Chapter Four - Up Goes The Mistle Toe

"Yet another Christmas. I hope it's better than last year." Alice danced around the Christmas tree in the middle of the living room. She was tossing tinsel around, randomly placing bells, the odd bauble... it was all very, Alice.

"It was not that bad, Alice." Nessie giggled and pinned twisted streamers to the middle of the roof as she stood unwaveringly on Emmett's shoulders as he did a traditional Irish dance. Why? Because he's a fool, a fool I want to do depraved things to all in the name of my libido.

"Not that bad? Not that bad! Are you insane? The tree fell ontop of you, Emmett ran through the window trying to help you, the lights started a fire and all the presents on the left hand side of the tree were lost!" Alice pegged a silver bow into the tree angrily and put her hands on her hips.

"It was not that bad. It could have been a lot worse. The tree could have split in two-tearing all the decorations- I could have been hurt, we could have lost everything and Emmett could have stood on me in his rampage through the window. It could have been worse." Nessie jumped down off Emmett's shoulders and mimicked Alice's position. She did have a point, it could have been worse.

"Hmmgggg." Alice hum/growled and pulled her face into a tight lipped glare. Emmett took this as his cue to leave and disappeared up the stairs without another word. I felt my face fall a bit as he left.

"Love you, Aunt Ali." Renesmee tilted her head to the side and smiled. Alice huffed, rolled her eyes and nodded.

"Yeah, I love you too. PITA." She replied.

"I am not!" Ness gasped.

"Are too, but I still love you. PITA." Alice smiled and turned away.

"Am not!" Nessie followed her around the tree.

"Are too. Pain In The Arse." Alice grinned at me as she rounded the tree with Nessie coming after her.

"AM NOT!" She growled.

"Are-too-no-returns! HA!" Alice squealed and poked Nessie in the chest.

Nessie turned light pink as she glared then did what we all called her 'Rose huff' and stormed off up to the kitchen.

"You are so mean to her sometimes." I shook my head, Alice picked up another line of gold tinsel and started wrapping it around the tree.

"It's all just a game, Bella. Now, what do you want for Christmas? I've got a few ideas-all of which you'll love-but what would you actually like without me surprising you?" She tilted her head and adjusted a section of tinsel to the branch above then turned to face me in my position on the couch.

I shrugged and pursed my lips. I'll never get what I really want, it's already taken. I pretended to think then shook my head.

"Nothing really, I'm happy with whatever you give me. It's supposed to be a gift not a demand." I replied. Recently all my thoughts had been occupied with thoughts of the two encounters tainting my fidelity. The more I thought about it the more I became obsessed with the idea of a third sordid little affair.

"Bel-laaaa, it's no fun if you don't actually want what I get you. There's only twenty-four days to go, I want to make sure you have a good one. In a hundred years time you don't want to resent Christmas for being a boring time of year that ends in disappointment. Can you give me a leg up?" She grabbed the crystal and gold angel out of the bubble wrapped box and gestured for me to come forward. I stood up and cupped Alice's foot in my hand and lifted her up till she got high enough and put the angel on the top of the tree.

"Ahhh, beautiful." She smiled happily and jumped down.

"Yes." I agreed. "Care to turn on the lights?" I handed her the switch to the powerboard.

"Love to." She grinned and flicked the switch, the tree lit up with thousands of tiny lights over it's nine foot height. Like mini fairies perched on every branch.

"You've out done yourself this year, Alice." Jasper smiled, he came down the stairs and joined us at the foot of the tree, sliding his arm under Alice's and giving her a kiss on the cheek.

"I know, I'm a genius. It's a hard, hard life but I manage." Alice joked.

"Modest much?" Renesmee asked as she came down back down to critique the tree.

"Why do you say that? It doesn't make sense. Modest much? Back from school much? Christmas much? HAIRCUT much? You've been saying it for weeks and I still don't understand." I asked with build up frustration overflowing into my tone.

"Angry much?" She teased with a cheeky grin.

"YES!" I growled.

"Hot headed much?" She continued to grin.

"Not usually!" I turned to Alice who was just laughing, making Jasper smile with amusement I'm sure he didn't understand.

"Love your daughter despite her ease at infuriating you... much?" Nessie used one too many 'much's. I spun back to her and tightened my eyes.

"Yes." I hissed under my breath. She bit her bottom lip and ducked behind the tree.

"Confused emotions much, Jasper?" She peeked out the other side.

"Yes." He nodded.

"RIGHT! Enough of this 'muching' crap, I'm over it!" I flitted around the tree and caught Nessie by surprise.

"Eeep." She kept grinning with amusement.

"I'll give you 'eeep'. EMMETT! Renesmee wants to play HALO!" I called towards the games room. A second later the beanbag jostled and Emmett was in front of me.

"Seriously!" He grinned and looked between us. Emmett hadn't played HALO in a year, no one would anymore. Nessie looked whiter than usual and glanced at Emmett in horrification.

"No, not seriously." She shook her head.

"Oh yes, seriously. Take her away, Em." I handed him her wrist and stood back as he bounced towards the stairs with Nessie powerless to pull away.

"No, mom, I'm sorry, I'll stop!" She pleaded and tried to prise his fingers off her arm.

"Sorry. But are you really gonna let him down now? After he's so excited. Be a nice niece, it's Christmas!" I waved her goodbye as they reached the top of the stairs.

"Talk about mean, Bella." Alice chided.

"Eh, she'll live." I shrugged and stepped back from the tree. "You really did an excellent job, Alice."

"Thanks." She smiled again then wiggled out of the grip Jasper had around her. "Next year you can do it. I'm getting older and slightly past my peak."

"You're exactly the way you've been since you were twenty but all right. We'll see how many attempts I get through before you wave me off and take over." I nodded with a smile.

She sighed and nodded too. "You're right, you're not up to the task." She agreed. I should have felt insulted but I didn't, I really don't care for Christmas anymore.

"She's no fun, Bells. She sucks and I don't have the time or will to coach her." Emmett came shuffling down the stairs with an exasperated look.

"I see, because you're working on a clock aren't you. Death around the next corner and all that. Emmett, you're immortal, you have time. Teach the girl to play HALO." I pointed back to the stairs but he just shook his head and pursed his lips as he sat down. He pursed his lips, hmmmm.

"Nah. I want to make a nuisance of myself down here. What mischief can I get up to?" He looked around the room then spotted the left over tinsel that didn't go with this years color scheme for the tree. Silver, gold and blue.

"Emmett, no!" Alice flitted over and smacked him on the end of the nose with her tiny hand. Emmett went cross-eyed for a moment then folded his arms and huffed.

"Party Pooper." He grumbled.

"Bad Emmett, very bad." Alice chastised like a kindergarden teacher, she even pointed her finger at him.

"I didn't do anything." He retorted.

"But you were going to." She put her hand on the top of his head and ordered him to "Stay!"

"I'm not a dog."

"Yes you are." She giggled then returned to Jasper.

"When I start going around naked and barking rather than talking you'll have yourself to blame. If you want me to be something just accuse me of it and I'll make the effort. I've been told I'm an idiot since I can remember and now I am. Call me a dog and see what happens." He folded his arms, superiority oozing out for making that analogy all on his own.

"Emmett, you're a wanker." Nessie announced, shamelessly I might add.

"Too late for that one, Ness." Emmett grinned.

"Ew." She groaned and wrinkled her nose. "Too much information, Emmett."

"Not when you asked for that information by bringing up the topic." He smirked, Emmett loved winning. Maybe that's why he's playing this little game with me.

Just another thanks to all reader, reviews and alerters (Word or not?)