I'll Keep Her Safe, Edward - Bella x Alice

Chapter 1 - Alice

Alice sat in her car in the driveway of the Swan house. Tears streaming down her face as she tried to regain her composure. It had been five weeks since the battle with Victoria's army. Five weeks since she lost Jasper. Just thinking about him caused the tears to come again.

Control yourself Alice! Alice thought to herself, grabbing a tissue from the console and dabbing her eyes, Bella needs you.

Alice takes a few deep breaths before she opens the car door and stepped onto the driveway. She walks up the pathway and reaches the front door. She takes a few more deep breaths before knocking.

After a few moments Charlie Swan opens the door. This is the first time Alice has seen Charlie since before the battle, as Carlisle had been the one to take Bella back to Charlie to explain what had happened. Alice notices how tired he looks. He has dark circles under his eyes and his face looks haggard.

"Alice," Charlie says, before sweeping her into a hug, "I'm so sorry about Jasper and Edward."

Alice leans into Charlie's shoulder, trying to prevent the flow of tears from starting again, "Thank you," she croaks, "it's been hard, but I have my family. We're all in this together. We're just thankful that their deaths aren't in vain. They died saving us."

The cover story Carlisle had told Charlie and the police was that the Cullens, Bella, and Jacob had all gone camping in the mountains, and a landslide had occurred while they were all asleep. But Jasper, Jacob and Edward were woken up and managed to get everyone to safety, at the cost of their own lives.

The Cullens and the wolves managed to create a spot where the "landslide" happened for the police and search parties. The investigation and search lasted for only a week before the case was closed. 

Alice had been locked in her room in the Cullen house while all of this had happened. She couldn't bear to look at anyone or talk to anyone as the pain was too great. But today she had to see Bella. Emmett, Carlisle, Esme and, very rarely, Rosalie had visited Bella to check up on her, but every time they came back they reported the same sad news. Bella never spoke a word, and it was like she didn't even see them. She just stared out the window. 

Esme and Carlisle told Alice that she needed to check on Bella, as next to Edward, she was the one closest to Bella. Plus they told her that getting out of the house would also do her some good.

Charlie breaks from the hug and lets Alice inside the house. "They were brave men. I wish there were still here for me to tell them that," Charlie says, choking on his words a little, before he sniffs and clears his throat, "Bella is in her room. I hope you can get something out of her. She doesn't speak, she barely eats, she barely sleeps. And when she does, she wakes up screaming. She doesn't cry either. It's like something inside her broke. She just sits and stares out the window," Charlie sniffs again, before sitting down on the couch in the living room, "Sorry for my rambling. Just haven't had anyone to talk to in a while," he lets out a small chuckle, and waves towards the stairs, "Don't let me keep you. Go see Bella."

Alice offers Charlie a sad smile before heading up the stairs. 

====================================================

Alice presses her hand against Bella's door, but stops herself from opening it.

Strength, Alice, strength. Bella needs you. Be strong for her  she thought, before she pushing open Bella's door.

Bella is sitting in her desk chair facing the window. Her hair hangs limp around her face. Alice walks over to her and kneels beside the chair.

"Hi Bella," she whispers.

Bella shows no sign of noticing her, just like what everyone had said. Alice notices that, like Charlie, Bella looks extremely tired. She also notes that Bella is very thin and gaunt. Like Charlie had said, she clearly hasn't been eating.

"Oh Bella, I know you miss him. I miss him too. He was a brother to me. I loved him so much," Alice says, taking Bella's hand, which was limp in her own "I know the pain you're feeling. I lost Jasper-" Alice feels her throat tighten, but she keeps going, "and he was my love. He was my world. He was there for my good times and bad, he was there for me when I needed him, and he loved me every single day like it was the last day we'd spend together. And I know Edward did the same for you," the tears have started to fall, but Alice doesn't stop, "But they wouldn't want this for us. They wouldn't want us to sit in our rooms crying over them and missing them every single day. They would know that we'd hold them in our hearts and never forget the love we shared or the good times we had. Edward will always be with you, and Jasper will always be with me. But we can't live our lives like this, not when they died for us!" Alice begins to sob, her hand clutching Bella's as she lays her head on Bella's shoulder and cries.

As Alice cries she feels Bella's hand start to squeeze her own. She looks up, and through her tears she sees Bella looking at her. Tears rolling down her cheeks as well. 

"Alice," Bella croaks, before she breaks down sobbing. Wrapping her arms around Alice and holding her tight. Alice, stunned, hugs Bella back and holds her. 

"Shhhhh," Alice says softly, as Bella sobs into her shoulder. 

Alice figures she needs to get Bella out of that chair, so she stands up to pick Bella up out of the chair, but before she can, Bella grabs her wrist.

"Don't leave me. Please," Bella chokes.

Alice smiles at her, her own eyes misty, "I'm not going anywhere. I promise."

Alice picks Bella up out of the chair and carries her over to her bed, laying Bella down before she lies down next to her. Bella moves in and clutches onto Alice, sobbing into her chest as Alice rubs Bella's back.

"Shhhhh it's okay, it's okay," Alice whispers again and again, "I'm here."

Alice loses track of time, lost in the world of comforting her friend. Finally, Bella's sobs begin to fade and her breathing begins to go at a steady pace. Alice looks down at Bella and sees that she's fallen asleep.

Alice keeps holding Bella, sticking to her promise of not leaving. "I'll keep her safe, Edward," she whispers, kissing the top of Bella's head.