Summary - "Bella is an average girl, struggling with her homosexuality and her life at home. Can the love of not one, but three vampires help show her that she shouldn't be afraid? A/B/R/V".
Author's Notes - Also Take Note This great story wouldn't be Happening if it wasn't For my dear Friend HG or as some of you know him Hollowgo.
Rating - Older Teen to Mature
By: WDG and Lash_Larue
The Garden of Four - Chapter Eight - Truths
"So, how's your back?" Alice asked.
"Good as new. Well, except for my sexy scars," Bella said, remembering Alice's words.
"Great, can I see them?" Bella felt her face flush, because she had just had a mental image of pulling off her sweater in front of Alice.
"Umm, this might not be the best place for show and tell," Bella managed to get out, "suppose Emmett walked in?"
"I guess you're right, but he'll be gone for a while. Mom sent him out to get something for the supper she's fixing for you. She's really thrilled that you like her cooking," Alice explained.
"Her cooking's great; don't all of you like it?" Bella asked.
"Sure, but it means more when somebody outside the family says it," Alice explained, "not that you're really outside. Everybody really likes you, Bella."
Bella flushed again, it seemed like she spent all of her time with the Cullen's blushing or being doctored. But it gave her a warm feeling to hear Alice say that. She thought of what Taylor had told her that the Cullen's were dangerous, and she just couldn't see it. She felt safer with them than she even did with Charlie, and Charlie was a cop, he had a gun.
"Thanks Alice, I really like you guys too. Where are Rose and Vic?"
"They went shopping in Seattle; you know those two and clothes. Would you like to go and catch up with them? I'll drive, and I'm sure the clothes you brought from Arizona aren't exactly right for a winter in Forks," Alice told her.
Bella thought for a moment, it would be fun to spend that much time with Alice in the car, and she could use some new clothes, but she hated shopping. She also dreaded the thought of a dressing room, because she was sure that Alice would insist on helping her try things on.
"I think I'd rather just spend time here with you, if that's okay," Bella answered. The brilliant smile that Alice gave her set her heart pounding, and of course Alice heard it.
"Maybe she does like me like I like her…"Alice thought, "maybe…" Alice couldn't blush, but her eyes sparkled at the thought, and the happiness that it brought her shone from her face.
"God, she's beautiful," Bella thought, or had she whispered it?
"Fine with me," Alice agreed, "do you want to go ahead and knock out our homework so we can stay up late painting our nails, and being silly and stuff?" Bella had never been too interested in anything like that before, but just now it seemed like a fine idea indeed, and she and Alice were busy with chemistry when they heard Emmett return.
"Here you go, Mom," he said to Esme in the kitchen, which was right by the dining room where the girls were doing their homework. "I don't have to eat this stuff, do I?"
"Manners, Emmett," said Esme. Bella looked at Alice with a question on her face.
"Mom's probably making something fancy to show off. Emmett has pretty basic tastes in food," Alice explained with a shrug. Bella could not hear the whispered conversation between Esme and Emmett, but Alice could.
"Okay, I'm sorry, Esme, but if Bella's gonna be hanging around here, she's got to know sometime. She's not stupid. Besides, it's not right not to tell her. We know everything about her, she should know about us," Emmett insisted.
"I agree, Emmett, but it's not up to us. Bella is precious to Alice; this has to be her decision. All we can do is support her as best we can," Esme explained.
"You're right, of course you're right, but I wish she'd get on with it. Hell, even I can see Bella's the one for her; they match up better than Rosalie and Victoria. I think I'll go catch up with Edward and Jasper, I know you're a great cook, Esme, but I can't stand Italian. Tomato sauce is too much like being teased. And somebody better let Rose and Vic know Bella's staying overnight. Who knows if she's a light sleeper?"
"Hey sis, Bella," Emmett boomed as he entered the dining room, "you're in for a treat Bells, Mom's making Italian. Say, Bella, I hope you won't be disappointed if I don't hang around and beat you at Halo some more, but Edward called. He and Jasper forgot some of their gear. Those two are helpless without me, and I'll just camp out with them tonight since I have to go all that way anyhow."
"In your dreams you'd beat me at Halo, you big ox," Bella said with a grin, "you just got lucky before. All twenty times."
"That's the spirit, Bella, never give up!" Emmett mussed her hair on the way by, and Bella didn't mind a bit. She'd always kind of wanted a big brother, and they didn't come much bigger than Emmett. Besides, he was funny. She just could not reconcile what she knew of the Cullen's with Taylor's cryptic warnings.
Alice and Bella had finished their homework and cleared the table when Carlisle hurried into the dining room, putting on his coat.
"I'm very sorry girls, but I have to go back to the hospital, one of my patients has had a sudden downturn. Don't wait up for me, I'm afraid it might be a long night," he told them.
"That's okay Dad," Alice said, her face knitting in concern, "we'll be fine."
"Is it Mrs. Brinkman?" Esme asked as she entered the dining room.
"I'm afraid so. I really don't think she'll make it through the night," Carlisle answered her.
"Is her husband there?" Esme asked. Carlisle sighed deeply.
"Of course, and I'm worried about him too. They are both in their nineties, and his health is quite fragile." Esme looked at Alice.
"Go, Mom, we'll be fine. Just tell Bella when to take things out of the oven. I know you like the Brinkman's," Alice answered the unspoken question.
"Bella dear, would you be offended if I went?" Esme asked her.
"Of course not, Esme, I think it's very kind of you, and I'm sure Mr. Brinkman will appreciate your company."
"Thank you Bella, they have no remaining family or friends, you see, they've outlived them all," explained Esme, and Bella thought she saw a shadow pass across her perfect face. "Let me show you about dinner then, Alice is kind of useless in the kitchen." Grinning at the look on Alice's face, Bella followed Esme into the kitchen.
"Is it safe for you to be alone with her, Alice?" Carlisle asked seriously.
"Yes, I'm over the initial hunger, she's just too important to me now to hurt her," Alice told him, "she doesn't even smell like food anymore. She smells like my life."
"I'm happy for you Alice," Carlisle told her, "and I believe that Bella cares for you too, but you know she's very – insecure – about some things."
"I do. I won't push her. After all, it's not like I'm running out of time, is it?" Alice asked with a grin.
"Twenty minutes left on the lasagna, Bella, and then it should sit for 10 or 15 minutes before you serve it. Just pop the bread in when you take it out and things should work out nicely. The salad is in the refrigerator. And don't be surprised if Alice doesn't want anything, she does have her special diet. I know she told you about it, and she has to eat at specific times," Esme explained.
"Is she sick?" Bella asked, and the worry was plain on her face and in her voice.
"Not sick, but she has an enzyme deficiency that makes it difficult for her to digest most things; apart from that she's as healthy as the proverbial horse. I do appreciate your concern, though," Esme answered her.
"That's okay. Alice is my best friend, she's – special – to me," Bella said quietly.
"You're special to her too, Bella," Esme promised as she kissed Bella's cheek with her cool lips. "And I do apologize for being such a poor hostess, but…"
"Shoo," said Bella, "go, take care of Mr. Brinkman, I've got Alice to take care of me, and I know my way around a kitchen," Bella promised. Esme smiled and swiftly left the room.
"Gosh, Esme is a great cook!" exclaimed Bella as she pushed back from her second helping of lasagna.
"I'm glad you liked it, and she will be too," Alice said happily," watching you enjoy it makes me wish I could have some, but that stuff would keep me in the bathroom all night."
"Esme said you have an enzyme deficiency?"
"Yeah, it's genetic. Genes can mess with you," Alice said ruefully.
"Tell me about it…" muttered Bella, Alice pretended not to hear her.
"Wanna watch a movie?" Alice suggested.
"Sure!"
They watched two movies before Bella's yawns got wide enough to be funny.
"Oh, excuse me," Bella said when her jaws finally closed.
"Sleepy?" asked Alice.
"Maybe a little," Bella admitted, "shouldn't Rosalie and Victoria be back by now?"
"They're night owls. Probably they decided to go to that foreign film festival they've been going on about. The thing runs all night," Alice explained. "Come on, you can use Rosalie's bathroom to shower and stuff." Bella took Alice's hand and allowed herself to be led to Rose's bath.
"Holy cow!" exclaimed Bella as she looked around the luxurious bath with its huge tub and shower, and the rows of bottles on the long countertop.
"Carlisle spoils her," Alice admitted, "and Rose is a little vain, I guess."
"Vain, hell, she's perfect," Bella replied, "if you like them like that."
"Like what," Alice asked curiously.
"Tall, blonde, statuesque, and aloof," Bella explained. "Personally, I like my women in smaller, cuter, packages." Alice's eyes went round, and Bella turned purple. Bella faked a coughing fit to cover up her embarrassment, and Alice quickly recovered.
"I won't tell Rose. She did say that you were to use any of that stuff you like; I put your PJ's in here earlier. I guess it's too late for fingernail painting, but if you want to wash your hair I'll dry it and brush it for you," Alice told her.
"Thanks…" Bella said in a hoarse voice. She hadn't planned on washing it tonight, but she would now. The thought of Alice brushing her hair made her shiver a little, and caused some activity below her waist. "Okay, now beat it so I can shower."
Bella spent some time looking over the bottles before picking out a shampoo and a cream rinse that she had heard of but never been able to afford. She looked longingly at the huge tub, but decided that she didn't want to take that much time. In the shower, she breathed deeply of the scent of the shampoo, and tried not to be afraid.
In her own bathroom, Alice was showering too, but the scent on her mind was purely Bella, and she could not help but be encouraged by the memory of the faint scent she caught from her when she mentioned doing her hair for her.
"Maybe…" she thought.
"Your hair is so beautiful, Bella," Alice said as she pulled the brush through it, "so thick, and so long."
"Thank you," Bella managed to say, although the feeling of Alice's hands on her hair, brushing and smoothing it, had set butterflies loose in her tummy. She felt like she should run away, but the thought of leaving Alice was more than she could bear. "It's about all I've got going for me."
"Don't be silly, Bella," Alice responded, "you're very pretty, and you have a lovely figure. You make me look like a boy." Bella's skin flamed, and she couldn't say anything, but Alice could feel the heat of her skin, and she again caught a faint scent from her. "Too soon," Alice cautioned herself, but she had a singing in her heart, she knew now that she wasn't wrong. Bella did like her that way; she just had to be patient.
"All done," Alice announced. "Do you usually put it up to sleep? I have no idea how to deal with that much hair."
"It's easier to sleep with it down, but it gets tangled that way," Bella told her.
"No problem, I'll brush it out for you in the morning, I enjoy it," Alice assured her.
"Thanks," Bella said, stifling a yawn. She really was sleepy, and considering how much Alice's touch had affected her, she was glad of it.
"Go ahead and get into bed, I'll get the lights," Alice told her, and Bella climbed gratefully into the soft bed. She scarcely felt the mattress move when Alice's tiny body climbed in on the other side. The moonlight shone in through the large windows, and Bella felt happier than she could ever remember.
"Night, Alice," she said, and she reached out and touched Alice's shoulder. "Gosh, you're freezing!" Bella exclaimed.
"It's okay," Alice assured her, "it's a circulation thing. Carlisle says it's nothing to worry about," Alice explained.
"Still," Bella said, and she made a quick adjustment between her legs before snuggling up to Alice's back and putting an arm around her waist, "I can at least warm you up a little, I'm good for that at least."
"Oh God, are you ever," Alice thought, and a moment later she heard Bella's breathing fall into the pattern of deep sleep. Alice of course did not sleep, she just lay very still, enjoying the feeling of Bella pressing against her, holding her, and wishing that it would always be like this.
Bella dreamed of a pixie with golden eyes, a laughing sprite that made her heart soar. The smell of Alice's skin filled her senses, and she nuzzled into Alice's short hair as she dreamed. She felt Alice's fingers in her hair; saw Alice smiling at her, leaning in close, felt Alice's cool lips on her own warm ones. She tightened her arm around Alice in her sleep, and her legs shifted.
Alice stifled a moan when Bella squeezed her in her dreams, when she felt something swelling against her bottom, nudging against her. Of course she knew what it was, and what it meant, and it took every bit of strength that she had to remain still, to not turn and crush her lips to Bella's. Bella was after all asleep, and one could not be held accountable for one's dreams.
But it still felt wonderful to Alice.
"Alice," Bella whispered in her dreams,"my Alice…" The Alice in her dreams ran her small fingers into her hair and kissed her softly, and the warmth between Bella's legs grew, and she pressed closer to the tiny girl that filled her heart.
Alice could not stifle the moan this time, not when she felt Bella rubbing against her, felt Bella's breathing grow harsh, felt the gathering heat pressing against her back. She tried, she really did, but she could not stop herself from pressing back into Bella, from raising Bella's hand to her lips and softly kissing it.
"Ali-"
"Oh God!" cried Bella as she woke and found herself thrusting against Alice, felt the rigid thing between her legs pressing against Alice's bottom. "Alice! I'm sorry, I'm so sorry! I'll leave! Please don't tell anyone! Alice, I'm sorry!" Bella scrambled frantically to get out of the bed, only to find herself absolutely helpless in Alice's grasp.
"Shhhhh, Bella, be quiet, it's all right," Alice assured her, "it's all right, I promise."
Bella didn't believe that for a minute, she was exposed for the freak that she was, and even worse, she had been humping her best friend in her sleep. But she couldn't get away; Alice's grip was gentle, but absolutely unbreakable.
"Listen to me, Bella," Alice insisted, and Bella grew still and quiet, though tears flooded from her tightly closed eyes. "It's okay, I – I didn't mind. In fact, I liked it. I liked you rubbing against me, I like girls. I like them that way, and I especially like you. Do you understand, Bella? I like you a lot, and I'm very attracted to you. It's okay, really."
"I'm not a girl, I'm a freak!" Bella hissed, still not opening her eyes.
"You're unusual, yes," Alice admitted, "but you are definitely a girl, Bella. I couldn't feel this way about you if you weren't. Trust me, Bella, I know a girl when I hold her in my arms."
"I'm still a freak," Bella protested.
"Bella dearest, you aren't a freak; there are many people with similar genetics, it's just part of being human. You aren't even the most unusual thing in this bed, Bella. You are at least human, after all."
That got Bella's eyes open.
"What are you talking about, Alice?" she managed to ask, wiping her nose on her sleeve.
"Watch," Alice said, and she handed Bella an object from her nightstand after turning on the light, "do you know what this is?"
"Sure, it's a marble egg, my Mom has some." Alice took it back from her, and the small hand closed without seeming effort. She opened it and displayed a handful of sand. "How did you do that?" Bella asked.
"We're very strong, Bella," Alice told her. "Bella, the world isn't really like you were raised to believe, most of the things you were told aren't real, are real. And I am one of them, so are all my family. And so are some people in La Push."
"What are you?" Bella asked, although she was beginning to have an idea.
"Before I tell you, let me ask you something, please." Bella nodded, this was Alice, whatever else she might be. "What you were doing before you woke up, was that because of me? How you feel about me? Or was it just a kind of 'morning' thing?"
"Because of you…" Bella whispered.
"Then you want me? You like me that way?" Alice pressed on.
"Yes," Bella told her, "I do want you; I do like you – that way." Alice smiled her dazzling smile as Bella's heart galloped. "So what are you, Alice?"
"I'm a vampire."
End Chapter Eight
So secerts are starting to come out. Bella likes Alice and Alice likes bella back. Now things are starting to pick up. Well off to work on chapter 9 by ya'll.