Author's Note: If I owned this and my name were Stephanie, then I wouldn't have to go to college. 

BPOV

The second we pulled up to the Cullen's house, I knew something was terribly wrong. Edward's hands had clenched on the steering wheel and he'd looked at me with fear and pain in his eyes. "Stay," he'd all but shouted at me as he'd dashed at vampire speed into the house. I didn't dare move from my seat, fearing that Victoria had returned, or worse, the Volturi were in town. I realized Edward hadn't turned the motor off, so I rolled the window down, and gasped at the sudden pain pulling at me. Before I was aware of it, I was weeping, not sure what was causing me to feel like I had when Edward had left me months ago. The hole forming in my heart though was much, much worse. By the time he came back out to the car, I was gasping for air between sobs clutching the dashboard and doubled over in the seat. Edward was staring at me through my window, then his head tilted upwards at the house, and I tore my eyes from the dashboard to see Jasper jump from the windows above and go off running through the trees. Edward peered after him for a moment, then took it as a queue to take me home as I almost passed out when Jasper flew past me, a fresh wave of pain crushing me. I realized it must have been Jasper who was causing everyone to feel so awful, because as he got many feet away, the pain lessened, then disappeared.

"Bella, I need to take you home."

"Wha-what happened," I asked, looking worriedly into his eyes.

All he seemed to be able to manage was, "Alice," his teeth clenching closed.

I didn't push him as he rushed me home. I ran up to my room to find him curled up in a ball on my bed. I rushed to him and wrapped him up in my arms, knowing that despite his bloodlust, he needed it more than anything.

"Please, Edward, tell me what's going on!"

"She's gone, Bella, she's gone."

"Who? Gone where?" It finally dawned on me, and I gasped. "Has she left us? Alice would never just leave!"

Edward looked at me, shaking from his dry sobs. I'd never seen him so broken in the time I'd known him, and I suddenly wondered if that was what I looked like when he'd left me that night in the forest, but it was much more painful to see Edward's beautiful face contorted in such anguish. "The Volturi destroyed Alice, Bella. She saw them coming and never told anyone about it. Jasper was worried when she left two night's ago and never called saying where she was, but it seems she already knew she was going ton die when she met up with them, because he found her necklace and wedding ring on a stump in the middle of the woods. She always said she would leave them behind for him if she was dead. She must have taken them off before she tried to fight them off. He found a note saying "if you read this, I've been destroyed," Bella!"

"Why? What has Alice done to anyone?!"

"Nothing of course! Carlisle believes she simply refused to join them for the last time and they gave her a chance to tell them your whereabouts, and naturally they got angry when she wouldn't take it."

I sucked in a breath, and hugged Edward harder, allowing tears to fall for the both of us. He didnt flinch away as he usually did, and I felt angry that it was taking the death of a loved one for him to allow me to hug him."I'm so sorry Edward. I know it never seemed it, but Alice really was my best friend, I really loved being with her!" He nodded. "What on earth will Jasper do?" I worried for the brother that I had always wanted to be closer to, and wondered if this would be my chance to.

"I don't know. We don't know where he's gone to, but he's in such pain that everyone around him will definitely notice. He's probably gone somewhere far from people. He won't want to hurt anyone."

I looked at Edward again, trying to hide the now irrational fear that because Alice was gone, the Cullens would leave me again. I choked it down and sighed. "I think I know where he's gone. Alice once told me about this meadow he would go to whenever he wanted to be alone. I'm pretty sure we would find him there, and Edward, "I looked into his topaz eyes, "I know I can help him. If you come with me."

Edward stiffened immediately and extracted himself from my arms. "I dont know about this Bella, he's dangerous right now. Even with me there, there's a good chanvce he will hurt you."

"I didnt ask you to let me go alone." I grabbed a sweatshirt from my closet. As I headed downstairs, it occured to me that maybe this was my calling, my chance to do something for the Cullens after everything they had done for me, It was the least I could do to comfort Alice's husband, the one she had loved so much. Everyone had loved her, me included, and it seemed I was the only one who was in a good emotional state. I wondered, as Edward ran me to Jadper's secret (well, not anymore) hiding place, if maybe it would be a good opportunity to gain some insight on the inner workings of the more mysterious and elusive members of the Cullen family. We had never been close, but I was determined to do whatever I could to help him, since he was my future brother-in law.