A/N – I have now corrected that tiny error I made in the last chapter (well spotted 'comment'). Thanks once again for reading/reviewing/adding the story to your alerts, and if you haven't had chance please check out stories by brokenvoice, bleed4her and DarkBella – they are amazing (and I am sure there are many more out there by authors I haven't come across yet, so I'll certainly keep looking!)

Chapter 50 - Rosalie

Slowly my eyes opened. After a few blinks, I was still finding it difficult to gain any kind of focus. I shifted slightly, causing a slight movement on the end of the bed.

"Alice"

Was that really my voice? I sounded so feeble…

"No, sorry Bella. It's me, Rosalie"

Rosalie was in the room?

I blinked again as my pupils honed in on Rose.

"Oh, hi Rose… sorry, I just assumed…" my voice trailed off again.

And still I sounded frail. Get a grip Bella.

"That's okay" Rosalie replied, as I stretched out my hand and turned on the bedside light.

What time was it?

The room was immediately illuminated and the orange glow felt comforting.

"Where is Alice?" I enquired.

Suddenly a painful thought hit me.

"Rosalie, she hasn't gone to find… him…" I gulped. I couldn't say his name, that alone brought back too many memories.

Rosalie shifted forward so she was now sitting beside me.

"Please don't worry, Bella. Alice has gone to get your truck with Emmet. She won't do anything silly…"

And I believed her. Still, it was a relief that Emmet was by her side.

"That's good…" I replied, as I began to rub my eyes.

"Although…." Rosalie's voice continued, as I placed my hands back on my lap.

"Yes?" I enquired.

"Well, she hasn't gone looking for him… but if she comes across Jake, that's a whole new matter entirely… I suspect that's the real reason why she went with Emmet to get your truck, because she really didn't want to leave you"

I frowned, as Rosalie smiled.

"Bella, he left you… or you left him, I'm not entirely sure which way round it went, but he allowed you to wander off into the woods alone…. Let's just say I really, really wouldn't want to be in his shoes if she finds him…."

I swallowed hard.

"He's a wolf" I whispered.

And this is all your fault Bella my mind raced.

"And Alice is a vampire; she can take him" Rosalie answered, still smiling.

I shouldn't have, but I couldn't help it.

I laughed.

"Oh Alice" I softly murmured.

My Alice, always protecting me. Though I secretly hoped she didn't come across Jake.

A thought suddenly hit me.

"She won't go on the reservation, will she?"

Rosalie shook her head, "Your truck was parked on the perimeter Bella, they won't encroach onto the land, I swear".

I nodded.

"How long have I slept?" I asked, thankful that my voice now sounded more stable and steady.

Rosalie glanced at her wrist and then back at me, "Just over an hour or so, we didn't want to wake you…."

I nodded and smiled at Rosalie.

Rose shifted again, and then suddenly stood.

"I'm sorry… I hope I didn't wake you" she almost whispered.

I immediately shook my head, "No… you didn't…"

Rose smiled. I watched as she started to turn. Without thinking my hand was on her arm.

"Rosalie… would you mind… that is, could you stay with me? Until Alice returns…"

Rosalie glanced at my hand, and then back to my face. She seemed… perplexed.

"I don't want to be alone" I whispered, as I glanced down at the sheet that was covering me. My hand held the cover firmly.

Rosalie immediately sat on the side of the bed.

"You're never alone when the Cullen's are around Bella" she softly replied, adding "Don't be afraid".

I looked up, then, as Rosalie smiled at me.

Rose's smile was a comforting thing; I never dreamed she would offer me one after the way she had acted around me when I first started at Forks High school.

"Thank you, I appreciate it" I replied, adding "I still feel like a coward".

Rosalie seemed to edge a little closer.

"Bella, you are not a coward. In fact…." Her voice trailed as she scrunched her eyebrows; she was obviously thinking.

I waited for her to continue.

"Bella, you are one of the bravest humans I know"

I laughed then.

"Rose, you don't know any humans bar me".

Rosalie laughed then, "Well, perhaps not…. But you are not a coward. If anyone is that, it's me" she answered, as she now glanced down at her hands.

Rose thought she was a coward?

"Okay, let's just rewind here… I think I've missed a frame" I answered, as Rosalie looked up at me, her smile was now gone, instead she looked… forlorn?

"How can you possibly be a coward?" I asked, completely unconvinced.

Rosalie clasped her hands together on her lap, still she didn't say anything.

"Rosalie?" I gently probed.

"Before, Bella… when you were bleeding… I… I ran…" she mumbled.

I didn't think Rosalie was capable of mumbling.

But I now understood.

And I sighed.

Her eyes were on me.

"Rosalie; you're a vampire… I was bleeding…. There's nothing cowardly about that"

Rose shook her head, "I should have handled it better…. Alice did…."

I shifted up and brought my knees close to my body as I rested my chin on the top.

"Rosalie, it can't have escaped your notice that Alice and I are… involved… she's spent a lot of time with me, and she's adapted…."

Rose smiled then, "No, it hasn't escaped my notice" she answered.

Was that a smirk on her face?

I felt my cheeks blush, but only slightly.

"And thank you, I appreciate your… understanding…" she continued.

I smiled then, "Anytime Rosalie".

Rose stood then, and looked down at me.

"Alice asked me to keep an eye on you while she was gone… I hope you didn't mind me looking in on you"

I shook my head, "I appreciate it, thank you Rosalie, and please forget about what happened before… it's my fault for bleeding…"

Rosalie laughed, "Oh, I think I can forgive you Bella" she replied.

I bit at my bottom lip then, "It is my fault, though" I continued, "my blood I mean, it seems to cause upset… if I didn't bleed, it wouldn't be an issue…."

I was talking a little incoherently now, and I wasn't even sure if I was talking to Rosalie, or to myself.

I soon snapped out of it when Rosalie sat back down, heavily. The whole bed seemed to creak.

"Do you know what you have just said" she enquired, softly.

I looked at her, expecting to see…confusion.

Instead, her eyes were gazing at me with an unfamiliar understanding.

I merely nodded.

"And… you've thought about it?" she asked again, her voice still calm.

Had I thought about it… we both knew what she was referring to… me being turned into a vampire….

"Rosalie, I've thought of little else" was my honest response as she nodded slightly.

Would she get angry? Rosalie was still an enigma to me. I knew how important her family was to her, how protective she was. Would she be adverse to the group dynamics changing?

I shifted again, feeling a little agitated. Well done Bella, my subconscious yelled at me, way to go…

"Bella, I think you need to speak to Alice about… your thoughts… when all this is over" she replied, as I looked deep into her amber eyes.

What I saw there both shocked and surprised me.

Her eyes were… smiling… at me. Rosalie looked…relieved?

"Okay…" I answered, as she stood up again.

"Promise" she gently asked, as I nodded.

"I promise"

The door suddenly burst open, as Alice literally flew into the room, almost colliding with Rosalie who looked extremely bemused.

"Bella" she sighed, as she launched herself at me.

I couldn't help but laugh.

"Well, I think that's my queue to leave" Rosalie replied, as she winked at me.

Rosalie just winked at me.

Stern, stringent and serious Rosalie…

How I loved the Cullen's!

Rose left the room, closing the door gently behind her as Alice shifted to my side; I was immediately encased in her strong arms.

"Hey" I whispered, as she ran her fingers through my hair. My face was lent against her chest as she dropped several feather like kisses on the top of my head.

"Hey" she replied, as I shifted my position. I needed to see her face.

"I'm sorry I left you, I wanted to get back before you awoke" she quietly spoke, as I lent forward and kissed the tip of her nose.

"That's alright, I'm glad you're back now though" and I was. I'd seen her reaction when Carlisle had bathed my arm, watched her eyes dart towards the etch that… he… had inflicted on me. She had flipped…

Alice ran a cold finger down the side of my cheek, down towards my pulse point on my neck. There her finger ceased its exploration.

Her eyes moved from the finger, and looked into my own.

"If I had lost you, Bella…"

I cupped the side of her face with my hand.

"I'm not lost, Alice. I'm right here"

Alice sighed, "I should never have… let you go alone to see Jake".

I lent forward, "Alice, I shouldn't have left Jake and wandered off back alone, this is my fault, nobody else's"

Alice lent forward and claimed my lips with hers. Her kiss was deep, almost hysterical.

Alice.

I was so thankful she was back in my arms, safe.

The kiss ended as she broke away, "I'm sorry Bella, that's probably the last thing you needed, I just…I…needed it…"

Before she could continue, my lips were on hers, returning the favour. I could feel Alice shake slightly from the touch.

I broke away, "don't you dare apologise for kissing me ever again" I quipped, as she smiled at me. One solitary smile and I felt myself go weak at the knees.

I wanted to stay like this, with Alice, forever.

You should talk to Alice about your thoughts Bella…

Rosalie's words repeated in my head.

I needed to tell Alice, but now was not the right time. I mentally cursed him for appearing in my life, in our lives…

"I should take you home" Alice whispered. I could tell by the look in her eyes that she wasn't a fan of her suggestion.

"I don't want to be alone tonight" I answered.

Alice cupped my face, her amber eyes sending a warmth and comfort throughout my body.

"You will never be alone, not tonight, not any night, from this day forward".

Her lips were caressing mine again as I welcomed a shiver of anticipation.

You will never be alone.