DISCLAIMER: I own nothing except the plot for this story.

As always, thanks to Megsly for beta'ing for me. :) I'm sorry I've been so slack lately.

Chapter 03 – The Vision

APOV

They descended upon the two figures like a dense fog. Where there should have been bodies and faces, there were only shadows. I couldn't make out for the life of me who anyone in the vision was. It was as if someone or something was protecting all of the identities from my sight.

They stopped in front of the figures and stood there for what felt like eternity. Silence echoed through my mind, but I knew instinctively they were talking. Suddenly, one of them pulled away from the rest and reached out towards the two. Darkness overtook my vision.

"Alice, Alice!!!"

I was snapped out of the vision by Bella shaking my shoulders hard, her voice echoing in my ear.

I closed my eyes and shook my head; as if that would shake away what I'd just seen. What had I just seen?

I opened my eyes and found a very concerned-looking Bella kneeling in front of me.

"What just happened?" I asked, even though I knew full well what I'd just been through.

"I don't know. You looked like you were seeing something horrible, I was calling your name for a good thirty seconds before you snapped out of it. What did you see?"

I had no idea what I just saw or who it concerned, so not to cause Bella any distress, I decided to tell her the truth, just omitting a few details.

"I'm not really sure what I saw Bella. I couldn't really see anyone in the vision; there were just shadows of people."

"What do you think that means?" she asked, moving to sit next to me on the couch.

I scooted over to give her some more room, turning my body to face her. Behind her, the sunlight was streaming through the giant glass windows. I sighed deeply before responding to her, "I really don't know. But, I think I have some idea.

I never really said anything, but with Jake around as much as he has been lately, I've not really gotten any solid visions in awhile. They've been more fragmented."

"Alice! I wish you had said something! I know how uncomfortable it makes you not to know what's going on!" Bella grabbed my hands in her own, squeezing mine lightly in reassurance.

"It's not your fault Bella. And it's not like I didn't get them at all. When I was away from Jake, shopping or whatever, I would get them. So, I'd know if something bad was going to happen."

Bella visibly relaxed and leaned back on the couch. I swear, that girl would take the weight of the world on her shoulders to spare the rest of us.

I withdrew my hands from hers and turned to face her, sitting cross-legged on the couch. Not wanting her to pry more in to the vision, I switched the topic, "So, to what do I owe the pleasure of your visit?"

Since the rest of the family had left in the days following the wedding, Jasper and I had stayed at the big house while Edward and Bella holed themselves up in their cabin. This was the first time I'd seen either of them in several days.

"Oh, I'm sure you know exactly why I'm here." Bella said.

I smiled a bit, shaking my head. "No, not really. Remember? No visions before now."

Bella got tense again and I knew she was feeling guilty for bringing up something for which she felt somewhat responsible.

"Bella, it really isn't your fault, so stop fretting over it. Relax. I think that right now I'm just getting used to the ability to have full visions again. I'm sure the longer Jake's away the more visions I'll have and the clearer they'll be."

I reached over and patted her knee. Suddenly, a huge smile took over her place and she started bouncing in her seat - something typically associated with me.

"Oh, Jasper's gonna love this! He'll be able to really surprise you with something – at least until the visions become clearer!" She jumped up and was about to sprint out the back door.

I grabbed her wrist, pulling her back. "Bella, please. Don't say anything to Jasper or Edward. I don't need either of them worrying about me, I'm sure that things will go back to normal in a few days. If they don't then I'll worry about it later."

She took an unnecessarily deep breath and puffed it back out.

"So, no surprises from Jasper?"

Her bottom lip stuck out in the pout she had perfected – and passed down to her daughter – the pout that got them anything they wanted.

"No Bella, no surprises from Jasper. But, I'll let you get me one. After all, it's not very often that I can be surprised! Now why were you here again?"

BPOV

I wasn't quite sure what to make of Alice's admission.

I instantly felt a surge of guilt over the discomfort this must have caused her. After all, it was partially my fault that Jake was around as much as he was.

When we had to leave Forks, I knew there was no way that Jake could be separated from the object of his imprinting for any considerable time period. So I did the only thing I could think of at the time.

I asked Jake to move to Alaska with us.

The only person in my family who was not at all in support of the idea was obviously Rosalie; years of co-existing with him did nothing to soften that relationship.

I remember the day that I told the rest of the Cullens my idea...

"No! Absolutely not! It's already bad enough that he's here at least half of every day. Now you're suggesting we actually live with the mutt?" Rosalie was definitely the most opinionated about my suggestion.

From across the dining room, Jake made a sort of barking sound, "Hey Blondie, know what they call a..."

"That's enough Jake." Edward stood to join me. "Look, I don't exactly like the idea either, sorry Jake, but really it's the only way. It's not like he's going to be living with all of us. We, Bella and I, are willing to build him his own house near our cabin for him and his pack."

"What! We're going from one dog to a whole pack of them? What are we now, the pound?" Rosalie said, slamming her hand down on the table.

From outside we heard a loud growl, Leah.

"That's enough Rosalie." Esme said, rising to join Edward and myself. Carlisle rose as well.

Esme continued, "We all know that the bond between Jake and Renesmee is unbreakable and to be apart from each other for any considerable length of time is out of the question. This is really the only way. Could you be separated from your mate like that?

Rosalie huffed, crossing her arms and leaning back in her chair.

Beside me, Edward cringed, pinching the bridge of his nose, at Esme's use of the word "mate" in relation to Renesmee and Jake.

While we knew that, eventually, that's what they would be, it was still hard for any of us to accept it.

Carlisle spoke next, "Aside from Rosalie's colorful thoughts, is there any reason the rest of you can think of for Jake's pack not to join us in Alaska?"

I looked around the room and no one else seemed to have anything to say.

I did notice Alice barely nod her head, at whom I was not sure. But she never said anything.

Turning to Carlisle I asked, "So is it settled then?"

Carlisle nodded, "The pack can use the facilities at the big house until construction is done on their house."

Rosalie looked like she was ready to spew her venom again, when Carlisle raised his hand to silence her, "Two weeks at the most Rosalie. I think you can manage that."

Having effectively been silenced, Rosalie rose and stalked out of the room, Emmett following.

While I don't hold Alice's gift of the future or Edward's mind reading, it should have been plainly obvious to me that Alice was having a silent conversation with Edward; probably about her inability to see anything with Jake around.

I couldn't help but feel incredible guilt knowing that Alice had given up such a big part of herself to insure my daughter's happiness. But that was Alice for you, always doing whatever it took to ensure our families continued safety and happiness.

It had only been three seconds since Alice had asked why I had come to the big house, but I knew that was enough time for her to realize I was stalling.

I had come to let her and Jasper know that Edward and I were going to return to Alaska until Renesmee and Jake got back.

But with her recent revelation, I thought it best we stay around for a bit longer.

"Um, I... Edward and I wanted to know if you and Jasper maybe wanted to hang out and watch a movie tonight?" I can't believe I stuttered through that. Typical Bella.

"Bella, you know you're a horrible actress, right? That's not why you came here, is it?" Alice smiled, knowing she'd caught me.

"No, not really. But, it's not that big of a deal, really. Let's just hang out, okay?"

For a second, I didn't think Alice was going to let it go that easily. So it shocked me when she simply said, "okay" and then flitted through the back door, I suppose to find Jasper.

Well, that was a little too easy, I thought before running out the back door myself and heading to the cabin to let Edward know of the change in plans.

~*~

When I got back to the cabin, Edward was packing a few bags we planned on taking back to Alaska with us. We were leaving all the furniture in the cabin for Renesmee and Jake, but were taking most of our personal belongings with us so they could personalize their new home.

"I think I got everything. Do you see anything else that needs to go?" Edward said, throwing a duffel bag next to the front door.

I did a quick circuit through the house, noticing he had left a few changes of clothes in the closet in what used to be Renesmee's room, which would now be Jake and Renesmee's guest room.

"Yeah, I think you got everything. But, Edward, why are our clothes in the guest bedroom? Shouldn't we take those up to the big house?"

Edward gave me a knowing look, "Ha, I fully intend on staying right here whenever we come to visit. That way I can keep an eye on what's going on."

Edward had really gotten into the over-protective dad thing in the past few years.

"Edward, she's fully grown and is married now. You can't be keeping tabs on her anymore. How would you feel if Charlie slept in the room next to ours every time he came to visit? Can you say awkward?" I scrunched up my face just at the thought of that.

Edward rolled his eyes at me, swooping me up and racing us to what used to be our bedroom. He deposited me on the bed in one fluid motion.

"Okay, first of all, Charlie never visits us, so that is a moot point. Secondly, even if he did, we both know that once your dad is out, he's out; there is no waking that man. We never sleep, so when we visit they can't be doing whatever it is they do, because they know we'll hear them."

Edward smiled like he had just delivered a prize-winning speech. He began crawling up the bed towards me. I waited till he was right above and pushed as hard as I could on his chest, effectively dumping him on the floor.

"Edward, are you saying, hypothetically, that it's okay for us to get it on with parents in the next room, but Renesmee can't?"

Edward fake gagged, stretching out his long body on the floor. I peered over the edge of the bed and promptly got pulled down myself, landing right on top of him. He pulled me down to him and gave me a small kiss before continuing his speech.

"I prefer not to think of Renesmee 'getting it on' with anyone, much less Jake." In one fluid motion he flipped us so that I was now under him. He kissed his way up my neck to my ear, whispering, "Is is not weird to you that your daughter is now married to the man who used to be in love with you?!"

I couldn't help but cringe at that and flipped us back over. I'm sure disgust was written all over my face.

"See! That's exactly what I mean!" Edward exclaimed, pointing a finger at me. "You don't like the idea any better than I do, so staying here means we can keep it from happening."

I rolled my eyes at him, pushing up off the floor.

"Seriously, Edward. I think we've had this discussion a million times since they got engaged. You're being absurd. When we visit, we're staying at the big house. Because, as much as I don't want to hear them going at it, I don't what them hearing us going at it."

I began to walk out of the room, but then realized I had yet to tell Edward that we were not heading back to Alaska.

"Oh, by the way, we're staying here for a bit longer. Alice had some weird vision thing and I think it was a bit more serious than she was letting on."

Edward peeped over the edge of the bed, "Alice is having visions again?"

I had begun to walk back out the door, but reeled around when he said this.

"Are you telling me that you knew she wasn't having visions all this time? How could you do that to her? You know how uncomfortable that makes her to not know what's going on! Does anyone else..." I was cut off my Edward's hand going over my mouth.

"Bella, hush. Yes, I knew – mind reader. I've talked to Alice about it and she assured me that she's okay with it. I mean, she does get visions when Jake's not around, so it's not like she's drawn a total blank."

I licked Edward's hand. He immediately pulled it away.

"Gross Bella! Did you just lick me?", he said, feigning disgust.

I smiled, nodding my head. "You weren't going to let me have my say, so I had to do something. Seriously though, I think she saw something bad. When I went to the house to let her know we were leaving, she was in 'vision mode'. I sat there are yelled her name and shook her for a good thirty seconds before she came to. That's not normal Edward."

Edward had a peculiar look on his face, "Hmm. Well, I'll go talk to her and see if there's anything we should be worried about. Maybe she'll open up more to me. You do have a tendency to over-react," he said, walking towards the front door.

"I over-react!? Are you kidding me?"

He smiled over his shoulder before walking out the door.

"Be back soon, sweetie," the door shutting behind him.

APOV

When I left the house, I didn't go hunt down Jasper as I'm sure Bella believed I had. I needed a few minutes to get my thoughts straight and compose my feelings. The last thing I needed was for Jasper or Edward to pick up on exactly how confused and scared I was.

I desperately wanted to try and seek out the vision again so I could try and decipher any clues as to who it involved or where/when it might take place, but not knowing who to look for, it was practically impossible. I guess I would just have to wait until it came back to me.

I ran into the forest, not caring where I was heading, as long as it was away from the house. I didn't stop until I came to the clearing where so many of our families biggest moments had happened. As much as we loved to play baseball, we never came to this field anymore – there were too many bad things that happened here.

I sat down on one of the huge boulders that Benjamin had littered the perimeter with during our showdown with the Volturi. Pulling my knees up to my chest, I placed my head between them, and let my mind wander.

For every bad thing that had happened to my family in the past years – James almost killing Bella, the fight with Victoria and her newborns, the showdown with the Volturi – there had been a million good things to take their places.

As cliché as it sounds, our family truly was not complete without Bella and Renesmee. Bella had healed Edward in a way none of us thought possible and Renesmee added a whole new dimension to the family.

Having a child around to watch grow and mature had been something none of us ever thought possible. Granted, Renesmee grew much faster than any normal child would, but we enjoyed it nonetheless. The seven years it took her to reach full maturity passed by too fast, even for a vampire.

~*~

I smelled him before he came into the clearing – Edward. I made sure to keep my mind on thoughts of the past. It was proving more difficult than it should be – because now that I needed to keep him from seeing my thoughts on that vision, it was all I could think about.

"Alice, really? I know when you're trying to keep me out." Edward said, plopping down next to me.

"I don't know what you're talking about; I was just thinking back on how much of a blessing Renesmee has been to this family." I made a renewed effort to focus my thoughts somewhere other than where they wanted to be.

"Ok Alice, if you want to keep me out, I'm sure you have your reasoning."

My eyes widened as I turned to face him. I can't believe he let it go that easily, I thought.

"I didn't Alice, I know that eventually you'll slip." He said with a smirk.

I playfully punched him in the shoulder and jumped off the boulder. I needed to get away from him and fast, before I slipped again. Beat you back to house! I mentally yelled at Edward, taking off at breakneck speed.

A/N: So, any guesses on who the people were in Alice's vision? Most creative guess gets a shout out next chapter. :)