Author's note: SURPRISE UPDATE! Enjoy! :D
Hope Chapter 54- Hero or Villain?
JPOV
The bag of money in my hand was burning like fire. I had taken the $300,000 from the Cullens' safe and gotten out quickly. Now, the guilt on my shoulders was weighing me down.
But still, Nick and I walked up to the cabin with our heads held high, ready to get Alice back. It had been long enough without her.
Nick had stayed close to the cabin. He said he hadn't heard any commotion or screaming... we were hoping that was a good thing.
Greg was waiting outside when we got there, leaning against the railing on the porch, a bottle of beer in his hand. Memories of all of the times that I had seen him like this starting flashing through my mind. All of the times Nick and I had been standing beside him, smiling with those smug grins, knowing we had won a fight. Now, we were on the other side of it, and there he was wearing that same old cocky grin...
"There are my main boys. Come with my money?" he asked after waving to people inside of the house. As he made his way down the stairs, at least six guys followed.
"Yeah, we got your money, now bring Alice out here," Nick growled angrily at him, not wanting to be tested. We were both worn out and I needed Alice. I needed her right now.
Greg smirked and rolled his eyes, hopping up the steps. He opened the cabin door and shouted, "Mack, bring Alice up here!"
Then he turned back around, walking casually down the stairs.
"Mack...what a surprise," Nick grumbled beside me, an annoyed look on his face. I stiffened slightly, but trusted that he hadn't hurt Alice. He hadn't done anything intentionally to hurt her, yet. In fact, she had said that he had actually tried to keep her calm and comfortable. I had to give him a chance to live. For Alice.
There was a long silence, broken by Greg starting to whistle happily, smiling to himself. Why was he so happy? He could have easily gotten money himself without doing this. Sure, we probably just made it easier for him, but no reason for him to look so smug.
A bad feeling started to settle into my bones. What was happening?...
Before I could think anymore, though, the cabin door opened. Mack and Alice came outside from the cabin, both looking around warily.
Nick and I took a step forward, seeing Alice. I felt the longing pulsing through me, my grip tightening on the bag of money. Darling...
As Alice's eyes met mine, a sense of relaxation came over me. The darkness that had been surrounding me for the last few hours started fading away. But I was still prepared, watching everything going on around us as I gazed at her. I was not letting my guard down at all. I needed to get her away from here.
"Looks like your boyfriend made the deadline. Too bad," Greg smirked at me, hatred clear in his eyes. But they were also filled with something else, something worse. Something that we did not want in his eyes. I knew that look.
"Greg, we have all your money. Give Alice to me," I stated clearly, walking forward to meet him. Greg put his hand out, waiting for his money.
"Alice first," I growled viciously, glaring darkly at him.
"No, give the money over Jasper. We play by my rules in this game," Greg instructed me, his hand outstretched, ordering the money over.
I glanced up at Alice, who was being lead down the stairs by Mack. Mack kept his eyes away from my gaze, but Alice didn't. She nodded at me, telling me to do what Greg said.
I shoved the bag into Greg's stomach, my patience for him running out. Greg smirked deviously at me. As he opened the bag to see all of the money, he nodded approvingly.
"Mack, give her to him," Greg ordered Mack loudly.
My arms were open wide, waiting as she ran into them. Her small hands curled into fists around the back of my shirt as she clung to me.
"My love," was all I said, my own arms clinging to her as my nose ran over her hair, taking in her smell.
"Jazz," she whispered back, kissing my chest tenderly. I closed my eyes involuntarily at the feeling of the kiss.
"I love you..." I murmured to her, raising my head up slightly.
But then my eyes flashed with realization. Why were they all still around us? Red jackets were all over the grass, surrounding us.
"Let's go," I hissed in a rushed voice, turning around to see Nick watching them all closely. His eyes flashed from one to the other, watching our backs, making sure nothing was going to happen.
"You think the game is over? With you winning? I don't think so. This is my game and I will be the winner," Greg called to us cunningly, waving two fingers.
It wasn't over. It was just beginning.
The guys around us closed in, three of them grabbing me, ripping me away from Alice before I could blink. This had all been planned out. They were all ready, knives in hand.
Alice let out a little scream as a different guy grabbed her.
I lashed around, trying to get out of their grip, but there were too many of them. One on each arm and a guy in front of me, holding a knife to my neck. I heard a whimper of frustration let out through my lips as I watched Alice being dragged away.
But Nick... Nick could always be counted on. He was always looking out for me. He jumped toward Alice sneakily and then grabbed the guy that was holding her from behind.
The newer members of the group must have been unaware that he was dangerous as well. And unaware that he had a knife.
Nick held his knife up to the guy's neck, Alice behind him now.
"Let Jasper go or I'll kill him," Nick roared at Greg.
Greg remained completely relaxed, but I couldn't say the same for Mack. Mack stood behind Greg, wide eyed, gazing from Alice to Greg in confusion. It looked as if no one had clued him in on this part of the plan...
Greg strolled over to me casually. I was still cursing at them, struggling to get out of their grips without getting cut by the knife that was at my throat.
"Really? Is that right, Nicholas? You do that and I'll shoot Jasper right now. Ready to see your best friend die? No, I know what you'll do, you'll give up, like always. Won't you, Nick?" Greg chuckled, pressing his gun to my forehead. The cold metal was stinging my skin; I knew exactly what it could do.
"Jazz! No!" Alice whimpered behind Nick, tears in her eyes as she looked over at me being trapped by all of the guys.
"Would you just let Alice go?! This has nothing to do with her!" I shouted at him. The hatred flowing through me was almost unbearable. I felt my body shaking.
Greg looked at me like I was being idiotic.
"This has everything to do with her Jasper. Now shut up," he growled at me, not wanting his control being interrupted. He pressed the gun harder into my forehead.
Nick stood frozen, looking from me to Greg. He had no idea what to do.
"Take Alice and go!" I screamed at him, not caring about my own safety.
Alice's eyes widened, full of agony and fear.
"N-no!" she cried, gripping Nick's shirt now.
Nick's nostrils flared, not wanting to obey my orders.
"DO IT, NICK!" I hollered, anger pumping through it.
Alice shook her head at Nick, begging him, tears rolling down her face.
I felt my hatred and anger toward Greg increase as I looked at her. I hated him for putting her in this situation, for making her cry...
I lashed out again at the guys who were holding me. My arm hit the knife in the struggle and I felt the skin tear open as the blade sliced into my skin. I hissed in pain as the guy pulled it out of my arm.
Greg grinned in amusement.
"There is no way out, Jasper. You do what I say, or you all die," Greg told me softly, looking at me like I was pitiful.
"Alice, no!" Nick yelled, causing my attention to move to them.
Alice had moved from behind Nick, noticing that I had been stabbed. Her eyes were full of pain.
Nick reached forward, trying to grab Alice and still hold the other guy. The guy that he was holding moved out of Nick's grip as Nick reached for Alice. Then, the guy's fist smashed into Nick's face before Nick could grab him again.
It had been a hard hit. I heard the snap from here. He had definitely broken Nick's nose.
Nick growled violently in pain, blooding pouring like a stream out of his nose.
Alice gasped, moving back to Nick, but two other guys had run up to grab Nick in his moment of weakness. Now, Alice stood frozen with no one to go to.
"Alice, run, darling! Please!" I begged her, seeing as everyone was holding someone... except Mack, who was still standing on the porch. His eyes were watching everything going on, but it looked like he was zoning out.
Alice looked back and forth from Nick to me, her whole face torn. She raked her hands through her hair nervously, crying, totally at a loss.
"Jazz..." she wept, begging for me. She didn't know what to do. She wasn't able to be strong any longer.
Greg chuckled darkly.
"Hurts, doesn't it? No one to protect you... no one to help you. You don't have anyone this time. But do you want to know what hurts more?" Greg snarled, his eyes glinting with cruelness.
I looked at Alice for a moment as she shook her head. When I looked back at Greg, all I saw was a gun closing in on my face. The pain ripped through my face as the hard metal smashed across it.
"No! Don't!" Alice screamed, running forward. She froze again at my warning look. Her eyes scanned my face, seeing the blood pouring out from beside my left eye from the blow.
"Yeah, that hurts even more. Not being able to protect the one you love," Greg hissed at her, his head tilting to the side.
My whole body began racking with violent spasms, hatred toward him taking over my whole body. I growled viciously at him. Alice was already crying so much as she looked from the blood coming from my head to the blood still flowing from Nick's nose.
As Greg said those words to her, she stopped suddenly and stared at Mack, her eyes the size of saucers.
Mack stared back at her, his eyes wider than ever, and glistening with tears? But then his head ducked down as Alice looked at him.
What was that? Why was Mack crying?! Gang members aren't supposed to cry... what was going on?
"Alice, leave. Now!" Nick yelled at her, making her eyes unlock off of Mack, bringing her back to reality.
"Yes, Alice. Leave. You won't want to see their deaths, would you? Too much for such innocent eyes," Greg responded softly, putting the gun back up to my head, pressing it roughly against my bleeding wound. I heard another pain-filled hiss leave my lips.
Alice's head was shaking from side to side, her eyes squeezing shut in agony, not being able to take it. I heard her mumbling something like "Spencer, please, Spencer."
Spencer? Why was she begging for Spencer? He didn't know she was here...?
"You can change this though, Alice. It's your turn in this game. Your move. You can stay and take the fall for both of them or you can leave and they can both take the fall for you. It's all on you," Greg offered her, taking the gun away from my forehead for a moment, walking slowly toward her.
"Alice, no, please! Don't hurt her!" I begged hoarsely.
The physical pain from both of my wounds was no match for the emotional pain ripping through me as that monster made his way toward my angel. It was like the devil moving in on the last innocent person in the world. He really knew how to ruin everything...
Alice stared at Greg, her head held high, trying to look brave.
Greg leaned closer to her, pressing his cheek against hers. "What do you want to do?" he whispered softly. Then he pulled his face back slightly so he could run a finger down her cheek. His face was only centimetres away from hers. My whole body lurched forward as he touched her.
"Greg!" Nick warned him, his eyes looking as wild as mine, his body shaking with mine as well. The blood had flowed down his shirt and was now covering his shoes... it was a bad hit...
Alice started whispering, too quietly for me to hear, to Greg. He smiled widely as she finished.
"Very brave choice. You are a very loyal little whore, aren't you?" he chuckled, smiling at her, but looking disgusting as ever. He leaned in slightly and kissed her cheek and I almost lost it.
"Don't touch her!" I yelled, thrashing against the guys who were holding me. They just tightened their grips, though.
Alice's tears were now streaming silently down her face as she followed Greg to the cabin.
"God damnit, Alice! Would you listen to me?! Leave!" I screamed at her, trying any way I could to get her out of here.
Alice gazed at me brokenly, tears still pouring, her hand stretching for mine mutely.
"Please, darling," I sobbed, coughing. My eyes burned dryly from not blinking as I tried not to miss a second. I didn't want her hurt, but I couldn't protect her...
I fought violently against the guys holding me, fighting harder than I ever had before.
"Please, don't leave me!" I whispered painfully to her as Greg stood her in front of him, taking steps back, his arm raising his gun to point at her.
"NO!" Nick and I both screamed in anguish as the gun moved higher.
"I love you, Jazz. Never forget it. I love you. It's okay," Alice told me from across the yard, her eyes burning with love and devotion, neither of us blinking now.
"Don't say that! You can't leave me!" I pleaded, my knees giving out in pain. I fell to the ground, but the guys were still holding me.
"Darling..." I whispered, my throat so sore and swollen that I could hardly even breathe. My stomach lurched in pain as I almost threw up at the sight of him pointing the gun at her.
"You're regretting everything now, aren't you Jasper? You're wishing you had never left. That you had never put her in this danger. But you knew the rules... no one leaves and gets away with it. It's too late now. You'll have to live with the consequences."
The gun was exactly level with Alice's head. Greg stood, feet away, a smile spreading slowly over his face. "Goodbye Alice," he said, his voice dripping with hate and pleasure. Sick bastard.
It was all was slow motion. There was the sound of the gun. A scream of pain from my mouth as I fought against the guys holding me. Nick was yelling, fighting too.
The bullet flew toward the only thing in the world that I had. The only reason for me to live. My everything.
I blinked. And then it all sped up.
There were two bodies lying limply on the ground. In front of Greg was Mack, blood starting to flow from somewhere near his chest.
Alice was sprawled on the ground, feet away, after being thrown out of the way.
Everyone there was frozen, not knowing what had just happened. Relief flooded over me as I saw Alice move. The guys let me go, too stunned to keep holding me back.
And then Greg did something that made us all even more shocked, our feet planted in place, not understanding what was happening anymore. Greg stumbled over to Mack's motionless body, pushing down on the gushing chest wound.
"Why did you do that!? You are stupid Mack. You are so fucking stupid!" Greg cursed at him, shouting. His eyes were hard, but pity and confusion swirled in them. He was shaking his head back and forth. He ripped off his shirt, pressing it to Mack's wound.
In all of the years that I had been in his gang, Greg had never, ever pitied someone who had gotten shot, whether they were in his gang or not. But now he was on his hands and knees, trying as hard as he could to help Mack.
"Fight Mack! Stop being so weak!" Greg hollered at him, pressing as hard as he could to Mack's chest.
And then our shocked silence was broken by the sound of a gun cocking back again.
APOV
Jasper was hurt.
He was all I could see. His arm was bleeding from being stabbed by the knife. There was blood trickling down the side of his face from when Greg had hit him with the gun.
And for the first time, I wasn't hiding behind anyone. Mack was a few feet away from me, Nick was behind me, and Jasper was in front of me. I was surrounded by the gang and I was on my own. I felt exposed, but it only heightened my awareness.
I could feel my body shaking, but it took me a minute to realize that I was crying. My head snapped from Jasper to Nick and then back to Jasper again. I didn't know who to turn to, who to comfort, who to protect. Who could I protect?
"Yeah, that hurts even more. Not being able to protect the one you love," Greg hissed at me, his head tilting to the side.
His words were familiar. Mack. Mack not being able to protect Katie...
My eyes darted to Mack and I saw that he
was staring at me. His eyes were wide, glistening with tears. I had
never seen his eyes so brutally honest or hurt. He knew. The pain was
so clear in his eyes. It was like I could see into his very soul. I
could see past the influence of whatever drugs he was on right now...
past the walls he put up... past everything. For the first time, I
could see him.
He
was terrified. Apologetic. Hurting... he was hurting so much...
I
was sure that the pain in my eyes matched his.
After our eyes locked for that moment, he looked away from me quickly. It was as if he couldn't stand to see that look in my eyes. The look that he felt he had put there by leading me here.
"Alice, leave, now!" Nick yelled, breaking me away from Mack's face. I shook my head and squeezed my eyes shut as Greg spoke.
I couldn't breathe. I couldn't think. I couldn't move.
Jasper and Nick wanted me to run away from here, but if I did, they would die. I had no doubt that they would die. Spencer was my only hope at the moment, but it seemed unlikely that he would come to the rescue right now. I had only just talked to him... it would take him time to figure out where we were... he would be too late...
Jasper's pleading tore through me, breaking my heart. He just wanted me to be safe. But Greg was putting the ball in my hands. It was my choice what happened next.
How could I condemn Jasper (and Nick) to death by Greg's hand? Jasper had come so far from the person he had been when I first met him. He had a purpose, now. He was away from the gang, away from Steve... he had Davis back in his life. He had Hope for the future... that was one thing that he could have for the rest of his life...
I stared at Greg, trying to look brave. If I had to choose, how could I choose my own life over Jasper's? He meant more to me than anything or anyone, including my own self.
"What do you want to do?" Greg asked me. I felt his cool cheek pressed against my own and I had to fight back the impulse to attempt to headbutt him away from me. That only worked in the movies... I was pretty sure I'd hurt myself more.
Then he ran his finger down my cheek and I cringed as goose bumps spread over me. He had touched the tender spot that he had hit earlier.
"Let Jasper go," I whispered. I didn't want Jasper to hear me. It was hard enough to look at him struggling to get to me as it was, without adding this to it. "I'm staying."
"Very brave choice, you are a very loyal little whore, aren't you?" he chuckled. I hated the look on his face. He leaned in to kiss my cheek, but I ignored the icy feeling that his lips left there.
I blinked slowly, letting the tears slide down my face. I was doing this for Jasper. I had already had a good life... he was just starting his. I wanted him to experience what it was like to be free from the gang and Steve. To make his own decisions. To live up to his full potential. To experience the love of a family... and between Davis and my family, I knew that he would experience it. I wanted him to live. Really live. And I was willing to die for that.
"God damnit Alice! Would you listen to me! Leave!" Jasper screamed at me as I followed Greg to stand in front of the cabin. Jasper's voice was hoarse as he struggled to get to me. He was losing it. I reached my hand out to him, but didn't allow myself to go to him. I was doing this for him.
I wondered, very briefly, if this was how Katie had felt when she was dying in Mack's arms. I wondered if she was afraid for him, living without her. Part of me was afraid that Jasper wouldn't be able to do it... he was so used to having me around... and he loved me so so much... just as much as I loved him...
I had Hope, though. And that was what was keeping me strong.
"Please, don't leave me!" I heard him whisper. I tried to breathe. I tried not to run to him. I had promised him that I would never leave him, and now I was dying for him!
I'm not leaving you. I'll always be with you... I wanted to tell him. But I couldn't make my mouth form the words.
"NO!" Jasper and Nick shouted in unison.
I broke my gaze from Jasper for a moment so that I could look at the gun that was pointing directly at my face. I could see the gun very clearly. I could see Greg's finger on the trigger. But I couldn't see Greg. He was a blur.
I focused away from the gun and looked over at Jasper. My Jasper.
"I love you, Jazz. Never forget it. I love you. It's okay," I said passionately, trying to convey it to him with my eyes. I needed him to know that. I needed him to know that this wasn't his fault. That I was doing this because of how much I truly loved him. I needed him to remember that the last time he saw me, I was not regretting a single moment with him.
"Don't say that! You can't leave me! Darling..."
He wouldn't say he loved me, though. He wouldn't let this be the last time. He wouldn't say goodbye to me.
"Goodbye, Alice," Greg said for him. Bastard.
I didn't think of Greg though, as he pulled the trigger. And I didn't think of the pain that Jasper was in, now. I didn't think of the first time I saw him, or about the pride in his eyes when he told me he had left the gang. I didn't think about Steve, and how Jasper had desperately tried to protect me from him when he was in the hospital.
Instead, I thought about the passion in his deep blue eyes when he looked at me. I thought about the feeling of completion that I felt when his lips were connected with mine. And I thought about the Hope that I knew we both felt when he first took my hand.
There was the sound of the gunshot, and then I was on the ground.
I thought I was dead. I seriously, honest to God, thought that I had died.
But then I realized that the pain in my heart was because I had thought that I had left my Jasper. I took in a breath, and realized that my arms were stinging and my shoulder hurt...
I looked down and realized that I had been pushed, which was why my shoulder was hurting. And my arms were stinging because I had fallen onto sticks and pine needles that had scraped my forearms when my arms had subconsciously put themselves out to break my fall.
I stared at the bright red streaks on my arms, and then looked up quickly through my hair that was falling into my eyes.
The process of understanding what I was seeing was very slow. Mack was on the ground, where I had been standing only seconds ago. He was bleeding. And Greg was over him, his shirt off, cursing at how stupid Mack was. His gun was discarded, a foot away from me.
A rush of anger coursed through me. I was sick of him telling Mack he was stupid. I was sick of him bringing him down, giving him drugs, keeping him down.
I stared down at Mack and realized the gravity of what he had done. He had saved me. He had saved my life... something that he couldn't do for Katie. He couldn't save her from her terrible fate... but he had managed to save me. To make peace with what had happened to him and the love of his life...
I remembered the things that Greg had said to Nick. To Jasper. He had hurt Jasper. He had made him bleed...
Oh, and he had definitely just shot a gun at my head, with all intentions of killing me.
I couldn't hear anything, then. Everything was silent. My eyes found Jasper, and at the exact same time, he looked at me too.
The emotion in his eyes was enough for me. How dare Greg do everything that he had done, and not have to lose something for it? Greg had always won...
Not today.
I dived at the gun that was so close to me, and took it into my hands, feeling how cold it was against the softness of my palms.
I stood up slowly, my knees shaking, and pointed the gun at Greg. I cocked it back, not knowing how the hell I knew how to do that.
"Alice," I heard Jasper whisper.
Looking at him, I realized that he probably thought I had lost it. I knew that my hair was in disarray around my face and that my tears had smeared my make up. He could probably see the red mark across my cheek where Greg had hit me, and the bright red scrapes on my arms. I was a mess. But I was alive. So alive. More alive than I had ever felt.
"Get away from him," I heard someone whisper dangerously. Then I realized it was me.
Greg didn't budge. He was still frantically trying to stop Mack from bleeding.
If Mack wants to bleed, he should be allowed to bleed. Greg shouldn't stop Mack from doing anything he wanted to do... I thought insanely.
"Alice," Nick said, a bit louder than Jasper. I realized that all of the guys were looking at me. Well, that was fine. Let them. They should see their leader's downfall. It'd be good for them.
"Get. Away. From. Him." I said again, to Greg, ignoring everyone else. I could feel my heart pounding in my chest.
This time, Greg heard me. His cold eyes met mine. There was the slightest hint of panic and fear in them. Good. He should be afraid.
I felt someone behind me and I tensed, but then relaxed when his scent rolled over me. Jasper.
"Alice, darling, give me the gun," Jasper said quietly into my ear.
"No," I whispered, still staring at Greg. My hands were shaking, but I was pretty sure I could shoot him correctly.
"Darling, please," he coaxed, his breath tickling my ear, "please, Alice. Give me the gun," he repeated.
I felt his stomach pressing against my back, the warmth of his body engulfing me. A feeling of safety and contentment washed over me. Jasper. He was with me. Touching me. Loving me. I didn't have to leave him, after all, like Greg had wanted.
"I don't want him to live anymore Jazz," I whispered, tears starting to fall from my eyes, "He killed Mack. And he tried to kill me. And you. And Nick. And that's too many..." I rambled, hysterically.
"It's okay, Alice," Jasper tried to assure me, his arms now parallel with mine. His hands folded over my hands that were holding the gun. We held it together, now. "Let go of it. I'll take care of it from here..."
"Listen to him, Alice," Nick said slowly. His voice made me jump. I had forgotten that everyone else was here...
"Darling, please," Jasper whispered softly into my ear, "Give me the gun. I know what I'm doing... I-- I don't want you to be like me... I don't want you to k-kill anyone, darling... please..."
My heart broke as I made sense of his words. Jasper didn't want me to shoot Greg because he didn't want me to be a murderer. He didn't want me to have to experience that, like he had... he was trying to protect me. Always trying to protect me...
"There's nothing wrong with being like you, Jazz..." I whispered stubbornly.
"Alice, I love you so much darling, p-please trust me," he said softly, his voice breaking with emotion, "Please trust me, angel... you don't want to kill anyone. Not even him..."
My throat hurt because of the sobs that I was holding back. I wished I could kill Greg. He had hurt so many people that I had grown to love...
I loosened my grip on the gun and let it fall entirely into Jasper's hands. I had to trust him right now. I couldn't think straight and despite everything, I knew it. And Jasper's voice was the only thing that made sense.
"Good girl, Alice. I'm so proud of you... thank you, darling..." he said into my ear.
His arms were still on either side of me and I was still standing with my back leaning into him. We were almost one person as we both stared intently at Greg, Jasper gripping the gun now. He kept it pointing at Greg.
"I should kill you right now, Greg. You kidnapped and tried to kill Alice... that alone should be reason enough. But if I pulled this trigger right now, then I'd be just like you. And I would never, ever, want to be anything like you. Never again," Jasper whispered passionately.
Greg didn't move, staring at the gun warily. Jasper held all the cards. It was Jasper's game now.
"So instead, I'll only kill you if you don't listen to what I say. Starting now. Step away from Mack."
Greg obeyed slowly, leaving his blood-soaked shirt across Mack's chest. I stared in awe at Mack, once again. I still couldn't fully comprehend what had just happened...
Part of me wanted to fling myself down at Mack. I wanted to try to help him, like he had helped me.
But the other part of me felt so safe and secure with Jasper's arms around me... I didn't want to leave his embrace...
"Nick, call 911 and try to stop the bleeding," Jasper ordered, throwing Nick his phone. "If they ask, just say you're me."
Nick's nose had stopped bleeding, but he still looked terrible. He leaned over Mack, though, as soon as the words were out of Jasper's mouth, and applied pressure to the gunshot wound with one hand. He caught Jasper's phone in the other and held it to his ear after dialing 911.
"The rest of you, get back in the cabin. Anyone tries to leave, I shoot. And that's a promise. Don't test me," Jasper said authoritatively.
They scrambled into the cabin, unsure of what to do now. What did you do when your leader was no longer in the lead?
"Greg, you sit in the doorway where I can see you. I swear I will shoot you if you try anything or even if you move too quickly, understand?" Jasper asked.
Greg nodded and, to my surprise, obeyed again.
Jasper put the gun in his pants, ready to grab it at any moment, and then turned me around to look at him.
I burst into tears and threw my arms around him, and he held me tightly against him.
"What were you thinking, trying to die for me, Alice?!" he said roughly into my shoulder.
I pulled back and saw the tears that were now coming from his eyes. Jasper never cried...
"I was thinking a lot!" I defended, "I was thinking about how I wanted you to live and have your family and be free and not hurt and not have to fight... I was thinking about you finally getting to be yourself!"
My voice broke, too, as I admitted the last part, "And I was thinking about how I couldn't ever bear to live without you..."
He pulled me to him tighter as we both cried. "Selfish of you... I couldn't live without you either, darling," he tried to joke, his voice muffled against me, but I could hear how serious he really was.
"Jasper," I whispered against him, just happy to be in his arms. To be complete. To be alive, with him...
"Alice," he whispered back. I could feel his love surrounding me, overtaking me. "Alice...God, do I love you...."
A million different things about tonight were rushing through my head at breakneck speed.
Was Mack going to live? I was so grateful to him... I needed to thank him...
What would happen to Greg, now?
Was Spencer still on his way?
What would Carlisle and Esme do after they found out what happened? Edward? Emmett? Rose? Bella?
What about my parents? They were going to freak out...
I heard sirens in the distance and closed my eyes against Jasper, breathing in his scent. I never wanted to leave his arms.
I pushed all other thoughts from my mind and, as we listened to the sirens get closer, focused on the one thing that mattered most.
Jasper.
Author's Note" MACKKKK! *cries in her corner of woe*I loved you! Stupid boy... but he took the bullet for Alice. Aww! What a sweetheart! How was this chapter? gooood? tell us! :D review!
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OH AND I CANT FORGET, leave a shout out for my beta who wrote part of this chapter she's great isn't she?! Awesomeee job! She wrote Mack getting shot blame her! ...okay maybe it was me... sorry :P but you can blame her if you really wanna! :P lol! Great job my faithful beta!
