Disclaimer: I do not own the Twilight series or its characters.

Chapter 6 – Discovery

BELLA POV

Someone was shaking me, talking to me, and whoever it was, they better have damn good reason for waking me up so early. It was Sunday, and school was out, so why in the hell would someone deem it necessary to wake me up this early? Wait, it was Sunday, so that means…

"No Charlie, I don't want to go hunting this morning! It's too early and I don't feel like spending hours in the woods. Leave me alone!" I flopped over to my other side, intent on going back to sleep when I heard a series of chuckles. Wait a second…

Mortification came over me as I suddenly realized that I wasn't in Washington anymore. The night before came back to me in a rush. The nightmare and subsequent freak out episode, officially meeting Alec, Alec pleading with me to accept him, then me giving into my instincts and hurling myself in his arms. How Alec lifted me up and sat with me in his lap, arms wrapped around me as I nuzzled his neck and purred. Which, by the way, shocked the hell out of me. I remember sitting there and soaking in the unfamiliar sense of complete comfort and peace from just being in his arms. Somehow I must have managed to fall asleep.

I sat up quickly, half expecting to see everyone still here, but was relieved when it was only Jasper, Alec, and Alice, with Felix and Demitri. I could handle my nerves better now that it was a much smaller group of them. All of them were grinning at me. I turned a deep shade of red as I remembered what I said just a few moments before. I hid my face in my hands, refusing to look at them.

"Um Bella you are the queen of the klutzy people. Why would Charlie take you hunting?" Alice asked, trying not to laugh.

"He has a few times in the last few months…he was hoping it would help me be more graceful with practice. It didn't work. After the third time, he finally decided to give up on it for a while, and instead he settled on me at least knowing how to defend myself and shoot a gun. I actually have a concealed carry permit, so I can have one hidden on me at all times. We were supposed to try again today." My words came out muffled. I finally looked up when Jasper sent me confidence. "Thanks Jasper."

"Anytime, darlin'. I wish I had known about the hunting attempts. Would have gotten it on video." He deftly caught the pillow I threw at him as he laughed openly, "Come on lil' sis you gotta admit it would a funny sight for anyone to see."

I smiled, "I can guarantee that it was. Especially that third time when I fell into a pile of bear scat and took Charlie down with me. No wonder he gave up on me. It was disgusting. I couldn't look the poor man in the face for a week after that. And then he told his friends on the reservation, and so they all had fun picking on me for it." I laughed dryly.

I got up as silence ensued, intent on hunting down the coffee. I needed my daily energy boost. I should probably eat too, but I wasn't really hungry. I decided to break the silence as I sat back down on the couch with my coffee, "So…when did I fall asleep exactly? And what time is it?" I choked on my sip of coffee when Alice told me that it was already noon, and I had been sleeping for about 13 hours. "Why did you let me sleep that late?" I shouted.

"You needed it Bella. You haven't been sleeping well. And we figured that as long as you weren't having a nightmare, you should sleep. Alec held you most of the time, and he stayed close to you the rest of the time, so that might have something to do with it. I only woke you because I know you hate sleeping the day away, and it was getting late. You really did need the sleep Bella…the lack of sleep you've been getting has made your complexion look absolutely horrible." Alice shuddered.

Well I was wondering when this side of my best friend would make itself known. I laughed internally at the thought. "Thanks…I guess. That's the first time in months that I actually had a good dream."

This caught Alec's attention, and suddenly he was sitting next to me and pulling me into his lap, "What do you mean? Do you have nightmares often?"

Leaning automatically into his hold, I looked at him and slowly nodded, feeling an absolute need to be completely honest with him, "Every night for the past few months. Last night was the first time my nightmares were held at bay. Maybe Alice is right, and that did have something to do with you."

"Can you tell me what's giving you nightmares?" Alec asks nervously, afraid it was of him.

I was held captive by his piercing gaze. It was like he could see me in the raw, like he could see my soul. I opened my mouth a few times and closed it when I couldn't get the words out. Instead I went with a simpler, silently asked question, "Not you. You aren't giving me nightmares."

I tore my eyes from Alec when Jasper sent me a boatload of calm, peace, and confidence before saying, "Tell us sugar. What are your nightmares about? It might help you."

I looked down as I forced myself to answer, "V…Victoria." It was all that my brother needed before he understood.

"Bella?" Alice said my name questioningly, "Has Edward been in your nightmares too, particularly in more recent ones, with red eyes?"

I looked at her with tear-filled eyes, "Yeah. Last night. How did you know Alice?"

She took my hand, "I've seen things. Edward contacts Victoria sometime in the next few months. Bella, he won't be happy once he finds out what we've done. Right now, he thinks that Jazz and I are on a random, extended vacation. Once he discovers the truth, and he will, then he'll view it as the ultimate betrayal. He'll want revenge."

Oh shit. "I think he already has contacted her… A couple weeks ago, I woke up a little, and I opened my eyes to see Edward by my window, talking to someone. The voice sounded familiar, though I couldn't place it. But I remember seeing red hair before I passed back out again. When I woke up a few hours later, Edward was acting normal so I just assumed that it was a dream. I didn't think he would actually…" I paused as the fear threatened to take over.

Edward wouldn't be conspiring with someone who was hell bent on killing me, would he? I didn't know. I wanted to believe that he wouldn't. I wanted to believe that he loved me and would only protect me. I wanted to believe that I was more than just a distraction for him. I wanted to believe, but deep down I knew that I couldn't.

I was so lost in my thoughts that I jumped slightly when Alec gently nudged my head into the crook of his neck. Giving into instinct this time was easier as I inhaled deeply, taking in his scent and letting it calm me. He smelled like desert, cactus, pine, and rain. He smelled like home. I vaguely heard Jasper fill everyone in on what the situation with Victoria was before everyone else made excuses to leave for a while, essentially leaving Alec and I alone to talk.

Once he felt me start to relax he spoke, "We will keep you safe my love. No harm will come to you, I promise."

I pulled back slightly to look up at him, "Really?"

"Try not to doubt me Isabella. You are my mate. Even if you decided that you didn't want me, I would die to protect you. I will be whatever you need me to be, whether it is as a mate, lover and husband, or as a brother and friend. If you are afraid of my family, or me there is no need to be. We all love you already. I know you saw a really scary side of us, but what you saw is not who we actually are. What you witnessed of us is a necessary act of evil needed to keep our kind in order. Really we are not like that most of the time."

"Alec…I'm not afraid of you. Your family, maybe a little bit but…Jasper and Alice say the same thing, that you guys are not truly evil and sadistic unless you absolutely have to be. Jasper and Alice are my family, and I trust them. That's why I'm here now. To be with you, and to see for myself who you all really are inside. Besides, I trust that you won't hurt me."

"What's holding you back, if not for fear of my family or me? Did you decide that you didn't want me, and aren't sure how to tell me?"

"It's not that…Alec, I want you. I want and need you so bad that it scares me. I want to depend on you. I want you to be the one who loves me, protects me. And it scares me. It scares me to think that if I give you all of me, to let you see me at my most vulnerable, that one day you might change your mind. I mean, look at me. I'm plain and boring. I'm nothing. You are perfect. You could have your pick of any other girl you want."

He sighed, "You don't see yourself clearly my love. In my eyes, you are the most beautiful creature that I have ever laid eyes upon. You are everything to me. You are my other half, and no other woman will ever compare to you. I want you, all of you Isabella."

I blushed when he told me I was beautiful, "Would you change me if I asked you to?" The second, silent question was a test. I really just wanted to know if he wanted me for eternity.

His answer shocked me, but made me secretly jump for joy inside. "Isabella I would change you regardless. I am a selfish bastard, and would rather face your wrath at being changed against your wishes than to face an eternity without you by my side."

"Oh…" I didn't know what else to say to his declaration.

"Do you understand the depth of my feelings for you now?"

I nodded. After a few more minutes I decided to voice my answer, "Yes, I get it now. Alec…I want you as a mate and lover. I want to be yours, and I want you to be mine."

He let out a breath of relief, "Thank you for the chance. You won't regret it… May I kiss you now?"

"Anytime," I breathed, flattered that he asked first. Edward never did.

He slowly lowered his lips to mine, pressing them gently at first before increasing the pressure. The kiss was chaste, but the electricity that jolted through me when I touched his hand exploded when his lips found mine. And then I knew for sure that Alec was meant for me, just like I was meant for him.