I'm back with more Alice/Bella. Yes that means there could possibly be femslash in this story...how many of you are bothered by that? *looks around* Good you may all read on.

Disclaimer: I do not own anything you see before you, not even your computer screen.

So I finally got bored of sweet, noble Alice Cullen...this could get dark and possibly bloody...fun times :)

Prologue: Whispers in the Dark

The Cullen house was silent; no one beyond its walls would know that every member of the family was awake and enjoying themselves; dancing around the living room while the eldest son played the piano. Every member but one that is.

Alice Cullen, the youngest daughter, was perched on the windowsill of her room, letting the cool wind ruffle her short hair, her golden eyes unfocused and fixed on the moon. Her legs were dangling from the sill, kicking her heels against the side of the house. In her tiny hands was a ring that was much too large for her delicate fingers; it caught the moonlight every time she turned it, highlighting each and every scratch on the careworn metal. It was Jasper Whitlock Hale's ring.

She closed her fist on the golden band, remembering the man; he'd left the family only months ago. They'd divorced quietly and amicably, both of them smiling sadly at each other. They'd both been sorry, and they'd both been in love with someone else. It had only taken them two decades to admit it. Jasper Whitlock Hale was gone, but Mary Alice Brandon Cullen liked to think that he was looking up at the sky too, maybe not holding her ring, maybe not at the stars, but looking all the same. He had gone to Ireland, to be with Siobhan's coven, or more precisely, to be with Maggie.
And she'd been left behind. She'd never realised how much Jasper had kept her grounded, because now, just seeing Edward with Bella set suicidal butterflies attacking her ribcage. Her brother was a good man, but she couldn't look him in his golden eyes anymore, not when she was falling for his wife. But falling was the wrong word, she could have said falling twenty years ago when she first met Bella, or when Edward had left her. Falling could only have applied when the girl was human. The only word now was fallen, because she was well and truly in the grip of the beautiful brunette.

Edward knew, she was sure of it. Nessie, who looked painfully like her mother, had to know too. But Alice was positive that neither of them had told Bella herself. She was searching the future everyday, just for a hint of where to go, what to do to stop the ache where her heart should have resided. She would have seen if Bella had been told.
Esme had asked her many times over the years what was wrong, but Alice couldn't tell her, couldn't bring herself to see the disappointment in her mother's eyes.

Carlisle had asked too, less frequently than his wife, and he had received the same answer. But Carlisle knew her better than most and she knew that he at least suspected her.

Her whole family had noticed that she was more subdued. Had been quieter, seeking to be alone, for years. If they traced it back they would see that her behaviour had started not even a year after the Volturi had come for Nessie. They were blaming it all on Jasper of course; it was the most rational response, it was also wrong. It seemed that with Bella living with Edward in the woods, no one had noticed that Alice was avoiding Bella far more ardently than the others. She was forced to stay away from the best friend she'd ever had because every time she saw her, her mind was assailed by images of a future that could still happen. A future where it was Alice in Bella's arms, Alice in Bella's house, Alice in Bella's bed.
Alice shook her head violently. "Get a grip." She muttered pulling a heavy letter from her jacket pocket. Inside the envelope was both a letter, addressed to Bella, who she knew would be the first to come looking; she always was even now, and a number of other letters, addressed to each member of her family. They all said that she was sorry, begged for them not to hate her for leaving, but only one letter explained why. That was the letter addressed to Carlisle; he deserved to know why his youngest daughter was deserting him.

Alice cast one final look around the room, the family had moved to Alaska not long after the Volturi had left them; this room was never home to her. Home was in Forks. She gave a heavy sigh and tossed the letter onto the neatly made double bed.
"Alice?" Bella's voice filtered through the door and Alice's silent heart skipped. "Alice? Come on, we're missing you downstairs." The pixie like girl swallowed, she desperately wanted to go back, tear up the letters, and pull Bella into a hug, just like she had already done numerous times. But this time she was determined. "I'm coming in." Alice wished for one last glance at Isabella Swan but she couldn't chance that, instead she pushed herself from the ledge, just as her door began to swing open. As Bella's shocked intake of unneeded breath reached her ears Alice was already disappearing into the dark forest.

Her destination was clear; she couldn't return to Jasper, couldn't ruin his chance at happiness. She couldn't go to Forks, not so soon; everyone who had known her twenty years ago was still alive. And she couldn't go to Biloxi, to her biological family; they thought she was long dead. Aro, though, Aro had repeatedly asked her to join his guard, whether for her power or her company she didn't know, didn't care.

Alice Cullen was going to Volterra. To Aro.

Thank you for reading thus far, please review, even flames are welcome: they will be used to heat my cold room in the evil English winter that is on its way.