I really hope that you all enjoy this chapter. I added in a lot of background-related stuff between Alice and Rosalie. Personally, this is one of my favorite chapters to write so far. I hope that you love to read it as much as I did to write it.
Read, enjoy, review!


Alice POV

I peeked my head around the corner of the door, my stomach dropped. There were numerous large bags already piled onto the bed by the window, surely belonging to my unknown new roommate. Huffing my breath out I motioned for Edward to follow. He came in, grumbling, his arms laden with bags.

"I agreed to fly with you when you came out here for school, not to be your personal bellboy." He grumbled, dropping the bags unceremoniously onto the ground.

"Edward! Be careful with those!" I snapped, lifting one of the Coach bags off of the window bed and threw it roughly onto the bed closer to the door. "And help me clear off this bed."

Edward furrowed his brow. "Alice, I am pretty sure that your roommate put her bags there because that is her bed."

I rolled my eyes and tossed her second bag off. "Was her bed. Now it is my bed. I want the window view."

I grabbed the handle of the third and largest bag and heaved- it slipped off the bed and, having not expected it to be so heavy, came loose from my grip. The bag knocked against my legs before slamming onto my foot and to the floor with an ominous crash. I toppled over and gave a shout of pain- and then horror when I saw the large scuff it had left on my black leather boot.

"See, Alice?" Edward groaned, lifting the heavy bag up. "That is what you get for-"

Edward was cut off by a clatter of heels and a screech of anger. "What are you doing to my bag?"

A tall, leaned and perfectly curvaceous girl stood in the doorway, hands on her hips. Her hair fell in glistening, golden curls, her violet eyes burning furiously. Dumbstruck, Edward dropped the bag once more onto my foot. I yelled out again and the blond marched forward, snatching it up and throwing it onto the window bed.

I stood up gingerly, meeting my new roommate's ferocious glare before glancing at Edward. Sensing trouble, he quickly embraced me with one arm.

"See you later," he muttered before hurriedly ducking out of the room.

"What the hell were you doing with my stuff?" She snarled.

I smiled innocently. "I was moving it off my bed. You see, I wanted the view." I nudged my way past her and, more carefully this time, lifted her bag up and placed it on the second bed. Ignoring her look of outrage, I settled my own bags onto the window bed. I unzipped the first one and began to remove my items.

"I'm Alice, by the way," I said, smiling over my shoulder at her. Her face had remained stony and shocked. I giggled and picked up a burgundy silk top. Placing it on a hanger, I glanced at her once more.

"You know, it would be polite to introduce yourself as well," I stated a bit sharply.

She gave a slight shake of her head. "Says the girl who just dumped my bags off of my bed." She gave an indignant laugh. "Rosalie. Rosalie Hale."

I gave a genuine smile; she rolled her violet eyes in return.

"Look," I huffed my breath, placing one hand on my hip. "How about we compromise?"

She turned away from her bed to face me, her eyes narrowed. She looked me over before her eyes finally settled on the shirt and hanger still clutched In my hand.

"You let me wear that for my date tonight and you have yourself a deal."

I grinned at her and tossed the fabric across.

I turned the car around the corner, trying to focus on the road, to block out the memories that continued to flash through my head, know that, if things were not resolved, remember what had passed between us would only make it worse.

My attempts did little good.

I shut the door of the apartment behind me and dumped my purse on the counter of our small kitchen in our petite New York flat. We had both had dates tonight, me with Mark Sterling for the first time, Rosalie with her boyfriend of over a year. I could hear the water running in the bathroom.

"Rose? That you?" Before I could reach the bathroom, the door was slammed shut. Worried, I knocked against it lightly. When she didn't respond, I turned the handle. The door opened with a creak to reveal Rosalie. She was curled over the sink; the low back of her dress revealed a series of deep purple bruises blossoming against her spine and back. As I stared at her, I realized her shoulders where shaking with sobs.

"Rosalie, what happened? What-"

"What are you doing back? I thought you had a date." Her voice was thick and nearly unintelligible- it sounded as if she was choking.

"The guy was a dud. What happened?" I crossed forward and grabbed her arm. She yanked free from my grip and refused to face me, hiding her front entirely from sight. As she did so, I saw another bruise on her arm.

"Rosalie…" Nausea swooped through me as comprehension hit. "Did he…?"

"No! Nothing happened. Just get out of here." Her voice shook again and a splatter of blood splashed into the sink. I could feel myself beginning to shake.

"Then why wont you let me see your face?" I asked quietly, placing a hand against her back, being sure to avoid the swelling blossoms on her pearly skin.

Shaking violently as she did so, Rosalie turned to face me.

The hand she had clutched across her face was coated in thick, dark blood. Her eyes were red with crying, a dark bruise nearly swallowing her left eye and brow. Tears were streaking over her swollen cheeks. She had bruises across her collarbone and upper parts of her chest. Her lower lip was split and bleeding. Her hand dropped from her face to reveal the source of the spilling blood. Her nose was broken, horribly ajar, blood dripping steadily from it.

"Oh my God… Rosalie…"

"He wanted to have sex," she sobbed. "He wanted to have sex. I tried to stop him. I swear, I tried to stop him-" She fell back in to convulsions.

Her despair jolted me into action. I snatched Rosalie's bloodied hand and stuck it under the running water, rinsing away the crimson stain. I pressed a washcloth into her other hand.

"Cover your nose," I instructed, forcing her to hold the washcloth against the flow of blood. "And come with me."

Still holding her previously blood-soaked hand, I hurried us to the elevator, ignoring the horrified looks we received from the couple in the hall that lived in the apartment across from us. I dragged Rosalie with me out of the building and to the edge of the sidewalk.

"Taxi!"

I herded Rosalie into the yellow cab and barked at the driver.

"Stop staring and get us to emergency."

Rosalie continued to convulse and sob beside me.

"I tried to stop him," she gasped, her voice still thick from blood. "He wouldn't stop. I swear, I tried."

I wrenched myself out of my thoughts, turning the car once more. I battle of the memories for a few more moments, but they assuaged me eventually.

"I don't want to have to go back home," she murmured. She was tucked into the corner of our couch, a glass of cheap wine clutched in her hand.

"Rose, they are your family. It's Thanksgiving. You have to go back there."

"Didn't you see how they looked at me? After what happened with him, when I was in the hospital, when my family was out here. Did you not see the way they looked at me?"

"Rose…"

"No! I'm something worthless to them. Some filthy piece of crap. 'Oh, yes, everyone. Rosalie is coming home for Thanksgiving this year. She was going to spend it with her boyfriend, but she picked a total looser and got beat up by him. Isn't Rosalie just the greatest?'" She said in a near-perfect impression of her mother's tone.

"I'm sure that's not true, Rosalie." I scooted across the couch closer to her, topping up both our glasses with more wine. "But, if you really wanted, you could come with my to Portland and spend Thanksgiving with my family."

Rosalie's eyes shot up and met mine. She leaned forward and set her glass on the table. "You mean that?" I nodded and she squealed, hugging me tightly.

I pulled up to the front of their house and cut the engine. Stop remembering, I told myself. Really, Alice, stop remembering.

Groggily, I sat up from my slouched position on the couch. I had fallen asleep while watching America's Next Top Model and had only woken up due to the overhead lights having been turned on.

We had relocated to Portland, what with me wanting to be closer to my family and Rosalie wanting to be with Emmett. Not to mention, I had met someone of interest who lived a mere 5 minutes away from our new apartment.

I glanced at the clock; it was almost 1 in the morning. At the end of the couch was Rosalie, her purse dangling from her fingers, a smile plastered on her face.

I sat up straighter and rubbed the heels of my palms into my eyes.

"Rose, what's going on?" I grumbled, still blinking against the bright light.

Rosalie continued to stand, a dopey smile on her face as she stuck out her left hand. A large diamond ring sparkled there. I jumped to my feet immediately and squealed in delight, yanking Rosalie into a tight hug. She laughed and squeezed me back.

Releasing me, Rose pulled back and looked directly in my eyes.

"Be my Maid of Honor?"

I grinned and embraced her once more.

I can do this. I thought to myself, repeating the words silently. I can do this. I can fix this. I have to fix this.

My knuckles rapped against the mahogany door loudly. I could hear Emmett's heavy footsteps approaching; my breath caught in my throat.

The door opened and I was met by the sight of Emmett's massive chest and crossed arm. I looked up into his face nervously. He raised one eyebrow expectantly when I didn't speak.

"Hey Emmett," I chocked out. It was clear that he knew what had happened; his face was glacier cold.

"Alice." He worked his jaw slightly. "What do you want?"

I dropped my eyes and began to mess my fingers together once more.

"I wanted to see Rosalie…"

"She doesn't want to talk to you." I flinched when he spoke. It took a lot to make Emmett this upset. Having grown up with him, I knew that the flat tone of his voice meant that he was furious.

"Please, Emmett, just let me talk to her. Just let me explain." Tears began to well up in my eyes; it was amazing I had any left with the amount I had cried recently.

Emmett drew and released a deep sigh and dropped his thick arms to his side. He stepped back.

"Crying is really unfair," he grumbled. He snapped the door shut behind me and led me to the living room. "When have I ever been able to be mean when you cried?"

I gave a watery smile. He rolled his eyes and nudged me to sit; I did.

"Em, I know that what happened- that what I did- was awful. "

"No kidding," he muttered.

"I never meant to hurt her. There isn't a good excuse for what I did. I know that. But I was tired and sick and…"

"And tired of being sick," Emmett finished. He gave me a rueful smile.

I nodded. "I didn't mean it. Emmett. Please know that I love this baby and I do love being pregnant. It has been…" I struggled for the words to describe it. "It has been the hardest thing I have ever done. But amazing. And I love it. I just didn't love everything that came along with it right then. And with Rosalie having that one miscarriage, I know that this is hard on her… and that what I did was repulsive. No sister or friend should ever do what I did."

"The thing is, Allie, it's not just that one miscarriage still bothering her. It is everything. She may have not met her child, but she loved him… or her. Whichever it may have been. We have tried for so long to have a child, all these years. She never told me, exactly, but I can tell that she feels guilty. When it happened again… It isn't something that just disappears, Alice."

"What?" My brain felt sluggish, as if I was missing some piece to the puzzle. "What are you talking about?"

As my eyes bored into his, Emmett's face blanched. When he spoke, it was a horse whisper. "She didn't tell you…"

We could hear footsteps working their way slowly down the stairs.

"Tell me what? Emmett, what-"

My voiced caught in my throat and faltered- Rosalie had entered the room. She was wearing a pair of old jeans and one of Emmett's t-shirts. She was clutching a thick, burgundy blanket around herself and looked like she was shivering slightly. She had clearly heard the discussion Emmett and I had been having; her face was a sickly white, her blue-violet eyes disturbed.

"Rosalie, I…" I stood quickly and crossed to her, taking her hand in mine. When she didn't pull back, I gave a small smile.

"Come on," She murmured, giving a nod of her head towards the bedroom. I glanced at Emmett. He was apprehensive but nodded for me to go.

I followed her up the stairs, into the master suite. Rosalie clambered onto the bed and crossed her legs, settling in. I followed hesitantly but remained standing. She glanced at me and raised her eyebrows expectantly.

"Nothing I say can erase what I said before and I know that. But Rosalie, I didn't mean what I said. It was horrible and inconsiderate and," my voice caught slightly, remembering Emmett's reference. "And I should have controlled myself better. "

Nervously, I seated myself on the edge of the bed and faced Rosalie.

She took a deep breath before raising her eyes to meet mine.

"Eight weeks before Christmas, I woke up, got out of bed and was sick. I don't think I have ever been happier to vomit in my entire life. I was already late- this confirmed everything that I had been hoping for. I didn't want to tell anyone, just in case something went wrong, like it had before."

Rosalie gave a sad smile, her eyes filling with tears. I wriggled across the bedspread to her and placed my hand over hers. She sniffled slightly and brushed away the tears before continuing. Her voice was thick when she did begin to speak.

"For eight whole weeks, it was complete magic. Eight weeks of dreaming about cribs and painting the nursery room and buying little socks and shoes and pajamas. Thinking about first laughs, first words, first steps. For eight weeks, Emmett and I were brimming with happiness. I could look at you, pregnant, and not be jealous or upset or anything except completely thrilled and thankful that I would have someone to share this with. Emmett bought some parenting book and started reading it like the Bible, night and day."

I chuckled slightly at the image of Emmett reading a chapter about changing diapers. Rosalie seemed to understand my reaction and gave a small smile in return.

"And then, on Christmas morning, I woke up feeling… bad. Really bad. My head was all foggy and my stomach was cramping like you wouldn't believe. By that afternoon, it was official. I had lost another baby."

Tears began to well up in her eyes as well as mine.

"Rosalie… I am so sorry. I- That's horrible," I was crying along with her. I pulled her tightly against me, locking my arms securely behind her back. She returned the embrace, sobbing into my shoulder, quaking with her outpouring of emotion.

"I never meant to snap on you like that," she croaked out. "It was all just so fresh in my mind. I know it's hard to be pregnant, I do. It's just, I had fought for so long to have a baby and to hear you say you didn't want any of it, I just snapped. Alice, I am so sorry. I really am and I-"

I cut across her rambling, pushing her back so I could see her face.

"You don't have anything to be sorry for. It was me. It was all me. All I can do is hope and beg that you forgive me. Because, Rosalie, I really am sorry. And I would hate to ever lose you."

Rosalie fell back into me, hugging me tightly. "Of course, Allie. You are a sister to me. You're my best friend. You wont ever lose me, I swear."

I squeezed her tightly, silently thanking whatever benevolent force that had saved me, Rosalie, and the blessed friendship we held.

Once we had settled our tears and suffered through Emmett's heckling about girls being overemotional, I glanced at Rosalie.

"There was something else I wanted to talk to you about."

She raised her eyebrows as a signal for me to continue.

"Jasper wants to get married before the baby comes, just legally. We are going to have the ceremony afterwards. But I was wondering, since you are my Maid of Honor, if you wanted to be there when it happens. When we get the papers signed and all."

Rosalie stared, wide-eyed at me for a moment, before blinking rapidly. I noticed that her eyes were once more a bit damp.

"I'm your Maid of Honor?" She said softly.

"Of course, Rosalie. You have put up with me for so long; you truly are a sister to me."

"I wouldn't miss it for the world," she chirped sweetly, her eyes brimming, for once, with tears of happiness.

Well? What did you think? As previously promised, here a few songs that I chose to match this chapter (Or just songs that I am currently in love with). Enjoy, my lovelies, and shoot me a review!

Chapter Songs:

Breathless- Taylor Swift

Meet Virginia- Train

Bless the Broken Road- Rascal Flatts

Tell Me Why- Taylor Swift

I hope that your lives may be peaceful, healthy, calm and full of love. Never take even the smallest moment for granted. Those are the ones that matter most.

xoxo