Song suggestion: Hearing Damage by Thom Yorke

JPOV.

I stood still in the doorway between the hall and lounge, listening to Alice's footsteps upstairs with no idea what had just happened. I looked around at the others who all looked as confused as I felt. Edward and I shared a brief look, mutually agreeing that her meeting definitely hadn't gone well.

"Where's Alice?" Esme asked appearing from the kitchen. There were tear tracks down her face but she also looked, I couldn't describe it. It was a combination of upset and furious, not an expression I'd ever thought I'd see on Esme's face.

"She just ran upstairs, what the hell is going on?" Emmett asked, moving slightly towards her. He still looked hurt from when he'd tried to reach out to Alice and she'd pulled away.

"I-" She bit her lip, looking away from everyone. I exchanged another look with Edward, this was really bad. Before she could respond Alice's footsteps got audibly loudly and we all moved into the hall where she appeared coming down the stairs. She was holding a bunch of sweatshirts and t-shirts. As she moved towards the door Emmett stepped in front, blocking her way.

"Move." She hissed sounding very unlike herself, trying to move him with no affect, her hands still full of clothing. I'd never seen her genuinely be even slightly harsh towards Emmett before, she usually gave in straight away. I could see the surprise on Edwards face as he watched the situation. I also noticed Rosalie trying to console a crying Esme from the corner of my eye. What on earth was going on?

"No, not till you explain what's going on." He responded through gritted teeth, clearly finding it hard not to reach out to her. I knew that feeling, but it was clear she wasn't ready for anyone to reach out to her yet.

"Emmett, MOVE!" She shouted, dropping the clothes to free her hands she started hitting his chest.

"Alice, calm down." Edward sighed, moving behind her he grabbed both her arms in an effort to restrain her but he only made it worse. She writhed and squirmed in his grasp.

"Edward." I spoke for the first time, I might have no idea what was going on or what to do but distressing her even more wouldn't work.

He turned to look at my and that moment of distraction gave Alice an opportunity to pull free from his grip. She stood in the middle of me, Edward and Emmett. It was then I noticed that Rosalie, Esme and Bella had vanished.

She stood still looking at the floor, her chest rising and falling heavily as she caught her breath. "Alice?" I asked, tentatively. She lifted her head to look at me and a single tear fell down her cheek. I couldn't not do anything any longer.

I moved forward, slowly, reaching my arms out to her. She crashed herself against my chest, wrapping her arms round my neck. I held her close and stroke her hair as she shook with sobs.

"Esme said to take her upstairs and calm her down, she'll be up soon." Rose said quietly as she and Bella re entered the hall, both wore grim expressions. I nodded.

"Will you let me carrying you?" I whispered to Alice, not wanting to move her against her will. She nodded into my shoulder and I bent down, lifting her legs with one arm and supporting her back with the other. She kept her face hidden against my chest. I headed towards the stairs and the others followed.

When we got to her room I put her down on the bed and she tugged my hand, not wanting me to leave her. She sat curled up, her knees to her chest with her head resting on them, she looked so tiny. I sat beside her, rubbing her others made themselves comfortable and we all stayed quiet, it was silent apart from Alice crying. Once Alice's hysterical tears reduced she cleared her throat, un curling and sitting cross legged.

"It was my Dad's fault, the accident." Everyone exchanged glances and I took her hand, she squeezed it tight. "He payed a guy to crash into the passenger side of our car to kill my Mom because she'd been having an affair." She spoke emotionlessly. "The guy lost control and took out the whole front of the car." Her breath caught in her throat. "He killed my Mom." I wrapped my arm round her waist and she dropped her head to rest on my shoulder as her body shook with tears.

I looked towards the others. Bella was a picture of shock as she looked to Edward who looked almost green. Rose was chewing her nails, her eyes looked glassy with unshed tears. Emmett, on the other hand, looked furious. He looked like he was about to say something Rose grabbed his arm, shaking her head as a silent message not to speak.

A million thoughts were running through my head. Her parents were killed in an 'accident' her father had set up to murder her mother, but he'd let Alice be in the car when it happened? That was horrible. I now understood Esme's earlier look of fury, Esme's sister had been killed by her husband. It was almost unbelievable, the amount of risk taken with it too had lost her father his own left, leaving Alice orphaned. I couldn't begin to imagine what she was feeling.

Her crying had become harder and I could hear her uneven short breaths. "Breathe, Ali." I said, trying to sound calm as I rubbed small circles on her back.

I heard her wheeze and exchanged a slightly panicked looked with the others. I lifted her head off my shoulder, making her sit up properly. I pushed her hair out of her damp face and wiped her tears away.

"Breathe." I said again and slowly her breaths became more normal, she finally seemed to be a little calmer.

"God, this is so fucked up." She whispered in a horse voice, rubbing her forward. Before anyone could think of anything to say, Esme popped her head round the door, she tried to smile as she came in and joined us sat on the bed.

"Lucas has just left, I signed everything I had to. He said he'll get back to us on the properties and the enquiry. He said just call him if we need anything else." She spoke softly, I assumed she Lucas was the attorney.

"I need to talk to him about changing my name." Alice said, her was sounded emotionless and she didn't look up from the bed.

"Why?" Esme asked.

"I don't want his second name, I'll change it back to yours and my Moms maiden name."

"I think you should change it to Cullen." We all looked up as Emmett spoke, surprised at his boldness considering the current situation. "You're part of the family now."

"Maybe." She said, her almost dead tone didn't change causing Emmett's face to fall yet again.

"Well, just have a think about it. Nothings been proven yet, remember." Esme said, not looking at anyone.

"We both know it's true." The sharp edge to the tone of her voice didn't sound like her at all, it was weird. "What we heard was enough to convince anyone who knew my father." Something about those words struck a cord in me. I exchanged a look with Rose, who looked uncomfortable. Although our father had never done anything as terrible as Alice's had, something about what she just said made me think of my father.

"I know." Esme nodded, getting up. "I've put the clothes of his that you dropped in a bin bag, we'll deal with them later. I'll order you guys pizza for dinner, try and relax. Put a film on or something." She tried to smile at us all again then left. I realised Alice must have been trying to throw his clothes in the trash earlier when she was trying to get past Emmett.

Alice turned back to look at me briefly and it just struck me how completely different the girl sat in front of me was than the one I'd been at school with a matter of hours ago. Her eyes looked blank, emotionless.

"Shall I put a film on?" Emmett said, trying to lift the mood. I wasn't convinced anything could lift this mood. "Alice?" She just shrugged. "Film it is then, we'll put on one of those old ones you like with that Hepburn lady in." He jumped up, grabbing the box set of Audrey Hepburn films from her dresser and put one in the tv at random.

I learnt back against the pillows, getting comfy. Alice looked up as I moved, I lifted an arm out against the pillows behind her, ready for if she wanted to lay down with me. She curled into me and I wrapped an arm round her, kissing her forehead. I knew there was nothing I could say that would make her feel better, there was nothing I could do that would change what had happened, all I could to was hold her tight and be there for her when she needed me.

It was thirty minutes into the film when Esme came in to drop two huge pizzas off, Alice was fast asleep. I wasn't surprised, considering she hadn't slept last night, todays events would have completely taken it out of her.

"Should we wake her?" Bella asked quietly.

"Leave her, she's exhausted, we'll save her some for later if she wants it." Edward sighed, handing me a slice of pizza because I couldn't move without moving Alice. "D'you think things will be ok?" He asked.

"No chance, what actually happened is probably even more fucked up than what we were told, and that was fucked up." Emmett muttered.

"Don't say that, Em." Rose sighed. "She strong, she'll be ok, even if it takes a while." She took Emmett's hand, trying to reassure him.

"Well, think what she was like when she moved here. She barely ate and it took ages to get her to loosen up, and that was five months after the crash. What's she going to be like now?" Emmett whispered angrily, it was clear he was frustrated with the situation.

"You might be right but there's nothing we can do about what happened. All we can do is be there for us when she needs us. And anyway, five months ago she was alone in New York, this time she has all of us." I said, looking between the others who all nodded in agreement.

Ok, so, I NEED YOUR HELP!

Let me know in a review if you want more drama in coming chapters or not, I really take into account what you guys think.

Thank you all for your reviews and everything, please keep them coming and let me know what you want! xoxoxo