Jasper's POV

I was upstairs, just finished explaining what had happened to the Denali vampires, when the door downstairs splintered loudly.

Emmett raged, "Where are these pricks?"

I sighed and started down the hall, listening to Edward answer the question.

"They're headed towards Canada, so we believe."

Rosalie asked frostily, "And why aren't we going then? Where's Carlisle, isn't he ready to fight?"

I frowned when I entered the room and Bella pointed to our father, who was lying limply on the couch. His eyes were wide and distant as he gazed unresponsively at the ceiling, not breathing or blinking at all.

Rosalie looked suddenly un-nerved, Emmett had not lost his fire though.

"Then leave him here, Edward, and the rest of us can go!"

Edward shook his head, "That's not the plan, Emmett."

Our large brother sat down impatiently and demanded, "Well what the hell is the plan then?"

Edward shrugged, "Ask Jasper."

Everyone glanced at me and I guess that means it's time to actually try to formulate this thing. I sat down between Edward and Peter. Alice bounced over to me, sitting on my lap and wrapping her arms around me. The rest of the people in the house flittered over and joined us.

I started by lying down out foundation. "Let's assume there are fifteen of them, just to give us a rough number. Without Carlisle, there's eleven of us."

Unease started to build in most of the others. I knew that the odds weren't that great, but we didn't have any reason to be anxious. I tried to reassure them, not through powers, but logic.

"Garrett, Charlotte, Peter, and myself all have a good deal of fighting experience. With the proper training, all of us will be ready for whatever can be thrown at us. With Bella's power, we should all be pretty safe from unexpected gifts."

Edward reminded me, "And the Voulturi."

The newcomers all shot me an inquiring glance.

I elaborated, "I've asked Aro, for the sake of Carlisle's mental and Esme's physical health, to send over some recruits. Alice will know if they are coming the moment he decides if they are. But until then, we should be ready to win this with just the eleven of us."

Emmett asked eagerly, "What should we do until then, learn how to fight?"

Garrett declared hotly, "We must, young friend. Kidnapping is such a heinous crime that this tribe deserves to be eliminated completely for committing it!"

Several people cheered in agreement.

Tanya, who was fretting over Carlisle, turned her head and asked, "What exactly do you have in mind?"

I scheduled as I talked, "We will have battle sessions as practice, and we must all hunt once a day to gain strength." I glared at Peter and Charlotte.

They took the hint.

Charlotte sighed, slightly annoyed, "Until this is over, we'll stick to your vegetarian diet. You town is safe."

I asked Peter, "Will you organize the first sessions?"

I felt devotion and loyalty simply flooding off of him. "Of course, Major!"

Alice teased, "It's general now, Peter."

I rolled my eyes good-naturedly as Peter and Garrett took Rosalie, Bella, and Tanya into the backyard for the first 'class'.

I glanced at Alice, and she smiled at me. Turning her head to the rest of us and dictated, "Emmett, Kate, Charlotte, come hunting with me!" Springing to her feet she headed towards the garage, followed by the other three.

Edward and I were alone with Carlisle. I went over to his side and sat down, taking his hand gently in mine. It was so sad to see him like this. I channeled all of my energy into laying a thick blanket of serenity onto him. Was it working, was he feeling any better?

Edward answered for me, "All you've done is distract him from the pain, but that's good enough. He hasn't stopped thinking about them, and all his memories of her, since you brought him home."

Edward sounded broken. I could imagine why. Esme has been in his life for almost as long as Carlisle has, she is a mother and a best friend to him. This was hurting him too, just not as strongly.

I squeezed Edward's hand, sharing the mock-peace with him. He laughed sadly and pulled away from me.

"Don't waste your energy, Jasper, I'll be fine."

I lowered my arm and asked, "Do you want to go and train?"

He frowned, "You should stay with Carlisle for a while. I'll go with the others."

I nodded a little bit and he left, pouncing on top of Bella playfully. She squealed and bated at him, Rosalie sprang and knocked him off of her. The two of them grappled for a second before Edward escaped.

I smiled a little bit. The best thing for everyone right now is to try to have a little bit of fun.

Alice's POV

"Charlotte, slow down for a second!"

Jasper's friend instantly hesitated, glancing curiously at me from over her shoulder. Kate and Emmett both stopped too.

I informed, "There's a band of hikers up that way. It's best we don't tempt you, let's go west instead."

She nodded and followed Emmett in the other direction. Kate and I traveled behind them at a slower pace.

Kate asked me quietly, "Alice, can you see him getting better anytime soon?"

She's been friends with Carlisle for as long as she has known him, almost 120 years, I believe.

I stopped and tried to focus on Carlisle's future.

Alice's sees Tanya holding Carlisle up as Edward tried to coax him to drink some blood from a big cup. The image was powerful, it will happen soon.

I sighed sadly, "I don't see anything favorable, Kate."

I paused for a second to try and range my mind even further then soon.

Alice sees everyone gathered outside of the house. Jasper is speaking with one of the tribe's women, nobody is hostile. If anything, they seem a little bit grateful towards the female. Carlisle is actually paying attention, though his eyes are distant and pained. The image is foggy, it is uncertain and far off.

I regained my natural sight, and blinked in surprise. Kate asked, hopeful, "What did you see?"

I wasn't sure what I saw. I didn't think it wise to go around spreading hope, if that's even what this visions means. I will wait until something clearer comes along.

"Nothing, we're loosing them, let's hurry up."

Edward's POV

Bella, Garrett, and Rosalie are returning from hunting. I can hear them making their way out of the woods. My moment of distraction gave Jasper an advantage over me.

Without my power, I was completely useless in battle.

I was on my stomach, face in the ground and both arms pinned behind my back, before I even had the chance to realize he had grabbed me.

I praised my brother, "Damn Jasper!"

I heard Bella laughing from the distance. Jasper was more serious, though, when he scolded me. (Quite harshly, might I add!) Edward, you can't allow anything to break your concentration. In the real battle, you'd be dead right now. You can't worry about anything except for yourself, not even her.

He let go of me and I rolled onto my back, frowning at him.

"Sorry, again."

He was one tough teacher. I've been taken down and admonished at least ten times today. I can understand why, though. My power gives me a huge advantage in a battle, it gives me the chance to kill my enemy before they can lay a hand on me.

I know that he's counting on my help, everyone is.

Jasper sighed and helped me to my feet, "Don't feel so guilty, Edward, your doing great."

Garrett, holding a dead mountain goat across his shoulders, asked, "Care to give him a break, Jasper, so he can help get this inside of Carlisle?"

Jasper smiled, "Sure. Edward, we can continue after you've hunted later. Rosalie, are you ready for a round?"

I took the goat from Garrett and he opened the back door. Carrying it up the stairs I walked into Carlisle's bedroom. He was lying on the bed with his eyes closed. Alice was sitting on a big chair in the corner, and Tanya was lying beside Carlisle talking gently to him. Just trying to keep his mind distracted from Esme.

"Do you remember when we first met, Carlisle? It was 1793, on the edge of Alaska. You had just come to the New World after living with Aro for a few decades. You were so interested in learning about us."

She ran her fingers through his hair affectionately. I could see him remembering it in his head, I encouraged her, "Keep going."

So she did.

"We were all fascinated in you. If I may say it, I think Kate had a little infatuation! You were much too gentle for her, though, she likes them feisty."

Carlisle closed his eyes and smiled the slightest bit.

"When you accepted the offer to stay with us, that's when we began to try out your diet. I never liked hurting the humans. You helped me get my very first moose, do you remember?"

He sighed quietly, but didn't answer her. His mind was starting to slip away from the memory, to the hunting trip just two days ago, where Esme was taken. I hastily attempted to distract him.

"Carlisle, look what I have for you!"

I sat down on the bed and set the still-warm goat on his stomach. He turned his head away. I frowned and gently tore it's neck open. The scent of his blood immediately intensified as it dripped slowly down it's coat.

"Doesn't it smell good? Mountain goat's your favorite, right?"

After a few seconds of silence Alice reminded me, "This is what I knew was going to happen. Here." She tossed a big drinking glass over to me.

Tanya sighed, "It'll take forever if he has to drink glass by glass."

I glared at her, "Just hold him up, he must drink something, and if this is the only way it's the only way."

Tanya wrapped her arms around him and hoisted him into the sitting position. I filled the glass and waved it under his nose like he was a toddler.

"Doesn't that smell nice? It's still warm."

His eyes flickered open and met mine. He was absolutely miserable, I could see it. I frowned, "Please, dad, please drink it." I sounded more desperate then I liked.

Oh Edward…

Very slowly he took the glass from me and brought it to his lips, swallowing it down quickly. I smiled and asked, "Do you want the rest?"

I don't care anymore.

I lifted the goat back onto the bed and set it in his lap.

I begged him, "Don't say that. You've already given up hope, you can't do that to yourself. To the rest of us. You have to care."

He avoided my eyes, as he sank his teeth into his meal and slowly consumed the dark red blood until very last drop was gone.