AN: This story takes place during chapter two of New Moon, at the end of Bella's birthday party. Written for 32sgtharlett02 who has been waiting for new content (and made sure to remind me multiple times), specifically Alice x Jasper content. These two aren't my usual focus, but I hope I did them justice. Though I couldn't resist throwing in just a little Carlisle x Esme too. I also can't verify that Alice has never killed anyone, but I believe she would have been one of the few who never "slipped up" in the family.
Alice turned her back to the dining room where Carlisle was stitching Bella. She'd be lying if she said the smell of the blood didn't sting her nose, awaken some dormant thirst that burned lightly in her throat.
Never once tasting human blood was certainly an advantage in her control. The smell still triggered some instinct buried inside her, but the taste…well, she didn't really know what she was missing. It was easier for her than the others to be in the room with fresh blood. With the exception of Carlisle, of course. Though between the two of them, they were the only ones in the family who had never touched a drop of human blood to their tongue, whether by accident or intention.
She followed the scent of her family outside the house. They had pulled Jasper far into the woods, far enough that he could regain his senses without being overcome by the smell of spilled blood.
Emmett still had him in his grasp, two unbreakable arms holding both his down, though Jasper was no longer fighting his brother. Rosalie, Esme, and Edward were circled around, blocking his way back to the house.
Alice could see her mate's eyes coming back into focus, the pupils beginning to shrink back to a normal size, though the irises were still nearly black. He blinked as the realization of what happened slowly dawned on him.
"He's okay now," Alice said, stepping between Esme and Rosalie to stand in front of her mate. Though Edward could read his thoughts, Alice could read his face and his body language better than anyone. Emmett hesitantly released his grip, finally dropping his arms to his own sides. Alice reached out and took Jasper's hand in her own.
His eyes, now weary with shame and guilt, fell first on his love, then on each of his family members.
"I'm…so sorry."
"It's okay, Jasper," Alice whispered, squeezing his hand.
"It's not your fault," Esme added. She touched his shoulder in her motherly way, then turned her head towards the direction of the house. "Carlisle will be almost done with the stitches by now. I should go clean up."
"I'm going to go take Bella home then," Edward said, his voice low and rough.
"Edward—" Jasper started, but his brother cut him off.
"I'm not angry with you Jasper. I'm only angry with myself."
"I should go check on Bella, too," Alice said. "Find her something to wear home." She squeezed Jasper's hand one more time, then followed Esme and Edward back to the house.
Rosalie and Emmett were the only two who remained, hovering by Jasper.
"You don't have to stay out here," Jasper sighed.
"You think I want to go back into that scene?" Rosalie said, and her brother winced.
"The scene I created?"
"That's not what I mean, Jasper. I'm referencing the fact that Edward is going to be intolerable to be around for who knows how long after this. And to be clear, I mean more so than usual." She rolled her eyes.
"I know he'll blame himself, that's how Edward is," Jasper began. "But I'm the one he should be blaming."
"Jasper…" Emmett started.
"No, Jasper," Rosalie said. "He has no one to blame but himself, bringing this girl into our world. I've told him she's a danger to our family from the very beginning, and maybe this will finally make him come to his senses. What if one of us had made an appetizer out of her tonight?"
Substituting in one of us as opposed to you didn't escape Jasper's notice. He knew she was trying not to add to his guilt. Rosalie was close with all her family (Edward excluded), but passing as Jasper's twin for decades had given them a unique relationship as siblings.
"Bella would be a dead body in the house," Rosalie continued, "the chief of police would have several questions, and everyone in Forks knows she's with Edward. There's no way we ever would be able to cover it up. He puts each of us, our entire family, in danger everyday. And for what? For some human girl he's convinced is his mate? Honestly," she huffed.
Emmett didn't comment. The couple had had their share of disagreements about Bella, and knew neither one was changing their mind anytime soon. It was something they didn't discuss anymore.
Back at the house, Alice led Bella up the stairs to the third floor.
"I'm sure we'll be able to find something of Esme's to fit you. I'll keep your shirt here, launder it and see if I can get the blood out."
They entered Carlisle and Esme's bedroom, one of the few rooms in the house Bella had never been inside. An evident color scheme of ivory and mauve flowed throughout. She eyed the glass wall leading out to a balcony, the open ensuite door revealing the corner of a clawfoot tub, and the large oak bed with satin sheets. Beds were common enough furniture for humans. For vampires, however, they held an entirely different connotation, and a single purpose.
This realization made Bella suddenly self-conscious, and she looked away, busying herself studying the framed photographs hanging on the wall. Alice didn't notice Bella's discomfort—she was already hunting through the enormous walk-in closet.
The first photo that caught Bella's attention was old and sepia toned, with Esme in a white dress and Carlisle in a suit beside her—their wedding picture. Both had beaming smiles across their faces that hadn't changed in the decades since. Beneath this photo was one of the whole family on what appeared to be a European vacation. They all had hands on shoulders and arms around each other, and looked so much like a "traditional" family other than the lack of age difference between the "parents" and "children."
"I think this is our best bet," Alice said, bringing out a blouse that was close to the same shade of purple as Bella's.
Edward drove Bella home, and once her truck was a safe distance away, Rosalie, Jasper, and Emmett returned to the house. Emmett and Rosalie went up to their room, while Jasper went to Alice. She was in the living room with Carlisle and Esme, and when she saw him, held out her hand. He took it, sitting down next to her on the sofa.
"Carlisle," Jasper said, "Please allow me to apologize for all this."
"There's nothing to apologize for, Jasper."
"We've all been there," Esme said. They were seated on the opposite sofa, both her arms wrapped around one of Carlisle's. "Well, most of us." She looked up at her husband, as some mixture of admiration, love, and wonder flashed across her face.
"You know this is different," Jasper countered. "This was my brother's own mate. Practically a member of our family."
"Edward has always known the risks of keeping Bella human," Alice said. "If anything good can come of this, maybe it will finally put some rational thought into that boy's head. He can't leave her human forever, and my visions are rarely wrong," she flashed a small smile, remembering the image that had come to her of Bella with piercing eyes and even paler skin. She was fully convinced the young woman would one day be her vampire sister.
"That's a decision between Edward and Bella," Carlisle gently reminded her.
Alice and Jasper retired to their room for the evening, and Alice stepped into the ensuite. She heard the sound of the mattress compress as Jasper collapsed over the bed, burying his hands in his face. Alice gave him a moment, taking her time brushing out her hair and washing the makeup off her face.
"Bella wanted me to tell you she's not at all upset," Alice said. She stepped out of the bathroom and sat down beside him on the bed. "What are you thinking, love?"
"What could have been. What almost was."
"But it wasn't," she took a hand off his face and held it to her chest, where her heartbeat would be if she had one. "Bella's okay. We're okay."
"And Edward?"
Alice's thin brows furrowed before her face smoothed again.
"Edward will move past this," she said. "He wants to be with Bella. She's a part of our family now."
She laid down beside Jasper, pulling his head against her shoulder and wrapping him in her arms. There was over a foot of difference in their height, and while his legs hung off the bed, feet touching the floor, hers just reached the bottom of the mattress. She threw one leg over his and pulled him closer to her.
"I hate feeling weak," he said, wrapping his arms around her in return.
"You're not weak, Jasper. Don't say that. You've made so much progress."
"Says the only woman in this house who has never had human blood."
Alice shifted so her chin rested on his chest, face tilted up so she could see his.
"But that's exactly what makes it easier for me. That's why you shouldn't measure yourself against me. Besides, my vampire origins and my beginning into this life were far from normal."
"Your story is particularly unique, my love. But I don't think I would use the word 'normal' to describe any version of this life."
"No," Alice said with a light laugh, laying her cheek back on Jasper's chest. "I suppose not. But you know what I mean. I saw my future, where I would end up, and who I was meant to become. I've seen visions of blood spilled, before I could be tempted by the scent, and I've been able to avoid it for that very reason." She sighed to herself. "I should have seen tonight."
"How could you? Bella never made the decision to cut her finger, and by the time I made my decision, it was too late."
"That wasn't your decision, Jasper, that was your instincts." She leaned up to push the blonde hair from his face. His eyes were back to their golden shade. "Look at me."
He titled his chin and gazed down at her.
"Thank you," Jasper murmured.
"For what?"
"For finding me that day. I don't know what I would have done—what I would do—without you, Mary Alice."
A loving smile crossed her face, reaching her eyes.
"I couldn't imagine life without you, Jasper."
She leaned up and softly brought her lips to his. He kissed her back, both their eyes falling closed.
Alice nestled back beside him, eyes still closed as though she were planning to fall asleep. Jasper held her tightly, willing the comfort of his wife's touch to calm the sharp memories of Bella bleeding on the floor. Of Emmett holding him back as he lunged for her, teeth bared and ready to kill.
"Shh, don't think about it." Though Alice was no mind reader, she had been learning the workings of Jasper's mind for over fifty years.
The two of them stayed that way into the early hours of the morning. If they couldn't physically sleep, this was the next best thing, laying in bed in each other's arms. Despite Bella's earlier discomfort with the sight of a vampire marriage bed, there were, in fact, other uses for it.
By the time the sky began to lighten, Jasper was to the point where he almost felt as though he had, in fact, crossed into another state of consciousness, his mind so calmed from Alice's presence. Even though that was supposed to be his special ability.
Suddenly Alice tensed against his body, and he was instantly snapped from his peaceful transcendence. She was having a vision. Her body relaxed for only for a second before she bolted up in bed, her husband's arms falling off her.
"Alice," Jasper said, sitting up beside her. Now he was worried. "What is it?"
"We're leaving," her wide eyes looked as though tears were about to fall from them, if that were possible.
"What?"
"Edward, he's decided we're leaving." She grasped his arm as though to steady herself. "He's decided that's the only way to keep her safe. He wants to leave Bella…us all to leave Bella. He's made his decision, and he won't change his mind."
Worried golden eyes met matching ones, as the pair contemplated what this would mean for their coven, their brother, and the young woman they had thought, up until this moment, would be the next in their coven.
