The Edge

Song of the Siren

Summary: Something is upsetting Alice, and Bella worries about what it might be.

Two Weeks Later

"I know I'm supposed to do it ... and that you don't like me very much right now, but can you, please just ... just, do it?" Alice asked, not quite able to keep the frustration out of her tone.

She never thought that she would have to be begging Edward to spend time with Bella.

"I didn't say I wouldn't do it," Edward responded his voice calm, almost serene, which agitated Alice all the more. "I'm just wondering why you are suddenly so anxious to not spend time with her," Edward continued, some emotion finally showing in his voice. "I thought it was unbearable for you to not be around her now that she's so close," he continued snidely.

"Listen," Alice began, gritting her teeth. "We both know that you know what's bothering me, so let's not play this game," she continued a second later knowing that his senses were just as developed as hers, and that even if he had somehow missed it, that he would have picked up on it in her thoughts.

"It's never bothered you like this before," Edward remarked. "Nothing seemed to deter you from spending time with her," he went on, his tone arch. "I don't see why you're getting so worked up now. I'm fine," he added, in a tone that made Alice want to kick him in the shins.

"I don't know, alright!" Alice said shaking her head. "Honestly, I don't know what's changed," she continued. She had a theory about it though, and from the way Edward winced and looked away from her, she realized that he had picked up on her theory as well. "The point is that it has. So, the question is ... can you get over loathing me long enough to just do this, for Bella?"

Edward looked over at Alice sharply, his jaw clenching.

"Low blow," he said hissed, his tone as cold as his eyes.

Alice looked away, and sighed.

"Will you do it?" she asked her tone contrite.

"Yes," Edward responded breathing out through his nose, "For Bella."

Bella spotted Alice and Edward talking near a thicket of trees by the side of the parking lot, the sight stopping her dead in her tracks.

She stared at them in disbelief. She hadn't seen Edward and Alice talking like that since they had left Forks all those months ago.

Since returning to town they barely spoke to each other. They barely even acknowledged each others existence. Alice had told Bella that they had spoken, and that they had reached an impasse, and she supposed it was true. Edward no longer spent all of his time glaring at Alice like he was seconds away from ripping her head off, and the last time she had mentioned Alice's name, he hadn't growled or dropped his head into his hands, so she supposed things were better.

But, that being said, Alice had still gotten a car so that they weren't forced to spend time together driving to school in the morning, and Bella had thought that they were a long ways off from conversing civilly which each other.

That being the case, if they were talking it meant that something miraculous or something unfortunate was happening, and based on her track record in Forks she was betting on something unfortunate.

Quickly, Bella began to head in their direction, anxiety tumbling through her, hoping desperately that she wasn't witnessing the calm before the storm.

Alice tensed, and then her head turned to the side. Edward was surprised by her reaction for a second, but then Bella's scent hit him as well, and he turned watching her approach, frowning at the thought that Alice had detected Bella before he had.