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Chapter 7: Alice's pov

Aro was absolutely furious with me and I couldn't blame him.

I kept my head down, just doing as I was told, as they discussed other matters after Jasper had been taken away.

I didn't know why I'd stopped Felix killing him, well no I knew why, everything in me had screamed not to let it happen.

It had nearly broken me having to watch it in my vision, I'd never have coped seeing it actually happen and I couldn't sit back and let another vampire die because of my visions.

What I'm not sure is what I had hoped to achieve. Sure Jasper was alive, for now, but he was trapped with no hope of escape and would die eventually. All I'd really done was prolong his suffering.

Finally we were allowed to leave, I headed straight for my chambers Felix was trailing me as I excepted.

I smiled happily as I managed to slam the door in his face.

He growled angrily.

"I'm allowed privacy Felix." I snapped through the door.

"Keep pushing Aro and you wont be." he warned.

I sighed unhappily, he was right about that I needed to decide once and for all where my loyalties lay.

I owed Aro everything, he had taken me away from my miserable human life and given me the chance to do something good.

Doesn't feel all that good though does it?

Slowly sliding down the wall I drew my knees up to my chest and rested my head on them.

I really wanted to see Jasper, to talk to him ask him why he'd risked his life coming for me.

I thought back to when I'd been in his house. He had insisted I knew him, that I belonged with him not Aro.

My mind wandered, daydreaming as I pictured me and Jasper living as nomads, we would be happy together.

I shook my head Aro would never let me go, but the truth was I didn't want to be here anymore.

Had I ever?

What if Jasper was telling the truth and it was Aro that was tricking me?

A dry sob broke free echoing around the room.

What was happening?

Why did the only life I'd ever known suddenly feel so wrong?

I willingly gave myself over to the vision that pulled at my mind wanting to escape the only way I could.

Thinking I wouldn't be stupid enough to leave my chambers Felix had left to carry out some other duty.

I blinked coming back to reality.

Was I stupid enough to risk it?

No, but I was definitely desperate enough.

I jumped up quickly before I could change my mind. I walked calmly through the hallways and tried to not look guilty.

No one stopped me so I guess I wasn't actually under room arrest yet.

I made my way to the dungeons, I needed answers and for some inexplicable reason I believed Jasper wouldn't lie to me.

Matthias tensed when he saw me stepping in front of me blocking my way.

"Aro sent me to talk to him, get some information about his coven." I smiled.

He still looked unsure.

"He wont talk to anyone else." I sighed lowering my voice "You know I can't lie to Aro."

That seemed to be what he needed to hear. He stepped back letting me pass.

I wandered down the line of cells until I came to the one holding Jasper.

He was sitting on the floor with his eyes closed, head resting against the back wall.

My breath caught with barely a sound but he heard it.

His eyes snapped open locking onto mine.

I just stood there like a deer caught in the headlights as he slowly stood moving towards the bars his eyes never leaving mine.

"Hi." he said, one side of his mouth raising in a half smile.

My eyes trailed his face memorising every line, they fell to the criss-cross pattern of scars that peppered his jaw and neck.

Any other vampire displaying so many souvenirs of battles fought and won would have terrified me but I couldn't be frightened of Jasper.

"How do I know you?" I whispered looking up into his golden eyes, so foreign yet so familiar.

He smiled softly "Maybe from your dreams."

Butterflies began fluttering manically in my stomach again and I forgot what I'd come down here to say.

"I'm glad you came." Jasper said "It gives me a chance to thank you."

"For what?" I asked frowning a little.

"Well saving my life springs to mind." he chuckled.

The sound sent a pleasurable shiver up my spine.

I shuffled looking at the floor "I didn't save your life, he's still going to kill you."

He sighed heavily "Yeah but at least I got a few more days to see you."

My head snapped up "Why me?" I asked "Why am I so important your wiling to die for me? I don't even know you." I insisted but that was a lie, I did know him I just didn't know how.

He rested his head against one of the bars "Do you want the truth?"

I nodded eagerly.

"Ok, you wont believe me but here goes. You found me in 1948 in a diner in Philadelphia and from that moment you saved me from all the depression and despair of a past I wish everyday I could forget. You gave me hope and a reason to live. You made me feel like I was capable of being more than I thought I was. You gave me the strength to fight to be a better person and I have loved you everyday since.

I love you more than anything Alice, you are my life and if I can't have you by my side." he shrugged "I'll welcome death."

I shook my head angrily. "I was here in 1948." I stated.

He smiled sadly "Told you you wouldn't believe me."

He sighed heavily and then changed the subject.

"How long have you been with the guard?"

I frowned "Just over a century."

"How were you turned?" he asked.

"I don't remember." I admitted "I don't remember being human. Aro told me I'd been put in an asylum because of my visions. He found me and saw my potential. He saved me from all that pain and suffering by turning me."

I noticed Jasper's fists tighten around the bars.

"At least he didn't try to invent a human life for you as well." he growled.

His eyes suddenly locked onto mine apprehension in their golden depths.

"What's the first vision you remember seeing?" he asked slowly.

I opened my mouth ready to answer, it had been the Spanish nomads that had tried feeding in the city.

"I…"

Another image of Jasper swam before my eyes and I faltered suddenly feeling unsure.

His head dropped a little and he sighed.

"You don't belong here Alice." he mumbled bracing himself slightly, expecting me to yell at him that he was wrong.

I couldn't contradict him because I'd felt it, ever since I'd come back something had felt wrong.

"I owe Aro everything." I whispered, almost to myself.

Jasper's face soured "More than you know." he growled dangerously and I was taken back to his house when he had threatened to kill Aro.

His face softened and he looked back at me, I swallowed as our eyes met again, so many things swirled in his golden eyes I was lost in them.

"I don't like being here." I admitted, unable to lie anymore "I used to."

Jasper growled a little "You've never liked being here Alice." then strangely he laughed "Aro can change your memories but he can never change you."

I frowned and Jasper smiled softly at me, one of his hands reached through the bars to caress my cheek.

"You're too good for this place." he whispered "You care about others too much to be happy watching them suffer."

I took in a deep shaky breath my eyes fluttered closed as his hand brushed across my cheek and up to gently brush through my hair.

Again my mind wandered showing me a picture of us together far away from this place, it wasn't a vision it was a wish.

"Promise me something."

My eyes opened looking at him.

"Whatever happens to me Alice promise you'll do whatever you can to make yourself happy."

My eyes burned and I blinked on instinct to stop the tears that would never fall.

"I will." I promised before turning quickly away from him and making my way back down to Matthias.

He smiled at me, I smiled back before leaping on him. My teeth sank into his neck and I pulled with all my strength, his arms came up to wrap around me but he was too late. With a final twist I successfully removed his head.

His body slumped to the ground and I grabbed the key to Jasper's cell and made my way back to him.

"What are you doing?" he asked in amazement.

"Keeping my promise." I told him unlocking the door "Making myself happy." I clarified as he just stood staring at me "With you."

He stepped forward then taking my face between his hands, I nearly melted when he pressed his lips to my forehead.

"How do we get out?" he asked.

I hesitantly took hold of his hand leading the way past his decapitated guard.

"We'll have to go through the sewers, we'd never make it out of the city above ground." I bit my lip, it was very unlikely we'd make it out underground "I should be able to see if the ways clear."

His fingers tightened around mine "I trust you."

Those three words made me feel warm inside.

We stayed quiet as I led the way carefully, checking to see which paths were clear. We made it to the entrance to the sewers only having to make one detour.

"If we follow this far enough it will bring us out past the cities limits." I whispered.

I wanted to take off at full speed desperate to just get out of there but Jasper held me back.

"More haste less speed." he smiled "You're less likely to see things in time if you rush."

I nodded slowly following his lead and going at a slower pace but I was absolutely terrified. Every sound made me jump my breathing sped up and came out in sharp gasps that echoed around us giving away our position.

"Calm down." Jasper whispered, rubbing his thumb soothingly over the hand I was currently gripping his with.

"If we get caught…" I chocked out but couldn't bring myself to finish.

Jasper sighed and turned me to face him.

"We'll never make it with you in this state so I need you to trust me so I can clam you down ok?"

I nodded, I didn't care what he did to me as long as it helped us get out of here.

He didn't do anything, he just stood staring at me, slowly the fear faded away and my breathing evened out.

"Ok." he squeezed my hand reassuringly and we set off again.

Frowning I glanced over at him wondering how he had managed to remove my fear like that.

"I'll explain when we're safe." he promised.

It seemed to take forever to get out of the sewers, we travelled in silence which I was grateful for because my head was still all over the place, I had no idea what I was doing trying to escape Volterra with Jasper, it was insane.

I had lost my mind, no one had ever escaped before, I was going to get us both killed.

I was just starting to worry we were going the wrong way when I caught the faint scent of clean air.

Even Jasper sped up a little until we reached the large grate blocking the end of the waste pipe.

Jasper bent the bars with no trouble so we could get out.

I took a deep shuddering breath taking in the clean air "It's nearly dawn." I noted.

Grabbing my hand Jasper took off full speed now we were clear of the city.

"We'll need somewhere to spend the day." I pointed out as the sun began to rise to the East. "We can't stay out in the sun."

"I know." his eyes flickered to the east "At least this will hinder any attempts to follow us."

"For now." I whispered.

His hand tightened around mine as I shivered trying not to think about the guard catching us.

He took me to a small town, we made it into the reception of a dingy hotel just in time.

It wasn't much but it was the only place open at this time of the morning.

After a quick conversation with the grumpy man on reception Jasper grabbed the key he was handed and led me to a room.

"Stay here and get cleaned up, I'm going to try and get us some more clothes."

I frowned at him and he smiled

"We just spent the night wading through sewage and we need to leave as soon as possible. Aro wont be pleased when he finds us gone"

I shuddered a little "We can't go out in the sun."

Jasper smiled again reassuringly "I know, but there will be more shadows this afternoon."

I shook my head stubbornly, the risk of exposure was too high. "If we can't go out neither can the guard." I reminded him.

"Alice please." he took hold of my shoulders "We can't afford to wait until dark. We need to get as many miles between us as possible." his hands came up to my face "I'm not loosing you again. It's like in the sewers you can see which paths are safe, please try Alice."

Everything became very fuzzy as he stared at me, nothing seemed to be real and yet at the same time I was very aware I was alone with Jasper in a hotel room.

I swallowed thickly and nodded.

He stepped back and I sucked in a shaky breath clearing the fuzz in my head.

"I'll be back soon." he promised. He paused at the door for a second to look back at me before he was gone.

I staggered to the bed and sat down heavily still drawing shaky breaths trying to wrap my head around the emotional rollercoaster I had been on for the past few hours.

When I couldn't manage to make anything clearer in my head I gave up.

Sitting cross legged in the centre of the bed I let myself go into the future instead doing whatever I could to help Jasper, to help us stay safe.