"Jane of the Volturi is coming… alone."
"Why, Alice?"
She gasped, the others freezing at the sound- except Jacob.
"What is it? What do you see?"
"Alec. He's- he dreams. Jane's coming here to ask for our help. She wants to know why…"
"We can take her, no problem!"
"Dibs on the first strike!"
"Hey, Jaz, no fair!"
"Actually, I'd love to investigate the possibilities… maybe find something out that lets us all dream…!"
"Easy, Carlisle. Edward, when is she coming?"
"One week."
"Do we have enough time to-"
"I'm on your side!"
"So you are."
"But… what about Renesme?"
"Just leave that to me!"
"Yay! Wait! Are you trying to get rid of me?"
"No, no, no, Nessie! We just want Jacob to protect you in case something happens. We will be in Volterra- surrounded by 'bad' vampires…"
"Alec isn't bad!"
"But the others are, sweetheart."
Jane ran a circle around the Cullen base nervously.
"Get a grip, Jane! What's the worst that can happen?"
She stopped, finger to her neck.
"…They could refuse."
She shook her head.
"I can always make them…! Nothing to be afraid of, right?"
She followed the freshest scent to the open front door. Struggling for a second, the Guard member managed a half-hearted smirk.
"Hello, Jane. We've been expecting you."
"Then you know what I require of you."
"Require?"
A sneer was the only response.
"Very well. We were interested in the case already."
"My brother is not a case, you-"
"Yes, yes, I know. When does the plane leave?"
"That's just it! I have this crystal that I found-"
"Stole."
"Whatever. It transports people… and objects… to the place the one holding the stone wants to go. It's how I 'slipped out' undetected."
"You're trusting a crystal over a plane?"
"Shut up, okay?"
"Tell us how it works, then- if you want us to help."
"I think about the throne room and-"
"Jane! Where have you been? We've been worried sick looking for you for the past three days!"
"Master, I've only been gone an hour at most."
He caught her up in a bone-crushing hug.
"Master!"
"Oh, yes, I'm sorry, dear! And who is this? Carlisle, old friend! To what do I owe the pleasure of your visit?"
"never-mind all the idiotic details, Aro! How did they get here when the castle's crawling with guards?"
"Eh? Ha ha ha!"
"They're here to help find out where Alec is, Master."
"I thought you said-"
"Can it, you!"
"Temper, Caius."
"She's told you that Alec, er, sleeps?"
"Yes."
"Jane, can I see the crystal?"
"It's mine, beggar boy!"
"Who's scent is that?"
"Eh? What scent?"
"Whatever it is, dears, it's probably Felix."
"I heard that!"
"Who said that?"
"Oh, dear me! The poor child's hallucinating!"
"Not another one!"
/Alessandro and Giovani's father is one of us. It only makes sense that, upon meeting with one of our kind, he now dreams./
"Who is Giovani?"
Jane gasped. Aro cocked his head to the side, hands folded curiously in front of him.
"T-that's my name… or was, before I was changed…"
"The voice says your father might have met up with Alec, therein causing the dreams."
"My father's dead."
"Not according to whoever spoke to me."
/Amalia./
"Amalia. Is that your name?"
/Yes. What is your wish?/
"We want to make Alec wake up."
/…That is not wise./
"Then, can you at least let Jane see him?"
"She won't help us? That, that-!"
"Temper, Jane."
"Master."
/No. Alessandro is not allowed any visitors from Upstairs. But, rest assured, I personally am looking into the cause of his continued Dream-walking./
"And the cause would be?"
/He has met his mate- one of us- and he is going through withdrawals that can only be kept at bay by being in the presence of that mate. I will find out who, once I decipher his dream patterns- and the recurring people he dreams of./
"How long will that take?"
"What the freaking hell is going on?"
"In a minute, Jane. Please."
/He dreams of many. It is hard to say./
"Roughly?"
/I could investigate faster if you gave me back my crystal./
"Jane, who did you take this from?"
"I told you people already! I didn't take anything!"
"Who, dear?"
"Some freak with horns, okay?"
/Yes, I suppose I do look a little out of place Upstairs…/
"What did she look like?"
"I brought paper!"
"Of all the things!"
"What?"
"She looked like this."
Alice snorted.
"That? She's the one that took Alec?"
"Er, made him dream?"
"How should I know?"
/Toss the crystal into the air and I will tell you in an hour. By the way, the crystal does not belong to the man in the picture. It belongs to me./
Edward tossed it, but it vanished into thin air, leaving only vertical beams of light where it last was.
"Why the freaking hell did you do that for?"
"I wanted to study it…!"
"Sorry, Carlisle. Amalia said she could find out in an hour the details about Alec if I returned the crystal."
"Just one hour? That stupid rock was the key? No way!"
"Now, we wait."
Jane bounced out to tell the regular Guard members to quit the search.
"How much longer?"
"I'm thirsty."
"Yes, of course you are! Demetri, Felix! Fetch some nourishment for our guests, would you?"
"Master!"
They left in a hurry, reminded of their own thirst.
/Edward?/
His head jerked up.
"Yes?"
/Alec sleeps still?/
"Yes."
/Can you take these three crystals to him? But not at the same time, mind you! I need to know which one he reacts to. You'll have to have three different people for the job./
"Does it matter who?"
/At this point, no, it does not./
"Amalia says we have to take the crystals to him one at a time. Jane, can you take the first one?"
"Of course!"
/So, he reacts to the one Giovani found? This is troubling news./
"What's she saying?"
/To stop him from dreaming, I have to… never-mind./
"No, what?"
/From my Dream-walking, I have gathered that he does not know me, yet he reacts to my crystal. Why? What business might he have with me? He couldn't possibly be… never-mind./
"…What is it?"
/I will meet with him in Low-town, the space between Upstairs and Downstairs. The crystal will show you the way. If you could bring Alessandro…/
"Leave it to us."
"What?"
"We need to take Alec to the border."
"Border between what, son?"
"Upstairs and Downstairs. She says the crystal will guide us."
"I'm not hauling him all the way to this 'border', but if there's gonna be a fight, I'm with you!"
"He weighs a ton! I can't lift him!"
"How is that possible?"
"All together?"
"Heave!"
"My arm fell off."
"Don't joke, Em!"
"No, honest! It did- look!"
"Oh. Crap."
/Having trouble?/
"Yes."
/Hmm… Then, is he going through the transformation? Stand back and I'll transport all of you to the meeting place./
"Thank you."
In a burst of color, they stood in a gigantic cavern, branching out into every direction. Emmett reattached his arm.
"There!"
"But, where is Amalia?"
"That's her, the one I stole the crystal from!"
"I will be the translator. Amalia, dearest, what is it you wish to say?"
[Shut up! Don't draw attention to me! Besides-]
The other stopped his hands from signing more of the multi-leveled language by clasping both of his friend's shy ones in his own understanding ones.
"It's okay, dearest. It's just me. Focus only on that."
[I will try… can you bring Alessandro here?]
"My name is Leni. I am Amalia's right hand. Anyway, can you bring that infernal, idiotic, flea-bitten half-breed here?"
"He is not-"
"You want our help, right? Bring the freak here."
Giovani glared at him, but did as he asked.
"Dearest, why must he be so close? My nose is trying to run away!"
[He reacted to my crystal…]
"What? There's no way in hell I'd lose to his half-baked ass!"
[Be nice. He has infinite precious good in him, to be able to love me so…]
"You know how much I'm hating this… how much I will hate this!"
[Please. I can't turn anyone away if they can find the impossible kindhearted softness in their hearts to love me. You know this.]
"I understand. Alessandro needs to come with us."
"Never!"
"If he doesn't, he'll surely die from withdrawals and heartache."
"Fine! Do what you have to to cure him!"
"There is no cure. And, what's more, Amalia is unable to turn him away. Alessandro stays as long as he still has feelings for him."
"Him? But he looks like a freaking girl!"
"Amalia, dearest, please let me kill her."
[What? No! No more killing! I couldn't bear it!]
"You live another day, witch."
"What? Just because Mommy says so?"
Leni moved his mouth to Amalia's ear.
"Just an exhibition? No one will get hurt, I swear."
"Alessandro?"
"Huh! The mime actually talks!"
"Who knew?"
"Yes?"
Alec looked around until he spotted Amalia- his eyes spewing love and a softness Jane forgot even existed.
"If you want, I can take you to the kitchen. We have a decent selection of fruits and nuts there, as well as bunnies to play with."
Emmett snorted.
"Yes. Thank you…"
"Amalia."
"Amalia."
Jane could only stare with stinging eyes at the reverence behind the name.
"Can you walk?"
"Yes."
He struggled, then frowned, arms crossed. Amalia went over and lifted him like a blushing bride. Leni looked on with a mix of longing and hatred as they disappeared in a flush of colors.
"Now, where were we? Ah, yes, the 'exhibition'."
"Grab anything you think interesting."
"Okay. Where are we?"
"The outskirts of the Undercity. The Underdome is at the earth's core. That's where most of us live."
"How?"
"There's only one foe great enough to kill us: heartache."
"But, how can you live inside the 'pits of hell'?"
"Eh, you get used to the heat. It's actually very homey and welcome to most of us. Would you like to see the Underdome sometime?"
"I would, actually. What's this?"
"A hybrid. Very sweet. Try it, if you like."
He took a generous bite, then another, then the rest. Amalia laughed as Alec attacked him with kisses, having unknowingly eaten the 'stimulant'. Amalia shrieked as Alec gave chase around the kitchen island. Leni walked in, smiling dreamily.
"How I worship and adore that sound!"
"Too much love! Leni, help!"
Another shriek as Leni lifted Amalia into his arms and ran to their shared bedroom, Alec chasing after the duo.
"You gave him a pucker fruit, didn't you?"
"Yes."
Leni laughed as he sprinted past the threshold and locked the double doors in Alec's face. He crawled into the giant bed hugely off the floor.
"So, dearest?"
"So."
"That was fun! Maybe having him around will be half-pleasant!"
"I hope so. How did the exhibition go?"
"Do you really-"
"Not really."
"Then can I play with your hair?"
"It's just me, Leni. You don't have to ask that."
"I keep having to remind myself that you're out of my league, Majesty. It makes me sad, but happy at the same time…"
"It's Amalia. And there's no one better than you."
"Hey, I didn't say it this time!"
"You didn't have to. You know I can't help but love you, Leni."
"I know… but I don't want it that way. I want you to love whoever makes you happiest, even…"
"Even if it's someone else?"
He nodded.
"Just, you know, love someone for who they are, and who they inspire you to be. Don't love someone just because they're kind to you and they say those three most important words… I want what's best for you, even if-"
'Even if it kills me.'
"Even if…?"
He kissed Amalia's forehead, making the king's eyes spill tears profusely, his watery eyes looking from one eye to the other in horror.
"No! Leni, no, don't say that! You must never even think such vile things about yourself! You mean the world a thousand times to everyone! You have to live!"
"Shh, it's okay."
"You just… you can't! I won't let you!"
"You would revive me? At what personal cost?"
"Please, Leni. Just… I need you."
"Shh. I'm here now. As long as you need me-"
"Always and always, Leni!"
"I'll be here, for you. Like I always have been. Ever since you revived me the first day we met."
"Come here."
He kissed each eyelid.
"Please… not again."
"What 'again'?"
"I had a girlfriend once. I loved her so, and she loved me. Little did I know, she was pretending her love for me. She loved another man, one with ambition enough to kill Mother and Father. I accidentally killed him as I was destroying my room- my old room, back in the Underdome. When she found out, she tried to kill me, too. But, I didn't blame her. Once she learned of my genuine feelings for her, she died… of heartbreak. Her last words were those three most important words. Ever since, I have never forgotten her or her mate."
"She freaking used you?"
"No. She really did love me, at the end…"
"Majesty- Amalia, dearest! I would never fake my feelings for all the world! Please! For all the world, don't die! You're far too precious to waste!"
"I am… cursed… with true immortality."
"What? How many times?"
"I've tried suicide more times than I can count."
He could only blink at unrelenting tears, horrified beyond belief.
"I'm sorry, Leni. I didn't mean to make you sad."
"So like me."
"What?"
"You're making all my mistakes!"
"What do you mean?"
"Suicide, not seeing yourself clearly, not trusting others- you name it, we've both had it. Why?"
"Because I don't want anyone to die because of me."
He shook, tears flowing unchecked until Amalia grabbed his fist and kissed it. Suddenly, he was gone.
"Leni? Leni, no!"
He blew on his finger, a tear burst, and Leni was revived.
"Don't scare the freaking crap out of me like that ever again, Leni!"
Leni looked on with sad, sorrowful, hurt eyes, then left without a sound, closing the door softly behind him.
"Leni…!"
Amalia curled into Leni's spot on the bed and cried himself to sleep.
"Leni…! Don't go…"
"I'm here…"
Amalia cried in his sleep, Leni curling himself protectively around the man half-heartedly. His eyes were dead as he stroked the other's hair in his lap.
"Please, Leni… save me…"
A flicker of emotions unnamed passed too quickly in Leni's eyes to register a change. His hand did not falter, though his free hand curled into a fist around the sheets.
"I'm scared. I don't know what to do… Help me love again…? I love you. Leni."
He closed his eyes.
"I've died from the heartbreak of wanting so badly to return that love unconditionally, yet knowing that there is no one in all the world that will be good enough to deserve your love- least of all me. So why am I still fighting?"
"You hope he will say 'I love you" one day, that 'it doesn't matter- nothing matters except the fact we love each other', right?"
"God! Why do I have to steal him away from someone who could stop his tears- for a mere moment at least? I'm nothing if not a monster! His heart is not- he deserves the best this sick world has to offer!"
"And no less. So we are agreed."
"Leni? I'm lost…!"
"Yes! Finally, a chance for someone better! What's next to you?"
"He can hear you like this?"
"Yes."
"Hands. A sea of hands."
"Look for a purple ribbon, dearest!"
"Purple? Purple? Purple…?"
"Why does he keep saying that?"
"He's checking each hand."
"They're all purple."
"It can't be! Are you the Lost One?"
"Lost One? Lost One? Lost…?"
"What's a 'Lost One'?"
"The race that created all humanoid races on earth."
"Two Lost Ones found."
"What are their names?"
"Amaliaous Little-One Pure-Heart and Lenishta Last-One Big-Heart."
"The first name belongs to the king of their kind- long lost in unremembered ages past- or so we thought."
"And the second name?"
"That one I don't know."
"Where are they standing, dearest?"
"They aren't… standing. They're crying!"
"What?"
"Leni…! It hurts… make it stop! It's burning!"
"We're losing him!"
"What?"
"Save me, Leni…!"
"Think, man! What's happening?"
"If there are two… no! If they're crying, it means one or both is or are about to die."
"What?"
"He's extra sensitive, though, so it could be happening to any one of the Lost Ones- wherever rock they hid under for these past ages. Damn it!"
"What?"
"Dearest, listen to my voice."
Amalia whimpered.
"Baby, please, just a little bit longer… You've got to stay with me!"
"Us."
"I want to go home, Leni."
"But… you are home."
Two things happened then: Amalia burst into white-hot flames, and he screamed at the top of his voice. Alessandro tried to pat the bulk of the flames out, but ended up armless, with ash dissipating before it ever had a chance to hit the floor. A split second after seeing that, Leni cradled Amalia in his arms instinctively- then stared awestricken for a fraction of a millisecond. The screaming did not stop.
"Where are you?"
Alec could only watch as spurts of flame dissolved him, piece by piece. Amalia looked on between the two sorrowfully, grief-stricken. Black, sticky ooze profused from his eyes, soon binding Leni in his protective cradling position.
"Little-One Pure-Heart! King of the Lost Ones! Please, save him! Save my Amalia!"
Only Alessandro's torso- belly facing the ceiling- remained. An unfamiliar silhouette of golden-brown light stepped out from the corner, catching Leni's attention.
"Bite him."
"Why? How will it save Amalia?"
"No, I can't!"
"You must…!"
"What?"
"He wants me to force a mating with Amalia!"
"Do we have a choice?"
The figure shook his head sadly.
"I'm gonna stop the burning, dearest. Forgive me."
Closing his eyes, and with both a shake of his head and released tears, he bit into Amalia's neck. Amalia screams tripled.
"I love you. I'm so sorry. Please forgive me."
"He will be reborn, but he will live unfettered."
"Thank you… for saving Amalia."
"But then… you must save yourself, or he will live alone… for the rest of earth's days."
"Wait, what?"
He looked to the last place the being of light was, then looked at the rest of the room at large. Only Alessandro's head and neck remained. Amalia was engulfed by thick black streaks of lightning which cut into both his own and Leni's flesh- instantly creating scars. Then, so abruptly, Amalia was no more. At least, the Amalia Leni knew was no more. Standing beside him was the king of the Lost Ones, Leni knew- his own, dearly beloved Amalia, now mated to himself. The softness was still there, but there was also a confidence and cool composure that Leni had never known. He decided he liked it.
"Welcome home, love."
With a fiendish smirk, Amaliaous kissed his mate with a passion that had always belonged to Lenishta Last-One Big-Heart- his Leni.
The end.