I still remember that day. The one that I woke up. Really, if you had asked me about anything that happened before that day, I couldn't tell you. It was erased from my memory, and I try not to dwell on it anyways. After years of research, (When you live forever, you have a lot of time for things like that.) I found my gravestone. It showed me enough for me to be satisfied, and led to the discovery of my niece. As far as I know, she is alive and well in Biloxi, Mississippi, my hometown. Overall, I know that I was born in 1901 and committed to an asylum when I was still a kid. My family left me there because of my visions. Back then, I didn't know that they wouldn't understand. I know that from the day they left me there, they assumed me dead. I struggled there, and they kept me a a cold dark, room. Eventually, a vampire who worked at the asylum changed me to keep me safe from James. Funny, that Bella and I are the only two people ever to escape James, and we ended up sisters.
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But anyways, the day I woke up I was alone and confused. My speed and strength amazed me, but the visions were the most interesting. Of course I had had them before, but these were so much more intense. I'm not sure if you've ever been that alone in the world, but I sincerely hope you haven't. If you have, then you know how you will take anything, any little lifeline, and follow it anywhere in that moment of weakness. For me, that was my visions. I saw, of course, the Cullens, in my first vision. I can still see it so vividly in my mind. It was just Carlisle, Esme, and Edward then. Soon, Rose and Emmett came into the picture as well. I saw them hunting animals, so I knew they were vegetarian vampires. They were so happy, so serene. And their eyes! I was shocked to see the warm gold instead of my own glowing crimson. From then on I set out to find them, and along the way became a "vegetarian" myself. I also saw Him of course. My most prominent vision of Him, this struggling angel, was of us both in a diner in Philadelphia. He was lean, yet muscular, with honey colored curls and skin as pale as mine. I searched for the diner for months, until I finally located it on a gritty corner one night. I trudged through the door anxiously, and looked around. I couldn't hear anything but high-school kids laughing loudly, the squeak of a waitress wiping the counter, and the sizzling of a pancake being grilled in the back kitchen. I slid easily onto a red vinyl bar stool and kept my eyes on the door. From then on, I spent all my time there, waiting for him. Weeks passed, and I remained silent as drunken men stared, and their dates glared. Months later, he walked through the door, looking perfectly confused, yet calm. I felt a new pull towards him, different from what had made me look for him. This was so much stronger. That bubbling, golden feeling filled me. A smile formed on my face for the first time in months. I swear, more than a few men were staring as I bounced up from my stool and flew to the door to meet him.
"I've been waiting for a while…" I teased. He sheepishly apologized.
"I'm Sorry Ma'am." He mumbled, hanging his head. His golden curls tumbled into his face, and I giggled. He took my hand, and I skidded out the door, with him in tow. We walked slowly to the back of the diner, where I stopped, and looked at him out of the corner of my eye. His beautiful face was tilted up towards the moon. Its light made his face look even paler then usually, like pearl. His eyes were still tinted crimson, but I would worry about turning him into a vegetarian later. Of course, his most prominent feature was his scars. They were on his neck, dotting his arms. He was a fighter, I remember thinking. They shone in the moonlight, a mark of his past. With a quiet sigh, he turned his face down and looked at me. He tilted his head slightly, and I smiled.
"Who are you?" He asked. Unlike most men, he was not in awe. He sounded extremely calm. I laughed happily.
"Alice," I said. He held out his hand, but I leaped up and hugged him instead. When I bounced back on feet, I continued.
"I have visions. I see you all the time, since I became this." I said, motioning to myself. "I always saw us here, so I found this little diner and waited." I finished simply. Smiling, I turned to the open field before us. After a moment of silence, he, Jasper, spoke.
"I read emotions." He said simply. I glanced at him out of the corner of my eye, nodding. "And change them…" he added. I was suddenly sympathetic. He had to feel people's emotions all the time. If someone had a broken heart, he felt just as sore as they did. He had to feel fear, anger, and sorrow that weren't his own. I tried to be as happy as I could, so he would feel that instead. Squeezing his hand, we took off. I could feel the knee-high grass hitting my knees, but it didn't sting. The mud squished under my feet, but it wasn't cold to me, considering I was quite a few degrees cooler than it. We reached the forest about 20 miles out, and the slanted rays of a full moon's light filtered through the leaves. The beams made us sparkle when we darted through them, but we didn't hide. No one was here to see us. I began laughing, on some kind of happiness-induced high. Jasper seemed to feel my happiness, for he began smiling widely next to me. We ran like this all night, and into the next day. We barely had to stop, except for hunting. Really, we only cared about reaching the Cullens. I told Jasper all about them, and their happy lifestyle. It was my dream to be with them. On our search, we learned about each other. He was adorably shy, and sweet. I found myself telling him all I knew of my history. I was completely at ease with him, and felt as if I knew him after seeing him, searching for him, all the time. It was love at first sight, like nothing I'd ever experienced! I needed him to be by my side, and after I found him, I wondered how I'd ever lived without him. As we ran, both of us trusting my visions to help us find Carlisle, our relationship developed. I remember one of our conversations as clearly as if it had happened yesterday.
"What do you think the point is?" I said randomly as we ran through a small bunch of pines.
"Well, I'm not so sure what you mean." He said in that unnervingly calm voice, looking at me with interest.
"You know," I said, rolling my eyes. "What is the point of living forever, in this half-life? We can never really accomplish anything." He continued looking at me for a moment, then stared at the ground. I could tell he was thinking deeply about it, so I did not disturb him. Eventually, he looked up.
"We can still love." He said, as if it was the most obvious answer in the world. But that just made me adore him more. I stopped running suddenly, a little smile on my face. Jasper continued to speed through the trees, not noticing me halt. A minute later he was back, Hands on my shoulders, shaking me lightly.
"Alice, are you ok? Alice! ALICE!!!" he shouted worriedly. I wanted to tell him I was alright, but I couldn't. I know I am tiny, but really, I am quite tough. I still had that goofy smile on my face, and the same thought kept crossing my mind: We can still love. Love? I was acting like a little kid again, but I didn't care. I had never been in love, but I realized that was what I had right now. I had fallen into it without even thinking. Coming around, I tried to suppress my giggle. He was so frightened, all for me. Biting my lip, I took off.
"I'm fine Jazz!" I called over my shoulder, using his nickname for the first time. He was still standing there, staring at me with a blank expression. "You coming?" I called merrily. The corner of his mouth twitched upward, and he bolted towards me.
"I'm not gonna be left behind." He said solemnly, but I saw a bit of light dancing in his eyes. I smiled, and took off, Jasper close behind. We raced for miles, trying to outdo each other, with ultimately no success.
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It was in 1950 that we found Carlisle. Jazz and I were running at around 100 mph, hand in hand. We were very private, but knew of each others feelings. Unlike some flamboyant couples I know...ahem! Anyways, we were running smoothly through the damp, Washington forest, when a large oak tree came into view. We dodged it easily, remaining hand in hand. Looking away from Jazz's face for a moment, I noticed a pinprick of light in the distance. Several of them actually. They were windows, I quickly realized. Yelping loudly, I jumped, resulting in Jazz and I landing in a tree about 20 yards away and as tall as a four story building.
"Alice…" Jazz said, smiling slightly and shooting me look I had become familiar with during our years of travel.
"Sorry," I squealed, not sorry at all. "I see windows! I see a house! I see The House!" I continued, bouncing on my heels. I knew it was Carlisle's home. I could feel it. Jazz picked up my hand again, jumped off of the branch we were on, and landed hard on the ground. A smile on both of our faces, we ran faster, headed for the house. We stopped abruptly at the front porch, and after taking a deep breath, though it wasn't needed, I squeezed Jazz's hand and danced up the steps. I curled my small fingers into a tight fist, and knocked three times on the huge black door. Jasper put his hand on my shoulder, a subconscious, protective act. Emmett, of all people, opened the door. Jasper's grip tightened on my narrow shoulder as he sized up Emmett's intimidating 6'5" figure. He towered over me by a few feet, taking up most of the doorway. I wasn't surprised, or scared, for that matter. I had seen Emmett hundreds of times in my visions. He was a total goofball, and I knew it. So, while Jasper let out an involuntary growl, I smiled brightly and poked the huge figure square in the chest.
"Hey Emmett! 'Scuse me!" I chirped as I slipped under his thick arm and skipped into the huge living room. Everyone else was there, sitting on a giant white couch, watching me. I waved happily, sliding over to where Carlisle lounged on the chaise.
"Hey Carlisle!" I said, sitting next to him. He smiled slightly, then his eyes darted across the room. In a second, everyone turned away from us, and resumed talking amongst themselves. I glanced over my shoulder, where Jasper appeared a moment later. Smiling, I continued.
"Well, I'm Alice. And this is Jasper." I quipped, motioning over my shoulder. "We came to see you because I saw you in one of my visions. I see the future, so I have been seeing Jazz and I with all of you since I was...changed a few years ago. You all look so happy, and I know you're vegetarians. I am a vegetarian too, and Jazz just started. Ummm," I blurted, knowing Carlisle was skeptical. "And I can prove it!" I screeched, as an idea popped into my mind. Pointing at Rose, I spoke, "That's Rose, and she's a bit conceited, but she really does mean well. That's her mate, Emmett. He acts all tough, but he's really a big teddy bear. Oh, and that is Edward. He reads minds and is the oldest of your 'kids'. Er, you and Esme are together, and you're a doctor. Esme is sweet and generous, and couldn't hurt a fly." I said quickly. Looking back at Carlisle, I waited.
"Well..." he said, and looked like he was about to continue, when Emmett spoke up.
"You are either telling the truth or some very dedicated stalkers." he scoffed, a glint in his eye. I rolled my eyes and turned back to Carlisle.
"Can we stay? I swear we'll be good. I've never killed anyone, and Jazz is very responsible. Right Jazz?" I said, directing my attention to him. He nodded quickly, then stared at Carlisle again. Jazz remained silent, but stared at Carlisle with purpose. Carlisle looked back and forward between us then asked us questions about our past and plans for the future. I simply told him everything. I knew we could trust him. Jazz was trying, I could tell, but he didn't want to talk about his past. He hadn't even told me all of it yet, and I could tell he was uncomfortable saying it to someone he didn't know. After an hour, Carlisle smiled slightly, shaking our hands.
"Of course you can stay!" He said kindly. "We have an extra bedroom upstairs. Edward, can you show them?" Of course, Edward obliged. That very bedroom is the same one I live in now, with Jasper, Rose, Emmett, Carlisle, Esme, Edward, Bella, and now, Renesmee, under the same roof.