Jasper

It seemed like I had drifted off to sleep. It was dark when I opened my eyes, and it didn't look like that no one had set foot in my room while I was asleep. That was freaky, because I was used to feel people walking in and possibly watching me sleep. At least my headache was nearly gone, but I still needed some painkillers. I slowly pushed myself off of the bed; my hand went to the side of my head to cradle it in case it'd decide to kill me again. When my feet touched the ground, I was quite glad that I didn't receive a shock from the headache. I released the breath that I was holding, and stood up before moving towards the door.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you."

I stopped in my track, and turned to see her sat perched on the edge of the window. She could have used the door! Besides, this wasn't really my house, and it wasn't like she'd need to be sneaky about this.

"Alice! Why don't you use the door like a normal person?" I frowned as she released a soft, melodic giggle. I fought to have my frown in place, but failed when a small smile tugged at the corner of my lips.

"I'm not normal, don't you remember?" She asked playfully before swinging her legs over the edge. I noticed then that she was holding a glass of water in one hand; the other hand was holding...something that I couldn't really see.

"Painkillers." Alice answered my unspoken curiosity as she moved fluidly over to me. She held out both of the items to me with a smile, yet it didn't reach her eyes.

I tentatively took the glass, popped the two painkillers in my mouth, drank the water and swallowed the pills. All the while, I know that Alice was watching me with a fascinated expression. "Thanks." I moved to set the glass on the night stand, but she had taken it and did it for me in less than a second.

"Edward's not back yet."

Her words came out as a statement more than a question. I sighed as I moved back towards the wall, and leaned my back against it. Why did she have to bring him up? I didn't really care whether or not he was back. I only cared about Renesmee. I hadn't seen her ever since I had awakened earlier.

"Where's Renesmee?" Avoiding the 'Edward topic' was the only thing that I wanted to do. He had done enough for me to handle; for my fragile heart to handle. I didn't want to go back to him, yet I didn't want to hurt him. I was stuck in the middle of an unwanted situation.

"She's with Rose and Jacob."

I raised an eyebrow after her answer. "I don't think it's safe for Renesmee to be with two people that hate each other, but love her."

"They know when to kill each other, Bella. They wouldn't do that in front of Nessie." She answered with a glint of amusement in her eyes, while I tried not to cringe at the nickname the family had given her.

"Is Jasper back?"

The atmosphere changed as soon as the question had been delivered. If the atmosphere wasn't tense before, then it was now. My eyes travelled over to where Alice sat on the edge of the bed, her face emotionless and I could tell that she had stopped breathing. There was something that she was hiding from me, and I wanted to know what it was. I know that she and Jasper left to get some help, but I didn't know why Alice had returned without him. I know that if he was back, I would appear to be very calm when I was angry at Alice earlier.

"No."

Came Alice's emotionless reply. What exactly did happen to them? I know that I shouldn't be prying, but I just wanted to know. Alice was the most important person in my life, and even though the love that I felt for her was different than the love that she felt for me, I'd still accept the fact that she was my best friend, and sister-in-law.

"Where is he?" I asked, knowing full well that she was now masking her pain with a blank face. It hurt me to see her like this, but if I didn't know what happened then I couldn't comfort her, or try to sympathize.

"Mexico."

She didn't need to say no more, even though her answers had been a one word answer ever since I asked about Jasper. I lifted off the wall and moved over to her. I know that she heard me, but she didn't make any movement when I pulled her into a comforting embrace. I tightened my hold around her, and a minute later her body started to tremble. Her hands reached up and clung onto me, as if I would be able to bring Jasper back to the family. The thing was, I wanted to, but I just didn't know how. Not to mention with me being a human and all.

"I'm sure he'll come back." I tried to make my voice as soothing as I possibly could, but I know that I couldn't do it, not when I so much wanted to cry with her – even if she wouldn't shed a tear.

She didn't respond to that then. She just continued to sob in my arms, unable to control the sob when I know that she didn't want to appear weak, and vulnerable. No one wanted to appear weak and vulnerable, not even the indestructible vampires could get away with these ugly and uncomfortable feelings. However, to see the so ever bubbly and cheerful Alice in such a state, my heart couldn't help but weep with her.

"Alice, please, he'll come back." I uttered these words once more, and even though I wanted so much to at least add I Promise after that one sentence, I just couldn't. How was I to be sure that Jasper would come back? Not to mention, how was I to be sure that whatever Jasper was doing down in Mexico, would be any good news for us? So those questions hung in the air, while both Alice and I stayed in our position; comforting and weeping. That didn't stay long, not when Alice had forced herself to come back to her usual herself. I wondered if she knew how strong she was being – for me – at this moment.

She pulled away from my embrace, and that didn't take her that much effort to do so. She wiped the imaginary tears from her eyes, even though her face was still pale, smooth and beyond perfection in my eyes. She looked up at me with those painful eyes that she was trying to hide by masking that emotion. She gave me a smile, a smile that I know was supposed to be a reassurance smile. "Yes, he'll come back, eventually."

Eventually, I repeated the word in my mind. He'd definitely come back. They were inseparable, until now because of me. And right now, the chance of knowing exactly what he was doing in Mexico, arisen. "If you don't mind me asking, what is he doing in Mexico?"

Once again, Alice tensed but wasn't for long. She tipped her head down, bit on her bottom lip before letting out a quiet sigh that I know if I hadn't been listening to her, I would miss it. "Finding help...within his first encounter."

Her voice was full of pain, or did it intensify? It did intensified, because her body was shaking again from the uncontrollable sob. However, she managed stay strong, even though that I couldn't even stay strong for her. What was so important that Jasper couldn't come back with Alice? His first encounter...Now that I thought about it more, I know exactly who Alice was mentioning. But, why her of all the people? I may not remember much from what Jasper had told me about my past, not with all of these stress just kept on building up on me, but I did remember her name and what she had done to Jasper. But, why her?

"Maria." There was so question behind my tone. It was a surprise and shocking realization that was kept in a minimum bay. And with Alice's head slowly bopping down in confirmation, there was no misunderstanding from why Jasper had gone down to Mexico to find help.

I sat on the bed and pondered any reasonable excuses that Jasper could possibly go back and ask for help from a vampire that wanted nothing more but power. He must had told Alice this, and since I know that Alice would see his future, I decided to ask why.

"He thinks that it would help us if the Volturi was to attack." She spoke before I could even ask her the question, but at least she was saving time. Wait, why was she saving time? At least I didn't have the pull to ask her that.

"If the Volturi attack, no one would be able to protect me." That was true. I was still a mere human, and I know that Aro was interested in my power; my ability to block all kind of mental powers.

"I'm sure Edward would be able to protect you." She replied but those words didn't sound that convincing. We both knew what Edward was going to do to me if she hadn't come back.

"I'm sure he would find me the most delicious meal on the battlefield." I know that there was no time for sarcasm, but at least that was half the truth. "If you change me, I could help so much, but I guess there isn't much time." Time, even though time didn't mean anything for a vampire, but it meant everything for a human. Right now, time meant everything to all of the vampires in this household, and somehow it meant nothing to me.

Alice sighed, shook her head gently and looked up at me. The pains in her eyes were half way gone, and it was replaced by the love and...regret. Was she regretting for not changing me when I asked her to? Was she regretting for having a human me as a friend, a sister-in-law, and now a burden to protect? I just wanted to dig up and hole and live in it, for all the rest of my humanity at this moment.

"Bella." She softly spoke my name, and her hand was still reaching up and cupping the side of my cheek. Instinctively, I leant my face against her palm as her thumb stroked gently across my breakable skin. "If he cannot protect you, then I will. I will sacrifice myself if it means you'd be alive."

I know that family would sacrifice themselves for the other member, but why would she do that and leave Jasper behind? My life wasn't that important, and Edward had proven that point when he didn't change me. So even if I died, I was sure that he would find someone else, someone that would live with him for all eternity. Someone that he didn't need to transfer his venom into.

"Why? I know that I'm your best friend, and your sister-in-law, but why would you go to that extent?"

The pain that Jasper had caused her was now completely gone in her eyes, and now her eyes were speaking the full volume of love. Love, what kind of love that she was feeling for me? Was it the same kind that I felt for her, and continue to feel?

"Because, Bella, I couldn't live without knowing that you are safe, and alive." And here I thought that Edward would be saying these exact words, with exact devotion and committed in his tone. Yet, he had said it so many time, and always left uncertainty in my heart. With Alice, it was completely different. I trusted her with my life, and I would continue to do so.

"And Jasper?" Despite the fact that returning to this topic would cause her pain, like the pain that was slowly returning back into her eyes, I wanted to know if Jasper would go to the end of the earth with her.

"Jasper and I are slowly breaking our bond."

A/N:

Dun dun dun. Updated once more. Thanks for the boring breaks that I get from classes, or the boring lecture.

Thanks for reading and reviewing. =]