A/N: Glad you liked the last chapter, thanks for the reviews. More progress in this chapter :)
It's 2 in the morning, sorry for mistakes. Enjoy.
Disclaimer: No ownership here
Bella sighs placing her head on her hand as she props up against the lunch table, staring at the empty seat across from her. It's Friday, a normally exciting day for the brunette, but as she gazes at the chair parallel to her own, her mind is swirling with thoughts. Rosalie didn't come to school today, for that matter neither did Jasper or Emmett, and this meant that lunch was incredibly quiet as Edward was in the library and Angela talked with Alice about their weekend plans. Releasing another gust of air Bella leans away from the table focusing on the conversation at hand.
"We could always have a sleepover at my house tonight and then go shopping in the morning. That way your parents won't complain, you know how much they love Esmé!"
"Yeah, I guess that could work; just not sure how much they would like me spending the night in the same house as Edward"
"Oh please, it's not like you two aren't already fucking" Alice waves her hand, Angela gasps, and Bella chokes out a laugh.
"Alice!" Angela speaks with a scolding tone, blushing furiously as she looks around. Alice shrugs.
"Just saying" she responds turning to face Bella. "What about you? Do you want to sleep over at my house tonight?"
"Oh, um I'm not sure, I did tell Eric I would ask Charlie about going to La Push-"
"Rose will be there" the shorter girl cuts her off a grin on her face.
"You've already planned this" Bella deadpans staring at Alice.
"Nope!" Alice chirps. "But I know you'll say yes!" a knowing smirk adorns her features, challenging Bella with her eyes.
"Ugh fine! Do you guys have sleepovers all the time?" Bella enquires with genuine curiosity.
She assumed with Rosalie and Alice living so close and the friendship they shared, that the two spent many nights together.
"No, Rosalie has never actually stayed the night at my house and I've only been to her house a few times"
"Really?" Bella breathes out in disbelief.
"Really really"
%%%%%%%%
"So you see Chief Swan, it's becoming colder in Forks and Bella here moved from hot and sunny Arizona, she needs warmer clothes. And since my aunt and I are going shopping in the morning, I figured Bella could spend the night then go with us tomorrow." Alice smiles innocently, looking up to Charlie.
Charlie chuckles rubbing his hand over his moustache. He looks to Bella who is standing behind the pixie in the doorway; when she notices his gaze she can only shrug in response.
"Well, I suppose if your folks don't mind. What'd you think Bells?" he asks glancing to his daughter.
"Yeah sure, I don't have any plans" Charlie nods, his eyes moving back to Alice.
"Just be careful, shopping isn't really her thing she might pass out" he laughs and Bella huffs crossing her arms.
"I will not!" she half-yells sending a glare her father's way; Alice releases a tinkering laugh.
"Don't worry Chief I'll take care of her" with a wink, that makes Charlie blush, Alice grabs Bella hand dragging her to Bella's room.
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When they pull up to the Cullen driveway Bella is surprised to see Ms. Hales blue Toyota in the driveway. She parks her car in front of the garage door, to the left of the Toyota, stepping out she glances to Alice a question in her eyes.
"It's a family session day" Alice gestures to the house.
"Is that why Jasper didn't come to school?" the shorter girl nods moving to the front door.
"Bella-bear! I didn't know you were coming over" Emmett booms out sweeping her into a hug; Bella squeaks at the unexpected gesture and Emmett discharges a deep laugh. "Where's Eddie-boy?"
"With Angela, they'll be here later" Alice pipes up from behind the duo.
"Emmett can you put Bella down?" a suave voice declares as Carlisle enters the room.
"Sure thing Pops!" Emmett says placing Bella back on the floor.
"Uncle Carlisle, the girls and I are having a sleepover so that we can go shopping with Aunt Esmé in the morning" Alice blinks up at Carlisle who only shakes his head with a small laugh, rotating to face Bella.
"Hello Bella, how are you?"
"I'm fine Mr. Cul- I mean Carlisle" he sends a soft smile her way.
"That's good to hear. Alice, Esmé is upstairs in her office they should be almost finished but try not to make too much noise okay?"
"Yes sir!" Alice salutes her uncle before taking Bella upstairs.
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15 minutes later a knock on Alice's door interrupts the girls while they listen to the music coming from Alice's speaker.
"Come in!" the pixie shouts over the music from her place next to Bella on the bed. The door is slowly pushed open to reveal Esmé, Rosalie, and Anne.
"Alice, Jasper is looking for you so he can say good-bye"
"Okay, but wait Ms. Hale" Alice jumps up off the bed making Bella bounce slightly. "We were going to have a sleepover here, and wanted to know if Rosalie could stay?" Esmé and Anne look to each other briefly before turning their attention back to Alice.
"Alice, honey, I don't think it would be a good idea" Esmé speaks gently her eyes glancing back to the silent blonde.
"Maybe she can stay for a while and meet with you all in the morning" Ms. Hale gives Alice a meaningful look.
Bella sits on the bed confusion in her mind. Is she not allowed to leave the house? She thinks watching the scene unfold before her. Alice seems determined in her plans while the two older women appear to be very wary of the idea of the blonde spending the night. Bella observes said girl to see her unmoving her eyes trained on the pixie. Her expression is unreadable but she appears to be also questioning Alice's motives.
"-about the nightmares" Bella removes her eyes from Rosalie at the words, focusing again on the conversation in the room.
"She'll be fine" Alice voices defiantly gazing at the two women. "Won't you Rose?" she final addresses the quiet girl who appears to be startled at the acknowledgement.
Rosalie stares at Alice before turning to face Bella, who meets her stare head on. Bella gazes into the sapphire orbs reading the uncertainty; she wants my approval? Bella thinks muddled at the emotion she reads. She quickly looks to Alice who gives a curt nod. Unsure of what to do, Bella looks back to the blonde with what she's hoping to be a reassuring smile on her face. Esmé views the exchange then turning to Anne she speaks to the room.
"With all things considered it may be a good idea" Anne sharply spins to face Esmé, a look on incredulously on her face.
"How can you-" Esmé puts a hand up stopping her mid-sentence.
"It would be a good way to view our progress" the honey hair colored woman whispers though Bella hears the words anyway. Anne glances to her daughter; a long moment passing before she sighs accepting the words.
"Okay, just, call me if anything happens?" her words are addresses to the entire room though her gaze stays on Rosalie.
"Everything will be fine Ms. Hale, you'll see!"
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"Since the boys are gone anyway we could just stay down here all night." Alice states dropping the blankets and pillows onto the floor.
Angela and Edward arrived ten minutes after Ms. Hale left and the boys soon followed after, with plans to return Sunday afternoon. Once an amazing pasta dish was served for dinner, made by a talented Esmé, the girls all headed to the entertainment room to watch movies for the remainder of the night. Alice plopped on the floor next to Rosalie who is sitting subsequent to Bella their backs against the love seat; Angela vouches for sitting on one of the chair to the left of Bella. The lights are off the only illumination is coming from the flat screen and the small glow in the fish tank; Halloween is playing as the girls get comfortable under the blankets.
Half-way through the movie Bella senses someone eyes on her; moving to look around she spots Rosalie with her blue orbs engrossed on her. She smiles at the blonde, leaning closer to whisper in her ear.
"Are you okay?" Rosalie nods and Bella notices the shudder that goes through her body. Assuming that her friend was scared, Bella scoots closer placing her hand on top of her own giving it a slight squeeze.
By the time the 3rd movie starts, in the five disc player, Bella begins to get sleepy; she fights off a yawn, her brown orbs roaming. Angela and Rosalie have fallen asleep, Angela in the chair and Rosalie with her head on Alice's lap. She looks so peaceful Bella muses watching the blonde breathe out small breaths, her angelic features set into a look of contentment that makes Bella smile. Her hair is splayed out onto Alice and Bella glances at the pixie to see her eyes half-lidded staring at her.
"Can you turn off the movie?" she jerks her thumb to the TV, her voice becoming raspy; with a nod Bella slowly moves over to the table grabbing the remote. Pressing the power button, she settles on the floor and within minutes her eyes are closed.
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The sound of whimpering brings Bella back to reality, she blinks in the not quite dark room rubbing her hands over her eyes. The sound increases and she sits up to see Rosalie now on the couch desperately struggling to remove the blankets off of her body. Bella stares at the display of panic before crawling over to the blonde trying to aid her.
"Hey" she whispers quietly. "It's okay" she says placing her hand onto her shoulders.
Instantly Rosalie awakens, springing forward her head nearly missing Bella's; her eyes move around hurriedly her breathing coming out in short pants. Rosalie begins to struggle more moving frantically, scratching at the hands on her shoulder.
"Shit! Whoa wait. It's me Rosalie please calm down." Bella pleads out attempting to maintain a clear head. Rosalie continues to squirm and Bella grabs her chin, tenderly forcing her to look at her.
"Open your eyes" she commands softly, Rosalie shakes her head and Bella sighs. "Rose please just look at me" once again she pleads with the blonde begging her to do as she says. Rosalie stops her struggling body, her arms coming to rest at her side.
"That's it, now breathe and open your eyes" again the taller girl obeys doing as Bella instructs. Thank God Bella thinks, her own breathing slowing down.
When Rosalie opens her eyes her blue orbs lock onto brown before the unexpected happens. Just as Bella wants to question Rosalie, the blonde begins to cry, silent tears streaming down her face.
"What? What's wrong?" Bella murmurs, her eyes searching inside of Rosalie's. When she refuses to meet her gaze Bella tightens her grip on her chin, brings their eyes together.
"What's wrong?" this time Bella asks soundlessly starting the connection.
"I'm sorry" the vulnerability in her eyes breaks Bella's heart.
"Wha- No Rosalie there is nothing to be sorry for, I promise everything is fine" the blonde still seems unsure, so Bella moves her hands from her face to grasp on her own intertwining their fingers. "I promise, okay?" the sincerity in her voice makes Rosalie relax her shoulders slumping down.
The brunette uses one hand to delicately wipe away the few tears that remain, giving Rosalie a smile.
"I'm in the mood for some late night chocolate ice-cream, what do you say?" the inaudible girl finally shares a tiny smile which makes Bella's grow more. "C'mon, I'm sure Esmé won't mind" Bella stands offering her hand to Rosalie, who takes it without question. Intertwining their fingers once more Bella leads her to the kitchen, relishing in the tingle traveling up her arm the whole way there.
Had Bella not been solely focused on the blonde she would have noticed Alice watching the two women with a happy smile on her face.
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Bella opens her eyes to see Alice standing above her a perceptive grin on her face; Angela stands behind her peering over her shoulder.
"What?" she asks groggily moving to stretch, however when she goes to move her right hand she finds it attached to none other than Rosalie Hale. "Oh!" Bella blushes gently removing her fingers.
Looking around Bella sees the clock on the DVD player reading 7:45, Bella groans throwing her head into her hands. "Why the hell are you two up so early?" she mumbles through her fingers releasing another groan.
"Because we have to go shopping!" Alice pipes up rolling her eyes at Bella. "You can go get ready in my room, I'll wake up Rosalie"
Bella glances to the blonde, memories of last night floating in her mind. She seems better now she ponders before turning back to Alice.
"Okay" she nods getting up from the couch.
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They are in the fifth store of the day and already she was tired; walking from store to store with an energetic pixie leading the pack was no joke. Bella couldn't feel her legs and she was sure that her body was going to be sore in the morning. Throughout the day Rosalie never seemed to acknowledge what happened last night Bella, so though very curious Bella respected that and proceeded as normal.
"It's not that bad Bella!" Alice whines out as Bella proceeds to plop down in the first empty chair she saw. She gazes at Rosalie, who's hand is attached to Alice's the words in her eyes.
"Is she serious?" the blonde sends a little smirk her way making Bella huff in annoyance.
"I am never going shopping with you guys again!"
"Yeah, yeah; let's go Esmé and Angela are already in the next store!" without giving Bella time to respond she skips out of the furniture store.
What is your late night snack?