The Edge

Recovery

Summary: The family rallies around Alice in her time of need; Edward makes some unwelcome observations.

Bella stood awkwardly in the doorway as Jasper fixed some pillows against the headboard of the bed, arranging things so that Alice was able to rest more comfortably.

She shifted her gaze away from the tender scene and took up an inspection of her feet.

It was strange for her being in their bedroom, and she wasn't quite sure what to do with herself. The others had accompanied Alice up to the room to make sure she was comfortable, but then they had left to go hunting. As Jasper had told her earlier, Alice needed to feed before her body would really be able to reverse the damage Victoria had done to it, but because she was weak they didn't want her hunting herself. So, Edward, Emmett and Rose had gone out to hunt something to bring back for her.

When the others had started to file out of the room Bella had wondered if she should go with them, but she couldn't force herself to leave Alice, and had pressed herself against the side of the door frame, watching silently as Jasper tended to her.

That was five minutes before and she still didn't have any idea what she was supposed to do with herself.

"You don't have to stand all the way over there."

Bella blinked, releasing a pent up breath as Alice's sweet voice filled the room.

"I ..." Bella began, her gaze shifting around the room. She coughed awkwardly, and then sniffed, her eyes drifting back over to the bed uncomfortably. She wasn't sure if Alice really wanted her to join them, or if she was just being polite; either way it seemed kind of awkward and Bella hesitated, uncertain what to say.

Alice looked over at Jasper upon seeing Bella's display of unease, and they started at each other silently for a moment. It was one of those extremely intimate exchanges that Bella had witnessed quite often in the past, and it made her feel even more awkward. Looking at them like that, Bella found it difficult to believe that Alice could possibly have feelings for someone other than Jasper and in a fit of madness wondered if the past month and a half had been nothing but a dream, a delusion that she had concocted to try and deal with the pain of not having Alice's love.

Finally, Jasper turned to Bella, his gaze drawing her out of her depressing thoughts.

"It's okay," Jasper said softly, his eyes holding Bella's steadily. "We can all share," he continued, in the same calm tone.

Bella remained where she was, watching Jasper closely. There was something about his tone of voice that kept her rooted in place, something that belayed the tranquility of his words. And, when Alice turned to look at him curiously after he spoke, Bella was certain that she had missed something.

Bella watched as Alice's lips moved, and then Jasper's. They were talking, but she couldn't hear what they saying. They were still for a moment, and then Alice inclined her head slightly and turned to face Bella, her lips curving up slightly as she extended her hand towards her.

Bella looked at the outstretched hand uncertainly, an awkward smile frozen on her lips. Jasper's strange tone and their hushed conversation following his words had made her a little uneasy. She was certain that Jasper had just been joking; playing with the fact that they were already sharing Alice in a sense, but suddenly the idea of lounging around in bed with them gave the comment another layer, which made her a little uncomfortable.

She was fairly certain that he didn't mean what her mind immediately jumped to, but even if it wasn't likely to happen, the idea was in her head and she was slightly freaked out by it.

"I've already promised that I won't bite," Alice said, seeming to sense Bella's unease and trying to reassure her. "And neither will he," Alice said cocking her thumb in Jasper's direction.