Thank you to Lindsabelle, Ninjababe09, Smiley Alice, note4, Marshmellow, aurike and ja4ever for your reviews.

Marshmellow- I haven't ignored your question. I think this chapter answers it for you.

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For over three weeks the group searched fruitlessly for Alice. They roamed all over the South, checking out every house Jasper and Sierra remembered Maria owning. Each one was a dead end and vacant and it was obvious none of them had been lived in for a very long time. They had exhausted the possibilities and were now checking each town and city in Texas for any sign of Maria and her army. Jackson continued to check his visions using Alice's bracelet but the blackness never let up. However Maria was blocking him was working and although he could sometimes feel Alice's fear and terror he could never see her or where she was. Oliver also watched his visions for any indication of where Maria was holding Alice but he too saw nothing.

Emmett's energy was concentrated on looking after Jasper and keeping him sane. The worry and concern coming from him was almost overwhelming and the entire group worried about what would happen to Jasper if they couldn't find Alice soon. Emmett had started calling Rosalie every evening to check on her, Stella and the children and although they were fine he had noticed over the last few days that Rosalie seemed to be losing hope of them ever finding Alice. They had decided not to worry Carlisle, Esme, Edward and Bella and so Rosalie had been avoiding their calls and lying when they did get hold of her. She was just grateful that Edward was unable to read minds over the phone lines or she knew it would have been fruitless trying to keep the fact Alice was missing from the family members in Italy.

The group were currently based in the forest just outside Austin and had just met back up after their second night of combing the area. Jackson and Sierra sat by a small fire talking quietly and Emmett and Oliver sat nearby while Jasper was sitting alone on a rock at the edge of a clearing.

"I just had a thought," Sierra gasped suddenly, cutting Jackson off mid-sentence.

"What's that?" Emmett asked tiredly.

"When Maria left Forks she said she would take my old territory," Sierra pointed out. "That's why she was in such a hurry to leave. She wanted to get there before any of the other generals found out Javier had died and I wasn't going back."

"So?" Oliver prodded.

"We haven't checked Torreon!" Sierra announced as she jumped to her feet excitedly and turned to look at Jasper. "What do you think Jazz? Could she have taken Alice to Torreon?"

"It's certainly possible," Jasper nodded, his eyes coming alive at the thought. "She would want the territory and she would think I wouldn't check there."

"We should," Sierra said impatiently.

"Yes, we should," Jasper agreed. The group all jumped to their feet and hurried to Emmett's Jeep and within a mere minute they were speeding away from Austin and heading back down south towards Torreon.

XXX

As the car approached the outskirts of Torreon Jackson noticed that Sierra had gone strangely quiet and he turned and glanced at her.

"Are you okay?" he whispered as softly as he could although he knew the other three men would still hear him.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Sierra shrugged as she stared out the window.

"Where should we start looking?" Emmett asked as he drove towards the city.

"There is a small dirt trail just ahead on the right," Sierra replied. "Take that. It will lead to a small ranch house. She may be there."

"Why there?" Oliver frowned.

"Because it was my house," Sierra sighed. They lapsed into silence as Emmett found the road and followed it until the house came into view. He pulled to the side of the road and before anyone could stop her Sierra had jumped from the car and started to walk towards the house.

"Sierra, wait for us!" Jackson called out as the men scrambled from the car.

"I don't sense anyone here," Oliver murmured.

"Me either," Emmett murmured as they caught up with Sierra.

"I'm sorry Jazz," Sierra sighed. "I hoped this might be the lead we needed."

"We had to check," Jasper shrugged and glanced at his cousin. "Do you want to help me look inside? Make sure no one has been here since you left."

"No," Sierra whispered. "I can't go in there. The memories…."

"Of course," Jasper nodded. "You wait here with Jackson. Emmett, Oliver and I will check it out." As the three men walked into the house Jackson stepped up beside Sierra and put his arm around her shoulders and she leaned into him. They stood together silently until Emmett, Jasper and Oliver reappeared and they immediately felt excitement coming from Jasper.

"Someone has been here, recently," Jasper announced. "Did you leave any of your army here?"

"No," Sierra replied.

"It has to have been Maria," Jasper said excitedly. "We should check the surrounding area. Some of her army could still be around." As soon as he made the decision to check the area Oliver's eyes glazed over and Emmett had to grab his arm as he stumbled.

"Mom's nearby," Oliver whispered. "If we search the area we'll find her."

"You can see us finding her?" Jasper gasped.

"Yes," Oliver nodded as he eyes cleared and he turned and looked at Jasper in horror. "Quick, we have to find her, now. I've seen where."

"Is she okay?" Emmett asked quickly. Oliver just glanced at Jasper and turned and raced into the trees beside the house and the group quickly followed him. As he ran through the trees, Oliver used his sight to determine where they needed to go and he finally burst into a clearing.

"Over here!" he yelled quickly and raced over to a cluster of rocks.

"There aren't any buildings here," Jasper frowned.

"They don't have her in a building," Oliver groaned, seeing exactly where his mother was.

"Then where?" Emmett asked and as he did Jasper felt a wave of terror from Alice unlike anything he had ever felt before.

"She's here!" he groaned as he stumbled from the force of her emotions and Jackson had to grab his arm to stop him from falling.

"Underground," Oliver gasped. "The bitch buried her alive." He raced to a mound of recently disturbed earth and dropped to his knees as he began to push the dirt aside.

"Help me!" he screamed and Jasper raced over and began to help him dig and Emmett, Sierra and Jackson quickly joined them. The hole quickly went deeper and deeper and the more they dug the stronger Jasper could feel the emotions coming from Alice.

"She's in here," Jasper murmured as he shoved dirt aside in a desperate attempt to get to Alice. Suddenly his fingers brush on something cold and hard and he glanced at the others. They moved more quickly and soon had the dirt dug away to reveal a strong metal box, barely big enough to hold Alice.

"Sweetheart?" Jasper gasped.

"Jazz!" Alice's muffled voice came from inside the box.

"I'm here sweetheart," Jasper yelled as he began to tug on the side of the box. "Help me!"

Oliver, Emmett, Jackson and Sierra moved to his side and all five of them lifted the box out of the hole and set it on the ground. They all moved as one and began to pull on the lid of the box. They felt it starting to give and with a grunt Jasper put everything he had into moving the lid. The metal screeched with protest as it gave way under their strength and finally the lock burst and the lid lifted.

"Jazz!" Alice screamed as she sat up and flung herself at him.

"I'm here sweetheart, you're safe," Jasper whispered as he pulled her into his arms tightly. Emmett, Oliver, Jackson and Sierra moved back to give the couple more room and for a moment Jasper and Alice just clung to one another.

"I'm so sorry Jazz, I didn't see her in time," Alice murmured as she pulled back slightly to look up at him.

"It isn't your fault," Jasper gasped. "I should have known she wouldn't stop at killing Claire. She has wanted to destroy you for years."

"I think she was going to eventually," Alice admitted. "Jazz? There is something else you need to know."

"What's that sweetheart?" Jasper asked.

"I didn't realise until after I was taken," Alice sighed. "Luckily Maria had put me in here before it became obvious or God knows what she would have done."

"You aren't making sense sweetheart," Jasper frowned. Alice let out a sigh and held her hand out to him and his frown deepened as he took her hand and helped her to her feet.

"I didn't know Jazz," Alice whispered as she stepped from the box. His eyes dropped to her swollen stomach and he felt a rush of emotions flood him.

"You're pregnant?" Jasper gasped in disbelief.

"Yes," Alice nodded as the others moved to get a better look at her. "I got pregnant in the forest, just before Maria took me. I've lost count of the days. I don't have any idea how long I have been here."

"Nearly a month," Emmett said behind them.

"Then this baby is nearly due," Alice whispered.

"We better get you home," Jasper sighed. "And let Carlisle know. He'll need to come back to deliver the baby."

Jasper wrapped his arm protectively around Alice and the group left the clearing and headed back to where the car was parked. As soon as they stepped out of the trees Emmett let out a low growl and Jackson and Oliver stiffened beside him.

"What is it?" Jasper asked, pulling Alice closer to him.

"The car is gone," Emmett snapped.

"Then someone knows we are here," Sierra groaned.

"Which means Maria probably knows we have Alice back," Jasper added.

"I don't sense anyone in the area now," Oliver frowned.

"Me either," Jackson agreed.

"The car is replaceable," Jasper pointed out. "We need to get out of here, now!"

"Good idea," Jackson nodded. The group turned and headed back the way they had come, all of them scanning the area around them for other vampires. There was no sign of anyone else and they quickly passed where Alice had been buried and headed north, breaking into a run as they moved through the trees.

XXX

The group crossed the Mexican border without incident and continued travelling through Arizona and Nevada. They bypassed cities and stayed in the forest and desert areas as they travelled and just after they crossed into Oregon Jasper pointed out that they should take a break. They travelled a little longer until they entered the Malheur National Forest and Jackson suggested it would a good place to stop. The others agreed and Jasper helped Alice sit down on a small rock and immediately sat by her feet.

"How are you feeling sweetheart?" he asked worriedly.

"Honestly, I'm a little tired," Alice admitted.

"And your eyes are black," Jasper pointed out.

"I haven't hunted since Maria took me," Alice whispered.

"You need to feed!" Jasper gasped and Alice reluctantly nodded her head. She didn't want to be the weak one of the group but she also knew there was no way she could travel on to Forks without feeding first.

"Oliver, Emmett?" Jasper called out to where the others had gathered together a short distance away. "I need to find Alice some blood. Can you stay with her?"

"Of course," Oliver nodded and raced to his mother's side and Emmett also nodded his head.

"We'll watch her bro," he added and Jasper turned and disappeared into the forest.

Oliver sat down beside Alice and took her hand in his and she gave him a soft smile before laying her head on his shoulder. Emmett stayed standing beside them protectively, his senses scanning the area around them for any threat to Alice. Jackson and Sierra settled on a rock on the other side of the clearing and as Sierra glanced around, also checking the area with her senses, Jackson watched her silently.

"Are you okay?" he asked softly.

"Of course," Sierra smiled at him. "Why wouldn't I be?"

"Being back in Torreon must have stirred up some memories for you," Jackson pointed out.

"It did," Sierra admitted. "But it also made me realise I have moved on. The life I had with Javier is over. I have a new life now, a happy one with you."

"Yes you do," Jackson smiled. He moved his arm around her and she snuggled into him before turning her face up to him and he leaned down and kissed her lips softly.

XXX

When Jasper returned to the clearing he was holding a struggling deer and he noticed Jackson and Sierra snuggled together. He couldn't help but smile but he didn't comment as he quickly carried the deer over to Alice. She grinned when she saw what he had caught for her and Emmett and Oliver moved away so Jasper could help Alice feed. When Alice had finished the deer she dropped the carcass and Jasper grabbed it and tossed it away from them before checking her eyes.

"That's a little better," he admitted.

"I can wait until we get home for more," Alice smiled at him as she rubbed her hand lightly on her stomach. "This baby is a lot more sedate than Brandon was."

"Can I?" Jasper whispered and nodded towards her swollen stomach.

"Of course you can Jazz," Alice grinned. Jasper reached out and placed his hand lightly on her stomach and he immediately felt a rush of emotions.

"Is that…" he asked in wonder.

"The baby," Alice nodded. "It projects like you and Brandon. I guess our children are inheriting your gift not mine."

"Amazing," Jasper whispered in awe.

"We have company!" Sierra hissed suddenly behind them. Jasper's head snapped around and he noticed Sierra had jumped to her feet and the other three men were all standing rigidly beside her.

"It's Maria!" Jasper snarled as he inhaled the familiar scent and he jumped up and grabbed Alice and shoved her protectively behind him. Emmett, Oliver, Jackson and Sierra gathered near him and they formed a protective circle around Alice.

"She has an army with her," Sierra groaned.

"How many?" Emmett asked.

"At least half a dozen," Alice predicted as she saw clearly the army coming for them.

"We can take them," Sierra murmured. The group stood together, ready, and less than a minute later Maria stepped through the trees, six newborns by her side.

"Well, we meet again," Maria smirked. "You surprised me Jasper. I didn't expect you to find Alice this time."

"I will always find Alice," Jasper snarled at her.

"But can you always protect her?" Maria grinned and turned and nodded her head at the newborns by her side and they launched themselves at the smaller group.