A/N. For the ones that were wondering what happened with Alice, Jasper and Garrett, well, here they are!
Twilight is not mine only the plot.
Seven months ago, more or less…
JPOV
"Come on, we don't have much time!" I screeched at Alice and Garrett.
We were getting near to the parking lot, and when we turn the corner I could see the gate was open and only two or three corpses were lingering there. And Emmett's Hummer was parked a few feet from the entrance. Garrett took down the one corpse that was lurking there and we ran towards the car. As I pushed the button on the key to unlock it the car made a bleeping noise, alerting the other corpses around. We climb in and close the doors immediately. I push the key into the ignition and turn it on, the Hummer roaring to life. As I throw the car into gear I smile at Garrett and Alice and we take off down the road.
-HADJ-
The first part of our journey was a bumpy one. At the beginning we were on the interstate highways but they were crowded and I can't remember how many times people tried to steal the Hummer at gun point. So we decided to take the U.S Highways and Country Roads. We found some maps in a gas station that helped us to navigate the roads and we feel more at ease. And at least we were out of crazy people range. Although, I couldn't say that for the corpses, they were everywhere. Some of them in little groups, and others in big herds.
A few days after our escape from Seattle we were outside of Centralia, in an abandoned gas station filling the Hummer's tank, when we heard a blast in the distance. Across the horizon we could see a mushroom cloud of dust fill the sky. Another blast sounds from a different direction and as we turn towards it, another mushroom cloud of dust and debris fills the sky. Alice starts to freak out.
"Jasper! Jasper!" she screams at me, pointing in the direction of Seattle and Portland frenetically.
"They are bombing the cities with nuclear weapons. Look at the mushroom clouds! We are going to die one way or another!"
I take her into my arms to calm her down. She was a shaking mess.
"Alice, Alice! Calm down. Nuclear weapons are not the only ones that can make mushroom clouds. Besides, I don't think the government would be that stupid as to poison our own land." I hope not. I add silently to myself.
"Yes, Alice. Jazz is Right, don't worry," said Garrett from behind us. I look back to him and find a worried look across his face. Neither of us say anymore, so as not to worry Alice.
The trip was getting tiring and we had a lot more waiting for us.
-HADJ-
As we continue our journey, we cross paths with many different people. Some decide to join us while others prefer to stay where they are. The first people who decide to join us are an elderly couple in their late seventies. Bob and Antonia Smith were an odd pair. He knew all about guns and she knew all about knitting. They were on vacation when the infection hit. We found them in a modest hotel in Mexicali, Mexico.
How did we ended up in Mexico?
Will never know.
At first we didn't see anything out of the ordinary but when we saw the first road sign in Spanish we knew we had made a bad turn somewhere. The crazy thing was, we never saw a fence, or a wall, to indicate the dividing line between Mexico and the United States.
As we moved forward on the road, we passed a sign that it read Bienvenidos a Mexicali (Welcome to Mexicali). The city wasn't too big, and it seemed like nobody was there. Well, except for the Smiths. They told us they were traveling all of Mexico in their RV. When they decided to head back home, to San Diego, the madness started.
"The border was closed when we tried to cross in Tijuana, so we drove to Mexicali with the same result. The Mexican Army was very tight lipped at first, but after two days, and with a lot of angry North American citizens waiting to go back home, they told us about the outbreak."
Bob also told us that after that day the Mexican news stations were broadcasting all of what they knew about the virus.
Apparently, a mayor pharmaceutical Company in Denver were experimenting with a new drug. This drug was supposed to cure AIDS.
A lot of volunteers signed up to take the drug, they were kept under observation for any adverse side effects.
Something went wrong and the madness began.
The Mexican Army made a great effort to close the border and stop the infected getting into the country. However, after a few days, they realized they were fighting a losing battle.
"Most of the people ran to the south but we stayed. We only want to go home," said Antonia, sadly. We told them of our plans, and about the Island, and they decided to come with us.
We decided to head through Mexican territory to reach Austin as it was safer that way.
In Chihuahua, or more precisely in Juan Aldama town, we found Lety and her brother Armando. They were holed up in their home with ten corpses lingering outside. As soon as they saw us they started to scream for help. We only had Bob's old shotgun with ten rounds, our trusty baseball bat, and the pipe wrench. So basically the plan was for Garrett, Alice and I to go in and take down the corpses with what we had, while Bob and Antonia waited for us in their RV.
We finished the job quickly and soon enough the brother and sister were out of their house and in the RV. We found out that Lety was a Medical Student and Armando was in high school. That night the problems started. Lety was all over me when the chance came and Alice was easily annoyed. I tried to avoid Lety, as much as I could for the sake of Alice, but she was persistent. One day Alice had enough, and after a good screaming match and a good punch in Lety's face, she stop. I felt so relieved.
One of the good things about Mexico was the Supermarkets and gas stations. They were well stocked and not all of them were empty. We had plenty of food, gas and other necessities.
When we hit Coahuila we were able to get back into the States through Piedras Negras. But, when we arrived at Uvalde, a town near San Antonio, our dreams to find our families were shattered. We were looking for a gas station when Alec, Jane, James and Victoria crossed our path. Alec and Jane were cousins and High School students. James was a construction worker and Victoria was a hair dresser. They were boyfriend and girlfriend.
They told us their car had broken down and they couldn't fix it. After some directions to where they were stranded, James dropped a bomb on us all.
"We found some zombies at the town entrance, so if you are planning to go in that way be careful. Although, I don't recommend you head for San Antonio or Austin. They are gone. Burned to the ground. And Dallas was bombed like two months ago."
When James had finished telling us the news, Alice turned to me with tears streaming down her face. We clung to each other as we cried. Victoria asked Bob what was happening and he told them we were heading to Austin and Dallas to look for our families.
When we had calmed down, we started to make new plans. We were going to begin the journey to Forks, Washington. Alec suggested looking for a hunting shop or a gun shop. We found one half emptied, but it was something.
Alec and Jane were a little skeptical at first, but we reassured them that we had friends waiting for us there, to take us to the island.
On the journey back, Bob showed us how to use the weapons that we had taken. We decided to go back through Mexico again, as we thought it was the safer bet. But it wasn't. We had just made a camp for the night near Cananea, Sonora, and decided to sleep inside the RV, because was safer. It was crowded but we didn't care. That night, Bob had the first watch but he fell asleep and a group of five or six corpses attacked him. Antonia was devastated. We made the mistake of leave her alone with Bob´s body too long. He came back and killed her.
Alec and I took care of them the best way we could. We dug one grave and left their bodies together.
James took over the RV and we started to be more cautious on the roads. When we arrived at the border in Tijuana we found Kevin, Peter, Charlotte and their baby twins. Kevin was a musician and he was from L.A. Peter was an English teacher at UCLA and Charlotte was a full time mom. They were heading to Mexico in a beat up Toyota but when we told them of our plan they decided to join us, they ditch their car, and hop on the RV with the others.
The day I lost my Alice was the day we went into a mall in San Bernardino, California. I should have gone with her and the others. I was crushed and I began to despise Lety for telling me that Alice was gone and I should just move on. I didn't want to believe it, I knew in my heart she was alive. I wanted to go back and look for her alone. However, my arm was badly injured and Lety ended up giving me a sedative to stop me from damaging it more.
When I woke up I was disorientated, but then I remember. "Alice? Where is Alice?" I asked frantically. Lety was the one sitting next to me and I tried to take her arm to shake her, but I couldn't. When I looked down I was horrified.
"My arm? My arm? My arm is gone!"
Lety took my face to make me focus on hers.
"Jasper? Jasper, listen to me! I had to save you! A corpse bit you and I had to do it. I didn't want to lose you. I'm sorry, but I had to do it!"
Oh my God, my arm! I thought. But then I remember again.
"Alice? Where is Alice? Please tell me." I was pleading. Lety let go of my face and said the most horrible words I would ever hear.
"I don't know. We only found James and Vicky. No Kevin, no Jane and no Alice. Even my brother is missing. He wasn't in the RV with the others," she told me sadly. "I'm sorry Jasper."
After she told me that, I went numb.
When I had calmed down, Lety told me that if Alice, Jane and Kevin were still alive, they would know where to go. I accepted what she said because a part of me was too scared to go looking and find my Alice either dead, or worse. Maybe she would make it back to Forks and be there waiting for me.
On Thursday we had to drive all nigh to arrive in Forks on time, and to not miss Edward. We were in the Police Station parking lot, waiting patiently, when Edward and Emmett appeared. I was so relieved to see them.
"Edward, is Alice here?" He looked shocked by my question and in that moment I knew she hadn't made it to Forks.
"I'm sorry, Jasper, but no. She is not here."
I nodded dejectedly and looked down at my feet to cover my heartbreak. Then Emmett spoke up.
"Man, what happened to your arm?"
I tried to compose myself as I looked up at him. "It's a long story, Emmett. I would prefer to tell you later. Let me introduce you to my friends."
-HADJ-
A month later, more or less…
APOV
The last I saw of Bella and Edward, when we ran toward the parking lot, was them kissing. Now, after seven months of traveling, fighting the corpses, and losing my group, I had arrived in Forks. It was a bittersweet feeling. I never thought I was going to get here by myself. While I walked through the streets, looking for the Police Station, I could see the town was intact. There were no signs of violence or burned homes, as there were in other towns I passed through. It was a breath of fresh air and for the first time in a while, I smiled, because I knew that everything was going to be alright.
It was Thursday and I checked my watch to see that it was almost five in the afternoon. I was going to have to sleep at the Police Station and wait for Edward to arrive tomorrow, like he had told Jasper. Jasper… I can't think of him without feeling a hole in my heart.
After a while of searching I found the Police Station. In the parking lot I spotted a single car-it was a cruiser but nothing else. I sighed, hoping for signs of the Hummer or RV. I was almost at the entrance when I heard a noise inside. Right away I took out my bat with my left hand and put my right hand on my gun belt.
Then, the front door opened. The first person I saw was Bella, she had tears in her eyes.
"You're here! You're here!" She screamed, and then she sent me flying to the ground because of the tackle hug she gave me. She was crying, laughing and babbling.
"I told him you were coming. I told him he had to have faith, that you were strong and, and…!" She ran out of words and I started to cry too.
"Well Edward has to have more faith in me from now on."
Bella was going to say something more when I heard a voice. But not just any voice. His voice. And my heart stopped for a second before frantically picking up.
"I should have more faith in my little Alice."
I don't know how, but I shoved Bella off me and picked myself up as quickly as possible.
And there he was, in front of me.
"Jasper…" I choked.
He had tears in his eyes and an expression of disbelief on his face.
"Alice?"
In two strides he reached me and pulled me to him tight, with one arm, burying his face in the crook of my neck and crying his eyes out.
"I thought I had lost you. I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I couldn't get back for you! Oh my God, I can't believe you're here! How did you get out of the Mall?"
He let me go and I stepped back to get a good look at him.
"Well, after the corpses surrounded me, Jane and Kevin at the entrance of the restroom…" I trail off when I look at him properly.
"Jasper? What happened? Your arm! What happened to your arm?"
Jasper had his left arm cut off from above the elbow. I was shocked. He hung his head, not looking at me.
"I remember the corpses came out of nowhere. Garrett, Alec, Lety and I were in a hunting store looking for new weapons. They were everywhere. We were almost out of there when two of them took Garrett down. I was going to help him but one of them bit me on the wrist. I stood there petrified. I couldn't feel pain. I couldn't think. The next thing I know, Alec took down the corpse that had me in an iron grip, munching at my wrist. Then Lety came, took my arm, lifted it, and with her brand new machete she remove the infected part of my arm. The pain brought me back to reality. I was out of my mind. I can't remember how we go out of there because I fainted." He sighs deeply. "When I woke up we were in the Hummer and James was driving like his ass was on fire. When I only saw that James, Vicky, Lety, and Alec were in the car I went mad."
"I know I should have been happy that almost all our friends got out of there, but I wasn't. I didn't know where you were. I had what was left of my arm wrapped in a towel and Lety was concerned. We found a Pet Clinic on the outskirts of San Bernardino and she fixed it there the best she could."
I started to cry again and hugged him tighter. Lety had been a pain in my ass since we found her and her brother but now I wanted to kiss her for saving my man. But then something clicked in my mind.
"Garrett? Our other friends?" I asked, but Jasper didn't say anything. He just hugged me tighter.
"Garrett didn't make it," I heard Edward say behind me. I turned around giving him a sad smile. He kept talking while he started to walk, making a gesture with his hand, asking us to walk with him, and extending the other one to Bella. She took it and we followed him.
"James and Peter are teaching in an improvised school. Charlotte has her hands full with her babies and Vicky is helping to cook. When someone is in need of a haircut she is glad to help. Alec and Lety are at the hospital helping my father with a surgery. Well, just Lety, Alec is guarding the entrance. Sometimes the corpses appear lingering in town. We take them down easily but we don't want to take any more risks than is necessary. You found us here today because one of the boys of the reservation had appendicitis. And because Bella had a dream."
He smiled at Bella condescendingly and she smirked at me.
"I dreamed of you," she said lifting her eyes to the sky.
"We were running through the forest, making fun of each other, laughing. But then we stopped by the river and you told me; 'Tomorrow is the day,' and I woke up. As soon as I was dressed I went to see Jasper and told him about my dream."
She smiled at him triumphantly and he returned shaking his head.
"He was so mad at me. But I was certain you were going to show up today. So, I dragged him and Edward out with me. And here you are." She gesture with her hand to me.
Edward started to laugh. "I wasn't going to let you come without me, love."
Bella huffed and rolled her eyes at Edward in mock indignation.
"Yeah, yeah. You are my knight in shining armor!"
Edward stopped and embraced her.
"You know I am, baby," he said huskily and then he kissed her.
Jasper and I turned around trying to give them privacy, but all I wanted to do since I saw him was kiss him, so I took the chance.
Taking him by his shoulders, I pulled him down to me. When our mouths were inches apart I spoke. "I love you Jasper Whitlock."
Giving me his crocked smile, he put his arm around my waist.
"I love you Alice Brandon."
And then he kissed me. It was the best feeling in the world. I was ashamed to admit to myself that I had almost forgot how soft and gentle his lips were on mine.
After our kiss, all of us walked to the hospital. Alec was so surprised to see me that he almost fell when he took off running to greet me. He asked me about Jane and Kevin and I just shook my head. His face fell, I muttered an apology and he nodded.
When we arrived at the hospital we quickly found Edward's dad and Lety. Lety was cordial with me but clearly not thrilled to see me. I was polite too because I owned her a lot for saving Jasper.
Edward's dad was a fox! I think I drooled a little when he introduced himself and asked me to call him Carlisle. I was in a trance and Jasper had to pinch me in the ass to bring me back from my Doctor Cullen induced fantasies.
Seth, the boy with appendicitis was well, so Emmett took an Ambulance to transport him, back to the marina with Alec riding shotgun, while Carlisle and Lety went in the back with Seth. The trusty Hummer was parked at the Hospital front door and Edward drove us to the Quileute marina. A boat was there and it was big enough for all of us. We put Seth in first and then all the supplies that Carlisle and Lety were going to need for his recovery.
The island wasn't too far. When we arrived some people I didn't know helped us with Seth and the supplies.
The others started to walk to the camp but I stayed back. I was standing on the little dock, looking to the other side when Jasper came up beside me and put his arm around my shoulders as I put mine around his waist.
"We are going to be safe, Alice."
I smile at him.
"Yes Jasper, we are going to survive."
The end...?
Author notes.
So, this was Alice and Jasper I hope you like it!
The sequel is going to start from this point, so. stay tuned.
Thanks to my awesome Beta Kymbersmith90!
Hugs, AstridGreenEyes.