JPOV

How?

Just fuckin' how someone, anyone, could…burn Bella…it was unfathomable. My girl was fierce, ain't no doubtin' that, but she had a heart of gold. Seein' those burns marrin' her beautiful body was killin' me.

I felt a warm hand cup my cheek. I hadn't realized I'd been starin' at 'em this whole time. My gaze shifted to B's eyes. Her warm, beautiful eyes. Those eyes scanned my face an' she frowned. She gently pulled me down to her 'til me head rested on her chest, right above her heart. She gently combed her fingers through my hair.

"Don't cry, Jazz," Bella murmured. "Please."

It was then I finally felt the tears fallin'.

BPOV

I had to tell him.

"Jazz," I murmured, "remember when I told you about Mark? How Travis was convinced he'd hurt me?" I felt him nod.

"Well," I continued, "he did kill my mom and my uncle, he drove Tray and Jamie into near financial ruin, and he fucked my former girlfriend. He drank, he swore, he gambled, and he threw glass bottles at me when I pissed him off. But he never smoked a day in his life."

I paused to let what I said sink in. I was absently petting his head and rubbing his back, and I could feel his tears on my skin. His thumb gently grazed my burns, and I knew he understood.

"Yeah…Mark didn't do that. He never burned me. He beat me, he bruised me, and he made me bleed; he never burnt me."

"Who?" Jasper's voice was a hoarse whisper.

I sighed. Here we go…

EPOV

"Alice, the car is here." I heard Esme call out.

I sighed with relief. Dad had recently explained to me that they had never actually adopted Alice, they just fostered her. Apparently, Alice had always been a whiny little brat, so she had never stayed in one place for too long. Her social worker was surprised Mom and Dad didn't kick Alice out sooner.

I could hear Alice arguing with whomever came to collect her (I'm assuming her social worker). Something about the number of bags she had and how there was no way in hell she'd be able to keep even a third of it. I turned up my music to drown them out. Bella had recently introduced to Volbeat, a German metal band she was very fond of. I had to admit, they were quite good.

They were also perfect for drowning out Alice and her squawking.

I smiled in spite of myself. No one was going to miss Alice, least of all me. In reality though, this was Alice's best option. She didn't know how to watch herself, especially around Bella. I had told her as much yesterday after Carlisle had informed her she would be leaving. I wouldn't have said anything to her, but she spent a good forty minutes bitching about Bella under her breath, and then had the nerve to come and appeal to me.

"Edward, you don't really want me to leave, do you?" Alice had been trying to sound sweet and innocent, but all I heard was whining and bitching.

I didn't even look at her. "Alice, there are no words that could possibly describe just how badly I want you gone." I kept my tone fairly neutral, I did not want to deal with her.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw her pouting. Again. Oh for the love of all that is holy! Would she ever leave me alone?

"I don't see why everyone loves Bella so much. She's nothing special." Alice had spat out Bella's name, as though it offended her.

Fuck it.

I stood and strode over to her. I knew my eyes were murderous, because she shrank away from me. "Alice, don't you dare insult Bella in front of me. Believe me, if I was straight, no scratch that, if I was even bi, I would try anything and everything to woo Bella. She is good, and I couldn't ask for a better friend."

I could tell she was about to protest, so I shoved her out of my room, and just before I slammed the door, I said: "I have one nerve left. And you're dry humping it."

I shook my head as I remembered that. On the plus side, Alice had been so angry, she had left me alone for the rest of the night. Hell, she hadn't even spared me a glance this morning.

Even a slap from Rose wouldn't have been able to wipe my grin off.

Well, there you have it. I actually ended this chapter completely differently from what I'd originally written out. But I like this better :)

So, who do you think burned B so bad? Is this the last they've heard from Alice? Drop me a line, and I might send out a teaser ;)

Until next time, my darlings.