Stooges

I do not own Twilight or its characters

APOV

"Could you three stop acting like idiots for just a second?"

Rose had been running at my side the entire time not really trying hard to keep up, but not really being able to pass me, in running I'd say she was my equal. Bella was looping around the trees with Kate and Tanya, I could tell that she was trying to convince herself that it was ok that Rose was with us, even if Rose was up to no good, we had no proof of that.

I danced through the trees until I felt it was safe and we were a good distance from any humans, it was almost scary the way the playing stopped and everything went deathly silent. The faint sounds of the wind carrying on the leaves echoed the sounds of our prey. The ground would tremble slightly if there was a herd of them.

I looked at Rose who was already crouched and ready to feed then back to Bella who pointed to another direction for her and Tanya to depart. That left me with Kate and Rose; at least if Rose tried to attack me I had Kate's assistance.

I closed my eyes and pictured a small family of deer approximately a few yards east. There would be plenty for the three of us, I turned my nose to the air and took off in there direction. I could hear the soft thumps of Rose and Kate running near me; I hated closing myself off to just my instinct's it seemed unnatural to hunt the way I did with my eyes closed, my muscled bunched signaling that I had found my prey as I latched on to it's neck hearing the crunch of bone beneath my sharp bite.

I finished off my prey and pushed the carcass away from me, I hated having to feed but understood its necessity, I hoped that it understood my need as well, I don't think deer have souls; but I also don't want to chance it. I wasn't cruel or vicious when I fed; I simply fed until I didn't need to anymore and moved on.

Rose looked as graceful as she always did; her long blonde hair curled around the back of her neck as she drained the life of her prey. Her ruby red eyes were soon going to be a milky orange color, which was a severe contrast to the color in her skin, it would stand out beautifully. My thoughts drifted to Jasper and I wondered how he would take his first taste of animal as opposed to human… I am sure humans taste better; this would be a difficult thing for him and I would like to be there, but I wouldn't want his pride hurt if I came and he was unable to do it; I would understand…but would he?

I sighed wiping a drop of blood from the corner of my mouth and waited at a near by tree for the other girls to join me. Bella had showed up behind me and leaned against the tree with her arms folded across her chest. She nodded her head towards Rose and looked at me. I simply shrugged my shoulders I didn't know what else to do, I knew she was up to something…but I didn't know what.

Tanya appeared shortly after Rose and Kate were finished and we all began a slower paced walk back to the house. Rose stayed quiet reminding me of a cougar stalking their prey. I refused to be her prey and I refuse to be left in the dark. I placed my hand on Roses arm and held her back with me; I needed to speak with her alone.

"Hey you guys go on ahead. We'll catch up in just a minute."

I could tell they didn't like the idea of me staying behind with Rose, but I didn't think she would make any attempt at a truthful conversation unless it was just us. I had to try everything I could. And well, maybe being her sister is the best place to start.

"Can we talk? It's been a very long time, believe it or not I missed you Rose…how have you been?"

"About how you're thinking. Miserable. Look at me, Alice. I've been living like a nomad. Every since the Kindred made it mandatory that the wealthy couldn't be touch and the Hunters agreed, I've been reduced to obtaining hand me downs from the poor homes. Life hasn't been a bed of roses for me like it obviously remained for you."

I frowned slightly; I could tell by her appearance that she hadn't had the relief of shopping and a spa treatment in a long time. Maybe I could help her with that? Surely it's the least I can do…she didn't have to leave…she didn't have to leave with out anything either.

"Rose, things have not been easy for me but I am not here to argue about that. I've missed you…I came up with some new designs I'm sure you haven't had time to go through your closet at home…but they're in there…just your size to. Spas don't really cater to vampires any more…but I have all the needed items at the house, I know it's not making up for lost time…but please let me give you a manicure. Rose, no matter what you have done it's in the past where it should stay… I know your hiding something from me, and I promise that I wont search your future to try and find out what it is…but I hope that you can know that we love you and only want the best for you…if it's a bank account, well I hate to tell you this now… but you've always had one."

I tried a weak smile at her and attempted to look her in the eyes, they were already beginning to milk over from the difference in human blood to animal blood. I felt like I just gave her speech…I planned to stick to my promise, I won't search her future unless she needed me too…but I desperately hoped that she would confide in me and let me help her with whatever it is she was hiding. She was a bitch, but I loved her like I would love any other family members…we were not always meant to get along.

"Don't patronize me, Alice. Why do you always have to make everything right? Don't get me wrong, I don't have the issues with you that I have with them but still. You stayed with them. Edward chose Bella over his family. He caused the beginning of the end for us, our family and our kind. Bella isn't that important. Isn't it that obvious? If she was why would they be looking for you? Why are you the one who is being hunted? Why is everyone suffering because of you?"

She wanted gloves off…she wanted the argument, she could never just be fucking gracious and accept the fact that she was being treated nicely, no she had to turn it around, so now it wasn't Bella's fault…no now it was my fault. Great everything is every body's fault accept hers. Well I am not having that.

I turned to face Rose toe to toe in the back yard. There was a light shimmer coming from the house where everyone else was presently at, I didn't even know if the guys were still there because I was entirely focused on the evil bitch in front of me.

"Rose, why is it that everything is always everyone's fault but your own? Your right the war started because of a stupid fucking shifter getting jealous that Edward had Bella and he didn't. But Bella would have never even become friends with that stupid fucking shifter if you didn't cause the family to have to leave when they did. Leaving Bella started this, so maybe you could also point that pointed chipped nail of yours at yourself. Everyone is not suffering because of me… they made there choices that is not of my doing but there own so again point your finger some place else. I was trying to be nice, to tell my sister that I missed her and offer her a relaxing fucking time…but no YOU consider that patronizing you, I'm done with it Rose…let me know when you change your attitude or when you are at least ready to try and act civilized. Oh and another thing, I didn't choose anyone, I stayed with my family, YOU ran, not really giving anyone a choice there Rose. YOU choose to live your life as a stupid fucking nomad, YOU could have stayed and lived your life as Carlisle and Esme wanted us too. YOU made that choice so don't try and hold anyone else responsible for YOUR actions."

I huffed a little and blew a stray strand of hair out of my face. She was begging for this argument, and Bella may not have been mentally strong enough to hold her own with her but I was and I was not going to let her treat me like a piece of shit under her shoe. She was lucky I didn't request to throw her out to the damn wolves when she started acting all huffy and better than the rest. I understand her; but that doesn't mean that I have to agree with her, nor does it mean that I have to put up with it. I have had enough bull shit in my life to last me; I don't need anything else added to the pile. Again, I left it at HER choice; not mine.

"You want the truth. Fine, I'll give it. Yes, I was jealous..I am beautiful or at least I was. Why wouldn't Edward want me? Why wasn't I good enough when a stupid human was? I didn't force Edward's hand when we left. I sided with his decision to leave. You were against it remember. I thought she was dead. I misunderstood your vision just like you did. Sorry. I jumped and called him before we could verify the information. Sure, but tell me you haven't done that. Trust me, you don't want to answer that question because whether you know it or not you would be lying. Do me a favor, Alice ? Search my future. Hell, search Emmett's too. You won't like what you find."

Her eyes were slits matching my anger, at least I finally got her to admit to something and of course I have jumped to conclusions…shit happens it's part of my gift, why would she think I'd even deny it is beyond me.

"Rose, I have seen parts of your future…you're right I don't like what I see…but it's not because you have affected me; it's because you look like shit and you're still miserable. It's up to you to change that, but I can promise you that the path you are on will be your own destruction. Tell me though, if you found a man who was more beautiful than Emmett…would you have left Emmett to die based on sheer beauty alone? You have to understand that it has nothing to do with your beauty…you guys would have killed each other because your personalities…they clash like wearing white after labor day. Even you have to know that Rose; you have something else planned…and I may not be able to see it, and I may not want to see it, but you do and I promise that whatever the out come is for me…it will be just as bad for you."

I wanted to just turn away from her and walk into the house…I wanted to avoid the more hurtful words I know she was thinking up, I could tell that she wanted to hit me, that she wanted to let out her aggression and I'd let her. We had sparred enough for me to know what to do with her if she attacked me in a blind rage, I hoped that she wouldn't but I wouldn't lose my ground I planned on standing here until she got it all out…maybe then when I was still standing here talking to her she'd give up. Who knows? I for one don't want to know before the out come is reached…what good is a vision if she can change due to not making up her mind yet…that fact I was sure of.

"You think you know everything. Fuck you, you know nothing. I can't change my future. My future is tied to my past. It's done. It's set. I wish I could fucking change it. It's not possible. I am a walking time bomb. I am someone that you could always depend on whether you needed me or not. Now, I can't be depended on. I can't be trusted. I want to be the person I was before. Fuck if only it was possible. It can't be.

I would never leave Emmett. What surprises me is that he stood by me while I made the worst decisions and condemned everyone. Alice, please, do what Jasper is asking. Leave. Don't ever look back. I don't want you to......I don't want to have to......I love you. I always have."

She paused with fear lacing her expressions and anger taking over her voice. She wants to be herself again? Then by god I was going to make this right by her…but how? She needed to tell me how…I wanted to shake her but she looked up at the sky with hatred seeping through her voice.

"Do your fucking worst. I'm dead anyways."

What was she talking about? I wouldn't let any harm come to her, surely she must know that by now…I loved her she was my sister; hell she is my sister and I'll be damned if anyone hurts her more than she has already been hurt.

"I made a deal. I didn't know at the time who I was making the deal with.........I sold the family out because I was angry. Angry over everything and angry at everyone. I gave them........"

She fell, sobbing uncontrollably at first and then nothing. She was blacked out again, I looked around to make sure my ass was covered and then hoisted her up into my arms. Whoever hurt her…whoever wronged her or made her agree to anything was going to pay with there lives.

I carried her crumpled form up to the house and slid the glass door open, Bella looked nervous as I felt the protection of Bella's shield wrap around me. Her eyes were wide as Tanya and Kate nervously moved to help me carry Rose back into her room. I wanted to break down, I wanted to scream and kill everything that moved to touch Rose or my family, I wanted whatever piece of 'normal' we had back…and as of right now, it was out of reach.

I placed Rose gentle on her bed and turned on the table side lamp. I picked up the broken picture that still lay on the ground and brushed the shards of glass away with my fingers. After I placed the picture on her bed side table I looked around the room. Nothing was out of place accept this picture. I sighed and stood up wondering if I would be able to leave her here alone so that I could begin my search. I may physically be in the room with her but I was no where near mentally here when I searched to the extent I needed to search. I should have been watching her over the years…I should have tried.

"Alice , what happened?"

Bella looked sadly down at me and sat on the bed next to Rose, she pulled her hand into her own and began humming a lullaby I had not heard in years. Edward had used it to soothe her to sleep when she was a human, she was trying to soothe Rose.

"I don't know Bella…she started ranting about a deal and selling out the family, she asked me to run while I still could…and then she collapsed. She's under a lot of stress right now Bella."

"Should I go find Emmett?"

"I don't know if you should or if I should."

"I should. She needs you here with her."

"I'll go, you both should stay."

I looked past Bella to Tanya's retreating figure in the door way, she didn't even give us time to even discuss whether her going would be a good idea, she simply left. Kate stood in the door way looking at Rose with somber eyes. I could tell that she was concerned, she often told me about haunting memories of her sister Irina's broken figure and how she couldn't help. I felt like that…like nothing I could do in the very moment would help.

A loud crash came from the down stairs of the house and I jumped back to my feet. Bella sat up and I felt her shield tighten around Kate and I, pulling us in closely as a sharp growl blew through the house. The shifters are here.

I witnessed there last attack but I grew from that, I was smarter now and no shifter was about to hurt me or my family. I pulled a blanket up over Rose and ran down the stairs with Kate and Bella hot on my heels.

Three russet colored wolves stood in my home destroying what I had just finished building up. Kate went into immediate action jumping on to one and shocking him or her; it looked as if it was a lightening show…before my very eyes Bella leaped attaching herself to one of there back and furiously tugging and punching. She wasn't very subtle in her attack, but she was not losing this fight.

"I want them alive."

With that I jumped from the banister and stood in front of one who appeared to be Jacob, I could tell by his tawny eyes that flickered from me to Bella. He recognized us, as well he should. His arm came up to hit me and I danced out of the way dodging his blows. His breath reeked of yesterday's garbage as he tried to take a bite out of me.

As if we were in a slow motion dance the world slowed to an almost stop around me, I spun around missing his teeth and latched on to his arm. Kate already had her shifter down and unconscious, she was shocking the one that Bella still straddled effortlessly.

I turned my body and pulled Jacobs arm behind his back launching myself upon him and pulling his arm out of his socket, a loud yelp came from him as I felt my back slam into a wall. I wrapped my other free arm around his neck and began to try my hardest to choke the oxygen out of him. God I hope this works. I wasn't willing to die after I had just found Jasper.