Chapter 39: Silent Night

Alice POV:

Weeks Later

Today is the last day of school before Christmas break, the last day until three weeks of freedom. I'm kind of freaking out though because I haven't figured out what to get Bella for Christmas. Rosalie and I are going on a shopping trip later today to help me out. But right now I'm stuck in school trying to think of good ideas for her.

"Hey what are you thinking about so hard?" Bella came up from behind me to sit down for lunch.

"What? Oh nothing. Just thinking. I missed you."

"I missed you too." She leaned down to give me a quick peck.

"Ewwwwwww. Get a room."

"Oh shut it Emmett. Rose are we still on for after school?"

"Yep. You think you can handle being away from Bella for that long?"

"I hate you." They all chuckled as I pouted at them.

"Alice I told you not to get me anything. You know I don't like gifts."

"Well too bad. You're dating me and I like to get my girlfriend things." She rolled her eyes.

The rest of the day passed by pretty fast, and all too soon I was kissing Bella goodbye by Rosalie's car.

"Don't be too long ok? I got some more bath salts and candles…" She whispered lowly into my ear and nuzzled my neck playfully. I giggled and pushed her away nicely.

"Mmm. Don't tempt me to stay."

"Oh I think that's exactly what I'm doing."

"Ugh! Will you two hurry up and break the slobber fest? I don't want to get stuck in rush hour traffic later." Rosalie was impatiently tapping her foot and giving me a death glare.

"Alright. I will see you later. In the tub…" I purred lowly. She grinned kissed the top of my head goodbye. "Let's roll Rose!"

The ride to Port Angeles was relatively smooth, Rose and I made some small talk on the way.

"You two are still in the honeymoon phase huh?" She looked over smiling at me.

"Yeah I guess. I just love being with her. She makes me feel alive, in a way."

"I'm really happy for you Alice."

The shopping trip was mostly successful, except for of course my main reason in going. I still had no clue on what to get Bella.

"Well you got some new lingerie. That's technically a present for her." Rose said as we exited another store. She had convinced me on the lingerie since she was getting some anyways. And I did like surprising Bella.

"Ugh shut up. Nothing seems right for her. She doesn't wear jewelry, clothes are not good enough, and she has everything she wants. I don't know what to do!" I was getting extremely frustrated by my lack of ideas. I'm usually a great gift giver, not to toot my own horn or anything.

"What did we get all those flannel shirts for?"

"That's my backup gift. And also she needed some new ones."

"Ok. How about a sexy coupon book?"

"Ew Rose that's so lame! Christmas isn't supposed to be sexy, it's a time for sentiment."

"That's not necessarily true. Every year Emmett gives me a-"

"Ugh gross! I don't want to hear about that!" She laughed while I plugged my ears and made a face.

"Alright fine! Ok how about a trip?"

"A trip. Actually that's not bad."

"Oh thanks."

"No! Sorry I didn't mean it like that. But really that might be good. Hang on, let me call Carlisle and see if I can borrow Isle Esme." After a quick conversation with Carlisle, who was pleased to lend me the island for the week after New Year's, everything was set. I got tickets for the both of us and a cute little box to wrap them in. Then Rose and I had to make one last stop so I could buy a new bathing suit for the trip. So when she dropped me off at Bella's house, I was pretty stress free and feeling good.

When I walked in, all the lights were out and there were a few candles lighting a path up to the bathroom. My face lit up immediately. She was so romantic sometimes. I was really rubbing off on her. I ran up the stairs, barely containing my excitement. Bella was laying in the tub with her eyes closed and a smile on her face from sensing my presence.

"How was your shopping trip?"

"Pretty good. I got some new lingerie…" I told her while quickly stripping myself of clothing.

"Ooooh. So really good. Are you going to show me?"

"Maybe later. If you're well behaved." She chuckled as I slid into her lap. "Mmmm. I missed you. You smell wonderful."

"Yeah I used that body wash you got me."

"Well I have good taste."

"That you do." She started nuzzling my neck causing me to purr loudly.

"What got you in such a romantic mood?"

"You of course." Her hands began to roam my body in a sensual way. I leaned back further to give her more access as she suckled my neck.

"Mmmmmm. Don't stop." I moaned out as one of her hands snaked down my abdomen towards my center. Her other hand was busy occupying my breasts.

"Never." She said right when her fingers entered me.

"Oh fuck." I swear Bella could read my body like brail. She had turned me into a quivering panting mess in a matter of minutes. Every movement she made was bringing me closer and closer to the brink. She finally brought me over with one last thrust of her fingers, causing me to cry out her name at full volume. I lay back down against her heaving chest with a lazy smile on my face. "Well that's one way to start winter break." Her chest rumbled with laughter.

"Yes it is. Would you care to take this to bedroom?"

"Do you even have to ask?" I giggled as she picked me up bridal style in one fluid motion. Yes, this was definitely the right way to start our break.

"Bella can I get you anything more to eat? I made plenty."

"Oh no thank you Esme. You have spoiled me enough already really. Thank you." Esme had been feeding my mate all day, savoring every second she got with her. We decided to spend Christmas Eve with the whole family and have a quiet Christmas day with just ourselves. This would be Bella's first without her mother or father, so I wanted it to be easy on her. Esme agreed very reluctantly, but she understood my reasoning. We were currently heading out the door after a pleasant day and Esme was trying any last moves to get us to stay longer.

"Alright you two, I'll let you go. Merry Christmas." She enveloped us both in a tight hug.

"Merry Christmas Esme." After she finally let us go, Bella and I walked hand in hand to the car.

"Thank you love." I said when she chivalrously opened my door for me. The drive home was peaceful, I rested my head on her shoulder as she drove. We got ready for bed and I snuggled Bella to sleep. Besides a few small nightmares she slept soundly through the night. It had actually started to snow outside in the early morning hours. It would be a white Christmas.

"Merry Christmas baby." I whispered to her as she began to wake up. A smile came to her face and she propped herself up on one elbow.

"Merry Christmas Alice." She leaned down and gave me a small kiss.

"Hmmmm… what should we do today?"

"How about… you open your first gift?" She had leaned over and reached down to get a small wrapped box with a bow.

"You got me more than one?"

"Well technically I got you two. But I'm not sure if you'll want one of them." She furrowed her eyebrows thinking about it. That just confused me entirely. What could she possibly get me that I might not want?

"Ok? Can you open one of yours now too?"

"You got me more than one?" She asked smiling.

"Well technically I got you two." She started laughing as I mocked her. "But really this one is minor." I reached down under the bed where I had stashed her gift and pulled it out. "Trade you." We exchanged gifts. "You first." She opened up the package to find the several flannel shirts I had gotten her. Her face lit up and she started to laugh uncontrollably. "What? Did I get the wrong ones? Do you not like them?" Did I already screw this up?

"No. No they're perfect. It's just the image of you going shopping and buying these."

"Hey! That was painful." I pushed her back while she laughed.

"I know. And I love you for it." Her laughing slowly subsided and she kissed me again. "Alright. Now it's your turn." I eagerly tore the paper off my gift to reveal a long, thin velvet box. Opening it revealed a delicate silver chain with what appeared to be an identification tag on the end of it. Looking closely, I noticed it had all of Bella's information listed on it, including the serial number that was etched on her arm. "I've been talking to Sam a lot lately about imprinting and the connection between mates. He said that if one of the mates wears something that is important to the other, it strengthens the connection. You'd be able to feel if I was safe from distances and so on. But I couldn't think of anything that was important to me that you could wear. Then I remembered this." She pointed to the tag in my hand. "This is the tag the Volturi made when I was first processed in, and I've been wearing it around my neck ever since. It's the only thing I have that rested on my human heart and my not human heart." My eyes filled up with tears that would never shed. Mistaking my reaction for something bad, Bella began to babble. "Crap. I'm sorry I didn't mean to upset you. I thought if-" I stopped her abruptly with a passionate kiss.

"Bella I love it. I love you. You are so amazing." She smiled sheepishly. "Can you?" I asked, turning around so she could put it on me. She placed it gently around my neck and I carefully positioned the tag so it would rest over where my heart would be. Almost immediately I felt a change. It was almost as if there was a phantom beat in my chest that matched exactly with Bella's own. "Oh my god!"

"What? Is something wrong?"

"No. It's just, I think I can feel your heartbeat." I said, putting hand to my chest. Yes. It was definitely hers. I started to cry happily again and tackled Bella into a hug. I would never be taking this chain off. Ever.

We spent the majority of the day in bed but eventually moved to the living room to cuddle on the couch in front of a fire. It felt very movie like, with us snuggled on the sofa with a roaring fire, and a snowstorm blowing on outside. The family had called to wish us a merry Christmas, and around the late afternoon we had a surprise from Liam delivered to us over the phone.

He had apparently imprinted on one of his childhood friends he hadn't seen in years since she had moved. But she had come back for the holidays and ran into him at the store, and bam, imprinted. Liam and Bella chatted for a while and she even made plans to visit them in the near future. But now we're reading together back in our favorite spot, I decided it was time for the big gift.

"Bella? Can you open your other present now?"

"Yeah of course. Let me go just get yours too." She hopped off the couch and went to our tiny Christmas tree I made her put up. The box she had for me looked almost exactly like the one I had for her. I was dying to know what she had gotten me that she was worried about me liking. "Who first?" She came back and handed me mine, sitting opposite of me.

"You go." She opened the box carefully and pulled out the two tickets inside.

"We're going to Brazil?"

"Not exactly. We're going to Isle Esme. It's this really beautiful island just south of Brazil, completely private. Just the two of us. For one whole week right after New Year's." She started to smile brightly.

"Are you serious? Just the two of us?"

"Yep!"

"I love you so much right now." Bella said hungrily and claimed my lips. But I had to stop her before we went any further. I wanted to open my gift!

"Well you'll just have to wait to love me. I want to open my present!" Her face fell slightly, but she complied. I opened the box to ironically find two tickets in it as well. Except these ones said: Destination: Biloxi, Mississippi.

"Um. So I was thinking about how you never really knew your uh, human life, and I thought maybe, if you wanted we could go down there and research your history and find out about it. I mean I totally understand if you don't want to. I know histories can be a sensitive subject and all, but you always seemed so interested in it when I was human. Or at least I think so. I can't really remember all that well. Ummm…" She started rubbing her neck uncomfortably. I just looked up and stared at her amazed. Amazed that I was in love with the sweetest, kindest, most thoughtful and caring person to ever come to Earth. For the third time that day, I began to cry and kiss her desperately.

"I have no words for you Bella. I don't know how I got so lucky."

"I think I'm the lucky one."

"Oh just shush." I pushed her back against couch to continue what we started just minutes ago. And a merry Christmas it was.

Time flies when you're having fun. Pretty soon it was New Year's Eve and we were all at the house for our annual party that Carlisle threw. It made us appear a bit more social. Bella had been generous enough to be my date for the evening. Esme was out doing herself in the kitchen and Carlisle was busy schmoozing and giving tours. Thank god I have my beautiful distraction.

"Are you ready to leave tomorrow?" I asked her for about the hundredth time that night. I was pretty excited to spend some quality alone time with her. No stress of school or families. She gave me a crooked smile.

"Very." Our flight left around six in the morning so we were already packed. All that was left was the party to get through and we were home free.

"Now you gotta be careful with Bells, Alice. I want my favorite sister returning in one piece alright?" Emmett had come out of nowhere to tease us.

"Oh go away Emmett." He chuckled and moved around us to find Rosalie.

"Hey I'm going to get some fresh air. I'll be right back." Bella said quietly to me.

"Do you want me to come with?"

"No no. I'll be right back in." I nodded and went over to hang with Jasper. The poor guy has been alone in the corner all night, avoiding any bloodlust.

"Hey Jasper."

"Oh hey Alice. How's your evening been?"

"Alright. These parties are always so boring. But I have something to look forward to."

"I know. I'm amazed at how well you're containing yourself considering how excited you are." He smiled knowingly.

"Sorry." He laughed lightly.

"No you're fine. It's quite refreshing to have a little ray of sunshine near me. Especially during this party." We actually chatted for a while, until I noticed it was two minutes until midnight.

"Where the hell is Bella?" I asked concerned. It had been at least ten minutes, and she said she'd be right back in. Jasper's face fell and he pointed outside to the patio.

"I think this New Year's might be a little difficult for her Alice." I looked over to my mate standing outside staring up at the snow falling. I hesitated, not sure how to approach her. "Just be there for her." Jasper whispered gently, giving me a small push towards the door. I walked out slowly into the cold.

"Bells?"

"Shit sorry Alice. I lost track of time." She said with a hint of a sniffle. Her hair had snow sticking to it, I pulled a few flurries off softly. We could faintly hear the party counting down from ten inside the house.

"Do you want to talk about it?" She was silent for a while. The crowd cheered a Happy New Year collectively.

"I just, thought it would be different. You know?" I nodded and put my hand over hers resting on the railing.

"I know." So much had changed in a small amount of time. I couldn't imagine how hard this was on her. We stood there silently in the snow for a while.

"I love you Alice." She turned towards me with a sad smile on her face. "Happy New Year." Bella whispered as she leaned down to kiss me.

"Happy New Year love."