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. Also, I do not mean to offend anyone with anything in this story. Any characters or places resembling any real persons or places is nonintentional and is not meant to reflect poorly on any one person or institution. R&R.

Happy reading!

It Tolls for Me

Friday night saw a house filled with sadness. Rosalie and Emmett had gone far away to do things which none of us wanted to know after Rose tried on her prom dress when they got back from Los Angeles. Edward had fled to Bella's from the moment he caught Emmett's thoughts, leaving Dad and me to fend for ourselves. It was clear that he missed Mom just as much as I missed Jasper. With everyone else gone, we just sat and moped like toddlers in time out. Dad tried to read medical journals in his office, and I tried sketching in my bedroom.

My drawing was interrupted by my stomach growling, and Dad was at my door in seconds. He met my eyes and nodded. He sat down beside me on the bed and sighed.

"After thinking I'd never need to know how for three hundred years, I'm afraid I'm not much of a cook; and I don't think your mom was counting on Emmett and Rosalie leaving as quickly as they returned. I can, however, order take-out. Working long hours with humans has taught me a thing or two." he said, and I giggled.

"That sounds like a plan." I replied as we got up and walked down to the kitchen.

From one of the drawers along the island, Dad produced a pizza menu and handed it to me. I scanned it quickly before making my decision. Dad thought it was an odd choice, but he also found it sort of endearing that I was willing to eat spinach on a pizza.

Dad called in the order, one small spinach-alfredo pizza, and the waiting began. The silence had started to get to me, so I went over to the stereo tower lined with every CD imaginable and selected a song I hadn't heard in a while. I was surprised when Dad walked over and turned the volume up.

"You like this song?" I asked, chuckling in disbelief.

"'Breakfast at Tiffany's'? It's one of your mom's favorites, and I've…grown to love it over time." he commented, and I giggled once more.

"It seems Mom and I have a lot in common. I like that it's a depiction of the fact that there's almost always something two people in a relationship have in common, even if they don't see it right away." I said, and Dad nodded.

"Are you sure you're really a seventeen-year-old human girl, princess?" he joked, and I laughed outright at his rhetorical question before answering his actual question. "What do you want to do tonight?"

"I wanted to watch Hairspray, the one from last year, and Rosalie said the DVD was around here somewhere. Emmett said he hid it from Edward and didn't remember where, but he was obviously lying because Edward was still in the house then. It turned up on my closet shelf just before Em and Rose ran out of here. So, if you don't have a problem with the movie, I'd like to watch it?" Dad seemed to contemplate my request, and then he smiled at me.

"I don't see any reason as to why not."

Halfway through the movie, Dad hit pause and went to the front door for my pizza. In the time that it took for him to do things at an unsuspicious human pace, Rosalie and Emmett jumped through the kitchen window and made their way over to the couch where I was sitting.

"Done already?" I teased, and Emmett smirked at me while Rosalie rolled her eyes despite the grin on her face.

"You two are so similar, it's borderline creepy." she told the two of us, referring to the almost identical question Emmett had asked Jasper and me the previous Friday, and I laughed while Emmett snorted.

"Maybe Alice and I can play twins the next time we move?" he offered semi-jokingly.

"We'll keep a note of that on file." I said, and smiled at me.

"All the humans wouldn't know what to make of one set of fraternal twins dating another set of fraternal twins!" Emmett added, and Rosalie's grin morphed into a smirk.

"And that'll be after we have an actual set of fraternal twins in the family!" she said, and the three of us fell into further laughter.

Dad returned with my pizza, and we all fell silent as he started the movie back. Emmett, I found despite all prior protests, was up and dancing with Rosalie by the time the credits rolled. It was obvious that he enjoyed Hairspray, and I forced him to admit as much after informing him that I'd tell Edward if he lied to me.

I headed to bed just before midnight, but I couldn't fall asleep. I was almost ready to admit defeat, and stay awake until my body couldn't take anymore and forced me to sleep, when I had an idea. I reached over, grabbed Jasper's pillow, and swapped it with my own. The mixture of his honey-and-lavender scent put me at ease, and I felt sleep wasn't such a longshot.

I slept dreamlessly until eight o'clock. When my alarm went off, I got up and began getting ready for a day of shopping with Jasper's credit card. Bella arrived as I was getting out of the shower, and Rosalie hurried past me in the hallway to help Bella pick out an outfit that would put Jessica in her place even if Bella herself didn't.

Dressing myself, I pulled on a black blouse with frills down my sternum and a pair of light blue skinny jeans matched with a black jacket and black flats. I wore minimal jewelry and did no more to my hair than brush it out. I would've put more effort in if I hadn't already known I would be in and out of changing rooms all day. I'd wait until we were in the car to tell Bella about mine and Jasper's plan.

Of course, when I met up with Bella in the garage, Edward was eyeing me suspiciously. I raised an eyebrow at him, and he sighed. He'd have to talk to me if he had a question because I certainly did not have his gift.

"I know you don't. Why does it have to be my car? Jasper left you the key to the truck, so why can't you take it?" my brother whined, and I snickered.

"You don't know?" I asked, and he gave me a "Well, duh!" look.

"If I did, would I be asking?" he responded, and I smirked at him.

"I told him last weekend that we were taking the Volvo on this outing because, and remember that you brought this on yourself for asking, Jasper is never going to have sex in that truck if Jessica Stanley is ever a passenger in it." I said, and Edward shook his head violently.

"Why do you have to do this to me, little sister? Have fun, and don't do anything stupid. Bella, love, don't let her do anything stupid, but have fun." he said to the two of us, kissing Bella good-bye before heading back inside to find Emmett so that they could go shopping for new baseball equipment.

"Who are we picking up first?" Bella asked as she got behind the steering wheel.

"We'll start with Lauren; don't worry, Bella, Aunt Catherine and Cynthia would've already left to make the meeting with the lawyer on time, and they're going to Seattle because Cynthia wanted to see the Space Needle. Any other order, and someone knows something's not as it seems with my current living arrangements." I said, and she nodded in understanding.

"Text her and let her know we're on the way." she said, and the long day officially began.

Jessica was the last to be picked up, and I would've left her behind if Lauren, Angela, and Bella hadn't each told me three times that it would've been rude. When we pulled up to the Stanley house, we could all see her sitting on the front steps, waiting. She stared at the car in disbelief, as if she expected Edward to get out of the car instead of the four of us.

"Oh; morning." she said, clearly disappointed.

"Morning, Jessica. You're in the middle of the back seat." Bella said, trying to not laugh at the look of indignation on Jessica's face.

"Alice is smaller than me, so why not put her in the middle?" she asked, making Angela cough to cover up her laughter.

"Alice can move the seat forward enough for Angela to fit her legs in comfortably. Before we get on the road, where's the first place we're going?" Bella asked, and Jessica fell silent.

"Coffee. I'll buy." I said, and no one argued with me.

The five of us stood in line at the first Starbucks Bella came to in Port Angeles. Bella and I stood at the back of the group, with Angela between the two of us and Jessica and Lauren. My cousin, despite the progress in our relationship, was sticking close to Jessica; I could hardly blame her, as Jessica did happen to be her best friend. I wasn't bothered, as I was sticking close to Bella myself. What did bother me was the gossiping that had already started up.

"Do you know if either Alice or Bella have ever been to Starbucks before?" I heard Jessica ask Lauren, and I turned to Bella with a raised eyebrow.

"I went almost weekly with Renee back in Phoenix. My mother may be flighty, but she loves her coffee. You?" she whispered, and I nodded.

"There was one in Ocean Springs, a little way's away from where I lived, and I used to go once or twice a month. I couldn't go any more frequently or Richard and Victoria would've said something about me wasting money." I whispered back, and she smirked as we listened to Jessica place her order.

"Grande Skinny Mocha." she said, and the cashier gave her a forced smile.

"Will that be all, Miss?" the young woman, probably a few years older than us, asked.

"She's with me, as are these three." I said, catching her attention, and she nodded and moved on to Lauren.

"Grande Latte Macchiato with soy milk and light whipped cream…please." Lauren ordered her drink, her politeness almost an afterthought as she stood beside Jessica.

"Venti Caramel Macchiato, please." Angela said, her tone truly pleasant, and then it was Bella's turn to order.

"Could I please get a Grande White Chocolate Mocha with five pumps White Chocolate Mocha sauce, five pumps Regular Mocha sauce, Mocha drizzle, and five pumps Raspberry syrup? Oh, and I'd also like extra whipped cream, and could you put it in a venti cup so the whipped cream doesn't get squished, please?" she ordered very politely and with a smile on her face, surprising our companions.

"Raspberry?" I asked Bella before placing my own order. "I would like a Venti Caramel Mocha, so no Mocha sauce, but I would like ten pumps of Caramel sauce and syrup, Caramel drizzle, and light whipped cream. Thank you!"

"Okay, so name for the Skinny?" the cashier asked.

"Jessica."

"Soy Latte?"

"Lauren."

"Caramel Macchiato?"

"Angela."

"Raspberry-White Chocolate Mocha?"

"Bella."

"Caramel Mocha?"

"Alice. What's my total?" I asked, giggling.

"That'll be $18.42. Cash or credit?" she asked in response, and I took out Jasper's credit card, watching for Jessica's reaction.

"Credit." I said, and even the cashier was blinking in surprise at the sight of the black credit card.

"Where did you get that?" Jessica blurted out, and I laughed lightly.

"Jasper gave me his card before he left for Texas. He said he wanted me to have fun today, and he owes me sewing supplies." I told her, and Bella raised her eyebrow at me.

"What did he do now?" she asked, and I smirked.

"Let's just say that, after what occurred when everyone left the two of us alone in the house for the first time ever Thursday night, my purple dress is going to have a zipper on the back once I've fixed it." I said, and Bella shook her head.

"I take back anything I've ever said about the two of you being better than Emmett and Rosalie. You're officially worse!" my sister giggled out, and Jessica's head snapped back in our direction at her words.

"Why isn't anyone else surprised by what Bella just said? Am I the only one who wasn't aware they were sleeping together?" she squeaked out, and Lauren nodded.

"I knew they were, but I didn't realize it was this bad. How many times in the last week has it been?" my cousin teased me.

"Once, I'll have you know. Last week, however, it was three times." I said, rolling my eyes as I paid for our coffee.

"Twice, Alice, not once. Sunday is the start of the calendar week, and you two left after dinner and were gone two hours that night. Edward said you got home shortly after he did." my sister cut in, and I sighed dramatically.

"Bella! I was trying to keep some sense of decorum! So, it was really three and two. No big deal. Besides, I know we're better than Em and Rose, as we've yet to ruin Edward's interior and owe him a new car like they did." I said, laughing, accepting the card from the cashier.

"Okay, fair point. Are you sure that happened during sex, though? Knowing Rosalie and the fights she and Edward have over what is and isn't an acceptable car, she might have purposely destroyed the interior." Bella asked, and I nodded.

"Emmett brought it up when he was teasing us last weekend. That's what he and Edward had their wrestling match in the back yard over." I confirmed, and the two of us giggled much to the other three's confusion.

"It never is just to spar, is it?" Bella asked, and the other three appeared curious, so I showed them mercy and explained.

"Arguments that can't be resolved with apologies and hugs are resolved with sparring matches in this family. Somehow, whenever someone asks someone else to spar with them, it always has roots in a previous argument. It's really fun to watch, especially when Emmett spars with Jasper. Emmett never wins against him, but he also never backs down." I said, and they all nodded in understanding.

After our order was ready, we made our way to the first of what would be many shops. At the first dress shop, a big-box chain store, Jessica attempted to take charge and dress the three of them in matching halter-neck dresses in varying shades of pink. The looks of discomfort on Lauren and Angela's faces was enough to make me stand from my chair.

"Okay, before we get any further along than this, what's our prom theme again?" I asked.

"It's Far, Far Away." Angela supplied, and I nodded.

"What sort of dresses do each of you like?" I asked, and Lauren spoke first.

"I like halter-neck dresses, but I hate this color on me. Also, I don't want my dress to be so much like Jessica's."

"Given that I have more of an athletic body than curvy or feminine, I'm not really a huge fan of this style." Angela said, and I nodded.

"I love this dress. It makes my boobs look great, doesn't it?" Jessica said, and I laughed lightly at her.

"Then get it. The second rule of shopping is to stop when you find a dress you're in love with." I said, smiling.

"What's the first rule?" Angela asked.

"Rule number one is to never try on anything outside of your price point." Bella piped up before I could open my mouth, and I beamed proudly at her.

"You've learned quickly! Rose is going to be so proud when we tell her about this!" I told her as I wiped an imaginary tear from my eye.

"And I'm sure Emmett would be proud if I could find a way out of shopping with the two of you." Bella threw back, laughing along with me and causing the other girls to laugh as well.

Jessica ended up buying the pink, halter-neck dress she tried on; she continued gushing over the sequined hemline for the next two stores. Angela eventually found a dress she felt comfortable in, a periwinkle gown with an empire waist and an illusion back, but Lauren had yet to find anything. Bella gave me a short nod as we entered the fourth store of the day, and I took Lauren aside.

"What's wrong?" I asked her.

"Alice, all these dresses aren't doing much more than making me look like one of those bimbo-assistants in a Las Vegas magic show. Given my date, I want to look a little more respectable than that!" she admitted, and I smiled curiously.

"Who's your date?" I asked, and she blushed lightly.

"I've already done the paperwork for a date from another school, and I'm glad that he hasn't already graduated because that doesn't have paperwork at all, but I asked Embry. He gets me better than anyone I've ever met, and I don't care that he's only just turned sixteen. Embry's sweet, and he treats me with respect when we talk." Lauren told me, and I nodded in understanding.

"Give me a minute or two, okay? I'll find something for you." I said, making my way into the rows upon rows of formal gowns.

"I love it!" Lauren squealed, running her hands over the sage green skirt of the dress I'd picked for her.

"He'll love it, too, Laur. You look great in it." I said, and Bella nodded in agreement.

"It's better than that frilly monstrosity you put me in, Al, and I'm sure Embry will be floored when he sees you, Lauren." she said, and I smacked her on the shoulder.

"You love your dress, Bells, so don't you even go there." I retorted, laughing.

"What do your dresses look like?" Angela asked, and I turned to her.

"Oh, why ruin the surprise now? Hey, why don't we extend this trip a little bit?" I asked them, and what strange looks I received!

"What do you mean by that?" Jessica asked quickly, and I chuckled.

"Now that you've found dresses, you need accessories. Northgate Mall is only two and a half hours away!" I said, and none of the girls, Bella's eyeroll notwithstanding, showed any signs of disagreeing with my idea.

"We have to go by that bookstore Embry mentioned before we leave the area, though!" I was reminded by Lauren, and I nodded.

"We'll go there next." I promised, and she hurried back into the fitting room to change out of her dress.

Thunderbird & Whale was a rather small shop, and the Quileute man at the register eyed the five non-Quileute girls that made up our group entering his shop. Jessica seemed rather disinterested and took to walking aimlessly down each aisle. Angela looked at various books to see if anything caught her attention. Bella and I walked with Lauren up to the register to ask the clerk about the book Embry had told her about.

"That one will be along that back shelf over there. School project?" he asked us, and we shook our heads.

"We're friends of Jacob Black and Embry Call's, and they were telling us about some of the legends at the beach last week. Embry said this was the place to come to find books on the legends if I wanted to read them for myself." Lauren said, and the clerk nodded.

"I know the kids, and I grew up with Billy Black, Jacob's dad; he's is the second-highest ranking member on the Council of Elders, just behind Old Quill Aterea. Just let me know if you need anything else." he told us, and Lauren thanked him before going over to the shelf he'd pointed out.

Bella and I remained at the front of the shop, and the clerk continued to eye us suspiciously. While waiting, I let a yawn slip out and stretched. I heard the clerk's gasp as my neck peeked out from behind my jacket's collar.

"Demon!" he hissed lowly, and I hurried to the counter.

"I'm human!" I whispered back, not willing to let my family face exposure because of one frightened man. "It's just a hickey, okay? I'm going to remain human for another two years minimum, and Billy Black, Sam Ulley, and Jacob Black are all aware of this. My sister and I are going to be responsible for bringing an entire species back from the brink of extinction, and we need the Cullens to do that. Aside from that, the two Cullens that are our mates are bonded with us in just as intense a manner as those of your kind like the Blacks, Ulleys, and Ateras have."

"But a Cold One did this to you?" he asked quietly, and I nodded confidently.

"He knew what he was doing when he did it. Trust me, I'm perfectly fine." I said, and Bella shook her head.

"Oh, the innuendo I could make with that!" she said, chuckling merrily.

"Just because your mate is a prude…never mind my sister." I said, shaking my head and smiling at her.

"She's your sister who is also mated to a Cold One?" the clerk asked, and Bella nodded.

"The Cullen family is built on adoption; though we still have time before we're officially part of the family, we're considered to be just as much a Cullen as any of the others." she said.

"It's one reason we don't like using the word 'coven.'" I added, and he nodded, ending further conversation until Lauren returned with her book.

Lauren paid for the book, and the five of us made our way back to the Volvo. We set off for Seattle, and Jessica asked us what the clerk was freaking out about to us. I insisted that is was nothing, a case of mistaken identity; she dropped the subject, surprisingly. About halfway to Seattle, my cellphone rang; it was Jasper.

"Aren't you supposed to be enjoying your time with Peter while you can?" I asked by way of greeting.

"We're about to see a movie, but I wanted to call and see how your day was going before we went in." he replied, and I giggled.

"What movie are you two going to?" I asked, temporarily evading his unasked question.

"We're seeing Forbidden Kingdom. So, is everything okay?" he asked, and I sighed.

"I'm near positive you already know the answer to that, but I'll humor you, honey. I'm fine, as is Bella, though she misses Mom more than she's willing to let on, and the only incident we've had was with the owner of the Quileute bookstore we went to. Once Bella and I explained that we know the Black family, and that Billy should now be aware of the need for a change in the arrangement, the problem was solved. We're headed to Seattle now." I told him, and he chuckled deeply at the same time that Bella reached over and smacked my shoulder gently.

"Will you be buying anything special while you're there?" he asked, and I wished he could've seen my smirk.

"You'll find out when the credit card statement comes in, maybe a little earlier if you're lucky." I said teasingly.

"Well, I guess I'll have to find myself a four-leaf clover before I come home then. I love you, Darlin." he replied.

"I love you, too." I said, and then the call ended.

The remainder of the ride to Northgate Mall consisted of Jessica's poor whispering skills making me aware of her thoughts on my conversation with Jasper. Bella and I both rolled our eyes when she made the claim that I was after Dad's money. I was mildly surprised, yet glad as well, when Angela hissed at Jessica to shut up about five minutes before we pulled into the parking lot.

"You girls go find shoes and accessories for prom, and Bella and I will meet up with you in a bit, okay?" I said to the three in the backseat, and they all nodded.

"I'll call you when it gets closer to dinner time." Lauren replied, and the five of us parted ways just after entering the mall.

Bella waited until they were out of earshot before saying anything. I could tell she had something on her mind, but I wasn't going to push her. I never really needed to.

"What are you plotting?" she asked, and I laughed.

"Nothing more than what I told you about when we left the house this morning, Bells! I need to pick up sewing supplies, and we can swing by the bookstore on our way to Victoria's Secret. If we take our time, we should have enough time for me to decide on a few special gifts for Jasper before they call. We can have them meet us there, and then my plan will be put into action." I said, and she smiled at me.

"And where do I factor in other than being the driver?" she asked, her smile shifting into a devious smirk.

"What if you picked out a few things too, things Edward might, one day, enjoy?" I asked in a hypothetical tone, and she nodded.

"But Jessica doesn't have to know that Edward still lives by 1910s morals, does she?" she said, and we went about our shopping in giggles.

Everything had gone according to plan by the time Lauren called me. They were in the shoe store across the hall, so I told them to come find us when they were done. Minutes later, the three of them walked up to Bella and me.

"Hey, what's going on here?" Jessica asked, looking from Bella to me to the lacy garments in our arms.

"Just pre-prom shopping, Jessica. You can't tell me you've never shopped here." I answered, but Jessica looked away nervously.

"Oh, she has, but not recently." Lauren said, laughing lightly.

"And I've never gone underwear shopping just for a dance!" Jessica added, and I began giggling at her.

"It's not underwear shopping, Jessica; it's lingerie shopping. These aren't everyday underwear, you know. Most of these are for special occasions." I said before turning to Bella. "I like the blue one, and so will he. It almost matches the color of your dress, and you know how much he loved that!"

"How many of yours are you getting?" Bella asked, and I smirked.

"Everything but the red one-piece. It's more Rose's color than mine. Are you getting the black one with the satin shorts and the lacy top, too, or just the blue one?" I replied, watching Jessica out of the corner of my eye.

"I'll go ahead and get both. What's with the white one with black trim?" Bella asked me.

"It'll be the one I wear under my dress. It's cut just right, so it won't show." I explained to her, briefly forgetting our "audience" as we started towards the registers.

"You live to frustrate Jasper, don't you? Do you really need a special bra for that dress? Do you even need a bra for that dress at all?" she asked, and I rolled my eyes.

"I don't need one, per say, as much as it is that, yes, I do live to frustrate him. It's not a surprise, though; like mother, like daughter." I told her, and she let out a strangled, raspy sound.

"No way in hell Mom's like that with Dad!" she quietly exclaimed, and I nodded.

"It wasn't because of Jasper and me that Edward insisted everyone leave our room after that first day at Disneyland." I said, and Bella began giggling uncontrollably.

"Why is Edward the only one who manages more than twelve hours without thinking about sex?" she asked rhetorically, and I smirked.

"You know why better than anyone else, Bells." I said as the other three stopped short of the registers.

"Wait, are Bella and Edward really doing it, too?" we heard Jessica ask, and the two of us giggled and looked towards them while we stood in line.

Jessica, ever in shock, was slowly turning red as Lauren whispered something to her. Angela was laughing, and Lauren seemed ready to do the same. Bella, with a better vantage point than me, took out her phone and snapped a picture of Jessica's expression.

"I'll text it to you, and you can send it to Jasper, okay?" she said, and I nodded.

We ended up eating dinner at The Ram Restaurant and Brewery, and I was sadly disappointed in my food. I'd ordered fried gulf shrimp; unfortunately, the taste I got from the first bite was barely recognizable to my palate as gulf shrimp. Bella notice the look on my face and asked me what was wrong.

"I can't eat this. Call me picky or spoiled, I don't care, but this is not what fried gulf shrimp should taste like!" I whispered to her, and she shook her head at me.

"Jessica's distracted, and the other two know about your gift, so why don't you look and see if Emmett can cook you something decent later?" she asked, and I nodded.

"I'll try." I said, closing my eyes and focusing on my future.

"Dad, what's wrong?" Emmett was asking, his face showing more concern that I had ever seen before.

"That was Charlie. The nomads are close, and he has a body for me to examine." Dad answered him slowly, but even I knew there was more.

"Who is it?" Rosalie asked, and Edward began shaking his head.

"She's going to blame herself for this, Dad. There's no way of breaking the news to her gently; it's just not possible. Damn it!" he practically screamed the last part, and I almost jumped at the anger in his voice.

"Who. Is. Is?" Rosalie demanded again, and Dad swallowed before answering her.

"Michael Mallory."

Coming out of the vision, I began silently sobbing. Bella saw and pulled me into the ladies' room as fast as she possibly could. I fell into her shoulder before saying anything.

"Alice, what's wrong?" she asked, her tone much more serious than before.

"We have to get home. Now." I said, and she blinked.

"What happened?" she asked.

"That redheaded bitch and her coven went looking for me. Uncle Michael's dead; Dad just got a call from Charlie." I told her, and she hugged me close.

"I'll tell the girls something came up and we need to get home. Considering we shouldn't even know, I can't tell Lauren this yet, and neither can you. She doesn't need to hear that her father's been killed by a trio of psycho vampires while she's at the dinner table." Bella said, and I shuddered as I let out my last sob and moved past my sister to the sinks to splash cold water on my face.

"I'll be out in a minute, and don't even think about getting me a to-go box. I will kill you myself if you make me eat any more of that." I threatened, and Bella complied.

Bella drove faster than normal from Seattle to Forks. She pushed Edward's Volvo to its limits, and no one said anything about it. She slowed down to the speed limit as we entered the Forks city limits, and I pointed out that Dad's car was at the police station.

"Charlie's still here, too. Something's not right." Bella said, sounding convincing enough to not let the other three on to the fact that she already knew exactly what was going on as she pulled in beside Dad's Mercedes.

As we got out of the car, Dad and Charlie walked out together. They saw the five of us girls, and both of them let out sighs. I mouthed "My uncle?" to Dad, and he nodded. I threw myself into his arms while Charlie asked Angela and Jessica to call their parents for a ride home.

"Lauren, would you come inside for a moment. I need to tell you something, something I really wish I didn't have to tell you." he said to my cousin, and she followed him wordlessly.

"I'll clear it with Charlie in a minute, but I'm staying at home with you guys tonight. Jasper won't be home until in the morning, and she's going to need her family tonight. Plus, if they got this close, I'm sure Edward will want me close to him right now." Bella told Dad, and he nodded as I looked up at him.

"May I see him?" I asked, and he took my hand in his, leading me to where a sheet lay over an almost unidentifiable shape on a gurney.

Dad pulled back the sheet, and I saw Uncle Michael lying still and cold. His skin was paler than normal, and I knew that had been from the blood being drained out of him. I only saw one set of bitemarks, and I felt my anger grow. I was sure that there could only be one way three vampires could kill a man and leave only one set of bitemarks.

"I am so sorry, Uncle Michael. If I had never come here, you'd still be alive. My being here brought Victoria and her coven. They tortured you, taking turns drinking from you and sucking out one another's venom. They wanted you to tell them where Cynthia and I were, but you didn't, did you? I should've left when I found out she was after me; you wouldn't have been attacked otherwise. I am so, so sorry!" I sobbed over my uncle's body, but Dad placed a hand on my shoulder and spun me around to face him.

"Princess, none of this was your fault. Whether or not you ever left, whether or not you ever came to Forks, Victoria would have gone after the Mallory family. Other than you and Cynthia, they are the only ones who could have recognized her if they started there schemes up in this area. But, your being here made quite a difference." he said.

"Really? It doesn't look that way to me." I asked, not believing him.

"You got Lauren out of the house today by agreeing to go shopping with her. You got your aunt and Cynthia out of the house by making her think she needed to act fast to get custody of Cynthia by you being in favor of our adopting you. Most importantly, I would wager to say it's this way for most of us, you saved Jasper. Edward told us all what Jasper said to you in your hotel room at Disneyland, princess, and you're the only reason he ever made it home." Dad confirmed for me, and I thought about what he had said.

"Oh, God! How's Charlie going to tell Aunt Catherine? She can't come home to this!" I exclaimed, and Dad seemed to be listening to Bella and Charlie's conversation.

"Charlie intends on going to Seattle tonight. Because of that, he's agreed to let Bella stay with us. I already made the offer to let Lauren also stay with us, as I doubt she'll want to go home to an empty house." he told me, and I nodded slowly.

"Where did they attack him at?" I asked, assuming it couldn't have been the house if Lauren would have been allowed back already.

"They ambushed him as he was getting back into his car at the boat launch. He was helping Waylon Forge with his boat, and they decided to go after Michael instead of Waylon. Without the scents of alcohol and fish masking his blood the way it does with Waylon, he would have been presented as the better option to James and Laurent. Victoria would be the one to know his face." Dad answered in a hushed whisper, and we both turned at the sound of the door behind us opening.

Lauren was walking towards us, her face red and puffy from crying. A few tears were still trailing down her cheeks, and she kept her arms wrapped tight around her torso. She passed us and stared down at her father's lifeless body. After a moment or two, she turned to Charlie.

"Yes, Chief Swan, on the record, this is my father. When will my mother be notified?" I heard her ask.

"I plan on heading up to Seattle as soon as possible. Dr. Cullen has offered to let you stay with Bella and Alice at his house tonight, Lauren, and I think you should go with them. You shouldn't be home alone; no one should." Charlie told her, and Lauren nodded numbly.

"I'll take you by your house to put together an overnight bag, Lauren. Just tell me when you're ready." Bella offered, and Lauren looked over to her.

"We can go now." she said, and Bella nodded.

"Okay, we'll go now. Alice, D-Carlisle, we'll see you in a little while." Bella said, nearly slipping up in front of Charlie.

After Bella and Lauren left, Charlie walked over to us. He looked directly at me, and I knew he was about to offer his condolences.

"I'll be okay, Charlie. This isn't the first time I've dealt with the death of a close loved one, after all. Lauren will be okay, too, eventually. She's bottling everything up right now, but she'll probably become an emotional volcano before too much longer. She's always been this way." I said before he could speak.

"If either of you need anything, anything at all, don't hesitate to ask, okay?" he told me as gently as he could manage, and I nodded.

"Okay, Charlie, and thanks." I replied, and I hurried out to the Mercedes after that.

A few minutes after I'd gotten in Dad's car, he joined me and we started towards home. About the time I realized my purse was still in the Volvo, Dad's cellphone rang. By the way he spoke, I knew it was Mom.

"Yes, she's with me. He is? I wonder if that's from their bond as mates or from something else entirely." I heard him say.

"What's going on?" I asked, and he turned to me briefly.

"We should let them speak; it might ease his pain to hear her." he said before handing me his phone.

"Hello?" I said, realizing how croaky I sounded after sobbing for nearly three-and-a-half hours in the car.

"Darlin', what's wrong?" came Jasper's voice.

"I need you, Jazz. They're in town, and they've killed Uncle Michael. They didn't do it quickly either; there was only one bite mark on him total, and there are three coven members." I told him, choking back more tears as I spoke.

"Mom and I'll be home soon. She's already stolen my phone and called for our plane. I'll tell Peter and Charlotte that I'll have to catch up with them more later on down the road, and I'll be home before you wake up. I promise, Darlin', the three of them won't ever touch you." he told me, and I giggled slightly when he mentioned Mom stealing his phone.

"I'll wake up as soon as I catch your scent. I always do." I said, and he chuckled.

"That you do. I love you, Alice." he said, and I could practically hear his smile.

"I love you, too, Jasper. I'll see you when you get home." I said, and the call ended.

"Edward will be with Bella, so the rest of us will alternate between you and Lauren until Jasper and your mother get home. Well, Emmett and I will. Rose is still a bit sore from the experiment and will probably stay with you until Jasper arrives." Dad said as he pulled into the garage a few minutes after Jasper and me had gotten off the phone.

"What was the experiment, exactly?" I asked, curious.

"I cut her with the obsidian knife, which worked, and she agreed to a subsequent experiment involving surgery." Dad said in his "Doctor Cullen" voice.

"What type of surgery?" I asked, worried for my sister.

"I've been doing some research into experimental sciences; every experiment I come across, I like to see if it would be possible to do with vampires. About a week ago, I began considering the possibilities of IVF for vampires. Rosalie overheard your mother and I discussing this, and she practically volunteered herself. If successful, we should be able to remove some of her egg cells and freeze them. When the next part of the trial occurs, it'll be time to experiment with artificial uterine technologies." he explained, and I smiled.

"She could have a child of her own then? Bree would have a sibling?" I asked, excited.

"That would be the goal. Of course, as the DNA in Rosalie's eggs would be human, any child she and Emmett would have would be a Dhampir. I still need a second participant, but it's an emotionally damaging experiment if it fails." Dad answered, and I giggled.

"Mom can handle it, Dad, trust me." I told him, and he smiled.

"I know she can. I'm just not too sure if I could raise a child. Though I have the six of you kids, Bella included, I haven't personally ever dealt with infants." he admitted nervously.

"You'll do fine, and, by the time you can get to that step, you'll already have three growing grandchildren." I said, and he laughed.

"How is it one little word can make a man feel so old?" he asked, and I giggled again.

"Dad, you're going to be 370 next year! Some people might think that grandchildren are more than overdue by now!" I joked, and we both laughed as my door was suddenly opened and my seatbelt undone.

A pair of massive arms lifted me from the car and held me in a near-crushing hug. I hugged my bear of a brother back, and he set me on the ground. Another hug, this one somewhat gentler, came from Edward.

"Hey, guys, I should probably get to Rose before she rips you both apart to get to me." I said quietly, and my brothers let me go.

"She's on the couch in the family room." Emmett said, and I nodded.

"Did you boys get the equipment before the day went to hell?" I asked, and they smirked.

"We might not be as skilled at shopping as you are, Alice, but Emmett and I do shop faster." Edward said, and I rolled my eyes, replying to them as I began ascending the stairs to the main floor.

"Just you wait until I'm turned!"

As I had been told, Rosalie was lounging on the couch in the corner seat. I curled up beside her and listened as she giggled at my comment to the boys. She put an arm around my shoulder and gave me an attempt at a hug.

"Does it still hurt?" I asked her, and she nodded.

"Dad is a brilliant surgeon, but not even he can find a way to take the sting out of our venom I'll be fine in a few hours." she said, and I tilted my head out of curiosity.

"Venom?" I asked, and she nodded again.

"In order to seal the incision site, Dad had to use venom. It's painful, but it has healing properties for vampires. I know, I have to be crazy to go through this a second time for my eggs to be harvested, but I'd do anything for a baby." Rosalie explained, but I could tell something was bothering her still.

"Rose, what's wrong?" I asked, and she smiled sadly at me.

"You don't think Bree will hate me or doubt my love for her if I have another child, do you?" she asked, and I laughed.

"Would you suddenly hate Mom if she and Dad had a child?" I asked, and she blinked in surprise at my question.

"That's absurd! Mom loves all of us equally, though we may occasionally accuse her of having a soft spot for Edward! Not even a child biologically hers and Dad's would change the way she feels!" came Rosalie's mild outburst, then she closed her eyes and laughed.

"Exactly. You'll just have to assure Bree that whether a child is adopted or born into this family, he or she will be loved the same as if it were the other case." I told her, smiling. "If she does ever find the need to vent about her parents or baby sibling, however, Bree can always confide in her Aunt Alice."

"Are you okay?" she asked me, and I thought for a moment before nodding.

"I will be. Mom and Jasper are on their way back; she called Dad while we were driving home from the station." I said, and her head snapped towards the staircase.

"Bella just got back, but Lauren isn't with her. She snuck out of her house once she was out of Bella's sight." she told me, as Bella herself came into the room.

"I called Jake and explained everything to him; he's going out right now with Embry and Billy to find her. When they do, she'll spend the night with Jacob and Billy. On top of their scent being repulsive to vampires, her being an imprint-to-be means that she's safe in La Push." she said as she sat down on my other side.

I sighed, feeling safe between my sisters, and a vision began to tug at my mind. I gave in and let it overtake me, preparing myself for the worst. Instead, I was greeted with an overwhelming sense of positivity.

I was standing beneath a canopy of flowers that had been assembled in the backyard. I was between Bella and a strawberry-blonde woman I didn't recognize, and I was wearing a blush colored, chiffon dress. Across from me, I could see the boys in tuxedos with blush colored vests. Jasper smiled at me just as the wedding march began. All eyes, including my own, turned to watch Rosalie as she glided up the aisle with Dad towards the arch we stood on either side of. The vision ended as Dad and Rosalie reached us, and I turned to my older sister with a smile on my face.

"I call dibs on planning your next wedding!" I gushed, and she smiled.

"What did you just see, Tinker Bell?" she asked, and I giggled.

"Yours and Emmett's next wedding, obviously! It's so beautiful, Rose! Bella was your Maid of Honor, and I was a bridesmaid! You looked so beautiful in your dress, and all the boys had to wear pink! It looked like you were getting married in an enchanted forest, but it was just our backyard!" I squealed over each detail, but Bella had stopped listening when I said she was the maid of honor.

Rosalie pointed this out, and we both turned to Bella. She looked between the two of us confusedly. Rosalie let out a sigh and shook her head.

"Clearly, based on what I know of Alice's visions of her own wedding, we're making a pact right now. Emmett and I will get married first, and, Bella, I want you to be my maid of honor. You and Edward will get married second, and I assume you'd choose Alice as your maid of honor. I, of course, will be Alice's matron of honor when she and Jasper marry last. Any objections?" she asked the two of us, but we just shook our heads.

"It sounds great to me!" I chirped, and we looked over at Bella.

"Rose, I'd love to be your maid of honor. Let's do this!" she exclaimed happily, and the three of us joined hands.

"Sisters." I said, thinking back to the last pact the three of us had made.

"Always together." Bella added, smiling.

"Now and forever." Rosalie finished, and we let go of one another's hands while in a fit of giggles.

"Don't tell me the three of you are planning on kidnapping Sandy Claws!" Emmett said in fake-exasperation as he and Edward joined us in the family room.

"I should've known that would be one of your favorite movies, Em." I teased, though my eyes flickered over to the staircase that Dad should have been ascending.

"He's in the library. Dad knows that, if he tries to go after the nomads on his own, Mom will not react all too kindly." Edward assured me, and I nodded and let out a yawn.

"I'll go with her. Bella, you should get some sleep, too." Rosalie said, standing up and pulling me with her before I could protest.

I fell asleep with Rose sitting beside me. I couldn't remember anything important in my dreams when I woke, the scent of honey mixing with lavender causing my eyes to flutter open. I didn't say anything as Jasper got into bed beside me. Instead, I moved closer to him and let my head fall onto his chest. He held me in his arms and pressed his lips to the top of my head.

"Jacob and Embry found Lauren; she's safe. Sam agreed to work with us, for Lauren and Cynthia's sakes, on guarding your aunt's house once they get back from Seattle." he told me quietly, pausing for a few moments before adding in the last part of his statement. "I am so sorry this happened, Darlin'."

I couldn't think of any response that could have been deemed proper, so I let a sigh slip past my lips and attempted to go back to sleep. I slept through the night after that, and I spent most of Sunday in the bed with Jasper. Neither one of us talked, but we didn't need to either. Sitting side-by-side, him reading a psychology text while I was drawing another picture of our son in my sketch book, helped me more than talking would have. I had cried myself out when I blamed myself for what had happened, and I wasn't focusing on my grief as much as I was on the danger everyone else was now in.

Sunday night, Dad and Edward dragged Jasper out of the house to hunt. I encouraged him to go, as he needed to hunt more so than he let on, and I remained in our bedroom. I knew I was safe; Emmett was downstairs in the kitchen, and Mom and Rosalie were in Mom's office. I continued drawing, this time my subject was Renesmee as she had been in my vision from the previous week at La Push, until a knock on my door caused me to jump.

"It's just me, sis. I brought you dinner, and it's your favorite of what I can cook." Emmett said to me as he opened the door.

"Thanks, Em." I replied, and he brought over a tray with a bowl of tomato soup and a grilled cheese sandwich on it.

"I also wanted to talk with you about something. You don't have to speak much in the beginning, but I do want you to listen." he said, and I nodded slowly, considering how Emmett wasn't known for his wisdom.

"Okay." I said, and he sat down on the foot of the bed.

"I was twelve when my father died; I blamed myself for it because the only reason he was out in the woods alone was because I was sick. In the time I was raised, men didn't have the option of not doing their jobs when they were infirm, and I felt that my mama keeping me home was making me stay a boy instead of being the man I thought I was. Daddy ended up being killed in a rockslide, and I must've come up with a thousand different scenarios of how I could've saved him had I been there. It took me years, probably until mine and Rose's seventh or eighth wedding anniversary, to admit that there was nothing I could've done had I been there that would've made a difference. I wasn't exactly as strong at twelve as I was at twenty when Rose found me being mauled by a damn bear." Emmett told me, and I nodded in understanding.

"Dad told you what I said, didn't he?" I asked, and he nodded.

"Alice, there was nothing you could've done. Even if you'd seen the attack and warned him not to stop and help Waylon, there's still a chance he wouldn't have listened. If he had, then Waylon might be dead. No matter what, someone was going to lose a friend, a father, a lover, or even possibly an enemy last night. Sometimes, fate can't be changed as easily as we wish." he said, and I tiled my head out of curiosity.

"Fate?" I asked, and he smiled.

"What else would you call it? If my daddy hadn't died, I wouldn't have been out trying to provide for my mama and sisters the day that bear attacked. I'd never met Rosalie if I hadn't been being mauled to death! Look at Mom and Dad; what are the chances that he moves to a new town where she is, after he already left her in Columbus because he thought she was too young to turn back then, just in time to be there when she needed him most? What are the chances of Jasper coming across Dad in Pittsburg that day and joining this family only to meet you nearly five decades later? Also, what are the chances that your vampire stepmother is planning on investigating claims of covens with permeant territory in the area, and those covens, us and the Denalis, are your family? There's a fine line between coincidence and fate, Alice." Emmett pointed out, and I had to agree with him.

"When did you get to be so wise and philosophical, Em?" I asked, giggling.

"Who says I haven't always been this way, Ali? I could just be really good at hiding this side of me for the sake of my public image." he said, and I full-on laughed at that.

"So, this has to be our secret?" I teased, and he laughed too.

"We can't have everyone knowing that, despite all appearances, I'm practically a teddy bear most of the time." he teased back, and I giggled some more.

"I don't think we have to worry about anyone outside this house finding out." I said, and he gave me a gentle, one-armed hug before standing up and making his way over to the door.

"Eat your dinner, Al. Jazz will be back before you know it." he said, and I nodded.

"I love you, Emmett." I said softly, my heart feeling lighter than it had before.

"I love you, too, Alice. Between you and me, I don't think I could've hoped for better sisters in this part of my life than you and Bella." Emmett said as he left my room.

At some point between the time Emmett left the room and Jasper returned, I realized I'd quit drawing my son. Instead, I had begun drawing portraits of my vampire family. In each portrait, I drew them as I saw them in my mind at the time.

First was Rosalie, sitting sideways in the chair in the family room, with a PlayStation controller in her hands; she was wearing a Star Wars t-shirt, a pair of well-worn jeans splattered with motor-oil stains, and black combat boots. This wasn't the way she let the public see her, especially with the way I had drawn her hair in a messy bun, but this was what I felt my sister metaphorically looked like on the inside.

The second portrait was of Dad. Sitting at his desk, his swivel chair turned to face towards the wall of windows, he held an acoustic guitar in his hands; his mirthful expression could've almost led anyone else to believe he really was twenty-four. Of course, the lovingly worn leather jacket and faded Def Leppard t-shirt he wore were subtle hints to his three-hundred plus years of life.

Bella was the subject of my third portrait. I had drawn her post-change, and her amber eyes held a vibrant laughter I hoped she would never lose. She was leaning against the balcony railing overlooking the pool and the woods; Bella, in a navy-blue sundress with a chocolate brown cardigan and matching ankle boots, smiled up at me while appearing to be waiting for someone to join her.

Mom's portrait showed her standing in a vibrant garden looking back over her shoulder. A daisy chain was braided into her caramel hair, and her green peasant top and faded blue jeans only seemed to add to her earthiness. The garden she stood in was filled with Tudor roses, yellow roses, magnolias, violets, red roses, irises, rhododendrons, carnations, and sprigs of sagebrush. I had drawn her barefoot, and she seemed content.

Edward had taken center stage for my fifth drawing. I had drawn him standing on the pitcher's mound at Wrigley Field, dressed in jeans, tennis shoes, and a Cubs jersey. He had a baseball mitt, and, under a cloudy summer sky, it looked like he was throwing out the first pitch.

Emmett's portrait came sixth, and it showed him holding two stuffed animals. One was a Clydesdale horse wearing (yes, wearing) a white blouse with a black vest over it, a pink plaid skirt with black lace trim, and black cowboy boots with rhinestones on them; the horse also had pink and black ribbons in its (or was it a her?) mane. The second was a panda bear wearing a Star Trek redshirt uniform and black boots. Emmett was smiling in the drawing, proud of the plush animals he held.

My seventh drawing was of Jasper. He was sitting astride a motorcycle, a Harley Davidson by the looks of the logo, with his hair being lightly tousled by the wind. He had a pair of aviator sunglasses hanging on his deep purple t-shirt; his leather jacket, jeans, and boots were all black. Looking closer at the portrait I had drawn, I realized he was outside the hospital here in Forks, and his expression was one of relief more than one of happiness.

I must have started at Jasper's portrait, and gone back over the other six, for hours. I sat on the bed and studied the faces of my family. I tried to draw another picture, hoping for it to be of one of my nieces or children, perhaps even the Wolves and their imprints. My pencil wouldn't move an inch. Instead, every time I tried to picture one of them in my mind, a dull ache would form in my head.

Were these visions, or were these just drawings from my imagination? Why could I suddenly not see my children or nieces in my future anymore? Unsure of myself, I tucked my sketchbook away and took out As I Lay Dying and began my reading assignment for English class to distract myself further.

By the time Jasper came home, I had finished the book. I put the book back in my backpack, remaining silent as he sat down beside me.

"Emmett told me y'all talked. He said you were even starting to admit that it wasn't your fault. What's wrong?" he asked me, and I twisted my ring nervously.

"I was drawing earlier, like I was when you left, but the things I drew began to scare me. I think I might be losing control of my gift." I admitted, but he remained calm.

"Losing control how?" he asked simply, for which I was grateful, taking my hand in his.

"I wasn't trying to force a vision; I just wanted to draw Rosalie as I see her. Somewhere amidst the drawing, I realized I hadn't stopped with Rose. I drew seven portraits before I felt like I was in control of my body and mind again. Each one looked as though it could be an image from a vision, but I couldn't tell. I just felt, I'm not sure how else to say it, compelled to draw these portraits." I explained, but he smiled softly.

"I don't think you're losing control at all, Darlin'. It's quite possible, however, that your gift is maturing. All of us with gifts go through it at some point." Jasper said, and I blinked at him in surprise.

"Really?" I asked, and he nodded.

"Usually, you have to learn to handle the gift you have before it can grow any further. I had to learn to read and manipulate surface emotions before I could understand the more complex emotions, such as love. Edward went through this, too. He had to hear everyone's thoughts at one time and do so without a headache before he could've been able to filter out other thoughts by focusing on one person. You girls said that Maddie said she expects Bella to go through this after her change. You just so happen to go through your gift-growth-spurt while human." Jasper said, and I let my head fall onto his chest.

"Something bad is going to happen. I can't see Bree, Renesmee, or the twins anymore. I couldn't see the shifters either. Jasper, something's wrong." I said, tears welling up in my eyes.

"We'll figure this out, Alice, whatever this is. I promise." he replied softly, wrapping his arms around me and kissing the top of my head.

A/N: R&R, and please remember this is a fanfiction. I get annoyed when people seem to forget that. As a side note here, I did my research on the shrimp portion of this chapter, so I can say that shrimp classified as Gulf White/Pink/Brown are shrimp from the Gulf of Mexico; the difference between these shrimp and others is that the iodine flavor in them is higher than in other types of shrimp because of the water in the Gulf itself. I have also based Alice's experience in part on my own experiences ordering "Gulf Fried Shrimp" in states not on the Gulf of Mexico. I mean no offense towards any establishment that serves Gulf shrimp or any other seafood from the Gulf of Mexico; my opinions stem from living along the Gulf Coast my entire life. Hope you enjoyed the chapter!