I tried to post links to gifts Alice recieves in this chapter, but I couldn't figure out how to make them work. If anyone can tell me, I'll gladly post them in the final one. =(

Because You Loved Me

Part 13/14

Something Beautiful

It's halfway through November, and the Cullen house looks like someone bought the entire contents of several hundred bridal stores and dumped them in the middle of the family room. The date's been set for New Year's Eve; a fitting date, Alice thinks, since it marks the beginning of new things.

The beginning of her new life as happy young bride.

This Saturday, the only family members in the house are Esme, Rosalie and Alice herself. Carlisle is working, and Edward and Emmett have (upon Rosalie's very demanding request) taken Jasper and gone to be fitted for their suits.

Alice has been grateful for the cold and rainy weather; fittings for dresses and tuxedos haven't been hindered by the sun.

Esme is sitting on the floor, holding up various pieces of fabric to Rosalie's face as the blonde chatters on the phone to someone – the florist, Alice thinks, or maybe the photographer.

"I don't care!" Rosalie yells into the phone. "My sister wants Spanish carnations at her wedding, and they'd better be here on time or I'll rip your head off with my bare hands!!"

Alice flinches as she slams the phone down onto the receiver. "If you can't find any, Rosalie, it's OK. I can find something else…"

"No," she insists. "If you want Spanish carnations, you're getting Spanish carnations. I won't settle for anything less than perfect for my sister on her wedding day, because you and Jasper don't strike me as the type to do this more than once. It has to be right."

She decides not to argue the fact that it is her wedding, and settles for continuing to write down the addresses of stores that sell wedding gowns. "These are all too…big."

"Why don't you design your own dress, Alice?"

She'd never thought of that.

* * *

When she's out hunting the next day, she finds it very strange that Edward asks to go with her. They make a game out of it, and on the way back to the house, he stops her.

"What's wrong, Edward?"

He shoves his hand in his pocket and frowns slightly. "I know you're not accustomed to all these wedding traditions, but… well. I'm sure you've heard it; something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue?"

Alice nods her head. She has heard of this, but she never thought it would be incorporated into her own wedding.

"Well, I… here," he says awkwardly, holding out his closed hand.

"Oh, Edward, you didn't have to get me anything."

"I didn't. It's something old."

Biting her lip, Alice steps forward and opens her hand. Edward drops a small coin into her palm. There's a butterfly enscribed on it, and, as he said, it looked very old.

"My mother gave it to me," he explains. "When I was a boy. She said it would bring good luck in love."

There's a sinking feeling in Alice's stomach as she looks up at her brother. "Shouldn't you keep it, then…?"

He chuckles. "Nah."

"…I know you get lonely, Edward."

Edward sighs and looks away. "I'll find her," he says. "One day, maybe. Who knows, maybe I'll meet her tomorrow."

Alice grins and nudges him with her elbow. "Or maybe you've already met her."

"I seriously doubt that one."

They stand there for a moment in silence. Then, Alice races him back to the house.

He lets her win.

Alice thinks that perhaps the whole family has planned the Old, New, Borrowed & Blue tradition without her knowing. A few days later, Carlisle and Emmett stop her before she heads out to find fabric for her dress.

Emmett is holding something in his hand.

"What's this?" she asks, eyeballing his closed fist.

"Well… s'just something. Here ya go."

She opens the little black box that he hands her, and two small earrings peer up at her. Each one is made of three diamonds, fit into a vaguely triangular shape. "Carlisle bought'em but we picked them out together a few days ago."

Something new.

She bounces on her toes and thanks them, placing a quick kiss on Carlisle's cheek. She has to stand on a chair to hug Emmett properly.

That night after she returns from fabric hunting, she opts out of hunting with Jasper and instead gets comfy on the bed with her bridal magazines.

The soft knock on her bedroom door snatches her attention, and she's a bit surprised to see Rosalie step into the room. Her blonde hair falls loosely around her shoulders, and she's wrapped in a fluffy pink bathrobe.

Alice thinks she looks more beautiful than ever.

"Hi, Rosalie."

"Hey," she says, sitting on the bed next to Alice. "Not long now."

"I know."

Rosalie sighs and scratches at the back of her head. "Erm… look, I'm not good at this sentimental stuff, Alice, but… well, there's something I want to show you."

Alice watches as Rosalie reaches into the front pocket of her robe, and pulls out a long string of tiny white pearls that match Alice's ring.

"Are they real?"

"Of course they're real," Rosalie snaps. Then, her tone softens. "And they've never been worn. They were given to me by my grandmother, and meant to be used on my wedding night. The one with Royce, I mean."

Alice suddenly feels very sad. She'd heard Rosalie's story, of how her fiancée and his friends hurt her, broke her and left her to die. "Rosalie…"

"I don't wear them at the ceremonies with Emmett because. …Well, it just doesn't feel right. I want you to wear them Alice. They're meant for a first and only wedding… one like yours and Jasper's."

"Oh, Rose, what if I break them?"

"You won't, because I expect them back just the way I'm giving them to you." Rosalie stops, and takes a long, deep breath. Alice thinks she hers a tremble in it. "Wear them, Alice…wear them for me. They'll be beautiful on you. Please."

Alice stares at her, and then takes the pearls from her hands. "I will."

It's the first time that Rosalie hugs Alice. They stay that way for hours, and once, Alice thinks she feels her sister squeeze her just a little tighter than necessary.

Alice has just borrowed a part of her past that she'd buried a long time ago.

"Esme? Can I come in?"

She's never been in their bedroom before; she feels like she's walking into some kind of sacred space. She's even afraid to put her feet completely on the floor, so she tiptoes in with Esme grants permission.

"How are you, Alice?"

Alice thinks about this. She's excited, anxious. But most of all…

"I'm scared, Esme. What if I… mess it up? I don't even know half of the guests, and… what if I start to say my vows and can't talk? What if I get cold feet? What if Jasper decides to change his mind?"

Esme laughs, sending an orchestra of bells through Alice's mind. "Oh, honey… I can't tell you how scared I was about my first wedding. You'll do fine. Come here."

Alice joins Esme by the bookshelf, and watches as she rummages through an old jewellry box. "I wore this," she said as she searches, "when Carlisle and I renewed our vows. You can have it, if you like. I know you already have something old and borrowed, but perhaps you still need something blue?"

From the box, Esme pulls a small pin whose sets are made of various shades of blue. "It's beautiful, Esme."

"I thought you could pin it to your dress, when it's finished."

Alice hugs her. "You're the best mom anyone could ever ask for."

Esme laughs and runs her fingers through Alice's short hair. "And you'll be one of the most beautiful brides when your wedding day comes."

She isn't so sure about that, but she lets herself think it's true. She hopes, at least, that she'll be beautiful to Jasper.

To her husband.