Coming up for air wasn't needed, but it made Marietta feel a little more normal. After all, that's how they did it in chick flicks, but that wasn't the only reason. It was only her third time kissing anyone and such prolonged contact was a little intense. Intense like getting on a roller coaster; fun, but scary as hell and gives you weird tingling in your stomach, and, sometimes, other places.

"Alec," She finally sputtered, pushing him back a little.

"Hm?"

"I hate to be a bad hostess…so can I offer you a drink?" Once again, she'd made herself sound stupid and inexperienced, like when she called him handsome at the ball.

Alec couldn't help but snicker.

"I know, awkward timing and all…"

"One could say that yes." He laughed again, "I don't know what's more comical; you interrupting…what do you call it? Making out? You ending that, or you pushing back a vampire to offer him a drink."

"Well…" She looked down and tucked her hair behind her ear, "Southern hospitality at it's finest I guess."

He thought to himself that he must've made her uncomfortable. Making her uneasy was one thing; it was cute how she was submissive in an inexperienced way, like he was a lion going for that injured baby deer that deep down enjoyed getting ripped to shreds. Bad analogy, but making her uncomfortable was different entirely. She had to be completely comfortable in order for him to make her uneasy. He eyed her room and spotted the mini-fridge in the corner, "I'm assuming you don't have any blood in there, do you?"

"Uh-uh,"

He thought for a minute, "Vampires can have wine. I'm a merlot man myself, dry."

"Very classy." She leaned up against her desk. "Not gonna brag, but I'm a dessert wine girl. To be honest, I'm not incredibly picky, as long it's older than I am. I'll admit to having an expensive taste. The only times I got to drink were at business dinners with my biological parents. Being sixteen and all, unfortunately Carlisle is a stickler for the rules, so no alcohol in MY fridge. BUT I have the next best thing," She explained, bending to the fridge and digging around inside.

It took a second for what she'd said to register, because he locked in on her bending over. He cleared his throat, "Biological?"

"Yeaaaaah?"

"Why the distinction?" He asked as she came back up with two green cans and kicked the door shut.

"Well, like I said in that letter, they were TECHNICALLY my biological parents and legal guardians, but not parents in the true sense of the word. That implies affection which there was none of, so,"

Alec tried to think back on what his biological parents have been like, but it had been so many centuries ago, he couldn't remember. The fact that two people COULDN'T, WOULDN'T love Marietta surprised him, and, quite frankly ticked him off. "I'm sorry to hear that."

"Not like you haven't heard it before."

"I know, but SEEING you say is a little disgruntling. Your eyes dull and your face dropped. I don't like seeing that." He couldn't help but smile a little, turning on the Italian charm he'd learned, "Especially when it has to do with someone not giving you the love you deserve."

Marietta's face lit back up, just how he liked it. She tried to stifle a giggle. She was used to him being suave through letters, but seeing him grinning like that in person did something to her. "Here," She thrust a green can at him."

He smirked. Uneasy accomplished. "So you said this rivals alcohol?"

"Yes."

"Mountain Dew," He read, "What's in it?"

"Lemon lime flavoring, LOTS of syrup, green food coloring, carbonation, LOTS of sugar, and a TON of caffeine."

He looked at the can, "So it's a soft drink?"

"Duh," She said popping the can and chugging, "Best one out there in my opinion. It's probably the whole Georgia thing, we LOVE Mountain Dew."

He tried to mimic how she'd opened it, but he hadn't had a soda in several years, and never one in a can.

"What? Mr. Italian Philosophy can't figure out how to do the Dew?"

"Do the Dew? What?"

"Do what?" She giggled, "It's like Say what? But Southern. You want some help?" She took the can and popped the top, "Viola,"

"Thank you." He accepted the can with a nod.

"Try it!"

Alec took a sip, and tried not to gag. Not only did it burn his mouth, but he hadn't had sugar in a long time either.

"AMAZING right?! It tastes amazing, but I also picked up that habit the same time I got into theatre, subconscious association I guess. Besides, coffee's too hot, it makes me sleepy, but a cold one of these? Holy crap you can pull an all-nighter without thinking twice!"

That was another thing he liked. The Volturi were so low key. Marietta? She was high energy. What he DIDN'T understand was what holy crap meant. And why would she think only twice about something. Modern English for Americans, always getting weirder. "You're right."

"Take a seat," She motioned to her fuzzy pink couch.

He noticed her unique decorating; black walls, white and raspberry furniture, fur, leather, chrome. It was modern. He liked it; it just screamed Marietta. "Did you decorate your room?" He asked taking a seat.

"Why of course!" She chimed, "You like it?"

"Actually, I do, very much so." He took another drink.

"So do I," She chimed, setting her can down on the coffee table.

Then it got quiet for a moment. Alec broke the silence, "I didn't mean to barge in unannounced, but you looked like you could use a dance partner."

"How considerate…I was blowing off a little steam…I don't NORMALLY dance around my room liked an idiot…Ok so I DO, on OCCASION. I WAS drawing."

"You mentioned that you like to draw. Do you have any finished pieces you'd be willing to share? I'd love to see your work."

"Oh, well, considering you draw too, I don't think my work would compare to years of European training…"

"Marietta, don't be ridiculous. I'd be happy to see anything you're kind enough to present me with."

She sighed, "Fine." She shuffled through the sketches to find something decent that wasn't JUST him. Finally, she picked up the one of them dancing. "I typically do concept art for writing stuff, focusing on body language and custom. Usually I doodle at school, so I use mainly pencils, sometimes pen or charcoal, so it's a little scratchy too."

He took the paper examining it, "This is us." He smiled knowing that she'd drawn one of his favorite moments, "Wooooow. This is fantastic. The detail is incredible."

Marietta swayed a little, "Thanks, I try."

"You should frame it, that is, if you don't think they would pay enough attention to recognize me."

"Believe me, they TOTALLY would. So YOU should frame it. Keep it."

"Marietta I couldn't-"

"You CAN and you WILL."

He nodded and eagerly tucked it into his coat, "I appreciate it."

"It was just a sketch, really."

Alec looked up, noticing that the wall above her desk was filled by masks in shadow boxes. His was in the middle, "You still have my mask?"

"Mhmm…do you uh-"

"Yes, I have yours too. I keep it on a satin pillow in my room."

"Very Cinderella…makes sense…I would say you're Prince Charming but he lacks personality…and height…and the whole dark mysterious poet thing."

"That's…flattering. At least I THINK you meant it as a compliment-"

He was interrupted by a muffled voice, someone calling from below, "Marietta honey! We're going hunting! You haven't been in a while!" It was Esme.

Her eyes sprang wider. "Oh crap!" She whispered in panic, looking at Alec. "GIVE ME FIVE MINUTES!" She yelled back.

"OK!"

"Alec, I am SO s-"

"No, don't be. You need to hunt." He said standing up. Tossing his empty can into the trash, he asked, "So what do you hunt?"

"Deer 'cause I liked venison before, and because I can't bring myself to kill a bear. They're too cute and fluffy."

He'd never heard someone refer to the massive grizzlies that inhabit Washington as cute OR fluffy.

"So I'm guessing you have to have a rest spot somewhere to put your stuff." She said, handing him his cloak.

"Yes, I rented a hotel room at a nice place in Seattle."

"Cool. Well I need to hunt and stuff and I have school tomorrow, then rehearsals. How long are you in town?"

"Aro gave me a week off."

"…OH MY GOD! I forgot! They're going to visit the Denali's this weekend! Technically Edward and Bella will be in charge of me, but I'll have the house to myself!"

"Damn…that's unrealistically convenient."

"Do I need to make another fairytale reference?" She giggled, "Ok so they're probably leaving tomorrow night. Did you buy that phone?"

"Yes, I'll call before I come."

"Great! And when you get here, I'll show you how to text!" She slid open the balcony door. "I'll take them towards straight north into Alaska so you can escape to the west to Seattle…I can't thank you enough for stopping by. I'm just sorry it got cut short."

"It was my pleasure. I look forward to seeing you tomorrow." He said stepping onto the balcony, taking her hand.

She smiled, and leaned in for a good-bye kiss. He kissed her lips, then her hand, with a gentleman's lingering touch. "Ciao,"

"See you later!" She waved as he disappeared into the trees.

Marietta knew she needed to hunt, but that was going to be awfully hard considering she was weak at the knees. She grabbed her hoodie off of her bed and slipping it own, trying not to fall over swooning. On her way out of her bedroom door, she blew a kiss at the black mask in the center of her wall, "Tomorrow my love," She whispered before skipping to the stairs.