Author's Note: Sorry no note this time, just sit back, relax and enjoy.

Chapter 28

I came to sometime in the morning, my head cradled in Alice's cold hands. My wrist and arm in a cast, and a brace of bandages around my ribs. I smiled weakly at Alice's still face; she smiled back, gently stroking the top of my head lovingly. I reached up and gently kissed her. Last night was mostly a blur, I remember my wrist being stomped on, and cracking my ribs, other than that just bits and pieces. Something about a wrecked car, a man running across a rooftop, but I remembered nothing more.

Over the next few days things were back to normal, well as normal as they ever are with me; I pretended to be a regular high school student, all be it a British one. Aaron Brown flew back a week before graduation so he could attend his own graduation in Maidstone, or wherever the hell he was from. I was glad that I was finally able to stop pretending, and be Aaron Marsdon again. I enjoyed the feeling of normalcy while it lasted, and made the decision to put wizarding and wardening on hold and finally go to college. I have plenty of time to do both in my life; something has to occupy four hundred years. I still wanted to try the professional wizard thing; almost a necessity with all the expensive technology everywhere. Thanks to my high school transcripts, SAT scores, and a new Cullen wing of the library; Alice and I will be attending Princeton in the fall.

Jessica got into contact with Alicia and began her training on weekends; starting during the summer she would be in training full time. Wizard Harris told me that she may not be of White Council strength, but even if she wasn't she would be one hell of a Kinetomancer. Her ability to use raw energy exceeded mine in a few months. I'm glad I didn't wait, she was a time-bomb; it was only a matter of time before she broke a law. It was a great and wonderful feeling getting to someone before they break a law and get themselves killed. I never told her that the Cullen's were vampires; there was no real need for her to know, and it wasn't my secret to give away. I'm pretty sure she still had a crush on me by the end of my time in Forks, but she never tried anything, if she did Alice would have probably ripped her head clean off.

Bella was changed the night of her graduation, much to the relief of her new family; there had been enough drama caused because she was human. I excused myself, naturally, during the time she was changed; I was a warden after all, and that means that I'm supposed to protect humans, not stand around, and watch them become a vampire. Alice stayed with her best friend as she went through what; I'm told is a very painful process. I went and visited with Harry in Chicago. It was good to see everyone that I'd missed since I'd run off to Arizona.

I got a chance to catch up with Karin, meet Molly in all of her punk rock glory (Harry sure knows how to get the oddball apprentices.) I also got a chance to go to Billy, excuse me William, and Georgia's biweekly game night and nerd it up a little bit. Harry tried to convince me to go see my parents and assure them that I'm still alive, but I haven't been able to forgive them for doubting me.

Chicago hasn't changed much, but I managed to avoid getting dragged into one of Harry's semiannual crisis; if I had I would have pulled his ass out of the fire. Hey, he did it for me in February; it would have been rude for me to run off (again.) Harry forgot to tell Luccio that I was coming, so she showed up with some romantic plan on her mind. The look on her face when I opened Harry's door was priceless, I would give my left testicle for a picture of it. I even got a chance to talk to Carlos while I was there, he was still shaken about his friend; which was understandable, and I know I wouldn't be able to deal with it.

I did visit Katherine's mother, she was as sweet as she always was. She had a feeling that what happened between the two of us was pretty much fate. In the end she forgave me; and reaffirmed my belief that Katherine would have wanted me to move on and find someone else to love.

Before I went back to Forks, I visited my old stomping grounds in Arizona; that was a painfully short trip that involved only a quick trip to a high school and a cemetery. The only two things I had a connection too down there.

When I got back Bella was a fully fledged vampire, and as inhumanly perfect as every other vampire in that house. She could barely handle having me in the same house for more than a few hours. I didn't mind being the only one with a heartbeat in the house. The story around town was that Bella and Edward eloped in Vegas, something that only a small town could come up with.

Before all of this I never realized that there was a treaty (although unofficial) between the Cullen vampires and the Indian werewolves. I was asked, rather forcefully, to help renegotiate it. The wolves were up in arms, saying that it was a violation to bite a human, and blah, blah, blah. It was kind of like trying to get dogs and cats to agree that they wouldn't try and kill each other anymore (in the metaphor the werewolves were the cats and the vampires were the dogs; I tried to think up a more creative metaphor but I'm just too tired). At the end of the meeting, which I held in Accorded Neutral Territory; the wolves were pissed, the vampires were pissed, and I was so exhausted I wanted to give a blowjob to a shotgun. That's a euphemism for blowing my head off (pun intended.)

And of course there was Alice. What can I say there? After a start so rocky Sly Stallone would have avoided it (yes I made a Rocky reference,) we fell into a comfortable and loving routine. After a brilliant idea by yours truly we had a small cabin built on the Cullen's land so we could have our own space, which was one hundred percent wizard proof. Candles instead of lights, an icebox instead of a real refrigerator, books instead of a TV, and even a little place where I could do some research (I tried moving my stuff out of the lighthouse but Alice didn't like the smell of my potions). There was also a large bedroom with a well used bed in it, if you get my drift.

Thanks to Alice being there I was finally able to put Katherine behind me, except for a picture of her that I put on the nightstand, after all I still had a promise to keep, Alice understood and kept a picture of Jasper right next to her, maybe in some weird way they could be there for each other. Dreams of Katherine were fewer and further between, though I still do have dreams of her, but these are happy and light, not the miserable one's I'd been having for three years. For the most part my dreams were of Alice, and a life we would never have; a house, kids, growing old together, but they aren't sad, not in the least.

I still don't know how she found out, but Alice made a huge deal about my twenty-second birthday; complete with streamers, cake, balloons, and gifts. The most spectacular of which, from Alice of course, was an old 1955 Rolls Royce coop; because a simple car wouldn't have sufficed. For the first time in now four years I had a real family, just one I couldn't tell the Council about if they ever asked. The other gifts included a new tailored robe and stole for Council meetings from Esme; three books that were just as old as Carlisle, from Carlisle; and a random assortment of magical supplies from everyone else. It was hands down the best birthday I can remember, and if it happens again I'll murder Alice in her sleep! I hate celebrating my birthday; it just seems too selfish, especially since I can't return the favor. Stupid vampires and their non-birthdays.

I'm happy, really happy, truly happy; the kind of happiness that let me capture sunlight; something I'd never thought I'd be able to do. Ever.

I guess this is where my story ends, at least for now. I have no doubt I'll be in some serious trouble in the future, but now I have someone in my life who can predict these things.

Right now all I had to worry about were four small puncture wounds that constantly trickled blood.

Wait, that can't be right. I haven't cut myself, in months.

The blackness came back in. In an instant the perfect world I'd been living in came crashing down. No cabin, no Rolls, no college; just pure bliss. I was floating in a bright white void of ecstasy. I could hear voices around me, but I didn't care, I didn't want to respond, I just wanted revel in the bliss, and I did. For an eternity I didn't have to do anything, be anyone, I just had to be happy. I was slowly drifting off into a nice happy place, of sleep.

"Aaron, Aaron, wake up! Please wake up!" A distant voice shouted from so far away it was too easy to ignore. It was warm where I was, and it felt cold where I wasn't. I didn't want to go to the cold.

I opened my eyes gently, "Alice, long time no see," I said cheerily.

"What's wrong with him?" Alice said to someone I couldn't see.

"Red Court venom, it's the most powerful narcotic in the world." Another voice I couldn't see or care about said; it was a she, maybe my mom. I hopped it was my mom, I miss her. I sat back playing with Alice's hair, it seemed extra soft and silky tonight. "What's worse is that it's happened to him before."

"Aaron, can you hear me." A face leaned over me. I recognized the face, he had two black eyes. There's only one person I know who seemed to always have two dark black eyes.

"Well if it is isn't Harry Blackstone Copperfield Dresden, named after three different magicians and a city in Germany!" I slurred in my ecstasy. "Whatcha guys up to!"

"It's bad." The other voice said, "The next month is going to be terrible. The withdrawals could kill him." Whoever the other voice was he or she or it placed a cold hand on my forehead, "He's already getting a fever. Aaron, how are you feeling?" This voice was a major buzz kill, I don't like her; even if it is my mom.

They were talking about me, I know, they were using my name. "Good." I replied.

"Is there anything we could do?" Allie sounded serious, she was frowning. I'm pretty sure this is what it feels like to be five. Why did we ever want to grow up? Being five feels awesome!

"Not now. In about twelve hours he'll start going through withdrawals. Sedation wouldn't be a bad idea." The voice said again; she sounded mad. I didn't care, Allie's hair felt good.

I felt a sharp prick in the arm, and everything went heavy and dark. It was a warmer feeling, like a big heavy blanket being wrapped around me.

"Let's go, there's nothing more we can do right now," The weird woman's voice said. "Alice, let him rest."

Through a haze of sleepiness I saw Alice's face scrunched up, "This happened because he was trying to help people he didn't know, the least I can do is stay with him."

I don't remember what happened next, I think I fell asleep. I like sleep, it's nice and warm, like my blanket.

I do remember that the good feelings I had started to fade away, and before long were replaced by pain. Lots of pain.

My eyes snapped open, without my control, the room was dark around me. The only thing I remember doing was screaming until my voice was raw. Sweat dripped down my forehead, cascading down my face and into my eyes. The sting of the salt in my eyes was nothing compared to the exquisite pain in every single muscle fiber in my body.

"Venom!" I tried to shout in my ragged voice, I had no voice left; it came out a ragged whisper.

I don't know how long I was there in that bed with my hands and feet tied to the bed, all I knew was that I was in pain and I knew how to make it stop.

"Shh, it's alright. Everything will be all right." A soft voice broke through the pain; it was the same voice that had stayed by me while I was sleeping. I tried to see where the voice was coming from, but the room was too dark and it was spinning.

I wanted to scream, but I couldn't; my voice wouldn't work, the one thing I had to help me cope with the pain was taken from me. I wanted to cry, to scream, to punch something; I just wanted to do something to give me something beside pain.

"Aaron, I know it hurts, please try and relax." Her cold hand rested gently on my forehead. Who was she and who's Aaron?

"Who, are you?" I asked weakly in a hoarse voice. Aaron? I think that was my name, why couldn't I remember my name. Was I dreaming? I couldn't be dreaming, no dream was this painful.

"It's me, it's Alice." The voice, Alice, sounded confused.

Was I supposed to know who she was? Her name, Alice, it sounded familiar like something out of a dream; that's what she was, a dream, a figment of my imagination, a vague memory. The blinding pain made it hard to concentrate long enough to think of where I knew her from.

"Where's Blanka?" I asked in the same weak and hoarse voice. A pain in my stomach erupted and I started to heave. I was throwing up, but there was nothing left in the pit of my stomach to throw up anymore.

"Who's Blanka?" She, Alice, asked. Why was it so hard to remember this gentle angel's name?

"Blanka, my sire." I whispered, "Would you please get her for me?" Blanka could make my pain go away, she knew how to. Alice didn't, she tried, but she doesn't know what to do.

"I can't sweetheart, she's not around anymore." Alice's voice was sad, was I hurting her to be in this kind of pain? Why was Alice here when Blanka wasn't? I needed Blanka to be here, she was my everything. "It's time to sleep now, try and rest." Alice's voice was so soft, so sweet. Why was she being nice to me, when I didn't even know who she was; but I wanted to?

I barely felt the sharp prick in my arm through the haze of pain I was in.

Then sleep overcame me, and the pain.

When I awoke there were big grey clouds in the sky and rain was trickling down the windows in steady beads. I felt like I'd been asleep for days, or weeks maybe; however long it was it was a weird sensation, knowing that I'd been asleep for a long time and had no memory of it, no dreams, no nightmares, nothing. Nothing, in every single sense of the word, nothing. My wrist was in a cast up to my elbow, and there were a few bandages around my ribs.

Where was I? I knew that I was on a bed, a large overstuffed bed in an even larger bedroom wrapped in several blankets and comforters. The room, the bed, the walls, even the scenery outside; I didn't recognize any of it. I let my eyes adjust to this new level of light, as I slowly scanned the room around me. There was only one thing that looked even remotely familiar. A girl, pale as the sheets around me, with short hair spiked in such a manner that seemed to defy gravity. She was facing away from me, towards the window and the rain behind it.

She must have heard the scuffling of sheets as I sat up in bed; she turned away from the window to face me. A smile broke across her face when she saw me sitting up. She crossed the room with remarkable and inhuman speed. She threw herself onto the bed and held me in a tight embrace. Why, I didn't know.

"Welcome back," she said in voice with unmistakable happiness, "How do you feel?"

"Confused." I replied in a low mumble, "who are you?"

My question took her by surprise, she recoiled out of my arms a tidal wave of pain slamming into her delicate features?

"Don't be upset." I said quickly, "you seem so familiar, but I can't seem to remember your name."

There was a measure of relief reflected in her liquid gold eyes. "I'm Alice," her voice was soft and had lost all traces of happiness.

"Alice," I said relieved, "may I ask you another question?" I tried to keep my voice kind and sure.

Alice didn't respond verbally, she only gave a slight nod in affirmation.

"Are you an angel?" The question sounded stupid out loud, not that it was anymore intelligent in my head

She gave a short musical laugh at my question. It was a completely beautiful sound, like wind chimes in a soft breeze. "No, I'm not an angel. Quite the opposite in fact." She flashed a radiant smile at me.

"Where's Katherine?" I asked. If she wasn't an angel, she must be a friend of Katherine; it was the only thing that made sense.

"You don't remember? You told me that she's been dead for years." Her voice cut through me like a knife. Katherine couldn't be dead.

"How long have I been asleep?" I scratched my head, all this new information was starting to eat at me. I don't even think I remember what the last thing I remember is.

"Three weeks, four days, and eleven hours." She answered, "What's the last thing that you remember?" Her voice was choked with concern that I didn't understand in the least.

"I don't. I know that my name is Aaron; I know that I'm a wizard; I know all the incantations for my evocations. I remember Katherine, but I don't know what she looks like; I remember how many vampires I killed in Phoenix. You, this room, outside, this house, all of it looks so familiar; I could probably find the bathroom without help; but I don't remember anything." I rambled on for what seemed like a week, "I want to remember; I want to remember everything. I want to explain these feelings I have, and so I'm not being too forward; I feel incredibly attracted to you."

"We were in Port Angeles," her voice was distant, "you ran off after a man in a black cloak. I found you being held by a Red Court vampire, she licked your neck, releasing venom into you. You've been in constant pain for three weeks. And, uh, we were kinda, sorta dating."

I nodded blankly; it was a lot to take in all at once. Everything made sense; I'd heard that Red Court venom can cause retrograde amnesia; but it was extremely, extremely, extremely rare, happening less than one tenth of one percent of the time.

Where'd that come from?

I couldn't help my eyes welling up with tears. "This was the first time I woke up and wasn't in pain, right?"

She nodded with a slight smile, "You're memory should start coming back in the next few days." She gave a soft chuckle, "I read it in your book." Alice sat next to me on the bed, gently leaning her head on my shoulder, "We'll get through it."

We, she said we; I feel like I barely know this creature and yet she knows me enough to help me. "I'm hungry," I said absently realizing that I probably hadn't eaten in a week.

"Let's go get something to eat then." She said pulling me up.

"Sounds good." I followed her out of the bedroom, probably her room. The house was absolutely amazing; clean, organized, and huge. It seemed completely familiar, just like Alice. "Allie, can I ask you a question; another question?"

She giggled a little before answering, "You've never called me Allie before, but yes you can ask me anything."

"Were we... are we in love?" I asked as we started down the stairs.

She stopped and stared at me, her liquid eyes seemed to quiver before she finally answered, "Yes," in a soft and hollow voice.

"Good," I said taking her hand in mine; it was cold, but I knew it would be. "Now let's go get something to eat." We slowly made our way through the rest of the empty house and into the garage.

Sudden realization hit as Allie unlocked a canary yellow Porsche. I can't describe this feeling; it's like forgetting what the sun looks like until you see it again. I just knew, or at least I thought I did. "Allie, you're a vampire, right?" I asked sliding into the front seat.

"Ya; did you figure that out or did you remember it?" Her face was trying to resist a smile.

"I think I remembered." And then another memory hit me, "you can see the future too." She smiled and nodded.

"Yes!" She squealed, wrapping her arms around my neck, pulling me closer. Her scent washed over me, suddenly so many things came back to me. It was like a dam burst; suddenly so many things hit me at once.

I broke out into a huge smile, "I still don't remember everything, but I do remember everything that involves you. The soulgaze, the first night we spent together, the trip down to Aberdeen, you pretending to leave me there, dinner, school, the lighthouse, the vacation that never happened. All of it!" Excitement filled my voice as I listed all of these old memories, new again. Alice was equally excited, knowing that I hadn't forgotten her.

"What about what happened in Port Angeles?" She asked suddenly.

"What about it?" The excitement disappeared from my voice. The happiness I was beginning to have about my mind coming back, faded to nothingness in an instant.

"Never mind, it will come back to you." Alice said placing a reassuring hand on my knee. She slid the car silently out of the driveway and into the drizzling rain. Alice headed away from town; north I think.

The ride was quiet and tense; it felt unnatural, all the memories I have between Alice and me are pleasant and comfortable. "Hey Alice?" she murmured an assent, "did we ever…you know…doinked, done the nasty, forked, fucked, made love, had sex?" I felt my face growing hot at the question.

"I thought you had all your memories about me?" She said with a wry smile.

"I do. Well I think I do. I just wanted to make sure." I could feel myself turning ten shades brighter; a reaction that, for the record, doesn't happen to me a lot.

"We haven't, no, but we were planning on it until that whole business with you and the poison. And before that I think we were planning on it during the vacation that never happened." If she could have she would have turned a brilliant shade of scarlet right about now.

I gave a few shallow nods, trying to let everything sink in. I absolutely abhor the feeling that I have to be told about my own life. At least I had all my memories of Alice, I knew, even before they came back, I loved her, and I knew she made me happy. What else do I need to know right now?

After a short eternity (I do remember that's a phrase I use all the time) I finally got the courage to ask, "Have you seen when my memories will come back?" That question that was a classic 'catch twenty-two'.

She pulled the car off to the side of the road. "I haven't had a vision of you in three weeks, I feel completely helpless." The small smile she had twisted itself into a painful grimace.

"It's okay; it's all going to be okay." I pulled her in as close as I could with the center console in the way, "They'll come back to you."

"I know they will. But it just sucks!" She pouted against my shoulder as I rubbed her back in small comforting circles. "It's just that I feel blind without them."

That was the first moment when I was absolutely sure that all of her walls were down; she was completely vulnerable, not knowing what was going to happen next. She was a scared girl instead of the scary monster.

She'd never looked more beautiful to me before. I kept her close to me, but I snaked on hand to the steering wheel and cut the ignition. The car gave an imperceptible shudder as the engine shut off, well only to normal people; Alice felt it and looked up at me with her glowing bright golden eyes. I seized the moment to kiss her passionately, before she could realize what was happening. I took her by surprise, something with her unique ability would normally be near impossible to do, she tried to back out of it; but met my hand that was wrapped around the back of her head.

She stopped fighting and went with it, enjoying the hot and steamy kiss cheap romance novel kiss. She broke off the kiss a minute later, her eyes now a dull color of gold. "Now?" She asked, her eyes beginning to smolder.

"Now." I said as an evil grin crept across my lips.

End Note: Please let me know one way or another if the false ending fooled anyone!