Twilight

AU Fan fiction

Bella/Alice pairing

United at War sequel

Disclaimer: Everything involving the twilight series and the characters of twilight belong to Stephenie Meyer.

Chapter Four

"Alright Bella bear let's get down to business shall we," Emmet spoke with his usual grin, rubbing his hands together, as he stood in the center of the training room. "All of us men collaborated on your challenges, and we decided on two that will prove you are the perfect mate for my midget baby sister."

Scanning the smirking confident faces of all the guys in the large room, her red amber gaze stopping on the tan face of the young alpha, she asked, "You helped come up with these challenges too?"

With a smug crooked smile Jacob nodded, saying, "The pack and I suggested your first one as a matter of fact, Emmet just tweaked it-"

"To perfection," the bulky Cullen quickly shot in.

Crossing her arms over her tunic covered chest, Bella lifted a single dark brow in silent demand as she asked, "So what did you mutts come up with?"

"You have to fight me," Jacob answered with a shrug.

Frowning, feeling more than a little disappointed, the brunette's voice held a tone of let down as she spoke. "There are fifteen of you here and that's all you could come up with… I have to fight the alpha shifter, seriously?"

"Not exactly all we came up with darling," Jasper replied in his smooth southern drawl. Stepping closer to the princess, a slow smile curling his lips, the blond vampire began explaining the details of their first challenge for the girl. "You see… Jacob mentioned that Emmet tweaked his suggestion, and the rest of us chimed in as well, a group effort." Feeling the young vampire's inpatients break like a wave against the excitement radiating off the others, the southerner decided to spare the poor princess and get on with it. "You do have to fight Jacob… as well as everyone else in this room, with the exception of our elders, and-"

"This is the best part," Emmet snickered while smacking the back of his beefy hand into Demetri's broad chest.

Nodding his head the Volturi guard smirked, saying, "Oh yeah."

Ignoring the hulking pair of child like vampire gorillas, continuing to hold Jasper's golden stare, Bella prompted, "and what?"

"You're not allowed to use any of your gifts… but we are," the blond man answered with an excited shine in the depths of his eyes. "This is all to prove you're able to protect our sweet little sister properly."

"Or settle old scores and nurse bruised egos," the princess shot back with a scoff.

Shrugging shamelessly, Demetri got his sister's attention, asking, "Don't think you're up for it little princess?"

A slow crooked grin shadowed the girl's beautiful pale features as her calculating gaze scanned the room filled with what would be her opponents. "Oh I'm more than up for it dear brother. How do you drop out once I've beaten you, since I'm obviously not going to kill my future in-laws and wedding guests… tempting as it may be?"

"Listen to that confidence," Caius stage whispered to his older brothers, Carlisle, Liam, and Elezar.

Leaning closer to the blond king, Aro replied, "I don't believe these young men know what they've gotten themselves into."

"Not a clue," Marcus chimed in with an amused lift to his mouth and a shake of his head.

Her smile only growing with the words of the ancient vampires ringing through the room, Bella looked to Jasper with a cocked brow asking, "Well?"

"You need to hit us where our hearts are not longer beating, and you have to knock with wolves unconscious." The curly haired soldier answered, his own mouth curving in anticipation as the confident infused excitement came flowing over him from the brunette.

Clapping his hands, the thunderous sound echoing off the stone walls around them, Emmet yelled, "Let's get this party started."

"Yes, lets," Bella agreed in a hushed tone before launching herself at Alec, slamming the heels of both palms into his chest, sending his trim frame flying into the cold wall behind him. "That's one," she whispered before turning to the rest of the shocked boys in the room.

"Damn," Demetri exhaled as the three Quileutes burst into their giant wolf forms behind him and Emmet. Shaking off his shock as the three fury beast galloped passed him, the dark haired man followed hot on their paws.

The princess watched the wolves coming at her and ran right at them. Jumping into the air she came down on the rust colored wolf's head hard enough to slam his horse sized body into the floor. Jacob's fury head smacked down into the stone ground, his rich brown eyes rolling back, and his body going limp. Pushing off the alpha's unconscious form Bella clenched her fist tight and nailed the snapping lower jaw of the gray wolf diving in at her, forcefully shutting his sharp teeth painfully together, causing a whistling whimper to fill the large room. Following her upper cut with a side kick to the giant wolf's temple, the brunette watched the gray animal form of Quil Ateara fall in a heap on the floor. Landing in a crouch, the deep growl rumbling from Embry's deep brown colored wolf form announcing his arrival, Bella dove forward and rolled beneath the jumping creature's long body. Laying her palms down on the stones beneath her, the brunette pushed her lean frame back into the air and twisted around to land on the fur covered back of her wedding guest. Lifting both hands to the outside of the wolf's large head, Bella slammed both palms into each temple. As the horse sized supernatural began to drop the princess twisted off its' back and ducked beneath the swinging tree trunk of an arm coming at her head.

"That would be four down big brother," the princess taunted with bouncing eyebrows as she easily dodged Demetri's attack. Laughing as the hulking vampire growled out in frustration, Bella ducked beneath his arms, moved in close to him, hitting the center of his chest with her closed fists. "And you make five," she whispered, feeling her brother's flesh give way beneath her knuckles. Spinning around, her chestnut waves swinging behind her shoulders, Bella faced her remaining opponents with a crooked smirk.

Watching Demetri walk away to sulk on the sidelines beside the once more conscious Quileute boys and Alec, Emmet narrowed his topaz eyes and charged at the brunette. "Bella bear is going down," he grunted out as he ran.

"Awe… did I split up the bro-mance you had going on," the brunette mocked with an exaggerated frown before rolling away from the bull like mass of Emmet Cullen, getting him farther from the other three remaining vampires.

Edward's golden gaze narrowed as he shouted out, "No Emmet wait," but the warning was too late.

Before the bear of a man knew what happened he was on his back with the princess standing on top of him, both of her feet firmly planted on his chest and cracks forming on the skin over his unbeating heart. "Oh this is just bull-"

"Headedness setting you up to fail," Bella playfully cut the grumbling boy off as she gracefully hopped from his chest. "You shouldn't be such a sore loser, and you did last longer than Dee, so at least that's something." She added with a falsely sympathetic shrug.

Emmet walked over to join the others already beaten by the princess with a smug strut saying, "I did last longer than all of you guys."

"Oh shut it Em," Demetri hissed from his seat beside the shirtless form of Jacob Black.

"Now things will get interesting," Aro whispered to himself as his crimson eyes closely observed the movements of those left to fight his little girl.

Jasper watched the brunette's gaze follow every shift and slight movement he and the other two vampires made. "You were smart to remove Alec so quickly little princess, I would have done the same in your position," the blond complimented while delicately projecting waves of rising confidence toward the younger girl. "You really are an accomplished fighter."

"Comes with being in the Volturi family, and training with the best your entire human life as well doesn't hurt." Bella replied with a boastful smirk as her mind registered the false emotions seeping in through her pores. "You don't maintain power with a race as strong as ours unless you can fight to keep it."

Nodding in agreement, the southerner held the brunette's red amber stare as he replied, "As you have proven here tonight."

"Exactly, but that was at your demand and challenge… I will not lose my favor to marry your sister." Pushing through the heavy feelings threatening to smother her, Bella caught the arm of her sandy haired brother as he attempted to attack her from behind. Twisting the appendage and hooking her foot back around his ankle to bring him down, the princess slammed the heel of her hand into Felix's chest and spun in a crouch to face the last two Cullen brothers. "I've trained against my brothers my entire life, I know their scents, I know their moves, and I don't need my gifts to beat them." Shrugging her shoulders she added, "The wolves are just Demetri and Emmet on four legs covered in fur." Watching the pair of brothers, her deep amber pools analyzing every slight movement from the two, she said, "If you were not friends and family, and Alice wouldn't kill me if you showed up to our wedding covered in cracks and missing limbs imagine what I could do." Smirking at the attempted masking of surprised understanding washing over the last of her opponents, Bella allowed her calm and self assured emotions to blanket the empathy.

"That's my girl," Caius boasted only to receive a lifted brow from his brother causing him to add, "my niece." When Aro silently chuckled at the correction, the blond ancient rolled his eyes and grumbled in annoyance to himself.

Felix smiled over at his baby sister as he got to his feet and whispered, "Well done Tiny," before going over to join the others on the sidelines.

Edward… we're going to need to work together if we want a chance at beating her. Jasper called out telepathically to his younger brother, seeing the slightest of nods in response to his thought out words. Pushing out a cloud of confusion and anxiety, the soldier kept his focus on the girl as he continued speaking to his brother's mind. Do you know her next move? When the bronze haired boy shook his head the tiniest fraction, Jasper started shifting to get into a better position for the maneuver he had in mind. Attack her from both sides when I say go… His focus staying on the weary frowning brunette, the southerner sensed his brother's movements and called out now Edward!

Bella's mind was swimming in a dizzying haze of foreign emotions, her anxiety only increasing the harder she attempted to concentrate on the curly haired blond. The silence surrounding the trio speaking volumes to the princess, she shifted her senses to keep Edward's movements in focus, not trusting her sight to help her in the approaching attack. The air swayed in the room, breezing over the fine hairs of her body, and the brunette jumped into an aerial cartwheel. As her leather encased legs swung over her head, Bella grabbed onto the collar of the lanky vampire's tunic and used her momentum to toss him across the room into the far wall. Letting the all consuming emotions of her most recent fear to her mate's catatonic state bubble into her heart and mind, driving out the oppressive feelings being fed into her from the empathic vampire, Bella watched Jasper's golden gaze go wide. Flashing across the distance into the blond southerner, the brunette felt the cracks splinter across her cheek as his fist connected to her pale flesh. Ignoring the blow and plowing through, the princess ducked beneath his follow through and kicked up hard, her booted heel landing right over his silent heart.

The curly haired soldier smiled up at the princess with a shake of his head saying, "I'm glad you're going to be family."

Running footsteps ghosted over the gray stone floor causing the brunette's ears to twitch and her muscles to coil, readying for the oncoming attack. A whispered growl escaped Edward's sneering lips just as Bella tucked and rolled away from the bronze haired vampire. "Stealth is not your strong suite," the girl taunted while hopping back to her feet.

Narrowing his darkening gaze, the telepath flashed his crooked smirk, saying, "Stealth has never been what I relied on in a fight princess."

"And that's your weakness," the younger vampire replied with a slight nod.

"Or my strength," the boy snapped out before lunging at the brunette. Edward opened his gift to Bella's mind as the two began to trade blows. The telepath relished and savored the ability to finally read the guarded girl's every thought, easily dodging swings and kicks as they battled it out.

Giving her body over to the instincts locked beneath her skin, the brunette launched a volley of hits and kicks, nailing the lanky boy with each blow as her thoughts sped quickly through her mind and directly into action. Smiling as a dazed Edward shook off the last upper cut to his jaw, the spider webbing of black cracks along his pale flesh already fusing back together, Bella thrust both palms into the boy's chest with enough force to send his body flaying. "Definitely a weakness Eddie boy," she called out while brushing off her hands and watching her final opponent climb back to his feet across the room.

A beaming smile of pride eclipsed Aro's features as he turned his gaze from his daughter to the blond doctor on his left. "What do you say Carlisle, do you believe our princess capable of protecting your little Alice?"

"If she had only defeated Jasper under these conditions I would have believed her capable," the head of the Cullen family answered in his soothing tone, adding, "But with all this I find myself concerned for my family's safety should the princess not be there in a time of trouble."

The older vampires laughed good- naturedly as the younger men grumbled at the teasing insult. Aro's eyes danced with mirth as he looked over to the peaceful doctor, saying, "It's a good thing we'll be family soon-"

"And that the girl is able to teleport now," Marcus interrupted, speaking between his deep chuckles.

Rolling her eyes at the bantering ancients, Bella placed her hands on her hips and asked, "So what's the last challenge?"

Bouncing his eye brows in excitement Emmet said, "Dancing."

"Huh," the brunette grunted as a confused frown furrowed the pale skin of her forehead. "My next and last trial to prove my worth is dancing?"

Shrugging his shoulders Jasper chuckled slightly as he spoke in his smooth southern drawl. "You are getting married to the peanut… we need to make sure you can keep up princess."

"We're going through all the classics too," Edward announced as he and the others walked closer to the girl. "Country dances, the waltz, fox trot, tango, salsa, lambda-"

"Swing, hip-hop, and all the fun stuff in between," Emmet's deep voice happily cut in as his golden orbs flickered with renewed excitement.

Nodding her head the brunette held her arms out wide saying, "Let's get started then."

So what did they put you through love?

Smiling at the sound of her mate's familiar voice twirling down their link and dancing in her mind, Alice leaned back into the plush pillows of the sofa with a whispered sigh. I'm currently wearing light gray oversized sweats, red and black plaid booties with a matching floppy eared hat, and a set of giant fake pearl earrings, bracelet, and necklace.

Haha… I bet you look absolutely adorable drowning in those close with your pout firmly in place on that gorgeous face of yours'.

Rolling her eyes at the amusement evident in the princess's shared thoughts, the raven haired vampire glanced around the room full of females watching Judge Dredd as she continued talking to Bella through their connection. Yeah, laugh it up sweets… I'm also stuck watching horrible action movies until we need to set up for the wedding, and had a nerve wracking heart to heart with your mother.

Is she alright… are you?

Yes baby we're both fine, she just needed to know I wasn't stealing her baby girl away. Glancing over to the ancient woman in question she received a knowing wink from her mate's mom. Alice's golden gaze went wide but she quickly calmed down when Sulpicia gave a very subtle shake of her head. 'Thank you' the tiny girl mouthed as the pair shared a secret smile. What did the boys have set up for you little princess?

I thought you would already know Tink.

The girls have rules against me using my gift; it's how I got the fun accessories.

Will this get you in trouble babe?

I don't care, I'll put anything on they can come up with; I'll even let Emmet do my makeup… I just need to hear you Bella. Alice could feel the sting of tears that wouldn't fall filling her eyes before they went wide at the ghostly feel of strong arms curling around her waist. Please tell me that's you.

Of course it's me baby love… I felt you getting upset, what's wrong Tink?

Looking down to where the feel of her mate's arms would be, Alice felt her smile tremble with the overwhelming emotions building up in her small frame. I wasn't ready to be away from you yet… I don't know what I saw in that vision, and I don't feel frightened by it but I do feel the loss of time with you.

I've been checking on you throughout the night baby… its torture being away from you.

So distract me, both of us… How did you do with your challenges tonight? Alice blinked away the hazy wash of stagnant tears as she tried to shake off the shroud of gloomy emotions resting heavily on top of her unbeating heart.

Your brothers have their own ideas of what proves someone worthy of you… I had to fight all of them at once without using any of my gifts, and then I had to dance-

They made you dance? The pixie interrupted, barely able to stifle the laugh that tried to slip from her mouth.

"Hey Ali, I know you're cheating and talking to your girl," Kate vampire whispered from beside the smaller girl. "Tell the little princess you'll see her tomorrow before the others notice."

Nodding her head reluctantly Alice released a soft sigh as she reached out to her mate through their bond. I have to go sweetheart, Kate just gave me a warning and I really don't want to look like a clown on our big day.

Alright Tink, just be prepared for my amazing moves tomorrow… I love you.

I love you little princess, I look forward to it. Letting out another lengthy sigh of longing Alice laid her head on top of Kate's shoulder with a deep pout marring her beautiful pixie features.

Looping her arm around the younger girl's shoulders, Kate gently trailed the fingers of her free hand through spiked raven locks and kissed Alice's forehead. "It's only a few more hours now Bitty, then you get forever with your princess… and become royalty yourself."

"A few hours has never felt so long before," Alice grumbled as she settled more into the sofa and the side of her blond cousin.

Rachel's curly dark blond tresses swung around her frowning features as their beat up wagon sped past the reflective white letters on the green road sign. "Why are we heading to the airport?"

Taking his eyes off the dark highway for a moment to glance at his confused wife, Abe answered, "Because I've booked us on a flight."

"Why?" She asked, her crystal blue gaze raking over the tension filled shoulders and firm grasp on the wheel as her husband continued driving. "We've never had to board a plane before."

Releasing a soft sigh, Abrielle rotated the kinks from his neck as he replied, "We can't travel the same ways anymore, it's too easy to be tracked like that and we're their focus right now." Glancing to his blond passenger once more, his voice dropping slightly, the dark haired man added, "Even the time we do have isn't enough and we need to make it to them before it runs out on us."

"And Isabella," Rachel whispered out on a husky breath, dropping her chin to stare down at her lap. "What about her?"

"We're giving her what time we can Ray," he answered in frustration, sifting his fingers through his dark curls before returning his hand to the wheel. "There's only so much I can do, but in the end your safety comes before anything else."

Blinking rapidly at the sting of hot tears collecting in her blue eyes the blond took a shaky breath before speaking in a choked whisper. "I just feel… it's like we're leading her to slaughter, our own sacrificial lamb to save-"

"Stop, just stop..." Abe cut in with a raised hand, shaking his head harshly at his wife's unfinished sentence. "I don't like this anymore than you do, but you've accepted what must be done Rachel." Pulling off to the side of the road, slamming the gearshift into park, Abe unclipped his belt and turned in his seat. Reaching out to cut his wife's moisture streaked cheek, the man's brown eyes softened with the build -up of his own tears. "I need you to trust me love, if you don't trust me we will lose."

Nodding her head, Rachel took in a slow steadying breath as she gazed up at her husband threw wet lashes. "I trust you; I trust you'll do what's right."

Leaning in and sealing his mouth to trembling lips, Abrielle kissed his wife in slow comfort before pulling away to rest his forehead to hers' and whisper, "I love you Rachel and I will do what I must… we have no other choice my love." Kissing her once more he reattached his seat belt and slipped the vehicle back into gear to start moving again. Looking over at his silently crying wife Abe reached out and tenderly tucked a few blond curls behind her ear, saying, "Try to rest sweetheart, you need to take care of yourself."

"Ok," she exhaled on a soft breath while reclining her seat back slightly and turning her head to stare out into the dark road side as quiet rivulets continued to flow down her cheeks. Threading her fingers together the blond rested her joined hands over her stomach as her thoughts drifted to the young brunette that had been their topic of conversation. I'm sorry Isabella… I'm so sorry I couldn't be there for you; couldn't be stronger for you.

The late afternoon breeze gently brushed back long dark locks as polished boot covered feet steadily trekked up to the lone figure staring over the cliff side. Crimson eyes looked over the lean frame exuding strength and pride while a slow smile curled the corners of his mouth. "I thought this would be where I'd find my little one," Aro spoke out on a gentle tone, coming to a stand-still beside the younger vampire.

"Hey daddy," Bella whispered softly, her own full lips curving in a half smile at the feel of the man's comforting presents and scent surrounding her.

Tucking his hands into the pockets of his charcoal gray slacks, Aro looked over his daughter's profile with a curious eye before speaking. "You know they're nearly finished with the preparations, and most of the guests have started dressing already."

Nodding slightly, still staring transfixed over the cliff side to the breath taking Italian landscape, the brunette absentmindedly replied, "That's good."

"So what has my little girl standing on her ledge looking worrisome on a day of unparalleled happiness?" the ancient asked in a tender voice with a slight teasing lift.

Shaking her head, running long pale fingers through her wavy tresses, Bella released a deep sigh as she finally met the patient gaze of her father. "I have so many thoughts filling my mind… I just needed somewhere to go with them."

Placing an arm around the girl's shoulders, tugging her in close for a half hug, Aro kissed his daughter's head, saying, "Perhaps if you share a few of those thoughts it may free up some space in your busy mind dear one."

Circling her arms around her father's waist, Bella snuggled into the familiar reassuring safety, taking a breath to enjoy the moment with the man who raised her as his own. "Have you and mother always been this happy? I know you both bicker and tease, but have you ever…"

"Fought," the dark haired man softly finished for his little girl, only to feel her nod against his shoulder in silent response. "No relationship comes with only ups and happiness little one, so yes… your mother and I have fought many times before; often with her winning." The corners of his eyes crinkled as he smiled with the sound of the brunette's soft laughter reaching his ears before continuing to speak. "Your mother and I have had centuries of ups and downs, but I would never trade a single one of them. Every moment in a couple's life, be it good or bad, is a chance for the pair to define and discover who they are and what they mean to one another."

Tilting her head to look up at her dad, Bella asked, "You have no regrets?"

"Not a single one sweetheart," Aro replied easily gently squeezing his little girl to his side before loosening his hold. "I was around a long time before meeting my Sulpicia, and I'm ashamed to admit there were many days I longed for everything to just end." When Bella pinned his gaze down with a troubled frown the ancient sighed heavily before explaining, "When you have eternity and you're alone it's not the wonder others would have you believe. There are times, long stretches of them, when immortality is a dark damp lonely place, and the only emotion you can feel is despair and a wish for it to be over." Leaning forward to place a tender kiss on the pale wrinkled brow of his daughter's forehead, Aro whispered, "I am so glad you found your Alice before having a chance to be subject to the emotional torture of that. A vampire's mate is what makes eternity the wonder of fanciful imaginings little one… they are who you wish to live forever for." His face contorting into a worried expression, the dark haired man looked deep into his daughter's red amber pools, asking, "Are you doubting your bond with little Alice?"

Lowering her eyes away from her father's penetrating crimson gaze, Bella shook her head as she softly confessed, "I don't doubt my bond with her; I doubt my ability to keep her happy."

"Oh dear Bella there are simple rules to keeping your wife happy," the ancient replied with a deep chuckle as he affectionately pat his child's shoulder. "Just remember your Alice is always right, you'll never win an argument, and you must happily do whatever she may ask of you."

"So I'm her puppet for eternity," the brunette scoffed.

"I didn't say you always had to follow the rules little one, and given your stubborn streak I'd say you following them will be a rare occurrence." He commented with a shake of his head and a wide grin. "Love is never the easiest thing Isabella, not even for vampires, but that's what keeps it interesting; keeps things passionate… keeps it worth living for."

Turning fully to give her father a proper hug, Bella lovingly squeezed the ancient vampire, whispering, "Thank you daddy, you've always been there for me."

"And I always will be little one," Aro softly promised, his pale hand smoothing down silky chestnut waves while blinking away the tears blurring his vision. "You are the most loving, genuine, and beautiful being I've ever met my Isabella. You are the joy in mine and your mother's immortal lives, and the warm heart of this family… Mary Alice and the Cullens are blessed to be receiving you into their family."

"And we're lucky to be welcoming Alice into ours," Bella added while looking up at her father.

Smiling down at his daughter Aro nodded in agreement, saying, "As long as she keeps you happy sweetheart."

Chuckling softly the brunette frowned asking, "And if she doesn't?"
"She'd have to be punished," he answered with a serious nod, the twinkle in his eye the only tell tail of his teasing. "You are the Volturi princess after all."

"Ah, but she'll be a Volturi and a princess as well by the end of the night," she teased right back.

Leaning down with an amused smile Aro said, "Then best you keep little Alice happy as well."

Laughing and hugging her father once more, enjoying the comforting feel of his strong arms holding her close, Bella allowed herself to savor this moment as the breeze shifted directions; tugging at their hair and clothes. "I love you daddy," she whispered so softly only a vampire could hear it.

"And I you my baby girl," the ancient replied just as quietly, placing a tender kiss on the top of her soft chestnut hair.

~End of Chapter Four~

Hope you all like it, thank you to those of you who take your time to review and ready you all rock and I truly appreciate it :D Wedding's coming next and any updates or AN will be posted on my profile so there's no confusion with actual chapter updates.

Thank you for reading :D