"Hey, are you sure you're alright?"
"Jesus Chris, Edi."
They were standing In the forest. On the other side of the mountain the manor sat tall and good, Sieg was running on fumes. He stopped against a tree. "I need you to listen to me good, Edi—I've got two tasks for you and it's life or death important that you follow them to the letter, you hear?"
Edward shrugged. "Okay."
Sieg pulled out the bottles and offered the full one to him, blood of the unreaped. "I need you to find some paint, mix this crap in and put the forest, the manor inside of a circle. Well, half a circle, leave a little out where you are—like...like half a moon!"
"What?"
"It's drawing, Edi—don't tell me you forgot how to do that too." Sieg rolled his eyes. "And I better not see you jump out of a tree behind me trying to be the hero—you understand? Go where you're needed!"
"Okay. Alright, I understand."
"Now the second task you do right after you finish that half moon, you drop it all," he gave Edward the less filled bottled. "To the earth before you. Stay your nerve and you should come to no harm. Now soon as they leave-"
"They?"
"Wait for Alice and close the circle. Do you understand?" Edward hesitated. And Sieg couldn't have that. "Look Ed, I'm trying to stop a war...so I need you to do exactly what I just said, exactly as I just told you. Alice's life depends on it, and I'm depending on you for success."
Edward smiled then. He took a breath and nodded. "I won't let you down."
Sieg clapped his back, that was all he was going to do but a bit of pain so sharp went through him that it shocked his knees into weakness. Next thing he knew, Edward was hugging him.
"Yup. Uh-huh. Just like that." He mumbled, trying to escape the man's tight hold. "Okay, moment over—drop me, sunshine."
They parted ways, Edward forth and Sieg heading back. He was a second from completely being rid of the little ghoul when Edward called out. "Wait!"
"Jesus Christ, Edi!"
He was back up in his face in a second, doing that puppy dog eye thing Sieg knew he'd get good at in the future. "What is it now?"
"I just wanted to know..."
"Wanted to know what?"
"This-this woman you said I'll meet, the one I'm suppose to avoid-"
"You won't."
"I will! Just-just tell me her name...I just want to know...it'll drive me crazy if I don't know."
Sieg stopped and turned. He stared at Edward awhile, stared at him so hard that had he been a reaper, he would've seen his soul quivering. The lonely little Emo; he really was just a kid. Sieg sighed for that. "Bella. Her name's Bella Swan and she'll bring you to your knees, man. She'll have you worried every second of the day, worried for her safety and when you finally see her, you'll be at peace—but when she leaves, that worry'll start all over again and worst."
"Sounds awful."
Chuckling, Sieg took his shoulder And squeezed. "Mate—you're gonna love every second of it. I know I have."
And off they went.
Ten minutes later, he was walking up to the gate and up the drive. The front door was wide open and that sent his heart into orbit. The house was in shambles and that made his soul jump...then he neared the corridor near Carlisle's office and heard Choking sounds.
Oh that nearly killed him, worst more...was pulling enough self control to not say screw the plan and run in there. But he stayed and good, Eigen was there.
"You know I see why he likes you?" He was saying. "I see it. I mean even I'm tempted to take you back to West End and make you my top concubine, the others have less spunk in 'em than a cookie—but you...you're feisty. You'd put up a fight for me, wouldn't you?"
Ptooey!
"Fuck you!"
"Yes, yes love you too."
"Get off me, you monster!"
"Look kid, I'm just doing my job. Death of the West is so ruthless, if I don't get you—he'll get me and I'd really rather not be gotten, hm? I'm on my first and last straw here, we can't all be favorites like big brother afterall."
"Big brother?"
"You didn't know? Aye, you're family now love. And you know what we do to welcome new members? We bring them to death!"
The choking got worst, but just as Sieg was readying to say fuck it, a horrible tremor went through the house and something hit the ground—THUD.
Sieg dashed into the study and there found Alice bruised and cut like he'd never seen her. She fought when he touched her, then she opened her eyes, saw that it was him and started crying.
"Oh god, It's you."
He kissed her forehead, kissed her cheek, kissed her tears. "You're alright, you're fine."
And while she told him all that had happened, Sieg went to Vivic and helped him off the ground—Bexar had roughed him up pretty bad, but he was still so happy to see Sieg, it broke the latter's heart.
"Now listen, Eigen'll be back momentarily-"
"What do we do?"
"You're going to stay right here with Viv and when I say the word...you remember it, right?" He looked to Vivic for that last bit and the familiar nodded. "You take her out the back window and over the town limits—make Edi close the circle after that."
"Roger!" Then Vivic's eyes popped. "Oh! I better get my travel licorice."
And out Viv ran, leaving them alone together—just as Sieg liked. So losing no time, he approached her, took her into his arms, and the world seemed to spin a little slower just for that time.
Alice must've felt it too because she told him that it all felt like goodbye and when he said nothing to her chuckle, she pulled away and met his eyes. "Is this goodbye?"
"Of course not, Silly girl," He gave a close-eyed smile. "We still have a honeymoon to enjoy, remember? I'll join you guys later."
And he kissed her, kissed her with so much genuine love that two lifetimes of saying the words would still not have been enough to measure up. But fuck it, he thought, nothing more left to lose and all that so he told her. "I love you, Alice Westen. I love you, I love you, I love you."
"I know it well."
She didn't. She couldn't—it just didn't seem possible. Looking at her just there, Sieg longed to say something else. Something better, something to make her see just how much! But the words to describe what he felt had never been invented and looking into her eyes, Sieg wished and wished he could've gone back in time to invent those words.
Better words that could cover the whole iceberg, express it all instead of simply the tip. He'd invent it and come right back, just to say it and watch her eyes sparkle for them. Those words better than I love you. They didn't exist, but-
"I'll always choose you, alright? I want you to know this like the back of your hand, I want you to know that no matter the time, shape, punishment, or reward—I, Siegen Westen, I will always, always chose you. I swear it on Life of the West. Always and a day."
Alice looked stunned a second, her eyes even glossed over til Sieg thought she'd just seen Medusa. Then cheeks a flaming pink, she looked away and punch his shoulder like a child. "Flirt. So I'm finally a level higher than booze, huh? About damn time."
He laughed. The first he'd had in hours and it sent a fresh cold breeze waving throughout his chest like whatever the hell. No sooner had he done that though, did Vivic slide into the doorway hunched and shaking like a little chicken. "He's here!"
Sieg sighed. "Fina-fucking-lly."
