Well, here you go. Another chapter to make up for the long absence. The last update was only a short one, hopefully this gives you a bit more. Hugs to my beautiful beta Mambomama. Love her!

I hope I don't upset anyone with this chapter, I don't think it should upset anyone, but I want to just put that out there anyway.

It's D-Day for Alice. Wish her luck!

Nothing is mine except the plot.

Alice POV

Dinner was going well.

I had managed to tame my nerves well enough, I hoped, with more than a little help from Victoria, but the longer we sat at that table, the more they began to creep back in again.

I mean, for crying out loud, what was I going to say?!

Oh, by the way, just thought I'd let you know that I'm thinking of getting a new car. And that I like women. I'm actually thinking of getting a red car. It'll match my girlfriend's hair.

Yeah, right.

Bella had excused herself to take plates into the kitchen, but returned soon after with a smile on her face as she headed towards me.

She leaned down to whisper in my ear.

"Sweetie, your dad is asking for your help in the kitchen."

I don't know what flashed across my face at that moment, but at the same time, Bella gently squeezed my shoulder and Victoria squeezed the hand she'd been holding under the table.

"Um...okay."

"You'll be fine, Ali Cat. I'll come in there in a few minutes to get a glass of water, make sure you're ok. But I think you'll be just fine." Vic whispered as I began to rise from my chair.

I could feel myself shaking, and I willed my body to cooperate.

The sound of the kitchen door closing, sounded like a cannon blast to my poor, freaking out mind. Dad was clearly finished whatever he had been doing in the kitchen, and was leaning against the counter, just waiting for me.

"What's up, Daddy?"

I tried to go for 'happy and confident'. I ended up with 'high pitched and weird'.

"Baby girl, tell me what's wrong. I could always tell when you were worried about something, and I know you are now. Please, honey. It hurts me to see you upset."

He'd moved away from the counter and a few steps towards me, but stayed far enough to let me have the space he seemed to realise I needed to get whatever I was about to say, off my chest.

"Daddy, you're right. I am worried about something. But I'm fine. More than fine, actually. I'm just worried that you won't be when I tell you."

"What is it, honey? You know you can tell me anything."

Here it was.

Moment of truth time.

I must have looked like a fish, my mouth opening and closing so much as I tried to find the right words to say. But to his credit, he just stood there, calm and collected, just waiting. There's that doctor's training coming to good use.

"Dad. I'm going to tell you something, and I don't want you to freak out."

"Okay..."

"I'm...um...I'm gay, Dad."

Time seemed to stretch on forever at that moment. His face expression remained unchanged for what seemed like an eternity – which in reality, was only a few seconds – before it relaxed into a happy smile and his arms opened for me as they had in the hallway earlier.

"Is that all, baby girl?"

"What do you mean?" I asked, genuinely confused.

"Well, you clearly were beside yourself with worry over telling me this. You couldn't have thought I'd be upset with you, surely?"

I couldn't meet his eyes.

"Honestly? I didn't know how you'd react. I'm sorry."

"Honey, look at me. You're my baby girl, and I love you no matter what. Now tell me the rest."

"The rest?"

"Well, to be honest, I thought you were gearing up to tell me you were pregnant or something. Now I know you telling me that was a huge thing to admit to me, but I can see that you're still holding something back. Do you have a girlfriend? Are you worried we won't approve?"

"Never could get anything past you, could I?"

He smiled and shook his head.

"You're right, though. I do have a girlfriend. She's wonderful."

"Well, that's great. So when do we get to meet her?"

With timing so perfect, that I wondered if she'd hung out at the other side of the door waiting for an entrance line, in walked Victoria.

"Sorry to interrupt, I just came in for a drink of water. You okay, Ali Cat?"

I couldn't help the smile from forming on my face as she passed us to grab a glass from the glass fronted cabinet and proceeded to fill it with ice cold water from the fridge.

We were silent as she completed her task, then with one last questioning glance, she left the room once again.

"Alice. I take it that I already know this wonderful girlfriend of yours?" Dad asked, with a curious expression on his face.

"You do."

Short, succinct answers, Alice. The best way to navigate conversations when he gets his curious head on.

"Am I also to understand that I am only one of a few people who know this?"

"That's correct."

"I see. Are you planning on telling the others?"

"I still need to speak to Mom about it, but yes. I wanted to do it tonight, after I made sure you and Mom would support me."

I felt the tears welling in my eyes, and willed them away. Things had been going so well, but now he seemed to be closing up and, in my experience, that was never a good sign.

"How long?"

I didn't know if he was referring to how long I've known, or how long me and Victoria had been together? So I answered both.

"I've been coming to terms with this for the last six months, or so. Vic and I have only gotten to know each other since her and Jasper came back last week."

Once again, his face was unreadable, but thankfully, it softened back to the smile I loved so much.

"Well, in that case, I'd prepare to let the Ali Cat out of the bag, honey." I laughed at his attempt to tease about Vic's nickname for me. He'd obviously picked up on it earlier.

"You think it'll be okay? Will Mom be okay with this?"

He took my hand in his and brought it up to his lips before resting it over his heart.

"Sweetheart. Your mother will not even bat an eyelash. If she can keep her head when she found her parents fooling around in the spare bedroom at Edward and Tanya's engagement party, I think she'll take this all in stride."

"Yeah, I guess you're r- wait, WHAT?!"

He was roaring with laughter, presumably from the look on my face, as he kissed my cheek, picked up the dessert tray, and strode out of the kitchen.

Leaving me with the mixed emotions of relief that things had gone smoother than I thought they would, and revulsion that Mom had caught Grams and Grandpa going at it.

Poor, Mom. I think I'd need brain bleach, if it'd been me...

So, okay. One down, one to go.

Now where's Mom?...

Turns out I didn't have to wait to find out, as she came bustling in to the kitchen muttering something about 'Emmett', 'bottomless pit' and not knowing 'how she puts up with him'.

She spotted me, after re-emerging from the pantry with what appeared to be a cheese board.

"Ah, there you are, honey. Are you ok? You and your father were in here a while. Emmett and his stomach were starting to protest."

She was smiling as she began to gather the various cheeses, crackers and various other bits and pieces.

No time like the present. Rip of the Band Aid!

"We're fine, Mom. I just had some news to share."

"Oh, really? Care to share it with me, too?" She asked curiously, as she paused her arranging of the board and gave me her undivided attention.

"Of course. You see, I have some news. Good news. But I needed to share it with you and Dad before I shared it with everyone else."

"Go on, sweetie."

"Well, okay. Mom, I'm with Victoria."

There. Killing two birds with four little words.

"Jasper's Victoria?"

"Yes. I'm sorry I didn't tell you before now, I've been sorting through my feelings for months, but just seeing her, I knew. I'm not rushing into anything, it's still so new to me. But I'm enjoying getting to know her. She's wonderful."

She seemed to have picked up Dad's 'think it through before you react' thing, as her face gave nothing away. I felt the need to keep talking, though.

"I wanted to speak to you and Dad before I told the rest of them. Well, Bella knows. I was upset and it all came out. But she's happy for me. For us. She's helped me, a lot. Knowing how scared I was to tell you both."

"Alice Cullen."

I jumped at the use of my full name. Mom only ever calls me that if I'm in trouble.

"Why would you ever be scared to tell us something this important? I know it's big news, hell, I never saw it coming and I pride myself on picking up on things like this. I mean, you can't tell me that there isn't anything going on between Bella and Jasper!"

She moved to lean beside me against the counter.

"The fact that you were so afraid of our reactions, tells me that you really mean this. That you're sure that this is the path you're meant to be on. Corny as it may sound, that's enough for me. If you're sure about this then I'm with you one hundred and fifty percent. I love you, sweetie."

"Thanks, Mom."

I was, once again, fighting back tears as I clung to her. Her long caramel curls fell over my face and the smell of her perfume comforted me. As long as Mom and Dad were happy for me, I'd be able to tell everyone else.

"Though, perhaps you should tell the girls before the boys."

"Why's that?"

"Well, we are talking about Emmett, and Peter, honey. Much as I love them, they're not the most tactful of people. It may be fun to watch them trying, and probably failing, to avoid getting clipped round the back of the head by Rose and Charlotte."

With that she handed me the assembled cheese board, and went to hold open the door for me.

She winked as I passed her and I relaxed. I was ready.