A/N Again I own nothing and please forgive for any grammar and such. My Beta has her hands full and I wanted to get this out to you.

Molecular Biology is normally a fascinating subject. The things that could be accomplished with DNA and genetics and stem cells could lead to limitless possibilities, like finding a cure for Alzheimer's or allowing Superman to walk again (if he wasn't already dead). This is what Dr. Freeman is lecturing about today. He is giving us the tools and inspiration to go out there and help people. But his voice floats in one ear and out the other for me. All I can do is count the minutes until class if over.

Because when class is over, I will put my plan in to action. I'll head to security, coerce information out of Mrs. Cope using my dazzling charm and find out anything and everything that happened on campus last night. Afterwards, I will head to the dorm, knock on room 105 and wait for her to open the door. Right now, I didn't give a shit about nucleic isolation. I just want to see Bella and her big beautiful brown eyes.

With every passing minute, thoughts of her are invading me and to be honest I'm at in awe of the hold she is taking on me. I should feel guilty, ashamed. Maybe it's that 'damsel in distress' phenomenon that men fall into when they see a girl in trouble. But I didn't come to her rescue, I handed her a garbage pail. That had to be it, I started to believe, rationalizing the feelings pulsing though me for Bella. She needed help and I was there. I just want to make sure she's all right.

I mean, I'm not looking for anything. I don't want anything. The time I spent with Tanya over summer break, successfully slaughtered all romantic ideas I ever possessed. I loved Tanya, or at least I thought I did. But it turned out to be wrong, so wrong and corrupt on so many levels. It took me a while to realize it. Her way of loving was far from the actual emotion, and it jaded me, broke me.

Halfway into Dr. Freeman lecture, as my mind swirled around the damage that Tanya had done, something dawned on me. If I were in a cartoon, a light bulb would have flashed on above my head. The agony and fear, I saw in Bella's eyes were not the only emotion present. She looked defeated and ruined. I recognized it instantly. I saw it every day after my shower when I stared into the mirror. I started seeing it my eyes the day after I left Tanya.

For some reason that knowledge, that revelation sealed my determination. I remember Bella, laughing and joking, when we used to hang out with Alice and Jasper our sophomore year. She was funny, optimistic, always saw the masterpiece behind the indecipherable brush strokes of a mad artist. I have every reason to be jaded, to encase my heart. Tanya had seen to that. But Bella is light, and even though I hardly talked to her last year or the beginning of this, she always held this sense of confidence and cheeriness. The despondency she displayed this morning broke my heart. Maybe I could help. I wanted to help. I somehow couldn't stomach the idea that Bella might become as cynical me.

The more I thought about it the stronger my resolve became to help Bella. It started off as a need to find out what had happened, but now was spiraling into a desperate desire to keep her... from becoming like me.

Unfortunately, my common sense kicked in knocking my self-centered ass down a few notches. Sure I was there this morning to help Alice and shoo campus security away. But what possible reason would I have for knocking again on her door.

Hi Bella, how are you feeling? So, some nightmare, huh? Hey, I thought you might need another garbage pail.

Yeah, that impression just screams that I'm still the jerk I was last year. Which I'm pretty sure she thought I still was. But no, knocking on her door now would totally give her the 'I'm the nosy RA' and my job requires me to check in on you.

Oh and please don't be mortified. I don't think security made a report of this or anything. I'm sure the half the dorm isn't questioning your mental stability or anything. No one waiting for your head to spin like Linda Blair, really.

If I wasn't in class, I would have fashioned my hand into a gun and pretend to shot myself for concocting such a ludicrous plan like knocking on Bella's door.

Ok, so how could I approach Bella without making an ass of myself? Just so my professor wouldn't get annoyed at the apparent lack of attention I was giving him, I opened my notebook so it would look like I was taking notes. In actuality, I was listing ways to see Bella without making me look stalkerish and immediately putting her on the defensive. Because the one thing I remembered very clearly about Bella was that she was very proud and extremely stubborn. So I would just have to play it cool. I could still knock on her door; I just needed a really plausible reason for doing it.

Class was wrapping up and the paper in front of me was blank. Maybe by the time I reached the dorm, I will have figured out something. Just then my jacket pocket buzzed. I looked to the teacher, praying that he didn't hear anything, but he was too busy taking final questions. Freeman was notorious for confiscating phones if he found them in use during his class, even with five minutes left. I loved my IPhone and would fight tooth and nail before I'd let some nerd ass teacher take it. Thankfully, my phone only buzzed once. And that could only mean one thing. I just got a text.

At the end of class, I hung back, trying to look lazing in putting my books and notes into my pack. When I knew I wasn't being watched, which is crazy in itself, because who the hell would care if I looked at my phone or not I took a peek at it.

Yep, I was right. I had a new text message and opened it. I may be smooth and charismatic, but only to myself will I ever admit that I can't read, text and walk at the same time. And the trek out of the building involved stairs. I pressed the stupid, New Text Message button and waited. It was basically a nano second before it opened. God, I love Apple. I read the message, again and again. I even back tracked through my phone to see if I missed anything, because this truly didn't make sense. The message was from Alice and only contained two words 'don't do it'. Ok, that's actually three.

What the bloody hell. Ironically those were the first words that popped into my head, as I had just watched Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban last night. I thought seriously about typing that response back to Alice when another text came through.

'I'm outside. Meet me'.

For some reason a sudden chill flew down my spine. Alice amazed me. She also scared the shit out of me. She would say she had a gift. I would call it a curse. Whatever it was, Alice seemed to know what people, particularly those closest to her, where planning or doing. Only, this sixth sense of hers was extremely erratic and equally cryptic. This was the exact reason why she made the hair on my skin crawl whenever her eyes crossed and her voice turned eerie and poetic.

And now thinking about her message and the fact that she was waiting for me, I started to get pissed, because she was totally going to screw with my plan. I knew what she wanted to talk to me about and even though I was extremely interested in what she had to say, I mentally made a vow to myself that no matter what, I was still going to knock on Bella's door. Hell, maybe she could give me some ideas on what to say.

I stepped out into the bright sun, from the science building, and just like she said, Alice was waiting for me. She was perched under a large Maple, whose colors were so blinding and sensational, that I would have walked right by her, if she hadn't been calling my name. It didn't surprise me that she was color coordinated with the autumn trees.

Smiling, she rushed up to me and laced her left arm through my right. I didn't look at her. I didn't need to. I knew that face, the consoling look was prominent from her forehead to her chin. Her dark hazel eyes were no longer upsetting as they were this morning. They were soothing, comforting but most or all calculating. And before I could even take measure of her, she spoke.

"You can't stop by to see Bella."

If I hadn't known Alice for three years, I might have stumbled at her uncanny intuition. As it was, I just continued walking. Alice didn't make my decisions for me. I did.

"It's just not a good time to visit her in her room."

Well, Shit. I couldn't help it. I stopped mid stride and looked at her, thoroughly incensed. I huffed too, hoping it would further convey my irritation. Who was she to tell me what I could or couldn't do? And how the hell did she know I was going to Bella's room. I opened my mouth to give her a snappy retort, when she cut me off.

"Edward," her voice softening. "Please. I just really don't think it's a smart idea to visit Bella right now." She gave my arm a gentle squeeze in a vain attempt to sooth me. "I know you want to stop by her room but I think that would really make things worse." She pulled me forward again to continue our walk.

Crap. Crap. Crap. I didn't want to change my mind, but Alice's intuition and complete understanding of the human psyche was totally throwing my plan right out the window. I couldn't help but look down in fascination along with exasperation at my pixie friend and her uncanny ability. Why she had gone into interior decorating was a total mystery to me.

"Fine." It was the only word force out.

Alice sent another gentle squeeze to my arm and together we walked in silence away from the science building. Absentmindedly I walked us past the cultural center and language arts building and headed towards the student union. Alice didn't ask where we were headed. Hell she probably all ready knew. She may have killed the Bella part of my plan, but I still wanted to speak to Mrs. Cope.

*****

It is an utterly empty feeling, when you suddenly realize that your questions have no answers. I could have beaten Mrs. Cope with a crow bar and she wouldn't have given me anything, absolutely nothing to help with the mystery regarding Bella. She was an utter dead end. Alice was the only thing that kept me from literally jumping over the desk and lounging at the dumbfounded security manager.

The entire walk over here from the science building, I had set myself up. I created a million scenarios to explain what was going on with Bella, everything from a random campus attack to an abusive obsessive ex-boyfriend. I was certain I would find something with security. It was when my frustration boiled over to anger, that Alice calmly grabbed my arm and pulled me away from the dimwitted Mrs. Cope.

The amazing thing was that during the entire confrontation, Alice didn't say a word. She stood there next to me. She didn't flinch when my voice reached an abnormal octave. She didn't restrain me when I tried pulling my hair out in utter frustration. It was only when my unbridled irritation overcame my rational self and I slammed my hand down on the desk that Alice stepped in. And still, with her firm grasp on my forearm, gently leading me out of the office, she still didn't say anything.

That was actually more unsettling than Mrs. Cope's ignorance. I can't ever remember a time when Alice was silent. Hell, she didn't even say anything about my belt not matching my shoes. The quirky part of my brain wanted to note this day in history.

I was so frazzled and distressed at not finding any answers that I followed Alice without hesitation. We were almost to the campus pub before I even recognized where we were headed. I was just about to protest that I really wasn't in the mood for food, when Alice directed me to a lone bench under a flaming orange maple tree. It was tucked off to the corner of the building. Her grip directed me to sit, and I did, because honestly, I didn't know what else to do.

Alice released her hold and plopped down next to me. I could feel her eyes on me, but I ignored her.

"What was that about?" her voice was soft and concerned.

I didn't answer. I didn't know how to answer.

"You kind of lost it back there."

I hung my head as her words sunk in. I turned into a complete ass in the security office. I had no right to treat Mrs. Cope like that. I had planned on going in there and sweet talking her into furnishing me information. But the deer in the headlights stare she was giving me and coupled with my building aggravation after Alice told me I shouldn't see Bella tonight, totally engulfed the sensible side of my brain. Add to that the protective feelings I was developing for Bella and I just basically snapped.

"Edward. What is going on?"

"Well. Shit. Alice," I said, finally finding my voice. "I have no clue. Not a fucking clue." I ran my fingers through my hair.

Alice let me stew in silence for a few moments. She knew I would answer; she was showing me the patience and understanding I needed.

"I can't really explain it. This morning seeing her so upset and her screams. I have been hearing them ringing in my ears all day." My shoulders slumped slightly, my hands still pulling my hair. Somehow my spoken words lifted some of the weight I've been carrying around. It felt good to talk.

"I can understand that. Finding her this morning really shook me up too. The thing is.... I'm her best friend. I've known her since freshman year. I know we all used to hang out together when Jazz and I started dating. I just... didn't think you cared so much about Bella."

I knew Alice wasn't being accusatory, but for some reason her questioning my motivation set me on edge again. I rounded on her, my eyes blazing. The tiniest flicker of alarm flashed in her eyes.

"She's my resident, Alice. I'm supposed to keep an eye on everyone on my hall, make sure everyone is safe. Worse yet, I was on duty last night. I should have noticed something, anything. God, I must have passed her room at least five times when I made my rounds through the dorm. Something just isn't right about this."

Alice's eyes softened and we both turned back to staring at the students walking around the quad to the various college buildings. The silence between us was comforting. The peace of the day coupled by the presence of a good friend helped again to calm me down.

I don't know how long we sat there, both in silence, but sharing the same concern. A light breeze rustled the maple's trees, sending a natural calm through us both.

"She wouldn't say anything to me," Alice said after a while, breaking the stillness. "I tried to get her to talk about whatever her dream was. She told me she couldn't remember; that she was fine. But I know something's up. Her responses were automatic and she was staring at me while she talked, but I don't think she was really looking at me."

I let those words linger for a moment, making a visual picture of Bella, her brown eyes staring straight through me. My stomach clenched at the mental image.

"What happened after I left?"

"Well, I just sat with her on the bed for a while. She was still a little green when I left. I tried to get her to come out with me and get some food or at least take a shower, but she refused, reminding me she was fine and that I was over-reacting." Alice let out a long sigh. "Today, I finally realized why Jazz gets so pissed when he asks me how I'm doing and I tell him 'I'm Fine'. Fine does not really equal fine."

I couldn't help but smile at her insight. For some reason it had become common knowledge to men involved with women that use the word 'fine' knew it was a blazing red flag. It was ironic that women were ignorant to this fact.

"How did she look when you left?" hoping to get some answers, any answers that would let me know that Bella was doing better. It was Alice's turn to search for an answer to my questions. She stared ahead, just like I had done a few moments before.

Her silence normally would have me on edge, my mind wondering about all the infinite possibilities, making me more nervous by the moment. But somehow I knew that Alice was looking, hunting for the right words. She didn't want to sugar coat her concern but also didn't want to alarm me anymore that I was. She was being a good friend.

"You would think she just had a really shitty dream. But I really can't describe it. She had this look of shame and emptiness about her. I know she was totally embarrassed about this morning."

"What do you mean?"

"Think about it, dummy. She has a nightmare, screams her head off, wakes up the whole frickin dorm. We come barging into her room and then security comes to knock on her door. How the hell would you feel?"

"Yeah, I get your point."

"That's why I texted you. I didn't want you stopping in to check on her. She hates attention and you knocking on her door after this morning would have totally freaked her out. She would have avoided you like the plague."

"Wait, why would she avoid me?" Alice's last statement threw me off.

"Oh. My. God. You really are an idiot."

"What?"

"Edward, she's had a crush on you since sophomore year. It kind of hurt her when you ditched us for your.... screw and leave 'em crap you pulled last year.

I sat back against the bench, taken aback by the information Alice was relaying to me. My mouth formed a small 'O' in response.

"So you can imagine how she felt this morning having you there and how she would feel if you just knocked on her door. Like I said, I know something is up but she's not ready to talk to me. But maybe, just maybe, if you don't act like an ass she may talk to you, or at least open up a little to let us know what is going on."

"What makes you think she'll even talk to me?"

"I saw the way she looked at you when you went to grab her the bottled water," Alice paused. Again, I could see her struggle to find the right words. "You being in the room with us, helped her calm down even more, than if it was just me. I don't know. I really can't explain it. It's more of an intuition. Like knowing you were there, made things better. I think you made her feel safe."

"I hope you're right, Alice," turning again to look at her.

"I am." Her mouth turned slightly upward, looking devilish. "I also saw the way you were looking at her."

A/N Man I love Alice. just remember, more reviews makes me write faster. BTW have to give a shout out to My Brothers Best Friend by Jennlynn. Awesome story. check it out.

Again, all my love to TZ and lavanyaSix. You make me better