Solstice

by obsessive360

(AU) When Alice Brandon moves to Forks, Washington to escape her dark past, she finds herself in a world darker and more dangerous than she left. Her only solace is Jasper, the sweet, southern gentleman she's had visions of for most of her life. But Jasper's not as perfect as his exterior shows. Even so, Alice finds herself feeling safer with him than anywhere else in the world.

2. Foresight

A/N: This idea struck me while I was reminding myself why Alice and Jasper are the best couple in the series. I'm not entirely sure how this is going to end up, but I hope you like it. R&R.

Foresight

I held back tears as I hugged my sister close to my chest. Cynthia would be fine. Nothing would harm her in this beach town we called home until I could get custody of her in a few years. Biloxi was pretty safe, and our father loved his normal daughter.

"You'll be fine, Alice. Aunt Catherine and Uncle Michael understand about your visions. They love you, and I bet the whole town of Forks, Washington will too!" my younger sister insisted before kissing me on the cheek.

"Yeah, all 3,532 people." I said jokingly.

"Maybe one of those people will be mister tall, blond, and handsome?" she offered hopefully, referring to a man who I'd had visions of for most of my life.

This man, who I've always known as Jasper, no last name to speak of, was significantly taller than my 4'11" at 6'3", and he had soft, blond hair that fell in curls to his chin. His eyes were the color of hot apple cider, thought they were sometimes darker or brighter.

"I doubt that, Cynthia, but I might. You never know for sure when something will happen until the decision's been made." I said, and she giggled for a moment.

"Call me at least once a week, and email me as often as you can?" she asked, and I nodded in agreement.

"Call me if you need me, Cynth, for anything." I told her before gathering my carryon bag and making for gate.

"I love you, Alice!" she called out, and I turned back once more.

"I love you more Cynthia!" and then I boarded the Seattle-bound plane.

The town of Forks, Washington, where my maternal aunt and uncle had moved after my aunt had demanded somewhere quieter than Los Angeles to write her short story collections, was a small and rainy town a few of hours away from Seattle. To get there, I would take a flight from Gulfport to Houston, change planes, and take a flight from Houston to Seattle; then, I'd find a hotel for the night before meeting my aunt and uncle at the airport the following evening. I'd left a day earlier than originally planned, but my father was making life in Biloxi unbearable. I had to get away before I finally snapped and did something I'd live to regret.

I checked the weather in Forks before I left, and the black jacket at the bottom of my carryon bag was going to be a life saver for me. Coming from the Mississippi heat, cold and rainy was bound to be a tough transition. Well, the cold would be a change; living on the Gulf Coast makes for a pretty wet climate.

As I thought about this, a brief vision of rain pelting down on the unsuspecting people leaving the airport appeared in my mind. I laughed softly to myself, feeling sorry for those without umbrellas.

"Something funny, ma'am?" asked a thick, Texas accent from behind me.

I turned and almost let slip a very unladylike swear phrase. The man looking down at me in the airport was the man from my visions. It was Jasper.

"It's about to start raining." I said with a small smile.

"Are you sure about that?" he asked, and I giggled as the rain began to pour.

"Oh, I'm almost certain about that. I'm Alice Brandon." I introduced myself.

"Jasper Wh-Hale, Ma'am." he replied, and I raised an eyebrow at him slightly.

"I sense you're hiding something, Mr. Hale, and I intend to discover what that is." I told him with a grin, and he smirked at me.

"I've only got an hour before my flight leaves for Seattle." he said, and I smirked back.

"Then I guess it's a good thing that I'm on the same flight." I said, and he took his turn to raise an eyebrow.

"Really?" he asked.

"I'm moving in with my aunt and uncle. Well, I'm moving in with my cousin, too, but Lauren and I haven't seen eye-to-eye literally and figuratively in years. I'm actually headed to Forks, three hours away from Seattle." I explained, and he seemed further surprised.

"Then I guess I'll be seeing you around then. My father has been a doctor in Forks for the last two years." he told me with a small smile, and I reciprocated.

"You're the son of the famous Dr. Carlisle Cullen? My aunt hasn't stopped talking about you and your family since you moved to town!" I told him with a laugh.

"That makes you the niece of the writer Catherine Mallory. Your cousin, as annoying as she is, hasn't quit telling everyone about your impending arrival for the last month." he replied with a chuckle, and I sighed.

"This is just going to make life far more awkward that it was going to be already." I said.

"I think she's just trying to get the attention back on herself. The local police chief's daughter, Isabella Swan, is supposed to be coming to stay with her father while she finishes high school. She's been the talk of the town for two months now, and she isn't even there yet." he said in an attempt cheer me up.

"I can see that. Lauren's mentioned you before. She says you and your younger brother think yourselves too good for the girls you go to school with." I said, and he let out a full laugh.

"Lauren only says that because Edward and I ignore her when she comes to school dressed like a harlot and expects to gain our affections because of it." Jasper's laugh was something I enjoyed hearing, and I found his description of my cousin to be highly accurate.

"We've still got about forty-five minutes before we've got to be back on the plane. Why don't you tell me more about Forks High School's social dynamic? I can't possibly cause mayhem if I'm uninformed." I asked, and he laughed again, nodded, and led me over to two armchairs in the nearest seating area.

Jasper and I talked for nearly every second of time before we had to get back on board the plane. About five minutes before it was time, I excused myself to use the ladies' room. He promised we'd see each other again soon and kissed my hand. I smiled at him, agreed, and watched as he headed towards boarding.

When I reached the boarding desk, the attendant looked at my ticket and smiled at me.

"Ms. Brandon, you've been bumped up to First Class." she said, and I felt Jasper had to be behind this.

"Thank you." I said as she told me my new seat number.

As suspected, I found myself sitting beside Jasper Hale in First Class. He smiled innocently at me, and I couldn't find it in me to be angry with him.

"Hello, again, Mr. Hale." I said with a polite smile.

"My apologies, Ma'am, but I've never wanted to keep talking to someone as much as I have you." Jasper told me, and I couldn't help but think about how romantic that sounded.

"Well then, what do you want to talk about?" I asked as I sat down beside him.

"Anything you want." he said, and I thought about it for a moment.

"Would you go out with Lauren if she didn't try so hard?" I asked, and he seemed to think for a moment himself before answering me.

"No, I still don't think I would. Her overall attitude of superiority is unpleasant." he admitted, and I smiled at him.

"She got like that after moving to Los Angeles when she was six." I confirmed, thinking up another question.

"Do you like music, Alice?" he asked before I had a question formed in my mind.

"I love music, Jasper." I answered simply.

"What's your favorite song?" he asked, and I giggled at the small smile he wore.

"If I have to choose one, I'd have to go with 'The Chair,' by George Strait." I said, and he nodded in agreement.

"I do like that song, but I actually prefer 'Write This Down.'" he said, and I smiled.

"That's a close second for me. Do you play any instruments?" I asked.

"I play guitar, piano, and violin. My brothers and sister decided I had to learn piano if they did, my father taught my violin, and I picked up the guitar on my own. Do you play any instruments, Alice?" he asked, but I shook my head.

"I never really had the opportunity to. I have always wanted to learn how to play an instrument, though." I admitted.

We spent the four-hour flight like this, asking each other all sorts of questions and getting to know each other. When we disembarked the plane, and headed over to baggage claim, Jasper asked me when my aunt and uncle were picking me up. I frowned.

"They don't know I'm here yet. I was supposed to leave tomorrow morning and get here tomorrow evening." I admitted, waiting for him to leave.

"Well, though some may think it would be rude for you to arrive both early and unannounced, would you allow me to drive you to your aunt and uncle's?" he asked, and I looked at him curiously.

"Really?" I asked hesitantly.

"A good southern gentleman would never leave a beautiful young lady stranded and alone, no matter where he is." Jasper assured me, so I allowed him to lead me out to a shiny black Mercedes.

On the drive to Forks, I fell asleep. Nearly as soon as my eyes fluttered shut, a vision swam into view. I could see Jasper and a hulking teenage boy with dark curly hair. The two were in the woods, watching a herd of elk. Suddenly, Jasper pounced on one of the elk and bit into its neck. By the time he stood up straight, he had drained the elk dry of its blood. Turning around, I could see his face again. My eyes trailed down to his arms, which were bare, and I started trying to count the scars covering them. It made me feel sad, but it also made me feel proud. I woke soon after that with the realization in my mind that the man I had trusted with my life by letting him drive me three hours to my new home was a vampire.

"Alice, is everything alright?" I heard Jasper ask, and I wanted to tell him yes, but the words that came out were entirely different.

"Show me your arms." I said, noticing that he had pulled off to the side of the road.

"What?" he asked me, clearly confused.

"I need to see your arms. Otherwise, I really am crazy." I told him, and he sighed before rolling up the sleeves on his navy-blue dress shirt.

Just as I had seen in my vision, his arms were covered in scars, bite marks. He was a vampire, covered in scars; but, I wasn't afraid, not of him. Despite what logic would say about vampires, I knew that I was in no danger. Jasper had never hurt me in any of my visions of the two of us. If anything, he'd loved me then.

"You're scared of me." he said, but I shook my head. "Alice, I'm an empath. I can feel your fear."

"I'm not afraid of you, Jasper; I've never been afraid of you. I'm afraid that you'll think I'm a freak." I said, only confusing him more.

"Alice, I'm the monster here. Why would I think you're a freak?" he asked, and I sighed.

"As long as I can remember, I've had visions. Some were about my life, others were about people I've never met. One of the most frequent subjects of my visions has been you." I told him, and he seemed surprised.

"Me?"

"Yes, you! I asked to see your arms because I had another vision; you were in the woods with another man, a vampire. He was one of your brothers; he had dark, curly hair, and he was huge. The two of you were stalking a herd of elk, and you were the first to pounce. That elk didn't stand a chance against you, did he?" I answered, and he chuckled.

"I guess that means I'll have a successful hunt this weekend. Being around humans still takes a lot out of me." he said, and I smiled.

"You're fine around me." I said, and he smiled too.

"I'm still trying to figure that part out, Alice, but I can't say I don't enjoy not wanting to kill you. What else have you seen about me?" he asked.

"I've mostly seen little moments in your life. I saw the first time you beat Edward at chess, the last time you slipped up, and the time you and your other brother, the giant one from the last vision, tricked your other siblings, one of which is the giant guy's mate, into going to a country music festival. Aside from the part where you drain animals of their blood for nourishment, you're a relatively normal guy. Again, as the one who has psychic visions, I am the freaky one here." I said, and he took my hand in his.

"Alice, you are not a freak. Whoever told you that was wrong, and I'll spend forever telling you just that. If anything, Alice, you're special." Jasper told me softly, and I blushed.

"You hardly know me well enough to make such a statement." I told him.

"I'd like to have that chance, Alice. This is me not running away, so please don't argue with me about this." he said, and all I could do was nod.

Within the hour, because vampires apparently drive as fast as the car they're in can go, I was giving Jasper my aunt and uncle's address while dialing their home number on my cellphone. My aunt answered, and I could tell she was surprised to hear my voice.

"I took an earlier flight, Aunt Catherine." I told her.

"Alice, do you need me to send Uncle Michael to get you? It might be a few hours, but he'll go if I say the word." she asked.

"No, Aunt Catherine, I'm fine. Do you remember telling me about Dr. Cullen and his family? His son, Jasper, happened to be on my connecting flight in Houston, and we sort of ended up talking the whole time. He's offered to drive me to your house." I explained, and Jasper let out a low chuckle.

"I'll have to thank Esme Cullen when I see her next; if she and Dr. Cullen hadn't sent Jasper down to Texas to secure a historic home the Cullens are funding the restoration, you might have been stranded in Seattle all night!" she told me exasperatedly.

"Well, my flight got in a few hours ago, so we should be there soon. I think I'll have to thank Mrs. Cullen as well, Aunt Catherine. She's apparently not let Jasper forget how to be a gentleman." I said, smiling at the blond beside me.

"My adoptive mother can be scary when we don't mind our manners. She'll love you the moment she meets you, Alice." Jasper said, and I grinned at the idea of meeting his mother.

"Then she is an extraordinarily good mother." I said before turning back to my phone conversation with my aunt. "I'll see you soon, Aunt Catherine."

"I'll see you soon, Alice." she said, and then the line went dead.

I put my phone back in my purse and turned towards Jasper. He looked puzzled, and I giggled. On him, puzzled was an absolutely adorable look.

"What are you thinking about?" I asked sweetly.

"Your emotions make no sense to me." he admitted, and I frowned.

"You read them right earlier." I said.

"I'm reading them fine, Alice, but I don't understand why you're feeling the emotions I'm picking up." he clarified for me, and I smiled in realization.

"Watching you in fleeting visions for at least the last nine years, I've grown to love you. I know you would never hurt me, and I know how lonely you feel when you see people with their significant others. I love who you are, Jasper, so that's why you can feel the emotions you're picking up from me." I told him, and his expression became serene.

"You love me." he said, and I nodded.

"I love you." I confirmed, and he smiled before placing his right-hand palm-up on the center console of the Mercedes.

Still smiling, I placed my left hand on top of his and let him intertwine our fingers. A subtle warmth seemed to form between our hands, even though his skin was colder than ice, and mine was normal, human body temperature. The warmth grew until it felt like tiny fireworks were going off in our entwined hands. Looking at Jasper, I could tell he was just as confused about the sensation as I was.

"What is it?" I asked, and he shook his head before turning to face me.

"I love you." he said, and I felt the happy-tears rush to my eyes.

"And the sparks?" I asked gently.

"According to Carlisle, that happens when a vampire finds its true mate. It happened with Esme and himself when she was sixteen. She was older than him physically when he finally changed her; he didn't want to, but she was dying. Rosalie said it happened to her and Emmett on accident when she was trying to save him from a grizzly bear. Edward's still waiting." he explained, and I let out a small giggle.

"I'm willing to wait until I've met your family, but does this mean I get to become a vampire?" I asked, and Jasper laughed as well.

"It might not be until Edward graduates again, as we have a strict treaty with the Shapeshifters on the Quileute Reservation." he told me, and I blinked.

"Shapeshifters?" I asked, and he nodded.

"From what I've been told, they phase into giant wolves to protect their land and their tribe from vampires. Before I happened upon my family, they lived in Forks in the 1930s. After explaining that our diet is animal-based and not human-based, Carlisle and the chief worked out a deal: they don't kill us if we don't bite any humans. Of course, Carlisle has a contingency plan set aside for when and if the situation arises where he must turn someone." he said, and I took a moment to process this new information.

"If it means keeping you and your family safe, I can wait. What grade is Edward in this year?" I asked.

"He's currently a Junior." Jasper answered.

"Perfect; he and I should graduate at the same time." I said, and he grinned.

"You're going to make sure everything is planned out perfectly, aren't you?" he asked with a shake of his head, and I giggled.

"Well, someone has to. Why not the psychic?" I asked, and he shrugged.

"I can't argue with that, now, can I, Darlin'?" he asked rhetorically, and I nodded.

Sooner than I would have liked, Jasper pulled into my aunt and uncle's driveway. I sighed as Jasper opened my door and offered me his hand.

"Don't be so sad, Darlin'; I promise I'll try to come and see you as soon as possible." he whispered to me, and I gently swatted at his shoulder when I realized a wave of calm had come over me.

"It's not polite to play with a lady's emotions, Jasper." I teased, and he sent me a smile that made me hold onto his arm for support.

"I'd never play with your emotions, Alice. I might try to keep you from going insane every once in a while, though." he assured me, and I giggled.

"I love you." I said, and his smile softened.

"I love you, too." he said, taking my hand and gently placing a kiss on my knuckles before grabbing my suitcase, duffle bag, and backpack out of the trunk.

Together, we walked up to the door. I knocked twice and listened for the sound of shuffling feet coming to the door. When the door swung open to reveal my cousin, I almost laughed out loud at her expression. I hadn't even been in town for a full hour, yet I was standing beside the one person who had refused her attention for the last two years.

"Mom, Mary's here!" she called over her shoulder, expecting Jasper to be repulsed by my given name.

After a few moments, Aunt Catherine and Uncle Michael both appeared in the doorway to greet me. I hugged the two of them before turning back to Jasper. He gave me another smile and allowed me in on the secret that he was just as amused by Lauren as I was.

Speaking of my cousin, she pulled me in for a hug as well, obviously trying to impress Jasper. I almost felt bad for her, as she had no idea about the supernatural and the way supernatural creatures mate. Plus, she had no idea that Jasper was both enough of a gentleman to not be attracted to someone on a solely sexual basis and an empath who could tell that her feelings towards him were almost exclusively lust and envy rolled into one.

"Jasper, thank you for bringing Alice home. I don't even want to think about what would have happened if we wouldn't have known she was in town early." Uncle Michael said as he took my bags from Jasper.

"It was no problem, Mr. Mallory. If it's not a problem with either Mrs. Mallory or yourself, I was wondering if I might be able to show Alice around town tomorrow? I know it's not much, but she should still know what's around her." he asked my uncle, and Uncle Michael looked mildly surprised.

"Alice?" he asked, and I giggled.

"That would be great, Jasper. Thank you." I said, and he smiled at me again.

"We'll see you tomorrow, then, Jasper." Aunt Catherine said before smiling at me.

Jasper nodded, smiled, inclined his head towards Uncle Michael and Aunt Catherine like a true southern gentleman, and then turned towards me. I held out my hand, and he took it, only stopping to make sure Lauren was watching. He brought my hand to his lips, pressed a soft kiss to my knuckles, and slowly ran his thumb over my hand as he brought it back down. As I watched him walk back towards the Mercedes, I thought about how lucky I was to be in love with such a gentlemanly goofball.

Once he had gone, Aunt Catherine and I carried my bags up to what would be my room. It was simple, with a costal feel, and it reminded me a bit of my room in my father's house in Biloxi. With a few personal touches from me, the room would be perfect.

"I hope you like it, Alice. It used to be our guest room, but I thought you'd like this room more than the fourth bedroom. The closet in this one is much better." Aunt Catherine said, and I knew that there were other things she wanted to discuss.

"It's perfect, Aunt Catherine. Now, what is it you really want to talk about?" I asked with a teasing smile.

"Well, from what Lauren has told me, Jasper Hale doesn't talk to anyone apart from his siblings, he doesn't show interest in anyone else, and he always looks like he's in a great deal of pain. Why is it you're the exception to that rule?" she asked, and I giggled.

"I can't tell you exactly why, as I'm still trying to figure that out myself, but I know this much. For as long as I can remember, long before Mama died, I've been having visions of Jasper. I know it's him, and I feel as if I know so much about him already. He found about my visions on the way here, and I found out he's not so different from me. We bonded over that." I said, and my aunt was intrigued.

"He probably isn't psychic, so what power does he have?" she asked, and I debated whether I should tell her.

"He's an empath. There are far more people with special abilities like me out there than I ever knew. It's sort of why he always looks like he's in pain. The amount of negative emotions a bunch of teenagers must emit must be a lot for him to deal with." I said, skirting around the vampirical details.

"His secret is safe with me. Are you hungry? I can make you a sandwich or something before you go to bed?" Aunt Catherine offered, but I declined.

"Thanks, Aunt Catherine, but Jasper stopped on the way here and made sure I had food. He's thoughtful and a gentleman." I said as Lauren passed by my door.

"I still don't get why he'd take an interest in you over me!" she cried out as she leaned against my doorframe.

"Lauren, don't antagonize your cousin. Now, both of you girls should get to bed soon. I'm going to be working all day tomorrow; Lauren, you and your father are driving up to Port Angeles to run some errands; and, Alice, you have a gentleman caller awaiting you. Get your beauty sleep girls." Aunt Catherine told us, and I felt myself blushing again.

"Whatever." Lauren mumbled before making for her own room.

"Sleep well, Alice." Aunt Catherine told me, and I smiled at her.

"Thanks, Aunt Catherine, for everything. Good night!" I replied, and she nodded before leaving the room and gently closing the door behind her.

Alone in my new room for the first time, I reflected on the last forty-eight hours of my life. My father's treatment of me had deteriorated faster than I'd anticipated, I'd been able to advance my ticket and get on an earlier flight, and I'd had my little sister's help sneaking off to the airport. From there, I'd flown to Houston, met the love of my life and literal man of my dreams, discovered he was a vampire and an empath, made plans to become a vampire after graduating high school, and moved into my aunt and uncle's home. Putting my clothes away in the small, walk-in closet, I had one thought drift through my mind: maybe Forks wouldn't be as bad as I had thought.

As I slept that night, my dream shifted. It was a vision, and it was one of my own future. I was sitting in a very nice living room on a white, L-shaped couch. Jasper was sitting on my left with his arms around my waist; on my left hand, there was a beautiful, yet simple engagement ring sparkling. I was still human, as my eyes were still a light green. On the other side of the L, I could see Jasper's large, bear-like brother sitting in anticipation. A girl I'd never seen before, her dark curls and petite figure something foreign in this familiar setting, was beside him.

As Jasper and I sat there, a stunningly beautiful blonde woman, who I'd come to know was Jasper's adoptive sister, entered the room with a bundle of blankets in her arms. She crossed the room, sat down on my right side between me and Jasper's large brother, and smiled.

"Edward says we need to wait and see if the venom takes effect. It could be three days before we know anything more on Bella's condition." she said to us, and I felt like crying.

"What's the baby's name, Mom?" the unfamiliar girl asked, looking at the bundle in the blonde's arms.

"Emmett, Bree, Jasper, Alice, meet your new niece-slash-cousin, Renesmee Carlie Cullen." she told us with a smile as she pulled the purple blanket back from the face of a newborn baby girl.

"Could I hold her?" I asked, and the blonde nodded.

"Of course, Alice. Here, just support her head. She's beautiful, isn't she?" she said, and I nodded in agreement.

"She looks like her mother, but the hair is all Edward. She'll have Bella's eyes, though. Emmett, given you're less breakable than Rosalie and me, and less likely to break his jaw than Jasper, would you go and tell Jacob that we don't know if the venom has taken yet, but the baby is healthy. He'll want to see her." I said, and the bear-like brother nodded quietly before leaving out the front door and sitting down beside a rather distraught looking Native American teenager.

"Rosalie, she's fine with us. Edward's calling for you." Jasper said to his sister, and she nodded before leaving us alone with the baby.

I spent a little more time smiling down at the baby, despite the fact that she couldn't see very well just yet. She was so innocent and pure, I couldn't help but stare at her in amazement. Jasper, too, was completely enamored with her.

"Jasper, you know I'd never want to put you through what Edward's going through right now, right?" I asked my mate, and he sighed and nodded slightly. "Can we have one, too?"

"Alice, it'll be dangerous. Are you sure about this?" he asked me, looking from Renesmee to me.

"The last time I was this sure about something, you fake-proposed to me in front of Jessica after Bella and Edward left on their honeymoon." I teased him, and he smiled slightly before dropping a kiss to the top of my head.

"We'll see what happens with Bella, and then we can use this as an example. If we do this, however, I will be taking every precaution possible." he said, and I smiled back at him.

"Yay! More cousins!" Bree cheered, smiling, and Jasper and I continued smiling down at our niece.

The vision ended with the two of us cooing at Renesmee, and my eyes fluttered open. It was still dark out, but I could feel someone else in the room. I took a deep breath and smiled. The new yet familiar scent of honey and lavender greeted me as I sat up and turned on my bedside lamp. Jasper had been here, though he was nowhere to be seen now. On my dresser, I found a single, yellow rose. I was sure Jasper would be an excellent father.

I had awoken from my vision at five o' clock, so I decided to take advantage of Lauren still being asleep to get an early shower. While in the shower, I let myself think about the possibilities of a child in my future. I would put in as much time and effort as I possibly could to discover more about human-vampire hybrids before I had one of my own. What would I name my child? Would Jasper have any suggestions? I was getting both very excited and way ahead of myself. I still had to tell Jasper about this vision before I could think any further on the hybrid baby idea.

By the time I had gotten out of the shower and gotten dressed, the rest of my family had woken up. I passed Lauren as I headed downstairs for breakfast, wondering if she intended on staying in the shower as long as possible in order to be half-dressed when Jasper showed up for our, dare I think it, date.

I was applying my makeup when I heard Lauren's anguished screams from the bathroom. I had been right, and she was out of hot water. I giggled to myself as I capped my lip gloss; my cousin or not, Lauren deserved the cold water pelting her.

I was pulled from my musings on my cousin's karma by a light tapping on my window. Turning around, I smiled. Thankfully, my room faced the backyard; otherwise, Jasper clinging to my second story window would be both comical and hard to explain away.

"Most men would knock on the front door, Jazz." I said as I opened the window.

"Most men wouldn't have heard their mate giggling from ten yards away and wanted to know what she found so funny." he retorted, and I had to give him that one.

"Lauren ran out of hot water." I said, smirking as I spoke.

"Is she still getting dressed?" he asked, a mischievous glint in his eyes.

"Yeah; why?" I replied.

"I'll be at the front door in about two minutes." he said before jumping out the window and running back into the woods.

I sighed and shook my head as I watched him go. I had the feeling that not many people got to see this playful side of Jasper, and it made me feel lucky to be one of those few.

As promised, Jasper knocked on the front door two minutes later. I grabbed my purse and made my way downstairs, stifling a laugh as I heard Lauren bumping into every piece of furniture in her room. When I got downstairs, I could hear Aunt Catherine typing away in her office, which used to be an all-seasons room prior to she and my uncle buying the house. Uncle Michael had already opened the door and let Jasper in.

"Alice, be home by ten. It's a school night after all." Uncle Michael told me, and I sent him a thankful smile.

"I will, and I know. Have fun with Lauren in Port Angeles." I told him, and he chuckled.

"Don't worry, Mary, we will." Lauren said as she entered the room in a long-sleeve, dark maroon crop top, torn, black skinny jeans, and maroon pumps.

I did nothing to suggest that her use of my given name bothered me as I turned my attention to Jasper.

"I'm ready when you are." I told him, and he held his hand out towards me.

Wrapping my tiny hand around his, we walked out the door together. Instead of his adoptive father's Mercedes, Jasper had driven a large Jeep Wrangler this time. As he helped me into the passenger seat, he told me that it was his brother, Emmett's, car .

"You don't have one of your own by choice, am I right?" he chuckled at my question.

"I haven't found one I like yet, and it's a rarity I go out on my own." he explained.

"You'll definitely be going out on your own, as far as your family is concerned, a lot more now. Even if we just sit around and talk like we did in the airport, we'll spend plenty of time together." I said with certainty, and he nodded.

"If I could, I would spend every moment with you." he said before closing my door and walking around to the driver's side.

I debated telling him about the previous night's vision then, but I decided against it. This wasn't the time, but it would be soon. Instead, I just held out my hand, and he took it. He didn't let go as he started to back the car out of the driveway.

Driving through town, traffic was slow. A few cars ahead of us, a police cruiser was heading towards Port Angeles. This was probably Chief Swan, who Jasper had said was expecting his daughter today. Her name was Isabella, if I remembered correctly. Of course, that was when I made the connection between my vision and the name I had heard Jasper say the previous night: Isabella.

"Alice, what's wrong?" Jasper asked, his eyes flickering over to me for a second before turning back to the road.

"It's her." I said, though it was mostly to myself.

"Who's her?" he asked me, and I smiled.

"Bella. Isabella Swan is Edward's mate." I said, and Jasper veered the car off the main road and onto a worn path in the woods.

"Did you have another vision?" he asked, and I nodded.

"It was after graduation, at least two years from now. We were at your house, sitting in the living room, when Rosalie walked in with a bundle of blankets in her arms. She said that Edward was keeping watch over Bella, even though it would take three days for her to change into a vampire completely, and told us that the baby was our niece, Renesmee Carlie Cullen. Edward will marry Isabella Swan, who apparently prefers to be called Bella, and they'll have a half-vampire, half-human daughter." I explained, and Jasper stopped the car in a clearing roughly the size of a baseball diamond.

"Are hybrids even possible?" he asked, and I shrugged.

"I decided when I woke up that I was going to research that. I want to be as prepared as possible when the time comes." I said, remembering how it felt, in my vision, to hold Renesmee.

"There's more, isn't there?" he asked, and I nodded.

"You're very inquisitive today. As to your question, Rosalie let me hold Renesmee while she checked on Edward. We just sat there with her, and I asked you if we could have one of our own." I told him, and he gave me a melancholy smile.

"I would only agree to that if I took every precaution possible." he said, and I ran my thumb over the back of his hand.

"That's what you told me in the vision, too. We'll do the research, we'll make sure we know what we're in for, and we'll see this through. At the end of the day, I'll still end up becoming a vampire, and you'll still have me." I told him.

"That's all I want." Jasper said calmly, but I could see the corners of his mouth turning up as he thought about what I had said.

"Don't worry, you'll be a great father." I said, watching as his mouth curved into a full smile at my words.

"And if I agree to this, you will be an even better mother, Darlin'. I know you will." he said before hopping out of the Jeep walking around to my door

Once we had gotten out of the Jeep, Jasper took me by the hand and led me through the woods. After a while of the two of us talking about anything and everything, Jasper put me on his back and began running. The wind rushing past us felt cold against my face, but I felt invigorated. The air became saltier, and the trees seemed to vanish ahead of us. Jasper slowed down, and I realized we were on a beach.

"I apologize for the running, Darlin', but this is the nearest beach my kind is allowed on after the treaty with the Shapeshifters." he told me.

"That was fun!" I exclaimed, and he laughed.

"You'll make a great vampire one day." he said, and I laughed along with him.

We kept laughing, holding onto one another, and just being happy to be with each other on the cool, empty beach. He told me about his family, adding to the information I had already accumulated from my visions, and I told him about Cynthia and my mother.

"You really miss her, don't you? Your mother, I mean." he asked, and I smiled sadly.

"Not a day goes by that I don't. She'd have liked you." I said, and he smiled bashfully at the ground before asking me another question.

"Would your father?"

I stopped walking instantly. The shift in my emotions, to someone who knew Jasper as well as I did, was visible on his face. Hate, anger, sorrow, and fury crowded my mind; but, as soon as the negative emotions arose, they faded into calm. Jasper took my left hand in his right and tilted my head up to draw my eyes to his with his left.

"What did he do to you?" Jasper asked with no need to clarify who he was talking about.

"It's a long story, but you need to know. I started getting visions just before I turned nine. Mama knew, and she embraced it. Her side of the family has always been good at predicting things, and we've had a legitimate psychic show up every few generations. Lucky me, I'm one of those few. My father, he never believed me. When I was twelve, I had a vision of him killing Mama. I told her, and she said she wanted me to tell someone if it ever happened. When I was fourteen, Mama found out my father was cheating on her. He insisted it was a one-time thing that happened only because he was drunk. She didn't believe him, so she took Cynthia and me to Aunt Catherine's in L.A. While there, we found out Mama had died. I told Aunt Catherine what I knew, and we tried to get the police to believe us when we said he'd done it. Unfortunately, they believed him over us. My father told the police that Mama cut herself on accident while making dinner, and that he found her on the kitchen floor. I'd believe it if it wasn't for the fact that she bled out from her brachial artery. That one's a bit difficult to slice open while chopping up turnip greens." I explained the first part of my story, stopping to take a breath and gauge Jasper's reaction.

"I'm guessing he didn't treat you all that well once he realized you knew exactly what he'd done?" he asked me, and I nodded.

"Cynthia knew, but she kept quiet. He never knew I had told her, and he married his mistress two months after Mama was buried; so much for it being a one-time thing, right? I was tasked with cooking, cleaning, caring for the horses, and keeping my grades up after that; my stepmother had never done anything for herself a day in her life, and my father felt it fair that I be forced into submission where keeping his secret was concerned.

"After Mama died, my father started smacking me across the face whenever I made a mistake, whether it was missing a spot while cleaning or accidentally overcooking his steak. One night, I had a vison of him…touching Cynthia. It made me sick, and I knew I had to get out of there before I killed him. I made the decision to move in with Aunt Catherine and Uncle Michael almost as soon as I woke up. My father was so relieved to be rid of me, he put help wanted ads in the local paper to hire a new maid, cook, and stable hand. Cynthia helped me sneak out a day earlier than planned because I'd told him I'd go to the cops if he ever touched my sister; he tried to choke me before throwing me to the ground out in the stables. All in all, my father would hate you." I said, and Jasper pulled me flat against his chest.

"I'll be kind, for your benefit, and just say that the feeling is more than mutual, Darlin'. I might have promised Carlisle and Esme I'd never kill another human upon joining the Cullen family, but he sure makes breaking that promise sound tempting." he told me, gently massaging my back as he spoke.

"He's not worth it, trust me. Plus, your mother would kill you. Again." I told him, and his chest rumbled as he let out a chuckle.

"I love you." Jasper said softly, smiling down at me.

"I love you, too." I replied, lifting my head up enough to reengage eye-contact with him.

I smiled, seeing the pure emotion in his honey colored eyes, and pushed myself up on my toes. Seeing what I was doing, he bent down just enough for our lips to touch. It was the most perfect first kiss I could have ever wished for.

Shortly after our first kiss, Jasper put me back on his back and ran the two of us back to the Jeep. When we got there, a woman was standing beside it. She was taller than I was by about eight inches, and her hair was a beautiful caramel color. Her kind, golden eyes sparkled as she saw us, and a memory flashed into my mind. This woman was comforting a sobbing Jasper after his last slip-up, holding him against her like a mother would her son. This woman was Jasper's adoptive mother, Esme.

"I thought I'd drop in on the two of you, see if anyone was interested in lunch, and see about meeting the girl who has my little boy swooning." she told us with a kind, motherly smile.

"You told your mother about me?" I asked Jasper with a grin, and he would have blushed if he could have.

"Edward doesn't get back from Alaska until tonight, so I had the ability to think without filtering my thoughts last night. Unfortunately, if you see it that way, Esme can read all of us like open books. We're all pretty sure it's a mom thing." he admitted, smiling over at his mother.

"I might not have any obvious additional gifts like Edward and Jasper, but my maternal instincts grew stronger and sharper after my transformation. It's so nice to meet you, dear. As Jasper's probably told you, I'm Esme Cullen, his adoptive mother." she said this directly to me and took a few steps closer.

Smiling, I got Jasper to set me down; I walked over towards Esme and hugged her. She hugged me back, giggled, and smiled at me as I pulled back.

"I'm Mary-Alice Brandon, but I prefer Alice. It's really nice to finally meet you." I told her, and she looked over at Jasper, who was chuckling, curiously.

"I told you that she's been having visions of me and our family for years. She never knew names, aside from mine, until yesterday." Jasper told her.

"I remember; I'm just taking in this side of you that Alice brings out. You haven't been this happy, laughed this much in years. If Edward can just find his mate, I'll be able to take solace in the fact that all of my children are happy." Esme said, and I smiled wider.

"I actually have an idea on that one!" I said, and she raised an eyebrow at me.

"Really?" she asked excitedly.

"I don't usually have my visions while awake. They happen, but not as often as they do while I'm asleep. Last night, I had a vision about all of your children, myself, and four other individuals I have yet to meet. The first, well, I didn't actually see her. She's Edward's mate, but she was at the beginning of her transformation. Her name is Bella, and I have reason to suspect that this 'Bella' is Isabella Swan." I began, and Esme smiled at me.

"Who were the other three?" she asked excitedly, probably hoping to know more about the future of her family.

"Well, one was one of the Shapeshifters, Jacob Black. I think my aunt mentioned that Chief Swan is best friends with Billy Black, Jacob's father. Jacob is probably one of Bella's only friends in the area at this moment. There was a girl, a young teenager, who will apparently be Rosalie and Emmett's daughter, named Bree. The other, which surprised me almost as much as it's going to surprise you, was Edward and Bella's daughter." I said, and she blinked.

"Edward and Bella's what? I'm going to be a grandma? How is that possible?" Esme asked, and I giggled.

"From what I've figured out while thinking back on my vision, a human mother can be impregnated by a vampire father. My best guess is that the baby almost killed Bella, and Edward had to change her under emergency circumstances. Renesmee was beautiful, though; she was all pink flesh, bronze ringlets, and chocolate eyes." I told her, and she beamed at me.

"What did you say her name was?" she asked, and I was sure she'd have started crying if it had been possible.

"Her name is Renesmee Carlie Cullen." I said, and Esme let out a dreamy sigh.

"From what I've heard in town, Chief Charlie Swan's ex-wife is Renee Dwyer. They name her after their parents: Renee and Esme, Charlie and Carlisle. Wait, Jasper, what are you smiling like that for?" she asked, seeing the Cheshire Cat grin on his face.

"There's more; how would you like another grandchild?" he asked her, and Esme looked from Jasper, to me, and back to him.

"Are you two planning on having a baby?" she asked us, and I turned to Jasper.

"If Bella's change is successful, then yes." Jasper said, and I smiled.

"You've changed your mind already?" I asked, and he smiled down at me as he moved closer towards his mother and me.

"I kept thinking about what you'd said, and then I kept imagining things like what our baby would look like, what it would be like to hold our baby, and what an amazing mother you would be. After that, I couldn't not agree with you. Yes, we need to research this as much as possible, but I would be thrilled and honored to have a child with you, Alice." he said, and I smiled while blinking the tears out of my eyes.

"My babies are all grown up." Esme said, and that sent me into a fit of giggles.

After lunch, which consisted of an amazing pasta salad Esme made for me and two sport bottles filled with deer blood for Jasper and herself, Esme had asked us what research we had planned. For the first time that afternoon, I had no true answer. Luckily, Jasper did.

"I figured we'd have to break it into parts. Some study should be done on the anatomy of vampires. Carlisle, once we tell him about this, is the best person to do that. Edward, though this involves him and he has two medical degrees, would be too emotional about it; if anyone would know that, it'd be me." he said with a snort.

"That much is true. What can I do to help?" Esme asked, clearly eager to play a part in bringing her grandchildren and daughters-in-law into her family.

"I have some friends, the ones who helped me escape Maria, who might have heard about this before. I'd have to call Peter up, but I'm sure he'd help." Jasper started, and Esme raised an eyebrow at him.

"How does this get your mother involved?" I asked him, and Esme nodded in agreement with me.

"With me needing to be in school, I can't meet with him. Esme, however, could. Peter and Charlotte don't usually trust other vampires without getting to know them first, but they'd trust you, Esme, if I explained to them who you are to me." he clarified, and both of us smiled.

"If we had them meet me at one of my projects, I can use that as cover for the meeting. I'd just have to watch my thoughts around Edward." she said, and I was curious.

"What kind of projects?" I asked, and she smiled warmly at me.

"Though I loved teaching in my human life, I'm an architect now. Frequently, I will find old homes and restore them. Sometimes I sell them, sometimes I give them back to the community they're in, and sometimes I keep them. I did this with Rosalie's childhood home, the home in Smokey Mountains that Emmett grew up in, and the building Edward and his birth parents lived in back in Chicago. Jasper was on his way back from securing the deed to his own childhood home when he met you." Esme said, and I grinned.

"My aunt mentioned something about your family and home restorations; Esme, that sounds like an amazing career path. I guess you have all the time you want to go to college and get different degrees when you live forever." I said, and Esme nodded while chuckling softly.

"The best college or trade school experience any of us has gone through was when Rosalie got certified as a mechanic. All of the men in her class were beside themselves when she walked in and kicked their as-butts in every exam." Jasper let out with a laugh, correcting himself before swearing in front of his mother.

"Nice save." Esme told him flatly, as he turned his eyes down towards the ground with a smirk on his face.

"Okay, so we now have two areas of research set up. What else do we need to do?" I asked, changing the subject.

"We need to keep Edward from driving himself and Bella apart before they even have the chance to know one another properly. I know my brother and his emotions better than even he does, so I know he'll try to push her away. Edward doesn't like the idea of taking human life, at least he hasn't since he tried to go on a human-based diet shortly before Esme and Carlisle got married. It didn't last, obviously, because Edward, much like me, didn't like knowing what his prey was thinking or feeling in their last moments. Animals are much harder to read, so it's easier with them." Jasper told me, and I smiled.

"I'll take that one on myself!" I said proudly. "You told me that the news of Bella's arrival was spread around after her father came to the school to register her, and she starts school tomorrow when I do. If I get to school on time, I should be able to meet Bella in the front office while she's getting her schedule. Then, you can introduce me to your brother. Once I've got the both of them in close quarters, I think we'll be good to go. If we set a good example, and I find a lead pipe to beat Edward over the head with if he does something too stupid, then they should get the hint."

"You know, you can be a scary little monster when you want to." Jasper told me with a teasing smile, and I giggled at him.

"If I'm right about Edward, the pipe would receive more damage than his hard head." I rationalized, and even Esme laughed at that.

About two hours after I first met Esme, my future mother-in-law had gone home in order to clear her thoughts of our plan before Edward arrived home from Alaska; she told me to give Aunt Catherine her regards as she hugged me good-bye. Jasper helped me back into the Jeep, and we drove back to Aunt Catherine's. When we got there, Aunt Catherine's car was absent from the garage, and the house was empty. I found a note on the table by the door from Aunt Catherine, saying she had gone out to pick up some last-minute things for dinner.

"Will you be alright here on your own, Darlin'?" Jasper asked me, but I only shrugged.

"I can't really get into much trouble, can I?" I asked him in reply

"Knowing you? Anything is possible." he told me, and then I had an idea.

"Why don't you stay a little bit, Jazz? We can watch a movie or something until either Uncle Michael and Lauren or Aunt Catherine get home?" I asked, and he appeared to think about it for a few seconds.

"What movie are we watching?" he asked, and I smiled.

When Aunt Catherine walked through the front door, she walked straight into the living room. I paused the movie, Night at the Museum, and Jasper and I got up to help her take the multiple bags in her arms into the kitchen. She smiled gratefully at us, and then she noticed the way Jasper's arms had wound around my waist the moment the grocery bag was on the counter and out of his hands.

"I take it today went well?" she asked us, and I blushed.

"Esme sends her regards, Aunt Catherine, and today went very well." I said, leaning back against Jasper's firm chest.

"In that case, would you like to stay for dinner, Jasper?" Aunt Catherine asked, but Jasper declined politely.

"I would if I could, ma'am, but Esme's expecting me home for dinner. While I was securing her restoration project in Houston, my brother, Edward, was checking up on her project in Fairbanks. Carlisle gets off a thirty-six hour shift tonight, so it'll be the first time we've all been home at the same time in three days." he said, and Aunt Catherine smiled understandingly.

"That's perfectly understandable. How did Houston go, by the way?" she asked him casually, and I looked up at him while waiting for him to answer.

"That went exactly the way we wanted it to. The last owner of the house wanted to keep the Civil War period exterior and destroy the interior; Esme, now owner of the house, intends to keep the home's historic integrity intact. I don't honestly believe I've ever seen her as worked up over a project as this one since she decided to restore a three-hundred-year-old church in London." Jasper said, and I had a feeling the church held some significance to Carlisle.

"I'm glad you got everything settled. Well, it's getting close to time for Michael and Lauren to be home. Why don't you two hurry up and finish that movie you were watching before they get back? It shouldn't have too much left in it from what I remember, so you should be able to make it home on time, Jasper." Aunt Catherine said, and we both smiled at her before returning to the living room.

When Lauren and Uncle Michael did return home, I walked Jasper out to the Jeep. Lauren was glaring daggers at me the whole time, but I brushed her off. Jasper gave my uncle a brief hello before opening the driver's side door of the Jeep. I pushed myself up on my toes and waited for him to lean in towards me. He did, and our second kiss as nearly as sweet at the first.

"I'll see you at school tomorrow." he said, and I nodded.

"I'll be waiting for you." I said, and he grinned.

"I love you, Alice." Jasper told me, and I loved the way those words sounded coming from his mouth.

"I love you, too, Jasper." I said softly, and he kissed me again unexpectedly.

"Sorry, Darlin', but I couldn't resist." he said with a small smile, and I let out a sigh.

"It's okay, you, goofball; I enjoyed it, and I love you." I teased, and he chuckled before climbing into the Jeep.

I waved to Jasper as he left, and he waved back at least once. Lauren was fuming when I got inside, and I was feeling very happy. As I closed the front door and leaned back on it, I felt a buzz in my pocket. I took out my cellphone and saw I had one new text message.

Hey, is it alright if I call?

-Cynth

Smiling at the text message from my sister, I sent her an affirmative response. Almost at once, my phone started ringing. I answered with a giggle.

"Hey, Cynth!"

"Hey, Alice! How's Forks so far? You don't start school until tomorrow, right?" my little sister asked excitedly.

"It's been great. I didn't have any trouble getting to Aunt Catherine's, despite being on an earlier flight, all thanks to Jasper." I told her, waiting for her response.

"Well that's goo- Wait, did you say Jasper?" she asked, squealing slightly and making me laugh again.

"I did, Cynthia. You were right, I was wrong, and I owe you one. I even met Esme, his mother, today. She is the sweetest woman I've ever met, except maybe Mama, and she's an architect. I'm starting to think more about what all I could do in college, and I think design might be a good idea." I said, and Cynthia squealed again.

"He introduced you to his mother! Alice, are you sure this is the real deal here? He really does love you?" she asked, and I let out a sigh.

"I'm positive, Cynth." I assured her.

"How's Lauren?" she asked, and I snorted while making my way out the back door.

"She hates me already." I said, eliciting laughter from my sister.

"What did you do to her?" she asked.

"I didn't…technically. She's apparently been lusting after Jasper, which he knew about before I got here, and Jasper made his feelings pretty clear when he kissed me twice before he left." I explained, and she went silent for a few moments.

"He kissed you twice? Victoria says that boys who show so much affection are only after one thing. Are you sure he's in love with you for you?" she asked, and I felt rage bubbling up inside of me.

"Yes, Cynthia, I am absolutely positive. He kissed me more than twice, but he kissed me twice right before he left. Look, you know I love you, but you don't understand everything that's going on here. There are things that I'm not able to tell you right now, visions I've had that haven't made complete sense, but I know what I'm doing. Jasper doesn't treat me this way to get me to sleep with him, Cynthia. If that were the case, he'd be with Lauren. No, Jasper shows me affection because he loves me. This kind of love, there's nothing else like it; it's like the two of you are the centers of each other's worlds. I'm sure of this, Cynth, completely sure." I barely registered the shift in my voice, from angry to soft, as I doing my best to tear down whatever wall of lies my stepmother had built in my sister's mind.

"I believe you, Alice. When do you think that you might be coming back for a visit?" she asked, causing me to let out another sigh.

"Cynthia, I'll see about coming to visit over the summer, but I don't know an exact date yet." I answered, and she accepted this.

"Okay, then, Alice. I love you." she said, signaling the end of the call.

"I love you, too, Cynthia. Call me if you need anything, okay?" I said, and she agreed before hanging up.

I wondered idly to myself if Jasper found his younger siblings, as they all technically were younger than him, as irritatingly lovable as I found Cynthia.

After dinner, during most of which Lauren glared at me, Uncle Michael and Aunt Catherine asked me to follow them into the garage. I stopped in the doorway, not completely comprehending the blue convertible parked beside my aunt's Jaguar.

"Alice, honey, is it too much?" Aunt Catherine asked me, but I just looked at her before throwing my arms around her torso.

"You guys, y'all shouldn't have." I exclaimed, and my southern accent slipped out in my emotional state.

"We wanted to, Alice. If it makes you feel any better, I didn't spend a lot on it. A buddy of mine in Port Angeles was selling it because his new girlfriend wants to be eco-friendly and is against cars. He said that, if the relationship fails, he already has a new car lined up." Uncle Michael told me as I moved from Aunt Catherine to him.

"What make and model is it?" I asked, still not moving any closer to the car.

"It's a 2007 Toyota Solara." Uncle Michael said, and I nodded, now trusting myself to take a step towards the light blue convertible.

"And this is all mine?" I asked, reaching out to run a hand along the metal body.

"All yours, Alice." Aunt Catherine said as she held the keys out to me, and I let out an excited squeal.

It wasn't long after I'd drifted to sleep that another vision took over my mind. I was in a bright, sunlit baby nursery with a baby in my arms. I was sitting in a large, gray chair, and the baby in my arms was swaddled in a soft, gray blanket. I was clearly a vampire by this time, as the sunlight glittered like crystals on my skin. The baby's skin glowed in the light rather than sparkled. The baby looked up at me, and I was met with a pair of bright green eyes framed by golden ringlets.

"Well, good morning, sweetheart. Mama's so proud of her baby boy for sleeping through the night. Aw, I see a smile! Mama loves you!" I said to the baby, and then I woke up.

It was much earlier than five o'clock when I woke up this time, but the scent of honey and lavender was strong. Sitting up and turning on my bedside lamp, I smiled. Jasper was standing in front of my dresser, another flower in his hand.

"Hey." I whispered, knowing he could hear me.

"Hey." he said, turning around and sitting on the edge of my bed.

"So, I had another vision about the baby." I told him, moving closer.

"Our baby?" he asked me with a smile.

"Yep, our son to be exact." I said, and Jasper grinned from ear to ear as he sat down beside me on the bed.

"A boy? I'm going to have a son? We're going to have a son? Wow." he said, and I giggled softly.

"He's beautiful, Jazz. He was all blonde curls and green eyes. I think he has my nose, too. He's definitely got your cheekbones, though." I said dreamily as Jasper wrapped his arms around my waist.

"I guess this means our research pays off. Did you catch his name?" he asked me, but I shook my head.

"No, but I have a feeling that knowing would be a bigger burden than it's worth. What would you want to name him?" I asked in reply.

"I honestly don't know, Darlin'. For eighty-seven years, I thought being a father was impossible. For the last fifty-seven years, I thought my only path to fatherhood was adoption. Most adoptive children have names already." Jasper told me, and I nodded in understanding.

"I guess that's true. This just means we have things to think about over the next couple of years." I told him, and he laughed quietly as I let out a yawn.

"Yeah, it does. Get a few more hours of sleep, Alice. We wouldn't want you to fall asleep during your first day at a new school, now, would we?" he told me, and I responded by snuggling closer to him. "I didn't mean on me, Darlin'."

"Oh well." I said sleepily, and I felt him laugh once more before I slipped off to sleep once more.

When I woke again, Jasper was gone and the sun was up. A yellow magnolia was on my dresser where the rose had been the day before. I smiled, and then I got out of the bed and started getting ready for school. After a quick shower, I pulled on the outfit I had picked out. The best way to start at a new school was showing who you are as honestly as possible, so I was dressed in a black and white, striped sweater over a black tank top and black skinny jeans. My jeans were tucked into light brown cowboy boots, which matched my belt, and a tigers-eye pendant hung around my neck.

I was putting my black and gold feather earrings in when I heard Lauren's door open and my cousin pad down the hall to the bathroom. I quickly ran a brush through my short, black hair before heading downstairs to grab a quick breakfast. I needed to leave early if I wanted to meet Bella as soon as possible.

There weren't many cars in the student parking lot of Forks High School when I arrived. I saw a silver Volvo, and I made sure to censor my thoughts. My focus was on song lyrics, rather than my mission to locate Bella. I checked my bag a few times, counted every binder and pen at least three times, and waited. The opening sounds of Savage Garden's "I Want You" crackled from the radio, and I smiled to myself as I listened to the song. I knew I couldn't let Edward hear my real thoughts until I'd either talked to him about Bella or I'd found that lead pipe I'd told Jasper and Esme I'd need.

Just as the song was ending, I saw an old, but sturdy Ford truck pull up in front of the main office. The girl who got out was average height, brunette, and pale. This had to be Bella. Replaying the song in my head, I got out of the car and walked across the parking lot to the front doors. As quietly as I could, I followed Bella inside.

She went into the small, yellow office, and I was right behind her. The woman behind the desk introduced herself as Mrs. Cope to Bella, and then she noticed me.

"You must be Ms. Mallory's cousin. Mary, right?" she asked, and I smiled at her.

"Alice, actually. It's Mary-Alice, but I prefer Alice." I said, and then I turned to face Bella. "Hi, I'm Alice Brandon. You must be Isabella Swan. My cousin, though don't hold that against me, hasn't stopped talking about how you moving here has taken away her thunder." "I prefer Bella, and it's nice to meet you. I didn't mean to steal anyone's thunder, but I can't exactly change that, can I?" she told me with a slight laugh.

"I don't think you can. It's okay if Lauren hates you. She hates me, too." I admitted, and Bella raised an eyebrow at me.

"Why would your own cousin hate you?" she asked as Mrs. Cope went about gathering out schedules.

"I met a guy at the airport in Houston, and he happens to live here as well. His mother's an architect, and she sent him to Houston to secure her next project. Jasper and I talked the whole way here, and he even drove me to my aunt and uncle's house when I admitted that I'd taken an earlier flight and had no way to my new home until the following night. He asked me out after he dropped me off, and Lauren's jealous. Jasper's refused to go out with her for two years now, and she hates that he asked me out at all." I gave Bella the Cliff Notes edition, and she nodded.

"We've got an architect in town?" she asked, and I laughed at that being the part she picked up on.

"Technically, no. Has anyone told you about Dr. and Mrs. Cullen?" I asked, and she shook her head.

"Who are they?"

"Dr. Carlisle Cullen and his wife, Esme moved here two years ago from Alaska with their four foster children. Jasper and Rosalie Hale are twins, and Carlisle and Esme adopted them after their biological mother, Esme's sister died in a car accident when they were twelve. Rosalie is dating Emmett, who the Cullen's took in when he was fourteen, a few years after Jasper and Rosalie moved in with them, and Edward is the youngest. He's about our age, and Lauren's best friend, Jessica Stanley, is obsessed with him." I explained, and Bella nodded.

"So, Esme Cullen is an architect, but she doesn't really work around here." she reasoned.

"Yes; Carlisle works at the hospital; Esme, much like my Aunt Catherine, likes a quiet place to work. He's a board-certified surgeon, so they'd be living comfortably even if Esme didn't work so much herself." I said, and Bella smiled.

"They sound like a nice family. They're okay with Rosalie and Emmet being together? I mean, they aren't blood related, so I guess it's fine. I bet it makes people talk, though." she said as Mrs. Cope arrived with our schedules.

"Here you go, girls. Just have your teachers sign these sheets, and bring them back at the end of the day." she told us, and we both nodded before leaving the office.

"Hey, Alice, do you want a lift back to your car?" Bella asked me, and I giggled.

"Sure, Bella. What class do you have first?" I asked her as we got into her truck.

"English. You?" she said.

"Same. I guess Forks High is either A) not used to having new students to place, B) not very creative with scheduling, or C) both." I said with a smile.

Bella laughed, and the two of us made our way to English class. Mr. Mason blinked when he realized both of us were in his class. We thanked him for signing our slips, gathered our copies of the syllabus, and made our way to two empty desks in the back. Everyone seemed to stare at us, despite being in front of us, throughout class. Bella and I both read over the syllabus quickly, and I made notations beside each author. I'd read the required Shakespeare plays, I'd read Wuthering Heights and Jane Eyre, and there was no way I hadn't read Faulkner as a Mississippi girl. Chaucer was new, but I felt I'd be able to deal with it.

The bell rang, and Bella and I stood. We were approached by a teenage boy with oily skin and black hair. He leaned in towards Bella, clearly making her uncomfortable.

"You're Isabella Swan, right? I'm Eric Yorkie." he said, completely ignoring me.

"Bella, actually. Alice, what's your next class?" Bella asked me, and I snorted before answering.

"I've got Trig next. I've got Government when you have Trig." I told her sadly, and she shook her head at my dramatics.

"I'm sure we'll see each other before too long, Alice." she said, and Eric finally took notice of me.

"You must be Lauren's cousin, Mary, right?" he asked, and I groaned.

"Look, Eric, I'm sure you're a nice guy, but Bella and I don't need help finding our classes. Oh, and I prefer being called Alice." I said, and he looked deflated somewhat.

"Oh; okay then. I guess I'll see you ladies around then?" he asked, and we both gave him small smiles before leaving the room.

Bella and I went our separate ways at that point, and I made it to Mr. Varner's classroom without incident. When I entered, I felt my stomach drop. One thought crossed my mind, and the copper-haired figure across the room met my eyes as I had it.

"Shit!"

I had used my thoughts to recount all of the information I had on the Cullen family when I was talking to Bella. Edward had heard me, and now I'd have to explain myself. Where was Jasper when I needed him?

"Ms. Brandon, you may take the seat beside Mr. Cullen." Mr. Varner said, handing back my slip with his signature on it.

I nodded, moved across the room to the seat in question, and sat down silently. Edward looked at me strangely, and I began repeating every word on the syllabus in my head. Before too long, a piece of paper slid across the desk to me. I looked down and saw a question written on it.

How do you know so much about my family? -E.C.

If I told you, you wouldn't believe me. -A.B.

I'd believe a lot of things. -E.C.

Meet up with me at lunch. Your brother already is. -A.B.

Which brother? -E.C.

Jasper. -A.B.

Why? -E.C.

I'll tell you then. I promise. -A.B.

Why are we initialing this? -E.C.

You started it! -A.B.

The note stopped then, and I shook my head slightly. We were already arguing like brother and sister. Esme would be so happy.

I passed Bella in the hallway, and she told me that Government had been relatively easy. I told her that Varner had been polite with me, but a few of the students managed to irritate him by the end of class. She thanked me for the heads up, and I smiled and assured her that it was no problem.

Government was fairly simple, and I was growing bored by the time the bell rang. I made my way to Italian II, and I let out a sigh of relief when I walked into the classroom and saw Jasper was in the class. Signora Moretti signed my slip and told me to take the seat beside Jasper. I gave her a smile and did as she said.

"Good morning, Darlin'." he said, taking my hand in his.

"Good morning, handsome. I missed you." I told him sweetly, but he merely raised an eyebrow at me.

"Alice, what did you do now?" he asked, and I sighed and rolled my eyes.

"I was talking to Bella about why Lauren hates me, and I may have had to take a moment and think of all of the things I know about your family. Edward sits next to me in Trig, and he all but demanded answers." I said, and Jasper sighed.

"Darlin', you know I love you, but that just opened up a door I wasn't sure if I needed to open just yet. Esme was supposed to talk to Carlisle while we were at school today, and now we've got to talk to my siblings." he said, and I nodded.

"I understand, and I didn't mean to. Other than you, Bella is going to be my best friend. We got to talking, and I'm almost positive Bella isn't typically a talkative person, and it was like we couldn't stop. If she's going to be my sister, I can't wait. You're going to love her, too, Jazz. I just know it!" I spoke rapidly, and he smiled at me.

"I can tell how you feel, Darlin', and I'm not mad. I'm actually more worried about my sister. Edward blurted out what he was thinking about you when he heard your thoughts, I got irritated with him, he heard my thoughts and blurted out his own again, and Rosalie started throwing a tantrum." he told me, and I looked down at my desk.

"So, she hates me, then?" I asked, but Jasper gave my hand a squeeze.

"She doesn't exactly hate you. She thinks that bringing two humans into the family at one time is too dangerous. Edward is reluctant to meet Bella because of that, but I told all three of them that I wasn't backing down from this. Edward wants to know what I was talking about in my thoughts, and I'm not sure I want to tell him." he clarified, and I turned back towards him.

"What were you thinking of exactly?" I asked with a smile.

"Edward wanted to know who the 'weird little new girl who knew our family history' was, and I might have been thinking something along the lines of 'The mother of my son is not weird.'" Jasper admitted, and I blushed lightly.

"Maybe, if we tell him, he'll be less worried about his relationship with Bella?" I offered as a solution, and Jasper thought on it for a moment.

"Okay. You're right, so we can tell him what we know. I do think we should wait before springing this on Bella, however." he said, and then it was time for class to start.

After class, Jasper and I walked to the cafeteria. Before we got inside, he stopped and pulled me towards the parking lot. There, beside Carlisle's Mercedes, stood Esme. Jasper gave her a hug, and then Esme took a step towards me. Though I somewhat expected it, it was still a pleasant surprise to find myself in a mother's warm embrace.

"Edward texted me, panicking, because a human girl knew our secret. I knew I had to rush over as soon as possible. Bring all four of them out into the clearing behind the school for me? We can have lunch as a group, I came prepared, and talk this out. Carlisle should be here by the time you get back." she told us, and we both understood that she meant Bella should come with us as well.

"Of course, Esme. We'll be back in a bit." I said, and she smiled at me again.

As we walked into the cafeteria, Jasper leaned down and whispered in my ear. I giggled and blushed lightly at his statement.

"I told you she'd love you from the moment she met you."

"I hope your father likes me as much as your mother does." I replied, and he responded by taking my hand and spinning me around.

"Carlisle will love you just as much as Esme does, Darlin'. Trust me." he said, and I smiled at him as we neared the table in the back of the cafeteria where his siblings sat.

All three looked at us, at me, differently. Edward was relieved, sure he was about to get answers. Rosalie looked at me with pure hatred in her eyes. Emmett, however, looked at me curiously, as if he was perplexed by my sheer existence. I smiled at them anyway, and I turned to face Edward.

"Your mother wants you three outside. Carlisle's on his way as well." I said, and Edward rolled his eyes at me.

"Alice, why do Carlisle and Esme have to be involved?" he asked.

"They chose to get involved, Edward. You should consider yourself lucky that they want to be so involved." I said simply before turning to walk towards Bella, who was being verbally harassed by Lauren's best friend, Jessica Stanley.

"Bella!" I called out to her, and she looked up at me and smiled.

"Hey, Alice!" she said happily, and I hugged her.

"I'm headed outside with Jasper and his siblings. I was asked to see if you wanted to come along. What do you say?" I asked her, and every student within earshot gaped, Lauren amongst them.

"Sure. I'd love to meet this mystery boy you've told me so much about." Bella teased in her reply, and I rolled my eyes.

"Come on!" I said with a laugh, and Bella grabbed her bag and followed me over to where Jasper was standing by the door.

"You must be Bella." Jasper said to her, and Bella appeared grateful at someone greeting her by her preferred name.

"You must be Jasper. It's nice to meet you." she replied, and he nodded.

"It's nice to meet you, too. Let's get going; I wouldn't want to leave those three alone with my parents for too long." he said, semi-jokingly.

Bella and I laughed along with Jasper, and the three of us walked into the woods behind the school. I leaned into Jasper's side as we walked, glad he seemed to like Bella already. He didn't even seem mildly overcome with bloodlust.

"Is your thirst okay?" I whispered gently, and he smiled down at me.

"I feel fine, Darlin'." he answered, dropping a kiss to the top of my head as we entered the clearing where everyone was standing.

Esme smiled at us, and then she turned to the tall, blonde man beside her. I knew he had to be Carlisle, Jasper's adoptive father, and he was, according to my knowledge, the most compassionate of all beings, mortal or supernatural. Once again, Edward gave me an odd look.

"Alice, it's nice to finally meet you. Esme and Jasper have said nothing but wonderful things about you." Carlisle said to me, opening his arms for a hug.

I moved forward and hugged him as tightly as my tiny, human arms could. I couldn't help but think, despite knowing Edward was right there and could hear my every thought, that this is what a father was supposed to be like. Daddies are supposed to protect their daughters, not throw them to the barn floor after attempting to murder them.

"It's nice to meet you, too, Carlisle." I said softly, and then I felt the burst of happiness bubble over and realized Jasper had picked up on my sadness and anger again.

"Sorry, Darlin'." my mate said quickly, and I shook my head as I left his father's embrace for his own.

"You did what was necessary, nothing more. I'm fine now, okay?" I told him, and he smiled at me.

"Okay." he said, and Esme let out a light laugh.

"I told you he was different with her." she said to Carlisle, and the doctor nodded in agreement.

"She's clearly the best thing to ever happen to Jasper, love." he said, but I had to disagree.

"What are we all doing out here?" Rosalie finally asked, and Esme turned back to the group assembled.

"I know two of you haven't hunted in a while, so I've brought lunch. In addition to that, I believe Jasper has an announcement to make. Once he does, he and Alice will be explaining why Bella has been included in this. Alice already know what we are, but Bella will be finding out soon." Esme explained, and I nodded, taking responsibility for telling Bella.

"Bella, what do you notice about the Cullens' appearance?" I asked my best friend, and she studied the family of vampires for a moment.

"They're all pale, paler than me; they've all got gold eyes, too. Hunting was mentioned earlier, so that's important." she said, and I nodded.

"Take Jasper's hand." I told her, and she did.

"You're ice cold." Bella said. "You're vampires."

"They are. You're not scared, are you?" I asked, and she raised an eyebrow at me.

"Alice, I've seen Thunderbirds in Arizona; I also have a friend that's a witch. She moved to New Orleans in eighth grade, but I still exchange emails with her every now and again. I've no reason to be scared, do I?" she said, and I smiled.

"Well, if you add to all of that a psychic best friend, then no!" I said cheerfully, and she gaped at me.

"Really? That's cool." Bella said, and we hugged each other.

"Now that Bella knows and isn't scared of us, what is it you have to tell us, Jasper?" I smirked at Edward as he asked his brother his question.

"Alice is my mate. When I took her hand in mine Saturday night, we both felt an intense spark, like someone had set off fireworks in between our hands. As Alice has said, she's a psychic. Her visions usually present themselves in the form of dreams, and she's had many about our family over the last nine years. She knew things about me that I don't care to share with anyone, and she loved me from the start." he said, and I walked back over to him and curled into his side.

"Her visions are true. I see one in her mind now, or at least the memory of one. It's just after Jasper's last slip-up, and he's being comforted by Esme. They're outside the house in Ohio." Edward confirmed my thoughts, and the others looked at me in varying degrees of surprise.

"As to why Bella's here, I had another vision Saturday night." I said, recalling the vision in my mind.

Edward paled as the scene played out, but I saw his features soften when he saw his daughter's face. I knew then that he was going to do whatever he had to in order to ensure Renesmee was safely delivered.

"She's beautiful, Alice. Are you sure?" he asked me, and I nodded.

"Just as sure as I was of the vision I had of my own son. Bella is here because she's meant to be with you." I told him, and Edward moved towards a nervous looking Bella.

"Edward, don't kill her. Both my sanity and Renesmee's life depend on it." Jasper said dryly, apparently picking up on Edward's thirst.

"She's my singer. This is going to be difficult." the copper-haired vampire muttered, but not low enough for me to not here him.

"Don't worry, Edward, I already told Jasper and Esme I need to find a lead pipe to help keep you in line." I told him, thought I was smirking as I said it.

"My new little sister is a scary." he teased, and I nodded.

"Introduce yourself, Edward." I said, chuckling lightly.

"Hello, Bella. I'm Edward Cullen." he said to her after rolling his eyes at me.

"Hi. I'm Bella Swan." she replied, and they shook hands.

Only, they had barely touched hands before they both jumped back from one another. I met Jasper's eyes, and he nodded. They had felt the spark.

"That was nothing like fireworks." Edward said, and Carlisle shrugged.

"That was more like an electric shock." Bella added.

"It's different for everyone. Your mother and I felt a soft, warm tingle. Rosalie and Emmett described theirs as their hands being set on fire." he reasoned, and Edward nodded.

"Who's Renesmee?" Emmett asked, brushing off the fact that both of his brothers had found their mates.

"Renesmee Carlie Cullen is your half-human, half-vampire niece, Emmett. Between now and Renesmee's birth, you and Rosalie will also adopt a young vampire named Bree. In the vision I had of Renesmee, Bree was there and called Rosalie 'Mom.'" I explained, and Rosalie looked torn between hating me and loving me.

Everyone was quiet for a few moments, letting the information sink in. The silence was broken, however, by Rosalie. She was not happy.

"Look, I'm happy my brothers have found their mates, but why do they have to be humans? One, I might have been able to handle. But two at one time? Seriously? And what about these hybrids? Are they even possible? I don't know if I can handle this!" she exclaimed, and I could feel my anger building.

"Rosalie." Esme warned, but the blonde wasn't finished quite yet.

"This isn't even fair! Hybrids, if Aro finds out, are bound to be a danger to us. Plus, if he realizes these humans know about our kind, he'll kill all of us!" she yelled, and I knew it was too late for me to reign my temper in.

"This isn't fair? It's not fair that your brothers get to be happy? It's not fair that I am human right now? You are being so selfish, Rosalie, and I don't even know if you realize that! I get that Carlisle changed you when you were dying, and I get that you want for things that you'll never have, but I have just as much right to make my own choices as you do to mourn your lack thereof! As for humans knowing, I already know that both Bella and I will be turned anyway! Your nephew's existence was contingent upon Bella surviving and the venom taking, so I know she and I will both be okay! You'll have a daughter, one who will love you very much despite her being adopted! Stop being petty because you don't agree with my choices!" I yelled, and I could feel a subtle calm trying to take hold of me.

Emmett was gaping at me, as were most of the Cullens, but Rosalie was staring at me in awe. Clearly, she wasn't used to being yelled at. Bella was smiling at me, as if she'd wanted to tell Rosalie exactly what I had.

"What do you mean it didn't work, Jasper?" Edward asked, and I turned to look between the two brothers.

"I tried to calm her down, but her emotions were too strong. I've tried curbing Bella's happiness and enthusiasm down to normal levels, too, and it didn't work." Jasper explained, and I looked over to see Bella giggling.

"We can worry about that later. I believe your mother mentioned lunch?" Carlisle spoke up, and everyone turned to Esme, who picked up and opened the picnic basket that had been between her and Carlisle.

"That, I did." she said as she began taking out metal sport bottles and passing them out.

Rosalie was given a red bottle, Emmett's was blue, Edward received a blue bottle, and Jasper accepted an orange one. Carlisle was clearly surprised when Esme handed him a black bottle, and I resisted the urge to giggle. She set a purple one aside for herself, and then she handed a pink one to me and a green one to Bella. Bella and I also both got small, plastic bowls of a pasta salad similar, but not identical to the one Esme had made for me the day before.

We all thanked Esme, and Bella and I began consuming our lunches. While I knew everyone else's bottles were filled with animal blood, I took a sniff my drink to confirm that it was grape juice, something I'd mentioned to Esme the day before. Bella, I'd heard her say to herself, had apple juice. Esme, I felt, had gone far beyond what was necessary to spend time with her children, which Edward realized when he heard my thoughts. He looked at me, and I shrugged lightly. He took a sip from his silver bottle and seemed to hum in surprise, and then he turned to his adoptive mother.

"Esme, how did you get mountain lion blood in a bottle?" he asked her with a smile.

"I had a bit of surgical help with that one." she teased, and Carlisle smiled.

"Drain the animal of its blood through an IV into the bottle. We've got a nice stockpile that you can bring to school now, all four of you." he explained further, and the four teenage vampires blinked in surprise.

"You mean to tell me that, if we'd have thought about doing this earlier, I could have been bottling grizzly bear blood?" Emmett asked, stunned, taking a drink from his bottle to confirm that it was, indeed, his preferred animal blood inside.

"I agree, Emmett, but the thought only occurred to me the other night while I was watching NCIS. Ducky was strapped down to a metal table in a mortuary, and the killer was trying to drain him of his blood through an IV. I watched the fake blood start down the drain, and all I could think of was how wasteful that was. Then, I reminded myself that it was a show about humans anyway. But that got me thinking about this idea here, and we started testing this out Friday night." Esme answered, and the other three took swigs of theirs to see what was in them.

"Lynx!" Rosalie said happily.

"Deer." Carlisle stated.

"Red fox." Jasper said with a smile, and everyone turned to Esme.

"It took a while to track down, but I've got a bottle of coyote blood." she told them, and the four vampire siblings shared a look.

"Clearly, Bella and I are missing something." I said, and Jasper chuckled.

"What Esme is really saying with that last statement is she and Carlisle found the bear blood, lynx blood, cougar blood, deer blood, and fox blood in one day; she spent no more than half-an-hour searching for the coyote blood." Edward explained, and Esme shrugged.

"Once you've been turned, all smells are enhanced and altered. Some of us are better at it than others, but once you've identified the type of blood you prefer, you can usually filter out everything else and find what you're looking for in minutes. We try not to hunt too often, or else we might raise suspicion if so many animals turn up dead. When we do hunt, it's best to feed on whatever you find." Rosalie said, looking directly at me and Bella.

"Thanks, Rosalie." I said, and she nodded.

After lunch, and after everyone had said their goodbyes to Carlisle and Esme, it was time for Bella and Edward to head off to biology. Jasper and Emmett hurried off to English, and I discovered I had gym class with Rosalie. My future-vampire-sister/sister-in-law didn't seem as cold towards me now as she had in the clearing, but we weren't best friends yet. Of course, she did seem to find it as hilarious as I did that Lauren attempted to play nice when we walked in.

"Mary, I haven't seen you much today! Do you want to be on my volleyball team?" she asked, and I raised an eyebrow at her.

"Alice is going to be on my team, Lauren. We discussed it during lunch." Rosalie said suddenly, and I decided to just go with it.

Lauren glared at Rosalie before storming off. I giggled. Rosalie smirked.

"You are okay with being on my team, right?" she asked me quietly, and I nodded.

"I'm great with that idea as long as you manage to smack her in the face with the ball." I replied, and Rosalie laughed.

"Deal." she told me, and that was when I knew we would bond eventually.

I had biology last period of the day, and it was dreadful. Okay, it was actually kind of fun. As it turned out, because he'd been put in detention for smarting off at the former biology teacher at Forks High, Ms. Hunsford, and subsequently managed to both cause the woman to flee to another school in Seattle and failed the class, Emmett was my lab partner.

Dealing with my new big brother, however, was proving to be a bigger task than I'd anticipated. Even though both of us had learned how to identify the stages of plant cells replicating, making the lecture easy to understand, Emmett insisted upon doodling all over my notes. I threatened to find the lead pipe I'd threatened Edward with and use it on him, but he kept up his drawing.

After class, Emmett asked to walk me outside to where our, and it felt nice to think of it this way, family was waiting. I agreed, and he seemed relieved. Sighing to myself, I shook my head at him. Had me yelling at Rosalie scared Emmett?

"I won't hurt you, Em." I whispered, and he gave me a small smile.

"I know, but you're really scary, Ali." he said with a slight chuckle.

"You should just pray she and I never team up to go after you." came Rosalie's voice as she met up with us by the door to the parking lot.

"We did gang up on Lauren during gym." I admitted, and Emmett looked between the two of us.

"The two of you worked together?" he asked us.

"She called me Mary."

"She tried to force Alice onto her volleyball team."

"What did you do to her?" Emmett asked, suddenly sounding like the most grown up of the three of us.

"We might have spiked a volleyball into her face." Rosalie said casually, and I smirked.

"We might have done this twice." I added, and Emmett burst out laughing.

He continued laughing as we made our way over to Edward, Bella, and Jasper. All three looked at us strangely, as Rosalie and I could only hold in our own laughter for so long before we joined in with Emmett. Seeing that Rosalie and I had clearly made up, Jasper smiled.

"This is definitely a sight to behold." he said, and Rosalie gave me a smile.

"Not only was Alice right in what she said and has made you the happiest I've ever seen you, but she's a genuinely nice person who cares about our family. How can I stay mad at someone like that? Especially when she said something about giving me a nephew?" Rosalie said, looking at Jasper and I expectantly.

"We agreed we'd have a baby if Bella survived. Based on the vision I had of me with a baby boy, Bella goes through the change without issue. You'll have a niece and a nephew before long, Rosalie." I said, and she squealed.

After a brief exchanging of cellphone numbers amongst the eternal teenagers, Bella, and myself, we parted ways for the day. When I got home, only Aunt Catherine was there. She came into my room while I was working on Calculus homework.

"Hey, sweetie, how was your first day of school?" she asked, and I smiled.

"It went great. Jasper introduced me to his siblings, and I had lunch with the four of them and Bella Swan. Bella is also my new best friend. Why isn't Lauren home yet?" I answered.

"She sent me a text about going over to Jessica's. She said got hit in the face with a volleyball twice today and was too stressed to come straight home. I don't believe her stress one minute, but as long as she's safe and isn't here distracting me with the latest Cullen drama, I won't demand she come home." Aunt Catherine said, and I giggled.

"Lauren did manage to get in Rosalie's way whenever our team spiked the ball across the net to her team." I said, pretending to not know that Rosalie had done it on purpose.

"You were on separate teams?" Aunt Catherine asked.

"Rosalie asked me to be on her team while we were walking to the gym, and Lauren called me Mary again." I explained, and my aunt nodded in understanding.

"Right. She'll stop that someday. Where did the magnolia come from?" she asked, her eyes drifting over to the yellow flower on my dresser.

"Jasper gave it to me. He also gave me the yellow rose next to it." I said.

"Okay, then, I'll let you get back to your homework. Dinner should be ready by six."

That night, while I slept, a vision took over my dreams. Bella was pinned against her truck by a pale arm. A large van was sliding towards her. Then, I woke up.

When I opened my eyes, Jasper was leaning over me. He looked worried, and I knew he could feel my absolute terror. Without a word, he pulled me into his arms and kissed the top of my head gently.

"Alice, what's wrong, Darlin'? What did you see?"

"Bella was pinned against the truck, and a van was sliding towards her. Hopefully, the arm that was pinning her back was Edward; he can save her from being crushed between two vehicles." I told him in a rushed whisper.

"Edward will do anything necessary to protect Bella. It's what vampires do for their mates. I promise you, Bella will be fine. She has to be if we're going to be parents." he reminded me with a smile, and I relaxed a bit.

"I know, but the image of Bella looking like Death was standing over her, scythe in his hand, is hard to erase from my mind." I told him, and then I heard the soft clunk of his shoes on the hardwood floor.

Without another word, Jasper got into bed beside me and pulled me against his cold body. I nestled into his side and let out a contented sigh.

"I'll stay with you until you fall asleep, okay?" he asked, and I angled my head to look up at him.

"Okay." I said as I stretched to give him a quick kiss.

"I love you, Darlin'." he told me softly.

"I love you, too, Jazz." I said before letting out a yawn and curling up against him.

I was asleep in moments.

A/N: R&R, and please remember this is a fanfiction. I get annoyed when people seem to forget that. Hope you enjoyed the chapter!