JPOV
I lay with Alice on the couch in the living room with the rest of my family. Suddenly Alice froze. I sat up instantly and placed my hands protectively on her shoulders. Her face was blank and her eyes were far away. Alice and Edward gasped at the same time.
'What?" I asked sharply
"Maria," Alice whispered. "She's coming."
EdPOV
"Maria. She's coming."
Jasper looked taken aback, his jaw dropped. A flicker of fear crossed his face but the next second it had disappeared and confusion took its place.
"When?" he asked Alice, eyes narrowing.
"Three days…I think. Yes."
Everyone looked at Carlisle for his opinion but he was staring at Jasper. Nobody spoke but there thoughts were raging.
"What does she want...?"
"Maria, change your mind! I wish you'd just go away…!"
"Wonder why that Southerner is coming here…?"
"…don't think that this is purely a social visit…"
"Oh, I'm sure this can't be good…But maybe she's changed her ways…?"
That last one was Esme, of course.
JPOV
Everyone was alive with confusion and fear. I turned to face Carlisle who was gravely looking at me in silence.
"Do you think we should -" began Esme, her eyes wide. "– go…?"
"No!" Rosalie snarled. "We've just go settled here! I don't want to leave."
Carlisle turned to Rosalie.
"This shouldn't be about what we want. We have to do what's best for our family."
Rosalie glared at me, her eyes like daggers.
Accusation. Ah, so she blamed me.
"So what are we going to do?" demanded Emmett. Impatient as always.
"What do you think Jasper?" Carlisle asked seriously.
I looked at the faces of my family. It was at Alice's golden eyes that I kept my gaze. I wasn't afraid of Maria. I was afraid for my family.
"If…if she is intent on…visiting," I hovered over the unlikely word. "Whatever she is doing…She won't go back South just because we're not here. She'll follow our scent."
"We can't just do anything…"whispered Esme. "The people in the town…"
We all cringed at the horrible thought of Maria's uncivilised hunting habits.
I thought for a moment.
"I'll have to go meet her," I decided.
"No!" Alice hissed.
"Why not? Listen, if I go out to meet her, there won't be any reason for her to go near the town! Not within a hundred miles of it," I said triumphantly.
Alice could see my logic. But she didn't want to accept it. She was afraid for me.
"You needn't go alone, Jasper," said Carlisle quietly.
"We'll all go," agreed Edward, nodding.
Alice was looking fierce and determined. She was fierce and determined. She wasn't going to be dissuaded. It was my turn to feel a pang of fear. I didn't want Alice near Maria.
"Oooooh yeah!" Emmett grinned. Idiot.
"Emmett," I sighed. "I don't know what sort of picture you've painted in your head of Maria, but she's no fluffy bunny-rabbit. She's a better fighter than you – don't look like that. How do you think she's survived all these years if she wasn't?"
Emmett looked disgruntled.
"So when are we leaving?" asked Rosalie. She was still unhappy.
"I think we should go now."
