Chapter 31 – Contemplation

Alice's POV

Finally, the bed was complete.

I'd taken Bella home, so she could gather together her belongings and check with her dad that she could stay over this evening. I'd left her, albeit begrudgingly, because I needed to hunt. It hadn't taken me long to quench my thirst, so now here I was, in my room, looking at the bed…

"So, what do you think Al? Impressed or what?"

Emmet's voice infiltrated my thoughts.

He continued.

"I know it took a little longer than anticipated, but we got there eventually".

I smiled.

"Yes, emphasis on the word eventually… but thank you, thank you all".

I looked from Emmet to Jasper and then Edward, who returned my smile.

Jasper spoke next, a wry smile on his face.

"I've been a major in the Confederacy Army, giving instructions and orders on a daily basis, but this…" he motioned to the bed, and the large box in had been stored in "this was tougher".

Emmet laughed, "Dude, that's a crazy thing to say".

Jasper shook his head, "Emmet, you have no idea how hard it was to read this (he waved the paper instructions in the air) and to make you understand them… you don't take instruction too well…."

Edward laughed.

Emmet scowled, "Rose was the one with the issues Jasper, and not me… she was the one who lost it…"

Jasper continued, "I won't argue with you there – I've participated in the great vampire wars of the South, but Rosalie? She's far more intimidating than any vampire I came face to face with there…"

Emmet nodded his head in agreement.

"Well, I still think you boys should thank her – she was only trying to help, and I suspect if you let her, this would have been finished before Bella and I arrived".

Emmet and Jasper left the room, the former muttering under his breath.

I looked at the bed, and the back at Edward who was now standing by my side.

"I really am sorry we didn't finish it in time, but I think she liked the gesture Alice".

I nodded. I recalled the smile on her face when she witnessed the banter than had passed between me and Emmet, and the blush that had appeared on her face when Edward apologised for not having the surprise ready for her.

"I wish you could read her mind" I whispered, more to myself than Edward.

Edward smiled again, "I didn't need to – her look said it all…."

He deliberately left the sentence hanging, as I turned and pointed my finger at him.

"You've spent too long with Emmet today".

Edward shrugged his shoulders, "Perhaps… just… well… just be careful".

And then he embraced me.

I didn't expect this from Edward, but as I lent in to his embrace, I found myself smiling.

I stepped back and nodded, "I will".

And so here I was, sitting on the end of my new bed, thinking about Bella.

Thinking about those three words that had escaped her lips earlier in the afternoon.

Bella Swan loved me.

I saw it in her eyes, and her smile.

I heard it in her voice.

I felt it in her heartbeat.

I could taste it in her kiss.

I was blessed. I was a vampire who was redeemed; Bella had favored me with her love, no longer did I feel damned or cursed. I always thought I would be alone; condemned for eternity. And now Bella had appeared – I never wanted to let her go. Slowly I shut my eyes as I recalled how she had lent against me in the meadow.

"I could sit like this forever" she had softly spoken…

Forever.

I knew then that I wanted Bella, always. I wanted to be by her side eternally. Till the end of time. I couldn't comprehend existing in a world if she wasn't going to be in it. So I had answered simply "I wish we could".

I didn't want what we had to be brief, or temporary. I wanted it forevermore.

But there was only one way that could be made possible.

And I hated myself for even contemplating it.

Bella was human…

This, I was extremely conscious of.

And so was Edward, which is why I felt his concern every time he looked at me.

Rosalie had also accepted it, which is why she had asked me directly if I had ever thought about changing Bella.

Jasper knew too, it was as if he had somehow always known I would fall in love in an unconventional way; vampires didn't fall in love with humans, it simply wasn't done… until now…

Carlisle and Esme had remained silent on the subject, but I saw the way they looked at each other whenever I spoke about Bella, whenever she was with me, whenever one of the others made a comment about us…

Emmet was the only one who seemed oblivious, or perhaps he had chosen to act that way – perhaps it was the easier option for him…

Would it get easier for me?

Would I be able to block out my thoughts of turning Bella into a vampire with time?

Or would it get harder?

Before I could even begin to think about it, a vision literally crashed into my thoughts, and it didn't take long for it to fall into place.

Bella was standing in the wood near her home, and judging by the look on her face she was far from happy… who was with her? I couldn't make it out, so much haze surrounded them… but then her voice echoed around my brain, "Jake, No…."

Jake.

I immediately understood, and before my mind could begin to rationalize what I had just seen, I was speeding down the highway like a demon possessed.

At that moment, I didn't realise that there was someone else watching Bella, someone who wasn't Jake.

Someone who craved Bella's blood….