Bella woke up slowly, the IV the first things she saw. She lifted a heavy arm, resting her fingers on a bruise across the bridge of her nose. The TV flickered on a high shelf with its sound turned low. On it she saw someone lighting a cigarette. That's how she remembered. The dreams, the fire, Alice saving her and her dad.
"You're in the hospital," Rosalie's voice drifted to her.
"Charlie?" Bella asked faintly, finding it difficult to speak.
"He's okay. Just resting in another room."
"Oh... am I okay" Bella asked, a bit of irony in her voice. Was she ever okay?
"Just a few burns and bruises."
"Where's Alice?"
"Waiting room."
"Could you ask her to come in? I want to thank her."
"I don't think..." Rosalie began, but decided to give it another try. Maybe if Alice knew that Bella had woken up, she'd be more inclined to join them. Alice put on a not entirely fake smile when following Rose into the room. She was happy that Bella was safe. Wasn't that all that mattered?
"Thank you, Alice. We'd be dead if not for you," Bella wheezed.
Alice gave her a nod but the guilt was beginning to settle on her again. I was going to your house anyway, she wanted to tell them. But it wouldn't do any good. She could live with being the hero for now.
"I owe you one," Bella smiled her heart wrenching smile.
Rosalie, who guessed Alice was still figuring out quite a bit about herself at present, took over the conversation when Alice turned away uncomfortably.
"You can stay with us as long as you need. Charlie says it's alright, and he's going to be staying with Billy Black," her nose rumpled at the name.
"So that's it? My whole house is just....gone? All my books, photos..."
No one knew what to say. Rosalie sat on the bed with Bella to try and comfort her. Instead of moving closer to her though, Bella asked if she might get some food from one of the nurses for her.
"Of course, hon." Rosalie swept out of the room as Alice looked over her shoulder at Bella suspiciously. Her black hair hung in her eyes, casting dazzling shadows on her breathtaking face.
"You're not hungry," Alice stated.
"No. But I need to talk to you."
Alice turned to face her, trying not to look too withdrawn.
"Alice..." Bella started, clearly trying to be gentle with the subject. "Do...Do you..."
"I don't know," she said, somewhat frustrated. Bella had been going to ask if she liked girls. She'd given an honest answer, but there was so much to sort out.
"I remember it was really hard for me when I discovered I was gay. For Rose too."
"I am not gay. I like men." Alice crossed her arms. "I just don't know if I like girls or not too."
"Fair enough. But you know, you were always there for Rosalie and I when we needed support. You were the first in your family to accept us."
Alice softened a little.
"And I want to be there for you too. Whatever you may be. Gay, bi, transgender, whatever it is. I want to support you."
Alice moved a bit of hair from her face and Bella could see the half moons under her eyes were a little darker. The pixie slumped-something she rarely did-into the chair beside the bed.
"That's sweet of you, Bella. Thank you."
To her surprise, Bella's bandaged hand reached out to take her own. Their eyes met.
"I mean this, Alice. You mean so much to Rose and I. To see you hurting like this kills me."
Bella's amber-brown eyes were full of sincerity. Alice feared staring into them for too long. She turned her head away, the hair falling back into her eyes. Bella's soft, pleasantly warm hand cupped her chin gently, sending Alice chills. It brushed the strands out of the way, golden eyes meeting brown ones again.
"I still owe you one," Bella assured her softly.
Alice had to smile at that, even if it was tiny. She felt uplifted to have such a caring friend. But Bella's hair was framing her face a little too well, her eyes a little too warm, lips just a bit too full. Alice pulled away, leaning back into the chair.
"Rosalie's coming back with your food now," she sighed, unsure of which emotions she'd just been feeling. Friendship? Attraction? Lo- No. Definitely not love.
The three arrived back at the Cullen's later that afternoon. Bella claimed she could walk all right, but both vampires insisted that she be carried. It was an-to say the least-awkward moment when both Alice and Rosalie began to lift her.
"Oh," said Rosalie.
"Um..." blushed Bella.
Alice bit her lip and let go of Bella, wishing she had something large to beat herself with.
Rosalie carried her up to her room where Bella crawled beneath a few light sheets. Alice found her some clean clothes, but otherwise stayed clear of the two. She'd done enough damage already. She sat on the kitchen countertop, staring at the stainless steal of the fridge no one but Bella ever used. Bella. Rosalie. These names were beginning to take on new meanings for her, just as her own was. 'Who am I?' had always been a frequently asked question for Alice, but she'd never had to ask what she was. She'd been upset with how distant Jasper had been with her, but what if she'd been the one who'd started it all? She knew she'd been about to learn something new about herself, and couldn't deny that she'd always had a strange attraction for women, but most times it's easier to suppress change than to embrace it, and Alice was no acceptation. She liked being with Jasper, she loved him. But now that this change had begun to befall her, she wasn't entirely sure she they belonged together after all. Well you certainly don't belong with Bella either, she thought bitterly to herself. She's spoken for, and too good of a friend to risk hurting.
As if hearing her thoughts, Rosalie entered the kitchen, a measure of skepticism in her lovely eyes.
"Bella's taking a shower," she said once it became clear Alice was not going to say anything. Alice nodded in response.
A few moments of awkward silence passed before Rosalie's shoulders dropped, her elbows hitting the countertop, fingers shoving into her curls.
"God, you swore you weren't interested in her," she breathed, as close to a sob as a vampire could manage. "You promised."
"I'm not-"
Rosalie gave her a pained glance.
"At least.... I don't think..." Alice rumpled her hair. "I'm sorry! Look, I haven't the slightest idea of what's going on either. It's not like one day I woke up and decided I liked her or girls in general..."
"I know..."
"This is all so confusing for me. I thought I was fine with Jasper... but then I kept seeing the way you and Bella were, that intensity. One I don't think I've ever felt with him."
"So are you gay? Bi?"
"Bi, well-no- I don't know!" her forehead creased with frustration.
Rosalie thought for a moment.
"Did you like kissing her that night?"
Alice looked at her, at the pain in her eyes. Should she tell her? But she knew they couldn't keep up like this. It wasn't fair for either of them.
"I did."
Rosalie looked down at her hands, thinking.
"She's the most important person to me. I've never felt so alive in my life. When those three...monsters attacked her I thought I was going to lose her. I cried real tears while she slept. Real ones. I remembered the way Royce and his friends had laughed above me after they did it, leaving me for dead. The feeling of hopelessness is unimaginable. Thinking that's how you're going to die; in some garbage strewn gutter, alone. And now with the fire..." Her voice broke and she bent her head, hands squeezing each other.
Alice took a deep breath. She knew the struggle she was facing was nothing compared to Rosalie's, or Bella's for that matter. She placed a hand on Rosalie's shaking back, which relaxed a little at her touch.
"I can't lose her," she said, voice quivering. Alice, not used to seeing her in such a state, hesitated before pulling her into her arms. Rose's arms wrapped around her waist where Alice sat on the counter, her head fitting under Alice's chin.
"You won't. She's safe. You're keeping her safe." she whispered, stroking her golden hair. "And I can't interfere with that. It was wrong of me to like kissing her like that..."
"You can't help who you like," Rosalie said, her words muffled by Alice's shirt.
"But she's yours. You two belong together." Hugging her tightly one more time, Alice hopped down from the counter and began to walk to the door.
"But Alice," Rosalie called. Alice stopped but didn't turn. "I want you to belong too..."
Then Alice got an idea. One she didn't let herself consider for fear of backing down. She had to. She needed to know. Erasing the distance between them, Alice returned to Rose's arms, pulling her close. Their lips almost brushed when Rosalie spoke.
"Alice.... what are you doing?"
"I have to know. Please. Just one. Please, Rose, kiss me."
Rosalie was speechless.
"I need to know if I like girls... I can't judge it off a drunken kiss, please."
Rosalie pushed her away hard.
"What's the matter with you?" she nearly yelled.
Alice's eyes lowered.
"I'm with Bella. I would never betray her by kissing someone else."
Neither of them had noticed Bella walk into the room, observing the scene.
"It's okay, Rose." Both vampires heads whipped around to face her. Her dark hair was damp, water droplets on her towel-wrapped skin. "She needs to know."
"But Bella-" Rosalie tried.
"Rose," she cut her off gently. "What would you do in her position?"
Rosalie thought about that for a moment. "I guess I'd want to know for sure..."
Alice and Bella waited.
"Alright, fine," she agreed.
"Thank you, Rose," Alice said with a sigh of relief. For a second all were silent, but it wasn't long until Alice stepped forward. Rosalie let her wrap her in her arms, setting her own hands on the petite vampire's waist. Bella was right, she laughed internally. She is perfectly proportioned...
Alice's lips crashed with her own. Both girls closed their eyes, melting into the kiss, though Rosalie was hesitant at first. Alice moved a hand to the back of her head, pressing their lips harder. Rosalie found her arms wrapping around her slim waist, pulling their bodies closer. After a minute Rosalie opened her eyes to find Bella's. Bella simply nodded and smiled in encouragement. Bewildered but oddly content, Rosalie resumed the kiss, finding her back against the wall. Alice's hands slid from her neck to her arms, down to the bottom of her shirt. Alice was expecting Bella to tell her to stop, but the human never did. Alice coaxed her fingers under Rose's shirt, delighting in the feel of her curves. Rosalie gasped when Alice began kissing her neck. The next thing Alice knew they were on the floor, rubbing against each other roughly.
But after a few minutes Rosalie caught sight of Bella looking down at them and snapped back to reality.
"Oh!" she cried, leaping to her feet, trying to straighten her clothes.
"Is there a problem?" Bella asked, leaning against the wall with her arms crossed. Rosalie searched her expression for anger but there was none.
"Bella, I'm so sorry," Alice stood up as well. "I got carried away."
"And?" Bella questioned.
Rosalie and Alice exchanged a confused glance.
"How was it?" she asked, looking rather smug.
Rosalie's mouth hung open.
"You're not jealous?" Alice asked skeptically.
Bella chuckled. "Why would I be jealous? I said it was alright, didn't I?"
"Yes, but..."
"Honestly I don't know why you two stopped. It was getting pretty interesting there." She walked past them to go sit in the living room.
"What is she talking about?" Alice asked.
"I have no idea. She couldn't have meant..." The two followed after her.
"Bella?" Rose asked hesitantly. "Are you saying you liked that?"
"You mean watching two of the most gorgeous women on the planet suck each others faces off?"
"Errr...."
"Hell yes," she said with vigor.
Alice and Rosalie both wanted to laugh, but smiled awkwardly instead.
"So I guess this means you know what you are now, hm Alice?"
Alice paused, looking form Bella's bare shoulders to Rose's red lips.
"I suppose it does..."
Rosalie smiled at her, the awkwardness dissolving from the room.
"I'm bi!"
Bella winked at her. "Told you I owed you one."
A/N: *sigh* I love my job.
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