I know, I know, it's been way too long since I updated. I hope you love the chapter though!

10:20 P.M. – Jasper's POV

Over an hour had passed since I had radioed in to our Battalion that Edward was nowhere to be found. Jake, Charlie, as well as countless other men from Battalions Nine and Fifteen had urgently spread out, calling Edward's name, hoping to find him safe and sound.

But it had been over an hour, and we knew that we also had to think about the innocent victims that were still being crushed under the severity of the rubble and fire. So while we continued to push our limits well past exhaustion and tear away any bit of debris we could for survivors, we still kept our eyes trained for Edward; for any sign of his helmet, emblazoned with his name, or the bright yellow letters of 'MASEN' that covered the back of his uniform.

I thought about the promise I had made to him, that he, Emmett, and I would be safe, and that we would make it home to our families. Now that promise hung in the air, halfway broken, for there was a very real possibility only one of us would make it home tonight. I felt almost selfish that it would be me; that I could go home to the arms of the woman I loved, and kiss my daughter while she slept, and lay down in the comfort of my own bed while I thought of how lucky I was to not be one of the perished.

The perished. The words hung in my head like a dizzying cloud. I knew that after today that word would take on a whole new meaning, for I had two loved ones, Emmett and Edward, who very well could belong to it. What would this mean for our families? For Christian and Schuyler, who no longer had fathers? For Rose, my twin, my blood, who lost Emmett, who meant everything to her? And Bella, a woman I had grown to love as equally as I did Rose, who would everyday look at me as the man who let her husband die?

Tears continued to roll down my face as I walked back to the truck, my legs no longer working of my control. Sweat still poured down my face, mixing with the tears, as I continued to revel in utter agony. How can I still sweat? How can I still cry? I'm too exhausted; there's nothing left of me. I sat down on the curb beside my truck, the sounds of the screaming wounded, of the determined but utterly exhausted rescue workers, and the still shrilling sirens going silent in my ears as I let myself slip past my mind. It no longer belonged to me; it travelled of its own accord. It sailed across buildings and streets, highways and people, as I thought of not what was going on here, but at my own house. I pictured Alice, completely distraught, sobbing on the ground with the phone in her hand, waiting for a phone call.

A phone call.

I had completely forgotten I could call her. I jumped up quickly, running to the inside of the truck, and grabbing one of the phones as I quickly dialed our home number,

Dammit, too quickly. I fumbled with the numbers, messing up the seven digits that I knew too well. I took a deep breath and slowed, retrying.

10:27 P.M. – Alice's POV

Jasper. Jasper. My love.

I lie on my living room floor, phone in hand, thankful that Aisling was tucked away in bed at Rose and Emmett's house, not able to see me in such agony.

Emmett. He was safe. I was still getting used to those words, but oh so thankful that they existed. He was one of the lucky few. I knew from the images racing across the TV screen, showing still the smoke that billowed out to the sky, of the body bags I could see being loaded into trucks to take them to places where they would have to be identified by those who loved them. I still had not heard from Jasper.

Another sob ripped through me as I realized I might be one of those loved ones identifying her husband's dead body.

NO Alice, I scolded myself. DO NOT let yourself think that way. Jazz could still be alive. He and Edward could be coming home now.

I gripped our phone tighter, realizing I hadn't let go of it all day. I hadn't eaten, either. I couldn't, not when Jazz wouldn't be able to either.

Please call. Please call. Please call. Please call. I repeated the simple sentence over and over in my head, willing it to come true. I needed to hear his voice, to tell me he was okay.

As if God himself was listening, the phone rang, jerking my eyes open.

"Hello?" I half screamed.

"Alice." It was his voice. His voice. Saying my name.

"Jazz," I whispered, letting out a breath that I didn't realize I had been holding in.

"I love you. I'm okay. I'm okay," He repeated. I could hear the exhaustion in his voice. I knew he had been crying.

"Thank God. Oh my – Thank GOD!" I sobbed again, my body going slack as I sobbed for a whole different meaning. Tears of joy, for the love of my life would be able to come home to me.

"I'm so sorry Al, this is the first chance I've gotten to a phone all day. But I'm here, I'm okay. I'll tell you all about it when I'm home."

"You can come home now?" I cried softly, my voice sounding like a scared and crying five year old's.

"I'm not sure. I don't know when I'll be home, but I promise you I will. The danger is gone here, we're just trying to pick up the pieces," He answered softly. I knew him so well that I could see him running a bloody and ash-covered hand down his face, trying to wipe away his emotions.

"What about Edward? Is he okay?" I asked, remembering my brother. I thought of Bella, in the same position as me. That she too would be at home waiting for a phone call.

All I could hear was silence. I thought for a minute our phone had been disconnected.

"Jasper?" I asked again. Then I realized he was crying. "Oh God, no. He's dead? He can't be dead. No, no, no…" I began sobbing again.

"I don't know. He's missing. We can't find him. He went into the rubble after hearing a scream, and then I couldn't find him anymore. I'm so sorry, Al," Jasper cried freely.

I couldn't answer. Sobs shook my body, rendering my speech worthless.

"It's all my fault," He whispered.

I composed myself after a moment. "No, Jazz. Don't ever think that. It's not your fault. He could still be out there. But don't ever blame yourself for Edward doing his job."

"And Emmett. What if Emmett is gone too?" He cried.

I froze for a second. Jasper didn't know. There would be no way for him to know, I thought.

"Oh, Jazz, Emmett's okay! He called Rose after he made it out of the building just in time. He's alive, at home with Christian and Rose. Ais and Schuyler are spending the night there too."

"He's alive?" Jasper gasped. I could almost see the smile that grazed his face.

"Yes, he's alive. Now Jazz, go find Edward. Find him, and bring him home to Bella," I said with determination, tears still streaking my face. "Then come home to me."

"I will come home to you, love. I love you," He answered.

"I love you too."

10:34 P.M. – Jasper's POV

After I hung up with my wife, I knew there was another call I had to make. I had to call Bella.

I dialed her and Edward's number with a shaky hand. She answered on the third ring.

"Hello?" She cried.

"Bella?" I asked. I knew it was her.

"Jasper?" Her voice broken, cracking. "What's wrong?"

I couldn't answer. What was wrong? Everything. Edward.

"Jasper?" She repeated again. "Are you guys okay? Where's Edward?"

I knew that she knew. If Edward wasn't calling her, then there was a reason. I was there to deliver the news that she wouldn't be able to take.

"Oh, Bella," I choked back a sob. "I'm okay. But Edward… Edward's missing."

I could hear her fall to the ground, the sound making an unmistakable thump as her body turned into dead weight, no longer her own.

"No. No, no, no, no…" She repeated, the news being processed into her head.

"Oh, Bella, I wish. Oh, I wish," I whispered. Wish what? That it were me instead of him? That I had been able to save him? "He and I were in the rubble, searching for survivors… he called back to me and said he heard a voice yelling from below us. I told him to wait for me to reach him, but he didn't hear me. All I saw was fire and rubble, and then Edward was gone. Gone…" I sobbed once more.

I could hear her crying freely. I couldn't imagine being in her position, being told that Alice was gone, and might not ever come home.

But the thought made me continue, speaking determinedly. "But Bella, listen to me. I already called Alice, so she knows. I'm not leaving here until I find Edward. I promise."

Bella still sobbed, but managed to choke out "thank you."

After I ended the phone call with her, I knew I had to find him. I knew I was going to find him.

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