How am I supposed to feel, Alice?"

"I'm sorry, okay? I didn't think ahead, obviously. Tell me what to do, and I will. I want things to go back to the way they were. I want my friends back. Help me, Edward. Please?"

"Did you know?" I asked her.

"Know what?" she deflected, and it royally pissed me off.

"Are you kidding me, Alice? You know exactly what I mean. Do you know the reason why all of this blew up in our faces?"

Emmett was obviously pissed off at me and looked ready to break me in half. Let me tell you, the way he'd been growing, I had absolutely no doubt he could do so, easily.

When I finally had enough of him eyeballing me and sneering at me, I shoved him into a locker asking him what his problem was. He shocked the hell out of me by yelling, "I don't talk to assholes that break my sister's heart," then stalking off.

I stood there looking like a deer in headlights, I'm sure, when Rose walked over and delivered the final crushing verbal blow. "Yeah, that's right jackass. She's had a crush on you for, like years, and as soon as she's gone for a little while, you move in on one of her best friends. It wouldn't surprise me if she never comes back. She won't even talk to ME. Emmett is the only one of us she talks to. If she doesn't come back because of you, I'll remove your balls with a spoon. Asshole."

I slid down the wall and sat on the floor completely flabbergasted until the custodian came by and asked me if I needed help.

"Did you know because I sure as hell didn't?"

"Yes," she barely whispered, finally answering me.

"Right. You didn't think maybe you should have mentioned that before or, you know, considered it at ALL before you came up with this brilliant plan of yours?"

"I swear I didn't think any of this would happen. I thought for sure everyone would know what I was doing." She made the strangest whimper / sobbing sound. "Help me fix it. Tell me how to fix it."

"There's nothing else you can do but just tell them the truth and accept the consequences. You, and I guess me too now, have hurt a lot of people. We just explain and apologize."

I could only hope that would be enough.