We entered the house and waited for Alice and Jasper to return. Hours passed, but they never showed up. I felt somewhat guilty, because I simply left them.

"Don't feel guilty, Bree," Edward intruded. "This has nothing to do with you. I'm sure they're just lollygagging as they often do."

"Edward, it's never been this much," Rosalie said, demeaningly.

"No need to be rude, Rose," he replied, coolly.

"I'm just saying, I mean, they knew we'd be waiting at home."

"I agree with you, but you still have no need to be rude to me."

"I'm just worried, okay?" This was the first ounce of concern for anyone but herself I had ever seen Rosalie display.

"Let's go looking for them," Emmett asserted. "We have to find them."

"That's a good idea, Emmett," Esme replied. She was obviously very apprehensive about the absence. "I don't want anything to happen to my family."

"Now, Esme, I'm sure they're fine," Carlisle assured her, placing an arm around her waist. It seemed as if every vampire I knew was in the perfect relationship. But I knew that I should've been thinking about the matter at hand, not my own personal issues.

"Really, Carlisle, I'm scared. What could be keeping them?" Esme pulled away from him and walked toward one of the giant windows, wringing her hands nervously.

"I don't know, but I know they'll be back soon. They could've gotten lost."

"Jasper was the one who told me how to get home, though," I said. "I don't think they could get lost."

"I was serious, you guys. We should go looking for them," Emmett stated. "It wouldn't take long if all of us went looking. Plus, it's almost daylight."

"I'm with Emmett," I said. With my ability, I could fly high up and scan for miles around.

"Me too," said Rosalie, sidling up to him.

"As am I," Esme said, quietly.

"I'm not saying it's a bad idea," Carlisle defended himself. "I was just saying that we shouldn't get too worried. Let's wait until the morning comes and then if they're not back, we can go looking for them."

We all agreed with him and sat waiting. Edward left for a few hours and went to visit Bella. He returned, and Jasper and Alice were still gone. The sun rose, behind the clouds, and we all went outside and readied ourselves for the search. Edward would span the northernmost perimeter, listening for their thoughts. Emmett and Rosalie cover the east and west. Carlisle, still unaware of my ability, told me to stay behind at the house, in case they were to show up there. He and Esme took off southward, leaving me behind.

I sat around for a little while, and then I decided to take action. Stepping outside, I readied myself to fly. I closed my eyes and levitated upwards, as the forested area grew smaller beneath me. When I stopped, I opened my eyes and looked around. I could see Rosalie's golden-blonde hair several miles to the north. Emmett was with her. To the south, I could see Carlisle and Esme, holding hands and running together. However, I could not see Alice or Jasper. I hovered at cloud-level for several minutes, as the others left my field of vision.

I stopped looking for a moment and began to think where they could possibly be. Jasper had directed me where to go, but it had seemed as if they had been waiting for me. Alice suggested we all start moving so the others wouldn't have to wait or worry, but I didn't see them leave when I left. Perhaps they were still there, but why would they be? It didn't make much sense to me, but it seemed like one of the only places they would be. Unfortunately, I didn't remember where that clearing was where we had met up. Also, I didn't want to leave my post and get in trouble with Carlisle. Plus, Edward would probably reach that place eventually, seeing as it was pretty far north.

After about an hour in the air, I decided to go back into the house. I waited there for hours. None of them returned. I began to get a strange feeling that perhaps the disappearance of Alice and Jasper wasn't accidental, and that the rest of the family was gone, too. I tried to shrug this thought off as ridiculous. They did have a lot of ground to cover, and it would, no doubt, take them a long time.

Suddenly, Rosalie burst through the door. If she needed to breathe, she would have been gasping for air.

"Rosalie? What's wrong?" I asked.

"Come help," she replied, frantically, and she turned around and ran.