Disclaimer: Nope. Sorry. The characters belong to Stephenie Meyer, and "Hey There Delilah" belongs to the Plain White T's.

A/N: Hey, everyone! I'm glad you enjoyed that last chapter! If you thought that one was sad, I'm not gonna lie, this one's gonna be even worse toward the end. Um, there are some more lighthearted moments toward the beginning (including something that actually happened to my friend and I that I thought would be funny to add in), but ultimately, it's pretty sad. Just don't kill me, lol. Then, you'll never know what happens! I don't really have too much more to say except for enjoy the chapter! Thanks, guys!

Chapter 9- Birthday Surprises

When I slowly opened my eyes the next morning, I was relieved that I had not been plagued by any more bizarre dreams. For one night, at least, my sleep had been peaceful. That was all I could ask for.

Then, my eyes narrowed when I saw an envelope lying on my dresser. I sat up and reached out and took it, opening it and seeing that it was a birthday card. As I read it over quickly and saw that it was from my grandmother, it slowly dawned on me that today was my birthday. I hadn't even remembered… I was now eighteen years old. I felt no different.

I quickly got out of bed then, leaving the card on my dresser, before leaving my room and running down the stairs. I found my grandmother in the kitchen, humming cheerfully to herself as she pulled a cake out of the oven. From the smell and look of it, it was vanilla- my absolute favorite.

"Happy birthday, Alice!" she said when she saw me, setting the cake down on the counter before approaching me and hugging me tightly. "My little girl is finally eighteen…"

"Yeah, well, it doesn't feel much different," I replied once she released me. "What's with the cake?"

"Well, I needed to have something made for when your friends sleep over tonight," my grandmother muttered.

"Wait. Friends are sleeping over?" I asked, surprised. "Who?"

"Jessica and Angela. They're worried about you, dear…"

I sighed with relief. At least she hadn't said Lauren. Though we had gotten along somewhat well at the camp in Montana, she had been a… well, bitch would be the only word to describe her… to me since I had been Jasper's girlfriend. Granted she had begun to date Tyler, but she still had a major crush on Jasper and hated me for it since he had chosen me over her. Besides, I missed Jessica and Angela. I had been more distant from them than I would have liked since the Cullens left, and this would be a good opportunity to reestablish that friendship with them.

"And you said that they were sleeping over?"

"Yep. It's a surprise for your birthday. Or, was anyway," my grandmother confirmed as she finished spreading the light purple icing over my cake. "But before they come over, I need to take you out to Port Angeles for a different surprise."

"And what would that be?" I wondered. I wasn't sure if going to Port Angeles was the best idea…

My grandmother sighed as she took out the things necessary to do the lettering on the cake, which I was no good at by any means. "It's your birthday, Alice, you're not supposed to ask questions," she said, pushing me out of the kitchen. "Now hurry and get changed so we can go!"

The drive to Port Angeles was silent on my part- my grandmother, on the other hand, kept telling me how much I would love my present.

"I'm sure you'll find it perfect," she was saying when I listened to the one-sided conversation again. "Edward helped me pick it out and everything…"

"Wait. Edward helped you?" I asked, looking over at her. When had this happened?

My grandmother smiled as she came to a stop at a red light. "Yes. Actually, he's the one who picked it out," she answered. "He knows so much more about this stuff than I do. We just have to pick it up. I just know you're going to love it, Alice."

My curiosity had definitely been piqued. What kind of present had my grandmother gotten for me that Edward had to help her with?

We reached Port Angeles about fifteen minutes later and quickly found a spot to park. I stepped out of the car and looked around the parking lot, remembering what had happened here only a few spots down. Royce had found me here, and Jasper had arrived just in time to prevent whatever he had been planning on doing with me from happening…

"Come on, Alice," my grandmother said, and I followed her as she headed toward the lien of stores. We came to a music store then, and my eyes narrowed with confusion. What would we be picking up here? My grandmother pulled open the door, and I glanced behind me at the parking lot one last time before following her inside.

I was instantly met with a wall of guitars, and I turned away from them to instead look at the racks of CDs so I wouldn't be reminded of the one person I knew who could play the guitar while my grandmother went to the desk at the back of the store. I could barely hear her talking, but I didn't pay much attention as I browsed through the many titles, just reaching Van Halen when I was interrupted.

"Alice! Come over here please, dear!"

Sighing, I stood and walked past the guitars without looking at them to where the desk was. My grandmother was standing in front of a large box, and I wandered over to her curiously to see what I assumed to be my present was.

My eyes widened when I saw it.

It was a keyboard with tracks on it to play along with and had a stand included. I slowly raised my hand and ran it lightly over the box. From what I could tell from the picture, the instrument was beautiful.

"Edward told me that you were starting to take an interest in learning to play the piano again," my grandmother told me, smiling slightly as I marveled at the keyboard that was now mine. "I thought this would be the next best thing."

A smile appeared on my face as I looked up at my grandmother. "I love it!" I told her enthusiastically, and I saw her eyes shine at my excitement. "It's perfect!"

She gave me the famous "I told you so" smile as she gave the money for the keyboard to the balding man behind the desk. "Thank you so much for holding it for us."

"Of course," the man replied before he turned to me and gave me a smile. "Happy birthday! I hope you enjoy your keyboard."

"Thank you. I will!" I returned the smile as he looked back at my grandmother.

"I'll carry this to your car for you."

"Oh, all right. Thank you," my grandmother said as the man picked up the box with my keyboard in it and joined us on the other side of the desk. "I'll show you which one it is. Come on, Alice."

I followed my grandmother and the man out of the store and across the parking lot as we headed toward our golden car. But as she unlocked it for him and the man began to set the keyboard gently in the backseat, I suddenly turned to look behind me when I had the feeling that I was being watched. My eyes widened when they landed on a man far across the parking lot that I recognized, a feeling of dread coursing through me.

It was Royce King. I watched a smile spread across his face when he saw me looking at him, and he gave me a wink before he turned and walked away, disappearing into the crowd.

For lunch, my grandmother and I stopped at the nearest food court at the mall. We sat at a table together surrounded by teenagers that were still really happy to be on spring break, and the Royce sighting was driven out of my mind. I took a bite of my sub sandwich while she used chopsticks to eat her Chinese when I noticed a blue flyer on the table. I curiously picked it up, seeing that it was a list of songs with a number that you could text in to have it played on the T.V. sets around the food court. Whoa. Jukebox of the future…

Finding a song that I loved on the list, I took out my cell phone and texted in the code, smiling when I got a return message telling me that my song choice would be played shortly. My grandmother was looking at me curiously, and my smile widened.

"What are you doing, Alice?" she asked.

"It's just a music thing… well, you'll see." I didn't think that it was worth going into a big discussion with my grandmother about the mechanics of texting…

A few minutes later, I smiled when I recognized the first few notes and the beginning of the video for the song I had chosen, and my grandmother glanced up at the television nearest us. "Did you get that song to come on?"

"Yeah. I sent the number in, and now they're playing it," I explained. "It's kind of like a newer from of the jukebox."

By the blank look on my grandmother's face, she didn't exactly understand the whole technology thing, but she still tried to be enthusiastic about it. "Oh. Okay. That's cool…"

I laughed a little as I took another bite of my sandwich. That word did not work for my grandmother… But then, my smile vanished when I heard a few lines of the song clearly. Why had I picked this song?

"Don't you worry 'bout the distance, I'm right there

If you get lonely, give this song another listen

Close your eyes

Listen to my voice, it's my disguise

I'm by your side…"

"Are you all right, Alice?"

My grandmother's voice brought me out of my thoughts, and I nodded. The choice of song must have been subconscious- I wouldn't have picked it if I had been thinking clearly… not when it reminded me of Jasper…

But, I didn't want to worry my grandmother, so I smiled and nodded as I answered, "I'm fine." Besides, it was my birthday, and I owed it to my grandmother to try to have the best day I could.

She smiled, but she didn't seem to believe me as she took another bite of her noodles. I sighed as I continued to eat my sandwich, but then I froze when I saw two familiar faces in the swarm of people watching me curiously. "I have to go to the bathroom," I said, quickly getting to my feet. "I'll be right back, Grandma."

"Oh, all right." I could hear her confusion. "Take your time, dear…" I barely heard her last statement before I rushed into the crowd of people after my two friends. I know I saw them… I know I did…

"A thousand miles seems pretty far

But they've got planes, and trains, and cars

I'd walk to you if I had no other way…"

I tried to block the song out as I hurried after Bella and Rosalie. I knew that I had seen them… Did that mean that the rest of the Cullens were here too? Why hadn't they told me?

But I soon got to the edge of the balcony that overlooked the first floor without seeing any sign of either Bella or Rosalie. They hadn't been in any of the stores that I had passed either. I didn't understand… I knew they had been there… They were…

I clutched the metal railing tightly as I softly began to cry, not minding who saw. How much longer was this going to go on? I couldn't take it anymore…

Jasper… why did you have to leave?

Surprisingly, having Jessica and Angela over for the evening was a lot of fun. We had a pizza for dinner with my grandmother's delicious, beautiful cake for dessert. Then, I opened their presents- Angela bought me the last two books in a series I had been reading along with the complete collection of Grimm's fairy tales, and Jessica and Mike had combined their money to buy me a new digital camera since mine had broken. After that, we watched two romantic comedies, and I played my keyboard a little for them before my grandmother went to bed, leaving the three of us alone in my room.

"So, has everything been okay lately, Alice?" Angela asked quietly from where she sat on the bed beside me.

"Yeah, you've been really different since Jasper left," Jessica agreed from where she lay on the floor, playing with Mina. "You're making us worried…"

"Everything's fine, guys," I tried to assure them as confidently as possible, giving them a smile. "I'm all right."

"So… are you past it then?" Angela ventured hesitantly. "I mean, it's a shame he left. I know how close you two were…"

I sighed heavily at her question. What could I say? I was nowhere near past Jasper's sudden departure, but I didn't want to worry them further, so I slowly nodded. "Yeah," I muttered. "I'm past it…"

"That's good," Angela smiled. But then, her smile vanished. "Well, as good as it can be, I guess…"

"Lauren will be happy to hear that," Jessica scoffed as she rubbed Mina's stomach.

"Jess…" Angela began to warn softly.

"What?" Jessica turned to look back up at us sitting on my bed. "You know how big of a crush she had on Jasper and how mad she was at Alice because of it…"

"Yes, but I think we should drop the subject now. I mean, it's Alice's birthday."

I tuned out their conversation as I turned to face the clock by my bed, seeing that it was almost midnight. It was supposed to be a magical time… It hadn't been that way for me lately.

"Are you all right, Alice?"

Hearing the quiet question, I turned back to the girl sitting next to me and gave her a smile. "Yeah, I'm fine, Ang," I answered. "There's just a lot on my mind… Do you guys want to go for a drive? It will help clear my head a bit."

"Now?" Jessica's face brightened up slightly. "Sure! But wouldn't your grandmother like get mad if she knew because of how late it is?"

"Now, she won't mind, Jess. We won't be gone long." I stood up and went to my closet, grabbing my favorite black hoodie and pulling it over my head. "It'll only be around the block a couple of times or something."

"Yeah, sure. Let's go!" I watched as Jessica pulled on her hoodie and Angela slipped on her light jacket, and then we all quietly left my room and snuck past my grandmother before running down the stairs and out to my car. I climbed in behind the wheel while Jessica got in beside me and Angela sat in the back. Once we were all buckled up, I backed out of the driveway and headed down the street.

"So, we're just going to drive around aimlessly then?" Jessica asked.

"Pretty much," I answered quietly. "Unless anyone has any better ideas on somewhere we could go."

"I have a few dollars on me," Angela spoke up. "We could stop at a gas station for snacks or something."

"All right. That works," I said as I came to a stop sign. "Oh, feel free to turn on the radio if you want."

Jessica immediately began to flip through the stations, and I stared absentmindedly out at the gentle drizzle that had begun. The tiny drops sparkled when they hit the light from the surrounding streetlamps, and I was instantly reminded of the way Jasper's skin shone when sunlight hit him…

Why couldn't he just leave me alone?

"Are you going to drive, Alice?" Jessica wondered, finally settling on the mixed station. "There are no other cars coming."

"Oh, yeah. Sorry." I slowly took off from the stop sign, seeing Jessica and Angela exchange concerned looks. I wouldn't allow the emptiness inside of me eat away at what little was left of me. I was determined to keep the friends I still had…

But as I headed toward the gas station, I passed the small playground that I had often gone to when I visited my grandmother when I was a young girl. I glanced over at it, instantly met with many pleasant memories. I used to love this playground.

But then, my eyes widened when I caught slight movement, and my breath caught in my chest at what I saw.

"Jasper…"

There he was, sitting on one of the swings as he watched my car go past. There was some concern… and guilt in his eyes as he kept his eyes on us, but he didn't move from his spot on the swing. Was he really back this time, or was this just another hallucination? If he was back, why hadn't he come to see me? Why hadn't he told me?

But then, his eyes narrowed as his gaze moved away from me, and I saw his lips pull back in a snarl as he growled at something ahead of my car. I quickly looked in front of me to see if I was about to hit something, but I didn't see anything…

"Did you just say Jasper's name?" Angela wondered quietly.

"He isn't at the playground, Alice," Jessica added hesitantly. I could tell that they were both confused and worried.

No! Jasper had been there, I saw him! I quickly looked back at the playground behind me, and I felt a couple of tears prick my eyes when I saw that they were right- Jasper wasn't there. But, he had been… hadn't he? I sighed as one tear fell from my eye while I turned back to face the road ahead of me. Maybe I was just seeing things since I was wishing so desperately for him to come back… Maybe…

Suddenly, both Jessica and Angela screamed when a man appeared on the street in front of my car, and I cursed as I was forced to slam on my brakes. Fortunately, I stopped just in time to keep from hitting him… "I'm sorry, guys."

"That's all right." Jessica and Angela appeared to be shaken up, but otherwise unharmed. "He shouldn't have been in the middle of the road like that…"

I sighed with irritation when I saw that the man still hadn't moved from in front of my car, and I was about to honk my horn when my eyes narrowed as I studied him closely. Wait. I recognized that olive skin, that black hair that fell to his shoulders…

It was Laurent- like, the Laurent that had warned us about James when he was after me at the camp in Montana.

"Hold on a minute," I muttered as I unbuckled my seatbelt and turned off my car so I wouldn't waste gas. The fact that I was actually seeing a vampire after four months was a ray of sunlight to me. "I'll be right back." Ignoring Jessica and Angela's concerned protests, I stepped out of the car and shut the door behind me before I carefully walked to the front.

"I see you survived after all," Laurent said in a form of greeting as he turned to face me when I approached.

"Yeah, thanks to Jasper and Bella," I replied. "What are you doing back in Forks?" I remembered James telling me that they had all been here before.

At first, I had been happy to see Laurent since out of his coven, he was the one who warned us about the danger of James. But the strange flicker in his crimson eyes as he looked down on me began to make me feel nervous…

"Just passing through," he told me innocently. "But I must say that it's… unfortunate your Jasper isn't around anymore."

My face paled as I took a step back away from him, his smirk putting me on high alert. Something was wrong… "How do you know about that?" I whispered.

Laurent laughed a little at the question. "Victoria is keeping an eye on you, dear Alice," he explained, and the quiet statement nearly made my heart stop. Victoria had been James' mate… "She's furious about what Jasper did to James, you know. To an immortal, the loss of a mate is the worst that could happen."

"Well, Jasper isn't here, as you said, so she has nothing to worry about." I had to try to get out of this, for Jasper's sake. I took another step back, but Laurent only took another step forward. It was no use. If I tried to run, he would easily catch me…

"Oh, you are so naïve, my dear," Laurent said with a laugh. "She's after you. It's only fair, you see? A mate for a mate." I gasped and tried to back away without success when he reached forward and grabbed my upper arm tightly. "But, if it makes you feel any better, she does have her plans for poor Jasper as well…"

At his last statement, my eyes went blank when a quick vision came to me. Victoria had made up her mind…

I was sitting in a small, dark room as I stared fearfully at the half-open door, hearing a familiar scream of pain coming from the other side…

But, I was forced back to the present when Laurent roughly shook my arm. "Let's just say that you should be grateful I found you first," he muttered, leaning in close to my neck. "I will be much more merciful…"

"Alice!"

"Get away from her, freak!"

Both Laurent and I watched as Angela and Jessica stepped toward us away from the car, their eyes filled with fear and confusion. "Run!" I shouted at them desperately. Would Laurent go after them when he was through with me? I wasn't sure, but I knew I couldn't let that happen. "Get out of here! Hurry!"

I watched with relief as they backed away with fear when they saw his crimson eyes, but I gasped when my attention was roughly switched back to Laurent as he turned my face back to him and tilted my head so my throat was exposed. "Now, where were we, my dear?" He leaned forward again, his cold lips running lightly over my neck to find a good place to bite, I assumed. I shut my eyes tightly and held my breath, waiting for the pain to come…

Suddenly, Laurent's weight left me, and I cautiously opened my eyes to see what had happened. I saw with confusion that he was running as fast as he could away from me, not minding that my two friends saw. Then, I heard a loud growl from behind me, and for one, hopeful moment, I thought that it was Jasper that had come to drive Laurent away.

However, I saw a flash of light brown fur rush by me instead, and I realized that one of the wolves must have fortunately been in the area and saw Laurent with me. I sighed with relief when I recognized that fur. I had never been more relieved to see Jacob before…

But then, I gasped when more images suddenly assaulted my mind, and I had to lean on my car for support because of their ferocity.

Jasper was thrown into the dark room with me, cringing in pain as the half-open door was shut completely behind him. In the dim lighting that was left, I could see that there was a large tear in his throat, burn marks covering his upper body, and fresh scars ravaging his chest…

No! This couldn't be happening!

Tears quickly filled my eyes as I slowly sank to my knees on the damp ground, my breath catching in my chest as I let out a quiet sob. I hardly noticed when Jessica and Angela knelt down beside me and held me tightly when what I assumed to be the final image came.

I rushed to Jasper's side, seeing that his eyes were closed tightly as he gasped for breath. The obvious pain he was in must have nearly been unbearable. I gently took his hand in mine before planting a tender kiss on his cold lips, hoping to be of some comfort to him.

"Jasper, stay with me," I pleaded desperately as tears fell freely from my eyes when he looked up at me. What had she done to him? "I need you… Please, stay with me…"

"I will stay with you, Alice… I made you… a promise…" Jasper's eyes were weary and filled with agony, and I could not imagine how much pain he was now in. If only I could make it stop…

He then raised his hand and slowly wiped the tears from my cheeks, but I could see even that simple action took a lot of effort as he outwardly cringed with pain from the movement. I sighed and slowly took his hand in mine before lowering it gently to the ground, and a small, quiet sob escaped from me when I realized what was happening to my angel as he sighed heavily and closed his eyes again.

No matter how strong he was trying to be for me, I knew that Jasper was slowly dying.

A/N: I bet you are all hating to see those two letters, huh? I'm sorry for ending it evilly. It's a good spot for a cliffhanger. There isn't really much I can say to make up for this evil ending, but I still hope you enjoyed the chapter! And the jukebox of the future thing… that actually happened to a friend and I at a mall. I just thought it would be funny for Alice and her grandmother to experience that. Anyway, thanks for reading! Your reviews are much appreciated. Thank you, and enjoy the preview!

Next Chapter: Snow Angel

I was an absolute wreck.

Xxx

I leaned into his arms, grateful for their comfort as I continued to cry into his shoulder. "What's wrong, Ali?"

"You… you wouldn't care," I whispered between sobs, truly knowing that Jacob wouldn't care if Jasper lived or died.

Xxx

"There's something that… that you don't know about me that you should know, Grandma," I muttered once I calmed down a bit.

Xxx

"You probably don't remember any of this because of the trauma you went through," my grandmother muttered, recognizing my blank expression. "But, you're older now, and you should probably know about this."

"What happened to me?"