Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight or any of the characters!

Hey everyone, well this is my new story I was working on the same time as 'All I Wanted Was You' and don't worry I am still writing that at the moments haha. So I hope you like this one as well, please if you can write a review to let me know whether you like it enough to carry on! well anyway...Enjoy,

-Claire-

'Don't Ever Feel Alone'

'Chapter 1: Protector'

(Bella's P.O.V)

Well it's happened, I am officially the person that wants to go home at 9:30pm on a Saturday night, does that make me a buzz kill? Well I guess so, I mean what teenager wants to go home to bed when there are people having fun elsewhere.

But seen as I come to Port Angeles every Saturday, and with the same people, I think that going home now wouldn't be so bad. I mean it's not like I don't like hanging around with them it's just, doing the same things every weekend gets pretty boring.

There was me, Mike, Jessica and Angela, and thank god that Angela was there or I would have gone insane. With Mike's constant flirting and Jessica's glares at me because Mike's flirting, it's surprising that I even agreed to come out with them, but I don't want to be completely anti-social.

The routine for Saturday's was usually meeting to go watch a movie and then go out for drinks after, but I was so tired tonight that I just want to skip the drinking, not that I could anyway because I was driving, but at least I could go home if I wanted to because I didn't give anyone a ride here.

The movie wasn't really keeping my attention though, I nearly fell asleep half way through, it was a romance film that Jessica and Angela picked, I don't mind Romance but I would have wanted to watch something with a little more Action in it.

When the movie finished we were heading outside and I was ready to head back home, I followed the others until we were outside the entrance,

"You know, I think I'm gonna head home, I'm pretty tired" I said looking at an distraught Mike and Angela. Jessica looked relieved, I guess she wanted to have Mike to herself, well by all means she can have him.

"Are you sure?" Angela asked me with concerned and pleading eyes.

"Yeah, plus I don't want to drive when I'm tired" I replied saying any excuses that came into my mind, not that I needed any, I really didn't want to drive and fall asleep at the wheel.

"Well ok then, do you need us to walk you back to your truck?" she asked me, at least she was generally concerned for me , Jess looked like she was going to pull Mike's arm off with the way she was pulling him away.

"No, I'll be fine, seriously, go have a good night" I said putting on a genuine smile to her, she smiled back and so did Mike, she pulled me into and hug tightly,

"alright then, have a safe journey home" Angela mumbled into my shoulder, she then pulled back and walked over to the others,

"See you around Bella" Mike shouted as Jessica pulled at him, she just simply waved her goodbye at me.

"See you Monday" I shouted back before walking round the corner and heading up the street towards my truck, I suddenly felt bad for leaving Angela alone with them too, suddenly images filled my mind of when Jessica was dancing and doing a coyote ugly on the bar, in the end we all got chucked out, not surprising seeing as we were in a Gentleman's club. I chuckled at the thought.

Why did I have to park my truck this far out? When my truck was finally in view I almost sprinted to it. I couldn't wait to just get home and relax. But just as I was about to open the door I heard screaming coming from an alley that was on the stretch of road I just walked up. I went to get in my truck but the screams were getting more frequent and louder.

I was stuck between two things, one was to leave in case I could be in danger, and the second was to go and help whoever was screaming, but without another thought I went with number two as I heard another scream.

I ran cautiously towards the alley and stood at the entrance of it, it was dark so it was hard to see who was there, but what I could make out was there was a small girl being pinned against the wall by a scruffy looking man.

Without thinking I ran towards them and punched the guy off her, he fell to the ground and I shook my hand in pain after it came in contact with his face, when he let go of the girl she fell to the floor on her knees, I turned back to see that the man was up off the ground, he turned round to stare at me

"Ooh look at the hero" he squealed loudly, it sent shivers down my spine as the words left his lips,he continued to stare at me until sifting his eyes back to the petite girl sitting on the ground.

He walked towards her slowly and I ran in front of her protectively,

"Stay away from her" I shouted as I tightened my fists, there was no way that he was going to listen to me and I knew that, I was going to have to force him...somehow.

"Oh really, and what are you gonna do if I don't, huh girlie?" and with that he lunged forward, wrapping his hands around my wrists, he backed me up against the wall and unbuckled his pants.

"guess I'm gonna have to teach you a lesson, huh hero" she said into my neck.

No way was I going to let him do what he wanted, to me or to that girl. Before he could do anything more I kneed him in his private area and he fell to the floor cupping the source of pain whilst screaming. While he was writhing in pain I took the chance to run over to the small girl, she seemed to be in shock, she didn't acknowledge me in the slightest.

Her eyes were red and stained with tears, she looked so broken and lost and she wrapped her arms round her legs gently rocking herself.

"are you ok?" I asked her but she didn't respond, I couldn't just leave her here, so I picked her up bridal style and decided to get to the safety of my truck. I looked back into the alley to see the guy still rolling around the floor in pain, I smirked and made a run for my truck, with the girl unresponsive in my arms.

I reached the truck, unlocking it then placing the girl in the passenger side, I strapped her in a proceeded round to the drivers side, locking the doors as soon as I was in, I gave a relieved sigh a looked to the girl, she was looking down at her hands and I ran a hand through my hair, as I leaned back against my seat.

I didn't know what to do, I couldn't let her out alone like this, and she won't even talk, I guess the only option is to get her somewhere safe, and the only place I know is my apartment, at least she will be safe there, I mean anywhere is safer than here, right?

"Hey" I said turning to her, she was still unresponsive and she started to shake, "I'm gonna take you to where I live, ok, it's not safe here" and again no reply, but this time she gave a slow nod, so at least she was listening to me.

I started the truck and pulled out of the parking space and headed towards Forks.

It didn't take long to get to Forks, the whole trip was in silence, I looked over to the petite girl a couple of times, she was wrapping her arms around her chest as she stared out of the window. I will have to find some sort of way to get her to talk or I won't even be able to get her home. She looks about my age, I wonder if she lives alone or if she lives with her family?

As I pulled up outside of my apartment block, I turned to her slowly, I didn't want to scare her more than she already is, I didn't know whether to carry her or whether she could walk, but if I try to just grab her she might freak out, even if she doesn't reply to me, at least I asked her.

"umm, can you walk?" I asked her, she was still looking out of the window, she was silent but nodded in response, I nodded as well and got out the car and walked to her side, opening the door, she slowly made her way out of the car and I locked up walking over to the building, she followed me reluctantly, even though I was helping her, I was still a stranger and to just follow someone must be kinda scary in itself.

When we got to my apartment I showed her into the living room and I told her to sit down, she complied and she sat on the couch, she was still shaking so I walked over to the cupboard where I keep spare blankets and retrieved one, I walked back to her and slowly wrapped it around her shoulders, she jumped at the contact but calmed down when she saw what it was. She must have been freezing, all she was wearing was a thin shirt, and she was skinny too, so no wonder she was shaking.

I walked round and sat on the same couch, but not too close, I knew that people that were in this condition didn't really like too much contact so it's best to keep a distance.

"Thank you" she whispered in her melodic voice, I was happy that she was finally speaking, at least I knew that now I might be able to get her home.

That was the first time I really looked at her, she had crystal-like blue eyes that were deep and had so much detail that you could stare into them and never get bored, she had pink lips that looked soft to the touch, she had dark hair and it was short but was a mess from the recent incident, but she still looked amazing, I would even say gorgeous.

I must have looked stupid as I just stared at her but when I saw her shiver and pull the blanket closer, it brought me out of my trance.

"You're welcome, I'm sorry I dragged you here, I just didn't want to leave you there alone and in the dark, are you okay, are you hurt?" I asked as I suddenly remembered that she might have been abused by that jerk.

For the first time she smiled at me, but it was a saddened one, but she was still smiling so I took it the same as any other smile, I smiled back as she replied,

"No, I'm okay...thank you, for saving me, I-I don't know what would have happened if you didn't show up" she said and I could see tears building up in her eyes, I didn't want to see her cry even though I knew it was inevitable, but I didn't want her to think about it at the moment, so I remembered what I wanted to ask her.

"Do you want me to ring someone for you? Your family or something? To come fetch you" her tears stopped and she shook her head,

"my family are on vacation, and my friends who I was out with are probably too drunk to answer the phone, let alone drive" she said with a sob mixed with a laugh.

I couldn't help but feel more sorry for her, she was alone, no wonder she got attacked.

Her face fell into her hands and her shoulders were shaking once more, she was either still cold or she was crying, I opted with crying. All I wanted to do was hug her and say things were going to be okay, but I remembered that I was still a stranger to her and doing something like that would be strange. I tried to think of a solution to her problem and eventually I thought of one, but I wasn't sure whether she would say yes, not that she has many choices at the moment.

"well you could stay here if you want, I could take you home in the morning, but don't feel like to have to, I just don't think its for you to travel home alone again" I said with a sincere smile,

She raised her head from her hands and looked into my eyes , "you would really let me stay here?" she asked and I nodded, she smiled back at me scooting a little closer to me, she then sent me a confused look, "but you don't even know me, you don't even know my name" and then she looked to the ground and shook her head slightly, "I don't even know your name" she said then she looked back to me, I chuckled a little and smiled at her

"Well I can't just throw you out on the street, can I? And my name is Isabella Swan, but I prefer Bella, Isabella makes me feel old" I said with a chuckle again, trying to lift the mood and she joined me,

"Well Bella Swan, I'm Alice, Alice Cullen" she replied shyly.

For the next half our she explained what she was doing in Port Angeles. Apparently she was invited out like I was, and basically she didn't want to get drunk, then she wouldn't be able to get home because the people she came with were drinking, so she decided to get a taxi, and while she was waiting for the taxi, that's when she was attacked, I didn't go to much into it, I didn't want her to relive it again, I explained to her what I was doing there and how I knew where she was, and how I got him off her, then I looked at my hand and realised that I had tore it up pretty badly when I punched him.

"Oh my god, Your hand! I didn't realise, I'm sorry, I didn't know he hurt you" she was babbling and I had to repress a chuckle at her, it was pretty funny. She grabbed my hand carefully, and inspected the wound, I took the moment to notice how soft her hands were, they felt wonderful against mine.

"You don't need to apologise, I did this when I punched him off you" she looked concerned as she looked into my eyes, I couldn't help get lost in her ever interesting blue eyes.

My sense finally came back and I looked at the clock on the wall, it was pretty late, she must have been tired from everything that happened.

"Well I guess you must be tired, you can use my room, it's that door there" I explained as I pointed to the door, she looked to it and then look back to me in a panic.

"No I can't, I'll be fine on here, really" she said patting the couch, but I wasn't having any of it.

"really It's okay, you're a guest, and It's my fault that you're stuck here anyway" I said with a smile,

"But..." I stopped her by putting my hand up.

"Really, it's okay" I murmured and stood to get my spare bedding for myself, I also got her some clothes she could wear to bed.

I walked back to Alice, she was smiling at me like it was infectious because I couldn't help but smile back at her, I handed her the clothes and she nodded in thanks, she then turned around and walked towards my room.

She turned to me before she shut the door.

"How do you do it?" she asked simply and I looked at her lifting my eyebrow.

"Do what?" I asked as I stopped putting my bed together to look at her properly.

She was silent for a minute like she was contemplating something and then she looked back at me,

"How can you live alone?" she asked, I was surprised by her question, it wasn't something that I was asked often and it took me off guard, she was a complete stranger but I felt like I could tell her anything, it was a strange feeling.

I guessed that she saw my expression because she spoke before I said my reply.

"Sorry, that was a bit personal, forget I said anything" she exclaimed with panic in her voice, she turned around and I spoke just before she shut the door.

"My parents died"

was all I said, but it was enough to make her stop still in the room, she opened the door a little more and looked at me, there was a silence between us so I decided to continue. The thoughts of my past were resurfacing, the pain that was attached to them came as well, I tried my hardest to not shed the tears that I associated with them.

"Four months ago my parents decided to go on a second honeymoon to Florida, I stayed here because I needed to go to college, I'm eighteen so they agreed to let me stay, so they went, they phoned everyday to see how I was and say how they were enjoying themselves, but the day before they were supposed to come back I didn't get a phone call"

I couldn't stop the tears cascading down my cheeks, I didn't try to stop them either, I let them fall, I'm crying in front someone I don't know, that's the first for me, I never showed this much emotion in public, not even in front of my friends. She just stood there listening to me, so I continued trying to control the sobs that were erupting from my chest.

"I didn't think much about it at the time, the next day I tried to call them but I couldn't get through, I tried for hours, but still nothing. Then I got a phone call , it was from a hospital in Florida, they told me that my parents had been in a collision accident in a taxi on the way to the airport and they didn't survive the crash"

The sobs were pouring from me now and I closed my eyes to stop the tears.

"that's when my auntie looked after me for a while, until I was stable enough to live on my own, they live in Canada so I didn't come here much, I missed it here but I didn't have enough money to keep the house so with the little money I had, and some of the money from my parents insurance, I bought this place, my auntie didn't want me to live alone, but her house was already full, and here I am, I just wanted to live closer to where I lived before, I wanted to feel like my parents were still here"

My knees buckled and I fell to the floor with my head in my hands, the tears were covering my hands and I couldn't help it, the memories were painful for me and I never told anyone this much detail, it was hard for me to tell someone, a stranger no less,

It wasn't long before I felt two small arms wrap around me, I opened my eyes to see Alice holding me, I should have been freaked out by this, but I didn't, I felt comforted by it, I continued to cry into her shoulder as she stayed silent, just holding me to her while I sobbed.

"I'm sorry" was all she said but her voice was full of compassion and understanding.

She pulled out of the hug and I saw her look into my eyes, we stayed like that for a while until I had calmed down enough to talk.

"I'm sorry for breaking down like that, I don't usually do that in public, I'm more the suffer in silence type" I mumbled as I whiped the tears from my eyes and stood pulling her up with me.

"you don't need to apologise, you can't help how you feel" she said and I smiled and nodded to her, she smiled at me with her dazzling smile.

"I just told you more than I have told anyone I know here" I said with a slight laugh, and watched as her face changed from a surprised expression to a smile.

"well, as I said before, it's late, we should get some sleep" I said pointing to my make shift bed on the couch.

"If you need anything just come and tell me, ok?" I said to her and she nodded and proceeded back towards my room, "Thank you, Goodnight Bella" she said quietly, I smiled back at her "Goodnight Alice" and with she went into my room and closed the door behind her.

I relaxed on the couch and put my head onto the pillow, I flicked off the lamp and within seconds I was asleep.

The next morning I woke up at the sound of my alarm on my phone, I have a habbit of putting my phone right under my pillow at night so the noise was right in my ear, I looked at the time and it was 8 o'clock, I turned off the alarm and stood from the couch. Stretching and walking at the same time wasn't something that was safe for me and I almost fell on the way to the cupboard as I put my bedding away.

It wasn't until I returned to the living room that I remembered that all of my clothes are in my room that is, at this moment, occupied by a beautiful stranger. Great! How am I gonna get them without waking her up, but I do need to go in there...

I walked up to the door and opened it as quietly as I could, I looked inside and I could make out Alice's sleeping form in my bed, I opened the door some more and walked in, sneaking over to my closet and taking out some clothes, then I sneaked my way back over to my door carefully, but not carefully enough as I bash my foot into the bed. I had to hold back the yelp that nearly came from my lips, I looked back to Alice and she was still sleeping thankfully, I limped out of the room, and as soon as I got out I let out the yelp that I was holding back, I then leaned against the door and sighed in relief.

It was about 9:45am when Alice finally emerged from my room, she was fully dressed in yesterdays clothing, she smiled once she noticed me on the couch, "Hey" I said as I jumped off the couch to take my empty cereal bowl into the kitchen, "Hey" she replied back and I smiled at her,

"you want some breakfast?" I shouted to her, I walked past the door frame to see she was sitting on the couch, she looked to me and nodded, "yeah that will be great, thanks" she mumbled.

I walked back in and handed the cereal to her, she thanked me and we sat and just talked about different things, she mentioned about her family, about her brothers and her parents she told me about how they were all adopted, it was like we had known each other for years the way we spoke, it was comfortable and I enjoyed having someone to talk to.

When she was done I took the bowel off her headed to the kitchen, I walked back out and took my keys off the table, I looked back at her and she watched me, "ready to go?" I asked and she stood from the couch and nodded with a smile, we walked out and I locked up. I walked back out to my old truck and she followed suit.

We got in the truck in complete silence, it was then that I remembered the note that I wrote for Alice this morning, I wrote it while I was waiting for her to wake up, it had my number on there in case she ever needed any help again, and I also wrote that I was sorry for bearing my soul last night. I decided to give it to her when we got to her house though.

When I started the truck I turned to her, "So where am I heading?"

I asked, I smiled at her and she looked out the wind-shield contemplatively. "My house is on the out-skirts of Forks, so if you drive to the entrance of Forks I can show you from there" she explained and I nodded, and I started to drive in the direction she gave me.

It didn't take long to get to her house, she directed me down a mud path through the trees, eventually I saw a large house that seemed to have more windows than walls. Then I remembered her saying that her family was on vacation and I wondered why they left her on her own.

"How come you're here and not with your family?" I asked casually trying not to sound pushy.

She looked out of the window and sighed, "College, plus I don't really like vacations, I'm more of the home bound type" she said as she turned to me with a smile. She goes to college? I wonder which one?

"I'm the same I guess, I love my own home, and I don't tan well so going somewhere sunny and I kinda stick out" I murmured to her, she laughed and drew her attention back out of the window. If she stayed here alone she must at least be over eighteen because I wouldn't leave someone who was younger than that, especially if she is gonna be alone.

"I hope this isn't too personal, but how old are you?" I asked with a curious glance at her, she looked to me and smiled again, I was beginning to really love that smile.

"It's fine, I'm nineteen" she said quietly and I nodded to her, we shared a silence and I pulled up by the house and cut off the engine.

"Well you better get inside, it's getting colder in this truck than outside" I said with a chuckle and she returned it. I extended my hand to her "Well it was great to meet you Alice Cullen" I smiled and she smiled sadly, but she reached out and took my hand and held it, she then looked deep in thought and I remembered the note I wrote for her, I reached in my pocket and retrieved it, "here, read it when you're in the warmth" I laughed but my voice hitched nervously, she took the note and gave me a curious but appreciative smile.

Then out of nowhere she leaned closer to me and kissed my cheek, my heart felt like it was going to bust out of my chest at our close proximity, she then pulled back and a blush was apparent on her face "Thank you, for everything, it was wonderful to meet you too, goodbye Bella Swan" I couldn't say anything, knowing me I probably had that same stupid expression on my face of shock mixed with joy, I don't really know why I was like that, she smiled at me then opened the door and jumped out closing it behind her. I watched as she walked up to her house, well 'walked' wouldn't be exactly how I would put it, it was more like danced, she turned round to look at me and I jumped in my seat hoping that she didn't see me staring at her, she then waved to me , I waved back, she then proceeded into her house.

I reversed the truck and drove back the way I came, and all the while I couldn't get my recent passenger off my mind.

What had Alice Cullen done to me?

A/N: well everyone how did you like the first chapter? I hope you like it, I had thought about this story for a while and actually decided to write it out and post it, I hope you enjoyed it and if you can review and tell me what you think about it that would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks...xxxx

-Claire-