Summer solstice

Firework

Firework

Noises. That was what I heard, soft mumblings and inaudible words that didn't make sense to me. There was darkness but I was beginning to understand what this was. I was waking up from a long sleep, as if I had been passed out. It all came tumbling down onto me in that moment and I shot up, instantly regretting it as the pain washed over me.

"Bella!"

There she was. My Alice. Her cold, hard hand was covering mine and she was urging me back down. "Lay down Bella." She commanded of me. I obeyed and once my head was back down safely onto the pillow, I opened my eyes. Alice was hovering over me, staring intently at me and I had to laugh. She was completely wrecked with worry but like I knew, I was going to be just fine.

"That was incredibly foolish Bella, not to mention dangerous, stupid. He could have killed you. James could have killed you. I told you to stay put and you went running off with him. Creatures of the supernatural world are not all nice Bella!" Alice ranted. It should not have amused me as much as it did but I couldn't help. I would win this fight in the end. After all, she had rescued me and I was just fine.

"What are you looking at me like that?" Alice asked, pulling me back from my thoughts.

I chuckled and gave as much of a shrug as I could, "Because I'm fine. You saved me like I knew you would so it doesn't matter I went running off with vampires."

There was laughter but it wasn't coming from Alice. I looked around the room for the first time and wasn't all that surprised to see Jaclyn, Rosalie and Carlisle there as well. "Oh. Hi." I said sheepishly with a little smile.

"Good morning Bella." Carlisle said as he pushed off the wall and walked over to me. I glanced to my arm and saw all the wires and IV's sticking out of me and I frowned a little.

"Carlisle, you don't have to do that. I feel fine." I said trying to wave him off. I hate being this fragile little human around them.

"You feel fine because Carlisle has been pumping you full of morphine dear." Alice told me, the corners of her lips twitching in the form of a smile.

I laughed and let my eyes flutter closed for a moment and then let out a sigh. I brought my hand to my forehead as I thought over the last few days. Marriage, vampires, werewolves. It was all a little too much and too insane.

"Is it over?" I finally asked, opening my eyes back up to look at Alice. I quickly glanced around and saw the expressions on the rest of my family and I groaned, falling back onto the pillow. "Why is it not over?"

"Bella, it is over. Somewhat. Charles isn't going to be making a move anytime soon. We're too strong for him and James, well James has gone rouge." Alice said to me, her fingers brushing my fallen hair away from my face. "He's after me though, not you. I killed his mate."

That caught my attention and I sat up suddenly, wooziness over taking me as I did. Alice pushed be back down and I groan as I hit the pillow again. I'd have to concede this one. Sitting up hurt too damn much right now.

"What do you mean he's after you?" I questioned, my eyes opening up to meet hers.

"He's not making any decisions but he wants me dead for killing Victoria but may I remind you that the odds are in our favor? He's one vampire. There are nine of us now."

Math was never my favorite subject in school and most of the time I only half paid attention to it but I did have to admit those odds seemed nice.

"There is something else we must discuss though Bella." She added. I watched as Alice's face changed to a somber expression and I silently raised my eyebrow in question. One by one, Jaclyn, Rosalie and Carlisle exited the room, the latter of them shutting the door behind him as he left.