Title: Roulette

Genre: romance / hurt / comfort

Pairings: alice/jasper, edward/bella, one-sided: felix/bella

Warning: i'm in crisis

The door swings open and in a brilliant haze of diamond-kissed skin and heat, Alice sweeps into the room, a pliant, persistent smile on her lips. "C'mon boys," she says in her musical voice. She slips off her sunglasses and pulls aside her scarf. "We wouldn't want to be seen, now would we?"

The door shutting behind her echoes through the marble hall.

"Alice," Her name comes out as a hiss, for a moment, Bella is not sure from which guard, but the shorter, blonder one, pulls aside his hood. His high, imposing air seeming to dissipate around them. His eyes are huge, red, and intent.

Alice raises her tiny chin, as if matching him as she smiles, pleasantly, if not a bit forced. "Hello Demetri."

"Alice," This time the voice comes from Edward; she can hear it echoing from his chest. "Take Bella and go enjoy the festival."

"No." Both Alice and the other vampire—Demetri—step forward, in a blink to fast for Bella to see. It startles her, heart hammering in her chest. Alice puts her back to her, acting as a barrier between Bella and the guards.

"That's not how this works, Cullen. You know that." The taller guard says, but his comment goes largely unheard as Alice and Demetri stare each other down.

"I am walking out of here," Alice says softly. "I will walk out of these doors and I will not come back to Volterra."

The guard's lips twitch slightly, a kick of a smirk pulling at the corner of his cheek. "We'll see about that." Bella watches Alice's body go ridged.

Later, Alice saves them again with a vision of the future—their future, Bella's. She sees her as a vampire, sleek and beautiful, dangerous and glorious as the rest of them. As she lays her dainty palm in Aro's hand, Bella wishes she could see this vision of the future even more than ever.

The future is not a fixed thing, it is like clay. Pliant, moving with the shape of wishes and actions. Bella always felt that if she wished enough, it would be so.

The Tracker, as Aro introduced Demetri as, steps closer as Alice draws back from Aro. She bumps into his chest and seems almost startled by him.

"Ah, it seems that our Demetri still misses you, mio caro." Aro folds his hands in deep supplication. "It tears at my heart every day to watch him wander, mateless, directionless. However, his loyalties still lie with our house. Thank Heavens for the smaller blessings."

Alice tips her chin up, gazing into twin pools of red. She looks impossibly young then, young and vulnerable looking into the eyes of the Tracker, but she is not looking at him with fear. Bella folds her arms against herself, shivering.

"She still cares for you, Demetri, very much."

Still locked in Felix's arms, Edward makes a moan of pain, but otherwise says nothing. Bella trembles amongst the cool marble statues, eyes turning teary and wide.

The Volterra secretary brings her a cup of tea. Bella can barely summon a polite 'thank you' before she remembers where she is—which is Italy—and how grounded she will be when Charlie realizes she is gone—which should be soon, if Jake can help it, she thinks.

She leans back into Edward's embrace, needing the cool assurance of his body against hers. She needs to feel him, know that he is there. The contrast of the hot tea and Edward's cool marble skin, make it real. His lips skim her shoulder. "Rest, Bella." He whispers against her sweater and Bella almost pulls back a little out of modesty.

She is wearing a sweater, in Italy, and despite the air conditioning, she highly doubts that she smells nice. Hell, she must look even worse. If he did not want her when she actually made an effort, then he obvious would not want her now.

A knot of self-consciousness forms in her throat and Bella curls her hands around her mug, breathing deeply and thinking.

"Where's Alice?" she asks, hoping to deflect. Despite it all, despite Edward not wanting her, she is still terrified that he will disappear, like smoke through her fingers. Bella swallows a mouthful of tea to clear her throat, it burns hot and honey-sweet all the way down. "I haven't seen her since we left the, um, throne room."

She doesn't miss the way Edward's brows pinch in concentration and then pull away, as if repulsed. "Alice . . . is dealing with Demetri."

"Do they . . . know each other?"

"They used to be close."

Bella thinks back to the way Demetri looked at her, the awe and fury pooling in those eyes as he loomed over Alice. "Close." Bella repeats and Edward's brow crinkles again.

"Alice can handle him, Bella." His hand passes over her hair, and his thumb sets to her temple. "You should get some rest."

Bella continues to drink her tea, peppering questions every few minutes as Edward continues to rub her shoulders, or neck, or temples. This annoys Felix enough to make him leave the room, but just as quickly Alice enters, looking prim and radiant and ready to leave.

"I've arranged for a car to take us to the airport." She says quickly and Bella is sure that if she were human, she would be out of breath. "We should be in Florence by six and ready for take off by nine. We can get a change of clothes and a dinner for Bella. I have been trying to—"

Edward's voice, which had been quiet and soft since the throne room, broke Alice's tirade. He seemed to be barely controlling rage when he spoke. "Alice, you didn't." He whispers furiously, but whatever he saw in Alice's mind must have confirmed his suspicions. He moves to his feet, Bella startles again, still clinging to his robe and her mug goes flying.

It is snatched up by Felix, who catches it with relative ease and winks at her. "Can't say this happens all the time." Bella shifts in her seat until he's not in her sight.

Edward is on his feet, the red robe the Volturi gave him pooling to the ground. "How could you? How could you do this to Jasper?"

"Say whatever you want to me Edward, but we need to go. Now." Alice breezes past them towards the hall and Edward leans down, scooping Bella up in the same gesture before following Alice down the hall.

Gianna and Felix both give her a little wave as they pass into darkness. "Arrivadercci, sweetheart. I'll be seeing you soon."

hello!

you know I'm going through a crisis if I'm exorcising my Twilight rare-pairs, but I was just hit with these two and thought, eh, why not? I'm just sitting here in college. Do tell me if you like it, hate it, or just wanna say hi, I do appreciate every comment I get.

- cafeanna