A/N: So the response to this has really been overwhelming.

Thank you to everyone who reviewed and put me on alert. I sadly have to give up on something I enjoyed doing which is giving everyone a personal mention.

I truly appreciate everyone reading but I got so many more reviews and people putting me on alert than expected that I would feel horrible if I forgot someone.

So… thank you all again and Happy Reading.

You'll also notice the rating has been changed to M since the violence level has increased. Don't want any youngin's reading without being warned.

BTW… for anyone who cared, I got a white Nintendo DS. My brother in law is the most awesome man ever for finding it for me.

Disclaimer: If you know it, I don't own it but damn it's fun to play with!

Please please review, the more I get the more I want to write.

There's Something About Alice

Wide doe like eyes eluded me all night. It was as if I drifted in and out of pleasant consciousness. I never wanted to wake. In my sleep land she waited for me in a short gold skirt and red sequined vest. She sat with those shapely legs crossed, in those killer thigh high stilettos. Her long brown hair flowing down her back, I smiled, she had stripper hair. Did I mention she was holding the whip? I wasn't usually into the whole dominatrix idea but I would be more than willing to give it a try for her.

Edward she would call to me in that siren's voice. It was as if the dream had seared her image and her voice into my every being. I was infused with her essence, and my need for her continued to grow. She was an enigma, much like a siren calling to me from across time and space to lead me into our eternity. It was as if a part of me had been awakened, a part of me which until now had lain dormant waiting for her.

The dream began at twilight. I was standing before the circus gates and curiously the tiny fairy dancer was there. "We've been waiting for you," she'd told me and took my hand in her tiny one leading me inside. The circus was barren and the faint sigh of my name could be heard on the wind. I turn to follow the voice when the pixie stops me. "Not yet, first you have to see," and she leads me deeper into the circus grounds. Bits of the show are playing now on each side of me as I walk the grounds with her, the trapeze artists on the left, the clowns on the right, that Pirolit guy running in circles. I see the Hulk stalking about, as I walk past he looks at me curiously and I am shocked once more at the scars that rule his face.

We finally reach a tent and the angel's voice is singing a song I don't recognize. The entrance guarded by two fierce looking lions. They size me up before relaxing and allowing passage. The pixie drops my hand. "I'll take you no further." She dances away as you imagine a fairy might. Inside the tent is the centre stage of the Big Top and in the middle is my divinity living, waiting for me, calling my name, and holding that damn whip.

I started awake with a groan. I had woken like this twice already in the night only to fall asleep and once again have the same dream. It would always end before I got to be near her. I would see her there waiting and when I make a move to step towards her, I would jolt awake. I glanced at the clock that was glowing red, it was 8:00am and it finally registered in my head that my cell phone was ringing.

"Morning!" She was too chipper for this time of the morning.

"Rose." I groaned half into my pillow, half into the phone while I flipped onto my stomach. "Too early."

"But I'm making pancakes. If you don't want to come over for breakfast then…"

"Five minutes." She giggled as I hung up and picked myself up out of bed. I would have said two minutes but I needed a few to calm the morning wood the thoughts of my dark goddess that had lingered. I was going to have to stop thinking of her if I expected to get out of here.

Once my body had calmed itself I started downstairs. I didn't even bother to shower, change or even brush my teeth. I was going to the Hales, there was no one to impress there. Rose was used to seeing Jasper and I at our very worst, this would be an improvement. It was unbelievably a perk that they lived right next store especially when Rose was cooking and Rose made great pancakes.

My mother was sat on the couch flipping channels as I continued my zombie march. She smiled at me as I passed and waved wordlessly.

"Rose made pancakes?" I simply nodded and went on my way.

I smiled to myself as I caught the first tickles of pancake smell as I neared the front door. I walked straight to the breakfast bar of the kitchen and squatted next to Jasper who was also patiently waiting for his stack of morning goodness. We nodded to each other in acknowledgement but stayed focused on the growing stack of golden dollars near the stovetop as Rose bustled about. I stole a quick look at my friend and was surprised to see dark circles under his normally visibly well rested eyes.

"Problems sleeping man?" He looked at me and nodded. His elbows on the counter, he brought his hands to his forehead and ran his fingers through his hair. It was classic nervous Jasper. "What is it, what happened, I left you eight hours ago, you can't tell me something happened." He let out a breath as Rose started laughing.

"Oh he is fine, I think he is blowing this way out of proportion."

"Blowing what out of proportion?"

"He was kept awake all night by a wittle dweam." Rose mocked her brother in a cutesy voice as she cleaned the last of the kitchen bringing the steaming hot cakes to us at the counter and taking a seat herself.

"Well what was the dream?"

"He dreamt about the little sprite flier." Jasper shot Rose a dirty look as he cut her off.

"Seriously Rose, fuck off, you don't get it."

"Will someone please fill me in?" Rose stayed silent as Jasper told his story.

"I had a dream about that girl from the circus." I started to feel a flare of jealousy until I remembered Rose has said the fairy like flier was the girl he had dreamt about. Without thinking I told him I had too. The look on his face was priceless and under normal circumstances I would have laughed but I was shocked to see how, pissed Jasper was at that.

"Hold on a moment there cowboy, not like that, she was just in my dream about the Lion Tamer, she was leading me around the circus. What was yours?"

"I went into a, I don't know, I guess it was a tent where she was sitting and she just looked at me and said 'You've kept me waiting a long time.' I don't know how to put it all into words." He had a calm smile on his face while he shared his dream. "So you dreamed too?" He had turned his attention to me. I nodded again as I took a bite and noticed that Rose had grown uncomfortable and was fidgeting. We knew each other well enough.

"Rose, what was your dream?" I asked her.

She stopped fidgeting and looked down as the attention turned to her. Jasper wasn't surprised in the slightest and just waited for her to answer. "That big Carnie guy, what was his name again, the one with the scars."

"Emmett right, that's what James called him?" Jasper had a detailed oriented mind; it allowed him to remember the most insignificant details.

"It was odd though, in my dream, he didn't have the scars, it didn't look like him at all, but it was him, and I don't know." It was obvious her dream had bothered her more than she wanted to let on. "It was just a dream though, they don't mean anything. It is simply your unconscious ordering the last images to be seen by your mind. We aren't psychic, so you too should let go of the whole foreboding attitude." Rose made herself busy in the kitchen again cleaning up. Her speech was over.

"Well," I began, "it just means we have to go back. They open at 1:00pm today."

"Sorry man, you're on your own today. The sis and I are off the grandma's house." I had completely forgotten that they were going to visit their grandmother today. They went every other Sunday to spend the day with her since they had had to put her in a nursing home. "You want to come along, I'm sure she would love to see you."

"Not this week, but thanks. Send her my love." Jasper nodded and went to get ready as the time had flown; it was now 10:00am.

It broke my heart to see Gran Hale in a home but there was no alternative with the progression of her dementia. Even my dad, the brilliant Dr. Cullen, wasn't able to do anything aside from get her into the most prestigious long term care facility. She was all Jasper and Rose had and raised them single handedly when their parents had passed. In many ways, she had adopted me as much as my parents had since I spent more time at the Hales than at home when I was younger. I would go see her next time, but today, I wanted, no, needed to go back to the circus. I had enough time to get home and shower before being on my way.

I said my goodbyes and headed home much more awake. Mom was still on the couch only this time holding a plate with an omelet.

"You look much more awake now sweetheart." Her honey voice always made me smile; it reminded me of how she would scare away all the monsters when I was. Just the sound of her speaking would soothe me and warm me to this day. I had the best mom. I went and sat beside her curling into her side and hugging her. Go on and call me a mama's boy, but when that mom is Esme Cullen, no one would blame me.

"You should have come over too, Rose made more than enough." She laughed and ran her hands through my hair.

"Oh no, your father is at the hospital today so I am just going to relax, this is the first Sunday where I have no obligations, no functions. I am not moving from my couch."

"Did you want to come to the circus with me?" I wiggled my eyebrows earning another smile.

"No honey, you have fun, I'll see you when you get back. If you're up for it, maybe you'll escort your old mom to dinner tonight. I feel like Italiano. 6:00pm? Oh and honey, Jessica called again." She smirked at me while I groaned. Not again.

"It's a plan mom." I ignored the topic of my admirer. She kissed my forehead as I made my way up to get ready and thought of ways to make it very clear that I was not interested in going out with Jessica. I was amazed at her eagerness when I had thought I had made myself more than clear on many an occasion. I would wait to talk it over with Rose; she was good at getting rid of parasites.

I was getting excited as it came nearer to the time I would be seeing her. I had it bad. I blame stripper hair and whips. I had no game plan, it was pretty much get there, find her and wing it. I put on a pair of khaki's that fit low on my hips and a white light linen button down. I was very casual, finished with a pair of flips flops. Rose had once told me this outfit made her so hot for me that she wanted to shred my clothes off me. There was nothing wrong with taking some care in how I looked right. I wanted my little Lion Tamer to tame me after all. I wasn't conceited but I wasn't so dense to not know that I had an effect on women; I could only hope I would on her as well.

The parking lot was starting to fill out when I arrived with mostly families with young children. I chuckled as a little boy ran quickly by me. He seemed to be about 3 years old; he tripped, but stood right back up and started forward again. His were parents laughing holding hands trying to keep up with him. His mother had long brown hair and for a moment I seemed transported and it was my angel and I chasing our son. Alright, I started giving myself a pep talk as I walked to the gate. How about I meet the girl before I go planning our entire future together.

I paid my ticket in and started wandering around. I noticed how the atmosphere seemed a lot lighter in the daylight than it had in the dark. At night the circus took on an otherworldly feeling, one of mystery and foreboding, it would give you the chills, but now it seemed like a colorful playground. I eyed a cotton candy bag and decided against it. Our stomachs had behaved last night and let us live without the reappearance of the fluffy colored sugar; I figured it was best to not tempt fate. I got a cinnamon pretzel instead.

There were many attractions we hadn't seen yesterday. I looked behind me as I felt I was being watched. I was prepared for the bimbo that had surely been following me but there was no one. I continued on reading the posters as I passed by. There was a wolf man, a bearded lady and a mermaid. I scoffed at that one; I would love to see how they made that look realistic when I heard a heavily accented voice behind me.

"You don't believe in the fantastical?" I turned around and was standing face to face with what looked like a gypsy girl. She had blonde hair and wore a peasant skirt with a white peasant top. She played her role completely with the bandana on her head and the large gold hoop earrings. "Come skeptic to my world; let me tell you about yours. I am Mistress Eralda. I will tell you your future." She smiled at me as she openly appraised me. She seemed to be about my age. A fortune teller, why not give it a shot, maybe she would be able to tell me how to find the star of my dreams.

We went into a heavily decorated tent, the smell of incense clouding my head. I saw shadows everywhere. She sat me down on the other side of a round table that had been covered with a blood red cloth.

"Your name?"

"Edward."

She reached for my hand as she said my name, rolling the rrrrr. She mumbled a few words raising our hands and closing her eyes before opening them and staring at me. She took my left hand and flipped it palm up and started tracing lines.

"You care for your family and friends but you are lonely. You are unlucky in love. You seek the one to give your heart to." So far so good, but generic, I was always weary of these things. You never knew who was just putting you on. "She is closer than you think; you have already found her, right here at the circus." Ok now she had my attention.

"How do I approach her?" Her eyes flew up and met mine in surprise as I leaned closer; the intensity of my reaction had thrown her off.

"I would say be direct, she will receive you well." She stood and pulled me up with her until I was standing impossibly close to her. "So what are …?"

"Mistress Eralda." A tinkly bell of a voice broke through the tent. A head ducked in and there stood the little pixie flier. "You're wanted in the maintenance area. Right now." It was as if a silent fight was happening in their gazes as the Mistress dropped my hand.

"I am sorry, we shall have to continue another time," she leaned in and put her hand on my chest, that familiar discomfort was in the pit of my stomach, "for you, no charge." She left quickly glaring at the tiny performer who had remained and was now scrutinizing me, she noticed my gaze and her head shot to the ground her posture dropping. Then as if she made a decision within herself she seemed to force her posture straight and raised her head to meet my eyes.

She reached out a hand to me and I took it, a sense of déjà vu. I took a moment to analyze, was my dream coming true. "We have to hurry. Come on." She led me out of the tent away through the concessions to an area off limits to anyone but the employees.

She led me to an isolated picnic table in the employee area. "Just give me a minute, don't go anywhere." Her eyes bore into me as she made it clear that I was not to move. I wouldn't have anyways. She was back in an instant with some soup and crackers and sandwiches. "Go on, eat something, it's chicken noodle, your favorite." My eyes shot up. How did she know that? "I'll answer your questions later, just eat first, you haven't had anything but that pretzel since your breakfast." I started to eat my soup as I studied her.

She was truly a tiny person, she came no where near my shoulder when she was standing next to me and it blew my mind she knew things she shouldn't. I wasn't leaving without getting every answer I wanted but I didn't even know where to begin. "We've been waiting for you." My head shot up.

"What did you say?"

"I said we've been waiting for you," her face scrunched up, "you weren't supposed to be here alone though." Her eyes took on sadness before she perked up again. "That's alright; something must have changed is all." She took my dumbfounded look and it was then I noticed she had finished her lunch. I took the last few bites of my sandwich finishing mind as well.

"Thank you for lunch." Her face was downward again as if she couldn't look me in the eye.

"Your welcome." She spoke in such a small voice, the inkling of insecurity showing in the timbre, she looked up at me and we studied each other. I processed what she had said.

"What do you mean I wasn't supposed to be alone?" It seemed as if she inflated with confidence as she spoke with certainty.

"I saw two others with you; I didn't see faces, a man and woman, both blonde." I started laughing as I realized there was nothing special about this girl. She had simply taken notice of us here last night, and for a second, I had actually believed she could see the future. "What are you laughing at?" She looked confused.

"I am laughing at myself, for a second there; I was starting to think you could see the future. I'm sorry, I was being silly, must be seeing that Fortune Teller, it's making me see coincidence everywhere. You saw us last night, when I was here with my friends Rose and Jasper, they were the blondes." Her face eyed me warily and took on an edge. She spoke slowly as if trying to make sense of something herself.

"You were here last night, with a blonde female and a blonde male?" I nodded, this was getting weird, she asked as if she hadn't seen us last night. When she spoke again, it was very quiet. "The fortune teller's a twit and wouldn't know anything about being clairvoyant if it beat her with a stick. I never saw you here last night Edward, or anyone who would have been here with you." She took a breath. What was she telling me? I didn't say anything as I let her talk. "I saw you in a vision or call it a dream. I can see things."

I laughed again, this time mockingly. "Right, you see things," I stood to leave. "Look thanks again for lunch, but it's time for me to go."

"Why did you follow me Edward?" It occurred to me I didn't know her name, not her real name, I was sure Aurora Borealis was a stage name.

"Look," and I paused letting her fill in her name.

"Alice." Of course, now her stage name made sense.

"Look Alice, I appreciate the lunch but I won't be the butt of whatever joke you're playing, I get it, must be mundane doing the same thing all the time, you wanted to talk to the cute boy, and you're a cute girl, it was great, now I am leaving." She stood and eyed me defiantly.

"Oh, ok, so you followed me because I am a cute girl, well then, you're right, I shouldn't waste my time with you after all, I mean, I would have thought you followed me because of your dream, but I must be wrong." She cleaned the garbage and was going to walk away while I debated. I was floored, she mentioned the dream, but did she really know something, or was she playing odds. It was ridiculous to even think, but what if there was something to her and the little sprite really knew something. My one goal was to get closer to the woman of my dreams, literally, what could it hurt.

"Wait," she turned around. "I'm listening, you see things." I sat back down to show my commitment to hearing her out.

She smiled at me. "Thank you Mr. Cullen." A mistake already, I knew it, I should have left but I was still intrigued, a good guess of course, I wonder where she heard it but I figured I would play with her, see if she was the real deal.

"You're wrong, my last name is Masen."

"You were born a Masen, you are a Cullen, your adoptive parent's name. Have you told them you plan on legally changing it yet?" Alright, one point to pint size. No one knew I was planning to take my parents names after all these years, it was a decision I had just made recently when I finally decided to close the door on my biological family. "They'll be thrilled you know, you're mom especially, it has always hurt her a little that you never wanted their name."

"Ok Alice, you wanted to talk to me, so let's hear it. Why am I here and what do you know about my dream?"

"You were meant to come here, I don't know why. I've seen you for years, but never knew when you would come and then last night I had the most bizarre dream and knew the time had come."

"You aren't making any sense. You tell me I am meant to be here, that you saw me coming, but you don't know what for." She shook her head and looked down again. "So why did you need to speak to me then?"

"I was hoping I would get something more if I spent time with you but so far nothing." She looked like she wanted to cry. "I thought you might be the answer."

"Answer to what?"

"I've said too much, what did you dream?" It was her turn to be curious. Did I want to tell her, she had been so open with me, maybe she could help me after all.

"I dreamt about your Lion Tamer, Nights Belladonna. I came here hoping to see her." Her eyes widened with delight.

"That's it, that is what was missing." Her eyes glazed over. "You're going to be so happy together."

"You're losing me Tink." She smiled again.

"That's what she calls me, Bella, the Lion Tamer, that's her real name. She's my sister, her family adopted me when I was left here. Oh it's all coming together now." Bella, her name was Bella, beautiful, there was no other name so fitting. A wistful look had come on my face. "That's so sweet, you're already in love with her."

"Wait your sister, you were adopted, and you're going too fast, I don't know that I would say I am in love with her."

"When I was four I was left at the circus that had come to town. My parents had left a note saying I belonged here. I can only guess I was telling them about things I could see and it scared them. They must have thought I was a freak so why not leave me with a whole crew of them right. It's what everyone thinks of circus people. I've been told Bella's parents took me in, I don't remember much of then. You are totally in love with her, it radiates off you."

"I don't know what I feel, I just know I can't get her off my mind." I couldn't be in love with her already, I didn't believe in love at first sight, did I? There was only one way to find out. "Where is she now, let's go say hi, there is only one way to find out if I love her right?"

Alice scrutinized me openly. "I'll take you to see her, but your introduction will take some planning."

"Planning? This isn't exactly a covert operation Alice."

"Do you want to meet her?" I nodded. "Then you will have to do things my way, unfortunately Edward, it is not as easy as just introducing you, there are outside influences that are working against you. I'll explain everything in time, right now you just need to trust me. Come on." I did trust her, she had shared so much with me and I just felt this bond with her.

She led me behind the Big Top where I could see the performer's entrance. Inside I could hear the growl of the lions and then I saw her as the curtain was moved from the tent. She was rolling on the ground playing with the lions like they were her own kittens. It took my breath away.

"Definitely love." Alice was eyeing me. "We have to go now before anyone sees us together and you need to get ready for your dinner with your mom." We walked back to the general area where the public was allowed again still hidden and conversed easily. I still had a couple questions for her I wanted answered but I was now on cloud nine, even seeing her, My Bella, because as of now she was mine, had completely calmed me down.

"Is Bella with anyone?" She cringed. I had realized I didn't even ask if she was single but Alice surely wouldn't be trying to help me meet her if she wasn't right.

"No, but there are those who try." I nodded; we would have to work fast. The thoughts of someone else even trying to lay their hands on her made me want to vomit. "Don't worry, she is protected." I nodded again.

"Why don't you do the fortunes with your gift, I would think your boss would be all over it." I was earned another cringe.

"No one knows about it but you." I was shocked.

"Not even your sister, Bella." Saying her name brought a goofy grin to my face. Alice giggled but shook her head and I heard her mutter definitely love again. "How does it work, what you see?"

"I'm not really sure; it's why I have never told anyone. I don't see everything and I can't look for things. I get flashes or dreams that play like a movie. From what I have been able to try and understand, is I see things when I am involved in making it happen, or if I can somehow stop it from happening, if that makes sense. If something is just meant to happen, then I don't think I get any warning. If people knew then I know they would try and exploit it, and it is so limited, I couldn't give them what they would be asking for."

It did make sense and I had a feeling her decision to not tell anyone had been a result of something she had seen.

"This is where I leave you Edward, can you come back tomorrow at 8:00am? I'll get you inside from the back. We need to strategize and I have an idea. If you do exactly as I say, you will meet her tomorrow." She knew already that I would be there. "Ok, and hey, tell your mom tonight, about your name change. She'll be elated." She skipped away gracefully.

This had been an entertaining and enlightening visit and I was glad I had made it on my own, I don't think I would have had quite the same outcome if Jasper and Rose had been here and now there Alice who seemed her own enigma. There were times she spoke with confidence of what she saw and how things needed to be and then it seemed she would withdraw into herself with the weight of insecurity.

I debated over telling anyone of my day yet, I knew Jasper would be interested to know I spent the day with Alice, there was something going on there, I wondered what else Alice had seen since she had mentioned my two friends. There was no doubt in my mind now that we were all linked somehow.

I left the circus with a new sense of myself as I thought of My Bella, the image of her playing still at the forefront of my mind, she was so brave. I had wanted to run in there and shield her from the danger of the lions. It was ridiculous I knew since she spent her life with them but I couldn't help how protective I felt of her and Alice. She had hinted to other things going on, I hadn't pressed but I would in time.

Nothing could ruin my day now and I knew it would only get better after I told my mother the news.

Ah, Bella.