Disclaimer: This chapter includes Alice's note from Chapter 29 of Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer. No copyright infringement intended.
Acknowledgement: palmofafreezinghand and Alice's White Rabbit are simply the best. Thank you so much, ladies.
Canon Divergence Note: In the book, Sam meets Alice and Jasper at the border and grants them permission to cross. Boring! Also, I think it is way too convenient for Sam to have already been at the exact place along the border where they wanted to cross, especially since Alice can't see wolves. So, I changed it.
Canon Adherence Note: In the movie, Bella meets Jenks and receives an envelope that Alice and Jasper pre-ordered for her. In the book, Alice only leaves the note in Bella's book, and Bella visits Jenks twice, figuring out what Alice intended on her own. This story adheres to book canon.
Visions Interrupted: Chapter 12 - An Attempt to Dodge Death
I tried not to see, tried not to bring the blurred and distorted visions to the forefront of my mind, but no matter how hard I focused on not focusing, the vision kept trying to come together.
Knowing Edward was trying to decipher my purposefully unintelligible visions, I began to panic, shrieking "I can't see, I can't see!" at him before rushing out the door, needing to get as far away from my probing brother as I could. Whatever was trying to be seen could not be seen by anyone else until I had time to make sense of it.
Jasper and I ran toward the cottage, knowing that would be far enough to be out of Edward's range and for the blind spots not to affect my sight. I needed to focus, to sort through the distorted images and assess whether it meant what I thought it meant. I heard Jasper double back as we got closer to the cottage, shooing Seth and Leah away to the other side of the perimeter. As soon as they ran in the opposite direction, the vision hit me like a barrage, and I collapsed on the forest floor.
Destruction and death. Death and destruction. My beloved Jasper would be distracted trying to protect me, and he'd be ambushed and torn to pieces before my eyes. I saw parts of Rosalie being added to a pyre as Emmett was bested by Jane's torture, rendering him defenseless and an easy target for two enormous guards. I saw Esme running away, cradling Carlisle's decapitated head, Demetri hot on her heels. I saw Edward and Bella both restrained by figures in black cloaks, but Bella fought too hard to get free and was torn to pieces for it. I watched Edward lose his mind and attack them, undoubtedly hoping they would tear him apart too, which they most certainly did. Finally, I felt hands grip my upper arms, and Aro's face was in front of mine. A strange tugging sensation was drawing me to him, making me want to be near him.
Jasper was shaking my shoulders. "Alice! Alice!" he was shouting.
His action successfully interrupted the vision, and I gripped his shirt in my fists. "They want me, Jazz," I whispered in fear. "The Volturi. They will kill every last one of you to take me away." Burying my face in his chest and inhaling his musky scent, I explained, "It's been their plan since Aro read my mind in March. The child is only the excuse they've been waiting for. They'll kill you right in front of me ..." My voice broke on a sob, and I hugged him tight to me.
Although I felt his underlying fear—I knew his worst fear was losing me—he still tried to infuse me with soothing calm as he smoothed my short spiky hair, and I appreciated his effort. Once I'd caught my breath, he whispered, "Then we'll leave, darlin'."
As soon as he said it, a vision sparked in my mind's eye:
Aro was looking over the gathered group, searching for someone. There were many vampires present: the Denalis, some old friends I recognized as Carlisle's and some vampires I didn't know, plus Jasper's friends Peter and Charlotte. But Jasper and I weren't there, and my absence was making Aro pause.
I looked up at him, slowly nodding and catching his gaze with mine. "If we leave, they might be allowed to live. It makes Aro pause long enough that he might be convinced to change his mind."
Jasper slowly nodded his agreement. "But prepare yourself, Al. They're going to hate us for abandoning them."
"We're not! We're saving them."
"I don't think they'll see it that way, Al."
I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to block out the truth of Jasper's words. I'd seen a flash of Eleazar speaking to Carlisle and Edward when we were at the house, and I knew he would eventually figure out why I left. He knew the Volturi well and would figure out that they would do anything to keep me. Edward already knew this, I was sure, but maybe he didn't connect the dots right away in his distress. It made me feel a little better that once they knew the truth, they wouldn't be so angry and hurt I'd left them. At least, I hoped they wouldn't.
Nevertheless, a sob caught in my throat. I didn't want them to believe the worst of me even for one second, but what had to be would be. I knew there was no use ignoring my visions or hoping they were wrong. "If it's the only chance they have to survive, let them hate us."
He hugged me tightly as I sobbed into his chest. He didn't try to take my pain away this time; he knew how much I needed to feel this. "We have to do something to help them though, Jasper," I said when I felt calmer. "We can't just leave them with nothing."
When I made the decision, I saw the jungle flash again in my mind's eye. I also saw Isle Esme and the deep ocean. Peter's face drawn with concern. Jasper and I breaking into a shop, dripping wet.
"I saw lots of friends standing with the family against Aro," I told him. "Peter and Charlotte were there."
Jasper grimaced, and I felt his resistance to the idea. He didn't want to put his oldest friend in that position, expose him to the threat of the Volturi. But I'd seen it, and he knew as well as I did that it would happen whether he liked it or not. "Last I heard, they were in Yosemite, feeding on campers and hikers," he offered.
"We'll look for them when we go," I reasoned. I would be able to see their location better once we were clear of wolves and dhampirs.
As much as Jasper and I still had some wariness about Nessie, I knew the rest of the family would willingly die for her. In my vision, I hadn't seen any blank space or silvery blobs, so Jacob and Nessie weren't going to be present for the confrontation.
"There were no voids on the field in my vision. I think Bella will try to save the baby. She must be trying to think of a way even now. Maybe she wants Jacob to hide her somewhere."
Jasper's brow creased. "But how? Aro will know where they're hiding with a single touch of anyone other than Bella."
I strained to see the decision to hide the two of them, but there just wasn't anything there. I sighed in frustration.
"Maybe Jenks can help," Jasper suggested.
That single statement was enough of a decision to show me an image of a statuesque Bella in a dark alley in Seattle—Jenks' sleazy side office. Then I saw Bella at a fancy restaurant, Jenks sliding an envelope across the table to her.
"Of course, Jasper, that's it! When she figures out he's our document forger, she'll know what to do. I have to leave her a clue." It was the best chance I could give her for success. Or at least, the illusion of success. If she thought Nessie had a fighting chance to continue living by having a new identity, it would help Bella accept her own fate. After all, there was no way for me to see if her efforts would be in vain or not, and Bella would realize that, but at least she could be comforted knowing there were wheels in motion and a possibility for her daughter to have a future. The illusion of security was the last gift I could give to my best friend.
"It's imperative that only she be aware of anything," Jasper reasoned. "Hers is the only mind Edward can't read, and you know if Aro touches anyone, it will be him. Touching Edward is touching everyone."
"Exactly. Stay here, Jazz. I'm going to find a way to leave her a clue at the cottage. If our scents are separate, it will confuse them."
"Good idea, Al. They won't suspect that we would separate at a time like this. Maybe they'll think your solitary scent trail is an older one."
I ran toward the cottage, formulating my plan. I had to execute it quickly. They could decide to come looking for us any minute. When I got there, I surveyed the living space, looking for something to write with. I spotted one of Esme's drafting pencils had been left behind on the top of the doorframe to the kitchen. Then I went over to the bookcase and chose one of Bella's Shakespeares. I had to remind my family about who they needed to gather to stand with them against the Volturi. I knew the shock of learning we'd been sentenced to death would be enough to consume their minds and even forget some of the names I'd warned them to gather. It seemed prudent to give them a physical list to work from.
Tearing out the copyright page, which had a whole blank side to write on, I wrote my warning to them:
Don't look for us. There isn't time to waste. Remember: Tanya, Siobhan, Amun, Alistair, all the nomads you can find. We'll seek out Peter and Charlotte on our way. We're so sorry that we have to leave you this way, with no goodbyes or explanations. It's the only way for us. We love you.
My dead heart ached. How could I leave the family I loved so much without a word of explanation? Carlisle's family had accepted Jasper and I wholeheartedly and made us feel like we belonged there. I'm pretty sure Jasper only used his gift on them for the first week or two. But I couldn't say goodbye. If I saw them again—the anguish and pain in their faces—I wouldn't be able to abandon them, and if I stayed, they all died.
Bella was a smart girl, and I was sure she'd recognize the note was written on a page of one of her books, so on the title page, I wrote 'Destroy This', and then J Jenks' name and the sleazy side-office address underneath it. I hoped she'd be clever enough to not only find it, but to contact the man. I considered writing a reminder to use her closet but decided against it when I saw her throw the book through the drywall. Ah, well, I guess there'd be time for that if we survived. Before leaving the cottage, I started a fire in the fireplace so she'd have an easy way to destroy the evidence once she'd found it. I crossed all my fingers and toes that she would make all of these connections. I wouldn't be able to see for sure until she knew about the main note I'd written.
As I ran back to Jasper, I saw various family members decide to come look for us. We'd been gone too long, and they were worried. We were running out of time.
Skidding to a stop in front of my mate, I told him, "They'll be looking for us soon, Jazz. We have to get out of here. If they catch us, Edward will know why we're leaving, and they'll insist on protecting me."
"Aro will still read Edward's mind, find out where you're hidden, and slaughter them anyway," Jasper finished.
"Yes," I whispered. "We have to leave. Now."
"We need to have a good head start," Jasper agreed. "I think it would be best to go through Quileute territory to the ocean. That way they'll be held up at the border and lose our scents at the water's edge."
"And how do you propose we get past the wolves?" I asked incredulously, one hand perched on my hip.
"Who says the wolves will be in that exact spot at that exact time?" Jasper said with a smirk. "I know you can't see them, but you can see us in a jungle, right?" A quick check confirmed that the jungle image was still there, so I nodded. "Then we'll make it through."
Satisfied by that, I nodded, tucking the note in my pocket. I couldn't see where I would leave it for them to find, but I hoped it would come clear as we ran. Maybe I would find a rock at the water's edge to hide it under, or I could pin it to a tree near the border for them to find.
When we reached the treaty line, I automatically slowed down. After so many years avoiding it, it was second nature not to cross. Apparently, this wasn't an issue for Jasper because he just kept running. I followed after him despite my reservations; it was the quickest way to the ocean after all, and we had to get out of there before the family could catch us.
Being on this side of the treaty line felt like a terrible infringement of the trust we'd built with the wolves. Even though we hadn't been part of the original treaty, our intentional violation of it weighed heavily on my shoulders. Despite all of these misgivings, I ran on, hot on Jasper's heels, knowing our untraceable escape was paramount. The trees were unfamiliar to us both, so we had to pay closer attention to our surroundings, but we followed our noses toward the scent of saltwater. That only lasted for a brief period before the beating of three large hearts sounded in my ears, accompanied by the distinct scent I'd begun to get used to. The wolves realized we were on their land, and they were closing in on us.
I pushed my short legs to the limit, Jasper several paces ahead of me. To an outsider, it probably looked like he was leaving me behind, but I knew his every sense was trained on where I was in relation to the wolves. A spark of fear flared up inside me; I was entirely dependent on Jasper for protection now—I couldn't see anything as they approached. The pounding of their hearts kept time with the thumping of our feet, which only amplified the feeling. My fear was swiftly replaced by determination, and I found an extra push within myself to run harder. To make it a little more difficult for the earth-bound foes, I scaled a tree and leapt from bough to bough, my best chance at avoiding them. Jasper looked up at me with a wide grin of approval at my idea.
The forest soon began to thin in density, exposing Jasper more to the wolves hot on his heels. They were giving the chase everything they had, and I wondered if running had really been the best option. If we had simply stopped and waited for them, would they have given us a chance to explain, or would they have just attacked us? With our newfound familial ties, no matter how shaky, I had to think they would have paused, but Jasper was a proud soldier at heart. He'd never give in to the enemy if there was a chance of escape. There hadn't really been time to talk it over, so I just had to hope we'd get to the ocean before we were caught. I didn't want to create conflict with the wolves.
I leapt onto the next bough, but the tree was dead, and I crashed to the forest floor. I was back on my feet in the same moment, running after Jasper, the wolves gaining on us. I bobbed and weaved, gaining a little bit of distance from them, and then the trees gave way to a sheared-off cliff face. Jasper was already there, looking for a place to grab on to so we could scale it, but it was completely smooth. We were trapped. I met his gaze, and I knew the fear in my eyes reflected his own. He only allowed the fear for a moment before he turned to face the three wolves as they broke through the trees, keeping me behind his back. He was so tall; I was almost entirely hidden, although I couldn't help but peek through the gap between his arm and body.
The huge black wolf bared his teeth, which glistened with saliva in the moonlight, and started to advance on us. The atmosphere changed and the air felt heavy, like I wanted to fall asleep. The wolves faltered, their bodies slowing under Jasper's projection of lethargy.
"Sam, we need to get to the ocean. Alice has seen things that require our swift passage," Jasper explained calmly.
The other two wolves tried to snarl, but it came out as a weak whine. Sam lowered his enormous head and shook it, trying to fight off the lethargy.
"Please, Sam," I begged. "We mean your people no harm—you know that. Can you trust us enough to phase back so we can speak to each other?" The wolf looked at Jasper with wariness, and I amended my statement. "Can you trust me, then?"
Jasper stepped back and to the side, giving them the illusion of deference. Of course, if he really wanted to, he could be upon them in one second flat.
The other two whined loudly in protest, and Sam turned and snapped his jaws at them. There was a crackling sound, and the wolf became a man. The two other wolves swiftly flanked him, ready to defend their now defenseless Alpha against us. Not that we were going to do anything, but these wolves were super paranoid about us, especially after the conflict over the demon baby.
"Thank you, Sam," I addressed the naked man, careful to respectfully keep my eyes above his waist. Not an easy task for a short girl opposite a very tall man, but I managed. "I can't tell you what I've seen, but please, you must heed my warning. I need you to wait for our family at the border where we entered your land and give them this." I pulled the note from my pocket and held it out to him. He took it without touching my icy fingers and raised an eyebrow at me. I continued, "It's of the utmost importance that Jacob not find out about our crossing before my family gets here. Please, all our lives depend on it."
Sam was silent for a few minutes as he deliberated on his next move. I felt a surge of urgency and guessed Jasper was nudging him along.
"All right," he finally said, and I sighed with relief. "Jared, Paul, escort these vampires to the water's edge, then return here to wait with me." They snorted their displeasure. "Alice must have seen something big for them to attempt to cross our lands. I believe we should heed the fortuneteller's words." He emphasized my gift, reminding his wolves that I knew things they didn't. "The Cullens haven't led us astray before, and like it or not, our lives are bound together now."
The two wolves snorted and huffed, pawing at the ground indignantly, but the Alpha had given them an order, and they were bound to obey. The massive beasts ran beside us through the forest, all the way up to the edge of the ocean. Without a word, and without looking back, Jasper and I continued walking into the water until we were deep enough to dive under.
As I swam away from my home, I shuddered to think I may never see any of them again.
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
The farther away we got, the more I could see, and none of it was pretty. Every vision hurt more than the headaches ever did, and I found myself longing to feel that pain again.
My family panicking, Esme distraught, sure I had been kidnapped. All of them racing through the woods, frantically following mine and Jasper's scents. My dearest friends, Edward and Bella, looking destroyed at the thought I'd been kidnapped.
My family was at the border's edge, listening intently to nothing. Then, Carlisle reached out and suddenly was holding my note. He read it, and then held it up so the rest could see what I'd written. Anger and betrayal flashing in the eyes of my loved ones.
Quickly, I swam up to the surface, a sob caught in my throat. Jasper surfaced beside me and wrapped me up in his strong arms. "What did you see?"
"Oh, God, Jasper." I moaned. "First, they thought we'd been taken."
"Of course," he murmured, mulling the idea over. "A preemptive strike. Makes sense."
"But then I saw them reading my note. And the look in their eyes and on their faces—they hate us, Jazz! They don't understand. They think we're only trying to save ourselves."
I collapsed against his chest, sobs racking my small body. Jasper felt my pain but didn't try to eliminate it, letting me feel the guilt and sadness I felt about leaving the family behind, making them believe we'd abandoned them. We couldn't tell them the truth. That if I stayed in Forks, everyone would die for sure. But how could they believe that I would abandon them? Because Carlisle hadn't sired me? I didn't share their venom, but they were still my family, and I loved them! Why couldn't they see that? Why didn't they understand that there was a reason I had to leave, even if they couldn't figure out why?
I didn't realize I had spoken aloud until Jasper responded. "That's what we wanted them to think, remember, darlin'? It was the only way they'd let us go. We had to hurt them, on the surface anyway. Once they calm down and look a little deeper, they'll realize the truth."
His words sparked another vision:
Rosalie, shouting out in betrayal. Bella, shell-shocked into becoming a statue. Edward, defending me to the blank space that was Sam, insisting I did everything for a reason; they just didn't understand it yet. Carlisle backing him up, believing I had a good reason to leave.
Gasping for breath—I felt like I needed it—I recovered enough to tell Jasper, "You're right, Edward does have faith in us. He knows there must be a reason. He'll insist on it."
"And they'll listen to him, darlin'."
But the image of the doubt, despair, and resignation on all of their faces was breaking my heart. They wanted to believe Edward, but they didn't really believe him.
"This hurts so much."
"I know, hummingbird. I know. But we're doing the right thing."
I nodded, letting him pull me closer, and we bobbed and crested with the waves, two sparkling specks in the wide expanse of the Pacific Ocean.
Xxxxxxx
We swam along the coast of Washington, far enough from land that no human would see us when we wanted to swim on the surface and talk. We were merely a reflective sparkle here and there, which could easily be attributed to the sun hitting the water just right.
As we traveled farther away from home, I'd seen a few more things to make me feel better. Bella had understood the clue I'd left her, and I'd seen her burning the book in the fire I'd built. I also saw the family breaking off and splitting up, going to gather the witnesses I'd written in the note. Now it was time to do our part and find Peter and Charlotte.
There was a certain peace to swimming in the dark waters of the ocean. We didn't need to breathe and the salt didn't sting our eyes. Sound was dampened and light was filtered, and the aquatic sea life that surrounded us was spectacular to behold. One day, I wanted to swim out to the middle of the Pacific and explore deep down in the trenches, but there was no time for that now. Instead, we stayed relatively close to shore so we could have a sense of where we were along the continent. We'd been swimming for an hour or so, and most of it underwater, so we were probably already in the middle of Oregon at this point.
Jasper and I swam side by side, my speed matching his in the water. I tried not to think about my waterlogged clothes and the tragic damage the saltwater was doing to them. But one look at Jasper told me that the clothes we were wearing were a lost cause, and we'd have to find replacements when we surfaced. It was strange to think of scavenging for clothes again like in the old days; we'd left home in far too much of a rush to bring anything with us, although it was possible that Jasper had his wallet. I hoped so; I really didn't want to be looking for a random clothesline to steal from. There would definitely be no couture hanging in someone's yard. Maybe we could break into a dry cleaners...
My train of thought was interrupted by some high-pitched sounds and heavy vibrations in the water around us. Jasper and I shared a confused look as the phenomenon occurred a few more times, and we stopped our forward motion, treading water in place, trying to figure out what was going on.
It seemed to come out of nowhere because we were suddenly surrounded by a pod of massive black and white porpoises—orcas. The vibrations made sense now. They'd been hunting using their echolocation, and we were potentially their latest meal. They circled us, obviously confused. Their echolocation had found two strangely solid objects in the water, but we moved like seals and looked like something they could eat. They didn't understand why the vibrations they received back from us indicated we were not edible.
The orcas broke formation and swam away from us, and I thought they had decided we were rocks, not food. But, no, they were only splitting up to commence their hunting rituals, and one of the orcas rushed at me, tossing me up out of the water with its nose. I broke the surface and flew up several feet before falling back toward the water—and into the open jaws of the large dolphin. Its teeth clamped down on my body, but instead of sinking in like the beast expected, its teeth cracked and broke on my diamond skin. The orca spat me out and swam toward a larger one of its pod. It looked to be in pain and the larger one was soothing it.
My thirst flared, and I looked over at Jasper, his eyes black as he stared at the large mammals. In the next instant, he was latched onto the larger orca, biting repeatedly as he searched its body for a blood source. The orca screamed and thrashed, but Jasper wasn't going to be shaken off. He finally found an artery on the underside of the big creature, and as he punctured it, some blood leaked into the water. I hadn't fed in about a week, and the stress and pressure of the last twenty-four hours had taken a lot of energy. The blood looked so rich, and the little guy's teeth were broken anyway …
I latched onto his underside and bit where I'd seen Jasper do it. At least I hadn't tortured him trying to find the right spot like Jasper had with his meal. I swallowed down mouthful after mouthful. The supply seemed endless from such a large animal, and it was rich and satisfying, even if it had a strange tang to it. I was done before he was drained, and I felt bad for not finishing, but I simply couldn't fit another drop inside my body. Jasper hadn't finished his orca either, although his looked a little more desiccated than mine did. We both kicked up to the surface and swam away from the bodies.
Jasper was grinning. "Wow, did you see the size of that thing?"
He was so excited, I couldn't help but share his enthusiasm, forgetting my remorse over killing the magnificent creatures. "Yeah, it was pretty tasty too!"
"Surprisingly!" he agreed, nodding. "That'll hold us for a while."
I smiled back in agreement. But our joy over the unexpected feast was clouded by the return of the rest of the pod. We watched from a distance as the orcas circled their dead, making mournful sounds before carrying the bodies away with them. I suddenly felt very sad to have killed them. These animals were sentient, maybe even as sentient as humans; we just didn't speak the same language. It was obvious they had feelings and family ties, and I vowed never to eat another orca. It made me feel like a hypocrite, refusing to kill one sentient being but killing another. It didn't matter that one walked on land and one swam in the sea. They had their own culture and traditions, just like humans did.
Despite my new revelation and vow, I still felt energized by the rather large meal. As we watched the pod move away, I pulled Peter's future forward in my mind to distract myself, searching for the clearest pictures so I knew which would be closer to the present. Jasper had said he last knew they were going to Yosemite, but I didn't see wilderness. Instead, I saw them in a city.
Charlotte standing at the top of a street on a very tall hill, brownstones on either side and the shining lights of a massive bridge in the background. Peter leaning against a wall outside a motel, the sign clearly visible.
"The Golden Gate Inn."
Jasper smiled wryly. "Guess we're headed for 'Frisco."
Xxxxxx
A/N: It's a Peter and Charlotte chapter next, and it is also in Jasper's POV. Hope you're enjoying how I'm filling in the blanks! Leave a review?
Also, a warning to my dear readers: If any of you are searching for a job now that pandemic unemployment is ending, please be really careful. I thought I was getting my dream job and wound up getting my identity stolen. The scammers appropriated the real company's domain and letterhead; they did a really good job faking an actual company. It's scary out there, people. Be aware.