A/N- wow! I haven't gotten so many positive responses since We Did Well! Thanks guys!

Chapter 3

Bella POV

I considered going to the pool that night but decided against as the first sign of light was breaking across the horizon. I got to my room and kicked off my skirt and shoes and unclasped my bra and pulled it off before climbing into my welcoming bed and drifting immediately. I dreamed of flashes of obscure pictures from my past- mom and dad pushing Emmett and me on the swing in elementary school, dad carrying me up to bed when I was small, modeling a new outfit for mom, and so many others. I woke a few hours later, still too early to be awake, with tears on my eyelashes. I punched my pillow angrily and burrowed further under the covers and forcing myself asleep again.

The next time I awoke it was due to my alarm clock. I felt unrested and sluggish as I rolled out of bed to kill the clock and practically crawled to my closet. I took a boiling hot shower, hoping it would wake me more. It didn't work as I hoped and I stumbled off to my closet and rummaged a moment before finding a clean uniform and pulling it on.

I made my way don the deserted hall and focused on putting one foot in front of the other so as not to trip or collapse from exhaustion. I leaned against the wall of the elevator and finally arrived in the kitchen. I blindly lurched to the usual counter and laid my head on my arms on the cold surface.

"Coffee…" I slurred. I heard a small metallic click in front of me as Esme whisked by. I opened my eyes to find a steaming mug in front of my nose and I pulled it closer and raised my head enough to gulp down the caffeine shocked drink fast enough to scald my tongue. Wearily I put my head back down on my arms and waited for the caffeine to kick in.

I heard Emmett's pounding footsteps before I saw him and he rounded the corner looking well rested and cheerful. He whistled as he came towards me, one hand deep in his pocket and the other wrapped around a steaming mug identical to mine. His whistling trailed off as he took in my frame using the counter top to hold me up.

"Bells, you look terrible!" he said with wide eyes. I glared at him through my sleepy eyes.

"That's a great one, Em. Have you used it on Rosalie yet? Girls love that sort of sweet talk." I muttered. He chuckled and I rolled my head away from the positive noise. Like I said before, morning people annoyed me.

"No, really Bella, you look half dead!" I rolled my head again so he could see my burning glare. "Why don't you go back to bed for a few hours and I'll talk to Carlisle. He'll understand. He knows what you were doing last night." He said.

"No, don't do that. I got yesterday morning off. I'd feel like a slacker or something if I got this morning off too." I murmured, the fight not quite in me, my stubbornness rather moot. He shook his head; the big brother look that annoyed me 9 times out of 10 was there in his eyes.

"Go to bed. Two well-deserved and much needed mornings off doesn't make you a slacker at all. Now go before I throw you over my shoulder and take you myself." He threatened. I rolled my eyes and straightened up slowly, letting the room stop spinning before I staggered away, knowing it was futile to argue. I could see the truth in his eyes that he definitely would stay true to his word. With his threat in my mind I pitched myself into my bed, kicked off my shoes, still fully dressed, and in my own room once again.

I rolled onto my back and stared at the ceiling, staring at it with bleary eyes, itching to close and release myself to sleep, but my mind was up and humming. I closed my eyes and focused on relaxing each part of my body, one at a time. Soon I was limp, exhausted, but still awake. Finally sleep found me and I was dead to the world.

I woke up feeling disoriented, unsure of the time and my location. I snaked my arm across the bed and grabbed my alarm clock. I sat up with a shock when I realized it was about one in the afternoon.

How had I slept so late? Had I really been that tired? I hopped up and shoved shoes onto my feet before catching sight of the wild mess of hair on my head. I sighed and paused long enough to run a brush through it and to throw it up into a ponytail on the top of my head and rushing out of the room to get back to work.

I joined back in with all the other waiters cheerfully, trying not to wonder what they were thinking about me for disappearing all the time during work hours. Esme pointed me to my section and I took off once again.

I tried to keep my mind on what I was doing and where my feet where stepping before I actually put my foot down so I didn't have a repeat of the incident yesterday (had it really only been yesterday?).

I also tried to keep my mind from straying to ponderings of what Edward was doing right now. I was careful to not look around desperately for a flash of his bronzy hair as I so badly wanted to.

With a notepad in my hand I headed to my next table and stopped short. It wasn't exactly who I wanted to see but it was pretty close.

Alice sat in front of me with a wide smile on her face, bobbing her head a bit in excitement.

"Hey Alice!" I said happily.

"Hi Bella! What time does your shift end? I want to do some stuff with you!" she looked fit to burst with exuberance.

"About 2:30." I answered, glancing at my watch. "So I should be off in about 45 minutes."

"Great!" she said, clasping her hands in front of her heart. Her enthusiasm was infectious and I was a bit surprised I was looking forward to spending time with someone that I had only spent about five minutes total with. I remembered something Edward had mentioned last night.

"Hey are you meeting someone here?" I asked, realizing she didn't seem one to be eating by herself. Her grin brightened if possible.

"Yeah, how did you know?" she asked, not waiting for an answer. "I'm meeting the most amazing guy I met here last night, Jasper." She said his name in a faraway voice and I chuckled at the love struck expression on her face.

"Well in the mean time what can I get you to drink?" I asked. She ordered and I hurried off once again, realizing I was taking too long at her table.

I was kept busy for the next 45 minutes and I only had a chance to say a very quick hello to Alice and meet Jasper while getting their orders and bringing the food to them. It turned out Jasper was the one I'd seen go by the pool yesterday.

Finally, my shift was over and I stripped off the apron and hung it in its usual spot before going and meeting Alice outside the doors to the dining room where she was leaning against the wall and people watching. She practically leapt on me when she noticed me come out.

"Bella!" Alice cried jovially. "What do you want to do?" she asked, her eyes bright.

"Well, I'd like to get out of this uniform first. Would you mind coming to my room before we do anything?" she nodded and we set off, her keeping me entertained with her constant commentary about just about anything. She didn't seem to be editing her thoughts much, just saying what was on her mind. It felt natural to be friends with her already. It felt as if I had known her half my life rather than since yesterday evening.

We got to my room and I unlocked the door, letting her skip in ahead of me. She immediately went for my closet and threw it open, scanning it's contents looking dissatisfied.

"Bella, we have got to go shopping for clothes for you. Your wardrobe is lacking." She said as she turned to me and set her fists on her hips. I groaned.

"I hate shopping." I moaned. She looked appalled.

"Those words! Are they able to be used in a sentence like that?" she asked, putting a hand over her mouth, her eyes shocked. "How can anyone hate shopping? It was God's gift to the world!" I had to laugh at that.

"I just never liked shopping. I don't have many places to wear things anyway. Most of the time I'm working." I explained.

"What sort of schedule do you have? Daily and weekly?" she asked.

"Well as far as weekly goes," I started as I grabbed a t-shirt and shorts and moved to the bathroom. "I have two weeks of work and then a week off normally. Sometimes it depends what time of year it is. My daily schedule depends on the day really. I spend most of my day waitressing or helping out here and there and then a few nights a week I sing at the lounge. Every week I get two days off of my choice though."

"What about bartending? Edward mentioned in passing that he saw you doing that at the club last night." She asked from where she had perched on my bed. Edward had mentioned me? Even if it was in passing, it'd still been cited! My heart stuttered ever so slightly just at the sound of Edward's name and I was glad she couldn't hear it or my thoughts.

"I've only done that a few times. It's not a regular thing." I told her as I pulled on the shirt and come back out of the bathroom.

"What do you do when you're not working?" she asked.

"When I'm at home, not much. I catch up on Emmett's and my laundry and I read quite a bit. On the ship when I'm not working I either find somewhere else to work or tan a bit or read or listen to music or things like that. Not much." I answered, feeling a little silly that I was so boring.

"We'll have to fix that!" she declared as she stood from my bed. "Where do you want to start?" she asked.

"I have no idea." I answered truthfully.

"Hmmm…" she said, tapping her finger to her chin. "Let's go shopping!" she cried.

"Didn't I just state I really don't like shopping?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yes, but I want to see if I can break you of that." She said sweetly.

"One, I've been told I'm very stubborn so good luck with that, and two, there are very few places to shop on this ship." I pointed out. She frowned.

"That's true. How about this- we find something different to do today and then tomorrow when we get to port, you take the day off and I'll take you shopping!" she planned, seeming pleased. I thought a minute.

"Alright, I'll come. How about you find out if Jasper wants to come too and I'll see if I can drag Emmett along." I offered then thought a moment. "Actually, there's this girl, Rose or something, that Emmett is suddenly crazy about he might be more willing to come if he got her to come along too." Alice seemed wildly excited wit the thought of more shopping buddies, but then paused.

"A five some? We should make it even. How about if I drag Edward along too? Would you mind?" she asked. Inside of me fireworks were going off and I felt like screaming.

"No, I don't mind at all!" I said, my cheeks flushing as I realized my voice sounded a bit higher than it normally did.

"Perfect!" Alice squealed, taking no notice to the inner happy attack I was having at the moment. "Now let's find something to do right now."

A/N- I know it's been a while since I updated but things have been so crazy and then my mind shorts out whenever I sit down to write. Anyway, next chapter should be more prompt and I think I might have it in Alice or Edward's POV or both! Let me know what you think!

--Cullens4everandever