Chapter Thirty-Four

I ran to my car, which I had parked in the lot across the street, and drove to the Cullens' house. Without even knocking, I burst into the house. Esme was reading in the living room; I didn't see Carlisle as I turned up the stairs and ran straight for Jasper's room.

I looked around the room for any sort of hint as to where he had gone. He had visited so many places on his last excursion, that I was sure one place had to have made a lasting impression. I searched his bookshelf, his desk, under the mattress…anywhere he may have hidden some sort of journal, anything. I turned my attention to the closet and let out a scream of joy when I found a leather-bound book that seemed fairly new.

I opened the cover and turned several pages; I smiled when I registered Jasper's handwriting on the first written page. I sat on the floor of his room flipping through the first couple of pages when Esme walked in.

"Need any help?" she asked, her arms folding gently in front of her stomach.

"No, thanks. I think I found what I need. I'll let you know if I do need anything though." I kept my attention on the book, scanning the pages. His words were like poetry, filled with sorrow and pain. As I turned each page, his words began to take a happier tone, less sorrow and less pain. The last page was scribbled with little notes.

Stuffed in the back cover of the book was a photograph. It was a picture of the ocean, but the shoreline was covered in snow. I looked back up at the doorway, but Esme had gone. I looked at the last page again, and the words started to make sense.

I jumped up from the floor, and ran back downstairs. I found Esme reading her book again. I was out of breath, but I managed to ask, "Do you have any idea where this picture was taken?"

She took the photo from my hand and studied it carefully then handed it back.

"It's a beach in Alaska. It's right outside of one of the towns a group of our friends live in."

"Could Jasper have gone there?"

"Let me give them a call. I would never have thought to look there. We aren't entirely close, but we're close enough." She picked up her phone and searched through her contact list until she found the number she was searching for. I waited impatiently for the person on the other end to answer. "I need to know if Jasper is there."

Silence.

More silence.

"Okay. Put him on." My heart skipped a beat, and bit my bottom lip nervously. "Jasper," she said calmly. She waited for a moment, listening. I could hear Jasper's mumbled voice on the other end. "We're all fine. We miss you. You should come home. There's someone here who needs to talk to you. I expect to see you here by tomorrow evening, so you'd better leave now."

I sucked my breath in sharply, trying to find something to keep my hands occupied. I tried running them through my hair, but that did nothing for my mind. I could hear him still, but I couldn't make out anything he was saying.

I turned back around at Esme's voice. "Remember to thank them for letting you stay with them again." It was like he was a kid staying the night at a friend's house. She hung up the phone, set it back on the coffee table, and sighed.

"I hope that's not what you plan on wearing when he comes home," she said, pointing at the outfit I had one, which was now crumpled and wrinkled.

"Um, well, no; I guess not."

"Come on. I've got something you can borrow. And if not, I'm sure Rosalie or Bella will." She ushered me back upstairs. A shirt from Bella's closet, a skirt from her own, and shoes from Rosalie and I was set. She folded them for me, and I took them back to my house.

I slept restlessly that night. I couldn't stop thinking about what I was going to say to him, what he would say to me. I somehow woke up completely refreshed. I put on the outfit Esme had compiled for me, put some light makeup on, and fluffed my hair. Satisfied with the image staring back at from the mirror, I left for the Cullens' house.