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Jasper POV - continues

After our quick hunt our eyes were honey gold again. I looked over at Alice and realized running through the trees with her at my side is a feeling like no other. Our feet quickly found a path and we slowed, starting to hear the sounds of the nearby village. Coming to a slow walking pace Alice swung my arm back and forth in hers. She swung her small purse over her opposite shoulder and I wondered what she had in that thing that could not be ruined from the long swim. But, I knew better than to ask, she would surprise me with something I was sure by popping a working cell phone or an I-pod out of it at some point. I laughed silently to myself thinking of it. I felt her body go limp next to mine and knew it was coming to her. A Vision. I hated the way it took a toll on her body making her step outside of herself… leaving her vulnerable. We were almost inside the Village at this point; I could hear the sounds of cars and mules on the streets clearly. Cradling her in my arms I pulled her onto my lap and sat on a large tree trunk that was splayed on the side of the path. Her blank eyes darted back and forth unfocused -seeing nothing and yet everything. Placing my hand palm up on her chin I rubbed down the length of her jaw line with my thumb trying to soothe her to bring her back to me. Sometimes during her visions -the ones that were hard for her- I couldn't feel her. Her emotions went numb, and even though I was holding her tight to my chest if I closed my eyes, I wouldn't know if she was right beside me or not. It scared me…putting a fear inside me like nothing I had ever felt before.

"Alice? ALICE!" My voice raised and faltered.

"What is it?" I watched as her eyes began to come back to me. She raised her face melting into the palm of my hand.

"Oh, Jazz. I saw another one of us... He's a local to this area and he's not friendly. I don't think we can avoid him. He will want to fight you." Her voice was soft and she locked her eyes with mine shaking her head.

"No Jasper, I mean it! We will find another way to Peter and Charlotte we can go back and swim to the other side of the country if we have to. I am not letting you fight!"

"You know we don't have time to do that Alice. Can you see a way around him? Why does he want to fight me? Can we just explain we are passing through?" I bombarded her with questions and felt bad for it. Knowing she would have to go back through her vision to see if there was indeed a way around this stranger. Her face was grim, then I felt her body go slightly limp again as her weight shifted to mine and she ran through her vision - how if we changed our decisions it might help us.

She looked up at me, "Your right, we don't have time to go around him. He will want to fight you no matter what we do… Even if we split up he would find… me. We have to continue on the path we are on." She stood as if the matter was decided. Anger boiled inside of me rage oozing its way to the surface.

"What do you mean he will find you? No one will come near you! Is that what this is about? He wants…. You?" My teeth ground together and I clenched my fists tight at my sides. This of course wasn't the first time another male of my species had wanted Alice for himself. Although it wasn't common to come between mates it did happen.

Venom coursed through my body filling every vein, every muscle twitched in anticipation. It felt as if time stopped in this moment - I thought of my brother Edward and how he dealt with all the pain he had gone through with Bella. How Jacob tried to steal her, and James tried to kill her. He forgave Jacob and his pain was great. There was no way anyone was getting close to my Alice. She was safe at my side, she always would be. Because, when it came to her, I had no mercy, no forgiveness.

"Jazz… Pleeease" she drew out her words and I felt her breath on my ear. My breath slowed, the double vision I was seeing came back into focus.

"When." My voice came out like steel- tight and fierce. My eyes dropped to hers immediately in apology for the tone in my word.

"I think tomorrow afternoon, from what I could see of the sun." Her voice seemed as tight as my own.

"Let's do what we need to do." I took her hand and placed it over my heart. Her love flooded over me filling me.

"Okay, there is this really beautiful blue shirt I am going to get for you." She chirped in my ear. We stepped off the path passing a few villagers minutes later; stepping onto a gravel road. Huts and stores were butted up against each other; children ran down the road barefoot yelling at one another kicking a soccer ball back and forth. No one noticed us walking, or where we had come from. We continued down the beaten road and began to see colorful umbrellas and merchants on the streets selling jewelry and material. Alice jumped in front of me pulling me inside a small doorway. A clerk smiled at us. The smell of incense was strong but I could still smell the human female's blood flowing in her neck as she walked toward us. The smell was overwhelming not being around humans for this many days I had lost my tolerance for it. This one human wouldn't be too much… it would make me strong for the fight to come. So, it would actually help me. I thought to myself.

Alice tugged me towards her- pulling my arm, "Jasper- this is the blue shirt I was talking about." She held up a light blue shirt- it was made of a soft material and it felt light between my fingers. I ducked my head at her in apology- she knew these thoughts.

"Sure, it's nice." I said pushing the thoughts out of my mind. The store clerk smiled at Alice stepping away from me; her instinct to stay away from me was right. Alice handed me some light brown pants as I headed behind the changing curtain and she threw a pair of leather sandals at me almost pegging me in face. My hand shot out and I caught them easily. She giggled and continued to sort through the racks of clothes. I stepped behind the curtain and pulled in a deep breath. Tugging my now dingy shirt off my shoulders I watched Alice pull a pair of pants out. But I noticed she wasn't looking at the pants really, she was eyeing a royal purple halter dress that hung from the far wall in the store. It was so Alice. I jumped into the pants feeling how soft they were and stepped out from the curtain still pulling on the other sandal.

"Ma'am, could you get that dress down for me?" I pegged the clerk with my eyes holding my breath as best I could.

"Jazz… I don't know- it's not going to help things." Alice eyed the dress while she spoke.

"Your getting it Alice, It will be beautiful on you. You know it wouldn't matter what you wore… things are set in motion. So, you are going to wear it." No one was going to dictate what my Alice was going to wear.

"Thanks, Jazz" Her glowing smile was all the reward I needed. She skipped to the clerk pulling her purse out and she sorted through zip lock bag full of money pulling out several bills. I rolled my eyes at her; enthralled by her brilliance once again.

We stepped out into the village once again this time a new couple. Alice looked radiant in the amethyst dress. Her skin practically glowed and the sandals she wore were soft a tan wrapping up her ankle and tying into a small bow on her calf. I was proud to stand beside her. We walked hand in hand down the street following the signs to the village's border. We had a lot of ground to cover and even more obstacles to overcome.