Full Circle

15

I stayed with Bella as she slept with my arms around her, like I did every other night.

She slept peacefully while clinging to me; she enjoyed the cold while I relished her warmth.

Esme was on duty that night with Jazz so I knew we were well protected if James did decide to make an appearance.

The morning came all too quickly and Bella was ready for Jacob to come pick her up to go to La Push while I went with my family to hunt.

"Now you're sure you'll be warm enough in this?" I asked straightening the sides of her jacket, like a mother on her child's first day of school "It's going to be raining heavily in La Push today so you'll need to stay warm"

"How do you know that?" Bella asked raising an eyebrow "Did you have a vision about La Push?"

"No, I checked a weather report silly" I replied with a wide smile "I love you Bella Swan but sometimes you can be a little bit thick"

"Hey!" Bella exclaimed playfully

"But seriously on a scale of one to ten, ten being the warmest, how do you think these clothes will be for you?" I asked standing back from her, with a hand on my hip, my eyes wandering over Bella. I tapped my finger against my chin before I murmured something that was directed to myself more than it was to her "I would probably say a 7 right now. I could always work another jacket or maybe another shirt. So long as colours don't clash, we can make this work"

"Alice, really I'm fine" Bella replied with an amused smile "Stop fussing"

"Well how can I stop fussing, which I don't think I am by the way, when I won't be able to see you when you go there?" I asked with a small pout "I can't do anything to help you when you are there so I just want to be able to help you now, while you're still here"

"I'm going to be fine Al, Jacob will look after me" Bella replied nodding

"Yeah he said that last time and you came home with a sprained wrist because he kissed you and you punched him" I said shaking my head "Can you understand why I would be a little weary about you returning home safely?"

"Jacob won't do anything again, he knows that he doesn't have a chance with me" Bella said "So stop worrying, about everything"

"Worrying seems to be a thing I do a lot as of late" I said with a small frown "None the less, I don't want you returning from La Push being all stinky and having a cold"

"I'll try not to get too stinky" Bella said playfully

"Well as a warning, if you do, you're going to be having an extra long shower with multiple bars of soap and I'm going to have to be next to you for about an hour to get you smelling all nice again" I winked with a smirk

"I can agree to that" Bella said, taking a step into me and wrapping her arms around my waist "So where are you guys going hunting?"

"A bit further north than usual but close enough to come back quickly if needed" I replied quietly, standing on my tippy toes to press a quick kiss on Bella's lips "I'll have my phone on so if you need me, you just have to call. I'll make sure to pick up"

"I'll try not to disturb you" Bella mumbled distractedly

I sighed quietly when I heard Jacob's bike roll up to the house, it didn't take vampire hearing to know it was on Bella's block

"Be careful okay?" I asked ducking my head a little

"You don't need to be worried" Bella said

She used a warm hand to cup my face, using the pad of her thumb to soothingly stroke my cheek