Disclaimer: Stephenie still won't give me the rights to Twilight. So until I can convince her to give them to me I don't own Twilight. :(

Chapter 7: The Almost Date

(AlicePOV)

In the last few months that Amanda has been here she has developed a bond with the entire family.

Carlisle is fascinated by her abilities. When he asked if she could explain that process of duplicating a power she went one better. She decided to use Jazz to demonstrate. She explained to Jasper that he would feel a slight shock and that he should not let go of her hand for any reason. The part she didn't warn us about was her own reaction. When she grasped Jazz's hand her knees buckled as she fell to the ground. Her head was thrown back in a silent scream. It was all over in less than a minute, but as she stood up I noticed her unnecessary breathing was ragged. When asked about her response she shrugged it off, and just told us the shock is stronger for her than the other vampire.

Esme treated her like another daughter, since she was around the house so often. My mother has been trying to get the princess to open up about her past more, but Amanda is a very guarded and closed off individual. The one subject she absolutely refused to tell us about was her time with Bradley.

Even Rose had something in common with Amanda. They both loved anything to do with cars. It turns out that the little princess has extensive knowledge about anything with an engine. Amanda's favorite, however, would have to be motorcycles. The first time Rose saw the princess's bike they talked for hours about the pros and cons of certain makes and models of bikes.

My other sisters were won over quickly when they found out she loved shopping as well. Can you say perfect? She sings, plays two instruments, is an artist, loves to shop, loves fashion, and knows all about fast cars and motorcycles? Yeah she's perfect.

Over the months that she has been here we have gotten closer as well. When she comes over we spend hours just talking about random things. It's so easy to talk to her. It's as if I've known her forever when in reality it has only been a few months. We would hang out either in my room or the meadow she took me to so many months ago. I don't even think she realizes how amazing she is.

Her friendship with my brother, Edward had a rocky beginning but now they're practically best friends. Edward didn't like the fact that he couldn't get into her head, but it made him actually work to get to know her. To become her friend. It was a new experience for him and he gained some insight to how the rest of us live. Especially when she copied his power. Now she can get into his head, but he's still stuck not hearing her.

Emmett was delighted to have a prank buddy that I couldn't see, Edward couldn't hear, and Jazz couldn't feel. She helped him pull off a few pranks and he declared her his new little sis. I think Amanda was delighted to not have to act like a princess all the time. She could goof around with Em if she wants to. She could just relax when she wanted. It was different for her. I don't think she had a lot of time to just be the teenager that she is, while in Volterra.

Jasper enjoyed having someone he could talk to about his childhood home with. They discovered that they didn't live that far from each other when they were human. Jazz was even one of the men her father was thinking about marrying her off to when he got back from the war. They laughed at that. Jazz also liked having a sparring partner that could teach him instead of the other way around.

I was currently sitting on the railing of the back porch, watching as Amanda and Jazz got ready to face off. They both sank into crouches at exactly the same time. I felt a jolt of fear for my brother as I looked into Amanda's nearly black eyes. I knew it was stupid to be afraid for him. She would never hurt him. Never lose control like that, but the look on her face was what I would imagine Abaddon's expression would look like as he watched the world burn. Beautiful and terrifying.

They stared at each other, waiting. Suddenly Jazz leaped, but Amanda was no longer there. He grabbed air. A kick to the back sent him crashing to the ground some ten feet away. Amanda crouched again as he picked himself up. She made no move to attack, opting to analyze his next move. He stalked forward and crouched again. After another intense stare off, they both jumped. They collided in midair. The sound was like two boulders crashing together. They fell to the ground in their crouches once again. Growls and snarls ripped through their bared teeth, mixed into the joyous laughter from them both. Jasper charged at Amanda and kicked at her stomach, but she dodged. However, she dodged right into Jazz's spinning backhand. His fist connected with her jaw, and cracks appeared on her cheek. She snarled at him as she lifted her hand to touch the cracks. She ducked his next punch, while sweeping his legs from under him. Before he could right himself, she had straddled his back pinning his arms to his sides. Her hand fisted into his hair, pulling back to reach his throat. Her razor sharp teeth were inches away from his marble skin.

"Dead." She proclaimed before getting up and offering her hand to help him up.

Jasper bowed his head to her while saying, "The rumors are true. The God of War's battle prowess yields to the Goddess of War." He lifted his head to show his smile.

"That may be true, but you are an amazingly skillful fighter. With some more training you could probably defeat me, Major." She winked at him.

"Well thank you Ma'am." The Southern gentleman bowed his head to her again.

Em and Rose walked out of the garage where they had been working on his monstrous jeep.

"You want to go little princess? I'll kick your ass this time." Em smirked at her.

"Emmett Cullen. Language, mister." Esme chastised the big vampire as she flitted outside.

"Sorry mom. Well little princess? Are you going to fight me?"

"Sticking with the little princess thing huh Em?" Amanda asked in her musical voice.

"Yep." The childish vampire popped the "p".

"Well Emmy-bear," he scowled at the nickname. "This little princess needs to get home. I've got to go take care of a few things." I was disappointed that she was leaving but it was almost time for school and a few of us kids needed to hunt. She waved as she ran off to her bike. I heard her start it and then race away.

"Hey Ali, you want to come hunting with us?" Audrey gestured to Katie standing next to her.

"Yeah. Let's go." I ran into the forest and let my instincts take over. I scented a herd of red deer a few miles from where we were. Once our thirst was sated we headed home to get ready for school. Thank god it's Friday. I hate school but it's a necessary evil.

"So what's going on with you and the little princess?" Katie nudged me in the ribs.

"What do you mean? There's nothing going on between us." I wish there was I added silently.

"Oh come on. I can tell you're head over heels for her. I don't have to be an empath to see that you're in love with her."

"Aw. Our little Ali is growing up." Audrey teased as she wiped an imaginary tear away. "But seriously I've seen the way she looks at you when she thinks no one is looking. She's completely in love with you. Her entire face lights up when she sees you. She's always flirting with you. She uses any excuse to touch you." She added in a more serious tone. Our arrival to the house saved me from answering. Is it possible that she loves me too? I got dressed in a daze.

We got to school five minutes before the late bell was due to ring. We all headed off to our first period classes. As I walked to my Advanced Placement U.S. History I felt my phone vibrate in my back pocket. I pulled it out as I sat down at my desk. I had a new text from Amanda. I smiled.

Hey I'm going to be out of town for most of today and tomorrow but I was wondering if you would like to come over to my place for a movie night when I get home? :)

I quickly hit reply. Is the little princess asking me out on a date? ;P

Hmm…possibly. Would you say yes if it was a date? ;)

I would probably say hell yes, but no need to let her know that. Why don't you ask and find out? ;P

Well I would, but I would much rather ask you out face to face, beautiful. :)

My smile got impossibly wider when she called me beautiful. I would love to have a movie night with you. :)

Well then Miss Alice I shall see you tomorrow night. I'll let you know when I'm home. :D So how's school? :P

Lame lol. How's…where are you?

I'm in northern Cali :) It's nice but a bit too sunny. :/ I have to stay out of the public eye. A walking disco ball might be a little distracting to the humans :) haha.

Haha I would think so.

Yeah so I'm just hiking around a bit of forest that the humans don't go in. The underbrush is too thick for them to hike through.

Ah that sounds kind of boring…

It would have been if I didn't find a private strip of beach :P lol.

I hate you. :/

No you don't. :D You're just jealous that I'm in Cali having fun while you're stuck in school. Honestly though I don't think you would have like to come on this trip with me…I really didn't want to think about the reason she was out of state. I didn't want to think about the fact that humans were going to die for her thirst.

Yeah you're probably right. So you know you owe me? ;)

Haha I'm always right. :P Yeah? And just what do I owe you Miss Alice?

You have to play me a song on your guitar and show me some of your art :) So you owe me a performance and an art show ;D

So I do. How about I play you a song that no one has heard yet? I wrote it while I've been here.:) And I'll show you some of my sketches.

I would love to hear it. That's sounds like fun :)

It's a date then. ;)

I thought we agreed it wasn't a date? ;)

Oh you know what I mean. Hey I'm about to go swimming so I'll talk to you later okay? Too bad I forgot my bathing suit. Whatever shall I do? ;)

I swallowed hard when I read that. Did she mean she was going swimming naked? God is she trying to kill me? Swimming. Naked. My thoughts flew straight to the gutter. I shivered as I pictured what her glorious body would look like. The bell rang suddenly. Shaking myself I realized that I had no idea what my teacher had said for the past hour.

As I walked into art after lunch I read the assignment on the board. We would be drawing a portrait of anyone we wished to. I sat down at my station and began. I paid little attention to the figure taking shape under my skilled hands.

"She's beautiful Alice. Who is she?" My teacher, Mrs. Young, asked from behind me.

"She's the daughter of one of my father's friends. We're really close, but she lives in Italy. Her name is Amanda." I smiled.

"She's beautiful." Mrs. Young repeated.

"Yes she is." I breathed too low for a human to hear.

"Well keep going. You're doing a great job." She patted my arm as she walked away.

That night I was lying on my bed listening to my iPod when my phone started to ring. I turned my music off before answering it. I saw that it was Amanda.

"Hey." I greeted.

"Hey. I'm sorry but would you be willing to take a rain check on our almost date tomorrow?" She sounded really upset that she had to postpone the movie night.

"Yeah. Sure. What's up?" I tried not to let my disappointment color my tone but I don't know how well I did.

"I'll explain when I get home. I should be back in Forks in a couple of hours. I'm really sorry I have to cancel tomorrow. Can you by any chance meet me at my house when I get back?"

"Of course." She rattled off the directions to her house. "Amanda what's going on?" I was starting to get worried.

"I'll explain when I see you. I've got to go." She hung up.

I was sitting on the hood of my canary yellow Porsche 911 Turbo in front of her house when I heard her bike. I turned in time to see her fling the kickstand down and flash over to me. She skidded to a stop in front of me. I noticed that her eyes were still as dark as the night sky. She hadn't hunted. What is going on? I wondered.

She gestured for me to follow her as she let herself into her house. She told me to have a seat on the couch as she went to her room to change. I noticed a custom designed Fender Stratocaster plugged into a small amp on a stand near the television. It had a red tribal design on a white background. Her name was written in gold cursive down the neck.

"I don't have much time to explain this before I have to go, so please just listen to me." I heard Amanda say even before she came into the living room. "Jane called me earlier to tell me that my father needs me to go and check out a situation in Seattle. Have you heard anything on the news about a killing spree in the city?" I nodded. " We think it's newborns that haven't been taught the laws. So my dad wants me to go and see what's going on. Where their creator is. Those kinds of things. And if possible take care of the problem. I need you to do something for me though. If something happens to me and I don't come back then I need you to let my father know. So he can send the guard to take care of the problem. I doubt you will have to do this, but I need to know that you will if it does happen. Can you do that for me?" For the first time ever I felt cold. The words "if something happens to me" shot fear through my veins like ice water. What if something does happen to her? She would never know how I feel. I found myself nodding absently as I felt my fear squeeze my frozen heart. The next thing I know her lips were molded to mine in a sweet embrace. Her hands were on my hips pulling my body flush against hers. My arms were around her neck, and threaded through her mahogany hair pulling her face impossibly closer as our lips danced together. She bit my bottom lip gently as she pulled away. Our breathing was ragged as she leaned her forehead against mine.

"Sorry. I've wanted to do that for a while now. What better time than before I leave on a dangerous mission right?" She chuckled weakly.

I didn't want to talk about her leaving and possibly not coming back so I kissed her again. As I pulled away I stared into her coal black eyes. "You better come back to me now. I don't want to lose you just yet." I winked at her to try and lighten the mood. My efforts were rewarded with a genuine albeit small smile forming on her lips.

She sighed. "I have to go now." I clung to her more tightly than before. I didn't want to let her go. When she was in my arms I knew she was safe. "I'll be back." I could see the promise swirling in her eyes.

After she left I drove home and parked my car in the garage. As I walked into the house I saw Edward coming down the stairs. He looked at me.

"What happ-" He cut off as he saw what happened in my thoughts. I hid the last part of the encounter form him. He didn't need to know about that.

"Where's Carlisle?" I asked.

"In his study."

"Thanks." I made my way up the stairs to the study. I knocked and waited to be invited in. The door opened and there stood Esme.

"Alice dear. What do you need?" She smiled at me.

"I need to talk to you and Dad." I told her.

"Of course sweetie. Come on in." She moved to the side to allow me to enter the room. I saw Carlisle close the book he had been reading. When he locked eyes with me he immediately became concerned. I heard Esme softly shut the door, before sitting on the couch in the room.

"What's wrong Alice?" Carlisle asked.

I quickly told them what happened at Amanda's house. I left out the kiss and everything. When I was finished with my story Esme's eyes held the same fear I felt. Carlisle was worried, but when he spoke his voice was calm.

"There is nothing we can do except follow her instructions if she doesn't come back. I'm sorry. I know you are afraid for her, I am as well, but there's nothing we can do. We just have to pray that she is okay."

"I know, but no matter how skilled and well trained she is all it would take is one lucky shot or overwhelming numbers and she could get hurt or killed." My voice broke as the last word left my lips.

"Alice honey, all you can do is hope and pray that she comes back. I have a feeling that she won't go down easy. She'll come back to you." My gaze snapped to the maternal vampire. She had a knowing look on her face. I was shocked. Esme chuckled softly. "We're not blind you know. We've seen the way you look at each other." I looked to Carlisle and noticed he had the same knowing look on his face.

"So you guys would be okay with us? Even though she's a human drinker?" I wanted vocal confirmation to ease my fears.

"Of course Alice. As long as you're happy then we don't care who you are with. You've been alone for over a hundred years. You deserve someone to love and be loved by. I also have a feeling that for you she just might change to our diet." Carlisle's reassurances were what I needed to hear. My parents always knew how to ease my fears.

"Thank you." I whispered as I stood up to hug them both.

All I could do now is wait and pray that she comes back to me like she promised.

A/N: Abaddon is the Angel of Destruction for those of you who didn't know who he is. Well that's chapter seven for y'all. Review and let me know what you think. I already have chapter eight planned out. All I need to do now is write it :)