Find comfort in a stranger

Give me something unfamiliar

Between these sheets let's hide away

One light on in the city

We lose ourselves completely

Raindrops fill the alleyways

Chapter 13: A Call for Back-up

Alice POV:

"Alright Alice, I cleared two hours for you today after Carlisle. Then I'm taking over for the night."

"Just two hours?" I whined in annoyance. I already hated talking about Bella like she was some patient in our care, but the time limits and scheduling were just plain frustrating.

"You did have her all day yesterday. And Carlisle wanted to check on her health and such." Liam gently reminded me, but I still grumbled my irritation.

"I hate this."

"I know. I do too. But we knew this wouldn't be easy, and we're not going to give up. No matter what it takes."

"Why do I feel like you're not telling me something?" Liam cringed at my question and turned away.

"It's nothing Alice. Just trust me alright? I'm going to make a real quick phone call. See you later?" Then he left the room without waiting for my answer. I sighed and made my way over towards Jasper and Edward, who were in a heated chess match.

"Would you like to play me after I beat him Alice?" Jasper asked with a cocky twinkle in his eye.

"No thanks. Just killing time by watching you two." Truth be told, I didn't like playing chess unless it was with Bella.

"Don't worry Alice. You'll be back playing chess with her in no time." Edward smiled as he read my mind, knowing my reasons.

"Bella! Could you be any more obvious about letting me win?"

"I'm sorry darling. You just looked so upset after I beat you that last time. And you know me, I aim to please you." There was a slight purr in the latter part of her sentence, letting me know she was thinking of much different ways to please me.

"Oh I know you do." I purred right back at her, succeeding in making her eyes go pitch black immediately. I bit my lip, waiting for her to make her next move.

"Alice!" I was interrupted from my lovely memory by an extremely aggravated Edward and Jasper. Both having known exactly what I was reliving from their different gifts.

"Fuck, sorry." I walked away in embarrassment, and quite a bit of sexual frustration.

It had been so long since Bella touched me in those ways, our honeymoon to be exact. That fucking fight was the reason why I never was able to tell her I loved her before she was taken. With her being captured, my primal need was all but gone, there were much bigger needs on my mind. Like having my mate be safe and unharmed. Now with her here, I felt it stirring. My main concern was still to help her and get her back on her feet, but my mind wandered.

"Alice? Carlisle says he's ready for you."

"Be right down. Thanks Rose." I got up and gathered my things, making my way downstairs. Carlisle met me right outside the reinforced door. "How is she today?"

"Well I was able to get her to eat. But not much. Only enough to keep her living." I sighed and shook my head side to side.

"Take the good with the bad I guess. It's something right?"

"That is true. Just keep your head up Alice." He gently patted my head and left me to it. Alright. Here we go again.

"Hey Bella." I called softly to her figure that was slumped against the wall. She lifted her head miserably, meeting my eyes briefly before laying back down again. I silently whined at her dreadful appearance. She was terribly thin, sickly so, her eyes were a dark burgundy with huge black circles underneath them, and her hair was in complete disarray. You could see exactly how little the Volturi cared about her with something as simple as a haircut.

"Welcome back."

"I missed you, you know." She grumbled and nodded, obviously hiding her true feelings. "Bella… Please talk to me."

"What do you want from me?" She has been very quick to anger lately. Carlisle theorizes that her emotions are hanging by the surface since they were buried for so long. But for some reason, rage was the only one making constant and regular appearances. "I ate and drank for you! I'm keeping myself alive to make you happy! What more could you possibly want?"

"I only want to talk. Just a conversation, that's all." I pulled up the spare chair to sit across from her while she rolled her eyes. "Do you remember what you said to me when your emotions were off? About how I didn't know you?" That got her attention. Bella sat up in her cot and leaned forward.

"I remember everything." The way she said it made me shiver. My original goal was almost forgotten by the way she looked at me, but I pressed back on.

"Well, you were right. I don't know you, not as I should. You've been keeping secrets, and so have I, to prevent from hurting each other. I want to amend that today. Starting with me."

"So what? You're trying to bring us together by sharing our darkest secrets? Do you not see a single problem with that?"

"Nope." I chirped out confidently. I was following through with my plan. Bella grunted a laugh and leaned back against the wall once more.

"Alright then. Please tell me what's been plaguing your mind, perfect little Alice." I cringed at the way she regarded me, but Liam had warned me of this behavior from her. She was trying to push me away, thinking that she was tainted and I was too pure to be loved by her.

"When I was first turned, before I had my vision of Carlisle, I fed on humans."

"How many did you kill?"

"Seventeen." Bella scoffed even louder than before.

"Wow. Seventeen. I think I killed seventeen humans within the first three days of my turning." Bella growled at the end, her eyes darkening at the memory. I swallowed hard and continued.

"I looked into all their futures before I took their lives. What could have been and what never happened. And how I could have prevented myself from it. The future is fickle, taunting. That is the only reason why I searched for another way."

"And what? I'm supposed to be thinking different of you? Or do you want me to be proud?"

"Neither." I shrugged truthfully. "I told you Bella, I don't have an agenda here. I'm just speaking my mind."

"Then by all means, please continue."

"Ok. I don't like your sexual history. And I know I shouldn't because it's not and it wasn't my fucking place, but deep down it bothers me. It really fucking bothers me that other people have touched you, willingly or not, in places that only I wanted to be touched by me and me alone. It's a primal instinct and I'm not proud of it, but it's there." Bella's eyes softened slightly at my confession, obviously taken aback by my sudden reveal about our relationship.

"How often did you think these things?"

"Every once in a while. Not all the time, but just randomly from time to time."

"When we had sex?" I was stunned momentarily by the bluntness of her question, but again I went with the truth and nodded.

"Sometimes, yes." Bella nodded as well, in a thinking manner. I couldn't tell what her emotions were about this new piece of information, but I didn't give her any more time to ponder this one. "Why didn't you keep your truck?"

"What?" This was not a question she was expecting of me.

"Why didn't you keep your truck?" I repeated, a little louder this time. "You loved that old thing. Wouldn't let any of us bad mouth it."

"I don't know." She mumbled so quietly I could barely hear.

"Yes you do." No response. I kept going. "Why didn't you go to Charlie's funeral?" That one hit a nerve.

"I thought we were talking about you? Not me. Why are you asking me these questions?" Her nostrils flared in annoyance of my personal queries, but I remained calm.

"Because you never told me. You never talk about these things that have obviously been a huge deal in your life." My voice was cracking slightly at the emotion I was showing. I had been holding onto this for ages. "You said you'd let me in. You made a promise to me. You said that you couldn't tell me everything but you would try. But instead you block me out from the past. You continue to shield me and yourself from these memories."

"ENOUGH!" Bella stood up, trembling with anger. "Enough." She walked around me, pacing the room to calm her shaking body. "I'm done with you. Leave." I was feeling particularly ballsy today, so I took a step forward and faced her head on.

"Make me."

A thousand emotions crossed her face. Anger, hatred, guilt, annoyance, sadness, and… love? Bella moved before I could decipher it further.

"Go Alice. Before I do something I'll regret." My comeback I was preparing never made it out of my mouth, I was interrupted by an extremely aggravated Rosalie.

"Sorry to disturb to Alice, but you really need to come upstairs." I would have normally protested, but something in her face was telling me to go.

"Fine!" I turned around to Bella again. "I'll be back." And without waiting for her to respond, I left with Rose.

"Again Alice, I'm really sorry about interrupting you. But Liam went way too fucking far." Rosalie was downright growling in fury. What the hell could Liam do that would piss her off so much?

"What do y-?" Unfortunately my unasked question was answered by a stench. I knew this foul odor. All calm and peaceful feelings were thrown out the window. "LIAM WHAT THE FUCK DID YOU DO?" I yelled as I burst through the doors of the lounge.

"Alice calm down."

"CALM DOWN? HOW CAN I CALM DOWN WITH HIM HERE?" I pointed to the culprit sitting in the corner, currently shaking with a combination of fear and instinct.

Jacob fucking Black.

I lost it and lunged. Lunged at the fucking asshole that touched my mate before me. The fuck-wad that left my wife alone and failed to save her from the Volturi. The dick that had the audacity to bless me with his presence today.

"Alice no!" Liam caught me midair and struggled hard to rein me in. He was getting no help from my family. "I'll tell you why I called him if you just calm down alright?" I debated it, and then finally relaxed in his grip.

"Fine! But tell me fast before I fucking kill him and you." I spit viciously, Emmett and Rosalie sniggered.

"Ok. Just take a breath for me ok?" I did so quickly, still beyond pissed. The wolf stench was not helping in any way. "I called him because he's the only one I know close enough to help. Think about it Alice. He's full shifter wolf. He knows a side of her and can help. Bella is not going to be vulnerable with me, not when she knows what I want. Jake is not technically on our side. He can talk with her frankly, without a second agenda, and see what's blocking her." Liam's words made sense, but I was still pissed. I began to growl again at the mutt.

"Alice I swear I don't have those feelings for her anymore." Jacob held his palms up to show he meant no harm while he talked. "She's imprinted and found her mate. Trust me, wolves respect and honor that. I could never have feelings for someone who was in love with someone else. She's just a friend now."

"Yeah. A friend you fucked!" I made a move to jump at him again but this time Jasper grabbed me.

"Alice I need you to please calm down. You're not thinking as clearly as you should. Liam's making sense, and you know he would never try to hurt you or Bella." He sent a wave of calmness through me and I slumped. Damn.

"Look if you don't believe me, you can have Jasper stay nearby. He can confirm that I'm telling the truth. Or hell, ask Edward!" I looked to both my brothers in desperation, each nodded their approval.

"Ok. Ok I trust you. But I still hate you."

"Understood." There were a few moments of awkward silence and uncomfortable shifting around.

"What do you plan to do Jacob?" Carlisle finally broke the quiet tension.

"Just talk with her honestly. Figure out what's going through her head. Anything that will help I guess." I muttered many a curse words underneath my breath. He was taking my job.

"Alright then. Carlisle we will report back to you right when he's done." Liam said while leading Jacob past me. Rosalie tugged on my hand to take me elsewhere, obviously for another distraction.

"I hate him too Al. But Liam's right, it could be a good way in to Bella. You gotta remember she is half wolf. And you gotta thank god she doesn't stink like that. Phew!" Emmett tried to cheer me up as he pulled out Jenga.

"I know. But she's my wolf. I just miss her."

"Well I'm afraid you're wrong there sweetheart." Esme came in and gave me a much needed hug. "She's our wolf."