A/N: Not mine.

"What if there was another way?"

I blinked, startled by the abruptness of Alice's question.

We were sprawled out on the ground, our heads close together, our bodies pointing in different directions, forming a lopsided star. We were watching the evening fade and the stars come slowly out. We had been laying there for hours, talking, but the past few we had just been silent. Enjoying each other's presence.

The question hung in the air and I had no idea how to answer it. It definitely did not relate to our last topic of conversation—Harry Truman's presidency. I figured since I had no idea what she was talking about, I could have a little fun. I turned my head slightly to look at her. "Another way what?" I asked suggestively.

She snorted. "Not that, you prat," she laughed, swatting me playfully. She giggled for a moment and I rejoiced in her laugh. She settled down and the tone of our conversation instantly became somber. "What if there was another way to survive? Without killing humans?"

I was shocked. The idea was incomprehensible. "Alice…" I said slowly, "I don't think that's possible."

"Are you saying it's impossible?" Her voice whipped out at me.

I groaned internally. I could see the trap she was setting for me. Two years had taught me something. If I said it was impossible, she would counter that nothing was impossible and the bickering would begin over semantics. "Nothing's impossible," I was treading softly, "But I don't think…" I stopped, and sighed. This wasn't going well. "Why don't you just tell me what prompted your question."

There was another long pause in the conversation. I was just about to turn the topic back to Truman out of desperation when she answered. "I keep seeing a family."

I scoffed at her response. "Oh, well, that explains it."

My sarcastic tone was not lost on Alice. She sat up, turned and looked at me. "Jasper," she said simply, "Knock it off."

I sat up as well, instantly repentant. "Sorry."

Alice leaned forward earnestly, forgiving me. "I keep seeing a family…" She repeated, "And us with them. There's something different about them. Something about their eyes."

I wanted to make another sarcastic remark, but I held myself back. "Their eyes?" I prompted.

"I don't think they hunt humans."

The remark hung in the air as I considered it. "So how do they do it?" My voice was skeptical.

"I don't know," Alice admitted. She looked me squarely in the eyes, "I'd like to find out."

I was floored by the suggestion. "You're joking, right?" I looked at her in shock, "Right?" She has to be teasing.

She just looked at me. "No."

"Alice," I shook my head, "I know you have visions, but…"

Alice's voice whipped again as she stared at me. "You can't possibly think that how we live is right?"

I stared back at her, glaring into her eyes. I was mad at her now, and expelling large amounts of anger through my emotions. Alice scooted herself back in attempt to distance herself from my emotions.

I forced myself to calm down. She had a point and I didn't want to admit it. "No, I don't think it's right."

"So you agree…"

I cut her off before she got going, "I agree. It's wrong. I don't like ending lives," Visions of the first and second World Wars drifted through my mind, "But it's not my fault I'm the only predator in the world with a conscience."

"But because you have a conscience, you can make a choice."

"What other choice could I make?" My anger was rising again, and instead of staring at her, I starting ripping weeds out of the ground and throwing them at the ground by my feet. Lions don't ignore the gazelles and eat the grass, Alice.

Alice smiled gently at me. "Let's at least go see?" Her voice made it into a question. A question for me to answer.

As I looked up at her, my emotions softened. I loved Alice. I was hers and she was mine. I would do anything she asked me to. But I didn't have to like it. "I'm not making any promises to change." I stated firmly, "You need to have realistic expectations."

"But you'll give it a shot? For me?" She batted her eyes, trying to flirt.

"For you." I agreed, throwing more uprooted weeds, smiling at her fluttering eyes, "Where are they?"

"Ohio."

It was the next morning. Alice and I were ready to head off to this 'family' that she kept seeing in visions. I was doubly upset. Upset by Alice's desire to change our lives so drastically, and upset by where this family had chosen to live. Ohio. We were in Delaware and the quickest way to Ohio was through Pennsylvania, past Gettysburg….and Maria.

It seemed this family was out to get me all ready.

We would be giving Gettysburg a wide berth.

"Jazz," Alice questioned, "Are you okay?"

I swung a backpack of our things over my shoulders and adjusted the straps before answering. My emotions were tight and nervous. I wasn't making any attempt to hide them or to protect Alice from them. I knew I should have told Alice more about Maria, I berated myself mentally, But I can't admit to Alice, of all people, that I used Maria. And Maria is unstable enough… "Look," I growled suddenly, "We are going now. And we are not going to stop until we get there. Do you understand me, Alice? We are not stopping, for anything, or anyone."

"Is that really realistic?" Alice questioned, "Ohio is a long way from here."

"It's realistic." I growled at her. Don't talk to me about realistic, I thought angrily, I'm a mythological creature that shouldn't even exist.

"I've all ready seen us running into another vampire." Alice offered cheerfully, trying to offset my nervous emotions.

I cursed. "No, we are not going to run into another vampire." I stepped forward and grabbed Alice by the shoulders. "We are not stopping." I said the words slowly.

I was scaring Alice. She had never seen me this way. "Jasper," she asked quietly, "What's wrong?"

I took a deep breath, and forced myself to consider Alice's latest vision of meeting another vampire. "What did this vampire look like?" I sent waves of calm over to Alice.

"I didn't get a good look, really." Alice offered as the peace hit her.

I clenched my teeth in exasperation. "Male or female."

"Female."

I cursed under my breath. "What color hair?" I closed my eyes.

"Brown. And curly." I cursed again, louder this time.

"Jasper!" Alice chided.

I opened my eyes, and looked at Alice. I was still holding her by her shoulders. "Alice, if we meet another vampire—before we get to this family—I want you to keep going, okay? Don't stop."

"Jasper,"

"Alice," I cut in, "Promise me."