Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of the irrespective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

Based on the characters created by Stephanie Meyer, in her TwilightSaga series of books

WARNING: This story will contains scenes of domestic violence, strong language and other forms of physical violence, up to, and including death.

Chapter 18

Rushed Hidings

By the time Mark returned to the cellar, Alice had changed into bed clothes, and was waiting for him in the center of her bed. She launched herself at him the moment he appeared at her doorway, and commanded him into her cell.

"Thane is seeing to the others," Alice told him. Mark sat on her desk chair, as Alice crawled back to the middle of her bed. "You promised to tell me," she started.

"You never forget anything, do you?" Mark chuckled. Alice shook her head, with a wide grin. "Very well. My story is quite simple. My grandfather fought in the Civil War. He was very young when he ran off to join in the fighting. When he returned, he was badly injured, but recovered, and still lived a very long life. He struggled with his family life, but prospered in business. When it was time, he was placed in a home, by my father." Mark's voice cracked, as he thought about his father, and the home where his grandfather was placed. "The home looked like a good place. It was dedicated to Civil War soldiers, and their families. My father believed that he would receive the best of care. He was wrong." Mark took a deep breath, before he continued. "The place was filthy behind the public facade. The staff were completely uncaring, and abusive. My Grandfather died a short few months after entering the home. I vowed, at his graveside, that I would do whatever I could to ease the lives of those in places like this. I don't have to work. My family money is more than sufficient. I choose to work. I want to ease the lives of others."

Alice bounced off the bed and wrapped her arms around Mark's neck.

"And you do," she whispered in his ear. "You have made my life so much easier. So much better."

"I wish I could take you from this place," Mark hugged Alice, "but it simply isn't possible. If it were, I would welcome you into my home, as my youngest daughter."

"Thank you." Alice hugged him tighter, as a tear slipped down her cheek.

"Hmmm," came the sound from the door.

Alice giggled, released Mark, and skipped over to Thane.

"All done?" she looked up into his bright red eyes, smiling.

"We shall speak later, Little One." He rested his palm on the crown of her head for a moment, before turning to Mark. "I believe we needed to speak." Thane then turned from the room, and returned to his quarters. Mark said his goodnight to Alice, and followed Thane.

Thane closed the heavy metal door to his quarters, and offered Mark the chair near the door, before taking his usual seat in the wing-backed chair across the room.

"Things went well?" Thane began the conversation.

"Amazingly well." Mark smiled. "Alice was a vision. My family took to her immediately, as I knew they would. Alice picked-up the social conventions as if she were born to them. No one had the slightest idea that she had not lived in high society, all her life. I will get more information from my wife when I return home and speak to her in-depth. And my girls are very taken with her. They wish for her to visit again, and not for a party."

"Did she seem to take to any of the young men present?" Thane's fingers were laced together, with his forefingers templed, and his chin resting on the finger tips. His red eyes cast down, away from curious prying eyes.

"I believe she has indicated the husbands for both my girls, but no one for herself. She did dance with two young men, and seemed fine with them, but she did not indicate any lasting attraction to either." Mark paused and looked down.

"What is it?" Thane leaned forward. He heard the change in Mark's heart rate and wanted the reason for the apprehension it indicated.

"Before I brought her home, there was a young man that seemed to...disturb her. I can't explain the feeling I got from this fellow, but I was actually afraid for her." Mark took a breath and leaned back in his chair. "I took her to the dance floor, in an effort to avoid this young man, then whisked her away, and returned her here. I don't believe that he followed her here."

"Can you describe this young man?" Thane asked, thoughtfully.

"Not exceptionally tall, maybe six foot. Light brown hair. He seemed to be a rather well put together. A young man of means, although his clothing was looking a bit worn." Mark looked to the ceiling, as he tried to remember anything else, that might help Thane recognize the boy, should he ever track Alice to her home. "There was nothing that made him stand out. Nothing to distinguish him from a dozen other boys his age. He was rather pale...as if he'd been ill, and only just recently recovered. I'd say he looked to be about 24. Not an unheard of age for a young man at one of these Balls. He also wore colored glasses. That did seem a bit odd. I simply assumed that it had something to do with his recent illness."

"Thank you," Thane stood, and walked to his door. "I will be on the watch, just as a precaution." He opened his door for Mark, who also rose from his chair. "I'm sure your family is anxious for your return."

"Yes, I would like to return home." Mark smiled at Thane. "It has been a busy day. Goodnight, Thane. We'll talk more on my next shift, in three days." Thane nodded, and watched him walk out of the cellar.

The moment Mark was out of the cellar, and the car was pulling away, Thane was in Alice's doorway. He looked across the room at his small charge, still sitting in the middle of her bed, and frowned.

"Tell me," Thane was instantly at Alice's bedside. Alice was calmer, and remained on the bed, as she told Thane about her evening. He watched, as her face lit up when she told him about the sun, and the lights of the house. He heard the awe in her voice, as she described the women's dresses, and the variety of rich colors. He smiled as she explained her feeling, or lack there of, for the boys and young men who chose to circle her, and her new friends. And he frowned, when she described the vampire who had ended her happy evening.

"It was all so beautiful, and wonderful, and exciting," Alice looked up, into Thane's eyes, "but I'm so glad to be home."

"You do not wish to stay in that world?" Alice thought about it, for longer than Thane thought she would.

"No," Alice finally answered. "I feel safe here, with you."

"If it were possible, Mark, and his family would welcome you." Alice looked at her lap, before she answered him.

"I love Mark, and Helen is great. Dorothy and Margret are the best, and wonderful friends. No one could ask for better sisters, but..."

"But, Little One?"

But, I love you Thane. It would break my heart to leave you." Alice looked up at him, tears beginning to fill her eyes. "You are the only father I remember. You are my family. I can't leave you. I won't leave you." Thane reached down for the short 15 year old, and gathered her into his arms, as he sat on the edge of her bed. She clung to him tightly, as if he would disappear from her grasp.

"My dearest Little One, whether you are here, or somewhere else, know that I will always be watching over you. Have no fear in exploring the world above, for I will always be near...protecting you." Alice yawned hugely, so Thane laid her back on her bed, and covered her with a freshly washed blanket. "Sleep, my child," he whispered to her. "You are safe now."

Thane stood over the bed, as still as a statue, and watched Alice as she slept. He waiting for the sound of her deep rhythmic breathing, that indicated that she was in a deep sleep. He then stepped out of the room, and listened to the sounds of his other charges. All was quiet in his domain; nothing could be heard but the sounds of slumbering dreams. So, as all of his charges slept, in the wee hours of the morning, Thane stepped out of the cellar. In centuries past, he had been a tracker, hunting those that had broken the laws of his kind, but he had given it up to live a simpler life. On occasion, he still enjoyed a good hunt, although the killing of his kind had become distasteful. However, if this unknown one had developed a taste for his little Alice, then he would gladly rend the interloper limb from limb, and scorch the earth with the pieces.

Within minutes, he was across town, and had found the site of the ball Alice had attended. Silently, he circled the house searching, examining the scents that surrounded it. He listened intently for any signs of wakefulness in the house before stealthily entering. Once inside, the odors of the party goers became much more concentrated, and it became almost easy for him to distinguish specific individuals.

Thane was able to identify the area where Alice had spent the majority of her evening. By locating the specific area, he then worked on the essences of those that came within range of that area. He managed to identify six individuals that had approached his Alice, and her small group of friends. Of the six, only one had a scent that appeared more natural. The other five were more perfumed and artificial; the scents that indicated humans. Thane's lips curled back, and a subtle growl began to grow in his chest. Securely logging the most natural scent, in his mind, he followed it from the house. Pursuing it outside, in the open, was more difficult, as the morning fog began to diffuse the trail.

Thane was diligent in hunting down the elusive trail, as he worked his way through the city. When he was able to ascertain that the undesirable newcomer had, indeed, headed out of town, away from his and Alice's home, he dropped the trail, and quickly returned to his cellar. Thane retreated to his rooms, as was his habit when the sun was cresting the horizon, his door closing just as the next shift was reporting for work.

#

When Mark returned to work three days later, he spent over an hour explaining his family's thoughts on Alice, and how the evening had progressed.

"Helen just fell in love with her. If it was at all possible, I would take her home with me. Helen has asked about the possibility of adopting her. I told her that, from what I have seen in her records, it would never be possible. But, my entire family agrees, Alice does not belong in this place."

"I have suggested this possibility to Alice." Thane frowned at the thought of Alice leaving his constant care. "She has denied any interest in moving to the world above, but you are free to discuss it with her. I wish for only what is best for her. If she chooses to leave the cellar, I may be able to procure the necessary documents to assist her...and you, in achieving your goal in adopting her."

"But to get her out of this place? How would we do that, without raising too many alarms? They would know, eventually, should she simply disappear."

"The removal of the dead is a component of my duties. People die in this cellar, all the time. It would be a simple notification and a bit of paperwork. The doctors never check on the dead from down here." Thane gave a small smile, as he considered the bodies that he had the pleasure of disposing of, when those above declared them already dead, but were in fact just barely alive.

Mark smiled broadly, as he rose to leave Thane's quarters. "Then I will speak to her today. Perhaps she will change her mind, and come to live with us." He shook hands with Thane, and left his quarters. "Sleep well, my friend," Mark smiled at Thane, and headed for Alice's cell.

Alice was asleep when Mark brought her breakfast. She was happy to wake to waffles, bacon, eggs, and orange juice. She sat at her desk, while Mark sat on the edge of her bed, while she ate.

"Thane tells me that he talked to you about coming to live with me, and my family?"

"Yes," Alice swallowed before answering.

"Have you thought about it very much?" he asked hopefully.

Alice took a long drink of her orange juice, before she turned to face Mark.

"I have thought about it...a lot," she placed her hands in her lap, and looked down at them. "I'm not sure if I can explain this to you very well, but I love Thane. He has been my only family for a very long time. And, as much as I love you, and Helen, and the girls, I'm just not ready to leave here. I know one day I will be, but I'm not now. Not yet." Alice finished by looking up at Mark. "There are things that have begun to play out. Things that may become dangerous for you and your family. So, for now, I must stay here. It's not a hardship for me. I'm not giving anything up. I want to be here, and I need to be here."

Mark looked at the floor, frowning. Alice's concern for his family, and a future threat to them all, did not sit well with him. He felt the need to protect Alice, not have her protect him, but he also knew that she would see the safest course of action, for them all.

"The concept of being protected, by a slip of a15 year old girl, is quite a blow to my masculine ego," Mark smiled at Alice, "but I do accept that you see things that I will never understand...never see. And I can see the love you share with Thane, and the lengths he goes too, to ensure your happiness." He took a deep breath, and blew it out slowly. "As much as I would love to take you from this place today, and hide you away somewhere in the sun, I will wait for you to be ready. In the interim, would you like to visit with my girls? They would love for you to come for a day in the sun, and dinner."

"I would love that," Alice beamed at Mark.

"I will arrange it with Thane. But right now," Mark stood and prepared to leave Alice's cell, "you should finish your breakfast."

"Yes, Mark," Alice replied with a big smile, as she turned back to her waffles.

#

Alice's life in the cellar fell back into its usual routine. Thane continued to teach, and she continued to soak up everything he taught her. Mark was as good as his word, and Alice began to spend one day a month at his home. Helen had decorated a small room for her, and filled it with clothes of the latest fashions, as well as shoes and accessories. A small bed had been placed in the room, so Alice would feel at home to rest, or even spend the night, should she so choose. But she never did. Alice felt uncomfortable out of her cell at night. She missed the absolute dark, and Thane's company. She loved her time away, but missed the feeling of safety that emanated from his presence.

As the months passed, the three worked out new ways for Alice to avoid the Cox chair. Most of the time their ploys worked, but sometimes they didn't. When she had to endure the abominable device, Mark cared for her, diligently, after her treatment, while Thane watched over her in the night. Alice continued to grow, but seemed to level out at less that five foot tall, and remained rail thin. Thane expressed his concerns to Mark, who allayed his fears by asserting that many women never reached a taller stature, and that he had done nothing wrong in his care of her.

"From what I remember, and have learned about her, it is entirely possible that any issues concerning her growth occurred long before she came into your care." Thane watched the floor, as he meditated on Mark's words.

"Hmmm," he hummed quietly. He and Mark paced the cellar hall, as they spoke before Mark's shift ended. "She was a tiny thing when she came here. Even at the age of four, she was much too small."

"I remember," Mark agreed with him. "A tiny pixie, with the personality, and vibrance of..." Mark paused, unsure of what to compare her to. "I don't know what," he chuckled. "I'd never seen anything like her before. She was simply a joy to behold."

"She still is," Thane corrected him. "She always will be."

"Yes. She always will be our vibrant, energetic pixie." Even Thane had to chuckle at Mark's statement.

"Are you two done?" Alice's head peered around the door of her cell. "Because this little "pixie" is hungry. And we still need to discuss my birthday next month."

"It is a month away, Little One," Thane shook his head, as he quickened his pace, but keeping it well within human norms.

"Yes," Alice seemed exasperated. "Only a month away. There is so much that needs to be taken care of. Decorations. The cake. Gifts. Guests. The party at Marks. I want to give gifts to everyone there."

"It's your birthday," Mark laughed. "You don't give gifts. You receive them."

"Well, that may be true, but you and your family have given me so much, I want to use this opportunity to give something back. I can do that, can't I, Thane?" She pulled him into her cell, bouncing on the balls of her feet, and sat him at her desk. She produced a thick magazine from the middle drawer.

"You may do whatever you wish, my child," Thane chuckled, as she began turning the pages of the magazine.

"You have to go now," she began to push Mark out of her room. "I have to discuss gifts with Thane." Mark laughed as he waved and headed for the door, and the stairs up to the floor above.

"Goodnight, sweet pixie," he called as he disappeared up the stairs.

"Now," Alice turned back to Thane, and her magazine. "I want to get this for Margret..."

A/N: I want to thank everyone for their support, and patience. Both my husband and son are doing fine, and my daughter is taking steps to feel better.

I'm really sorry this took so long. I hope it will be worth the wait. Chapter 19 should take much less time.

I'll be starting it tomorrow.

Thank you for sticking around, and remember to please review. I really love to hear what you think.