I do not own Twilight or the Vampire Diaries

Bonnie watched as Matt chatted with Bella. In some ways, she reminded her of Elena. Both were shallow and very into themselves—Bella was just a bit more aware of it. Bonnie wouldn't put it past her if she noticed how Edward was slowly moving out of her orbit and into Mike's. She was probably in denial of it, much like how Mike was.

But Bonnie knew that while Mike was in denial because he didn't want to be selfish about the whole thing, Bella was being selfish. She wanted immortality. She didn't want to be seen as vulnerable and breakable to Edward. He would probably leave her for them. She wanted to be hard like them, indestructible like them.

Maybe then, she could be seen as something to be valued.

Bonnie felt bad for her. She knew Matt did too, because his eyes held a softness in them. But they were so sad. Matt hasn't been the same since the supernatural came into his life.

"Can I ask you something?" Bella started. He nodded at her, uncrossing his arms and resting them on each side of the counter. His fingers unknowingly brushed against Bonnie's. His shoulders stiffened and she was almost certain he was looking at her out the corner of his eye, but he kept his focus on Bella. "You said vampires messed up your life. Why are you here then? You're in a house full of them."

"Bonnie," he answered. "Bonnie once said you can always make a choice. It wasn't directed at me but I had those words rolling around in my head for months. And she was right. I did have a choice, and I chose to be here, surrounded by vampires. But it wasn't for me. I chose to do this for Bonnie."

"Do you love her?"

Matt smiled. "She's the little sister I never had. I do love her and I am doing this because I know her. She's sacrificed so much for everyone else. But no one has done anything for her. Hell I didn't even try to be there for her when Ms. Shelia died and that woman raised me more than my own mother."

"So it's an obligation?"

"No," Matt said. "It's the right thing to do."

Bella said nothing but took a sip of her water. Matt pushed off the counter. "Let me ask you a question, Bella."

"Okay," she answered.

"Would you be willing to let Edward go?"

"What?"

Bonnie hopped off the counter. "Matt, stop."

She blinked. She hasn't said it but she had wanted to. She turned and saw Jasper leaning against the doorframe. "Bella, Alice is going to take you home. Edward's busy with some wedding preparations. He won't be over tonight. He wanted me to let you know."

Bella nodded and gathered up her things. She didn't want to even know what Matt was talking about. She thanked Jasper and rushed out the door.

Jasper turned to the medium. "Nothing personal, but Bella's already insecure about us leaving her before. And my brother is dense, so he isn't even aware of his feelings for Mike. You telling her before he does, it wouldn't be right."

Matt huffed. "She has a right to know."

"I know. But it isn't your place to say. When my brother comes to terms with himself and his feelings, and even Mike does as well, they'll handle the situation." Jasper said. "Esme will be down soon to fix you a meal. I'm going to go watch over Bonnie."

Matt caught how he said her name. Soft and warm like she was the sun. "You'll call if anything happens."

"I will." Jasper vowed. If anything happened to her on his watch, he wouldn't know what to do. His feelings were complicated and, he was still married to Alice. Bonnie threw him for a loop and he wasn't sure when he was going to stop spinning.

Matt watched him leave, heading up to the room where his little sister's body laid. Maybe he's get her some follows for when she woke up.

:

It had been over an hour since they had been in the room. Mike was pretty damn close to trying to blast it open with magic. He was sure he'd die in the process, but it was worth a shot. Anything but being trapped in a room—one with a rather comfy full sized bed and a fireplace—with Edward Cullen.

The very vampire he was damn sure he had strong feelings for.

Who was leaning against said fireplace, almost too nonchalant. Wasn't he worried about getting home to his fiancée? Bella was probably blowing up his cellphone right now. Text messages like : "Where are you?" and "Are you ok? You haven't climbed through my window tonight."

She probably had that silly pout on her face. Mike could see it now, her bottom lip out and quivering as she tried to work a set of puppy dog eyes on her boyfriend. She would only look very lost and confused. Mike wasn't even sure why he found her cute with that look.

Once upon a time, he found it cute. He liked her. Maybe would have even loved her.

But now? She was a friend. A friend who obviously wasn't an idiot and had to see that her boyfriend wasn't home and couldn't even come close to seeing or answering his phone. Mike didn't even get signal and his phone died ten minutes ago. If he hadn't had on his watch, he wouldn't be able to tell time.

"Are you okay? You look anxious," Edward observed, head titled.

"No," Mike answered. "I'm trapped in a room with a vampire who should be able to tell I'm not okay because he can read minds."

Edward shifted, as if embarrassed. "Well I can't really get a read on you right now."

Mike blinked. He couldn't get a read? Was he being funny? Was it a pun? Did Edward Cullen just throw a pun at him?

"Your mind is easier to read to Bella's. Or it used to be. It was always liking flipping through radio channels. Sometimes you'd think about the shop, or your parents. Other times you had an idea for a drawing. But lately," he paused and looked up at him, gold eyes bright with curiousity. "You've been hard to read. You're probably putting up walls."

"Wouldn't be the first ones I've done." Mike said.

A silence fell over them. Brief and heavy, as Mike moved and sat on the rug by the fireplace. Edward kept his eyes in him as the boy reached out and started arranging the logs.

"Are the other walls about our date?"

"It wasn't a date," Mike said, ignoring the skip his heart took. "We just hung out."

He stood up and found a lighter on the mantel. He reached to grab it when pale fingers curled around his wrist. "We almost kissed, Mikhail. I don't think friends do that when they hang out."

"Oh, we're friends now?" Mike snapped, removing his hand and lighting the fire. It didn't take the first few times and he grumbled when it wouldn't light. He tossed the lighter away.

"I had hoped we were," Edward muttered and knelt down next to him. Mike inhaled through his nose, picking up the soft sweetness seemed to just be infused with Edward. He focused his eyes in the logs in the fireplace.

"Inscendia," he whispered, and the fire blazed with life. He smiled softly leaned back, his fingers brushing against Edward's.

"Mike,"

"Hmm?"

"Are we friends?"

Mike sighed and glanced at him. They weren't. Mike has no idea what they were. He knew he had feelings he needed to sort through.

"I don't know, Edward."

Edward sighed. "I'd like us to be."

Mike nodded. He inhaled, and frowned at the overwhelming sweetness in the room. It was stronger than Edward's, and it was making him feel dizzy.

"I'd like that too," he muttered and dropped his head on Edward's shoulder. "You smell good."

Edward chuckled. "Thank you, I suppose."

"Seriously though dude," Mike continued as if he hadn't been interrupted. "You're a good guy. But you beat yourself up a lot. Don't do that, it will only hurt you in the end. Bella wouldn't want that. I don't want that. You shouldn't either."

Edward kept his eyes on the fire. "Is it about what she wants? Is that why you want to be friends?"

"No," he answered. "Just feels easier. Definitely easier than pretending to be your boyfriend."

Edward frowned. "Is this hard for you? Pretending, I mean."

Mike shook his head, "Not as much as it is pretending I don't want to be, ya know? I don't even know if what I feel for you is just because you're so beautiful or because I'm scared of knowing I'm not straight."

Edward said nothing but glanced down at their fingers. Just barely inches apart, he was almost certain he could just reach out and grab it. He had held his hand before but it felt like it had been far too long since he had. An hour definitely.

He wanted to hold Mike's hand. Now, the days after, through pain and hurt. He wanted to hold them during his change, should he ever want to turn. Would he scream or cry? He knew Mike was immortal, but to still have blood running through his veins, it both made him happy and scare him.

What kind of a mate would he be if he wanted harm him?

Edward stilled. Mate?

Shouldn't he be having those thoughts about Bella? He should. He knew he should have. Bella was waiting for him back home. Bella was probably

sitting up in her bedroom right now waiting for him to come through her window.

To keep her calm as she slept.

"Edward, are you okay?" Mike asked. His eyes were almost indigo. The blue was there, but it looked darker. Edward shut his eyes, causing Mike to miss the flash of purple. He didn't even notice his own were shining that color.

"I'm fine," he answered and leaned in, pressing a kiss to the boy's jaw. Mike seemed to stiffen at the gesture but he slowly relaxed as Edward moved, kissing along his jawline and cupping his face with the other. "I'm fine now, Mikhail."

He pressed his lips to Mike's and with his strength, shifted the boy to straddling his lap. The moan he was rewarded with made him smile into the kiss.

:

Alice slammed into the break of the car. She was lucky she had already dropped off Bella. Reaching into her purse, she fished out her phone and dialed the first contact she could.

Carlise picked up on the first ring. "Alice, what happened?"

"I need Jasper and Emmett to come with me to New Orleans. Keep Bella busy for the next two days."

"What happened, Alice?" Carlisle pressed.

"Edward is going to mark Mike," she answered and started up her car. "Tell the boys to meet me at the treaty line. I won't make it in time to stop it."

"But keeping them apart is going to a problem." Carlisle sighed. "Let me know the moment you get there and grab them. Should I have Emmett bring his own car?"

"Yes."

"Alright."

They hung up and Alice sped off. She cursed her brother. He was an idiot and this whole thing was going to cause a lot of problems for them.

A lot of Volturi related problems and pain.