-----
"Jasper, I can't go down there! It's too dark!"
"Alice, you must...you need to."
"No, Jasper, please don't make me!" Darkness creeped in around her as his face distorted, twisted into a malicious, evil grin. His hands gripped her arms and he leaned in as if to kiss her.
"Down the rabbit hole, Alice..." With a dark laugh he pushed her, sent her spiraling down into the deepening abyss, her screams echoing...
Her own scream coming from deep inside of her brought her trembling from the vision.
"No..." It came out in a mere whisper, but caused several members of the Cullen family to come running. Emmett was beside her in half the time it took to blink, holding her tight. "Alice, what did you see? Are you all right? Alice, say something."
She clung to him, her tiny frame enveloped by his arms. She opened her mouth, intending to tell them what she saw, but nothing came out. She shook her head vigorously, then tried again. "Jasper," was all she could choke out. As she mumbled this single word, he pushed past Carlisle, Rosalie and Edward, her fear and pain roaring through him.
"Alice!" He reached out towards her, sending a wave of concern in her direction. She watched him for a moment, then let out a feral snarl, her ebony eyes glinting. She attempted to lunge at him, kicking and clawing at Emmett's arms, but he held fast.
"What the hell?" Carlisle grabbed her legs, holding her still as Jasper tried to calm her. She stopped abruptly, staring him down. She moved Emmett's arms aside, stepping past Carlisle towards Jasper, who was now standing against the back wall of the room.
"You pushed me...you made me go down there. I begged you not to, but you made me!"
He shook his head uncomprehendingly. "Alice, I didn't make you do anything. I never would. I don't know what you're talking about."
"Alice," Edward stepped forward. He concentrated fiercely on her, searching for her vision in her mind. He recoiled slightly as he watched what she had seen. "Jesus Christ..."
They all turned to look at him, except Alice, who was still focused solely on Jasper.
"I saw it...but it must have been a mistake." He quickly explained the vision to the others, their expressions solemn.
"It had to have been a mistake...I would never hurt her! I love her!" Jasper sunk to the floor in front of an unseeing Alice, her eyes cloudy and distant, trancelike. Carlisle knelt beside him, his hand on his shoulder.
"I know you would never hurt her...but something isn't right. Alice is never wrong. She may misinterpret sometimes, but that was pretty straightforward. We'll figure this out. For now, get Alice to her room." Jasper nodded and did as he was told, scooping her up in his arms and carrying her to his room. She let herself be moved easily, but her gaze remained empty. She looked like a doll, glassy-eyed and expressionless.
"What was down there that frightened you so much, little one? What have I done to you?" Jasper murmured softly, laying with her on their bed, resting her head on his chest. He rubbed her back, humming. She blinked a few times and looked up at him. He could feel the remnants of fear clinging to her.
"Jasper?" She seemed unsure of herself and her surroundings, clearly disoriented. He held her tight, her small body fitting perfectly against his.
"Yes Alice?"
"What happened?"
"Truth be told, I'm not entirely sure myself. You..." He trailed off, unable to explain the episode that had just taken place. "I don't know. But something happened inside of you and you cracked." She nodded ever so slightly, as if she understood what he was trying to convey. She was still shaking, her little fists gripping his shirt collar. She touched his chest, sensing for a sign that it was alright, that she was safe. He felt her need, tilting her chin up to him and kissing her softly. She kissed him back desperately, losing herself in him, trying to forget the horrible images that plagued her thoughts. The look in his eyes haunted her, the disturbing sensation of falling into that endless black causing her granite skin to tingle. She couldn't bring herself to believe that it was true, that her vision had truly shown him doing such a wretched thing. There was a light tap on the door, and Edward entered as they broke their kiss.
"Alice? Are you alright?" She nodded again, afraid to open her mouth lest the pain flooding her inside give itself life through sound. "We'll fix this...paths change. You only see possibilities.
"I know," she attempted to say, but instead an unearthly cry of pure, utter anguish ripped from her, sending both men reeling.
"A-Alice..." Jasper stuttered, clearly undone by this raw display of emotion that he had unintentionally felt himself. The three of them sat there in silence for a few moments, as Alice, stunned by what she hadn't known she was capable of feeling, tried to gain control of herself again.
"Jasper, Carlisle wanted to speak with you..." Edward mumbled. Jasper rose to leave, and Edward rose with him.
"No!" Alice shrieked, latching onto Jasper's arm. "Don't leave me alone!" Darkness throbbed around her, she could feel it closing in, tightening its grip on her, choking her. She swayed precariously, feeling more human now than she ever had in her previous life.
"Alice, I promise, I'll be right back..." Jasper rubbed her arm, trying once again to calm her. She nodded, biting her lip, choking back another cry. The boys left, heading to Carlisle's study.
"Sit," he said as they entered. They both did so. "I think what Alice saw may have some connection to her past, or at least her reaction does...I haven't quite figured that connection out yet t hough." He grimaced, leaning against his desk. "I'm honestly not sure what must be done now...we have never delt with this sort of incident."
"You mean the possibility that we might actually hurt one another?" Jasper glowered, hunched over himself in a defensive manner, self-hatred and fear, among other emotions,
rolling off of him in crushing waves.
"Jasper," Edward snappped. "Quit it. You're making us all upset." Jasper bowed his head, reigning himself in. Edward looked back at Carlisle, his brow furrowed. "I honestly don't believe that it could have been him...it's not in him to harm her. At least, not that his thoughts reveal." Carlisle nodded in agreement. "It doesn't make sense..."
-----
Alice lay curled tight on her bed, her arms locked around her knees. The vision replayed over and over in her mind's eye.
"Down the rabbit hole, Alice." A hand clamped around her mouth as the realization swept over her that the voice was no longer in her head; it was right behind her. She found herself being lifted into the air, marble arms binding her against a cold chest. Her thoughts cried for Edward, willing him to hear her. He responded, breaking the door down in half a human breath, Jasper and Carlisle behind him. The intruder's ruby eyes glinted, disappearing with Alice before they knew it.
-----
"God damnit!" Jasper slammed his fist against the wall of Alice's room, punching a hole cleanly through the white plaster. "Shit!" He stalked away from the wall, eyes fierce with rage. "You can't sense her at all?" Edward shook his head sadly, turning his gaze out the window. "Jasper...please, calm down. We'll find her. She's a strong girl, she can surely hold her own for a little while at least."
Jasper whirled on him, his voice low and deliberate. "How do you know? What if this vampire is stronger than her? What if she's hurt, Edward?" He turned away, his head in his hands, torturous sorrow shadowing the entire room. "I can't live without her...I can't."
Rosalie wrapped her arms around him protectively, pressing her cheek against his back. "We'll find her," she echoed. "I swear to you Jasper...we won't abandon her...or you." Jasper nodded, turning to return her embrace, pulling away after a moment.
"I'm going to find her."
"I'm going with you," Edward said. "Emmett will come too. We won't let anything happen to her. She means as much to all of us as she does you."
"I just don't understand...first that awful vision, and now this? It can't be a simple coincidence."
"I'll see what I can find out. You three go. She needs you. I'll stay here with Rosalie and Esme. We'll do what we can." Rosalie shook her head.
"I want to come too. She's my family as well. You'll need all the help you can get. We have no idea what we're up against." On this everyone agreed, and within moments the were gone.
-----
"Edward, what have you got?" Rosalie murmured to her brother, who could hear here clearly despite the distance.
"Nothing yet...I'm still working on it." The band of four had spread out, searching down the coastline. "Jasper? Emmett? How are you two holding up?"
"Fine and dandy, my brother," was Emmett's response. Jasper remained silent, consumed in his thoughts.
"Jasper?" Edward repeated, getting worried. He grunted grudgingly, simply to let him know he was still alive. They were only a half an hour into their search-and-rescue, but all of them were jumpy. Jasper wandered among trees and brush, keeping along the edges of the forests that bordered the beaches. He threw his senses out, reaching for human life,
the life of his beloved Alice.
-----
Alice lay limp in the arms that held her, trying to think of a way out, biding her time. She could smell ocean, salty and wet, and knew they had to still be near the coast. There was no way they could have gotten her far. She swiftly stole a glance at her captor, examining him closely. He was tall, muscular and handsome. His good looks were diminished by a sharpness, a harshness that shrouded him. Suddenly, he dropped her onto the hard ground, and she quickly rose to her feet, shifting into a fighting position. He laughed, and she bristled.
"You can't fight me, Alice." His voice was smooth, with a soft, lilting British accent. The tiny creature growled darkly, her eyes flashing.
"You underestimate me."
"Oh no no, little one. You underestimate me." He smirked and from behind her came Jasper, his beautiful face morphed into a hideous grin.
"Jasper! W-What..." She gaped at the sight in front of her in disbelief. He said not a word, striding up to her and striking her across the face, sending her soaring across the clearing into a tree. She crumpled to the ground, looking up at him in horror.
"Jasper...no..."
-----
Jasper's head snapped up as he felt a searing pain pounding in the back of his skull, reverberating down to his lower back.
"Edward! This way!" The others were by him in an instant, and Edward grinned wolfishly.
"I've got her. She's hurt, but there are two...wait." He stopped, grasping Jasper's arm. "She thinks you're with her." Jasper looked confused.
"What?"
"Come on, let's get there. We don't have much time. They're on the move."
-----
Alice rolled to avoid a blow from Jasper and lunged at her captor, sinking her teeth firmly into the vampire's granite flesh. He howled in pain and Jasper grabbed her around the waist, pulling her from the vampire and throwing her against a large boulder. He held her there by her arms as she stared helplessly into his eyes.
"Why?" she whispered, hardly struggling in his grasp. Her fear and pain and everything else she had ever felt dissolved under his hardened gaze, leaving her empty and dead inside.
He scooped her up in his arms, like he always had before, and turned to the vampire.
"Where to, Alex?" Alex grinned, showing far too many teeth for Alice's liking.
"Home, of course."
-----
Jasper, Edward, Emmett and Rosalie entered the clearing warily. Jasper let out a roar of fury upon finding it deserted.
"She was here! I felt her! Not even a moment ago! I can still smell her!" The others were silent, not sure how to respond to his agony. Rosalie held tight to Emmett, frightened herself.
"They're not far," Edward said. "I think we might be able to track them, if not find them."
Jasper turned to him, his face stony and cold. "Go. I will follow you wherever you lead us, Edward, as long as in the end it leads me to Alice."
They kept moving forward, heading north again, further inland. As hard as he tried, Edward could not hear Jasper's thoughts, nor could he feel any emotion coming from him. It was as though he had shut himself down and was running on autopilot. He didn't speak at all, not until they were almost twenty minutes (at vampire speed, that is) into Canada. He pulled him aside slightly, away from Emmett and Rosalie.
"Can you still hear her?"
"Yes."
"What is she thinking?"
"She's afraid. She can't believe you'd do this...I'm not sure what that is though. Other than that...nothing. She's...numb." Jasper turned away in silence, catching up with the other two. Edward followed, unnerved by the way he seemed to have detached from himself, although the situation seemed to merit it.
Soon, then had retraced her thoughts to a large, mansion-like house deep in the northern forests. Emmett glanced around, then proceeded to rip the door from its hinges to reveal a battered and broken Alice lying motionless on the foyer floor.