"Perhaps I would have been better off with her mate. Sure the future is splendid, but she is obviously weaker than I'd originally thought."
I had only seen a vampire go into shock once before. Edward. I knelt to the floor and took Alice in my arms. I rubbed circles in her back trying to calm her down as she cried, heavy tearless sobs onto my shoulder.
"I can't do this without him, Bella." She whispered, her eyes pleading for help
"Just imagine that Edward and Jazz are on a hunting trip. It's only for a little while."
"Bella, Jasper and Edward will come after us. But it's only them. Two. The guard will take them down. They'll kill them. Jasper and Edward. My husband and my brother. Your husband, your brother. Don't you see?"
And then realization hit. Alice was right. They would always try to do the right thing. They always planned to do whatever they could do in their power to save us. My feet came out from under me, and I could no longer support my crouch beside Alice.
"Bella, not you too. How can my guards be guards if they're in shock in the middle of a forest?"
"I can still protect you, Aro." Liliana said confidently
"And what can you do? Trip a vampire by moving a pebble from that patch of dirt over there to the grass over here? Ha!"
"Master, perhaps you could let me show you the strengths of my power?"
Calling him master got his attention.
"Why yes Liliana. Go right ahead. Do you need props?" he laughed, joking
"Yes, actually. Could I use Jane?"
"Surely." He smiled
Jane threw him a questioning look
"Do not fret my dear one, Jane. All is well. I am sure she means no harm."
Liliana stared at Jane, and then quickly shifted her focus to a nearby tree. Jane went flying through the air into the tree.
"Ha ha ha. Another wonderful talent. Right Caius?"
"Indeed." He smiled
"I had no idea that your power was that strong." Aro murmured in appreciation
"I've been training with Kate."
"Ah, Katrina. Perhaps we should take a detour to Denali and see what their coven has to offer."
"Aro." Caius whispered
"Oh Caius, why not? It will only take a mere moment. You like Tanya. You know, the feisty strawberry blonde.
"Are you alright, Alice?" I asked
"No. But come on, we'll pretend together." She smiled, and reached out for my hand, and pulled me up
"Thanks, Alice."
"What are sisters for?"
"Enough of this love fest! Let me hunt and then we will head back too Volterra." He roared
"Jane, watch them. Liliana, I see that you've chosen your side. You may also watch. It's nice to see that you're giving in. Rather heroic actually. Marcus, Caius, come. I hear a school bus."
They walked further into the woods and disappeared.
"Children." I whispered in horror
Nine years ago I could have been one of those innocent ten-year-olds sitting innocently on my school bus, with my lunch sack and my backpack, waiting for death.
"Do you need some deer to quench your thirst?" Jane asked, sarcastically
"Only to keep from biting your head off." Alice smirked
"Alice." I warned
"Patience, Bella. Come, let's go find some deer to quench our thirst."
"Don't you dare try running away. I will find you." Jane threatened, "And this girl here can throw you into a tree without lifting a finger."
"She wouldn't dare. She has only turned for the moment." I said trying to assure Jane, and partially trying to assure myself
"Go Bella. Alice. Don't procrastinate. Fetch your deer and head back immediately."
"Come on." I said, tugging Alice's hand
I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. There were five deer.
"Alice, a quarter of a mile to the North. There are five of them."
"No thanks, Bella."
"Alice, what are you talking about?"
"I don't feel like hunting. But you go ahead, I'll wait here." She whispered sitting down on a flat rock, and tracing a circle in the dirt with her ghost-white index finger
"Alice don't starve yourself because you're depressed. Promise me."
"I promise. I know that starving myself won't do any good, remember Carlisle's story? He tried to but…
"Alice Cullen." I gasped, "You will not try to find a way to kill yourself. You hear me? We will get through this together. We will see our husbands again."
"Okay. Now go hunt."
I turned reluctantly towards the smell. One deer had wandered away. I breathed in again, and crouched down. And then I ran to the deer. I headed for the first one and snapped its neck, and drained it. And then repeated that with the other three.
I headed back to the rock where Alice was sitting with her head in her hands.
"I don't know how you can stand this. You've only been with him for 2 years, and you may be a mess on the inside, but you're not showing it. I've been with Jasper for over 50 years, and it's been what 2 hours? Not even. I'm a mess, Bella."
"So am I." I sighed
"I just feel so lost without him. He completes me, Bella. Jasper helps strengthen me, by me strengthening him. I love him. He knows how I feel before I even open my mouth. He's always there with open arms and suggestions. He'll listen to me babble on about my day."
"I know Alice. You know, your relationship with him is so magical."
"What do you mean? You're the one with the fairy tale life."
How did I explain it? One just had to watch Alice and Jasper to understand.
"Your bond is so strong. So powerful. You don't need to share words, just looks. Rosalie and Emmett are so physical about it, but you and Jasper don't need a neon sign that points out that you're a couple. It's so sincere the way he looks at you. And the way you look at him. It's like the world could be burning and neither of you would notice. It's so beautiful."
"Thanks, Bella."
"For what?"
"I needed that. I needed something to carry with me. Some hope."
"Exactly. We both have some hope to hold on to. A light at the end of the tunnel, right?"
"We can do this together." She smiled, taking my hand and squeezing it
"I hope so." I whispered