Moonlight
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A/N-thank you very much to everyone who kindly read and reviewed the last chapter.
Chapter Thirty-Three-A Revealing Chat
Jacob was reluctant to leave Bella home alone with Alice Cullen again. Charlie had texted to say he was running late and to put his dinner in the oven. It took all of Bella's persuasive skills to assure Jacob that she would be fine.
"You know I can handle myself."
"I know." Jacob leaned in for one last lingering kiss. "But that doesn't mean I'm not going to miss you heaps."
"I'm going to miss you, too." Bella murmured against his lips. Her wandering hands stilled around his neck as she rested her forehead against his. "Just stay safe out there, K.'"
"I will." Jacob promised solemnly. With a regretful sigh he watched as Bella climbed out of the car and shut the door. She stopped on the front porch and gave him a small wave as he slowly pulled out of the driveway. He felt like he was leaving his heart behind, the agonising ache already forming under his ribs when he turned a corner and suddenly couldn't see her anymore.
Bella felt much the same. She closed her eyes briefly, letting her mind fill with his voice. It was so vivid she fancied she could actually hear him teasing her like he was mere feet away; her head filled with witty retorts of her own. She imagined the soft feel of his lips on hers, the adoration shining in his dark eyes when he looked at her….
"Bella?"
Alice's bell like tones chimed in, breaking Bella out of her happy daydream. She opened her eyes to find the petite psychic standing beside her, Alice's curious gaze focused on her face.
"You're back." Bella said flatly.
"Yes." Alice's expression turned pensive. "I know my presence here is making things difficult for you."
"Then leave." Bella didn't bother concealing the irritation in her voice. She turned away from Alice and fumbled with her keys as she fought to open the front door. "Its not that I'm ungrateful. I'm thankful for the warning text you sent me." She scowled as the lock jammed-how often had she asked Charlie to oil it-until finally a sharp twist of the key freed it. "But there really is no need for you to hang around anymore."
"Despite everything, I always thought we were friends, Bella." Alice replied forlornly.
Bella glanced over her shoulder as she stepped inside the house. "A true friend doesn't just disappear without at least saying goodbye. Which is exactly what you did."
"I know." Alice murmured guiltily. "I already told you I didn't want to do it. And I've missed you, Bella. You're the only real friend I've ever had. I can't talk to the others like I can talk to you."
Puzzled, Bella shrugged off her raincoat and hung it up on the hook in the hallway. "What about Jasper? Can't you talk to him?"
"Not about this…. not about…. personal things." Alice faltered. "After that information you accidentally uncovered last spring, I've been doing some personal research, digging into my past. Jasper isn't happy about the emotional toll it's been taking on me, he thinks the past should stay in the past. He doesn't understand my need for answers."
Bella found Jasper's attitude surprising. He was so utterly devoted to Alice, it seemed out of character for him to not to be supportive of her endeavour. "I'm sorry to hear that, Alice. Maybe you need to make it clearer to him just how much this means to you…."
"I've tried. Countless times." Alice interjected miserably. "But he's moved on from everything that happened here. He doesn't like talking about it. And says I shouldn't, either."
"What is he doing now?" Bella asked cautiously.
"He's at Cornell, studying philosophy." Alice revealed. "Carlisle's there, too. He teaches part time, while also working nights in Ithaca."
"Oh." Bella murmured. "And the others?"
"Esme is restoring a seventeenth century home, a historical monument, in the forest north of the city. Emmet and Rosalie were away for a few months in Europe, on yet another honeymoon." Alice rolled her eyes at that part. "But they're back now."
"It seems like they've all really settled." Bella mused. She cast a sympathetic look in Alice's direction. "Maybe that partly explains Jasper's attitude. He never seemed really comfortable when you were all living here and attending Forks high."
"It was a struggle for him." Alice conceded. "But that doesn't mean I shouldn't be allowed to open up about it. Its not fair!"
"No, it isn't." Bella agreed. She walked into the kitchen and Alice followed her. "I need to make dinner for Charlie. Why don't you tell me about what you've found out while I cook?" She offered. It was clear to Bella that Alice was desperate to unburden herself to someone. Everyone needed a sympathetic ear once in a while.
"Thank you, Bella." Alice perked up a little as she gratefully drew up a chair and sat down.
"My name was Mary Alice Brandon." Alice told Bella quietly. She had already explained how she'd successfully tracked down the asylum where she'd spent the last years of her human life. "I had a little sister named Cynthia. Her daughter-my niece-is still alive in Biloxi."
"Did you find out why they put you in…that place?" Bella asked carefully. She nursed a mug of coffee in her hands. She had made short work of prepping something for Charlie's dinner, and was now sitting opposite Alice, giving her full attention. She wondered what had driven Alice's parents to that extreme. Even if their daughter saw visions of the future, it was no excuse for them abandoning her there.
Alice shook her head, her topaz eyes troubled. "I couldn't find out much about them. I went through all the old newspapers on microfiche. My family wasn't mentioned often, they weren't part of the social circles that made the papers. My parents' engagement was there, and Cynthia's." The name fell uncertainly from her tongue. "My birth was announced….and my death. I found my grave. I also filched my admissions sheet from the old asylum archives. The date on the admission and the date on my tombstone are the same."
Bella paled, feeling a deep empathy for Alice. Her parents must have been unfeeling monsters to abandon their daughter in the asylum-acting like she'd died, and having a pretend funeral for her to fool the neighbours that Alice had really passed away. It was wicked. No wonder Alice was so upset about it. And it was cold of Jasper not to allow his mate to talk about it. Bella began to wonder if the anguish all of this had provoked in Alice was just too much for Jasper to cope with, considering his gift, perhaps he preferred to steer her away from feeling so intensely, constantly manipulating others emotions to keep them on an even keel must become wearying after a while.
"I'm very sorry that you had to deal with this all by yourself, Alice. I really am." Bella reached across the table and laid a sympathetic hand over Alice's for a few seconds, before the chill emanating from her marble like skin became unbearable, and she took her hand away again.
It made Bella wonder how she had managed to tolerate Edward's cold touch for so long.
Alice's eyes shone brightly with gratitude. "I knew you would understand." She whispered. "Thank you for listening."
Bella didn't know what to say to that. Instead, she just nodded, and after a short pause, Alice moved on to lighter topics.
The Cullens were reassembled now, with the one exception-it was an unspoken agreement that neither mentioned Edward's name-spending spring break in Denali with Tanya and her family. While Alice talked about the rest of the Cullen family, Bella went back to cooking Charlie's dinner.
Charlie didn't get home until after dark, and he looked more worn out then he had the night before. He only came home to sleep, he told Bella he would be heading back to the reservation first thing in the morning for Harry's funeral. Bella offered to come with him and he looked at her with sad eyes. "You'd do that?"
His grief-stricken face just about broke Bella's heart. She kicked herself for not offering before. It upset her to think of him being all on his own amongst a sea of mourners who would be with their own families.
"Have you aired your suit?" She asked, trying to be practical.
Charlie seemed at a loss. "I've only got the one." He mumbled. "I hope it still fits. You know me. I'm not one for fancy suits."
"Show me." Bella urged him. "If it needs readjusting, I'm sure there's time."
"I can help with any alterations." Alice offered solicitously.
"Thank you. That's very kind." Charlie's eyes were glassy as he shuffled toward the stairs.
It wasn't long before he reappeared again, wearing an old suit that Bella had never seen him in before. The jacket hung open, she guessed it was too tight to fasten the buttons. His tie was a bit wide for the current style. Bella exchanged a troubled look with Alice. There was no number of alterations that would fix that suit. She didn't voice her thoughts aloud, instead she told Charlie she would have all the alterations done by morning.
"Thanks, kiddo." Charlie could barely keep his eyes open he was so tired. He quickly changed, leaving the old suit with her as he dragged himself off to bed.
"What am I going to do with this, Alice?" Bella pleaded in a low voice. She was near tears; she didn't want to let Charlie down. "Its not like I can hit the shops this late and buy a new one off the rack. But there's no saving this one."
"Leave it with me." Alice assured her. "You go and get some rest. I promise I'll have it all sorted by morning."
Before Bella could protest, Alice had vanished. Sighing in defeat, she decided she was going to just have to trust that Alice would be able to perform a miracle by morning.
Bella woke up the next morning to a day filled with rain. As she peered out of the window, each raindrop was a kaleidoscope. The rain beaded on the window pane, and upon each leaf of the tree that grew outside her window. It seemed the weather was also in mourning for Harry Clearwater.
As she left her room and descended the stairs, she heard the sound of voices. It was Charlie and Alice. Her father must have been up since the crack of dawn. As she wandered into the kitchen, she was surprised to find Charlie leaning against the counter looking almost unrecognisable from the dishevelled man in the ill-fitting suit from the night before. His hair and moustache had been neatly trimmed, and he was wearing a black, well cut, slim-fitting suit with a sober tie. It seemed Alice had indeed performed a miracle.
"You look nice, Dad." Bella murmured as she pulled up a chair. Before she had even sat down, Alice placed a bowl of her of favourite cereal in front of her.
"Thanks, kiddo." Charlie said gravely. "Alice was kind enough to trim my hair for me. And I can't believe you both managed to source this suit for me at the last minute like that. It fits perfectly."
"You're welcome, Dad." Bella shot Alice a furtive glance as the little psychic sat down beside her. "That suit is worth a fortune. I know its designer. Where did you get it?" She whispered.
"I have my ways." Alice smiled mischievously. "Oh, and I managed to pick up something for you at the same time." She added.
"I bet you did." Bella said grudgingly. "I suppose I should thank you."
"Its what friends do. And I am your friend, Bella." Alice insisted. "Never forget that."
Charlie's cell rang, interrupting their private conversation. When Bella looked over at her father, she noticed how he perked up when he saw who was calling. "Hi, Anne." He said when he answered his phone, quickly moving from the room as he did so to get some privacy. "Yes, the funeral's today…."
"Who's Anne?" Alice asked with interest.
"Oh, just some woman Charlie met recently. They were supposed to have gone on their first date, but then Harry died." Bella sighed, looping a lock of hair behind one ear. "He was forced to cancel the date…. but it seems they're still in touch."
"He certainly seems happy to hear from her." Alice agreed, her curiosity piqued. "It's a pity I'm having so much trouble seeing things lately, I would be able to see if it works out for him."
"Are you still struggling?" Bella looked at Alice, whose expression was perplexed, almost worried.
"I have huge gaps, especially when it comes to you and those around you." Alice admitted in frustration. "At times I can't see you at all. And I believe my egregious lapses in foresight are most likely down to Jacob Black and his furry friends."
Bella stared at her, putting it together. "You can't see past the werewolves."
Alice grimaced. "So, it seems." She was very annoyed by the fact. The doorbell rang then-buzzing twice quickly and impatiently. "And here he is. I better step out." She said, before quickly vanishing like she had the night before.
The doorbell rang again. Bella quickly ran out of the kitchen and threw the door open. It was Jacob, of course. Even blind, Alice wasn't slow. With a relieved smile, Bella threw herself into his open arms and hugged him.
A/N-thanks for reading! Please review.