Summary: It was a momentous day. The Cullens and the Quileutes had stood together and defeated a newborn army and their creator. The patriarch of the Cullen clan, Doctor Carlisle Cullen, had been permitted an exception to the treaty between the Cullens and Quileutes in order to treat a Quileute who had been hurt. The battle that had raged in the morning gave way to calmer seas in the evening. Each individual focused on what needed to be accomplished in the aftermath including Bella, fiance to Edward Cullen, who went to go visit her best-friend and hurt Quileute, Jacob. This is the story of what might have happened if Bella never made it to Jacob's told from four rotating points of view, first Alice Cullen's, then Edward Cullen's, then Jacob Black's, and lastly Bella Swan's. The first round of povs are a mixture of Eclipse material and new material to bring readers unfamiliar with the details of Eclipse and New Moon into the story while building the plot. The second round of povs wrap up many of the material referenced from cannon while creating the backdrop from which this story will take place. The third round of povs will leave Eclipse behind, and the fourth round completely bringing the reader into this slightly AU. Characters are to cannon as developed in My Family is Odd, my completed alternative to Midnight Sun.
Rating: T for some language and relationship elements.
Formally titled: The Day That Changed Everything
Disclaimer: Obviously I am not Stephanie Meyer. All of the dialogue that comes directly from the book Twilight or her unpublished manuscript Midnight Sun, remains hers. As this seems obvious, I will not have this disclaimer for the rest of the story.
The reference to events in 1950 contained in this chapter are courtesy of Jessica314's story Tale of Years: 1950 here on Fanfiction.
Chapter 1: Alice-Moments That Change Everything
The passage of time holds little meaning. The sun rises; the sun sets. The seasons change. The earth revolves around the sun. These things matter little. What does matter are the moments that occur as time passes and the choices that are made in these moments. Choices really are everything. Every once in a while, though, there are moments that stand outside of time. These types of moments have been pivotal in marking my life irrevocably and reworking my existence substantially. They existed not in a linear sense but in a transformative sense where before and after the event could clearly be delineated. Two of those moments have altered me already.
The first was in regards to meeting my husband, Jasper. The second after my eyes had opened, before I even had a chance to take in my surrounding, a vision of the most incredible creature came to me. He was handsome and charming and looked like he needed to be loved. A desire for this man filled me making finding him my foremost priority. My initial assumption that this vision would be realized immediately turned out to be false. It took twenty-eight years to figure out which town, which diner, which month, which day was the right one for us to meet. Travelling down missteps and detours as the earth continued to move around the sun brought the vision closer to being realized. This gave me a long time to prepare. There was enough time to make sure that every detail was just right.
The second came to me not long after my first vision of Jasper. In front of my eyes was a family, one that was meant to be my family. It felt like coming home, filling me with a sense of brotherly and sisterly love, of being protected and wanted and needed. It took two years after the realization of my first vision for us to find that family who went by the name Cullen. So, even though these moments were pivotal, the visions came enough in advance to prepare me for their arrival.
A third pivotal day had yet to arrive: Bella's change. It first came to me over a year ago on the day that Edward saved her from being crushed by a van. There was no doubt in my mind that despite the fact that the day had yet to materialize, it would substantially alter my world due to how the vision came and its clarity when it first appeared. The exact timing was still unknown though. The first two contained background information from which an approximate year could be deduced. The only aid in the vision of Bella change was that both of us were wearing shirts that were yet to be purchased, but that didn't say much. The style wasn't different than what was in fashion when I had the vision, so it had to be relatively soon. It wasn't much to go on.
Like a sudden gust of wind a forth pivotal moment came. The day it arrived had been a memorial day in its own right. It was the day that for the first time in the history of our family we had stood together and had fought others of our kind sent for our destruction. With my gift of clairvoyance my visions had given us enough time to get ready for the army created to illuminate us, yet had given me no warning for this fourth pivotal moment, which in itself stands out, as much doesn't surprise me. The fact that this fourth pivotal moment came without preamble, even with my gift, cemented an unfortunate truth: there are some things that even I can't see.
Apart from the army, there was nothing that would have indicated the kind of day it became. Perhaps that should have been my first indication fate would intervene in some other way. The war had been won with no casualties on our side. My best friend and soon-to-be sister-in-law, Bella, had just left my home a few hours ago. Although she was eighteen, her father still kept a protective eye over her. Our cover story was that she was having a girly sleepover at my house so that we could go on a shopping trip and enjoy each other's company. With great effort on my part the first night of our supposed sleepover was arranged so that my brother Edward could have the house and Bella to himself. Did that take some work! It wasn't easy to convince my parents, Carlisle and Esme, brother, Emmett, and sister, Rosalie, and then Jasper to leave the house for at least six hours. Edward owed me! It was worth it though, because he had used it as a chance to ask Bella to marry him. Finally! Someone had to push those two lovebirds because for the first time, that night held a good percentage that Bella would say yes.
Since Jazz and I had met and he had learned of my gift he had discouraged me from meddling. Let sleeping dogs lie was his motto. My opinion was on the other side of that pendulum. From my perspective, what was the point of my gift if it wasn't used to nudge things in the right direction? We have agreed to disagree on this topic since the beginning.
Some of my purchases including a new dress and some other items for Bella were made weeks ago as evidence for our supposed shopping trip. Instead of being grateful for my planning she begrudgingly sat in my bathroom allowing me to make her over. Despite my explanations that this was all necessary to make sure her father believed the cover story she wasn't listening. Truly, I would miss being able to beautify Bella up once she stopped being human. Makeup doesn't really work on our skin. Messing with the chemistry to create makeup for me was enjoyable, but watching the change on Bella was a lot more fun. Going online, seeing all the different products and what they were supposed to do, having them delivered, and then seeing what they look like on Bella was my favourite hobby.
Generally, Bella was a good sport about my curiosity and trying things out on her, but today she acted like it was an imposition. She was entirely too distracted and did not appreciate the effort put forth on my part. She seemed to want to talk about everything except what was keeping her attention. To distract herself she asked why my gift worked on her when Edward's didn't. My gift doesn't work like Edward's was my best explanation. She asked me if her becoming a Cullen was still clear. My vision was as solid as she was sure about what she wanted.
In truth, how my visions work isn't a science. My answers were educated guesses based on past experience. The visions of Jasper and I meeting and then us joining the Cullens had a fated quality. They seemed as if they were meant to be. Additionally, the emotional tone in the visions told me that their realization would make me happy. I followed the path the visions showed me never doubting them. To reject the visions of Jasper and the Cullens would have been like rejecting happiness. Thus, my assumption was never tested. Therefore, my answer was the simplified watered down version of the truth, as best as I understood it, and my attempt to be sympathetic.
Last year there was an accident at Bella's birthday party that started with a paper cut and ended with Bella getting stitches. Because of what happened my idiotic brother, Edward, decided that Bella would be better off without us Cullens. If Jasper's needs hadn't consumed me, then perhaps an earlier vision might have gotten to me and forewarned me in enough time to impede Edward's stupidity better. Instead, Jasper and I were in the forest, me attempting to calm him, when an unrequested vision came with Edward walking into the house after dropping Bella at her home and saying darkly to Carlisle, "we're moving." When I came to my beautiful amazing husband stood before me.
"I know you're a mess, Jazz, but Edward's about to come home and demand that we move. Are you up for a table conference?"
He looked at me exasperated irritation and guilt bleeding from him. "Maybe it would have been better if I had bitten Bella. Then she's be changing already," he retorted.
"It would have devastated Edward, created irreparable damage in your relationship with him, and hurt Carlisle and Esme. It would have severely alter the climate of our family for years," I warned him.
It was not the first time we had this discussion. My husband, the strategist originally wanted to intervene and kill Bella. My vision of her as a newborn gave him a second option, although he was weary. He didn't really want to babysit a newborn. Either way a human knowing our secret was too risky from his perspective. After everything that has happened since that first table conference about Bella, I can see his point. Right or wrong Jazz saw that neither Carlisle nor Edward were willing to make the difficult choice. Jazz was willing to take on the burden and he would have if he had been certain that he wouldn't have killed Bella in the process.
The quality and tenor of my vision said that Bella was meant to be one of us, but Edward didn't agree. His insistence on fighting his own happiness was irritating. In every possibility that my visions permitted me to see it was for the best if we waited till Edward came round to the idea. The vision of Bella as one of us was a sure thing. It was bound to happen eventually. They were mated after all. But Edward seemed to insist time and time again on doing things in the most difficult way possible.
"You're right, June bug," Jazz sighed heavily.
His answer had always been the same. He leaned in and took in my scent to help ground him. I was asking a lot of him. Edward's severe mood swings, not to mention bloodlust, had been very difficult on my husband and his usual patience was worn thin. It didn't help that he had been primarily responsible for Bella's injuries. Despite that, Edward had easily forgiven him and taken the responsibility. Which had caused Jasper to felt guilty about because he knew, even before Edward opened his mouth, what Edward's response would be. Anything about Bella caused Edward to feel responsible and guilty. Guilt upon guilt wasn't good and Jazz hadn't had the time to work through it all.
"I wish I didn't have to ask this of you, Jazz, but there's no chance Edward gets talked out of it if we're not there. If we go, we stand a slim chance."
"Would it be best if we just let Bella be?" he asked doubtfully, but needing to confirm all options.
"Not for Edward."
He nodded already knowing that, but needing the confirmation. He grabbed my arms, looked deep into my eyes, and pulled on my concern, love, and urgency. It created a momentarily void where I felt apathetic, but that often happened when he drew on me like that. It was the least I could give him. As soon as he had enough to make those emotions primary he started running with me right behind him. We walked in just as Edward made his declarative statement.
"No! We can't, Edward!" If Jasper hadn't taken so much of my emotional fervency, I would have run into him and pounded on his chest. Don't you dare ruin our lives, Edward.
"You don't get a say, Alice." His tone was menacing.
Jasper growled at Edward.
Rosalie and Emmett showed up and stood between Edward and me each warning us to stand down.
"Enough!" Carlisle commanded as he came into the space. "We will discuss this like Cullens. Table. Now."
We all filed in and took our regular seats except Jazz. He stood behind me with his hands on my shoulders pinning me to my chair.
Carlisle looked at Edward his face full of concern and compassion.
Edward began. "After tonight it is obvious that Bella is in danger simply due to her proximity to our family and would be better off without us." He sounded cold and detached as if all the warmth he had over the last eight month had been pulled from him. He looked at Jasper. "This is no one's fault but my own. We cannot help who we are, our very natures. I was the one, out of my own selfishness and weakness that disregarded the obvious signs and put us all in danger. I realized tonight what I fool I have been." He looked at each of us briefly. When he caught my eyes I stared back. His look reminded me of prior instances when he had made up his mind to do something callously stupid. Neither ended well. "I apologise to each of you."
Rosalie had a look like, I told you so. She sat with her arms crossed haughty, but there was something else there. Relief, maybe? Jasper would tell me later.
Emmett looked confused.
Esme looked heart-broken.
Carlisle looked conflicted.
Jazz was frustrated.
"You're wrong, Edward," I vehemently argued as if we were the only two in the room. "She is meant to be in our world. She is meant to be with you. She is your mate. It's just your idiotic refusal to turn her despite her asking that is getting in the way," I lamented my big sister tone apparent.
Carlisle, Esme, Rosalie, and Emmett all took in a collective breath. It wasn't like me to divulge what my gift showed me. They also seemed shocked at the content of the revelation.
Carlisle was contemplative.
Esme suddenly had a peaceful and knowing look to her.
Emmett seemed pleased at the idea.
And Rosalie looked appalled.
"Is that true?" Carlisle asked Edward with a stunned tone.
"Yes," Edward sighed distressed. "She sees me as a type of hero and our life a fairy tale. Despite my greatest attempts and even James, nothing had changed her view since I saved her from the van. She is young and naïve. Her view is distorted. She treated Jasper lunging at her as expected behaviour. Honestly, when she told me that what we are doesn't matter to her I've considered having her evaluated."
"Don't. You. Dare." I growled through my teeth. Jasper held me down and kept me from lunging at my brother. "You do not get to take her acceptance of us and twist it. Have you ever stopped being so ego-centric enough to consider that her reactions might be evidence that she's meant to be in our world?" I was seething.
"He might have a point, Alice," Rosalie added. "No one sane would consciously choose to give up their humanity for our thirst. No matter her feelings now, given time she's bound to regret what she will lose."
I shook my head feeling Jazz sending me courage while soothing my rage just the slightest bits.
"Rose, Bella is not you." Turning and facing Edward I continued, "Edward, you are taking what is incredible about Bella and twisting it because of your own self-hatred. Not everyone sees the world as you do. Stop being so self-righteous and try to see the world from a vantage point that is not your own." Jazz has given the right antidote so that my sisterly tone returned.
My conviction about this type of matters was standard, but usually Edward and I had these arguments silently.
Esme, Rosalie, and Emmett stared at me briefly.
Emmett shook his head as if my tone amused him.
Rosalie had a smug look on her face. She probably was pleased to hear me voice my opinions regarding Edward's decision out loud. At the same time there was anger and perhaps resentment in her eyes, but those were from her own issues.
Esme had a far away look.
Carlisle looked like he was in pain. He had looked similar in my visions when Edward had left him and Esme.
"We spoke and she acknowledged the risk of our proximity to her life. She is well aware that she cannot stay near us and remain human. It would be against what we stand for to condemn her to this life or death simply because we enjoy her company," Edward growled menacingly at me.
Carlisle snapped out of his musings and gave Edward a warning look.
Without doubt Jazz had pulled back his lips and bared his teeth.
"Bella is human. She will be sad at first, but she will move on with her life. This is what is best for her and for us." Edward sounded persuasive as if this solved everything, but underneath the words there was that empty tone that meant he was trying to force himself to do something his heart didn't want to do.
"You're wrong."
Searching the future to prove him wrong a vision of her comatose filled my mind.
"Stop it," he growled.
"I won't. She is your mate, Edward," saying his name through clenched teeth. How many times now in your life have you made this type of ridiculous over reactive decision? How many have worked? I showed him the vision from decades ago when he had hunted scum. None, Edward. I had to save you from yourself the last time. Don't do this. I threw at him the images from 1950 when he had decided to try to starve himself.
Carlisle looked at Jasper questioningly.
Jazz pulled on my determination and strength slightly. "She loves him as strongly as I have felt between any mates. Her love is more constant than his, actually. Despite her being human, it is absolute," Jazz answered flatly. He sounded like he was giving a military movement report to his superior.
Edward balked. "That's not possible," he stated emphatically and dubiously. He shook his head back and forth. He was skilled at ignoring evidence he didn't want to see.
Showing him the consequences of his choice had worked before. I didn't know how to reach him through the walls he had erected this time.
"You are an emotional wreck. You have fought every inch of the way to accept her. She has asked to be turned just so she can be with you," Jasper pointed out.
No one was surprised that Jazz knew this. Between his gift and us being mates there was little that escaped us. The family had learned long ago that if one of us knew something it was almost guaranteed that the other did as well. Jasper was seething. Much of the emotional toll Edward had forced upon Jazz bubbled to the surface. We would have to be careful. Jazz hadn't been well collected before we had run here. Visions had shown me the devastation Jazz's gift could inflict if not contained.
"Yes, she accepts us and that's remarkable. We enjoy having a human being near without fear, but she is young and has no idea the true risks she is taking or the costs she claims she's willing to pay," Edward spat.
Sadness became Jazz's primary emotion. No doubt he was remembering the thousands of newborns he had watched Maria turn only to have to kill them after a year.
"No, she doesn't," Jasper said grievously, then his emotional temperature changed to determination. "But unlike you I don't see our existence as a curse. I am grateful to be what I am because that means I have an unlimited amount of time with Alice. I would do anything to keep that. Anything. And you are a fool to throw it away. Not to mention that according to the law we will be held accountable for her. She became our responsibility, whether you like it or not, when you saved her." By the end he was barely containing his anger.
Despite the emotions coming from Jazz, his words had calmed and encouraged me. My adoration of this man reached no bounds. I sent him all the emotions that his words had conjured for me. His hands tightly slightly in response and then release me slightly. He felt calmer.
"Edward's right. She doesn't belong. With her track record she'll die soon anyway and then the risk will be eliminated," Rosalie interjected.
Edward snarled, but no one disagreed. She was a magnet to danger.
"Until she dies us leaving is against the law," Jazz pointed out.
"Jacob told her, not us. We did not break the law," Edward argued.
Jazz completely disagreed as was obvious from the look on his face and the emotions seeping out of him, but he said nothing.
I searched out Edward's plan. He intended on never returning.
"It won't work, Edward. You won't be able to stay away."
"I will," he roared as if he defending his life. His eyes looked momentarily crazed. He closed his eyelids quickly and when he opened them he turned towards Carlisle.
"None of us are willing to change her. In the eight months since she came into my life Peter and Charlotte happen to visit, the most horrific vampire our family has ever met visited us, not to mention all the times I almost killed her. She attracts trouble and the best solution is to remove ourselves so that she can be safe."
"Like from Lonnie? Without you she would have been raped, maybe killed. Without you she would have died from the van. She's alive because of you and what you are," I threw in his face.
"Yes, I saved her so that she could have a human life not be killed by our world because I couldn't walk away."
"So change her," I commanded.
"No. She isn't meant for this existence. She didn't come to us at death's door. She has the right to her human life, to grow, to change, to have children. And if we stay we might as well sign her death certificate ourselves. We would be taking all that away from her. I love her too much to do that to her."
"Are you sure, Edward?" Carlisle asked looking hesitant.
Carlisle watched Edward carefully.
"Yes," Edward answered through gritted teeth his features neutral.
Turning to Carlisle I implored him. "It won't work. It will only cause Bella and this family unnecessary suffering."
"We only know that the mate bond is between two vampires. Bella is human," Carlisle stated as if that closed the conversation, but there was doubt in his voice. There was also an almost imperceptible shaking of his head as if he was trying to dislodge a thought.
Jazz's irritation rose.
Staring at Carlisle hard I said through my teeth Jazz's irritation fuelling my own, "It doesn't matter that she's human. They are already mated."
"Shouldn't Bella get a say?" Esme whispered as if she was talking to Carlisle alone.
Carlisle turned to her with a pained look examining her expression. Something passed between them, but neither said anything more.
"She is a young human. We know how much young humans change in only a few years. She will probably be initially upset, but she will look back and be grateful that we spared her the pain we would bring her if we stayed. I'm begging you, each of you, please." He looked each of us in the eyes imploring us. His tone was desperate. "Leaving is for the best, for Bella and us. We know she won't tell our secret, there will be no more chances for exposure, and no more covering for her injuries. She will move on and have her human life." As he went on he spoke more quietly, but with pain and urgency in his voice.
"You're wrong, Edward," I said as equally quietly but with steel in my tone staring at him beseeching him throwing at him all the visions and thoughts that might help.
Edward turned to Carlisle. "We need to make the noble choice. I apologize that I wasn't able to do that before tonight. But I can now. Let things take their natural course. We cannot play God and I was wrong to covet her. I need to make amends for my poor actions and let her go. I can be noble for her sake. Bella will get to have the life she deserves. She might be reluctant to let us go at first, but even she is aware that in the long run what we had wasn't meant to last."
"He's wrong, Carlisle, on every count. He's absolutely wrong," I voiced without doubt.
Carlisle struggled. This was the worst part of Edward's telepathy. His arguments had the potential to speak to the core of who we were and he knew Carlisle before us all. Carlisle's features contained some element unknown to me. He grew solemn.
Carlisle turned back to Edward searching and pleading.
"Leave," Edward stated coldly and emphatically.
Then Carlisle looked at Rosalie. "Leave." There was no doubt there.
Emmett looked at me, and then Edward. His frowned as he eyed his bother. "Leave," Emmett said softly and sadly.
"Stay," was Jasper's vote. His tone conveyed his own conflict. Certainly leaving decreased our risk, but Jazz would do nothing that could bring me pain.
I sent him all the love and adoration flowing through me in that moment. There was no one better than him.
"Stay," was mine my voice hard as granite.
"Stay," Esme said with a firmness and certainty that she rarely exhibited.
Carlisle looked at his wife and then at Edward. The firm determination and pleading was evident in Edward's eyes. Carlisle looked back at Esme and she looked down.
"I appreciate your concern about the law, Jasper, but as we were not the ones to tell her, we would not be held to the level of responsibility that you are implying. Edward, despite his show of strength and speed, did not inform her of our nature nor give her anything that would lead her to the conclusion of what we are without the Quiluetes."
"The Volturi are not as magnanimous as you would like to believe," Jazz argued knowing it would fall on deaf ears. Carlisle and him had disagreed on the nature of the Volturi since the beginning.
"Leave," Carlisle finally stated as if the sound would break us all.
A fissure happened at that moment. Carlisle had gone against Esme's vote. We could not be Cullens without Carlisle and Esme.
"And we all stay away," Edward added. "No looking." He bored holes at me.
Carlisle nodded heavily and then looked at me.
I glared at Edward refusing to budge.
"Alice, please," Carlisle begged softly.
Carlisle had never steered us wrong before. He always saw all the pieces and did what was best for the whole doubting that wouldn't be helpful. There was something significant happening between Esme, Carlisle, and Edward that was unclear to me. Whatever it was, I refused to be the cause of unhappiness between our coven leader and his mate. Not for Edward sake, but for Carlisle's I reluctantly agreed.
"Fine." It would do little good. "But it won't work. Her becoming one of us is as strong as ever." I threw the image at Edward. "Our decision here hasn't changed it. You're wrong and you're both fools," I declared looking at Edward and then Carlisle.
For the first time since Jazz and I had joined the Cullens doubt that Carlisle was making the right choice for us crept in. Getting up and leaving the table fuming with Jazz close behind I worked on getting hold of my emotions. Any strong negative emotions wouldn't be helpful to Jazz. He had sacrificed enough for me tonight.
Edward was convinced that he could thwart my visions. It wasn't that he just didn't trust them. He was, in fact, in direct apposition to them, like an idiot. His certainty, despite what was said, that Bella didn't feel as strongly for him as he did for her overruled reason. She was only human after all, he had argued, yet his desire to keep her human in the same breath only demonstrated the fallacy of his reasoning. He couldn't have it both ways. And when it comes to Edward, Carlisle was blind and too pliable.
None of it altered Bella becoming one of us. Edward's request was all for naught. Bella becoming one of us was the kind of visions that didn't change. Jasper and I in the diner hadn't changed all those years waiting for my Jazz; they hadn't changed while the Cullen family changed through the years. Nothing had changed them. It was as pointless to fight them, as it was my weather forecasts. There are some things in this world that just are. Maybe that was what I should have said when Bella asked what my visions told me about her future. Instead I had wanted to give her a sense that it was her choice rather than her believing that she was a victim of circumstance. My intention was to give her a positive framework in which to face the future. Most creatures live their lives better if they believe that they have some power in what comes next.
After six long torturous months after we left Forks, a vision came of Bella jumping from a cliff. Its tenor told me that it came almost simultaneously while it was happening. Seeing Bella jump and her fading to black shook me to my core. Was fate intervening on behalf of my brother's stupidity and ending the possibility of Bella becoming like us? Had he succeeded in the worst possible way, through Bella's death, to thwart my vision? I was beside myself. Jasper, of course, knew as soon as it came my necessity in finding out for what happened. My devoted husband trusted me to go while he stayed to explain when Carlisle returned from hunting why I had defied the family's decision.
Later Jasper explained that he had let me go because he trusted my visions as much as he trusted me. And if my trust in my visions was shaken, then we were both in trouble. He was right. Not being able to trust my visions was like saying my left thumb couldn't be trusted. I went expecting to comfort Bella's father, who I've always liked, and to check on the slightest chance that my vision was wrong, even though those kinds have never been wrong before. To my great relief, both visions were right in their own way. Bella had jumped, but was not dead. Jacob, who I met for the first time, had brought her out of the water; therefore the vision of her becoming like us was not thwarted.
My visions had been right, but of course Edward had to attempt to thwart the future in his own way. His misinformed belief that Bella was dead led to his near-death experience in Italy. It was only after we barely escaped alive that he decided that he was an idiot and staying away from Bella was a bad idea. He realized that he was wrong, Bella did feel as strongly for him as he did for her, and neither he nor she functioned well in this world without the other. As Edward, Bella and I had flown back from Italy "I told you so," had been on the tip of my tongue and thoughts.
I wished Carlisle had refused Edward, but, generally, Carlisle prefers to side with the wishes of the individual as long as it doesn't contradict the needs of the family. In this case Carlisle was wrong. Wrong about the impact to the family and wrong about letting Edward get his way. But then my misinterpretation of my vision and a misplaced phone call by Rosalie had led to Edward's little stunt. If Carlisle held blame, so did I. Letting it go completely, it was a lesson learned in the reliability of my visions.
It seemed that what Carlisle had learned from the experience had changed him because when my ingenious best-friend Bella got back to Forks, she insisted on having a vote on becoming like us instead of leaving it all to Edward, and Carlisle did what he should have done in the first place. He opposed Edward's ridiculous plans of self-destruction and offered to change Bella himself.
Probably Carlisle had originally declined because he was afraid that his opposition of Edward would cause Edward to run away, and he would lose his son forever. But he had discounted the fact that Bella held Edward in place. He was incapable of being without her. It irritated me that Carlisle had doubted Bella's bond to Edward in the first place. Jasper claimed it was because Carlisle and Edward think too much. Before Bella's cliff jump doubt in my vision had been inconceivable. Consequently, I was incapable of holding Carlisle's doubt against him and my faith in him was restored.
They say that alls well that ends well. Since Edward and Bella got engaged over the weekend, it ended well enough. Life would keep pushing them towards my vision despite both of their individual antics and combined pigheadedness. Despite the lessons Edward should have learned by now, he continued to try to thwart my attempts at making his life easier in the long run. Like having a wedding. They had, according to a vision, decided to run away to Vegas. Edward and I spent Saturday morning having one of our silent arguments. Edward wasn't budging, so I tried guilt-tripping Bella. That seemed to work a bit better. Why they didn't appreciate my efforts was beyond me.
However, all decisions have consequences. The consequences for Edward leaving Bella were a doosy. Bella's father is the best friend of the local tribal chief, Billy Black, whose son Jacob is a werewolf and two years Bella's junior. Well, when Edward forced the family to leave Bella was distraught and in her grief she leaned on Jacob as comfort. This seemingly created a strong friendship and bond between them. What a mess!
During the fight Jacob went and got himself hurt. Thus, Bella was distracted and did not appreciate the time and thought put into our girl time. She had wanted to run straight to Jacob's. That was unwise requiring me to remind her that she was soon to be a Cullen, and us Cullens were nothing but meticulously responsible. Thus, she needed to go home to her father Charlie and make sure everything was copasetic before heading over to Jacob's.
After Bella left, my husband and I spent some quality time together. We were in our post-coitus mood talking over the last few days, me telling him that Bella was almost certainly going to let me plan her wedding, him assessing the new fighting skills of our family and some new training techniques he wanted to teach us. My husband, always the strategist. You can take the uniform off, but well … Observing him has taught me how to better coordinate thing to produce the best outcome based on possible decisions. Anyway, we were like that, sharing, talking, catching up, kissing when one of the didn't ask, didn't search, but just took me over and came to me visions appeared.
Jazz is the perfect medicine for me. He knows that to do when one of those kinds of visions hit me. He holds me, keeps me safe, and waits for me to come out of it. He rubs my back and tells me that he's there with me. With Jasper gift he can feel the emotional tenor of the vision in the midst of it showing itself to me. Consequently, he knows what the tone of the vision is. He also uses his gift to absorb my emotions so they aren't so overwhelming and to direct emotions towards me that might help calm me. That also helps quite a bit.
This vision transports me to a road at night. A truck is moving toward me fairly rapidly as it travels down the road. It's not a large hauling truck, or even the kind like Emmett's Jeep that are designed for off-roading. No, it's more like a regular flatbed truck. It's hard to see exactly what kind of truck because the headlights are on full beam and are staring right at me. The amount to light overshadows everything else. The truck is loud. The engine has a deep throaty sound with a strong clunking sound that repeats every 11.32 seconds.
Faintly in comparison to the truck, there is a distinctly different sound nearby and to my left. My brain easily supplies the information that it is the sound of hooves on twigs and ferns and gentle chewing. Then there is no chewing. Soon the sound of hooves touching the ground grows louder at an increasing rate. The scent is familiar.
Just as the lights are about to barrel down into me a buck jumps from my left onto the hood of the truck. The momentum of the truck colliding with the deer breaks the deer's legs and sends the deer into the windshield. The glass breaks into so many fragments I can't count them all fast enough. Time seems to slow down as the body of the deer along with the glass hits the driver pushing the driver's head into the back of the truck. The sound of the deer yelping and the glass shattering was bad enough, but then there is the sound of a head hitting metal. It sounds like eggs being cracked. Fear overcomes me as my brain quickly supplies what that sound means and cracked a human brain is never good. The impact must have been severe to the driver because the truck moves to my left as if by its own accord passing me colliding into a tree where it stops moving even though the engine is still running. The scent of blood touches on my tongue causing me to force my body to freeze in place. The lights are no longer blaring at me and the blood is familiar. Before my brain can supply the information, I quiver intuitively knowing who the driver is. It is Bella. Bella cracked her egg.
Without warning I am wretched into another vision. Bella is on the ground again covered in glass. No, not glass my brain quickly registers; it's crystal. This is Bella's eighteenth birthday party. The birthday that Bella insisted she not celebrate. Her arm is bleeding profusely. There is so much wasted blood. Edward is in a crouch as desperate to drink it as he is from stopping anyone else from getting near her. Emmett and Rosalie just forced Jasper out the door. And Esme is close behind. My desire to stay with Bella is strong, yet Jasper needs me. Carlisle touches Edward, reassures him, and Edward lets him pass. Then Carlisle asks me to get his medical bag. After completing his request, we convince Edward to help Jasper. I want to stay, but I can't anymore. The scent of the blood is becoming too much and lunging at my best friend would be a bad idea. This leaves just Carlisle with her. Everything will be okay. Bella will become one of us. But I couldn't I couldn't help wonder if the party was such a good idea after all.
I am torn away and am with Bella. She is still on the ground but there's no crystal instead it's glass again only this time it's mirrored glass. Her leg is broken, her head is bleeding profusely, and there is a wound on her wrist. The blood is just dripping out of her begging to be drunk. She is screaming at Edward to stop the fire. Carlisle is attempting to stop the bleeding from her head. I stand there trying to figure out how to help make Bella better. Jasper and Emmett are nearby, but in the background. Bella is not going to die. We saved her, but she doesn't look good.
Then I am transported to a hospital. Bella is in a bed wrapped up in plaster and bandages. She doesn't smell like Bella. Something is off about her. Looking over at Edward he nods at me and at my prodding goes to find Carlisle as I promise to stay beside her. Feeling unsure of what to do, of how to make things better, and powerless, because even though we stopped the vision where she died, I can't shake the sense that I didn't do enough to protect my best friend.
I'm pulled to a different hospital. Bella doesn't look so hurt. She looks pissed. Some other boy from our high school class, Tyler, is brought in next to her. Edward walks in and Bella tries to burn him with her eyes. He laughs at her reaction to him.
Then I'm back in the high school parking lot. We just arrived at school. A vision of a van skidding on the ice and hitting another student distracts me. We need to get out of there before blood is spilled. Jazz can't fail again. He had made too much progress. Before any words are spoken Edward had sprinted across the parking lot and saved the student. Now we have a different problem.
I am suddenly sitting in class. It must be fifth period. A vision of Edward killing a room full of students and drinking from one of them overwhelms me. I excuse myself from class and run towards Edward hoping I will get there in time to stop him. The smell of blood is yet in the air. Maybe there's enough time. Before arriving to Edward another vision of Edward killing a room full of students invades my mind, then another, then another, and then another. They come so fast. Then in another vision he's not in the classroom. Instead he's luring the girl into another room where he drinks from her. The bell rings. I walk towards his classroom knowing that I will arrive too late to stop him. I hope to at least follow his scent and help cover our tracks. There's no scent of fresh blood, but Edward is a neat hunter. His scent leaves the building. We'll have to move. After the last bell Edward is at our car, but the evidence isn't there in his eyes. He didn't kill her after all. I was wrong.
Then, as if my mind had been unceremoniously dropped into my body, I felt disorientated. Opening my eyes I found Jasper staring into them.
"That must have been a bad one June bug."
Those were the exact words needed to soothe me. Nodding I pressed myself into his chest, took in his scent, grounded myself in his essence and then deciphered the vision.
The last one was a memory of the first time Edward caught Bella's scent.
The one before was when he saved her from the van.
The one before was Bella in hospital after the van episode.
The one before was her recovering from James' attack.
The one before was when James attacked her.
The one before was the accident that caused Edward to leave Bella.
The first was new. It was like the one of Bella cliff jumping. That means that it was in motion or just about to happen. Oh no!
While jumping out of bed, as quickly as possible, I explained to Jasper about the first part of the vision. There was a distinct possibility that my words didn't make sense. Ordering him to call Carlisle and Edward who are still at hospital, I called Billy Black.
As soon as the phone connected I started speaking. "Billy, this is Alice, Carlisle's daughter. I'm worried about Bella. Well, maybe, probably already, worried she might get into an accident. I'm not sure the timing actually. On the road to your house and there are lots of deer. Would you please send Sam or someone else nearby? We're on our way, but time is of the essence and it'll take us a few minutes."
I hang up before he had the chance to answer. At the same time, I threw on clothes and bolted as fast as possible towards Bella.
My brain barely registered that Jasper told Esme as he moves to the garage, "Bella's been in an accident, please go find Rosalie and Emmett in case we need to change her and bring her to the house."
They had gone off after the battle to hunt and play in the forests and had yet to come back. Esme had returned to the house with Bella and I keeping herself busy tending to Bella's human needs and doing her projects.
Jasper drove past me in Edward's Volvo only slowing down slightly in order to pick me up. Once the door closed he sped towards the route Bella would most likely of taken. A second later he handed me shoes. I slipped them on while focusing on the gratitude I feel for this small consideration. Jasper spent the short drive trying to calm me so that he might understand me better. I was desperate to look ahead to see if Bella would be all right, but my fear was preventing me. All that was in front of my eyes was her cracked skull.
Bella's truck was exactly where the vision said it would be. Everything matched. By the time we get there Sam had already found her and ripped the door off.
"Get in," I yelled while I opened the back passenger door.
Jasper had manoeuvred the car so it was closest to Sam and Bella.
Sam hesitated, but must have decided that our car would be faster than running and slid her in. It was obvious that he wasn't going to get in with us. Despite fighting together he still didn't trust us completely. There was enough trust to give us Bella, but no more.
"Thanks," I yelled as we sped away. Looking over at my husband who was holding his breath and trying desperately to maintain control I asked, "You going to be okay, Jazz?"
We really couldn't have a repeat of Bella's birthday party. Luckily there was only his bloodlust and my own for him to manage.
He didn't dare speak and simply nodded slowly.
Him having a bleeding human in the car and maintaining control gave me pride. I focused on my positive peaceful emotions as well as courage, pride, and love.
"Alice," Jazz said warningly about halfway to the hospital letting me know that his control was reaching its limits. We didn't have much time left.
Just then Carlisle's car was in view.
Pull over, I commanded Edward.
"Jazz, please drive Carlisle's car. I'll meet you in the hospital garage." He nodded gratefully and sprinted into the driver's seat while Edward and Carlisle came to me. Fortunately we were on a stretch of the road where there would be no witnesses for our inhuman behaviour. Jasper's face filled with relief as he got into Carlisle's car.
"Edward, up front," I insisted.
He went to object, but must have changed his mind because he slid into the driver's seat.
Carlisle got into the back with his medical bag and started working on Bella.
As Edward drove the three of us debated what to do about Bella. Carlisle believed her to be stable, I didn't want to take the risk and suggested we change her, and there were our neighbouring wolves to consider. Edward seemed torn, but ultimately chose to stick with their plan of getting married and going away to college before changing Bella. This was what Edward wanted, but what Edward wants isn't always for the best. Unfortunately, I was not yet calm enough to be able to search the future and a decision was needed.
Carlisle took out his phone and called the hospital explaining the emergency, so that when Edward pulled up to the front door 2.6 minutes later they were ready to take her. Almost certainly I had never seen Edward drive faster.
As they walked away from the car, Carlisle gave instructions to the staff. Lots of test by the sound of it. And just like that no one was in the car beside myself. Unscrupulously responsible was what it meant to be a Cullen. Needing to appear human in this settling, I got in the driver's seat, went round to the garage to find Jazz, parked the car, and bounded towards him at a human pace. He enveloped me in a feeling of tranquillity. In response, I jumped up and wrapped my legs around his waist kissing him strongly and passionately needing to reconnect to reality. When my gift pulled at me past, present, and future became muddled. It made moments, these moments even more precious. This wasn't a vision. It wasn't the future. It wasn't a could have been. It was real.
"Shhh June bug. You're okay. I've got you," my major reassured me, yet he did not siphon off any of my anger. "Want to talk about it?" he asked softly into my ear.
"He should have changed her. The wolf wouldn't have given her to us if changing her would have caused a war." My tone was desperate and full of my fears.
Jazz tilted his head as if to ask why Edward hadn't changed her.
"Because of his backward human ideas. He's trying to keep her human as long as possible."
"Still?" he asked with an exasperation like will he never learn.
"Once again he's letting his ideas trump and Carlisle's agreeing," I complained.
"What is ahead?"
"I haven't been calm enough to look yet," I admitted.
"May I help?"
I nodded as I stared into the eyes that righted the world and made his words true while he gave me the calmness he had and I told him, "You did real well Jazz. I'm proud of you."
"Well, shucks, thanks, ma'am," he responded in his thick Texas southern drawl teasingly.
I stared into his eyes some more. "Let's go home. You drive. I'll text Edward and let him know. You okay in the Volvo?"
"I'd rather not chance it," he answered.
"You did great." Kissing him I went back to the Volvo placing the keys in the centre consol and then pulled out my phone while we walked back to the Mercedes.
Too much excitement for J. Left the Volvo. Key in centre consol. Heading home. Call if you need anything.
Jazz's hand was in mine while he drove us home with the other. We sat together in silence expressing ourselves through our emotional temperature. When Jazz was more settled and the atmosphere was calm enough I steadied myself and looked into the future.
Purposefully looking has always been a tricky business because the future is made up of thousands upon thousands of decisions. In the beginning when I looked in this way my mind had been flooded with too many possibilities. Learning how to sort and narrow had been gruelling. It was such a reflex now that perhaps even Edward might not see the sorting process. Searching for the future where Bella woke up told me that there was a good chance of that happening. There were some flashes of a man in a doctor's coat that didn't make sense, but in one he was at the end of Bella's bed writing notes, so I assumed he would be her primary doctor. I checked the farther future and Bella as a newborn was still there. Relief filled me. She would wake up. Now the present just needed to catch up to the vision.
A/N: I want to state from the beginning that this story would not be possible without the encouragement and mentorship of Jessica314. I am also appreciative to Haemophilus Leona for talking through character development with me, kiwihipp's unending feedback and support through My Family is Odd, which helped strengthen this story, EdwardsMate4ever for her continuous support through My Family is Odd, and Pixiestick-cc's writing critics which helped me find a way to speak from four different voices. No writer is an island. I am grateful to have found such incredible writers and fans. I hope you enjoy this story.