And on it goes. WhooT.

Act II, Scene IV

Enter DAVE ULEY and QUENTIN ATEARA, who are looking for their MIA best friend…

"Okay, where the hell is he?!" Dave grumbled, kicking at a rock on the sidewalk. "Jake said he never came home last night," Quentin said. Thinking for a bit, he added nervously, "You don't think that blond one got him last night, do you?"

Dave shook his head disgustedly. "Nah, he'd be touting his head on a pike. They've been looking for a fight ever since they came back." Quentin shrugged. "He wants a fight with us, I know, but that badly?"

Dave rolled his eyes. "That crazy blond guy – Jasper – he's the one who was in the Southern wars. He likes a fight, and as soon as he hears about Alex and the girl he'll come down to La Push with the whole leechy gang."

"Speaking of Alex and Ellie," Quentin said, "here comes Romeo himself."

Enter ALEX BLACK, walking with a huge smile despite his obvious need of a good night's sleep…

"Hey guys," he said, but was immediately accosted by Dave.

"Do you know how long we've been looking for you!?" he spat. "Jeez, man, your mom nearly went wolf on us when we came back without you!"

Alex rubbed the back of his neck. "Sorry I ran off. I just… I guess I needed to talk to her. Ellie." As he said her name, it was like the sun had hit his face after a long, cold winter.

"Ah, jeez," Dave grumbled. Quentin elbowed him. "Knock it off man," he insisted. "Oh, yeah, because you're one of them. The imprinted," Dave retorted. "You lovey-dovey types get on my nerves. It was bad enough when Quentin imprinted, but your little romance is gonna get us all killed!"

Alex glared. "She's mine. I'll fight for her, if that's what it takes," he growled.

"Good, because at this rate you'll need to," said a voice from behind him.

Enter ALICE CULLEN, who's in on this whole deal…

The prophetic vampire stood, hands on hips, giving the three werewolves an appraising look. "Oh look, it's the midgy bloodsucker," Dave said scathingly.

Alice narrowed her eyes. "Don't. Push. Me. Dog," she threatened. "I don't want to talk to you, I hope." Turning to Alex, she asked, "Are you Alex Black?"

"Yes. Why?" Alex asked, unsure of the reaction he could expect from a Cullen. "I'm here from Ellie. Can I talk to you… in private?" she asked, looking at Dave and Quentin significantly.

Alex nodded, and glared at Dave when a growl rumbled in his throat. He followed Alice down the road and around the corner, wary all the while.

When they were a good distance away from his friends, Alice turned to face him. "I know," she said, "and I won't tell. I love Ellie too much." Alex smiled at the sound of her name.

Alice looked beyond him. "Your friends are rude," she informed him. "I know," he said with a grin. "But how is Ellie? No one knows but you, right?"

"Slow down, Black," she commanded. "It's all good. El misses you… though I would not miss the smell." She wrinkled her pert nose. Alex glared. "What did she say?" he demanded.

Alice glared right back. "Look, I'm going to be blunt with you, wolfboy. I don't like this at all. It could go very bad for all of us. Then there's the Volturi problem…" "Problem?" Alex cut in. The vampire sighed. "Yes. The Volturi. The ruling family, essentially."

"What do they have to do with anything?" he asked. Alice answered, "One of them – Alec, weirdly enough – was sent to take her as a mate because he thinks we're too strong."

Alex snarled. "WHAT!?" He clenched his suddenly trembling fists, holding in his fury as well as he could. "Don't go dog on me here," Alice cautioned. Shutting his eyes and breathing deeply, Alex gradually reduced his body tremors until he was able to think rationally. "So what do we do?" he asked eventually.

"We get you together," Alice told him. When he looked at her in surprise, she elaborated, "If you're together, then the wolves have to help you. We have to help Ellie. Together, we might – might – stand a chance. And the fighting will end."

"She has to come with me. She can't go with him…" Alex murmured. Alice nodded as he continued, "Send her over to Charlie's this afternoon, and he said he'll marry us."

Alice arched one perfect eyebrow. "Marry?... hmm. They can't separate you then. A good plan, Alex, very good," she said approvingly. "All right, I'll have her come. But I have to warn you, don't go near Edward. Ellie and I know how to suppress our thoughts, but you wolves…" she shook her head in what seemed like disgust.

"What about your visions?" Alex asked anxiously. "Not a problem," she replied. "I can't see wolves, so you won't show up in her future. I just won't think of it." Alex nodded, relieved. If Ellie was safe, he was happy.

"By the way, dog," Alice added, "if you break her heart, I will kill you in the most violent way I know possible." She actually looked terrifying in that statement.

Alex smiled wryly. "Charlie beat you to the death threats, Alice," he told her. She grimaced. "Damn. Oh well. Well, I better be going, I have to hunt." Indeed, her eyes were a dark ebony against her bone-white face.

Alex nodded, and waved as she turned and tripped away down the road. Suddenly, he called, "Alice! Wait!" She looked over her shoulder at him.

"Tell Ellie… tell Ellie that I love her," he said softly. Though it was quiet, he knew she had heard his words because she smiled and nodded.

He stood on the corner, watching her go. He stood there until she was out of sight, but his mind was full of visions of Ellie. Her pale, thin body tucked into his arms as she stared at him on the Cullen's roof. The feel of her ice lips on his own. That first sight of her, on the stairs, their eyes locked over the heads of people who were suddenly insignificant.

Behind him, Dave and Quentin walked up. "What did she want?" asked Quentin. "Jus tto talk," Alex said vaguely. He could still only think of Ellie.

Yayaya. Done. Alice, of course, is in on it. CONTEST: All of the characters on the main page represent a character from Romeo and Juliet. Whoever can guess all of them gets a side role as a witness to Ellie and Alex's wedding. :D

Answer by the end of Act II and win! Good luck!