Jared

Bella's phone started ringing in the early hours of the morning. She didn't even stir, she had barely moved all throughout the night and when I couldn't sleep I was just able to see her face which seemed to like making my heart pump faster, she slept quietly and peacefully. When I whispered her name and she didn't wake up, I reached over her to her bedside table and looked at her phone. Alice Cullen. I wondered if Bella would be annoyed at me for answering her phone, and I also wondered if I would ever be able to ignore the hatred that sparked inside of me whenever I heard the Cullen's mentioned. Although she had said she didn't want or even like Edward anymore, I could tell Bella really loved his sister. I sighed gently and shifted myself, Bella's hold tightened on my arm but I managed to sit up.

"Hello?" I said as quietly as possible, knowing she would hear.

The pixie's voice automatically started babbling. "Hey Bella, what's wrong with your voice? You sound husky. Anyway I have some great news! Wait, that's not you, I can tell by your breathing."

I rolled my eyes, she couldn't tell it wasn't Bella by the husky voice but the breathing gave it all away. "Bella's asleep."

"Oh."

"Err… can I take a message? I really don't want to wake her…"

"No, I'd rather tell her this myself. I'll be there in twenty minutes to wake Bella up myself!"

"Are you serious?" I complained. "It's barely even eight!"

"I've been waiting to tell her this all night, of course I'm serious."

She hung up and I grumbled to myself about vampires and the Cullens, I hadn't been able to stop myself from admiring Bella for ages last night. Her pale skin was like porcelain, her eye lashes were so long they almost touched her cheeks, they were not dissimilar to feather dusters in my opinion. I gently prised her hand away from me and stood up, and Bella immediately jerked upright.

"Jared?" she said, sounding tired. She clearly needed her sleep… or maybe I needed my sleep. I just didn't fancy spending my morning eating breakfast with a vampire. "What are you doing? What time is it?" she tried to stifle a yawn but failed.

"Eight-oh-two." I told her sympathetically.

"Why are you up so early?" she wailed, making me smile.

"One of your… friends… called. Alice."

"Oh, right."

I watched her as she pulled a sweater off the floor from beside her bed and slid it over her head, reappearing with static hair.

"What're you smiling at?" she asked suspiciously.

"Just some static energy." I told her, winking.

"Oh crap." Bella mumbled, reaching out for a hairbrush. "So… why is Alice coming?"

"She said she's been waiting to tell you some news all night."

"So she thought it would be fair to wake me up as soon as the sun rises?" Bella said shaking her head, but she was smiling.

"Have you missed her?" I asked.

I don't really like that my possible girlfriend (I hoped it wasn't just possible but I was waiting for her say so) had relationships with vampires which are dangerous and also my enemies, but I knew they would always be part of her life. I didn't have to hate the rest of the Cullens, though I would always hate Edward. I remembered seeing what he had done to Bella through Sam's eyes, I had never seen eyes so lifeless, and they were dead of any emotion whatsoever. You couldn't even see pain. It was strange, since the first time I saw her at the party her eyes had brightened greatly, and I liked knowing I had helped her be happy again.

"Yes." Bella finally admitted, looking at me nervously. As she continued to speak, she led me downstairs in to the kitchen. "She… Alice was my best friend. Emmett, I thought of him like a big brother. Esme was just like the mother I never had. I love my mom so much but she has never expressed anywhere near as much love and care as Esme did, not just to me or to her own children but to anyone."

"What about the blondes?" I asked, liking the way she smiled when she spoke of them, even if it was a smile for bloodsuckers. I figured they were good enough to be close to Bella and actually suck venom from Emily's blood and still manage to stop without killing her, that I could trust that they weren't going to hurt her.

"Jasper is… Jasper. He finds it hardest to be around me, he's not been on the no human diet as long as the others, but he's always reassuring to have around. He can always calm me down, I'm not sure if that's because of his special ability or not."

"Special ability?"

"Well Edward can read minds, Alice can sort of see the future but not how you think. It's not always certain, she can see what decisions people are making and what it could lead to. Jasper can influence emotions."

"Vampires have super powers?" I spluttered.

"Not really super powers… well yes. I suppose they do." She said, grinning at me.

"What about the girl, Rosalie?"

"She's… I don't know. I always thought she hated me and there was nothing else to it, but she saved me and then she hugged me and said she was happy I was safe… I think she's maybe like a mean older sister who really cares about you deep down." She decided, nodding to show she agreed with her decision.

"Then there's Carlisle-" Bella began to say.

"Which one is Carlisle? Was he at the house?"

"No, he and Esme are still away, wherever they went. I guess it's their home now." She looked slightly sad at that fact but I knew she was just happy that she had seen them. Well, not Esme and Carlisle but the rest of their family.

"You guessed wrong!"

I smelt her before I saw her, when I turned around, Alice Cullen was standing in the doorway grinning. I still couldn't believe how normal the vampires looked, and I hate to admit it but they were all really beautiful. Of course, they were nothing in comparison to Bella, but they were still beautiful. There was no point trying to hide it, really.

"What?" Bella asked, stepping closer to Alice.

Instinct told me to step in between them and act as a shield but I knew Bella was fine so I stayed back.

"We're moving back to Forks!"

"You are? I though Rosalie…"

"Rose loves this place, Bella. Believe it or not, she didn't want to come home because of you."

"She hates me that much?" Bella asked, aghast.

"She doesn't hate you at all! She wanted you to be safe and away from vampires and other supernatural stuff, but obviously now that you're dating a werewolf…"

"We aren't exactly dating…" Bella said, but then she looked at me and whispered "Yet."

She reached out her hand for mine and I obliged, placing it in hers. I expected Alice to cringe away or something but she just sat down at the table. Bella was clearly ecstatic, she wanted Rosalie to stay for Jacob's sake, and she was practically bouncing as she joined Alice, forgetting that she had ever been tired.

"So Esme and Carlisle are coming back?" she asked.

"They are."

"This is fantastic! I'm so happy you can all come home… I feel like it's my fault that you couldn't…"

"No, Bella, its Edward's fault. Speaking of Edward…"

Bella closed her eyes and put her fingers on her temple as if just hearing his name caused her stress. At least it was no longer pain that she felt.

"What about Edward?" she asked after a brief moment's silence.

"Bella, I know you're angry with him, and I am too-"

"I'm not angry, Alice. I… I hate him." Bella sounded shocked at her own words.

"Bella, please listen to me." Alice replied in a firm voice. "You can't hate Edward-"

"Why can't I?" she retorted, and I wanted to smile though I knew I shouldn't.

"I'm not trying to be patronizing or anything Bella, but I really don't think you are capable of hate."

"Why don't you get abandoned with no explanation and then left in the middle of the woods in the freezing cold and then spend months feeling nothing, being a zombie who scares even your own father?"

"Please, Bella. I know he hurt you, and I think even I could hate Edward right now. It's just… you need to take in to an account that he did what he did to help you."

Both Bella and I opened our mouths to argue, but Alice held up a finger, she reminded me of a mother. "I know it wasn't the right thing to do, it was entirely the wrong thing to do. Also, I'm happy you found someone and it's even better that he's your imprint in a way because you know that he will never leave you, not like my rotten brother."

Bella's shoulders slumped, but she did take my hand again under the table.

"I'm not trying to make you get back with Edward or give him a second chance but… Bella, I still really care about you. Truly, you are the best friend I've had apart from my family. I don't think I could bear for us to never see each other again unless it's just in passing. You want to see Carlisle and Esme too, right?"

"You know I do." she sounded defeated.

"So you can come to our house, you and I, we can still hang out. Surely you've missed being dressed by me?"

"Err…"

"Don't answer that, I know you'll lie. Anyway, you can come to our house but that's going to be really hard if you're still angry with Edward. Before you say anything, I'm not telling you to forgive him or anything like that but you can't have fun if you're just sitting there glowering at my brother. Please think about it, Bella? Esme and Carlisle are coming home tonight, we're having a mini welcome home party and we would love for you to come…"

"Another party, Alice?" Bella said quickly, "Remember what happened at our last party?"

I wondered what had happened but I resolved to ask Bella later.

"You won't be opening any presents. Jasper's… better, that blood barely bothered him at all the other night. Also," she looked at me and smiled, which surprised me even more, "You can have a couple werewolves there to protect you. Only if they'd like to come."

"Alice, I really don't think Edward-"

"This isn't about Edward, Bella. You and I are still best friends, please say we are?"

"We are." Bella rolled her eyes.

"Esme still considers you part of the family despite you not being with Edward anymore. Even if you want to bring werewolves into the family, you will always be in it."

As soon as I looked at her, Bella looked at me, asking me if I would go for her I assumed. I nodded and Bella slowly turned to face Alice.

"Fine I'll go." She said grudgingly, though she was grinning at the pixie who sat there clapping her hands. "Oh, you can ask the one whose been watching our house if he'd like to come in too, surely he's uncomfortable out there?"

"What do you mean?" I asked before realising. "Jake."

"If he's worried we're going to try and kill someone or start an attack anything…"

"Don't worry Alice, nobody thinks that." Bella reassured her friend, looking to me for an explanation.

"He's… probably just checking about that." I lied, not really feeling like telling Rosalie's sister that Jake imprinted on her.

"Oh. Well, he can come if he wants. If any of your other wolf friends feel up to chilling out with vampires, feel free to bring them."

"I don't think they will, no offense. But… I'll come. With Bella. Thank you."

Alice nodded her head in approval and the next thing I knew she was carting Bella upstairs.

"What are you doing?" I demanded, maybe shouting but I didn't mean to. I followed them upstairs and when she saw me, Alice slammed the door.

"What are you doing!?" I repeated.

Alice's face appeared in the crack between the door. "Go away. No boys allowed. I'm getting Bella ready for a shopping trip."

"I can get ready myself. And I don't need a shopping trip." Bella said in the background.

"I'm buying you a dress for tonight."

"Bella?" I yelled. "She's not hurting you is she?"

"As if!" Alice yelled too. "I would never hurt Bella!"

"Jared, it's fine. Once Alice decides to go shopping there really is no stopping her."

I sighed. "Let her get changed and then I'll be in the kitchen."

I went back downstairs and a few minutes later, Bella appeared in the kitchen, followed by Alice. She looked beautiful, but she always looked beautiful. Alice had made her face up and although I prefer Bella's natural look, she did look amazing like this, too. I stood up and walked towards Bella.

"You're going now?" I asked.

Bella nodded. "We've got to go to Port Angeles. You don't have to come…" she said, though she looked hopeful.

I felt guilty when I said, "I can't Bells. I'm sorry, I've got to go on duty. I'll see you later though, okay?"

"Okay." She said, perking up when I said 'see you later'.

"Come to our house at seven." Alice told me looking business like.

"Bella's got to eat something first…" I started to say, but Alice was already on it. She'd toasted Bella a pop tart and it was in her hand as she was being taken out the door. I followed them and waited whilst Bella locked the door.

"Be safe, alright?" I whispered. I was afraid to be away from her.

"I'll protect her." Alice said sounding sarcastic, though she looked at me sincerely. "Don't worry about her, Jared."

Bella and I both stood close together, feeling slightly awkward and hesitant but at last I just gave up and pulled Bella up in to my arms to kiss her again.

"I'll see you later." I called over my shoulder, running under the cover of trees to phase.

.