A/N: So there's no time confusion. Bella and Jake's scene is happening simaultaneously to Alice's.
BELLA
I dialed Alice's number for what seemed like the milionth time. The phone just kept ringing, just like all the other times. When her voicemail kicked in, I slammed the phone shut and let out a string of cuss words.
"Bella," Jake said from the driver's seat. We were on our way to Port Angeles for nice dinner and a movie. It was the first pack free night Jake had in a long time. "If she didn't answer a half hour ago, did you honestly think she was going to answer this time?"
"I suppose not." I sighed. "I just don't understand why their so mad? I mean they're the ones who left me. Not the other way around. Just because they don't approve of my new friends, doesn't give them the right to treat me like chopped liver! I mean I expected this kind of behavior from Rosalie and Edward but I thought Alice of all people would understand! She was my best friend!"
"Bella, I understand how you're feeling right now. I really do but you have to expect it. We're werewolves, they're vampires. We don't get along with them and the don't get along with us. It's just a fact. You can't expect them to want to get along with us. It's just not in our nature." Jake explained.
This conversation was starting to get on my nerves. We've had it every night for almost a week. It wasn't always exactly the same but it all boiled down to this. Jacobn wasn't willing to try to get along with them for me. Nor did he approve of my trying to make friends with them again. He even agreed with Charlie. He thought I should just stay away from Edward and the family. I was completely one hundred percent adamant about getting them to talk to me again. I wasn't going to give up no matter what anyone said.
Most of our nights this week ended in the fight. I was worrying that this was going to tear apart our relationship. Still, I just couldn't give up on my family. I refused to do that. If Jacob didn't understand my need to have them back then he didn't understand me.
"I'm not asking you guys to be friends with eachother. I'm asking them to forgive me or at least let me explain myself." I replied.
"You feeling like you have to apologize or explain yourself is exactly why you shouldn't even bother. You didn't do anything wrong! They left you, remember?!"
"I know but I have to do something. I want them to know that I don't hate them! And I would appreciate it if you support me in this!"
"They're vampires, Bella! If I support this that means I'm supporting them!"
"No, Jake! If you support this that means you supporting someone you supposedly love!"
"Bella," he said. He reached out to stroke my cheek buit I pulled away. "How can you say that?! You know I love you."
"Then act like it." I breathed.
"Look, can we do this another night. I really don't wanna fight. This is the first night we can be together without any interupttions." Jake said. "Can we just pretend it's just you and me tonight? Pretend that the Cullens never came back? Just for tonight. I just want to enjoy this night with you."
I took a deep breath. He was right. This was one of the few nights were we could enjoy ourselves without Sam calling Jacob. I didn't want to spend it fighting either. I wanted to spend it happy and laughing at Jacob's jokes even when they aren't funny. I wanted to spend the night with my loving caring boyfriend, not his cold unfeeling wolf counter part.
"Okay." I sighed. "I'm sorry."
"I'm sorry too." He replied. I could hear the sincerity in his voice. "Now give me your phone."
"Why?"
"Because I'm going to make sure you aren't constantly checking it or calling Alice. I'm going to shut it off and stick it in my pocket."
He reaced for my cell phone which was still in my hand.
"What if Charlie tries to call?" I asked.
"He has my number." Jake replied.
"Fine." I said and placed the phone in his hand.
After that, the conversation was lighter and comfortable. At some point during the night, I even forgot about my trouble with the Cullens.
ALICE
I dialed Bella's number. I crossed my fingers praying she'd answer the phone. I heard it ring several times before it went to voicemail.
"Damn it!" I said just before the beep. "Hey Bella, it's Alice. I'm sorry I haven't been answering your calls. It's been very confusing around here lately. I know that's no excuse but I am sorry. I would really like to talk to you. There's somethings I need to say that would be better said in person than over the phone. Once again, I'm so so so sorry. Please call me back. Bye."
I flipped my phone shut and flopped on the couch, disappointment flooding through my body.
TWO AND A HALF HOURS LATER...
"Bella, it's Alice again. Look if you're ignoring me, it's completely justified. I just wanna say again how sorry I am for ignoring your calls. Please, Please, Please call me back." I flipped the phone shut and let out a sigh.
"I'm sorry, sweetie." Jasper said. He had sensed my growing sadness about two hours ago and came up to see if I was okay.
"You don't think she's ignoring me to get back at me, do you?" I asked him.
I put my phone back on the dresser and sat next to him. He put his arm around my shoulder and I laid my head on his.
"No, Bella wouldn't do that." Jasper stated. "She's probably just busy and can't get to the phone."
"I guess you're right." I replied. "I'm kind of glad she isn't answering though."
"Why?" Jasper asked confused.
"Because I don't know what I'm going to say. She'll probably want answers as to why we left and then came back so suddenly. And I know I'm not the right person to answer those questions. What if I make her mad because I don't answer them? What if I say something offensive about the wolves without meaning to? It's such a delicate situation right now. I don't want to push her away. Not after all the time I've been away from her."
"Wow." Jasper chuckled. "You obviously haven't spent that much time away from her. You've become the worry wart the she is."
He laughed a bit more.
"Jasper, I'm serious. I don't want to make things worse before we even have a chance to make them better." I said a little upset by his silliness.
"Al, listen to me." He said grabbing my face. He pulled my head down until we were eye to eye. "Just tell her what you feel and what you think. She's your friend and she wants to make things better too. I'm sure if you're both honest then you can fix things."
I nodded.
"I love you Jazz." I said and kissed him on the cheek.
"I love you, too." he replied and pulled me down on top of him.
We looked into each others eyes for a moment before my phone rang.
BELLA
It was a wonderful evening. Jacob and I talked about almost everything. We avoided the subjects of the pack and the Cullens, as per our agreement. He took me to a wonderful little Chinese resturant then to see "The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2." I thought it was sweet because he had never liked chick flicks. He took me anyway, knowing how bad I wanted to see it. It was one of the reasons I loved him so much. He always seemed to know what I wanted and liked without having to ask.
He didn't give me my phone back until after our goodnight kiss. Translation: Twenty minute make out session. When he handed it back to me, I found that I wasn't no longer concerned with whether or not Alice called me back. At least, not at that particuliar time.
"You're right, you know?" he said. "You're my girlfriend and I love you. Which means I should support everything you do. That includes any friends you make or try to keep, regardless of who or what they are. So if you want to keep trying with the Cullens." He choked out the name. "Then you won't heat anymore complaining from me. It's just something I'll have to learn to live with."
"Thank you, Jake!" I practically yelled and leapt at him.
We spent another five minutes making out. I had to force myself away from him. I'd make out with him all night, if I could but, alas, I had things to do before bed.
"I'll see you tomorrow." I said once I got my breath back.
"You bet." he smiled.
He gave me one last peck before heading back to his rabbit. I watched him leave then walked inside. There was no sound coming from the living room so I assumed Charlie was in bed. It was after midnight. I walked upstairs turning my phone back on along the way. It took a minute before it came all the way on.
When it finally was I found I had forty missed calls and twenty voicemailes. I was curious about who would want to talk to me that badly. My curiousity became excitement when I realized that all forty calls were from Alice. Too excited that she called back, I didn't even bother listening to the voice mails. I dialed her number, knowing she'd be up. The phone didn't even get throught the first ring before,
"Oh my God Bella!" Alice yelled by way of greeting. "I thought you were mad at me for not answering your calls. I was worried you were trying to get me back."
"I'm sorry about that. I was out with Jake." I said. I suddenly felt very awkward.
"That's okay. Listen, I'm sorry I was ignoring you. Things have been kinda confusing around here lately." she explained.
"I understand. But you guys aren't mad at me, are you?" I asked.
"No, we were just shocked. We needed some time to get over it."
"I can understand that. Look, I need to talk to you face to face. Can we meet some time tomorrow?"
I didn't want to rush the conversation but I was getting tired.
"Of course. How does three o'clock at the high school sound?" Alice asked.
"Great." I replied.
"Okay good. Oh and Jasper says hi."
"Hi Jasper!" I yelled knowing he could hear me.
"I'll see you tomorrow then."
"Yup. Thanks for not being angry."
"Your my best friend. You'd have to screw up pretty bad to make me angry."
I laughed.
"Well, I hate to cut this short but some of us need sleep." I said.
"Poor human." Alice responded with a laugh. "Sleep tight."
"Bye, Alice."
I flipped my phone shut. I got ready for bed and fell asleep with a smile on my face.
ALICE
I flipped the phone shut and jumped back into Jasper's arms.
"I'm going to see Bella tomorrow!" I squealed. "We're gonna talk and everything will be better!"
I knew I sounded like a five year old but I didn't really care at the moment. Bella still wanted to be my friend after how horrible I treated her. That was all that mattered.
I ran downstairs to tell Esme and Carlisle. They would be as happy as I was. They didn't want us to cut Bella off. I bounded down the stairs and found Esme, Carlisle, Emmett, and Rosalie watching T.V. in the living room.
"Guess what?!" I yelled.
I knew they all probably heard me upstairs. I hoped they'd humor me by feigning ignorance.
"What?" Carlisle asked looking genuinely interested. I loved how well my family knew me.
"I just talked to Bella! We're meeting tomorrow! We're going to talk about everything that's happened and work it out!" I replied bouncing through the living room.
"That's great, honey." Esme replied. "I do miss having her around."
"Me too." Carlisle agreed.
Emmett was silent. He was waiting for Rosalie's reaction. I knew he would take her side, regardless of how he felt. I could see the hint of a smile on his face, though.
"Why?" Rosalie asked. "She was just a stupid human. You could easily go pick out another one."
"Rosalie, knock it off!" Carlisle said as politely and forcfully as possible.
"No, I really want to know why everyone loves her so much. She doesn't even have good fashion sense!" Rosalie yelled.
"Rose, she means as much to me as the rest of you do!" I yelled back. "It doesn't matter why!"
"If we mean so much to you then why didn't you think of Edward before you did this?" she countered. "Do you know how much it's gonna hurt him just to know you went to see her. Then you're going to come smelling like her. And eventually want to bring her back in the house. Did you think of how much that was going to hurt him?"
I felt a little staggered by what she was saying. I actually stepped back from the force of the words. I ran into Jasper who wrapped his arms around my waist.
"My guess is no! You've always been just as selfish as him when it came to that human!" Rosalie finished.
Suddenly a white blur streaked by me. The next thing I knew, Edward had Rosalie pinned to the wall by her shoulders. Everyone else was frozen in shock. Nobody knew if they should pull him off or not.
"Where do you come off telling people they're selfish?!" Edward yelled. "I don't think I've ever met anyone more selfish than you. I mean, you wouldn't even help defend a defensless human against a murderous vampire because she got in the way of your happy little life! And as for Alice not considering my feelings, I was the only reason she didn't do it sooner! And she just talked to me about it a few hours ago! And I know how selfish I was with her! I don't need the queen of selfish to tell me that!"
He released her and took off out the door. Rosalie slid to the floor in shock and Emmett went to her. I stared between Rosalie and the door.
I wished there was some way I could keep Edward from falling apart.
A/N: Remember the flying monkeys!!!!!!!!!!
