The border of Tennessee and Mississippi, present day

Alice ran briskly, but cautiously, mindful of her surroundings, searching for any landmark that seemed familiar. The last one she'd encountered had been in southern Kentucky, a collection of rocks alongside the Mississippi river that reminded her vaguely of a place where she'd experienced a fright in the sun, most likely her first experience of the luminescence of vampire flesh in broad daylight, the reason for the many legends and folklore tales of vampires fearing the largest star. This landmark had reassured her that she was on the right path, and Victoria's scent had lingered there as well. Several miles back, the trail had led to the carcass of what appeared to be a middle-aged man, decomposing rapidly, the arms nearly torn off in haste of attack. Alice had paused to wish comfort for the man's loved ones and continued, careful not to touch the body.

But here, crossing into the river's namesake state, Alice was distraught. Victoria's trail had gone cold. Alice suspected this was where she'd doubled back towards where she'd left Edward, but she hesitated to call him with this bad news, lest Victoria be near and somehow evading her senses. The man's body had been nude; perhaps Victoria had donned his bloody clothes to confuse her pursuers. Weighing out the odds, Alice opted to proceed somewhat slowly, jogging at a near-human rate, her eyes and ears scanning the area, her mind seeking desperately for Victoria's plans.

Overhead, a waxing moon trickled light from the deep blue sky, beams of it cutting through the trees and adding a shimmery hue to the water beside her. The animals, sensing her unnatural presence, were wary but relaxed, as if they knew she wasn't seeking them out this night. Very few homes were situated near the water in this area, and for that, Alice was grateful. She counted on silence and anonymity to aid her quest. The trees greeted her in patches, clusters standing tall, giving way to relatively plain clearings and fields. For a moment, she was reminded of the meadow near Forks, and Bella's face came into her mind. She'd sought Bella out several times during the night, finding no visions save the one that remained strong: Bella as a newborn, smiling warmly at Alice and Edward. That had never wavered, not at any point in the last 5 months. Why Edward refused to listen to her, Alice could not say. She'd spent hours discussing her frustrations with both Esme and Jasper, and the consensus was that Edward was in denial that Bella could love him, truly love him, in spite of the numerous obstacles, that he feared she'd grow tired with the constant threats to her safety and Edward's refusal to change her. But to Alice, it seemed to run deeper; it was as if Edward wanted to protect Bella, yet at the same time, he wanted to suffer. He wished to feel pain on the scale he felt Bella had felt through the last year.

"It's all bloody unnecessary," Alice grumbled through her teeth, "They're perfect for each other."

Slipping deeper into Northern Mississippi, Alice found herself entering another clearing, this one smaller, with dips and hills throughout, giving the ground an unsteady feel. The trail was still dead; Victoria had turned around or gone through the river. Alice sighed, realizing she'd have to give Edward and Jasper fair warning to expect Victoria on their end. Flipping open her cellphone, she began to dial, but halted, distracted by a large patch of moldy wet leaves, sunken in a mini-valley in the far corner of the clearing. Something about it haunted her, and her mind began to race.

I know this place... But how...?

Her body shuddering slightly with excitement and fear, Alice approached the pile of leaves, her right palm outstretched as if to take hold of something she couldn't yet see, but knew was there waiting...

Back in Kentucky, Edward was negotiating for a peaceful resolution to Jasper's fury.

"You let her run off alone? Victoria could be out there! What if she traps her, or worse?!" Jasper stormed around the small hotel room, his eyes wild and frantic as he inhaled Alice's scent subconsciously from her bag, which sat on one of the two double beds.

"I didn't allow her to do anything. Jasper, you know her. Her mind was set. Plus, she and I agree that the trail south was a decoy like the first. She knew you'd be angry and said to tell you she loved you. Her thoughts were very apologetic towards you as she took off. But standing around here arguing with me won't make Alice safer, no matter what direction Victoria has truly chosen."

Jasper nodded, bitterly accepting that Edward was right in this instance. Were he in Edward's shoes, he would have pursued Alice anyway, but that, he knew, was the thought of a man whose reason for existing was a pixie of a woman and a smile that could melt the hardest hearts. Reaching for his cell phone, he gestured for the door. Edward led the way to the Volvo, trench coat in hand as habit; it would be left in the car, useless for their means of search. The phone rang once... twice...

"Jazz. don't be angry. He only did what I told him."

"You're being far too cavalier with the most precious thing in my world, Alice."

"My hips?" Alice flirted, an attempt to soften the hard tone of his voice.

"You, period. I don't like this. We could call Carlisle, run in teams of two. Rosalie and Emmett are due back in days. Victoria is not one to be trusted, Alice."

"But she does have a strategy, Jazz, and I've figured out her game. And, as it turns out, I was right. Her trail ran dead before I hit Mississippi. The trail west is likely the way she's actually gone. I was about to call you to update you both. You need to hurry; I can't imagine her lead is too long yet."

Jasper sighed, "Join us, then. Three is better than two."

Alice was silent a moment, then replied quietly, "My trail isn't dead."

Jasper's eyes widened, and Edward turned to look at him, hearing his thoughts, "What trail?"

"I recognize places here. I've found a few. I think I'm close to where I awoke... I have to keep looking."

"Alice, are you sure?"

"I am. Please, for me... Go take care of Bella. I've seen what Victoria is capable of and it frightens me to think of her near Bella. I'll call you in a while. I love you."

"I love you. Alice, please..."

The phone went dead, and Jasper broke the phone slamming it shut. He cursed, throwing it in the backseat. Edward drummed the wheel impatiently, turning off into the rest area where he'd parked earlier in the evening to meet Alice along the water's edge. Cutting the engine, he reached out to place a hand on Jasper's shoulder.

"Women are stubborn as hell, Jasper. There's no arguing with them in this state."

"No," Jasper whispered quietly, "But we can still defy them. Take me to where the trails diverged."

Edward heard Jasper's thoughts and sighed inwardly. There would be a hell of a struggle in approximately five minutes, when Jasper was planning to track Alice against her will. Alice, for your sake, I hope he changes his mind, he muttered inwardly, launching into an impossibly fast blur towards the waterfront, tracking Alice's scent to be certain of the path. Rocketing along beside him was Jasper, a fierce look of determination hardening his normally soft features. Dodging trees and tangling underbrush, they easily came to where Alice had separated from Edward four hours ago. Planting himself in Jasper's path, Edward shook his head.

"Don't disobey her. We need to find Victoria."

Jasper growled, "She shouldn't be alone out there."

"Jasper, I heard her thoughts. She'll be incredibly hurt if you follow her against her will. She'll think you don't trust her to handle herself, think that you consider her weak. Is she weak?"

"No," Jasper begrudgingly admitted.

"She took care of herself for almost 30 years, without a mentor to help her, living a nearly vegetarian lifestyle, clinging to a vision of you and a vision of Carlisle to keep her steady. If she truly believed she were in danger, she would call us," Edward reasoned, sensing Jasper's resolve weakening.

But she's all I have. I can't lose her. Jasper's brow furrowed, as he paced between Edward and the shore, debating.

Edward nodded knowingly, his own chest hurting from the ache of Bella's absence, a steady pain that grew worse each day, though he tried to ignore it. Whatever misery he felt, it was nothing, he was certain, compared to the horrors he'd brought into Bella's life - horrors Victoria longed to add to. He unwittingly shuddered, and Jasper kneeled by the water, contemplating something in the water. His eyes widened, and he waved Edward closer, shattering his melancholy reverie.

"She swam across. Her footprints are still visible further out, where it runs a bit deeper. Do you see?"

Edward nodded, "Alice was right. She's running circles to distract us, buy herself time."

"Probably cutting across and headed straight west through Missouri. May have a hell of a head start. Run it or fly it, Edward?"

Edward pulled out his cell phone, hitting the speed dial for Carlisle, "Let's check our options. Maybe we can catch the red eye from Louisville to Seattle or Vancouver, come at her from the other direction."

"And Alice?" Jasper asked, pacing again between the tree she'd perched upon and the water.

"Let her go. I'll have Esme come, perhaps, to be nearby in case."

Somewhat satisfied with this notion, Jasper prowled the tree line, scavenging for signs of small wildlife to partake of in preparation for time confined with humans in a small space. Edward relayed their suspicions to Carlisle, who indicated that flights were limited. He recommended giving chase by ground, while continuing to plan for flights. Weather, he indicated, would be an issue; tomorrow was supposed to be a bright, sunny day in Missouri and several other points west.

"Remember, Edward; she won't risk exposure, either. She'll be stalled as well until nightfall."
"Yes, of course. Thank you."

Turning to Jasper, Edward opened his mouth to invite Jasper to depart, then froze, a primal scream of fear piercing his skull suddenly, sending shockwaves through his body. Alice.

"Jasper..."

"Alice?"

"She's trying to call you. She needs you. Now. I'll cross after Victoria. HURRY."

Edward watched his brother's tall, muscular frame disappear into the distant darkness, dust swirling up from his tracks, clouding the air, reflecting the moon's light. In his right hand, his fingers flew and dialed Alice's cell on instinct, the phone pressed quickly to his left ear. One ring... two... three...four... Edward heard her pick up, but no sounds were uttered on the other end.

"He's coming, Alice. His phone broke."

"I'm... The beginning... It's just... too... much..."

"He'll be there very soon. Victoria's gone west; I'm following her. I love you Alice. Stay strong, okay? Jasper is coming."

"Soon... The White Rabbit... I..."

The phone disconnected. Edward hesitated a minute, wondering if he should follow Jasper, then opted to cross the river, trusting that if Alice would be safe with anyone, it would be Jasper. But Bella was unprotected, and he could not let her be harmed. Victoria needed to be found, and destroyed like her wretched lost lover. Backing up a hundred feet, Edward studied the distances for a minute, mental calculations whirring, then broke into the fastest run he could, taking flight at the water's edge.