A/N: I appreciate every single one of your reviews!

Some of you won't like this chapter...

Chapter 11

"You should have seen her yesterday morning," Emmett chuckled, as he sat in my living room, two evenings later.

Rosalie was top of the agenda after her behaviour the other night. Her burly husband seemed to find the whole thing amusing, whereas I and (I'm fairly certain) Alice didn't.

"It was almost scary. I don't know how she made it into work," the man child finished, still smiling. I shifted my gaze to Alice, who was sitting in the armchair with her legs tucked up. The petite woman wasn't making eye contact with either me or her brother and she was fiddling with her sock.

"Well," I began, turning my attention back to the curly haired man who was sitting beside me on the couch. "You can't say she didn't deserve a hangover," I finished, raising an eyebrow.

"Come on, Bells, everyone over-indulges every so often," Emmett responded, laughing nervously, as if trying to figure out if I was joking or not. I studied his face for a moment. He really doesn't believe there is anything wrong, does he?

"I guess…" I mumbled, by way of a response, after a short pause. "Where is she anyway?" I asked the giant goof-ball beside me, glancing at my watch.

"Working late," came his matter-of-fact response. My forehead creased in confusion.

"Since when does Rose work late?" I questioned. To the best of my knowledge, Rosalie had never worked late in her life. As soon as the clock hit 5pm, she was out of her office faster than a bullet from a gun. Emmett shook his head, before shrugging his shoulders.

"She told me something about it on the phone but you know I never understand what she means when she talks about all that finance stuff," Rosalie's husband said, somewhat dismissively, waving his hand. It was very hard to tell if he genuinely wasn't concerned or if he was putting on a front… "Oh Alice," Emmett announced, jolting me from my thoughts. "I'm going to see mom and dad at the weekend and I told mom I would bring you along too."

Alice's head shot up and she quickly sat up straighter in her chair, her eyes widening. "What!" The tiny woman exclaimed. "Why would you do that?" She asked, sounding stricken. Emmett and I exchanged a puzzled look, not understanding the youngest Cullen's uncharacteristic outburst.

"Jeez, Ali, it's only mom and dad. What's the big deal?" The burly man inquired, with brotherly concern evident. "Besides, you haven't seen them since you got back."

The pixie-like woman shook her head slightly as her eyes absentmindedly scanned the living room. "I just…" Alice spoke again, running a hand through her already fashionably dishevelled hair. "I thought I would have more time," she mumbled, cryptically.

"Alice, what are you talking about?" Emmett demanded, sitting forward on the couch and sounding suddenly serious. Brother and sister silently locked gazes until Alice plastered a fairly convincing grin on her face.

"Nothing important," she began. "Just something I promised mom and never got around to doing," the tiny, raven-haired beauty finished, standing up and reaching for her shoes. Why is it that I can never tell if she's lying in these kinds of situations? Emmett must have been having the same trouble because he just sat perfectly still on the couch, not knowing what to say. "Where are your car keys?" Alice asked her brother, successfully bringing the conversation back to the point of Emmett's visit. "Bella and I need to get going before it gets dark."

After another puzzled look at one another, Mr. Cullen and I both stood as well and he tossed me his car keys. "Just bring her back in one piece, okay?" The curly haired man said to me. "And I'm talking about the car," he finished with a wink as Alice's tiny fist punched him in the arm.

"That's so much better, Alice!" I praised my tiny companion, as we both sat in Emmett's car in the middle of 'our' deserted parking lot. She turned her head and gave me a beaming smile. How I didn't melt into that leather passenger seat, I'll never know. My mind instantly travelled back to my night time activities the previous night but I quickly shook those thoughts away. "Um, okay, one more time, then we better head back home. It's getting dark," I managed to croak out, after a moment.

After one more steady journey around the abandoned lot, Alice managed to make a pretty good attempt at reversing between the lines of an actual parking spot before we switched places and I began to drive us home again.

"You've been a bit quiet since we left the house…" I said into the silence, without preamble, after a minute or two. It was more of a question than a statement; at least that's how I intended it. I stole a glance at Alice briefly before turning my attention back to the road. She was staring out the window and it didn't seem like she had heard me at all. Just as I had given up on getting a response from her, she sighed and turned herself more towards me.

"I need to tell them," she stated simply. Tell who, what?

"Who are you talking about?" I asked, quickly glancing over in her direction once more.

"My parents," she mumbled. "I need to tell them that I'm gay."

Now, it's not like I was surprised by her words; I was already 99.9% sure that Alice was gay. However, hearing her say it out loud for the first time made it sound so… official. Almost from day one, I felt like she had been side stepping my every attempt to get this very information out of her and now, here she was, offering it to me freely without any prompting and I didn't understand why. Why now?

If her parents didn't know, did that mean Emmett didn't know either? If the earlier, strange conversation between the two of them was anything to go by then my guess was, no, Emmett didn't know.

"Oh," was my highly intelligent reply. "W-Well, they'll be cool about it, right? I remember meeting them at Rose and Emmett's wedding and they seemed nice," I added, in an attempt to make myself sound less moronic and awkward.

"That's just it, I have no idea how they will react," Alice began, sounding mildly frantic. "Or Emmett," she then muttered out, almost as an after thought. So he doesn't know. The petite woman next to me sounded almost defeated and that just wasn't like her, at all. The only other time I had seen Alice so unsure of herself was in Forks, when she thought she had done something to upset me.

"Maybe you should talk to Em first," I offered as advice. "He's not really the judgemental type. Especially when it's someone he cares about."

"Yeah, I guess you're right," my companion conceded, after a moment. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Alice's gaze linger on me before she turned to stare out the window again. "This doesn't change anything, right?" I heard her murmur, still with her attention on the passing scenery.

"What do you mean?" I asked with a furrowed brow, turning my full attention to her, perhaps for a little longer than was safe. She met my gaze and sent me an almost pleading look, before giving me a sad smile.

"Never mind," she mumbled, turning her attention back out the window. My own head whipped back to the road and I focused my eyes through the windshield again, straightening the position of Emmett's car. An awkward silence descended upon the car and that didn't happen very often with Alice. I was wracking brain to find something else that would get her to speak again.

"If you don't mind me asking: why have you never told them?" I ventured, gripping the steering wheel a bit tighter.

"I left for college when I was eighteen and I didn't come back here to visit that much," the elfin woman began, still not looking at me. "It just didn't seem necessary to tell them," she finished, folding her hands on her lap.

"But it does now?"

To my surprise, Alice started to laugh, heartily. "I'm twenty-four years old, Bella, and I've never brought a boyfriend home to meet the family," she announced, louder than I might have expected, finally looking in my direction. "Don't you think it's about time they knew why?"

She finished with another light chuckle and I mimicked her actions, but there was something off about her. Her behaviour was… strange. I had a niggling at the back of my mind which told me that she wasn't being entirely honest with me.

"Is Rose upstairs? I need to ask her something," I asked Emmett, after throwing him back his keys as he sat at his kitchen table.

"Oh, no, she's not home yet," the large man answered, giving a small smile while he pushed a very questionable 'meal' around his plate. My features schooled themselves into a look of disbelief and I turned my head to glance at the clock on the wall.

"Emmett it's nearly 9:00pm," I stated, firmly. "She couldn't possibly still be working at this time. Has she called you?" I finished, starting to become concerned.

"She sent me a text. She'll be home soon," he said nodding quickly, putting his fork down and turning his attention to Alice. "How was driving, sis? You crash into anything?" He inquired, with a smirk. I stood there gaping at my best friend's husband. How can he not care about this? Alice, on the other hand, seemed to be in a world of her own. At her brother's question, she simply giggled nervously and tucked a rogue strand of hair behind her ear. Emmett shifted his gaze and eyed me for a moment before creasing his brow in confusion.

"What's got into you today, Ali?" He began, leaning back in his chair and folding his giant arms. "You're acting really weird." Alice stared at her lump of a brother for a moment, before throwing me a look of desperation. Before I had time to react, the tiny woman threw her hands in the air, almost as a sign of surrender or defeat.

"Emmett, I'm gay!" She blurted out, all sense of decorum forgotten. My eyebrows shot up in surprise. Okay, well that wasn't exactly the elegant, understated 'coming out' I had in mind when I suggested it but each to their own, I suppose…

There was an odd silence in the kitchen; the only noise that could be heard was the incessant ticking of the clock on the wall. Alice was staring at the floor, standing stock still, obviously waiting for some kind of reaction. I was still staring at Alice, my eyebrows threatening to permanently disappear into my hairline and Emmett had an unreadable expression on his face, although his mouth had formed a tight line. Just when I thought the tension needed to be broken, Emmett's booming laughter filled the room, startling both Alice and myself.

"Oh, my God, Alice!" the burly man managed to get out, between laughs. "I was beginning to think you were never going to tell me!"

"Wait, what?" Alice choked out, her arms falling limply by her side and her eyes wide.

"Ali, I've known for years," Emmett stated, his laughter dying away. The tiny woman stared at her brother blankly for a moment before shaking her head infinitesimally.

"…What?" She practically barked out, sounding almost annoyed. "How? When?" Alice questioned frantically, while she gesticulated wildly with her hands.

"Well, for a start, you've never had a boyfriend, that I know of. Plus, I may have read your diary when you were, like, sixteen," the giant lump of a man finished with a shrug of his shoulders.

"Emmett!" Alice screeched out, stomping her foot.

"By the way, who is Maria? I've been dying to know for years!" Emmett began again, beaming from ear to ear while his sister's mouth fell open in horror. "She sounded hot!"

"EMMETT!" The tiny woman squealed again, stepping closer and flinging her purse at his giant shoulder. I wouldn't be surprised if he didn't feel it, if his boyish chortle was anything to go by.

At that last exchange, I couldn't hold back anymore and a strangled laugh escaped my throat. It came out as more of a snort than a laugh, to be honest, and a blush crept over my cheeks as the two siblings turned to look at me.

"Um, I'll just… I'll leave you guys to it," I murmured, catching Alice's eye. I saw her lips pull into a slight smile and I couldn't help but mirror her. "See you later, Alice," I finished, placing my hand briefly on her shoulder, as a sign of encouragement, before disappearing from the house.

As I reached my own humble abode, I stopped just outside the door and fished my phone from my back pocket and dialled Rose's number.

"You have reached Rosalie Cullen, please leave a message after the tone."

I hung up without leaving a voicemail. Something fishy is going on.

"He thinks mom and dad will be fine with it," Alice said, as she lay flat on my bed next to me while I sat, propped up against the headboard, about an hour later. "You have no idea Bella, it's like an enormous weight has been lifted off my shoulders," she continued, looking up at me and smiling.

"I'm proud of you, Alice," I said gently, reaching down and brushing her hair behind her ear. "Did Rose come back while you were there?" I questioned, pulling away again.

"No," Alice all but whispered out. I broke eye contact and stared at the wall in front of me. I felt the elf-like woman shift on the bed beside me and she was now propped up against the head board, just like I was. "You're worried about her, aren't you?" I heard her ask, seeing her look at me from the corner of my eye.

"Yeah," I answered honestly. "Yeah, I am."

I slowly turned my head to look at Alice and our eyes met. "Would it be weird if I said I was worried about her too?" She asked, quietly, but I knew it was a question she didn't really expect an answer to. I don't know, would it? I looked away and focused my attention on anything and everything else in the room. "I never loved her, you know," Alice stated abruptly. "Rosalie, I mean," she clarified. "I think I could have, though… if the circumstances were different."

I don't know why, but her words sent a hurtful pang through my body and I felt my chest constrict; so much so, it was almost painful. From what Rose had told me, I never thought Alice had been truly invested in their 'relationship.' Yes, Alice had supposedly demanded a choice from Rose but any sane person in a relationship, no matter how casual, would do that. Right? The raven-haired beauty's declaration, that she could (potentially) have fallen in love with Rosalie, was something I just hadn't prepared myself to hear. She's finally being honest with you. Isn't this what you wanted, Isabella? I unwillingly turned my head towards the object of my affection once more. "And now? What do you feel for her now?" I croaked out, cursing the slight tremor in my voice.

A sad smile graced Alice's features. "I think we both know she will never be just my sister-in-law," was the answer I got. It was an answer I already knew, to a question I had asked a thousand times, whether out loud or inside my own head. It didn't matter; It seemed to hurt just as much either way.

Alice may not love Rosalie but… does she still have feelings for her?

I don't know what kind of look was on my face, but it seemed to be enough for Alice to recoil from me. "I should get to bed," she whispered, moving to swing her legs over the edge. "I have work in the morning," was the excuse the pixie-like woman gave. I looked into those soul searching blue orbs and saw quiet desperation staring back at me, begging me for… something.

No, wait! I wanted to shout. I wanted her to wait, so I could let myself try to figure out the mystery that is Alice Cullen. Stay? I begged my throat to choke out. I wanted her to stay so I could hold her and know that she was safe with me; me and nobody else.

But I didn't do any of that. I didn't do a god damn thing.

"Okay," I breathed out instead. With that, Alice bowed her head and nodded slowly before disappearing through my bedroom door, without a backwards glance. As soon as I heard the sound of her feet fade and the door of my study open and then close, I curled up in a ball on my bed and let slow and silent tears run down my face. Have I fucked this up before it's even started?

Come on, Rose, where are you? I thought to myself. I had called her at lunchtime the following day, pretending that I wanted to speak to her about something tonight but she informed me that she was working late again. I, of course, didn't believe a word of her story which is why I was sitting outside her office block in my beat up old Chevy, waiting to see where she was actually going.

It was 5:13pm and she still hadn't emerged from the building. As I continued to sit there waiting, I began to think that I was over-reacting. Maybe she was just working late. Maybe I was just being suspicious because of all the new information I had learned about her recently. Maybe she…

My inner musings were abruptly cut off when I saw a familiar mane of blonde hair step out from behind the glass panel door of the towering building. I was focusing so much of my attention on her that it took me a moment to realise she wasn't alone. My friend was walking next to a man whose stature was slightly smaller than her own, although their hair was of a similar colour. Wait a minute. Is that… Is that Mike Newton? The man in question gave a fleeting glance up and down the street before he and Rose both walked off in the opposite direction of where my truck was parked. That fleeting glance was enough to confirm my suspicions. Rosalie was, indeed, walking down the street with Mike Newton - a man she had set me up on a blind date with, mere months ago. Where are they going? I needed to follow them.

Since my truck was loud enough to wake the dead, I needed to pursue them on foot in order to keep my presence a secret. I couldn't let Rose know that I was following her. I jumped from my truck and slammed the rusty door behind me, before taking off after them down the street.

Since stealth wasn't exactly one of my strong points, I kept tripping over the call boxes and trash cans that I was trying to hide behind. After about three blocks, my two unsuspecting acquaintances crossed the street and approached an establishment called Garrett's Bar. I stood at the street corner and watched as they disappeared inside, with Mike holding the door like a gentleman. He didn't hold the door for me…

What the hell was going on?

I needed to get inside but I couldn't just waltz in there and ask her… I needed help. I tore off down the street again, back towards my truck, nearly tripping over a curb in the process. When I finally reached my truck again, I flung the door open and instantly reached for my purse, retrieving my cell phone. I dialled a familiar number.

"Hello?" A masculine voice answered, after three rings.

"Jake, it's me," I replied, still gasping for breath slightly. "I need your help."