Dhampir in Disguise

by gempire

As usual the summary is inside to avoid spoilers of previous stories.

19. Chapter 18

Disclaimer: Twilight is the property of Stephenie Meyer

Sorry I'm late this week, I've been extremely busy and most of my spare time was eaten up by RL. I'm posting this tonight and I'll post the next chapter of WTST tomorrow after I finish editing it.

I'd like to dedicate this chapter to Noble, Fadewind, Bibika94, Alphabloodwolf, Lsb123, Lauren j, Alexsandra, Skys the Limit 7507, and BellaNessieCullen

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I stepped into Fred's perimeter determined to find out the location of the execution. I have no idea why, but I had the strangest desire to witness the execution, to know if Alec showed remorse at the last. Would he give a last minuet explanation as to why he did what he did? A part of me wished to know that he was truly gone, that the threat he would blight my life at some future time was removed.

Despite the fact that Jane was angry with Fred, I was certain that he was my best option in locating where Jane hoped to hold the execution.

"Fred, do you know where Jane is planning Alec's execution?" I asked making him jump.

"Look Liza, leave me out of this. Jane's busting my balls enough over sneaking you in for the trial, I'm not doing it again." He said firmly.

"I thought you liked Jane busting your balls." I said in slightly teasing tones.

"It's one thing when she's playing at being all domineering, you've been a naughty boy, quite another when she thinks I've done something wrong." Fred said firmly. "She threatened to burn me!"

"She did?" I asked aghast. "Ok. Never mind." I said with a sigh and turned to leave him.

"Of course if I happened to be muttering to myself that I don't think its right Jane going off on her own to do it. If I was any kind of mate I'd follow her ten miles west toward the big clearing with the lake to be there for her when she needs me. If I was muttering that and you happened to overhear, well I could hardly be held responsible for what you do with that overheard information." Fred said in careful tones.

"Fred, you are a star." I said and kissed his cheek.

"Yeah. Well if Jane asks, you overheard me muttering." He said in warning tones.

"Of course." I said and run off toward the west, keeping on course for the clearing Fred had mentioned. I overheard Fred mutter, I corrected.

As I neared the clearing I caught the scent of Jane and Alec and I slowed. I crept closer until I could hear their voices. I held my breath, hoping they wouldn't hear the beat of my heart.

"Well brother, it comes to this. Aro drives the final wedge between us." Jane said in a steady voice, but it was clear there was turmoil beneath. "And it is all your doing. Why did you not come to me? Why did you try to frame Liza in that way? What has she done to you but foolishly love you as a child?"

"There is no excusing my behaviour and I must die." Alec said softly.

I crept closer still and peered into the clearing. Alec was on his knees on the grass near the lake, his hands behind his back. Jane was looking away from him, out over the rippling water as she composed herself for the task ahead. She was paying no real attention to what Alec was doing as she steeled herself to kill him.

I realised that Alec could easily loosen his hands and attack Jane, or even render her senseless while he untied himself and launched an attack. He had no need to face this end, yet he was choosing to do so. Was it because he felt remorse for his actions?

Jane was hurting, that was clear in the very stillness of her form. She didn't want to have to kill her brother. She knew he had broken the laws, her laws, and the punishment was death. This was one punishment she would have happily delegated to another, but Aro had made it clear, only Jane could kill Alec.

I felt a boiling anger toward Aro. I wished to tear him apart for putting Jane in this position. But then, he wanted to punish her for her betrayal when she left Volterra with Mother. He knew this the perfect way to do so.

Jane would not consciously disobey a direct order from Aro, and even if she were so inclined, she would not do so since we were still operating with the blessing of Volterra and it meant a peaceful life for all. A war would serve nobody, and even though we were certain to win, it would almost certainly be a pyrrical victory.

Jane also knew Alec had to die, it was the only way; he'd broken too many laws. He had to die to sate the vampires of America, and Jane had to do it in order to appease Aro. Alec was willing to accept his fate, he'd known what he was doing was wrong and he was prepared to face the consequences of his actions. Did he realise the toll it would take on his sister? Was he hoping she would be lenient? Was Jane hoping Alec would escape, that's why she was leaving the cell door wide open?

"How could you Alec?" Jane hissed and suddenly she turned on him and he gasped and winced slightly, but otherwise withstood Jane's onslaught. "I have worked so hard here and you seek to ruin it." Jane stated as she unleashed her power again. "Why do you hurt me so brother?"

"I am callous Jane, you have known that an eternity." Alec stated once she had stopped burning him.

"Once you were chivalrous, the perfect knight in the making." Jane protested. "What happened to you?"

"You did." Alec hissed. "Refusing the perfect match our parents had made for you. Speaking your mind when you should have known your place. Through your scheming and calculating having me confined to the stake along with you. That's what happened to me sister."

Jane buckled; I saw the hurt take her as she unleashed an assault on Alec that had him writhing on the floor.

As much as I wished for Alec's death I realised as I watched his face, he hadn't meant the words he said. He wanted to make Jane hate him enough before she killed him so she would not feel guilt over doing so. Was it possible there was some compassion left within him? Did he have some compassion left for the sister who had done so much to build a life for herself beyond the walls of Volterra? A life that was likely to crumble once she became riddled with guilt over killing her own twin.

I thought of a similar scenario, if I was in Jane's position and I'd been charged with the execution of Tony, how would I feel if I went through with it? How could I live with myself? Regardless of whether I loathed him at the end, he would always be my twin and I would have killed my other half. Surely I would go mad!

I had to stop this execution, because it would not only be Alec who died this day, but Jane's sanity. Having killed her own brother, she would not recover. It would be the most evil of her deeds, even if he was a cold-hearted bastard, Jane would still feel the guilt.

I would gladly kill Aro for the position he had placed Jane within, and the method I would now have to employ to remedy this.

"Well brother I am left with no choice. Alec of the Volturi, you have been found guilty of breaking several of our sacred laws, including exposure to humans. You have been sentenced to death upon this day. May god have mercy on your soul." Jane said coldly. "And on mine." She added as an aside.

Then she readied to strike.

"No Jane I cannot allow you to do this." I said in a rush as I ghosted into the clearing to stand between Jane and Alec.

"Liza? What are you doing here?" Jane demanded. "You're the last person I'd expect to want to save Alec."

"I'm not trying to save Alec." I stated. "I'm trying to save you."

"Me?" She demanded, looking confused.

"Oh Jane, Aro has treated you most foul in this." I exclaimed as I hugged her. "Knowing that Alec must face his end yet stating that you are the one to do this. He knows there could be no greater sadness to your heart than to have to kill your twin. I know I should be loath to kill Tony, even if he had done twice as much as Alec."

"But he must die." Jane stated firmly, although I was sure she was convincing herself as much as I.

"Yes. But should you kill him, it will be your undoing. Even Alec realises that. Those mean things he said to you, they hurt him as he said them as much as they hurt you to hear them. He was making you hate him so that your guilt would not feel so deep. But the twin bond is something hard to sever and it will destroy you if you kill him." I stated.

"But he has broken the law. He must be punished." Jane repeated, although she was starting to regret this.

"You kill him and you will fall. That will be a greater detriment to the Vampire Nation than if one criminal is given a stay of execution." I stated.

"I do not like this. He must be punished." Jane stated, finding it difficult to grasp the concept.

"If I am permitted to interject." Alec said, still kneeling on the floor. "Can I remind you Jane of the tale of Tantalus?"

Jane frowned for a moment, then looked uncertain.

"I could not condone such a thing." She said.

"If it means you do not kill Alec then take it." I stated.

"But it will involve you." She stated. "You will become his probation officer for want of a better word. You will have to suffer his company until a time is reached that he is deemed worthy to be given free rein once more."

"By suffer his company, how often?" I asked. "Once a day? That is how probation works. He must report to me once a day, but otherwise I need not look upon him."

"That is true." Jane said. "Although probation in the vampire world is somewhat different."

"How so?"

"You will be fully responsible for all of Alec's actions." Jane stated gravely.

"If it saves you from the brink of madness then I will take it." I stated.

"Are you sure?" Jane asked, looking into my eyes.

"Jane, you are a strong and competent leader, this you can not be when your mind falls apart with guilt." I stated firmly. "That is what Aro is expecting. Therefore, to borrow a term from modern vernacular, I'll take one for the team."

"As long as you are sure." Jane said. "You are willing to take on the role of Alec's probation officer?"

"Yes."

"Very well." Jane said and tapped my arm before she spun me to face Alec and put her arm around my shoulder. "Alec, stand up." Jane commanded.

Alec obeyed, although he kept his head bowed.

"You do realise what this means?" She demanded.

"Yes." Alec replied, his head still bowed.

"Any crime you commit in future Liza will be punished alongside you. Is that something you really want?" She asked.

"Not at all!" Alec exclaimed looking up at us in shock.

"Then Liza Black, I release him into your custody. Ensure he does no wrong for his every action is now on your head. Any law he breaks, you break." Jane stated.

"Excuse me?" I demanded, for I had not been aware of that fact earlier.

"This is what it means to be a probation officer in the vampire world." Jane said flatly. "I did warn you."

I gave Jane a wary look, then turned to Alec.

"You do anything to get into trouble then I'll kill you myself is that clear?" I growled. "Aro be damned, I will take great pleasure in it before I myself am consigned to eternal darkness."

"I would never do that to you!" Alec exclaimed. "I would never do anything to cause your death."

"And framing me for murder would not do this?" I demanded, and then sighed. "If I'm saddled with you then you'd best come with me."

"I will follow you anywhere." Alec said vehemently.

"Unfortunately, yes." I said. "Turn around."

"Why?" He asked, and suddenly he was wary.

"Do you wish to have your hands tied forever?" I demanded.

"No." He replied.

"Then turn around." I commanded. "You must do as I say now."

"Yes my goddess." Alec replied and turned around.

I untied the rope that bound his hands and as I did so I realised that he could have so very easily freed himself if he had wanted to. Why did he not try this?

"And I am not your goddess." I snapped, rather than question him. "You must call me Liza, or Miss Liza if you wish to be formal, but I am not your anything, is that clear?"

Alec didn't answer me, so I spun him around and glared into his eyes.

"Is that clear?" I demanded.

"Yes Miss Liza." He replied.

I glared at him before I turned to Jane.

"I am doing this to save you a dark burden." I stated. "I do this to repay you for your swift action in my rescue. Is that not fair?"

"Yes. It is more than fair Liza. And thank you." She said and hugged me. "I thought I would die should I kill him."

I hugged Jane back, surprised at this level of honesty from her.

"It is for that reason I spared you the deed." I whispered into her ear before I stepped away. "And now I must explain myself."

"I will stand by you." Jane promised.

"I somehow feel that will not aid me in this instance. I made the decision to intervene on my own, and thus I must face the music." I declared.

"I will ease your way." Jane stated.

"You may try, but it will not work." I replied. "I must tell them myself."

"Liza, we can't let you do this!" Tony gasped, and I turned to find him and Mal stumble into the clearing.

"Do what?" I asked.

"Witness the execution. It'll haunt you forever!" Tony declared. "Why the hell is Alec loose?"

"Because he is no longer to be executed." I stated.

"Oh Liza, please tell me you didn't." Mal said, looking worried and I gave him an apologetic look.

"What? What's happened?" Tony asked.

"You saved him?" Mal demanded.

"I saved Jane." I stated. "Believe me Mal, if anyone else had come to do the task I would have gladly seen him die, but to have Jane kill her own brother?"

"Wait! You stopped Jane killing Alec?" Tony asked.

I nodded.

"Is that even possible?" He asked with a frown.

"If the executioner deems it so." I stated.

"Right, but what does that mean now?"

"That I am his probation officer." I answered Tony, although I was looking at Mal as I spoke for he was wearing a look of horror.

"Oh god Liza, you know what that means right?" Mal asked.

"That if he decides to break the law I share in his punishment." I murmured.

"Did you know before?" Mal asked, placing his hands on my shoulders, and as I looked up into his eyes I felt tears threaten. "You didn't know."

I shook my head and sighed as he pulled me into an embrace.

"For someone so cautious you don't half make rash decisions." He observed.

As Mal hugged me I heard a growl and I pulled away, and glared at Alec.

"Mal is my friend and if you find problem with that then I will remove my offer of probation, is that clear?" I stated. "Do not cross me Alec for I will tear you down, so help me god I will."

Alec looked defiant for a moment, but he shrank away from me.

"Please forgive me Miss Liza, I am yours to command." Alec said humbly.

I glared at him once more for good measure before turning back to Mal and Tony.

"Wait, you mean whatever he does now you're responsible for?" Tony demanded. "God Liza, how the hell did you get yourself into this?"

"By trying to do right." I stated. "I thought of how I should feel if I had been charged with your execution, regardless of what crime you may have committed, I would go mad having to do so. I could see what it would do to Jane and so I acted for the better of our nation."

"God Eliza." Tony murmured as he hugged me. "You shouldn't have come out here."

"I think perhaps it should have been someone else who stopped this in order to save Jane." I conceded.

"Yeah." Tony agreed verbally, but in his mind I could see that he thought Alec deserved to die and we could have consoled Jane somehow, all of us together.

Would you find any peace, regardless of how many people attempted to appease your mind, if you had to kill me in such a manner? I asked.

Tony went to protest that he would, but he could not lie about the fact that it would devastate him.

"Fine. But I don't see how anyone else is gonna get it." Tony said aloud. "I guess we'd better get back, it's dark now."

"Yes." I agreed as I stepped away from Tony. "Alec, you will follow." I ordered.

"I don't like the thought of turning my back on him." Tony observed and Mal's expression seemed to say that he agreed.

"Very well. Alec you will follow me while Tony and Mal bring up the rear. Is that satisfactory to everyone?" I demanded looking between the three boys; I did not wait for them to reply. "Good. Let's go."

I began running toward the house, aware that Alec was indeed following me. Mal and Tony were running behind Alec, and they were focused on his every move.

"It is not to late to renege." Jane stated as she run beside me.

"It would still harm you to kill Alec." I stated. "I stand by my decision."

"You really are deserving of your honour." Jane stated. "Looking for the path of least pain."

"This is not the path of least pain." I snapped, unable to stop myself. "This is the path most beneficial to the Coalition. I know of the legend of Tantalus, of being sentenced to spend eternity standing in a pool beneath a fruit tree. He could never reach the fruit and the water would recede if he reached down to drink. It was torture to be forever in the presence of what he desired yet to have it always out of reach, tantalising him. I know you want me to endure Alec's presence so he is punished in this way, but have you thought of the practical implications? I do wish to return to college in January."

"It will take planning, and I will think on it and finance all of Alec's endeavours." Jane stated.

I merely nodded in agreement for it was not the financial side of things that worried me, but the fact that I would forever have him hovering in my life. By punishing him to be near me without the privilege of knowing me meant that I suffered too, having him near me. Perhaps I should see this as a fitting punishment for disobeying orders and acting upon my dramatic whims.

To my surprise everybody was waiting in the back garden. My family and the guard were all present. The only ones not present were Nahuel and Ebony along with the children. I felt my stomach churn as I realised I now had to face everyone with what I had done.

Mother and Father stood ahead of everyone and I stopped before them awaiting my rebuke. I thought they would be angry but Father placed his hand on my shoulder.

"We're proud of you Vela." He stated. "To set aside your own happiness for the peace of mind of another."

I had no idea how to respond for I had been expecting everyone to be angry.

We're not angry with you, cause you were only doing what you thought was right. Mother thought as she hugged me. But we will have words with Jane. This Tantalus thing is wrong, and she knows it.

I should have remembered the legend sooner. I observed. I would have been more wary of agreeing to be his probation officer.

Liza, we know you wouldn't have turned it down regardless. You wouldn't want Jane to suffer. You would have saved her regardless. Mother countered.

"What's going to happen now?" Mal asked.

"Jane, Essie and I wish to speak to you in private." Father said. "And in the meanwhile may we request that the guard watch after Alec."

"Yes. But only in Liza's presence." Jane stated.

Father gave her an angry look, but I was in no mood for confrontation, even if t was on my behalf.

"I can ignore him." I stated. "And he will not lift a hand against me. Have no fear he will behave."

"How can you be sure?" Father demanded.

"Because he does not wish to see me dead, that much I know." I stated. "And if he breaks laws then I am dead."

Father looked angrier than I had ever seen him and he turned that look on Jane.

"You have a lot of explaining to do." Mother said in his place. "How could you bind someone into this when all they did was help you?"

"This is something we should discuss in private." Jane stated.

"Whatever, we're talking about it." Mother said and she actually took hold of Jane's arm and led her toward the house with Father bringing up the rear.

Everybody watched them into the house, and then the attention was on me.

"I will be in the informal sitting room should anyone want me." I said darkly, before taking Mal's hand and walking into the house.

Alec followed us as I had expected, but I ignored him, I was determined to do so when it was convenient. He was invisible to me now. Yes I could imagine that.

Mal and I entered the sitting room and I led him to the love seat that meant there were few places Alec could be in our line of sight.

"What plans have you for the rest of the day?" I asked.

Mal regarded me for a long moment.

"I think after dinner I might go for a swim." Mal stated.

"Yes. Perhaps we can take Billie up on her offer. She was most anxious that we join her yesterday." I replied.

"Yeah, although you did promise to make angels with her." Mal reminded me.

"Oh yes I did." I observed. "Are you handy with the safety scissors and glue stick?"

"It's been a while, but I used be a dab hand." Mal said with a grin.

"Then it is settled, we will make angels." I declared.

"Sounds great." Mal said with a smile, but then it faltered and he gave me a sad look. "I'm sorry Liza, but I can't go on like this ignoring the elephant in the room."

"What elephant?" I said, determined not to look at our particular pachyderm.

"Come on Liza, we can't have a discussion like he's not in the room. It's just weird and what about…" Mal trailed off, giving me a meaningful look.

"About what?" I asked, not quite following him.

"You know, when we return to college." Mal said his eyebrows rising expressively and I was sure he was trying to communicate something telepathically.

It took a moment, but I finally realised to what he was referring.

"We will find time." I stated. "I promise."

Mal nodded.

"I may not have to suffer his company." I stated optimistically. "I hope that Mother and Father can find a way with Jane that will mean he will not be constantly in my presence."

"Technically he doesn't have to be now. He just needs to check in with you once a day." Mal stated.

"That is true." I said smiling at the thought. "And even viewing me once a day without ever knowing me again will be a chore. He will be nothing but a ghost in my life."

"But spectres tend to haunt." Mal said solemnly.

"He is nothing to me and I will ignore him." I stated.

"I…" Mal trailed off and his eyes travelled to Alec. "If he is hanging round you I don't think you wanna ignore him." He said, slipping into Welsh. "Keep your friends close but your enemies closer."

"I should be friends with him?" I asked, sticking to Welsh, although I had a sneaking suspicion that Alec understood us perfectly.

"Not friends as such, just don't give him cause to want you dead." Mal stated.

"I suppose that is good advice." I conceded. "It would be better if he was not in my life at all."

"Yeah, but that's not gonna happen." Mal said sadly.

"He is not going to change the course of my life." I said firmly, hoping Mal would glean the meaning of my promise.

"I really hope not." Mal replied as he gave my hand a squeeze.

It was at this point that Mother entered the room. She gave Alec an angry glance before she came and sat opposite Mal and I.

"Jane is determined that you're in charge of Alec and she doesn't think having you as a forfeit will be as effective as the Tantalus method. She's really adamant that you should be the punishment." Mother said in Quileute.

"I knew she wouldn't budge." Mal grumbled.

"Then we must start thinking of how to deal with him." I stated.

We all looked to Alec who was stood six feet away with his head bowed.

"Alec, if this is to be permanent then we need to discuss a few ground rules." I stated.

"Of course Miss Liza." He said, not raising his head.

"First of all you will look at me when you address me, it is rude to talk to the floor." I stated.

Alec raised his head and looked at me expectantly.

"If I ask for you to leave my presence, or I state that I am going elsewhere and I wish to be alone you will respect my privacy."

"Yes Miss Liza." He replied.

"And please just call me Liza, I think formality is rather redundant now. Although I warn you not to get your hopes up, we are not friends and we will never be lovers, but I will treat you in an amicable manner for the sake of convenience."

"It is better than being ignored." Alec stated.

"And no smart remarks or I will lose patience." I stated.

"Yes Liza." Alec replied.

It was at this point Jane entered the room.

"Alec, we have much to discuss, follow me." She said curtly.

Alec looked to me as if seeking my approval.

"Jane outranks me." I stated. "If she wishes too speak to you then you must obey."

"Yes Liza." Alec said, and he bowed before following Jane from the room.

"This is exactly the result I desired this morning." I said sarcastically.

"We'll try and distract him while you're here." Mother stated. "But Jane seems to have plans for him to go to Riverside with you."

"I stated that I wish to return there. I am hoping that the fact it is in California and it'll prove somewhat difficult for him to move around during the day will mean that Jane will have to find another person for him to shadow."

"You know that's not going to happen." Mal stated. "Jane will think of something. Probably something simple like making Alec wear a hoody. Whatever, it's clear Jane is going to stick by this Tantalus thing and I don't know why. What's the point in punishing you for helping her?"

"I suppose it will teach me not to go where I should not." I observed.

"Maybe. But it's a steep punishment if that's the case." Mal stated.

"Definitely." Mother agreed. "You just wanted answers, and to see justice done, and now you're stuck with him for the rest of your life?"

"Only until he is rehabilitated." I stated. "Once it is felt that he has served enough time then he should be allowed to continue his life as he sees fit. And that preferably takes place thousands of miles from me."

"But that all depends on if the other vamps think he's been rehabilitated." Mal stated.

"We will have to convince them." I stated. "What do we do now Mother?"

"I think, we need to make up a room for him." Mother stated.

"We do?" I asked with a frown.

"Yeah. Maybe Jane's old room so he's as far away from you as possible in the night at least." Mother stated. "I mean he can't expect to stay in your room and I'm not having him hovering around the halls, especially by the nursery and playroom. What about Billie?"

"I agree Mother, we will make up that room for him. But is that not the one Alex is using at the moment?" I asked.

Mother regarded me for a moment then closed her eyes. She opened them but silence held in the room for a whole minuet before Alex entered.

"Did I hear right, Liza stopped the execution?" He asked.

"I am sorry Alex, I did not mean to keep you here indefinitely." I stated.

"I don't mind being here Liza, I was thinking of staying anyway, I just don't get why you saved the creep who kidnapped you." Alex replied.

"I was not saving him, I was saving Jane's mind and the stability of our nation. It would not do for Jane to be incapacitated by guilt for killing her brother and the other's then fighting over who should take her place."

"I guess that would happen." Alex conceded. "Ok. So Ess, what did you want me for?"

"Would you mind moving out of the end room so we can stick Alec there away from Liza." Mother stated.

"Sure. I was there cause that's where I ended up when the others were here. I don't mind moving my stuff." Alex replied in his easygoing manner. "You wanna do it now?"

"Yeah." Mother replied. "We want to make sure he can go straight in there, no excuses."

"Well let's get moving." Alex observed.

We all stood and made our way upstairs to the room next to the south staircase. Alex was but a minuet collecting his belongings and the room was cleared.

"Where do you want me Cous?" He asked Mother.

"Go on the end. That way I got you and Mal, and then Tobias and me, between Alec and Liza, and Billie too. I don't trust him with not hurting Billie." Mother said with true worry.

"Mother, he will not harm Billie. He would not consider such a thing or I will kill him myself, and hand myself over to the Volturi if that is what I must do to sate Aro. If Alec hurts Billie I will not hesitate to kill him." I declared.

"And I lose you too?" Mother demanded. "No Liza. If Alec hurts Billie then I'll take him out."

"Then you will have to face Aro." I stated aghast.

"No. I won't have to face him. Alec has been given a reprieve and if he mucks up now, well I got every right as a mother to protect my children."

I thought on Mother's words, and then nodded.

"I agree, it is personal in that instance and the Volturi have no cause for complaint." O stated.

"I don't know why we're tiptoeing around the Volturi anyway." Alex observed. "So the end room right?"

"Yeah. This one." Mother said, leading him to the room.

"I'll just put my things in here then I need to call Hunter, let him know what happened."

"Oh dear, what will Uncle Hunter say?" I said mournfully.

"I'll handle Hunter." Mother said, tapping my shoulder. "Now why don't you and Mal go down and start preparing dinner, I'll try and field Jane and Alec after their talk so you won't have to deal with him until it can't be helped."

"Thank you Mother." I said and hugged her.

"And you might want to talk to Tony at some point." She advised.

"Of course." I agreed.

"Shall I tell him to meet you in the kitchen with Grace?" Mother asked.

"Yes."

"And I'll make it out of bounds for everyone else for the time being." She promised.

"Thank you Mother." I replied and hugged her once more before stepping away. "Are you coming Mal?"

"Yeah." Mal replied and we made our way down to the kitchen.

The kitchen was empty when we arrived.

"What shall we make for dinner?" I asked.

"You want me to cook with you?" Mal asked, sounding surprised.

"Why not? I did state that we would cook together at some point." I replied.

"Yeah." Mal said with a smile. "But you're the chef, I'm just the assistant. You need to choose our menu."

"Shall we see what is in the pantry and take it from there?"

"Yes Chef." Mal replied.

I smiled before I led him to the pantry and opened the door.

"This isn't a pantry it's a food shop." Mal observed.

I chuckled as I regarded the contents.

"Since you are such an expert, can you see anything you'd like to cook Mr Mal?" I asked in good humour.

"Well, why not make some pasta concoction." He replied.

"Good idea." I stated, reaching for the flour.

"You'll make it from scratch?" He asked in shock.

"I am half Italian." I joked.

"I guess. But I meant to just use the packet stuff." Mal stated as he pointed to a bag of dried fusilli.

"I have all the ingredients I could ever want, why would I settle for that dry stuff? Come, I will show you how to make it from scratch." I stated.

"Ok."

I reached for the ingredients and as I went to fetch the stepladder to reach down the olive oil I remembered I had Mal with me. He was tall and could reach them down for me. He was my assistant after all.

"Would you be so kind as to reach down the olive oil?" I asked.

"Yeah." Mal said, as he took hold of it with ease. "Anything else?"

I leaned against the doorjamb and started listing the ingredients, watching with a smile as Mal gathered what I required. It made my mind wander to a future where we could do such things often in our own kitchen in our own home. There was no doubt in my mind that this would one day be our reality, just Mal and I at first, children would come later, there was no rush.

"You couldn't get out of it then?" Tony asked and I was brought back to the present with a bump.

"Jane seems most adamant that I am Alec's punishment." I stated.

"Mom said." Tony replied. "So what are you doing?"

"We are making pasta." I observed.

"From scratch." Mal added as he moved toward the door, his arms laden with ingredients.

"Oh yeah, Liza never makes pasta with the pre-made stuff." Tony observed as he moved out of the way to allow Mal and I to exit.

"Don't you make almost everything from scratch?" Grace asked.

"When I can." I replied. "Sometimes it is impractical, but when it is not I will always make my own."

"Even sausages?" Mal asked.

"I have made them." I stated. "Although I will claim I fall when faced with black pudding for it is hard to resist drinking the blood." I added with a giggle.

"You're kidding right?" Mal asked.

"Nope." Tony replied as he and Grace sat at the breakfast bar. "Although we were three at the time so she wasn't as controlled as she is now."

"I think it was the first time I made a mess in the kitchen." I observed.

"First? Like the only time." Tony said with a snort.

"Perhaps you are right." I conceded. "Now before we begin we must wash our hands."

"Yes Chef." Mal said and we went to wash up before I showed him how to make pasta.

"How are you really feeling about this Alec situation?" Tony asked.

"There are too many emotions still. I think for the most I have accepted my fate. I can become angry and annoyed, but it will not change the situation. All I can think is to try and be amicable for the sake of a stress free life."

"Liza, you don't do stress free living." Tony stated. "You could be living in Utopia and you'd find something to stress over."

"Granted. But if I have to suffer his company I'd rather not do it in a hostile environment." I stated.

"That's going to be easy considering he kidnapped you and framed you for murder." Mal stated, kneading his dough somewhat more vigorously than was necessary.

"There is that." I agreed.

"So what're you going to do about it?" Mal demanded.

"We will have to hear him out." I stated.

"There's no we in that matter." Mal said firmly. "What he did to you, and to me, it's inexcusable and I heard enough of their excuses in Volterra."

"I can not force you to talk to him." I stated.

"Damn right." Mal said. "I never liked Alec, even as a kid. I can't imagine being friends with him."

"I do not expect you to be. I do not wish to be friends with him, but if I have to suffer his company…" I trailed off in sadness.

"You won't suffer it alone." Mal stated. "I'm going to keep my eye on him to make sure he doesn't try anything."

"Thank you." I replied with a smile.

"But I don't want to hear his excuses." Mal said firmly.

"I think maybe I should come over tomorrow morning and we'll talk to him together." Tony stated. "There's a few things I want to ask him myself."

"Such as?" I prompted.

"A few things that have bugged me since Volterra." Tony said mysteriously and he would not elaborate and I decided I could wait until the morning.

"Then that is what we will do. Is that fine with you Mal?" I prompted.

"It's not up to me Liza." Mal replied. "You have to do what's best for you. I know I don't want to talk to him, I can't. It goes beyond what's happened now, there's my childhood. I don't want to hear his excuses, I won't be unnecessarily unpleasant, but I'm not going to trust him and I don't want his excuses. I understand if you need that, but I don't."

"Yes. I understand what you are trying to tell me Malachite. Please can we cease this conversation? He is not here now, and while he is absent we should relish in it." I said in soothing tones for I did not wish to fight with Mal.

"Because pretty soon he's going to be everywhere we turn." Mal said glumly.

"He will give me peace if I ask it of him." I stated.

"He'll find ways to stay by you at all times." Mal countered. "I bet he'll say it's what Jane ordered."

"He can not be constantly at my side and I will find as many chances as I can to have him away from me. I promise you Mal, he will not be a constant presence in our lives."

"Our lives?" Tony questioned, and his look alone was enough to indicate that he suspected that there was more to that statement than a promise between friends, never mind what he was thinking.

"We are good friends Tony, and most of our free time in college is spent together. With this in mind is it such a mystery that I refer to it as 'our lives'?" I demanded.

"Not at all." Grace said firmly, but there was no mistaking the speculative look she shared with Tony.

I realised that part of what Mal had proposed, that I would be embarrassed in front of my family may have been true. I was not embarrassed to declare him my love, but I feared the coddling my family would subject me to. Those fond looks and odd comments that would make me feel like a child having done a new trick. How did Tony avoid such reactions with Grace?

Possibly Tony and Grace had received such reactions but had laughed them off with ease, Tony rarely allowed things to annoy him. If I could have taken such a relaxed view perhaps I would have settled things with Mal ages ago. But that would have been too simple for melodramatic Liza.

My musings carried me through the rest of the preparation and to dinner itself. As Tony, Grace, Mal and I set up the food on the table I felt the roll in my stomach when I realised I would have to face everyone now. It would be unbearable.

I sat in silence as we waited on everyone to arrive. Tony sent me comforting thoughts whilst Grace gave me a smile of support. That bolstered my confidence somewhat, but I was still deathly scared. Mal took my hand beneath the table and that proved to me that he was there for me, as he promised, and I was suddenly a lot happier knowing that I had some allies.

Nobody questioned me about Alec all through dinner and I was happy for this. After dinner I declared that I would wash the dishes. Mal said he would help me and I was lucky enough to escape questioning from anyone.

Once the dishes were washed I escaped to my room where Mal sat with me. We did not talk, opting to read instead. It was a comfortable silence up to a point, but I knew he wished to discuss this Alec situation at some later point, but he was holding off for now.

I saw nobody else for the rest of the evening not even Alec. I was happy for this fact for it meant that I did not have to think of him at all, other than the fact that I was free of him of course. Mal was reluctant to leave me for fear that Alec would appear in the night and try something.

"Would you feel better if you stayed in my room?" I asked.

"I thought you wanted to avoid intimate moments." Mal replied.

"If it gives you peace of mind I care not." I stated. "Now come and sleep."

"In our clothes?"

"It will make it less intimate." I stated.

Mal nodded.

"I will clean my teeth first and then we can sleep."

"I'll brush mine at the same time." Mal stated and he left my room.

I went into my bathroom and ran through my nightly ablutions. When I returned Mal was back in my room. I stopped by the chest at the bottom of my bed and pulled out two blankets. I gave one to Mal and climbed up onto the bed with the other.

"It's less intimate if we don't share a quilt." Mal observed.

"Yes." I agreed. "Would you get the light?"

"Once we're settled." Mal stated as he got on the bed himself.

I lay down and pulled the blanket around me as Mal settled on the other edge of the bed. The light went out and I closed my eyes, but I could not sleep. My mind kept replaying the events of earlier over and over as I attempted to clear it. I knew I would find no peace this night for I feared that I had acted rashly and now I had ruined my life. To be stuck with the man I despised for the foreseeable future seemed unfair.

I tried not to cry, but finally it hit me of how utterly hopeless my situation now was. Why had I gone out to the clearing? Why did I stop the execution? Alec was very nearly out of my life, and I stop the execution? Would I have stopped it if someone else were elected to kill him? That question caught me off guard, but I realised that I would have allowed him to die if that were the case. Now I felt a wave of guilt, how could I face someone I wanted dead? But I had saved his life.

It was complicated and I was upset. I wished I could go back and stop myself from even going to the trial. Had I stayed in the library I would have seen the trial with Tony's help and I would not have gone off alone. It was my own foolish fault once more.

Suddenly Mal took hold of me and pulled me into him. I turned to him and buried my face in his chest as the sobs took me. He soothed me, stroking my hair and my back. His very presence was a comfort to me, and yet there was that trace of guilt for the fact that I had now complicated my life with Alec and by extension complicated Mal's life.

"It has all gone wrong." I murmured. "And I am pulling you into more despair. You would be better off not knowing me."

"Don't be daft." Mal said, as he cradled me closer. "Knowing you is the best thing to happen to me."

"How could it possibly be?" I demanded.

"My life's no longer boring for one." He joked, but then his tone became serious. "Alec is a problem, but we can work around him."

I nodded.

"I mean, as long as you want to work around him." Mal said in a careful way and I frowned as I realised what he was referring to.

"He is nothing to me Mal." I stated. "I liked him once, but it was a stupid schoolgirl feeling that I no longer acknowledge. Simon replaced him in my affections long ago and now even that love has been eclipsed by another."

"Liza, do we really have to wait until we get back to college?" Mal asked.

"But people will hear." I said with a frown.

"I'm not talking about that." Mal said. "It's just getting harder to…" Mal cut off as somebody knocked the door.

I glanced at me clock; it was one in the morning.

I frowned and clambered over Mal and walked to the door. I switched on the light before I opened it to find Alec standing there.

"What are you doing here?" I demanded.

"I have finished my discussion with Jane and now I come to you." He stated.

"At one o'clock in the morning?" I demanded. "I am dhampir Alec, I require sleep."

"Then I will guard your sleep." He said firmly. "I have no problems with watching you sleep."

"Perhaps you do not, but I do." I said with a glare.

"You did not complain before." He stated.

"You had me tied up, I was hardly at liberty to protest. Besides, I was attempting to get you on side in the hope that you would release me from my bonds so that I could better carry out an escape."

"Not everything was in aid of your escape." Alec stated.

"I am a good actress, especially when I am desperate. And it was so easy to play on your affection for me. Once I knew it was there I knew it was my ticket out. Do you seriously think I would wish to kiss you, let alone go further with you, after all you have done to me?" I demanded.

"It is clear I underestimated you." Alec stated.

"Yes you did. Now there is a room made up for you, I will show you there and I suggest you do not leave until I call on you in the morning." I said.

"If that is what you want me to do." Alec said flatly.

"It is." I said firmly as I stepped out of the room. "Follow me please."

Alec followed me along the corridor. He seemed a little put out that his room was so far from mine.

"And where does Malachite sleep when he's not in your room?" Alec asked lightly.

"That is of no concern to you." I stated. "You are in my life because it has been decreed so, Mal is in my life because I want him there. Remember that."

Alec nodded his head.

"Please enter your room."

Alec entered his room and I walked away from him.

To my dismay Mal was standing outside his own door.

"I think it's best I go in my own room now." He stated.

"Yes." I agreed.

"Nos da bach." He said, which was the Welsh for goodnight, and kissed my forehead.

"Goodnight Malachite." I replied and stepped away from him. "See you in the morning."

I entered my room and locked the door. I switched out the light and climbed into bed still in my clothes. The space where Mal had been was still warm and his scent was on the blanket and pillow. It was a comforting scent and I kept his image in my head as I drifted to sleep.

I dreamt of Mal, carrying on from my imaginings of earlier. Now I could picture the kitchen, it was but a small farm kitchen, but it had a wonderful agar range that was perfect for making anything I could imagine. The dream extended beyond that, to the imagery Mal had described, out on the moor land with him as he held me close to him to protect me from the wind as we looked out over the valley. It was perfect and I hated having to wake and leave that wonderful world behind.

I showered and dressed before going to call on Mal.

He was already up and dressed, so we went down for breakfast. Around ten Tony turned up and I was reminded that he had promised to talk to Alec with me.

"No time like the present." I concluded.

Mal stated that he would wash the dishes and then he would meet me up on the roof later. I agreed to this and made my way up the south stairs with Tony so that we would come out by Alec's room.

I knocked on the door and Alec answered.

"Tony and I wish to speak with you." I stated.

"Are you going to give me more painful home truths?" Alec asked.

"It depends on the answers you give me." I stated.

"Answers to what?" Alec asked.

"We're the ones doing the asking." Tony stated and he indicated for Alec to enter the room.

Alec went in and stood in the middle of the floor.

"We should sit, this may take a while." I stated as I sat down holding Tony's hand.

Alec sat down and looked at us expectantly.

"There are some questions from old that we would like to ask you first." I stated.

"I have no choice but to answer." Alec said calmly.

"How did you manage to fool us originally? When you first seduced me, how was it possible that you fooled my senses, that you fooled Tony's senses?" I began with a question that Tony wished to know.

"If I concentrate, my power can work on individual senses. When I was around the both of you it seemed even easier than before to hide my scent, obscure your vision enough that you wouldn't notice I was wearing coloured contacts to cover the gold of my eyes. Master Aro thought that the gold would be easier to cover than red. It took a lot of manipulation, but it was mostly down to my power." Alec replied.

"But what about your heart?" Tony demanded. "When we were in the airport waiting to go to 'Russia' I was getting suspicious about you, but when I stretched my senses I heard your heartbeat."

"Wait a moment." Alec said, holding up his hand and he went to where his bags had been placed on the bed.

He rummaged for a moment in the front compartment of a sturdy looking suitcase before he came back carrying something that resembled an iPod. Although in place of ear buds there was one flat speaker.

"You place it like this over where your heart is located." Alec explained as he demonstrated. "When you press play, it echoes in the chest and sounds like a vampire has a heartbeat."

He pressed play and sure enough a rhythmic beat began and had I not known the truth I would have placed money on the fact that Alec had a heartbeat.

"Wow. It's scary to think the Volturi have gone digital." Tony observed. "What did they create that for anyway?"

"It was developed as a way to allow us to mix amongst humans and remain undetected by suspected coven children who were hidden in plain sight." Alec said in a coded manner, but the code was fairly clear.

"Ones such as us?" I asked, deciding to remain calm for the time being.

Alec nodded.

"And the one to use this device would be you, for coupled with your ability to confuse the senses you were the perfect covert operative."

"Yes." Alec said sadly.

"And you did this despite being the father of so many dhampir yourself?" I inquired.

"I didn't know at the time." Alec said sadly. "Aro had the Fire Twins rob me of my memory. I only knew the truth when Caius had them brought to the court. Although I always suspected something, having them there before me was the confirmation I needed. I refused to detect half vampires after that."

"I bet Aro was happy about that." Tony said sarcastically.

"Oh yes, he was ecstatic." Alec said sourly. "Actually he played the kind master at first, allowing me to step down from hunting dhampir, but I knew from how he had treated others in the past that I had to escape Volterra. I had to wait for enough time to elapse to make my preparations, and then I escaped. I came to the New World knowing that my sister could help me with everything I would need."

"Then why did you not stay in Wyoming?" I asked.

"I learned of something before I left Volterra, but the plan of escape was already underway and it was too late to pull out. Once in America I changed tact for I learned… for I learned…" He trailed off and looked at Tony for a moment before turning to me. "Liza, would it be permitted for me to request a moment of privacy with you? What I am about to tell you is most delicate indeed and I've no doubt you will tell Tony, but I would rather make my confession in private."

I regarded Alec for a moment and decided that he would not harm me. He had sworn his life to me now and would never dream of hurting me. Despite the fact that he had betrayed me in the past, his strange code of honour meant I could trust him now. Besides, Tony would most likely listen in and be on hand should Alec prove untrustworthy once more.

"Tony, I will be safe." I stated.

"But…"

"I'm sure Grace has more need of you than I." I said pointedly as I thought the reasons for Tony to read.

"Ok. Well call me if there's any trouble." He said, shooting Alec a glare for good measure as he rose to his feet and left the room.

"Now tell me Alec, how did you end up stalking me in college?" I demanded.

"I…I learned from Acanthus before I left that your name, at least your alias of Elizabeth Summers, had appeared on the enrolment list of the college. It was information I was supposed to pass on to Aro for despite the new arrangement they still keep an eye on this country. I kept the information to myself as the escape progressed. Once in America I deviated from the plan and sent word to Jane that I had arrived safely but had matters to attend to elsewhere."

"Those matters being to frame me for murder and utterly destroy any chance I can have of a normal life?" I asked cheerfully.

"No. That was not my intention at all." Alec said earnestly, and in that moment I believed him. "I wished to come find you and beg your forgiveness whilst you were alone. I wanted the choice of whether you forgave me to be your own. I even nurtured a foolish hope that you could see beyond my former guise and realise that I love you beyond words."

"How did your seeking my forgiveness and possibly a future relationship turn into my being arrested for murder?"

"I was a jealous fool." He stated. "I let my irrational mind guide me and I hurt you worse than before."

"But how did it come to be?" I rephrased my question as I sought my answers.

"I had discovered the building you were staying in, but could hardly approach during the day. I waited until night then found a perch in a tree near your building. I wished to observe those going in and out, see if I could pick up your scent on them so they could lead me to you. Perhaps I would be lucky and see you and I could engineer a meeting for us." He smiled at that thought. "Then I saw you, walking across the bridge, hand in hand with that boy and you stopped midway to kiss. My heart tore and I felt such seething jealousy that you would kiss another, you were mine!"

"Did I promise myself to you?" I demanded.

"I thought that you would feel the same as I." Alec replied, and he was serious. "I knew the moment you kissed me we were meant to be. They say you know your true mate when you kiss them and I knew that I could never be parted from you the moment your lips touched mine."

"Being taken to those who would enslave you for the rest of eternity is a very big turn off." I said coldly. "Regardless of any love I had for you, it diminished the moment you took me to Volterra."

"I realise that now, but at the time I hoped for a reconciliation. I hoped to win your heart back, but then I saw you kiss the boy and I felt as if I had been knocked for six. Mostly because I thought he was your 'Dear Boy' Simon and it broke me. How could I compete with your childhood sweetheart? The jealousy stewed within me and I wanted to punish you both. I would show you the loss I felt, the trouble you'd caused me back in Volterra. As for him, I would treat him as I've treated countless humans in the past. Nothing more than dinner, but I would implicate you, make life difficult for you whilst you dealt with the loss of your lover. The same as I felt, although now I think on it how could I think the two things comparable? I was a monster to contemplate hurting you in such a way and for that alone I do not deserve you."

I resisted the urge to slap him, or to say anything particularly cutting in that moment because I needed to hear the rest of his confession.

"If your plan was to incriminate me in the death of Simon then why turn on Malcolm? I was hardly besotted with him. Did you not learn his true identity in all your plotting?" I asked, unable to stop my sneer of derision.

"I did not wish to leave a trail so I followed his scent to his room in order to set up everything I would need." Alec began. "Then I saw him with a group of his friends and they called him Mal. To my relief I realised he was not your Simon and I also realised my miscalculation, humans do age after all and Simon would be nearing thirty and no longer in college. I should have realised sooner. I also realised that without your childhood sweetheart close by then I could woo you, after apologising profusely for what I had done to you as a child. I had gone to remove my equipment when you returned with Malcolm and I was witness to that vile boy's deed. I was so angry that as soon as you left I killed him without thinking. I reasoned that I could be your saviour. You would thank me for avenging you.

"Little did I realise that as I let my violent urges control me, Malachite was there to give you the support you needed, not the vengeance I thought you wanted. In my blind rage I had lost my opportunity and now you were with another. I had killed, something you would not approve of and the devil on my shoulder urged me on. Since all was lost why not go the whole hog to make you hate me? Better you hate me and live in misery, than for you to be happy and not acknowledge my existence. I allowed my plot to continue."

I waited a moment as I seethed inside, waiting to see if he would continue, but there seemed to be nothing more he wanted to share to which I had no knowledge. I let out a growl and slapped him, it hurt my hand and he put his hand to his cheek looking a little startled.

"That is for thinking I would condone murder." I growled, and slapped him again. "And that is for plotting to kill Simon in the first place! You really wished to cause me hurt."

I was angry, so very angry, but the tears filled my eyes as his words settled in. Alec had decided to act as a vampire, rather than come to me as a friend. Perhaps I would have talked to him, after some initial animosity. Now…well now he had hurt me afresh and he had set out to hurt me this time.

"You claim to love me Alec, but how can you if you would seek to hurt me in such a way?" I demanded.

Alec looked as if he was considering answers.

"I will give you time to think on that." I said, rising to my feet, "And I need time to think. I would rather not lay eyes on you for the next few hours at least."

Alec went to protest.

"Do not argue with me for the way I feel at this moment in time I would be happy never to lay eyes on you again." I shook my head as another wave of hurt washed through my body. "Give me space to think."

I headed to the one place I knew I could truly find silence in my mind without travelling far from my family. I raced to the pool and dove in, not bothering to remove my clothing in my haste to be free of thought. I took a breath and swam to the bottom of the pool and wedged myself into the corner, determined to stay there until I felt light headed.

I closed my eyes to see my own thoughts with more clarity, but they would not come to me. They were obscured by the hurt that danced in bright neon colours before my mind's eye. I could not begin to fathom the symbolism other than the fact that my biggest emotion was hurt at present.

I felt a presence near and I opened my eyes to that underwater world. It took a moment for my eyes to focus but I found Billie floating there, a smile wide on her cherub face as she waved to me. I managed a smile of my own, but it faltered. Billie looked thoughtful for a moment then blew a steam of air bubbles before grinning. I felt the giggles shake my body as Billie's smile became one of pleasure and she placed a tiny hand to my cheek.

I took hold of my sister's hands and kicked from the bottom. We surfaced quickly and I gave Billie a brief hug before placing her on my back and swimming to the shallow end where we could both stand with our head above water.

"Why are you sad?" She asked when I pulled her from my back.

"A boy who was mean to me in the past was even more mean to me, and now he wants to be friends." I stated, simplifying my problem into a way a child would understand.

"That means forgiveness." Billie said with a frown. "We should always forgive. That's what Grandpa Carlisle says. Forgiveness is the best gift you can give because you receive as you give. That's why it's called for-GIVE-ness. Because you give it."

I watched Billie for a moment as she pulled herself from the pool and sat dangling her legs in the water.

"You are correct Sister. I should forgive Alec, but perhaps not forget. I should hate for him to hurt me again in future." I said sadly.

"You have to trust." Billie said softly. "Trust that he won't do it again and if he does, well then, you can totally kick his ass."

I laughed.

"Yes, I will threaten that, but I would advise you to refrain from using 'ass' in front of Mother." I observed with a chuckle.

"But Mommy says it all the time." Billie protested.

"I suppose she does." I mused.

"Mommy says a lot of words Grandma Esme doesn't like." Billie whispered conspiratorially.

"She does?" I whispered back.

"Oh yes." She confided with a giggle. "I'm careful not to use them in front of Esme. But you are Elizabeth, my big sister, we can use naughty words?"

"Well, it depends on the word." I said. "There are words not even Father would use and I would be aghast to hear you say them."

"Daddy uses naughty words?" She asked with a frown.

"Not often, but when he does…" I trailed off with a laugh.

"Does he sound like Blair Hill from the California Files?" She asked in awe.

"You've seen that show?" I demanded.

"I snuck in the rec' room when Tony was watching." Billie giggled.

"And he didn't know you were there?" I asked.

Billie shrugged.

"I think I shall have to have a word with Tony."

"But then I can't watch Cal-Files and this week Blair will finally tell Winston how much she likes him and how she'd like to f…"

"Billie!" I snapped, before she had chance to finish the word. "That is language most foul. It is unbecoming for a lady to use such vileness."

"But that's what Blair said in the trailer." Billie protested.

"Which is why you'd best not watch said programme."

Billie pouted.

"Unless you learn the code." I said darkly.

"The code?"

"Yes." I said, nodding my head. "Now gracious sister, let us dress in our finery and I will inform you of the substitutes that will not offend society."

"You'll teach me language?" She asked.

"Yes."

"Oh! This is great! Tony says you're good at language. Tony says you're like Daddy with language."

"I wouldn't put myself in the same league as Father, but I am considerably talented in the field." I stated. "Now let us dress and I will explain to you acceptable language and language that is not."

"Yay!" Billie exclaimed.

"Then we must away to my room. We will have to obtain dry clothes and wash and then we will talk." I stated.

"I must have a bath?" Billie asked.

"If you want a bath."

Billie nodded.

"Then come sister, we will wash and dress and do our hair." I stated.

"Can you do my hair like yours?"

"Brush it and curl it and wear pretty ribbons?" I asked as I carried her through to the library and up the backstairs.

"Yes." Billie said with a nod.

"I will do so, but we must wash first. It will be hard to style our hair with chlorine in it."

"What's chlorine?" She asked.

"It's what keeps the pool water clean. It is why the pool water smells funny."

"Yes. I can smell it on my skin." Billie said, sniffing at her arm. "And you smell like it too."

"That is why we need to shower." I stated.

"I thought you said a bath." Billie protested. "I don't like the shower. The water falls on my head."

"Well you can bathe and I will shower afterwards."

"Can I have bubbles?" Billie asked as I carried her into my room.

"Yes. You can choose which ones you want."

"Purple ones?" Billie asked with a grin.

"I have purple ones." I stated. "But would you like some sparkles in the water?"

"Sparkles?" Billie gasped in delight.

"Yes. I have special bubble bath that has glitter in it."

"I can be like a Christmas angel on the tree in the toy store." She mused.

"Yes." I stated. "Do you have a bathrobe?"

Billie shook her head.

"I think we should start the bath and then you sit on my chair while I take a trip up to the attic."

"What for?"

"I have a cupboard full of old bathrobes and clothes too that perhaps you would like to look at and see if there is anything you would like to wear."

"I would like that." Billie observed.

"Then let us begin the bath." I declared.

"With the sparkly bubbles?" Billie asked.

"Yes." I replied as I reached down the bubble bath in question.

"It's purple too." Billie cooed.

"Yes it is." I replied as turned on the hot tap and poured a measure of the bubble bath into stream of water.

"Ooh." Billie observed as the glitter spread in the water. "Pretty." She added as she reached for it.

"That water is very hot." I stated as I pulled her hand back. "You have to be careful. As dhampir we may heal fast, but it still hurts."

"Water hurts?" Billie asked in confusion.

"Hot water hurts." I stated.

"Ok." Billie observed.

"Now let's wrap this big towel around you." I stated as I wrapped a big towel around her so that she was swaddled like a baby and I picked her up. "And then you can sit on my chair to wait." I added as I placed her in my wicker chair.

To ensure that she didn't go into the bathroom I took the key from inside the bathroom door and locked it from the outside. I took a ribbon from the drawer of my dresser and thread it through a key and placed it around my neck.

"I will be but a few minuets."

"Ok. Don't be gone long." Billie said sadly.

"Would you like to come with me?" I offered.

Billie nodded.

"Very well." I stated and picked her up once more.

We went up to the attic to the room with my cushion fort. I placed Billie to sit in it before I looked through the wardrobe that contained numerous bathrobes in different sizes. I pulled out the one that looked about right for Billie and then selected a few items of clothing and some of my old hair accessories that I no longer used.

My hands were quite full by the time I had finished and I shifted them in order to lift Billie once more.

"I can walk." She stated, rising to her feet.

"Very well." I said with a smile. "But be sure not to trip over your towel."

"I am mostly dry now." She stated as she pulled the towel from around her and bunched it up into her arms.

We returned to my room and I entered the bathroom to find that the bath was half full. I turned off the hot tap and turned on the cold, cooling the water enough for Billie. I then bathed her and she enjoyed splashing the water and blowing at the bubbles. She liked the sparkles in the water. She didn't want to come out of the bath, but I reminded her that I would curl her hair.

She put on clean underwear and then my old bathrobe, although it looked as good as new. She thought it was hilarious when I wrapped her hair in a towel; she'd never done it before. I then put her to sit on the chair once more and gave her a book to read while I showered.

"We are matching!" She declared when I emerged fifteen minuets later wearing a bathrobe and a towel wrapped around my hair.

"Yes we are." I agreed as I moved to my makeup chair and pulled it out. I placed a big cushion upon it that would give Billie extra height. "If you would care to take your seat Miss." I said with a bow, although I was careful not for my towel to fall off.

Billie giggled and run over to me, leaping into my arms so that I could sit her on the cushion. I removed the towel from her hair and began running the brush through it while Billie watched me in the mirror. I dried it into a soft bronze waterfall and then began to divide it into sections.

"What is that for?" Billie asked.

"It will make it easier for me to put in the curlers so your curls will be where we want them." I explained.

"Ok." Billie said and went back to watching me in the mirror.

I was on the last row of curlers when there was a knock on my door and Mother entered.

"Here you are Billie." She observed. "And you're having your hair done and you're not complaining."

"Liza is curling it for me." Billie stated.

"And you're not wearing your gloves." Mother observed.

"I like Liza curling my hair. The brush doesn't hurt me now." Billie said firmly.

"Why would you need to wear gloves when brushing your hair?" I asked.

"I hurt people when I get upset and touch them with my hands." Billie said, looking ashamed.

"Hurt them how?" I asked with a frown.

"We haven't told you?" Mother asked as she sat down on my desk chair and watched us both in the mirror.

"Told me what?" I asked as I turned to Mother.

"I take people's strength." Billie said in a small voice,

"You do?" I asked, turning back to her.

Billie nodded her head sadly.

"I hurt Mommy before I was born and I hurt Uncle Em because he wouldn't give me back to Mommy, even when Grandpa Edward told him to give me back." She explained, her voice so full of shame.

"Uncle Emmett is silly and I will admit that on a few occasion I struck out at him in temper as a child." I stated in an attempt to ease her mind.

"But you didn't make him tired." She countered.

"If only such a thing were possible, we could all use a break from his endless teasing." I said with a reassuring smile.

"You can say that again." Mother agreed and Billie giggled.

I ran the hairdryer over Billie's hair to apply some heat.

"And now you must wait a while." I stated. "In the meantime I will do my hair."

Billie nodded and slid down off my chair before going to Mother.

"Watch Mommy, Liza is really good at doing her hair." She stated as Mother picked her up.

"Yes she is." Mother agreed as she placed Billie in her lap.

Thus with an audience I set about styling my hair.

"See, it's like a magic wand." Billie stated when I began to use the curling iron. "Shall we do your hair Mommy?"

"I'll have to wash it first." Mother replied.

I am more than happy to do it if you wish. I thought toward Mother rather than speak it aloud in case she was attempting to stall Billie.

"But, I suppose I could always jump in Liza's shower." Mother stated.

Billie clapped her hands.

"I'll just go get my bathrobe and wash my hair." Mother stated as she placed Billie on the desk chair after standing up.

"We are all gonna have pretty curly hair." Billie stated in the few seconds Mother had gone to her room.

"We sure are Baby." Mother observed, kissing Billie's forehead in passing before she disappeared into the bathroom.

"Will you use the magic wand on my hair?" Billie asked as she scrambled up to sit on my dressing table once more.

"No. I will use some product to hold your curls when I remove the curlers. I use the irons to tame mine into orderly curls." I explained.

"Your curls will be wild otherwise?" Billie asked.

"Yes." I replied.

"They will be dangerous?" She exclaimed.

"Dangerous?" I questioned.

"Yes. Wild animals are dangerous, that's why we tame them." She stated.

"No. Not wild in that sense." I corrected with a laugh. "Wild can mean unruly."

"As in messy?"

"Yes."

"You don't like mess do you? Just like Daddy." Billie observed.

"Yes. I am much like Father in that way." I agreed.

"Why do you say Mother and Father?"

"It is what I have always used." I replied. "I cannot see myself using Mom or Dad, it doesn't seem right in my voice. I suppose I could use Mum, but I am not English and for that reason it seems vulgar. Therefore Mother and Father will suffice."

"Isn't it funny that people talk differently." Billie mused.

"It is." I agreed.

"These two girls at school told me that Momma and Dada was how babies talk and I should use Mommy and Daddy. But Tony uses Mom and Dad and you say Mother and Father. Which one is right?"

"None are more right than the other." I stated. "Use whatever you feel suits you best and stick with it, regardless of how others may try to mould you differently."

"So I shouldn't listen to how they tell me to talk?"

"Not when they do it in a belittling manner. For instance, you asked me to teach you about language. In that case you should take my advice on board, but I would not lecture you on what is the right or wrong way to refer to Mother and Father. That is up to you to choose."

"I like Mommy and Daddy now." Billie conceded.

"Then I advise you to use that." I said with a smile.

Mother emerged from the bathroom, as I was finishing off my hair. Mother had to stand and I stand on a chair in order for me to dry her hair. It was impossible for her to sit on the floor as Mal had done because her hair was so long when brushed out straight that it touched the floor when she sat.

Once I had dried Mother's hair, she sat in my chair and I used the curling iron.

"You really don't need to use that on my hair?" Billie asked as she watched us.

"Not at all Sister." I replied. "Have patience and I will demonstrate."

"And I don't want Liza using the iron on you until you're older." Mother stated, giving Billie a firm look.

Billie nodded her head in agreement.

Soon Mother's hair was finished and she vacated the chair. I placed the cushion back for Billie to sit on. I began to remove the curlers, shaping the curls and fixing them with product as I went along. I watched Billie's face as she saw her hair in the mirror and I knew Mother was watching the wonderment in her mind.

I released the last of her curls and she gasped.

"I have curly hair like you now Mommy." Billie said with a wide grin.

"Yes you do." Mother replied and kissed her cheek.

"Now I believe you wanted ribbons." I stated.

"Yes." Billie said with a nod.

"I have something you might prefer." I replied and pulled out a white Alice-band that had an enormous white flower attached to it. "How is this?" I asked, placing it on her head.

"That is very pretty." Billie observed.

"Yes. And I have just the dress to go with it."

"Dress? I don't wear dresses." Billie said firmly.

"Not even this one?" I asked, holding up the pearl grey slip dress with the merest hint of embroidery on the bodice, and a flowing skirt.

"That's not pink and frilly." Billie stated.

"I am not partial to pink and frilly either." I stated. "But I like dresses."

"Me too." Mother stated. "Although when I was a kid it would take Granny Ness ages to get me into anything but shorts and t-shirt."

"Can I try the dress on?" Billie asked.

Mother nodded and took the dress from me while Billie took off her bathrobe.

"Let's just remove this for the time being." I said, removing the headband before Mother pulled the dress over Billie's head.

I tidied Billie's hair somewhat and replaced the band. Billie ran to my full-length mirror and regarded herself before she twirled in front of the mirror, and watched as the dress settled around her.

"I like it." She stated. "Are you wearing a dress too Liza?"

"I think I will, would you like to pick one out?"

"You should wear a grey one like me." She stated.

"How about this one?" I asked as pulled out a dress similar to what Billie was wearing but more grown up.

Billie nodded her head and her curls bounced.

"Then I will be but a moment." I said as I stepped into the bathroom to put my dress on. "What do you think?" I asked when I stepped back out.

"Pretty." Billie stated. "But you need a flower too." She added as she held up a flower from my drawer while Mother smiled at me.

"Of course." I stated.

"I want to clip it in." She stated.

"Very well." I stated and I knelt so that she could reach my head.

She clipped in the flower and stood back, grinning at me. I looked in the mirror and nodded my head.

"Very good." I stated.

Billie beamed.

"You wanna come choose a dress for me now Billie?" Mother asked.

"That would be good." Billie stated.

"Come on then." Mother said as she lifted Billie from the floor.

Lamb, you might wanna go talk to Mal up on the roof. He's anxious that he hasn't seen you since your talk with Alec. Mother informed me.

I will go to him immediately. I stated.

"I will see you later." Billie called as Mother carried her from the room.

"Bye-bye." I said, waving my hand.

Once I was sure that Mother had reached her room I ghosted up the north staircase and found Mal standing out in the snow. It had come down fast in the last few hours and now it was a good four inches thick. However Mal stood in a circle of clear floor and if I looked carefully I could see that the snow, which was falling lightly for the moment, was flowing around thin air.

I walked toward Mal and when I was a foot away I was met with resistance.

"May I come in?" I asked.

Mal turned to me but his eyes were closed as he waved his hand. I felt myself sink through his force field and I was inside a bubble protected from the falling snow. Once I was inside he opened his eyes and he looked over what I was wearing.

"You're like a snow angel." He stated.

"I was bonding with Billie." I stated. "Mother and I persuaded her to wear a dress."

"What for?" Mal asked with a frown.

I shrugged.

"I was upset by Alec and wished to think alone…" I began, and explained what happened.

"I'm glad you're getting to know your sister." Mal stated.

"So am I." I said with a smile.

"So how did he upset you?" Mal asked.

I sighed and climbed up onto the parapet so that I was now level with Mal, which made it easier to talk to him in the foot allowed by his shield.

"He misjudged me completely." I stated. "He thought I would condone murder."

"He did?" Mal asked in shock.

"Yes." I replied. "He killed Malcolm in vengeance for what that boy did to me. None of it was planned; he saw an opportunity and seized it. How could he think I would wish to be with him in any capacity after he had ruined my life?"

"Yeah." Mal agreed. "How did he know about Malcolm in the first place?"

"That is the other thing I slapped him for. He was spying on our building, hoping to catch a glimpse of me. It was the night I kissed Malcolm on the bridge. The night I thought I saw a glimpse of the one who had saved me in the cad I had known for a month. Alec thought Malcolm was Simon and set out to kill him in order to hurt me. I have no idea why Alec set up the camera; perhaps it was to film Simon's death to torture me with it later. He discovered that Malcolm was not Simon and went to remove the camera and that was when I entered with Malcolm."

"So he wanted to kill Simon to hurt you, then changed his mind when he found out it wasn't Simon. Then when Malcolm touched you he killed him, then decided to frame you?" Mal summarised.

I nodded my head.

"Do you feel better now you've found out?"

"Not at all." I stated. "But it has made it clear that I can never be his friend and I can never trust him. He is nothing but my criminal ward and I will treat him as such."

"But he's still hanging around." Mal stated as he dropped his head and turned from me.

"Mal." I said, placing my hand to his shoulder but he did not look up. "Malachite." I said softly, placing my other hand to his cheek and guiding his face up. "We will find our time alone."

Mal looked up and his eyes met mine for a moment before he moved closer to me.

"We're alone now." He stated as he placed his elbows either side of me, his hands resting close to me, but not quite touching me.

"I believe we are." I agreed as I moved my hand from his cheek to clasp my other hand behind his neck. "And what a romantic setting. The half light, the snow…"

"You looking as perfect as ever." Mal added.

I laughed and dropped my head shyly.

"You don't have to be shy when I compliment you." Mal stated as he stroked my cheek.

"I cannot help it when I value the opinions of the one giving the compliment."

"You value my opinion?" He asked.

"Of course I do." I stated, before pulling him closer to me and hugging him. "You matter a great deal to me Malachite. I have known you but three months, but I would feel most upset should you disappear from my life. I am sure I would never feel whole again."

"No one could ever replace you in my life." Mal stated and for the briefest of moments his lips brushed my neck and I felt a thrill deep within.

Could we not make our love known now and make love at a later date? Most couples started with kissing first did they not? Why did I have to be so dramatic as to expect all or nothing? Think of the happiness Mal and I could build before we returned to college if I gave up on such silliness.

I placed my lips to his neck for a moment before moving my lips to his ear, ready to speak.

"Mal I…"

Somebody cleared their throat.

Mal jumped away from me, but then let out a growl of annoyance when he discovered that it was Alec who interrupted us.

"I am sorry to disturb you Liza, but it has been many hours since you told me you had to think. I feel that I am not fulfilling the terms of my punishment being out of your presence for such a time." He stated.

"I bet you do." Mal said sourly.

Alec gave Mal a long, unblinking look before turning to me.

"I see you have had time to think." He stated.

"I thought about what you confessed." I stated as I leapt from the wall. "I can not forget that you set out to hurt me, but after an informative discussion with my sister she reminded me of the value of forgiveness, and of the fact that should you hurt me again I can totally kick your ass."

"That means I am forgiven?" Alec asked in wonder.

"Not quite at present, but I will not bring it up every five minuets. However there is one thing you must know, our relationship is merely professional now. I suffer your presence for one reason only, because it is required of me. If it were not for this fact then I would have nothing to do with one who set out to hurt me in such a way. Is that clear?"

"Perfectly." Alec replied flatly.

"Good." I stated, and I took Mal's hand out of habit for I was feeling nervous. "And I think perhaps we should discuss what will occur when we return to Riverside."

"How would that be possible?" Alec asked.

"Do you think we should get in out of this snow?" Mal asked.

"Yes." I agreed, not answering Alec's question for the time being.

Mal and I left the roof and Alec followed. I led them to the attic room where Tony used to play Dungeons and Dragons with his friends. I occupied the seat allocated to the Dungeon Master and Mal sat to my right. Alec stood at the far end of the table.

"Alec, when we sit we would appreciate it if you sit too." I stated.

Alec pulled out the chair and sat down, although his posture was still formal and put me to shame. I remembered how I had once found it an attractive feature of his, now it annoyed me.

"I have college to finish, as does Mal. This is something we intend to do. You have disrupted our lives, but it is only a temporary glitch. We are returning to Riverside in January and you will have to find some way to survive there undetected or you will not be in my presence, but I will return to college."

"There are ways to remain undetected in the sun." Alec stated.

"You must also come up with a reason for being in college." I ventured.

"I will arrange something."

"And accommodation." Mal stated. "Liza shares a room with someone and you're not staying with me."

"I will find an empty space." Alec stated. "I can arrange everything I will need. It is something I became good at doing when I was working as a dhampir detector."

"Glad you can put those skills to good use." Mal said sarcastically and Alec gave him a long look once more.

"Then it is settled. We will all return to college in January." I said lightly, trying to relieve some of the tension. "And I am sure we will find a way to be civil with each other."

The boys agreed, but we all exchanged a look, knowing that it was possibly too optimistic to hope for such a thing.

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