Alice POV
Bella nervously toyed with hands as I dangerously sped through the circuitous Tuscan roads as we neared Volterra.
"Alice, what can you see now?" Bella had asked this question during our entire trip and my answer had not changed.
"The road, Bella. I need to focus in order to prevent your death. I can only go so fast", I snapped back. I know she was nervous, but I was doing my best. These small winding roads presented quite the challenge.
I was relieved as Volterra came into view and I heard Bella's sigh of relief. I then pulled the yellow Porsche into the crowded city as far as we could. The city was packed with people, dancers, and festivities. It must have been some kind of celebration and it was making it harder to locate Edward. Oh all days to choose. Edward made sure he would have an audience today, ensuring his quick death from the Volturi.
"Bella, look for a tower. I saw it in my vision." I quickly scanned my surroundings and located the familiar building from my visions.
"Quickly! Over there." I grabbed Bella's arm and we rushed through the crowd as fast as possible and I saw my brother, anguish painted on his face yet resolve to follow his lethal choice. He was determined to die and had whole-heartedly accepted the fate brought on by his wretched guilt.
Esme POV
My family is a mess. My husband is beside himself waiting for news from Italy and heartbroken that we will most likely lose a son and a daughter. I have tried to comfort Jasper, but he is inconsolable. He is heartbroken. To spare us his lack of control over his empathy, he has taken to the basement and requested to be alone. This hasn't helped much. His gift has amplified his anguish and it has been resonating throughout the house since he received the phone call from Alice.
Rosalie is a mess after realizing her message to Edward about Bella's death was not only her last words to him, but also why he chose to end his life. She could not handle Jasper's pain and her guilt led her and Emmett out of the house hours ago.
After not seeing Jasper for three hours, I finally decided to check on my tortured son. I walked over to the basement door and timidly put my hand to knob and opened the door.
"Jasper?" I whispered, hearing only the flickering light above the staircase. No response. I tiptoed slowly down the stairs, all the while trying to keep my own feelings in check.
This was impossible to do when I saw Jasper in the farthest and darkest corner of our basement, sitting on the floor, knees to his chest and head in his hands. He did not move as I stared at him for what seemed to be a few minutes. He was absolutely still.
"Jasper, what can I do?" I pleaded. My response was an exacerbated sigh, let out slowly, his head still unmoving. Then I saw his first movement, his shaggy blond hair moving as he shook his head continuously.
I knew there I was nothing I could do in this moment, but I wanted to try. I could not stand to see one of my children in so much pain. Comforting others was the only way I could deal with my own grief.
I would never admit it, but Jasper is my favorite son. We have always had a comforting, silent connection, a relationship in which he did not have to say much for me to know what he needed. I slowly walked over Jasper and sat by his side. I lifted my arm and placed it around his shoulders, into a partial hug.
Then it hit. Jasper's subdued emotions hit me full force as his empathetic wall broke down. I became overwhelmed with my own emotions and could feel his fears of loss and loneliness. I could only embrace my son as we sat in that cold basement, sobbing over the grim possibilities before us.
Alice POV
The mixture of emotions I had felt in the past two days wore me down mentally more than any experience I had been through. My brother was safe, Bella was safe, I was safe. However, I was flooded by the fear that Edward would not accept Bella's eventual transformation. That was tomorrow's problem.
Upon Bella's request, we left the Porsche at the nearest car rental and left with a Honda to travel to the airport in Florence. I peered into the rearview window to see Bella napping and Edward watching her intently. She had been through so much in the past twenty- four hours and was horribly sleep deprived. Edward, like always, seemed so troubled. He was beyond relieved that Bella was alive; all I had to do was to look at his face. Life was back in his face and the mixture of protectiveness, love, and passion for Bella ignited his dark eyes. I could not see a clear future for them, but I had a feeling they would not be separated again.
This happiness I felt at looking at my brother and Bella only reminded me of my own marriage. This adventure distracted me from the reason why I had left in the first place and how this was the perfect way for me to fix our marriage.
I'm sure our family will be enthralled knowing everyone is safe, but I wanted them to see me differently. I wanted them to see me as a capable, strong vampire. That was a lie, my family respected me, but my husband did not. I wanted him to see me differently. So much. What else could I do to prove myself?
The gas tank was approaching empty and we stopped off for gas. Edward and I got out, leaving Bella asleep in the back seat.
"We need to call. They're probably crazed with worry. Poor Esme. " Edward thought out loud, pulling his phone from his pocket and dialing Carlisle.
I heard the worry in Carlisle's voice as he asked Edward where we were. Edward smiled. "We're all ok. Bella is fine and we are on our way to the airport. We'll be arriving there tomorrow morning around 8."
I heard Carlisle yell for Esme and heard her voice over the phone as she berated Edward, "Come home immediately. I haven't seen you in months and then I hear you're going to the Volturi? Where you trying to kill me?" Edward could easily sense the worry in her voice and tried his best to reassure her.
"I'm so sorry, Mom", he smoothly worked into the conversation the name which Esme loves to hear, "I'll never do this again, I promise". She continued her conversation, telling him about all the anxiety everyone felt and the mess he had caused.
"Alice, Esme says Jasper has been a mess. You should really talk to him".
"Ok, tell Esme I'll give him a call when we make it to the airport". I was trying my best to hold off the conversation as long as possible. I didn't know what to say. I knew he must be worried sick, angry, but also relieved. I just wasn't sure what the first emotion would be.
Esme POV
As soon as I finished speaking to Edward, I rushed down the stairs back to Jasper.
"Jasper, she's ok. Everyone is ok and they're heading back right now", I said excitedly, almost shaking.
Jasper looked up at me with his dark eyes and then back down to his hands. He didn't say a word but nodded at me without making eye contact.
His control of his emotions tightened and it was hard to sense his feelings. I knew he would want to be alone, so I began to head back upstairs.
"Also, Alice said she would call when she reaches the airport in approximately 2 hours". No response. This silence scared me. I thought he would burst with excitement knowing his wife was alive, but I then I remembered how she had left and realized there was much more to their relationship right now .
Alice POV
We arrived at the airport sooner than expected and easily made it through check in and security when we arrived at our gate. Our plane would not board for 30 minutes and I knew the impending call I needed to make.
"Alice, it will be fine. Call him." Edward stared at me, his arm around Bella as she did her best to sleep in the uncomfortable navy blue chair.
"I know. I'm going down the terminal for a little more privacy", I snapped a little too harshly, feeling the burden of my own insecurities.
I walked down to a more secluded part of the terminal and took out my phone. I pressed Jasper's name and pressed the green call button. I had no idea what to expect. I felt so guilty for causing Jasper so much pain and anxiety. I also knew and hoped that he would see me as a capable wife, able to take care of herself and her family.
I heard the phone stop dialing and knew he had answered the call.
"Jasper?" I whispered, waiting so impatiently for a response. A few more seconds passed and my worry skyrocketed. This wasn't going to be good.
"How could you, Alice?" were the first words whispered from my husband. They were spiteful and shocking, causing me to pause before I could think of the best response.
"Jasper, I needed to save Edward. I couldn't let him die" I reasoned, suddenly defensive and hurt at his cold tone.
"Alice, we are married. Does that mean nothing to you? Do I mean nothing to you?" His tone revealed his immense anger but also the deep hurting he felt. He felt betrayed. "You left me before you knew about Edward. Did you forget? Does our marriage mean nothing to you? I would have never done this to you. I would have never risked my life, knowing there was a chance I wasn't coming home to you." He stopped himself, seemingly holding back more words of disappointment.
"Jasper, I'm sorry it had to come to that. I was trying to show you that I can handle myself. Jasper, I am an adult and I love you, but for decades, whenever we have disagreed about something in our marriage it has felt like you were in charge and I was following orders. I saved our brother, kept Bella safe, and kept our family together. Does that mean nothing to you?" I defended my actions, suddenly proud of myself for all that I had risked and accomplished over the previous three days.
"I hope it was worth it, Alice", Jasper conceded, his voice devoid of any emotion or affection. I then heard the dial tone and knew he had hung up.
I was shocked and hurt over our short phone call. My husband, usually so affectionate and devoted had not said a kind or well-meaning word to me. He had not said that he was so relieved that I was safe. He did not say that he loved me or how worried he was. This pain stung more than venom. I had ruined it. I had ruined my marriage, my mate, and he did not want me, that was clear.
I walked somberly back up the terminal to see the concern etched over Edward's face. He could already read what had happened.
I'm not going home, I thought to Edward, trying not to alert Bella. He doesn't want me, Edward. I messed up.
Alice, don't do this. I owe you so much for saving me, saving Bella, let me help you. Jasper is hurt that you left but he loves so much. I have seen the way he looks at you and how dedicated he is to you. Don't throw that away. Come back with us.
Edward, take care of Bella. I'm leaving. I trudged back to the security line and then the ticket counter to change my flight, trying to decide where in the world to go. It stung immensely when I realized I didn't have a home to go to. Once again, I was alone.
Jasper POV
I paced around the basement, waiting for time to pass before I would see Alice walk through those doors, out of the terminal and into my arms. I was harsh before, I was so hurt that my wife would leave me but it was hard to stay so angry when I knew she was safe and coming home. I was still hurt and knew we had issues to resolve, but that was for another day. Today, all I could focus on was Alice, holding her, kissing her… I smiled. Today was going to be wonderful.
Six o'clock came and we began packing into our cars to meet the runways at the airport. We had aggregated back to our home in Forks, trying to make best of the situation and also for Bella's sake. Luckily our vacant home had not been touched.
"Emmett, can I drive your Jeep?" I quickly asked, realizing I would want to be alone with Alice as soon as she got back.
Emmett looked confused for a moment, then hesitant. "Keep it clean", he mumbled as he followed Rosalie over to her convertible.
We raced our vehicles over to the Seattle Airport, but I had arrived first. I quickly parked Emmett's Jeep and didn't bother to wait for the rest of the family. I had arrived 30 minutes early in case the flight arrived early and just needed to see my wife.
"Jasper, stay still", Rosalie complained as she leaned against the railing in the arrival zone.
I hadn't even realized my continuous movement and did my best to calm myself. This didn't last long as I saw on the TV screen that her flight had arrived. My excitement was instantly felt by my family and their moods seemed to rise as well. Carlisle started smiling and wrapped his arm around Esme's shoulder. She looked up at him lovingly and kissed his cheek.
Emmett seemed to become hyper, picking up Rosalie and spinning her around. Even Rose started giggling and kissed her husband.
I saw the passengers disembark, then saw Edward, with his arm around Bella and her backpack slung over his shoulder. They walked out at a slow pace normal speed over to our group and were embraced instantly by Esme.
"Don't ever do that again", she scolded to Edward while giving him the first hug.
"Good to have you back, son", Carlisle was second and then Edward turned to look at me.
His feelings of relief were overwhelmed by feelings of guilt, regret, and concern.
My stomach dropped. "Where is she?" I asked, the unwelcome feelings of the previous day returning.
"I don't know Jasper. She didn't come back with us". He sighed, letting go of Bella and leading me away from the rest of the group.
"It was the phone call yesterday. She said you didn't want her anymore. She was convinced. I tried to stop her, but she refused. She didn't say where she was going, only that she was changing her ticket. I had to board the plane, I'm so sorry." Edward's guilt was obvious and he tried to place his hand on my shoulder, but I backed away.
I said no words and raced as humanly as possible past the rest of the family and back to Emmett's Jeep. I could not believe it. My wife was gone. It was my fault. I had lost her.