"She'll always be with you, you know." Alice spoke conversationally, leaning casually in my doorway. I fought back the urge to snarl and rant, but couldn't stop the broken sob that wracked through me. Alice seemed to take this as an invitation to venture further into my room, my only sanctuary. She dropped gracefully next to me, with the refinement and elegance Bella had once admitted to envying.

The thought of Bella brought on the tearless bawling once more, and I cushioned my head in my hands, fingers grasping at my forehead as if I could pluck out the memory of Bella and live on as I had before I met her. Before this thought could evolve any further, Alice spoke again. "She isn't gone, Edward. Bella isn't gone. Even if she is, well, rather… dead."

I looked up, anger flashing in my eyes and a snarl ripping through my throat. I stood fluidly and glared down at her, midnight eyes glinting. "How can you possibly say that, Alice? How can you possibly say that?"

But she paid me no mind, gave no thought to my torrents of anger. She only bounced a bit on my couch, and gave me a little grin. "The pain is gone for her, Edward. You know well she'll never feel it again."

I was about to scream, to tell her that was exactly my point, when the door opened almost silently, and someone glided in. I whirled, about to unleash my fury on whoever it was, and stopped dead in my tracks. "I told you it was over for her, Edward." Alice rolled her eyes, snorting at the look of awe on my face.

I gave her a bitter glance, and then turned back to Bella. My Bella. She looked back at me, just as worriedly, and spoke quickly. "You aren't angry at Alice, are you, Edward? I asked her to, it isn't her fault…" Bella trailed off, nibbling on her lip with a bit of nervousness, her burgundy eyes darting to rest on Alice for a moment.

She sparkled as the sunshine drifted through the window, and I idly realized that she had never been so beautiful. Her new alabaster complexion suited her, and her looks had evolved into gorgeousness. Not even Rosalie's splendor can bother her now… I thought absentmindedly, still trying to take in the subtle changes in her appearance.

Yet Alice was right, she was still the same Bella. Her perfect features had formed into an image of agonized concern and apprehension. "I'm so sorry, Edward. I…I didn't mean to hurt you by begging Alice. I just… Just wanted to stay with you forever. A bit selfish on my part, I suppose." A small smile played on the edges of her perfect lips, but it quickly composed back into anxiety.

Even as I stepped forward to pull her to me, to show her I didn't mind and still loved her with every ounce of who I was, I could her Alice in the background as she departed. "I told you, Edward. I told you she would always stay, wouldn't be any different."