Author's Note: Thank you everyone :) This is my favorite chapter so far; I had a tiny image from it stuck in my head a couple days ago and I wrote the whole chapter around it.

Nice reviews are better than chocolate, unless maybe you're licking that chocolate off someone.

Twelve

He smiled, lifting my t-shirt a little ways; he planted a kiss on my stomach, inching his way down. "You're happy?" I was still unsure.

I could feel him grinning against my hip. "I don't think I've ever been happier."

"I love you, Mike."

"Bella!" Alice's loud voice startled me awake. I sat up straight and immediately touched my hand to my forehead.

"Oh," I remembered the night before. "Crap."

"You were talking in your sleep."

"Aspirin." I looked over to her as if she could provide it for me. "Did I invite you to sleep here last night?" My memory was cloudy.

"I think I asked you," she didn't sound too sure herself.

"What time is it?" And where was my clock? It was usually on my nightstand. I looked around, but it was missing.

"I dunno, let's go find the aspirin."

We climbed out of bed; I would have laughed at our identical slouched, hand on the head postures if it wasn't so painful. I pulled pills out of a cabinet in the kitchen and handed her two; we shared a glass of water. My stomach felt a little like it was caving in on itself. "Should we eat? Or would that be bad?" I didn't have much hangover experience.

"We should eat," she paused, "probably something greasy, I hear that helps."

I scrunched up my nose, but didn't say anything. I searched through my fridge and pulled out some eggs, bread, and bacon. I looked at Alice and raised my eyebrows in question. "Yeah, that'll work." She sat at my computer while I started making breakfast; she rolled the sleeves and waistband of my pajamas up to free her hands and feet. Checking the time on the microwave, I saw that it was just past eleven in the morning.

Alice sat with her head in her hands while I piled some scrambled eggs, bacon, and toast on two plates. I set the plate on the table and startled her by accident. "Oh," she sat up a little straighter, "thanks." She moved the laptop over so she could eat. We ate quietly for most of the meal, neither of us having the energy for conversation. "Edward sent you an instant message," Alice glanced at the screen. "He says that it's ok?"

"Huh?"

"He said 'you didn't have to apologize, it's ok'." She faced me.

Had I apologized to him for not seeing him the night before? This is why I don't drink. She moved the laptop so I could see it. I set my fork down and Alice swiped a strip of bacon off my plate.

Bella: Hi, sorry, last night was –

I tried to think of the appropriate sentiment.

- interesting. We all went out; I guess Alice and I had a little too much fun.

Edward: I gathered that from your e-mail. I didn't know people could slur when they typed.

I felt the heat rising on my face; I couldn't remember what I'd written.

Bella: I'm really sorry about that.

Edward: I was just teasing, it's ok.

"Should I tell him about New York?" I looked to Alice for advice, suddenly nervous.

"What?" It took a second her to get caught up. "Oh, definitely, see if he's excited to see you."

Bella: I have news. Alice is going to be in New York for Fashion Week; she has her own show.

Edward: That's awesome, tell her I said congratulations!

"He says congratulations."

"Tell him you'll be there too."

Bella: She's here actually, we're recovering together. I don't know how she did it, but Rose, Emmett, and I are going to be out there for her show too.

I braced myself for his reaction.

Edward: Will I get to see you?

"What'd he say?" Alice stood up to make some coffee.

"He asked if he could see me. What do I say?" My heart was beating too fast again.

"Well, say yes!"

Bella: Sure. I have no idea when I'll be there, but I'll definitely let you know.

Edward: Excellent, look I hate to do this, but I need to get going. Jasper wants to go out to our construction site.

Bella: Ok, well, tell him I said hello.

We said our goodbyes and Alice handed me a mug of coffee; the smell reminded me of Edward. "So?" She sat back down.

I flipped the laptop around so she could read it, rather than have me summarize. I finished up the last of my food and grabbed our plates, taking them to the sink. "That sounds promising," she grinned at me.

I sighed, "maybe." The thought of actually meeting him terrified me. What if he didn't like me? What if he did?

Alice looked at me for a moment; I couldn't guess what she may have been thinking. "Want to watch a movie?"

That wasn't even close. "Sure."

"Good, I really need to lay down."

We watched three movies back to back; after a while Alice got up to grab all the junk food out of my cupboards. With her head on the opposite end on the couch as mine, Alice curled up, resting her legs over my calves. We didn't talk much, except to decide on the next movie. After the third one, Alice stretched, "want to go to the beach?"

We both got up; neither of us had so much as showered yet that day. I changed into a pair of jeans and a white tank top. Alice put on one of my t-shirts and pairs of jeans. She cuffed the sleeves of the shirt twice and had to wear a belt with the pants. "Sometimes I can't believe I'm only a size bigger than you."

She shrugged and tried on a pair of my flip flops; they were a little big, but they would do. We walked the short distance to the water in silence. Alice stretched her legs out in front of her once we picked a spot on the sand, kicking off her shoes. The beach was quiet, the late afternoon sun still shining warmly. "You said Mike's name in your sleep," she said softly.

I wrapped my arms around my knees.

"Are you still having the dreams?" We both stared out at the waves, a seagull picked at something near the shore.

"Not that much."

"You can talk to me if you need to."

"I'm ok." I leaned back on my hands, straightening my legs on the sand.

Alice scooted closer, leaning her head on my shoulder. "I love you, you know that right." She said it as a statement.

I tilted my head until it rested on hers, "I love you too, Alice."

"I see good things in your future."

"You always do."

"I'm right though." She nodded to herself. "You should trust me."

"I do, mostly."

We picked up dinner at a little Mexican take-out place on the way back to my apartment. Mostly, we chatted about her line and the different things she wanted to make for the show. I'm not sure how it happened, but somehow she got me to agree to help her. It seemed to me like she had plenty of time, but she said she had a million things to do before she was ready.

She ate a spoonful of rice and chuckled to herself about something, "so I've been wondering…what exactly did you write in that e-mail last night to Edward?"

I took a sip of my soda, "I have no idea. I meant to check earlier, but I forgot."

"Can I?" She asked, not waiting for a response as she opened my e-mail. I watched her read it, her grin getting bigger and bigger. I frowned and grabbed the laptop, turning it to me. She laughed, but didn't say anything.

oh dear edwardd

im so so sorry for standing you up tonight!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! i didn't mean to and alice said I couldnt use the internet and i couldnt get emmett alone!!!!!!!!!!!!!! i missed you a whole lot please forgive me ok?!!!

Bellla

I put my head in my hands; was it possible that my headache was coming back? "Oh crap…"

Alice chuckled, "that's not the first time you've said that today."

"I'm surprised he even talked to me today; I sounded like an idiot."

She took a drink before answering, "he likes you, it would take something a lot bigger than that – "

"What do you mean, he likes me?" I raised my head to look at her.

She gave me a weird look. "Oh Bella," she sounded a little patronizing. "That poor boy likes you so much it's not even funny." I must have looked skeptical because she continued. "How late does he stay up talking to you? You realize how demanding his job is, right? He's probably getting, what? Five hours of sleep a night? And, oh yeah, he composed music for you! The closest I've ever gotten to that was a mixed tape Bobby Dresden made for me in the eighth grade. Just the fact that your first letter moved him so much that he wrote you back says a lot." Her voice lowered so I could barely hear her, "what I wouldn't give for…" she trailed off, biting her lip.

It was then that I realized - Alice was lonely. I had been so wrapped up in myself for the last two years it had never even occurred to me. I looked at her; she was looking down at her empty plate. I reached across and put my hand over hers, not really knowing what to say. "Alice…"

She shook her head, smiling part way. "I'm fine, don't you start worrying about me…I'm Alice, remember?"

I lifted my lips in some semblance of a smile. "Yes you are."

She squeezed my hand once and then changed the subject.

When she decided it was time for her to get back home, we got up to gather her belongings that seemed to be sprinkled randomly around the apartment. I walked into the bathroom to grab her purse; she thought it might be in there, but we weren't sure. I searched around, but didn't see it. On a whim, I pulled back the shower curtain to check. There it was, hanging around the faucet along with something else.

"Hey, Alice? Why is my clock in the tub?"