AN: Okay, so as promised here is chapter 18 within a week (I don't think I've updated this fast since chapters 1 and 2!). I am actull hugely proud of the way I have written this chapter and I took a lot more time and care with editing than I did in any of the previous updates so I hope you guys are just as happy with this as I am.

*IMPORTANT* As some of you might already know, I am in the process of completing my final year of highschool. I wrote chapter 17 during my second lot of two-week holidays, and this chapter is the bi-product of the free time that comes with the first week of third term, but I want to warn you guys that I don't expect there to be any more of this free time within the next fifteen-or-so weeks, my English teacher has warned my entire class that our next holidays will most likely be spent at school as well, trying to finish assignments before exams. None of you probably want to know about any of this but I feel you deserve to know so you will understand if I don't update for a while and know that I am sorry, and that I am most definitely NOT abandoning Decisions, it's just really important to me that I focus on my studies at the moment.

Disclaimer: Still don't own Twilight...

CHAPTER 18

SETH POV

Seth didn't know how long he spoke for. He hardly paused and Alec didn't interrupt once, but by the time he was finished the sun was getting ready to rise over the trees.

Seth had told Alec everything. He told him about the anticipation he'd felt before confronting the Volturi, the fight with his pack and family, running away and the imprint- especially the imprint.

Seth told Alec every detail about imprinting, what the pack knew, what the tribe thought and his own personal theories. Seth especially focused on what imprinting had felt like for him, the feeling of floating, of disconnecting from the world piece by piece until the only thing holding him in place was Alec, how every step away from Alec was like a physical pain in his chest and, most of all, the overwhelming need to protect, to love, no matter the cost.

Seth also hurried to assure Alec several times that there was no pressure on them having a romantic relationship, that he could be whatever Alec needed him to be. That in fact, just being close to Alec, being able to reassure himself that his imprint was safe was all Seth really needed.

When he had finally finished his recount, Seth was incredibly tired however; he resisted the drooping of his eyelids and waited patiently to see how Alec would react.

In his wildest imaginations of what would happen when he finally told Alec everything, both good and bad, Seth had never anticipated this.

Alec crossed the clearing swiftly (a human swift, not vampire speed) and knelt in front of Seth. His hands twitched as though he had wanted to reach out, yet restrained himself, and he spoke, "I am so sorry Seth."

Seth furrowed his brows in confusion, "Sorry for what?" He asked, "None of this is your fault."

Then Seth was suddenly struck with a terrible thought, "Unless you're sorry because you don't feel the same way?" He asked, panicked that he was about to lose the most important person in his world.

"You know I don't need to have an actual relationship right?" He explained frantically.

"We don't have to be anything you don't want to be." Seth reassured.

"Unless you don't want us to be anything at all?" He guessed, now beginning to freak out just a little before coming to a horrifying realisation.

"Oh my god, of course you don't want us to be anything at all! I'm a werewolf and you're a vampire and I can be really annoying, all I've done since we started here is talk at you and ask questions you don't want to answer! I'm still doing it now! I've completely ruined everything, haven't I?" Seth rambled, unable to stop.

"You hate me, don't you?" He sobbed. "I'm so, so sorry, I didn't mean for this to happen, but it has. Please don't send me away, please. I'll do anything; just don't make me leave you." Seth begged, tears streaking down his face, brown eyes boring into Alec's almost black ones as he assumed his worst fears were about to be realised.

ALEC POV

Alec was panicked. Seth had completely misunderstood what he had meant and now he was left staring the heartbroken boy in the eyes and wondering how he could possibly fix this for the werewolf when he was so confused himself.

Suddenly, Alec recalled the strange promise Marcus had him make, 'Keep an open mind and give anything a chance, even if it seems impossible'. He realised the Volturi leader had known about Seth's imprinting all along and had clearly supported it. Feeling confident now that Seth's recount was completely true, Alec felt a surge of empathy for the sobbing boy in front of him, who really was hardly more than a child, even by human standards.

Hesitantly, he reached out and grasped one of Seth's larger hands in his own. Alec was immediately struck by how well they seemed to fit together. Seth's hand was larger and, while not unbearably hot as werewolves' skin was often described by vampires, it was pleasantly warm; a temperature Alec could not recall feeling in all his centuries as a vampire. It was this feeling of absolute rightness hat gave Alec the strength he needed to speak.

"Hey," He murmured, smiling gently at Seth, who was breathing deeply, trying and failing to calm the flow of tears running from his eyes. "Calm down, you did not give me an opportunity to complete what I was going to say."

Alec watched as Seth looked first confused, then hopeful. The wolf boy straightened slightly, took a few calming breaths and wiped his eyes before looking at Alec once again and nodding.

Alec began, "What I was going to say was, I am sorry you imprinted on me because it has clearly caused you a lot of pain and fear, especially where your tribe is concerned."

Seth looked as though he was about to argue, but Alec simply held up the hand that was not currently occupied with Seth's and continued, "You may present any argument you wish, yet the fact remains that if you had imprinted on a human female, none of this conflict would have occurred. This is why I am sorry, I can assure you that I do not hate you at all and you have not ruined anything."

As he spoke, Alec witnessed the light return to Seth's eyes and for the first time he noticed how incredibly beautiful the boy was. In his mind, Seth was clearly the most beautiful being Alec had ever had the good fortune to perceive, even compared to vampires, who were widely considered the most beautiful of all humanoid beings.

This thought scared Alec immensely; he was not used to feeling so strongly towards someone, and had never considered anyone, least of all a werewolf to be beautiful. Yet there was no denying it, for when Alec looked into Seth's coffee brown eyes, beautiful was the only plausible adjective that came to mind.

When Seth began to reply, Alec had to almost forcibly shake himself to return his mind to the issue at hand.

"You really don't mind?" Seth asked hesitantly, "You aren't disgusted or anything?"

Alec frowned slightly and gently squeezed Seth's hand before replying, "No Seth, I am far from disgusted. A little confused perhaps, definitely surprised and slightly conflicted, but I am not disgusted," He said, deciding that honesty really was the best policy in this situation.

With Seth's hopeful smile prompting him, Alec continued, "All of this is a lot for me to take in at the moment and it may take some time for me to come to terms with everything. However, what I do know is that none of this is your fault, no matter what you seem to believe, and I am not going to condemn you for it."

Seth's eyes lit up, "Really?" he asked, hope clearly evident in his voice.

"Yes, really." Alec replied, his own eyes twinkling in real amusement for the first time in over a century. It seemed as though Seth had become particularly adept at evoking a lot of 'firsts' for Alec recently.

'Get back to the point Alec,' He chastised himself, trying to stop thinking about Seth for one moment so he could finally complete what he had been trying to say all along.

"I'm not going to tell you that I am suddenly in love with you Seth," Alec warned, not wanting the boy to get his hopes up. "I know I have feelings for you, but I honestly do not yet know what they are and when it comes to you, I find myself increasingly confused."

At these words, Seth's smile finally reached its full brilliance and, although the sun had not yet risen completely, Alec's whole world was instantly lit up by the look on the boy's face alone.

"That's fine," Seth insisted. "You don't have to promise me anything. I'm perfectly content just being near you, so long as you're okay with everything, I'm brilliant."

Seeing the complete sincerity in Seth's eyes, Alec nodded slightly in agreement.

They fell into a companionable silence then, both contemplating what they had learned and trying to sort out their feelings.

Suddenly, Alec noticed Seth's eyelids beginning to droop and he reluctantly began to remove his hand from the warm comfort of Seth's. When Seth looked at him questioningly, Alec began to rise and simply said, "You are clearly tired, I will leave you to sleep."

Seth's hand tightened slightly as he looked at Alec, "I-" he began to say, before shaking his head dismissively and cutting himself off.

"Yes?" Alec asked, curious.

Seth looked conflicted for a moment, then his eyes hardened with resolve and he asked hopefully, "Would you stay?"

"I am not leaving" replied Alec. "I will simply be a few feet away", he continued, indicating towards a nearby tree.

Seth sighed before asking again, "No, I mean would you stay here... with me?"

Alec was confused, "While you sleep?" He asked.

Seth nodded, then uncertainty began to creep into his expression and he started rambling again.

"Unless of course you don't want to?" He asked quickly, "I don't want you to feel pressured pr uncomfortable or anything, I'll be fine on my own, you don't-"

Seth cut himself off as, instead of replying, Alec simply shifted his grip on Seth's hand so it was more comfortable for the both of them before settling comfortably against the tree, left shoulder pressed gently against Seth's right.

Seth was clearly startled, but he got over it quickly, squeezing Alec's hand gently and murmuring, "Thank you," in a soft but grateful voice.

Alec only had the opportunity to give a small smile in return before Seth was asleep, his soft snores echoing quietly among the surrounding trees.

Alec smiled again, before relaxing completely against the tree and settling in for a night of hard thinking and watching Seth sleep (which is less creepy than it sounds).

In that one moment however, Alec forgot completely about his conflicted feelings and his burning thirst. The warmth of Seth's hand grasped carefully in his own was making Alec feel more content than he could ever remember having felt, even as a human.

As the sun finally rose above the tree line Alec turned his face upward and, closing his eyes, he basked in its soft light. The gentle heat radiating from Seth's body allowed Alec to feel warm in the sun for the first time in over a millennia. It was a feeling Alec had definitely missed, although he had not realised it until now.

Alec relaxed completely against the tree and allowed his mind to wander for the time being, feeling strangely calm despite the emotional turmoil he should have been feeling in light of Seth's confession. What Alec did not yet realise was that his subconscious had already decided how it felt about the boy resting quietly to his left, and the significant place said boy would soon occupy in Alec's once empty heart.

Okay, so I really, really hope you guys liked this one. I also tried to make it as un-cliffhanger as possible so you aren't being tortured even more by the lack of updates in my near future (please trust me when I say that I would like to avoid my school work in favour of writing even more than you guys) and remember, I will be back!

Please Review!