Frau des Winters *Under Editing*

The Vision *Updated 12/12/23*

"I see. Alice? May I speak freely about something?" Charlotte sat across from her in an aged rocking chair and crossed her legs.

"You may." Alice sensed something in the air, but she couldn't tell what it was. Something that both drew her in towards this woman and also made her feel wary, as if one worng move would shatter her soul.

"Alice... Bella is my little cousin and I care for her deeply. Charlie called me a few months ago because he needed help. I don't know the extent of everything that has happened and I don't need to. That is Bella's business. But I do take her pain seriously. When she met your brother, Edward, she started to open up for the first time in her life. I believe that was good for her, I truly do. I also know that becoming your friend helped break her shell even more. I am very grateful to you for that. And grateful for your family when Bella ran away. You all went out to bring her back home and cared for her when she was clumsy and injured herself. Yet... what Edward did... I can not forgive. I don't know him or what their relationship was like, but breaking her heart the way he did. Leading her out into the woods and leaving her in the cold. She could have been seriously injured that day. She could have died for goodness sake! Thank the powers that be for Sam Uley.

And then you all just left her. Changed numbers, deleted your emails, moved to who knows where. I don't care for your excuses so don't even try them on me. I am not an idiot. Their break up is their business. But the mess you all left behind was ours. The hours of her choking on sobs. The endless days of nearly having to force feed her meals because she was to weak emotionally to take care of herself.  The nights I spent hovering over the edge of the tub bathing her as if she was an infant.  Your family cared for her. Loved her. Then you dropped her like she was nothing. Isabella Swan is not nothing and I will not tolerate her heart being toyed with. You may be Edward's sister, but you were also her best friend.

You know in your heart how he went about this was wrong. Yet you allowed it. Yet, you completely shoved her from your life. I can not forgive that either. So when Bella comes home and sees you... You had best be on your best damned behavior. I don't know why you are here. That is your business and Bella's. Not mine. But her heart had better not crack again. Our family has gone through hell and back to support her. So if you toy with her again... I will have to step in. Is that understood, Miss Cullen?" Charlotte's eyes narrowed as she stared Alice down, her hands folded in her lap, and Alice thought she felt a drop in the room's temperature, thought she saw Charlotte's breath for a split second. A chill run up her undead spine and she had to resist the urge to fall on her knees begging for forgiveness.

"I understand, Miss Charlotte. For what it is worth, I am sorry about what happened. My part in it. I can never take that back." Alice's head dropped low and she only looked up when Charlotte placed a hand on her knee, eyes trained on the xenomorph ring on her middle finger, the rosy pink nails that had lost some polish due to the washing of dishes.

"Thank you, Alice. Would you like a cookie and some tea? I have quite the selection." Charlotte smiled and the room felt warm again, the strange cold now gone, as if she took the very air of winter out of the room with her smile.

Alice really didn't want a cookie, they tasted like dirt to her and she would only throw it back up later, but she couldn't say no to the woman's face. To this woman's face. It had been so long since she felt drawn to anyone other than her family. Deep within she felt the same desire to impress and earn the respect of Charlotte as she did Esme. So when Bella pulled up the drive and barged into the house she was greeted with the image of Alice conversing with her cousin and eating cookies. They were sipping at tea and discussing the ending of Supernatural together like old friends.

When tears began to spill Bella's brown eyes Charlotte excused herself and dragged a furious and angsty Jacob Black with her. Her fingers digging into the back of his t shirt as she drug him upstairs to give the two girls time to chat, unknowing that he could still hear every word. A few minutes later, after Jacob had leaned over and dragged his tongue across her cheek to force her to release him, her voice carrying out a string of "Cheese and peanuts!" and "You mongrel of a boy!"and returned to Bella, Alice was standing in the driveway holding her head as a vision passed through her. Her entire body shuddering as her powers took over her sesnes.