Random disclaimer, because I tend to forget: I do not own Twilight characters, plots, or situations. That's Stephenie Meyer's genius. I own Andie, Thomas, and whatever other OC may be thrown into the mix ;) (hint...?)

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AlicePOV:

Andie slept soundly, as I knew she would, snoring lightly as she lay on my chest while I texted Bella about the events from yesterday. I had shown my other side to the fullest, and I still couldn't believe that no one was hurt in the process. It was major kudos to Andie that she was able to calm me down and bring me back long enough to get me to hunt. If her father had moved any closer, any faster... I didn't like to think about it. I would have never been able to look my Andie in the eyes again, had he come closer. What confused me most was the fact that the predator was in full control, and was protecting Andie, rather than killing her because of the overwhelming scent of her blood; even now, the smell wasn't affecting me like that at all. She was escaping my thirst completely. When I had texted this to my sister and best friend, her reply was simple: you love her ;)

Considering I nearly slaughtered her father for upsetting her, I am compelled to agree, I texted her back, with a grimace at the thought. It was sheer craziness that Andie was able to reign me in. She'd been brave, or retarded, to soothe that piece of me like that, with intimate caresses and loving tones. The scent of her brought me back to my senses, rather than driving me further out, bewildering me just as much as Andie's actions. And she hadn't even been upset with me when I came back to her, she had been happy to see me, had kissed me until she couldn't fight the sleep anymore. She understood me. She knew how to work me, in every way, she was always in control of the situation with me, even when I get rough with her when I make love to her. She never lets me mess up, not after seeing how I beat myself up about our first time. She took care of me. When I texted Bella all of this, as well, her reply was just as simple as before: she loves you, fool! lol

It's amazing, like magic, with her. I never imagined it could really feel like this, Bells. I sent that with a giggle to myself that I couldn't supress, and Andie rolled away from me in her sleep, and I rolled with her, unable to have her too far from my touch. I sent Bella a quick ttyl ily, and tossed my phone to the foot of the bed, then slid my arms around my beautiful girl, inhaling her scent deeply, reveling in the fact it wasn't torture for me anymore. I pulled her into me and she sighed, her fingers finding my arm and wrapping around my wrist, still sleeping deeply, her body on autopilot. I smiled to myself. Her instinctual side liked me, too! I snickered at that, and she tightened her fingers in response. Her shoulder was bare, save for the strap on her tank top she'd worn to sleep in, and the slope of her neck was hypnotizing as I watched her jugular vein pulsate with her heart beat, which only added more to the enchantment. I couldn't stop myself from pressing my lips to it, I needed to feel that beat in my kiss. It was by pure habit that I trailed that kiss down to her shoulder, and she whimpered in her sleep as her body pressed itself into me, the roundness of her buttocks fitting snug into my hips, making me gasp as the sensation sent a shock through me. She smelled so good when I heated her this way, and here she was heating up, oblivious in slumber. I bet she was having some pretty good dreams right now.

I snaked my hand under her shirt and rubbed her soft belly, my mind starting to wander towards her declaration to me in the car, about wanting to be changed. The clarity of my vision had told me exactly how serious she was about it, even if her scared-but-strong tone hadn't. I'd never planned to try to convince her otherwise, only support her decision, and respect it, if she chose to remain human. I can't lie, I was relieved she had changed her mind, no matter how selfish that makes me. I had eternity with Andie, I had forever to show her over and over what she means to me. Being alone while living with couples like Carlisle and Esme, Rose and Emmett, and much later Edward and Bella... it was painful, the longing for someone to look in their eyes and know you are whole. I buried my face between my forever's shoulder blades, smiling to myself that I finally had that someone, and that she was in my arms, and in my mind, my n'er beating heart, and my recently acknowledged soul. Mine. She was mine. My lips kissed her back through the cotton cloth of her shirt, and I inhaled again just to relax against her and listen to my personal lullaby her heart was always beating for me.

I didn't lie there very long before I heard her father stirring in his room down the hall, making me bite my lip. He had been awake when I'd brought Andie to bed, but I didn't mention the quiet sobs or whispered prayers permeating from behind his closed bedroom door. The words I heard him whisper tore at my silent heart and made me wish I could cry: "Lord, I'm not long for this world, take me any time you see fit. My little girl has all she'll ever need now, and my work here is finished. All I ask is keep my Butterbean safe, as neither of us shall see her in your Kingdom. Amen." I wondered if he really knew he was dying; his heart was weak, and his blood smelled tainted, leading me to think that his liver no longer functioned properly. I hated to think of what it would do to Andie.

I listened to him get ready for the day, even though it was 5:30 in the morning, and then he came out of his room with slow, heavy steps, and he paused at the top of the staircase. "Alice, I know you can hear me. Can you please come down and talk to me before Andie wakes up?" Then he went on down the steps, leaving me lying in shock. It had to be a split decision to talk to me, but I could see flickers of what subjestc he would bring up: me, Andie, his health, his will, instructions for after his death, and... Kate? He knewKate? How...?

I tried to think back to conversation from the night before, but the last thing I could remember was him trying to snatch me away from Andie, and that's when the vampire in me ran rampant, so I couldn't focus to take in the words he was saying, I could only focus on protecting Andie. I sighed heavily, extracting myself from my mate and getting out of bed to walk down to the kitchen at a very human pace, not wanting to shock him and send him into cardiac arrest.

He had his back to me as I entered the kitchen, filling up a coffee pot full of water to start coffee. He heard me come in though, as he said gruffly, "Good morning."

"Good morning," I replied, keeping my distance from him, the events from hours before still fresh in my mind.

When he turned around to turn on the oven, he saw my distance and chuckled a bit to himself. "Come on, I'm okay," he told me, gesturing to the the seat across from him as he took a chair at the table.

I sat down with him, and he sighed, running a hand through his silver hair, then pushed his glasses up on his nose. "Alice, Andie told me last night that she is your mate." Right into it.

I nodded, not sure about his direction. "You know what that means?" I asked uncertainly, and he nodded.

"I don't know if you heard everything I told Andie, but I was involved with a vampire named Kate, once, for about ten years. It was when she left that I went to shit. I wasn't her mate, she told me. My daughter needed me, she told me. She would always love me, she told me. And then she went to hunt one night and never came back."

"Kate... she had eyes like mine?" I already knew the answer, but I had to hear it from him.

He looked up at me and nodded again. "She hunted animals, not humans. I never felt fear around her. I felt fear from you last night."

"I'm sorry about that," I mumbled uncomfortably. "I felt danger from you, so I defended my mate."

He chuckled. "I'm sorry, Alice. I judged you without giving you a chance, just based on what Kate had done to me. I didn't want Andie to feel that heart break."

"I'll never break her heart, and she'll never break mine," I answered automatically, and he looked at me again. His eyes were the same shade of violet as Andie's. She favored her father strongly, but her height and build had to have come from her mother, because she was as small as I.

"I believe you. I knew she was gone the moment I saw the way she looks at you, the first time you came here with her. That little girl she had living with her never stood a chance after she met you," he said matter-of-factly, and I couldn't help but smile.

"She still loves you more," I told him honestly, reaching across the table to touch his arm, as he had started crying again. I wasn't sure if this was a welcome gesture, but once my hand was in place, he covered it with one of his bear-sized paws.

"It's different," he mumbled. "She belongs with you, you can take care of her now. Alice, I'm going to tell you something that Andie doesn't know."

He really was dying, and yes, he did know it, and had known for over a year. I had to let him finish telling me, though, as he had no idea about my talent. "I have a liver disease. I was diagnosed last year. The booze is finally killing me."

"Why didn't you tell Andie?"

He laughed through his tears and gave me that sideways look Andie gives me sometimes, the corner of his mouth tugging up just like hers. "Come on, Alice," he said in an amused tone. "You know her as well as I do. What would she have done?"

"Come home to take care of you." I knew where he was heading with this now.

"Exactly. She has a life up there. She has you. She's doing what she's always wanted to do. I couldn't take all of that away from her, Alice, not for me. I want her to be happy, and she is." He paused, looking at me as if he were sizing me up. "Can I ask you something personal?"

Oh. That. "Yes?"

"How long has it been since... since you fed on a human?"

"Ninety one years, cold turkey," I joked, and he smiled again. "She's safe, Mr. Fowler."

"Call me Thomas," he told me, and I nodded with a smile. I was starting to really like her father, despite his next venture of topic. "Have you ever changed someone?"

I shook my head, and he paled just a little. "No, I haven't. Andie will be my first, and my last. But my control with her is phenomenal. She's on her cycle right now, and I never even sniffed at her in a malicious manner last night, when I was at my worst."

He stared at me for a few seconds longer, then stood up to make a cup of coffee, as the pot had finished running. "All of that about your family last night... was that your human family you spoke of?"

I shook my head. "No, sir. My adoptive parents now. They're immortal, same as I. My siblings are, as well. We are almost fully functional amongst mankind, other than being out in the sun, of course."

He laughed at that, shaking his head. "You're telling me that there's a vampire doctor out there somewhere?"

I laughed with him, knowing how that must sound. "Yes, sir. He does procedures and everything. He's never had human blood at all. My father is an amazing man, you would like him, I think."

Thomas was still chuckling to himself as he sat back down with a cup of black coffee steaming in his hands. "Has Andie met your family, yet?" he asked me, sipping it carefully.

"Some of them. She's known Jasper as long as she's known me, they get along great, he adores her. She met Rose and Emmett last week, but my sister... well, she's a little intimidating at first. Emmett loves her, he thinks she's cute because she's little like me. He's already started on the midget couple jokes. My parents are out of the country on an extended vacation, but when they return, we will fly out to Washington so she can meet them. They've heard a lot about her, I've talked about her nonstop since we met."

Thomas laughed again, becoming at ease with me. "There's only one thing left I want to, well, warn you about. When I sent Andie off to college, I took a loan out on the house and the property to pay for it. I've gotten behind on the payments, since I've been sick. I'm pretty sure they are getting ready to take all this." He made a gesture around the room. "Andie doesn't know about that, either. I was hoping I'd never have to tell her."

Hmm. That much was easily taken care of, but I didn't say anthing to Thomas about it now. I would pay off his debts anonymously. I couldn't let Andie lose her childhood home, especially if she were about to lose her father. What kind of mate would that make me? "I won't mention it to her, Thomas. I promise."

He cleared his throat, looking at me again. "Speaking of promises... can I get you to give me a few more?"

"Of course, anything," I answered, knowing the grounds already.

"Promise me that she'll always be as happy as she is now, make it your personal duty to keep her so."

"I promise."

"Promise me you'll never leave her."

I smiled softly, knowing his mind was on Kate, and I planned on talking to her at length about this. "I swear, you have my word," I told him.

Then he stopped, the last request choking him a little. "Promise me, Alice, that you won't let her forget me."

I got up and came around to him, kneeling in front of him while his head hung down and his tears fell like the soft rain outside. "Thomas, I swear to you that even if I weren't here for her, she would never forget you. You are her world."

He shook his heavy head. "I was," he said hoarsely. "Now you are. So take care of my Butterbean, you hear?"

"Yes, sir." I threw my arms around him, hugging him, loving him for loving her. He curled one arm around me and patted the top of my head with the opposite hand.

"You're a pretty good kid, Alice. Thank you."

"You're welcome," I answered, giving him my brightest smile yet, to which he couldn't help but grin back. "And I'll stay away from the horses this time, too."

He released me with a laugh to rival Emmett. "Don't worry, I put them all in the barn yesterday before y'all got here. That was five thousand dollars I couldn't spend again."

If I could have blushed, I would have. But above me, I heard Andie wake up with a gasp, and heard her murmur my name in the semi-dark. When I looked up at the ceiling, so did he, and he knew I'd heard my mate. "Go on, before she wakes up and misses you," he told me pointing towards the stairs. "I'll get her breakfast started."

Thomas was dying. I knew the cause of his heart ache, a tall blonde named Kate that lived in Denali, Alaska. They were about to lose their home. The worst part of all of it was I couldn't tell Andie any of it.

A/N: Be kind about this chapter, as I had one written out last night, and something happened and it was deleted, so I had to re-write it. I think I caught all the major points, but I can't help but feel the first version was the best one. Don't forget: Reviews, please please!

I love you guys! So, until chapter 12... I bid thee adieu.

A.S.R.