Chapter 2: Losing Skirmishes and Winning Wars

Catching a deer, as a precaution for school tomorrow, Alice and I then sat on the ground in our usual way when we were using each other's gifts to strategise and share information.

"Is the Chief's daughter the one?" I asked.

She looked at me, smiled widely, and then closed her eyes. The feeling from her was tenderness, desire, attraction, and longing.

"Edward notices her on her first day," Alice stated, her voice sounding disembodied. "The snapshot itself hasn't changed, but the feeling is there."

"You want her?" I confirmed.

She scrunched up her face, as if she didn't know how to answer, while her emotions confirmed my assessment.

Almost in contradiction to her emotional emissions, she told me, "The visions don't make sense. I know Chief Swan, but not enough to get a vision of a decision affecting his life. That can only mean that his daughter intersects with our lives. I can't say, but it seems likely."

"Describe it," I requested, assuming that her answer tied into my question in a manner that only made sense to Alice.

"She comes into the cafeteria with Jessica Stanley. She's quite lovely for a human. She has that girl-next-door innocent doe, damsel look going for her with a heart face, large expressive eyes, and long mahogany hair that is naturally wavy. After getting her lunch she sits at the table where Lauren, Mike, Eric, Taylor, Ben, and Angela usually sit. She notices us and asks about us. Jessica gives her the usual story and then Edward stares at her from across the room, as if trying to bore into her head. And I have this sense like she's meant to be in our family." By the end her voice was soft and she sounded uncertain of herself.

The way the scene came to her probably meant that Alice's gift was warning her of something. The question was what. How many humans had Alice met and befriended? Alice's emotions were unusual for the scene she was describing. She enjoyed their company and was pleasant towards them, but longing? Desire? None of the feelings matched her words and without context clues it was challenging for me to even guess at what those feelings indicated. I needed more information.

"Would a bit of recognisance at the Swan house be problematic?" I asked.

She stilled. "Better when he's not there, but not problematic," she answered. After a brief pause she stated like it was a foregone conclusion, "We're keeping it from Edward."

"By all means," I replied agreeing, yet it was clear that Alice had already known that.

She closed her eyes and stilled once more. When she opened her eyes her primary feeling was sadness. "You know I love you."

"I do," I confirmed, even though I didn't really believe in love like Alice did, it was true that she meant the word to reflect her feelings of attachment to me.

Then, I waited for her to continue.

"Change is coming, Jasper," she whispered, as if the words were flowing through her, rather than her speaking them. Then, she focused on me and added, "My visions have never steered me wrong, but those first years of joining the family were a challenge for everyone to adapt."

"Especially Rosalie and Edward," I amended.

"Especially," she agreed, "but Carlisle also," she tacked on. "She's bringing change."

"You'll weave your magic," I assured her, disliking her emotions.

We had never directly spoken about how Alice altered people's lives to fit her visions, but like this, I hinted at it, so that she knew my stance. In this case, I was neutral until there was a reason to be otherwise.

"A human will be different," she replied conveying in these few words her worries. "I've tried these past seventeen years to learn how to be friendly with humans in case we were right and it was a human, but I'm not infallible, and my gift has limits. There is so much that can go wrong when it's a human."

"True," I agreed.

Humans were quickly changing creatures, mostly ruled by their emotions, especially the young we attended school with. The majority of them ignored their natural instinct to be weary of us. Instead, they admired us, envied us, and desired us. It was repulsive. At least the humans in the south had the good sense to be scared of us and to run or fight, irrelevant of how useless these actions were to their survival. Deer were meant to run at the sight of the wolf. This was the natural order of things. These humans, however, were a disgrace to their species, believing themselves impervious to harm. It was ironic to think of how utterly successful the Volturi's campaign had been to convince humans of their superior place in the food chain.

One thing about Alice I appreciated was how she never expected me to coddle her or speak as to not ruffle her feathers. I spoke to her the truth, or the closest I was wiling to get in any one moment.

"Is Charlie home?" I asked, since none of the family were immediately looking for us, and it seemed like a good place to gather intelligence.

She stilled and after a minute told me, "I don't think so, but it's unclear."

"Good enough," I determined. "Meet you here in an hour."

"I shall search the future," she informed me.

Kissing her forehead while rising, I sent her my affection and appreciation.

She drew in what I offered and gave it back to me.

Over the years we had learned each other well. Yet, there were parts of her that I would never be able to reach, even if my ability gave me the opportunity to observe them. Likewise, there were parts of me that I did not share with her. I envied Rosalie and Emmett's open relationship a little. It was beautiful in its rawness and transparency and willingness to be completely vulnerable with one another. Carlisle and Esme's relationship was a little more like Alice's and mine, but there was a deep abiding unconditional trust between them that did not exist between Alice and I.

Alice's relationship offer had allowed us to stay with the Cullens, and had, as she had predicted, created the least turmoil. We were compatible in bed, and her willingness to offer her body to me gave me an outlet for my gift that was critical when living with two other couples. Often a loop between them and us would be created, much to our enjoyment. Carlisle most often stopped things, remembering his responsibilities, but Alice wasn't far behind. She would go still, her gift allowing her to see some unpleasantness, and it would kill the mood for us, thereby for any other couple in my range. Rosalie and Emmett grumbled about it in the beginning, but after a few years they decided that the benefits outweighed any other aspects.

My life with the Cullens was the best I had known as a vampire and that made it worth defending.

When I got to the Swan's house, blessedly the Chief wasn't in. Finding a back second floor window unlocked, I opened it and entered. It was a bedroom with the barest human scent. A guest bedroom would be my best guess, although the decorations looked childish. But, what did I know of these things? Going into his room, I went through everything easily accessible, which naturally meant leaving his safe alone. I could have cracked it with enough time, yet left it be, making note the make and model in case more sleuthing was in order. He was a tidy man who kept nothing of value or personal outside of the safe. His space reminded me of an army bunk, even if it was supposed to be his home.

Going downstairs, I found images of what had to be his daughter at all different ages. If this really was the girl in Alice's vision, then her description was apt. The human did have the look of a wide-eyed innocent with a classical beauty. That didn't mean much, though, since us vampires were evidence that looks were deceiving. I searched the rest of the rooms in the house in case he kept something of interest outside of his bedroom. When every inch had been examined, including the attic, my conclusion was that he lived minimally, needed little, kept everything in its place, and probably kept to a strict routine. Believing nothing more could be learned, I went back to Alice.

Once settled back into my sitting position ready to speak with Alice, I told her, "She is scheduled to arrive the second week of January into Port Angeles. My guess from the few bills I found is that he is paying for the ticket. I suspect that he lives meagrely because he sends all the money he can to his ex-wife."

Taking out a scrap of paper and pencil I had lifted from the Chief's house, I requested, "Draw her."

What resulted was the image of his daughter for sure, albeit slightly older than the photo I had observed.

"That's her," I confirmed.

Alice smiled, but it contained her uncertainty.

Truthfully, it wasn't enough information to go by, and certainly not even close to enough in order to make a decision that we could act upon.

After contemplating different options of how to gather the intel that we needed, I offered my idea, "What if you asked Esme and Carlisle for a way to be near Chief Swan more? Certainly you and Esme could put on some Christmas drive for the fire and police departments, maybe a new vehicle of some sort to allow you to get to know him better?"

She smiled widely. "That's a fantastic idea!" She stilled probably checking for the smoothest way to convince Esme. Then, she uttered softly, "Yes, that will do nicely." Next, she looked at me. "Would you be willing to ask to shadow him?"

Surprised at her suggestion, I confirmed, "For one of those job enquiry things?"

She giggled at my lack of caring about the human world and confirmed.

Deciding to do it, I next asked, "How did it go?"

She answered, "He's more intuitive than most humans and is genuinely uneasy of your presence, but nothing untoward happens."

"Guess I will have to be charming," I replied with a sinister smile.

She slapped my arm teasingly.

"It is agreed," I confirmed. "I will mention it to Carlisle and then talk to the school counsellor."

"So, you were paying attention," she teased me.

I raised an eyebrow.

"Don't be like that," she told me playfully. Keeping eye contact with me, she thanked me for calming her, for trusting her, and for helping her.

"You haven't steered us wrong yet," I replied with a smile.

She sighed and admitted, "Sometimes it's too much pressure."

"The only pressure is of your own making," I reminded her.

"I just want everyone to be happy," she retorted.

"Each person is responsible for their own happiness, my sweet girl. You are not a fairy godmother," I responded, my tone playful.

"Oh, but I would be great at it," she rejoined with a smile.

"That you would," I agreed. After waiting a minute I asked, "Do we have time?"

"Yes," she answered after a brief pause, and then moved to kiss me.

The release of tension was good for us both and particularly calmed my inner world. Just like sex with Maria had done, it had woven Alice's inner world into me. My first assessments of Alice had time and time again proven to be true, and yet, all these years later, I still didn't know her true agenda. In the last couple of years, I had even begun to entertain the idea that she didn't know her agenda either, but she was ruled by her visions, which were aiming her towards something. Maybe it was as simple as her own survival, which made the human girl so baffling. How could a human born in 1987 help in Alice's survival? Logically it made no sense. However, in 1989 I reasoned it only seemed illogical because I didn't have enough information to see the whole scene and where she fit into the tapestry Alice was weaving.

In an improvement over the camps, the relationships I had were of my own choosing, going into each of them with my eyes wide open. Furthermore, my relationship with Alice was far more balanced than things with Maria had been. Maybe Alice didn't have a long con, but it was early days. Fifty years was nothing.

Just like we planned, Alice got Esme to put together a community event that allowed Alice to get to know the Chief better, and I shadowed him for a few days. Ironically, I grew to like the man. He reminded me of the sheriff of the town I had grown up in. He was fair, blunt, yet kind. He didn't take for fools, had a good sense about him, trusted his instincts, and could read a lie a mile away. He was extremely private, spoke little about his personal life, taciturn, and kept himself just a little removed from his men, while allowing them to lean on him. He kept his office space, including files, as precise and organised as his home. His top emotions indicated calmness, irrelevant of the events, that in a few moments I had needed to siphon off of him. Underneath was his care for his men, an honourable intent, and an inquisitiveness that served him well. Deeper still was a nearly constant flow of contentment, satisfaction, and gratitude, but underneath that was a yearning and missing, as well as a heartbreak.

He would have made a fine officer. The town was lucky to have him and it was no wonder that they kept voting him in term after term with no opposition. Who would want to challenge him?

Shockingly, at the end of my time shadowing him, he gruffly told me that I would do "alright" if the career interested me. His emotions had shifted from weariness, concern, and distrust to reserved partiality, yet his natural suspicion never faltered. It caused me to admire him even more. I liked a man who didn't fall for our allure and trusted his own natural reactions over words and even actions.

Since Alice's plans seemed to be coming together nicely, it was with absolute bafflement when one weekend evening Alice came to from a vision feeling dissolute and confounded.

With a tone meant to imply the lack of importance to her vision she told the family, "Charlie's going to be upset. His daughter isn't coming."

"That's a shame," Esme replied, feeling truly sorry for the man.

Sending her my puzzlement, even though she was a floor below me, which meant anyone near her would also pick up what I had sent, she added, "I can't be sure, but it seems like her mother's new husband broke his arm and she's going to stay to help."

"Maybe once it's healed?" Esme hoped.

"Perhaps," Alice allowed her tone sounding like it was inconsequential to her.

She turned her attention back to her conversation with Esme placing her whole attention to their plans.

Following her lead, I made sure to refocus on my latest project, working at removing pictures that included us from Eric's computer, even if we were only barely in the background, and purposefully thought, Hope that's the last time Alice has a vision of Charlie's life.

Hopefully, if Edward had been listening, it would have given him the wrong impression.

Restrategising would have to come later.

Even though an accident had altered the Chief's daughter's arrival, that didn't mean Alice was throwing in the towel. Alice might be many things, but a quitter was not one.

It had taken almost a week for Alice and I to have true time alone long enough to conduct our business.

As soon as we had taken our positions she stated, "I need to meet her."

Even though it contained risk, it was of the manageable kind. More importantly, though, it contained a high likelihood of allowing me to see the situation from another vantage point, much like turning the chessboard. Maybe if I met this human of Alice's visions many of the questions still looming would be answered. The battle was always better fought with more information.

"When are you thinking?" I enquired.

"Next stretch of sunny days or when there's a school break," she answered quickly.

"How much time would you need with the human?" I pondered.

"Please," she growled playfully at me, "her name is Bella."

Smiling indulgently, I agreed ensuring my tone was indignant, "Okay. I'll try and remember that the human has a name."

A named human or not, Alice seemed to have rejected my previously voiced concerns about being in new territory. As usual she was running full steam ahead to make her vision a reality without counting the cost. The difference was how she was nearly dismissive of any price I uttered. It was as if this girl was some kind of messiah or worse a possession to acquire at any and all cost, like the key to ultimate power.

My reluctance in naming the human was how it might accelerate me accompanying Alice's tumbling and ever increasing attachment with a human stranger who until a few weeks ago was likely to have never encountered our family. These facts alone were disquieting for me. Then, increasing my apprehension was Alice's confidence that this girl was who was in the snapshot, even though Alice's desire for the snapshot and thus the girl pulled me along with her. We couldn't both lose all reason.

"Not sure," she answered to my previously asked question.

"Plan of attack?" I requested.

"Become pen pals?" she offered with an emotional wave of uncertainty.

"Repeat what you know about this girl," I requested wanting to go over everything once more.

"Not much," she replied. "Her looks, age, and her lineage."

"Hacking her records showed her being scholastically minded. She's taking advanced classes and getting good grades," I added, willing to part with this information.

What I held back was that her medical records showed multiple broken bones and other medical visits. A few days after I had discovered that titbit, I had found Carlisle.

Using my time shadowing the Chief and what I had learned as an excuse to converse with Carlisle, I told him, "I was surprised how much of his job, other than traffic violations, has to do with families."

It was a side way of getting the information I wanted out of him, but he expressed no suspicion or concern by my comment.

Instead, he frowned and felt a resigned sadness. "Yes, I suppose keeping the peace would mean that."

"You see a lot of kids hurt here in Forks?" I asked keeping my tone inquisitive.

If nothing else, Carlisle was a sucker for being a teacher, especially about humans.

He smiled sadly, "Fortunately no."

"What if one comes in regularly?" I enquired sending out curiosity in order to sell it even more.

His resigned sadness increased when he told me, "That's when I call in the Chief and there's usually a Social Worker. Sometimes kids just had bad luck, but usually there's something behind it."

Leaning back in order to take my time, I decided to respond, "Yeah, I met a Social Worker and Chief's Deputy Lucas explained how the police office works alongside them."

Then, we talked some more about my experience and I threw him a bone by sharing a little of my impression of the Chief. Carlisle ended the conversation by telling me how proud he was that I was learning more about the human world. Taking his compliment was hard, as it felt like a lie.

With nothing else to go by, the most likely conclusion was that Alice's human was being abused in some way. However, that didn't explain how she had records both in Phoenix and in Forks, and no Social Worker's notes could be found. Either the medical personnel were falling down on their job, or something else was going on. And there was my dislike of the idea that the Chief would hurt his kid.

"Not a lot to go on," Alice concluded after a few seconds.

"No," I agreed. A few more seconds passed, I suggested, "How about we go down, do some recognisance, and then decide? If we can find another alternative while there, then we'll go with that. Otherwise, we go, return, and then make a plan."

She paused. "There's nothing to see when I try and search, so we'll go with that. End of January at the latest."

"Cover story?" I asked curious if she had already come up with one.

"Meeting up with Peter and Charlotte?" she offered.

"Spa and resort?" I countered.

She stilled no doubt examining both options. "Four Seasons with hunting in Tonto National Forest."

"How many spas are there?" I chuckled at how she knew the name already.

"Four significant ones butting against the park," she answered with a sly smile.

"Others?" I enquired a strategy coming to mind.

"Yes, that will work," she agreed, before informing me, "Civana Wellness Resort, Boulder's Resort and Spa, and Rancho Manana Resort."

As usual she had predicted my answers before I had even asked the question.

Seeing my decision to enjoy her body, she sprinted away, knowing how much catching her added to our times together.

We had developed a rhythm that worked for us and a way of joining where we each got the most out of it. Keenly aware of how I was using her body for my requirements, I, thus, worked at being a considerate lover, keeping tabs on her emotions and physical reactions and then reviewing them to see if I could improve things for her. Thus, the sex between us was no longer as sterile as the first decade, but in every encounter at some point she placed herself in positions of submission, even if she didn't know that's what she was doing. She simply knew from my decisions, and thus her visions, that was what I wanted. By the use of her gift, I had conditioned her to serve me in these ways.

I consoled myself regarding these facts with the truth that she wanted me with her at the Cullens. So, although I reviewed our sex lives away from Edward to ensure I wasn't treating her poorly, it seemed to me like she was getting more of what she wanted than I. Not to say, I wasn't completely on the losing side. At some level she was aware that this was the price she needed to pay to keep me with her and the Cullens, as she had been the one to make the offer in the first place.

Thus, each time I reviewed this part of our life, a part of me that was likely from when I was human balked a little at the transactional nature of our sex life, while the rational part of myself concluded that it was a good bargain. I hadn't judged the prostitutes as a human, and in fact had a fuzzy memory of being grateful towards them. Certainly I wasn't going to assume that Alice wasn't any less than 100% sure of what she was doing, even if it was trading access to her body for what she wanted. If nothing else, I was certain that if Alice didn't like an agreement, she would renegotiate it.

One of things about Alice was that my feelings weren't on her radar. Rather, it was my decisions that assured her of our connection. She had grown to trust me almost implicitly. It was rewarding to know that our time together had been helpful in her healing from her early years, although the wounds remained. In a similar way her presence in my life had healed wounds from my past.

Nevertheless, I was still a soldier and Alice was running a constant war campaign to ensure everyone's happiness. She might have lost some skirmishes, but she had never lost, not really. She had even convinced everyone to pick their outfits at least a week in advance, so that if she had a vision she could determine the day of the week, even if there was no calendar in the background. She was gentler and more patient about it, but she had Maria beat hands down on getting her way. She certainly wasn't someone you would want for an enemy.

It took a while, but it was about the third decade with Alice when I began to see the true nature of each of her movements. Even if she didn't do it purposefully, she presented herself like she was a weakling in need of champions. She was Edward's confidant, Emmett's game design buddy, Rosalie's sister, Esme's daughter, Carlisle's advisor, and my companion. She had everyone exactly where she needed them. She was a master chess player, except our lives were her pieces. I found this quality in Alice impressive, as it was done without force.

My favourite moments of watching her were when she portrayed the scolded child with Carlisle or Esme. But perhaps my all-time favourite was when we first met Carlisle's coven.

"You should hide your scars," she told me during our strategising of meeting the five members of the Cullen coven.

Cocking my head to the side, I presented myself as curious and confused.

"That way you can keep your identity hidden until you are ready," she explained and then paused, "although there's a chance Edward will see your past due to his gift."

Having her help me protect my memories from Edward and insisting she do the same was a topic for another time. So, I set it aside, accepting her offer. She then laid out how we were going to go to a casino, win some money, check out, purchase us clothes, and then travel to them.

"It will create the right mix between human interaction and nomads," she detailed.

"Seems unnecessary," I grunted out.

She paused and checked her visions before explaining, "Humans in war wear uniforms, right? You must have worn one before Maria. This is no different. Carlisle and his family live in the human world. Human appearances will be important for setting the first impression with them."

Aware of how she was using my past to get her way, I nevertheless allowed her to do as she wished.

Playing the casino wasn't nearly as fun knowing the outcome, although making it random enough that the humans didn't catch on was its own kind of enjoyment.

She dressed me in grey slacks, a white high collared shirt and a royal blue tie under a round neck charcoal grey wool sweater, dress socks, and leather shoes. I was astonished at the image looking at me in the mirror of the dressing room. Every scar was hidden except the lines where my fingers had been torn off and then reattached and the two bites near my jaw. It was impressive. Additionally, the colours she chose gave me an appearance of someone approachable. I wasn't sure how clothes could do that, but she sold me. It was the moment in which I acknowledged that she had a lot that she could teach me.

For herself she chose a Jackie-O type look, at least that's what she told me. It wasn't terribly different than her outfit when we met. It certainly cast her as a lady of high class.

When she determined that we were ready, we ran towards their home, hunting in our undergarments, at least I did, since I enjoyed the fight. Even these two years later, it was still the only thing that made hunting animals an improvement over humans. By the time we were a day away from Carlisle's present home our clothes looked a little worn.

"Perfect," she decided after examining me and comparing them to her visions.

The funniest part to me was her nervousness. Her insecurity that something could go wrong, despite her gift and our preparations, spoke to how much meeting them mattered to her. She would give an award winning performance. I was sure of it.

This was one of Alice's early lessons that stuck with me: appearances told a story and were the best way to create the story you wanted to sell, and it was all done without speaking a word. Peter and Charlotte didn't understand and believed that I had become Alice's Ken doll. And there was a sliver of truth to their complaint, but they also didn't comprehend how much Alice had taught me about lying without words. Nor did they comprehend how I was implicitly agreeing to her demands because of what I was learning in exchange. She wasn't controlling me or my clothes as much as I was giving her permission to create the stage for the performance she was selling.

Over the years, Carlisle and occasionally Edward had taught me how to alter my body to give different messages and send different signals to the humans regarding my age. We played this game with the humans to convince them of a lie: we weren't their predators. It gave me ways of thinking of strategies, skirmishes, battles, and wars in a way I had never done before.

Alice and I had been with the Cullens about a decade when I began examining the battles of the Civil War, especially those where my battalion had fought and began to see things from multiple angles. Maria might have trained me to be her Major, but from Carlisle I was learning how to be a General, how to think and examine these things from an aristocrat's perspective of a war table. From that viewpoint, Alice had been right; every aspect of a uniform mattered. It told its own story. Whether Carlisle meant to or not, his lessons about being around humans helped promote my mindset, and sharpened my tactics.

As she and I had agreed, upon returning to the house, I mentally went through the motions of wanting to surprise Alice with a trip away, pretending to not be able to decide between the four resorts.

The winter school break had ended and we were back into the drudgery when Alice seemingly randomly scolded Emmett while we were driving home, "The school's closed for those grading and training days. No reason to pout."

"The snow means no thunder," he argued back.

"But maybe a snow day," Rosalie reminded him stroking his arm.

He smiled at that. Then, seriously exclaimed, "I'm just ready to be done. Sucks for you Alice and Edward that you have another whole year."

Edward shrugged like it mattered little to him. "Life in Forks isn't too bad, even if Alice's magical reason for us coming hasn't arrived."

His emotions were melancholy and apathy with strong weavings of depression.

"It was just a feeling," she reminded him. "We still have at least five more years, unless there are problems. Who knows what the future will bring?"

"You," he replied with a tone suggesting that he wanted to tease, but just couldn't muster enough emotional strength to do so.

"Not really," she pouted. "Knowing outcomes of decisions is not the same as knowing the future."

He looked at her and then offered, "Yeah."

Each year Edward had lost more of the ability for his emotions to enter into the positive spectrum. It was like he had lost the will to live, but didn't want to end his life. Carlisle's emotions indicated that his worry about Edward had increased, as Edward grew worse.

Once when Carlisle and I were alone, I had enquired.

Carlisle had told me that vampires losing attachment to life and becoming stone could happen, but that he had only known of those more than five hundred years old to do so, which didn't fit Edward.

Then again, Edward's deepest emotional tone suggested that he wished for death. Maybe it was because he had been dying when Carlisle changed him. My hypothesis was that Edward's death wish carried over because he had been in pain from the influenza killing him, and had welcomed death, which Carlisle had stolen from him, and Edward seemed incapable from shaking that emotional foundation. Although, I dared not speak these ideas to Carlisle or even think them around Edward.

Guessing at Alice's game, I decided to take her away over the teacher planning day she had just mentioned.

She beamed brightly as if it was all new to her. "That sounds like a lovely idea, Jasper. If you'd rather know, I'd prefer the Four Seasons."

Chuckling at how well she played it, I told her just to add to the fun of it, "I promise not to decide until the last minute."

She put out her lower lip like she was upset at me.

"You'll pick the Four Seasons, because it's what she wants," Edward stated evenly, his emotional signature barely changing.

"Maybe not this time," I countered.

Rosalie and Emmett shook their heads, and then Rosalie confirmed, "Going away?"

"I'd been thinking of taking her somewhere new as a break from the school thing. Just for a few days. If we're going to have an official day off, then seems like a good opportunity," I stated.

Rosalie's momentary spike of worry abated. Then, she looked over at Emmett. "Maybe we could do the same?"

He shrugged like he didn't care.

Smirking at him, I offered a warning, "Just away from us. I want the hunting grounds for ourselves."

He gaffed and then laughed, his emotions containing lust and Edward's edges of his eyes narrowed, a sure sign Emmett was thinking about sex.

When Alice mentioned our plans to Esme she was pleased for us.

Alice was the master play director and I aided her. It was an enjoyable way to spend the years, and her games were not malicious, giving me an enjoyable emotional atmosphere. Peter and Charlotte found Alice's ways off putting, but I suspected it was because they reminded the couple too much of Maria. Thus, they carried an undercurrent of distrust anytime they were near her.

When Peter had asked, my answer had been the most I could offer him, "It suits me for now."

It was thus in late January that Alice and I boarded a plane and flew to Phoenix. Of course, I went all out, booking a limousine to pick us up, and then a Jaguar with tinted windows for us to use ready for us at the hotel. It was definitely the kind of place where anything was possible for a price. That type of philosophy made us hiding our nature even easier. Unsurprisingly, we played the part to a tee.

Purposefully arriving after sunset, after checking into the hotel and changing so it appeared like we were going out for an opera or play, the valet brought around the Jag. On the way to the Chief's daughter's house, we pulled over in a blackened part of the road and changed into black jeans and shirts looking more like college students. After finding the house, we noted the lack of security lights, which was good for us, and climbed onto the roof. Lying next to each other, we both used our natural vampire abilities as well as our gifts. A few of the windows were open, which brought us their scents occasionally.

"Male about twenty-five, female about thirty-five, and female about seventeen," I confirmed.

Their voices affirmed their names were Phil, Renee, and Bella.

One person's emotions were primarily frustrated and grumpy. I assumed that one to be Phil, as it came from the direction of his voice and his tone indicated a similar emotional state. Both that information and their words confirmed that he had indeed broken a bone, a wrist, and he wasn't a good patient. His emotions were glaring, screaming to be heard and seen. They matched my experience from most serious sport players.

The second person's emotions were constantly on the move, like she was unable to settle into feeling any one thing. My assumption was Renee, as she verbally jumped from one thing to another. Her emotions were like riding down a mountain river, moments of softer notes followed by stronger currents.

The third person's were like laying on the ocean, being rocked back and forth in a soothing and comforting manner. She felt primarily indulgent and content, with moments of longing and disappointment. My guess was that the third was Bella.

Oddly, it was Bella who made dinner, set the table, cleared the table, washed the dishes, and cleaned up. Based on media and conversations at high school, my understanding of present youth was that they were not the main ones responsible for such things. It was, therefore, a curious thing. Afterwards she moved from the kitchen into what I assumed was her bedroom, where her emotions were concentration, worry, frustration, and then excitement. The sound of scratching combined with her emotions indicated that she was doing her homework.

We stayed until an hour before sunrise. Returning to the hotel, we showed our faces, put out the do not disturb sign, locked the door, went out the window, and spent most of the day in the forest. The smells were very different from Forks. The game wasn't great, but we found enough to quench the burn. Alice and I talked through possible options of approach, but Alice didn't like any of them.

At sunset we returned to the hotel, changed again, left once more, and returned to our spots.

Renee offered to take Bella shopping, but she declined claiming homework.

"She needs time to herself, Renee," Phil stated as they lay in their room. "Give her some money and the car. Let her buy some books and watch a movie. She's not you. She likes her own company. You and I can take mine and go to the gym. I need to keep up my training if I'm going to make the Jacksonville team."

Renee's emotions indicated that she briefly was reluctant, but then agreed.

"We'll have to tail her in the car," Alice stated after a minute of checking. Then, after some more time added, "We'll need to change into our disguises."

It did not even momentarily surprise me that Alice had packed ways to alter our appearance.

Bella worked on her homework through the evening after her routine of making dinner. Oddly enough she didn't receive one phone call or text message.

We were forced due to the sun to return to the car before Renee woke up. From what I could tell, Bella made breakfast, and was on the patio when Renee came down.

"Here's my keys and some money. Phil needs to keep up his workout routine and asked me to go help him out. Even if it's books, get yourself something, Bella, and maybe go watch a movie."

There was a long silence before Bella's soft voice was heard, "Okay. Thanks."

It was only after she finished cleaning the kitchen that she appeared.

"Her pictures don't do her justice," I decided.

"Nor my visions," Alice agreed.

About that time Bella looked around like she was being watched, and became suspicious, which in fairness she was. Perhaps she had acquired her father's intuition.

"We need to be careful Ally," I warned her, "she already picked up on something."

Alice smiled pleased, swelling with a kind of pride.

I waited until Bella's car was almost out of my view before turning over the engine and following. Interestingly, she didn't go to a mall. Instead, she travelled downtown, parked, and entered the Changing Hands Bookstore.

Alice closed her eyes momentarily, rummaged through the bags in the back, handed me an outfit, and then changed her own clothes. Then, she put a wig on me that gave me black spiked hair and added eyeliner. My clothes were black slacks with a black shirt, a pinstripe vest and red suspenders. The contacts made my eyes brown. Alice's wig was red shoulder-length hair. She wore a short black and red shirt with rose patterned black tinted hoes, red Mary Jane shoes, and a frilly red long sleeved jacket. She added her own makeup and jewellery with contacts altering her eyes to a dark brown and then offered me a watch and ring. We learned quickly that human makeup wouldn't last long on our skin, but she probably would reapply it if needed.

We had found an underground parking structure, but I wasn't sure how she planned on getting us to the bookstore. She pulled out an old fashioned lace parasol and a hat for me. We looked ridiculous in my opinion, but once we entered the store her genius was apparent. We stood out just slightly, while also blending in.

"Go look for books," she directed me.

"Yes, ma'am," I replied pleased at this turn of events.

Even through the three levels I kept tabs on Alice, her emotional signature easily recognisable to me.

"Oh, I'm so sorry," I heard her utter sounding extremely contrite, even though her emotions were pleased as punch.

"It's my fault," was the reply.

"Nonsense," Alice responded, "I've actually lost my boyfriend and am completely turned around."

The girl was good. I had to hand it to her.

"Oh?" Bella replied. Then, after a couple of minutes added, "Could I help?"

"That would be great," Alice told her exuberantly.

Nothing was said for a few more minutes while Alice's emotions grew worried and uncertain before Bella asked, "Where is he likely to be?"

"History," Alice answered, sounding unsure.

"That's by philosophy," Bella told her, and her steps moved towards me.

At Bella's slow pace it took almost five minutes to find me.

"There you are," Alice exclaimed when they were at the end of row from me.

"Where else would I be?" I asked my tone disgruntled.

Alice smiled and shook her head, "Yes, where else indeed." Turning to Bella, she thanked her and then asked, "Can I get you some coffee, as a thank you?"

"Thanks for helping?" Bella asked scrunching up her face, her feelings mirroring her confusion.

"Well, honestly, it would be nice to get off my feet and have a chat," Alice said making it sound like a confession. "And Rob here is unlikely to move more than five feet in the next hour."

Bella giggled and smiled. "Okay."

"Great," Alice declared, and taking Bella's arm went to the café/bar inside the bookstore.

Continuing to look over the books one by one, I kept half my mind on Alice, while giving most of my remaining attention to this Bella.

They talked about nothing consequential with Alice doing most of the talking about some random backstory she had created to match these personas. Bella was skilled at keeping the conversation on Alice. I wasn't sure Alice even noticed. When Alice asked to exchange emails, Bella was hesitant, but agreed out of politeness most likely. Guess she was pursuing the pen pal option after all.

Alice was elated when she found me again. "Anything worth taking home?" she enquired.

I raised one book and we went to the checkout counter before leaving.

Once more we carefully avoided the sun and returned to the car.

Alice closed her eyes, while I waited.

After almost fifteen minutes she announced, "Foggy, but better than nothing."

We returned to Bella's house and stayed until she started sleeping.

We were in our hotel room packing when I commented, "She smells especially delectable and her mother even more so."

"You find Renee even more appealing?" Alice asked frowning.

"Renee's is similar to Bella's, but has richer tones with the high notes usually not found in adults over thirty. It's rare and has a greater draw as a result," I stated evenly.

I might not indulge, but that didn't mean I didn't know a good bouquet when coming across one. Just for the fun of riling Alice up, I decided to go back and consume them both, starting with Phil, so he wouldn't be lonely, then Bella, allowing Renee to be the just desserts that her scent suggested she would be.

Alice put her hands over her eyes as if that would protect her from her gift and with a menacing growl demanded, "Take it back." Her emotions were irate with pleading, fear, and the sadness that comes from the death of a loved one.

Pushing curiosity woven with trust and complicity towards her, I waited with my eyebrow raised.

Alice's shoulders slumped, she sat on the bed, and whispered confusion and a hint of shame coming from her, "I love her."

I didn't believe in love, not in the way Alice said it, and she knew it.

"Remember," I demanded, irritated at how she had been trying to keep this from me.

She closed her eyes and the feelings that I had registered when we were in the bookstore came though clear. Yes, there was attraction, appreciation, happiness, and desire.

"Explain," I adjured her, my tone less harsh.

She looked up at me. "It's the best word I have. She matters to me."

Not wanting to give away that I had purposefully tricked her, I simply said, "Then, we best protect her," and decided to keep my distance from her.

She smiled and sent gratefulness my way. We resumed our preparations to leave.

This human mattering to Alice didn't surprise me, given what my ability had picked up since the newest family snapshot had first appeared to Alice. What did startle me was that Alice was trying to keep something about the connection from me. As a result, I determined that this human and Alice's connection needed even more attention.

After considering the pros and cons of the options, including the possibility that Alice was playing me, I offered, "Peter and Charlotte could keep an eye. They'd need to hunt, but still."

She was startled for a moment, indicating that she hadn't been putting on an act in order for me to call on my friends. "Couldn't that draw more attention?" she asked.

"Nothing they can't handle," I assured her.

"Up to you," she told me nonchalantly, but her emotions indicated that the idea offered her some relief from the nervousness she had been feeling.

Sending Peter and Charlotte meant I would have the advantage of information over Alice. Alice's willingness was thus staggering. To guess at how she was desperate to weave the human into her tapestry was one thing. To have it confirmed how truly important this human was to Alice was another.

Her attachment to the girl was dangerous to her well-being and thus mine as well as the family's. Humans were disposable. There were billions of them on the planet.

We checked out, and took the Jag back to Bella's neighbourhood. Due to the sun we stayed in the vehicle, but were able to hear the conversations. Bella was home most of the day by herself, and seemed content in her own company. From what I had gathered she spent her time cooking, doing homework, or reading. Her seemingly lack of interest in movies or television was a little odd, if her peers at Forks High were anything to go by. All combined she seemed less than a teenager suited for her era.

As we drove away heading to the airport, hoping for a straight answer, I asked Alice, "Why is this particular human so important? Honestly, she seems ridiculously dull."

After a few moments she answered, "I truly don't know. She feels important."

"That's not a feeling," I teased, hiding the worry that increased within me, as she was being earnest.

Alice closed her eyes focusing on something and her emotions changed to a low level urgency with a longing and hope.

"What were you imagining?" I wondered.

"The lingering sense I have about her, ever since she decided to move to Forks," Alice answered.

"Fair enough," I rejoined glad that Alice was being more honest with me, even if added to my concern.

We each spent the rest of the time in our thoughts, without doubt regarding Bella. While we waited for the plane to take on passengers, I opened my travel laptop and sent the usual classified advertisement to all of the major and minor newspapers across the country, and even a few of the larger ones abroad. Peter was diligent about checking, especially if he was in North America.

During one of our visits over the decades, I had mentioned to Peter about his wish of getting a ranch. His answer had been, "When you're ready to return to us." So, although Peter and Charlotte now got hotel rooms and were not completely nomadic, they also weren't settled.

We were nearly at the Forks house when Alice took my hand and squeezed it, offering me a thanks. "I know following my visions can be a challenge. I appreciate your faith in me."

Sending her assurance, as she seemed unusually edgy. "You okay?" I wondered.

"Change is coming," she offered in a far away tone, and then said nothing more.

A/N: For those who have asked, I have mentioned that I based Jasper off a military friend of mine who had served 5 tours between Afghanistan and Iraq before being honourably discharged due to injury. He often described trying to live in the civilian world in military terms.

As always, I look forward to your thoughts.