It's time to talk...

[Alavda Noir]

It had been about three days since she saw him. She both wanted to see him, and yet she didn't. It was better if she didn't.

So there she was, sitting in the living room, staring at a wall, touching her lips, remembering the kiss that Thomas had planted there. her other hand balled into a fist. How dare he! She wanted to track him down right then and...do something violent. But then she remembered just how easily he controlled her. This scared her...

but it wasn't just the compulsion...it was her own feelings that she did not even want to think about...she angrily felt tears sting at her eyes again.

[Annabelle Ventus]

After about 2 weeks, Annabelle had felt it was time to do something and after the other day, hearing all the stuff Ala had been through, she felt as if Ala had the right to know about her life as well.

She walked in as she saw Ala crying. She shook her head and walked towards her. "A-ala..no..no more crying..." Belle muttered out as she slowly but surely sad down on the floor infront of Ala.

[Alavda Noir]

At the sound of Belle's voice, Alavda had actually stopped crying, "Belle?" she had not heard anything other than a weak 'go away' from her since the masquerade, "I'm sorry, Cherie. It's really nothing. How are you?" she looked at Belle with worry in her eyes. She seemed to have gotten thinner, "Are you hungry?"

[Annabelle Ventus]

"It's fine..." Annabelle said in a sad tone. "I should..should be the one who's sorry..I didn't help you those days ago...I was so selfish.." She said looking down and then shook her head at Ala's question. "No..no I'm not.." She said simply. "I actually cam in here for another reason." She said then looking up.

[Alavda Noir]

Alavda just waved her hand in the air to show that there was nothing to worry about, "Help me with what? Everything's fine. See? My tears are dry. I was just...thinking of old demons from the past, that is all. But what is it? What do you want to talk about?"

[Annabelle Ventus]

Annabelle sat there for a second as she thought of the way to say this. "R-remember that day a month ago when you touched my skin and saw my past? ..I..I want you to do it again...it's..it's only fair since I overheard your past.." She said looking down again.

[Alavda Noir]

Her eyes widened a little, "Are you sure? I remember what happened before...I don't want you to be...mute again," she blinked, "And my past? I'm not sure if I know what you mean..." her heart pounded. Did Belle overhear her and Thomas conversation?

[Annabelle Ventus]

Annabelle let out a laugh when Alavda said she would go mute again. "What do you think I've been thinking about these past two weeks? The man you will see that has red hair...I..I ran into him that night at the masquerade...that was the reason I was like that..." She said then looked up at Ala.

"Besides..if anything, I'll just cry again..but that is all I have been doing...and Ala, I heard your conversion...it was only a room away from mine...and I'm sorry..but that is why I'm letting you do this..it's only fair." She said then smiled slightly.

"Oh, almost forgot, after you see this...promise me something...you won't go after him..and please stop Nate from doing so....you'll understand why after you see..." She said and put out her arm.

[Alavda Noir]

Alavda frowned at this entire thing, "Belle...I can't make any promises like that...especially regarding Nate. I don't know what kind of hunter trick he'll pull on me. But alright," Alavda fully intended to break this promise if the situation called for it, but she was not going to let Belle know.

"And...alright. But since I'll probably see your whole life story since you want to do it like this, I'll tell you about...my youth. Alright? This will make me feel better about seeing this much," she pulled off her gloves and held her hands out," Are you sure you're ready?"

[Annabelle Ventus]

Annabelle nodded as Alavda agreed and nodded again as she asked if she was ready. "More then I will ever be...just don't judge me ok?" She said, shaking abit.

[Alavda Noir]

Alavda smiled at her friend, "Who am I to judge? You'd be surprised at what I've done dear," she took Belle's hands and started to see her memories.

[Annabelle Ventus]

Annabelle's eyes widened as she saw her past again. It started off normal, back when she was 8 and she was just casually walking through the forest like normal. She then heard the sound of flames and ran to the house to see two people burning. Her eyes had widened as the man had smiled while the two burned, then saw him look at her with the same smile. She was fearful and started to run when when she was cut off by the man. At the time she thought the man was just really fast, but she knew know that it was because his legs were longer. She saw the man trying to seem innocent, but she knew better, then the man glared and grabbed her by the throat, bringing back that cold smile had had. She began to cry as she saw the man chant in Latin and the flame appear. She then heard a voice shout for the man to stop and if he was going to take on anyone, it was going to be him.

"Dad!" Belle had cried windfully as the man grabbed her neck tighter so that she would stop talking. "Ah, Nimbus...just in time to watch the pyrotechnic at play..." The man with now visible red hair said with a chuckle. "You leave my daughter alone Vergil!...She's all I have left!" Nimbus growled and ran towards Vergil, casting a spell that blew a gust of wind into Vegil's stomach. Nimbus made the wind stronger till Vergil had finally let go of Belle, who after had been let go, grabbed her throat and took sharp breaths in order to stay awake. Vergil grabbed his stomach in pain and then looked over at Nimbus. "Your daughter huh? Well then...this will be even more fun to watch the pain in your eyes as yet another person leaves you..I hope you like her cooked well.." Vergil said and snapped his fingers, concentrating the flames on her, but to Vergil's surprise Nimbus had gotten there fast enough to grab Annabelle and throw her away before the flame hit her and got him instead. Well, Vergil blamed Nimbus's ability to be as fast as a gust of wind, but smiled joyfully as he had saw that he had at least gotten rid of one pest. "No....Dad!" The girl cried as see watched her own father burn infront of her eyes.

As the flames died down and the body reduced to nothing, he looked for the little girl, but to no avail. "What?! Where did she go?!" He nearly screamed and ran in the opposite direction of Belle. When she saw it was safe she went back to where the flame had been and tears had filled her eyes. "Dad...why...why did you do that...you were suppose to teach me everything you knew...you were suppose to be there for me since mom left...No dad! You can't be gone!" She screamed and cried, she knew she couldn't stay there long though. And from that moment, she ran, ran and never looked back.

Belle quickly let go of Ala's hand and brought them to her face again, crying hysterically. "Why..why couldn't it have been me?! It was meant to be me!" She muttered to herself loudly through the tears.

[Alavda Noir]

Alavda was shocked at what she saw. She felt like she was there, as she always did. She saw everything. She had never seen an image so clear...well, she had, but it had been a while.

She wanted to help the young Belle get away from the red-haired man. But she couldn't since it was only a memory. She saw Belle's father, how he saved his daughter, dying in the process. She saw the evil man run where he thought Belle was. Alavda was in tears seeing Belle in such...distress.

Finally, the sorceress let go of Alavda. She slid her gloves back on before hugging the blonde, "Shhh...it's alright, cherie..." she stroked her friend's hair, "He was protecting you. A parent can't help it," she wished her own would have shown her a kind of love like that, "He really loved you, Belle. He didn't want any harm to come to you..."

[Annabelle Ventus]

Belle just kept crying but then looked up at Ala and tried to talk. "I know he did...but you see...I feel..I feel like Nate would do the same thing...that's why I asked you not to let him know...and for you not to go after him...I don't know what I would do without you two..." She whimpered and then continued to sob for abit longer. "It's weird...before now..I never tried to get close to anyone..and then you..Bree..Neah and Nate..you guys found a way in..and..and...I can't imagine a life without you guys now..."

[Alavda Noir]

"I know he would...that guy really cares for you, too. And don't you worry, I'm not going to go out of my way to go after him. I'm not sure if I could take him. Not by myself," she held Belle by the shoulders, "And you have to promise me that you're not going to go after him alone, alright? I'm really glad that I have met you, Belle. Don't throw your life away."