Disclaimer: As much as I would love to own anything dealing with The Twilight Saga, I sadly do not. All that belongs to the very talented and amazing Stephanie Meyer, I am just borrowing a few of her characters for my storyline.
Chapter Seventeen
Jasper's thoughts are in italics
Someone talking to Edward with their thoughts bolded and underlined
February 27, 2006 (5:30 PM)
Edward and Esme were watching Alice pace the living room and listening to her rant. She was back to complaining about how she could only see the others when they were hunting.
Esme asks "Okay, so they are together and alive and safe. Isn't that a good thing?"
Edward sighs "Well, yes and no. What is bothering Alice is she can ONLY see them when they are hunting. And over the months, she noticed she isn't seem them as often as they SHOULD be hunting. So what is upsetting her is she knows they are hiding from her, but she isn't sure how or why."
Thanks so much Edward. I could have told her myself! Edward just shrugs at her. He is trying to be more involved, but he still gets on everyone's nerves. He sighs again. And DON'T even think about leaving again! That will not help ANYTHING! Edward looks at her shocked. He didn't think he had considered it enough for her to know what he was possibly deciding. Or at least he hadn't thought he had made a decision on it at any time.
Alice turns to Esme "Edward is correct. But he left one thing out." She stops to think about the forest they were hunting in again. She knew it, but she didn't at the same time. She opens her mouth to speak only to no longer see Edward and Esme, but to see Jasper…with a child!?
"Jasper?" The next thing she knows she is in Jasper's arms. Both Alice is shaking with joy at finally being together when she feels Jasper freeze for a second. He unfreezes so quickly she isn't sure if she really felt that or not. After a couple minutes Jasper pulls back and smiles lovingly at Alice "Oh my beautiful Alice. You have no idea how happy I am to see you." He leans down and kisses her gently. Now is not the time to get carried away. I am sure we don't have long before Bella figures out she is here and we have to figure out what to do.
Alice smiles into the kiss. She wants to keep kissing himm but she has so many questions she needs answered. Like where is she? How did she even get here? Who is that child? Why does she smell so many different vampires? And what is that other gross smell?
Jasper, feeling the confusion in Alice rise more and more, sighs and pulls away from the kiss. "I know you are confused dear. But it will all be explained soon." Jasper turns around to introduce Jazmyn only to see she had snuck out. It's funny how even the kids know how much mates need their time alone. Jasper laughs.
"What's so funny?" Alice asks. Jasper smiles down at her. "Oh, I was going to introduce you to Jazmyn but she snuck out to give us the elision of privacy." Alice is just about to ask who Jazmyn is when she hears a bunch of feet running their way. Jasper looks up and smiles. "Well, here they come anyway. Like I said, the illusion of privacy."
Jasper steps in front of Alice. I don't think she will freak without hearing me out, but just to be safe. I can hear the wolves' heartbeats coming too, so they will help if need be. I just hope they stay back until I explain them. "Come here you little munchkins. Come meet your Aunt." At the word Aunt the three round the corner with the wolves right behind them. The wolves stop, but the kids run up to Jasper, who is now a little ways away from Alice and stand next to him smiling at Alice.
"Hi Aunt Alice!" The three yell together. At their yelling all the others come running into the dining room.
Alice looks around in total shock. There is Peter, Charlotte, Carlisle, Rosalie, Emmett, three kids, three other adults and BELLA!
Bella looks down and then runs out of the room. Peter and Charlotte run after her. Jasper sighs. This is going to be hard. He looks at Alice to her staring at him in shock. "Jasper, what is going on!?"
"Let me start by introducing the ones you don't know. This is Jazmyn, SJ and Mary. They are your nieces and nephew." Jasper states. He touches each on the head as he says their names so she would know who was who. Jasper then turns towards the wolves and says "That is Seth, Leah and Jacob." Each one nods at her as their name is said. They were watching her very closely, worried about how she would respond to the kids.
Jasper turns back to Alice and says "I may have figured out why you couldn't find Bella and why my future disappeared." He looked down guiltily and continues "And if you will please trust me a little longer, I will explain everything."
Alice looks at Carlisle. Carlisle smiles and walks over to give her a hug "Hello Alice dear. I know it is all overwhelming. Trust me you have no idea how well I know, but if you do listen you will hear the most amazing story." Alice hugs Carlisle back. She is so glad to see him. She knew he was safe, but actually seeing him in person and touching him makes her feel even better.
Alice looks back at Jasper "Okay, let me have it." She doesn't release Carlisle the entire time she listens to Jasper's story of the last few months. She needs someone to ground her. And with Jasper standing by the kids, who were bouncing around climbing on him and the three the door watching her every move, she wasn't sure she should be over there. It is like the four were protecting them from her. Maybe they are afraid she would attack.
As she listens to the story she almost can't believe her ears. Edward has kids, that he didn't even know about, and the family is all here living in a house Bella has designed for them all. But she didn't want them here, well at least not yet. She understood though, even if it hurt her best friend didn't want her there. They had all left her and now they all had to earn back Bella's trust. Alice is REALLY not happy they figured out how to hide from her though, even if it was for a "good" reason. By the end of the story she couldn't wait to get to know everyone, especially the amazing miracle children.
"I am so excited to get to know everyone! Can Aunt Alice have a hug?" Alice says with a smile as she lets go of Carlisle and stretches her arms out to the kids. All three came running at her so fast they actually knock her back. "Oh my, they are strong. I wasn't expecting that much from them." Alice says with a giggle, while they climb all over her asking her all the questions they had for her. The wolves, Jasper and Carlisle laugh. I better go rescue her or she will never get up with them.
"Okay, okay. Let your Aunt up. She will be here for you to ask questions for a long time. For now let me show her around." Jasper says as he picks up one pouting kid after another and hands them to their wolves. I swear it is like I am taking away a new toy from them.
Jasper laughs as the wolves take the kids out the back door. They want to find Bella and make sure she was okay. They also knew she would be happy to see her kiddos.
Alice watches them all go. "How long will they be gone?" She is already a little sad to see them go. She wants to know more about them.
Jasper hugs her from behind while Carlisle answers. "I don't think it will be too long. If I know them they will probably go find Bella. I think I will go help them look. I would like to check up on Bella myself. Excuse me." With that Carlisle runs out the back door after everyone else. Emmett and Rosalie left with Carlisle.
Alice sighs "She really doesn't want me here, does she?" Jasper quickly turns her around and states "Please don't think she doesn't love you anymore. I have been with her the whole time, and can tell you she still loves us all. She is just afraid. If she didn't love us she wouldn't have made this amazing house with everyone in mind. Here let me show you our room and then I am sure you need to call home..." Jasper trails off in a question.
Alice nods. "Oh yeah I do. I was very much standing right in front of them both when I was brought here. I will go to the room so I can make the call and then look around after I am done. I don't want to keep them waiting anymore if I can help it. But I am eager to see our room too so I will kind of do both at the same time."
Jasper starts leading Alice to the stairs so he can take her to their room and replies "Okay, just remember when you are talking to them you can't tell them about the wolves, the kids or Bella. I guess you can say you are with us, but that is all you can say. I don't think that will give too much away." I hope.
Alice sighs and follows Jasper upstairs. This is going to be really hard, now I know how the others felt. Esme would love to know her grandkids and I know Edward would be a great father…
(5:45 PM, when Alice disappeared)
Edward shoots out of the chair "Alice!?"
Esme is staring at the spot where Alice was just standing in total shock. She didn't understand…where did Alice go?
Edward turns to Esme. He listens to her thoughts and is glad to realize he hadn't totally lost it. But Esme is right, where did Alice go?
Esme starts crying. Edward sits back down and holds her while she sobs. "Edward, why do the people we love keep disappearing? The same thing happened to Carlisle. We just didn't see it happen like this time."
Edward thinks about it. "I don't know why they keep disappearing, but I WILL find out and I WILL fix this. The same thing did happen to Carlisle and he is fine so we have to hope Alice is fine too. I guess we just need to wait for Alice to call. They all seem to call as soon as they can, so we will have to try and be patient and see what happens."
Esme nods in agreement. And that is what they do for the next half hour, they wait. Both are getting more and more nervous until finally Esme's phone rang.
Edward puts his hand out to answer it as Esme sits up quickly. "No Edward, if she wanted to talk to you she would have called you."
Esme answers the phone "Alice!?" She knows Edward can still hear it anyway so she is going to answer and try to sweet talk Alice into giving her information.
Edward frowns when Esme won't give him the phone, but smirks at her thoughts.
"She's right Edward; I would have called you if I wanted to talk to you." Alice liked the fact she could still see Edward and Esme. Looks like the wolves only blocked her visions if they were involved, interesting.
"Hello, Esme. I would love to answer all the questions you have…but I can't. I'm so sorry. I didn't understand why before, but now I do. And I know sometime soon you will understand as well. I promise. I just don't know when that will be. I am with the others and we really are all safe. Right now it is just me and Jasper here, but the others will be home soon, I think."
Edward ponders that. Why would she say they would be home soon, she thinks? And what 'home' was she talking about? He is pulled out of his thoughts as Esme responds "So you are all safe?"
Alice replies, "Yes. All four of them are here with me, well in the area of me right now…" Alice trails off. She is afraid she is saying too much.
"That's good to know I guess. But how in the world did you get there? What happened?" Esme prods.
Alice sighs "I really wish I could explain that too, but I can't. I'm sorry. I do see you getting your answers, just the when is not set yet. But if you have patience you will get all your answers. I know Edward is listening, but tell him to hang in there too. He will get his answers and so more then he could have thought to ask for if he can just be patient and wait as well. But I have to go now. I'm sorry. We will call and check in again soon. Love you both." And with that Alice hangs up before Esme can even say goodbye.
Edward and Esme look at the phone then each other. Neither knew what to say. Alice had kind of given them new information, but at the same time she didn't. But she did say they would get answers in time.
Esme sighs. "Well, we know we can trust Alice. She said we would get answers, she just isn't sure when. So let's just try to enjoy the time we have together." Esme smiles at Edward. She is still worried about him. Maybe their time together would be good. She could focus on him and making him happy again.
Edward listens to Esme's thoughts. She has been so worried about him since he had made them all leave. He will have to try and make her think he is fine. Then he will leave so maybe everyone else will come back to her.
"Let's go hunting Edward. It has been a while since we got to do things just the two of us." Esme says as she stands up. Edward stands up too and nods. "Yes, let's go."
With that they run out the front door.
(6:30 PM)
Alice sighs as she stares at her phone. She wishes she could have answered all their questions, but she wants to stay here, so she didn't. Now if she can just convince Bella to let her stay.
Jasper watches Alice from the doorway. He had watched as Alice walked around the room looking at it while she talked to Esme. She was probably hoping it would make it easier to lie to Esme if she was distracted. Alice had ended up in the closet sitting on the ottoman. She loves everything about our roo,m but is worried about Edward and Esme too much to completely enjoy it. He walks in and puts his hand on her shoulder. "You okay?"
Alice stands up, turns and hugs him. "I will be once everyone is back together. I know it will happen as I can kind of see them disappear as well, but I can't tell when it will happen. But I am worried about Esme though. I can see Edward is planning on leaving, I don't know why or when, but he is going to leave. I am worried about what that will do to her."
Jasper hugs Alice tighter. "Well, when it becomes clearer let me know and I will talk with Bella, see if we can bring Esme here once that happens." I don't see why she would have a problem with that. Especially if it was not a surprise like the last few people have been.
Alice pulls away. "Do you know when they will be back? I would like to get to know the kids more and start earning Bella's trust back."
Jasper smiles. "Well, they could be back already and we just don't hear them. We have all the rooms sound proofed remember? Why don't we go downstairs and see if they have made it back? If they haven't I will start calling people until I get someone to answer, and tell them to all come back."
"That would be great. Let's go." Alice quickly grabs his hand and starts pulling him to the door so they can go downstairs.
Well, at least I can make her happy for a little while. And this will take her mind off of Esme and Edward for a bit. I know the kids help keep people happy too. I am just happy to have another member of the family here. Just two more to go…