M'kay, romance wins, good job!8 to 1. Sooooooo let the epic (and possibly hilarious) fight for her heart begin!

Drum roll please, EMMET!

(Emmet with shaved head, the words of his journal painted on his back, and in a bikini juggling six clowns)

Emmet: I hate you…

Bella:

I landed with a dull thud onto the mat, my jaw aching from the left hook Alec had just thrown.

"Good job. You're better at falling than yesterday." With a grin, he held out his hand, and I took it gratefully. Except he pulled my up blindingly fast, his fist aiming for my stomach this time. I twisted away, smacking his wrist.

"Goddamn jerk."

He sighed mockingly

"It's a curse that people become defenceless in my presence."

"Yeah right, more like they become defenceless at the sound of your irritating blather."

I leaped from the wall I had balanced on, aiming for his scarred half, his weaker points.

I got a hit for the first time, right in the cheek. He stumbled, but regain his balance, rubbing the spot gingerly.

"And that," He grunted "Was just fighting dirty."

I smiled an impish smile and stared into his crimson eyes.

"A warrior must gain any advantage they can muster. Isn't that what you told me from the beginning of the week?"

"Well, no one can accuse you of being forgetful."

We both lowered our guard then, laughing. He looked so happy, bending over and clutching his side. I had a desire to make him laugh more.

And yet, in the farthest corner, an image only I could see was watching with soft, pained eyes.

He was little more than a flicker now, but my Edward illusion wouldn't leave, always appearing when he would've have been most worried for my safety. He no longer even spoke to me, just watched, waited, and listened.

I felt a small pang. I could see, I was no fool. I really cared about Alec, but my past just wouldn't seem to vanish. It reappeared with a vengeance, sucking me into a complex.

it's like you're a drug
It's like you're a demon I can't face down
It's like I'm stuck
It's like I'm running from you all the time
And I know I let you have all the power
It's like the only company I seek is misery all around
It's like you're a leech
Sucking the life from me
It's like I can't breathe
Without you inside of me
And I know I let you have all the power
And I realize I'm never gonna quit you over time

With a cold shudder, I knew those lyrics would continue to haunt me, possibly for a long eternity.

I realised that Alec was watching me, calling my name.

"Bella, what is it?" I took a deep breath, shook myself.

"Alec, I have to tell you some things, you're my friend, and I want to tell you my past."

I held up my hand, he grasped it, eyes serious.

"Bella, I promise, I'll listen. And then I'll tell you some secrets of my own."

Alec:

"It started with my moving into my stepfathers home." She whispered, tucking a piece of hair shyly back, it starting to grow out again from the shredded appearance.

We sat in the training room, nobody around except us.

"His name was Charlie Swan, a wonderful, caring man who worked with the police force. I was happy. Until I went to school."

Her crimson eyes darkened, and her grip tightened on my hand.

"I met them there. Seven inhumanly pale creatures. I call them this because even then, I found it hard to believe there was nothing different about them. They were called the Cullens, and a certain copper-haired one sat next to me in biology."

I knew who she was talking about, but I didn't interrupt.

"His name was Edward Cullen. He hated me, avoided me, even went so far as to opt out of classes we were in.

I became frustrated, I couldn't get him out of my mind. I caught his family looking at me from the corners of their eyes constantly."

She paused, taking a breath.

"Their eyes were topaz.

When he did return, it was like an alien had kidnapped him and changed his personality. Instantly, he was friendly, charming. And even then I was beginning to fall for him."

I felt something tug at my heart, and I knew what it was. Jealousy. Odd, but I continued to listen to her.

"Then, something happened. I won't tell you what, but Edward got me out of the mess. He told me, what he was. He had no choice, I asked him why he knew where I was. Vampire."

He had broken the secret for love. My mind wandered to that mission, that red haired woman, Victoria. My sister, who had been ignoring me lately.

"After that, I met his coven, they did not drink human blood. Animal blood, their joke being vegetarians."

My first thought was that young vampire Aro had taken to. That one with blond hair. I knew his name suddenly.

"Carlisle was the leader. He was so nice, I thought him almost a second father. Esmé, his mate, Rosalie and Emmet, Alice and Jasper, and then just Edward. We were happy, even though a nomad coven attacked me once. Edward killed the male, so Victoria wanted revenge."

With an intake of breath, I relaxed. Pieces I had been missing started coming into focus, slowly.

"He left you." I murmured. She didn't even flinch, I wasn't sure she had even heard me, her eyes were far away.

"Yes." Her sigh held a horrible, resigned pain.

"He said he didn't love me any more, but lately, I've found I'm able to read people better. My ability is starting to help with that, especially if they've been in my mind already."

She turned to me

"I knew, for instance, you knew already something about Edward you weren't telling me, but now, I suspect it has something to do with your side being burned. Charlie died. I was responsible, but it was an accident. We collided, almost. Me on a bike, and Charlie in his car, he swerved to save me, right into a tree."

My head bobbed once, sadly, and she sighed, a forced smile appeared.

"So, your secret then, what is it?"

Bella:

"Come with me for a walk," He suggested, tugging me up to my feet. I followed wordlessly, I had learned Alec thought better when he was moving.

We went into the empty halls of the Volturi castle, the stained glass windows shining rainbows at us. My skin sparkled, something I hadn't noticed until now.

"Yes, I had met Edward before I had met you. It was my," He swallowed

"My mission to protect Victoria from him, considering she managed to convince Aro that killing you was more just than protecting the one you love. Edward appeared on the way."

He seemed to opt out of saying something, then continued.

"He loves you Bella, he was defending you when he did what he did. I couldn't get out of the way, and Jane was too dangerous. He flew something covered in gasoline at my sibling after he had lit it on fire, and I just reacted."

I gripped his hand, angry. Edward had obviously changed, he wouldn't do that, would he? I remembered him telling me he would do what it takes to make me safe, and I knew he would.

Still, both Alec and Edward needing their heads examined.

"You're an idiot." I told him, but a small smile was on my face

"Jane hates you, why?"

He turned to me, crimson eyes grim.

"Because she's my sibling, and even if she hates me, I can't help but love her."

My breath caught, the torment in his voice was obvious.

"Alec, you're a nut, but I know how you feel. It was like that for me, with a cousin I had. She hated my guts, but when she almost drowned, I saved her."

His smile was like a breath of spring.

"I fell off a cliff, wandered in pain for hours. Until, until I found your house."

I swallowed thickly.

"You stopped me from killing myself." I whispered, and his head snapped up.

"I had the gun to my head and everything. Then your knock came just as I was about to squeeze the trigger."

My arms winded around him then, a bone-crushing hug he deserved taking both our breaths away.

"Thank you."

"For stopping you?"

"For everything."

Alice:

They stared at each other, one with eyes of hatred, the other with a sick sadness. Bella and Edward, circling each other in a fierce battle. Her snarls rang out as she attacked, locking her teeth onto his shoulder. Edward wouldn't fight back, her Volturi cloak covered the carnage from my eyes.

It melted away, now it showed Bella, crying over a nameless figure, the sobs ringing out. There, there were TEARS streaming from her cherry eyes, and she choked out a name I couldn't hear, over and over again.

Then, there was her facing a mirror, eyes wide as she and her reflection touched.

The vision was gone. I clutched my head, it was spinning faster than a top.

"Something's happening." I whispered to Jasper

"And I have to stop it, or somebody will die." His nostrils flared in surprise, eyes shimmering in shock.

"To think, one girl could cause so much chaos…"

I shook my head sadly.

"Bella certainly has a passion for danger." My eyes darkened.

"I'm going to get Edward, we should visit the Volturi."

The end! For NOW! MUAHAAHA what could all this mean? You guess even part of it, and a virtual cookie goes to you!