Thank you to Sweetsugarhoney, who helped me realize that I was pushing Alice away. So I decided to fix that with this chapter.
Alice POV
I sat in the car next to Jasper, absently stroking his curls. His head was on my shoulder and he was very quiet.
After Charlotte had lectured and ranted at me for a long hour, she made me see how unfair I had been to Jasper. He needed me and I was being so selfish, trying to make him stay at home and not go to get this cure.
So I'd sworn to myself that I would always be there for Jasper from now on. I would never hurt him like that again.
"Alice?" Jasper's voice was faint.
"Yes?"
"I think… I think Carlisle needs to pull over."
Looking down at him in alarm, I saw that his face was white, paler than pale, and he was struggling to sit up.
"Pull over! Jasper's going to throw up!" I said urgently.
Carlisle swerved to the side of the road and Peter was instantly beside the door, helping Jasper out of the car.
When he finished puking, he got back into the car, looking absolutely miserable. I helped him get settle beside me with a trash bag now in his lap, my heart aching for him.
He retched a few more times, but it was not productive.
I leaned forward. "Wouldn't it be easier to just run with him?" I whispered to Peter. "We don't want him puking on the plane."
Emmett raised his eyebrows, even though I wasn't talking to him.
"And we want him to puke all over our clothes?"
We both ignored him.
"Well, it could be easier to run with him," Peter said. "But the speed could make him sick."
Jasper gagged miserably.
"He's fine," Carlisle told us quietly. "He could be a lot sicker."
"If this is what 'fine' feels like," Jasper choked, "then go ahead and-"
Emmett laughed, but I was turning on my husband. "Don't you dare talk like that! That's not funny, Jazz!"
"So are we running?" Peter asked before Jasper could respond.
"No," Carlisle said firmly. "He'll be cold and even more ill if we try to run him to Italy. And it will take too long. It could be too late by the time we get there."
No one spoke, that terrible thought of being too late in our minds. I was so absorbed in trying to soothe Jasper that Carlisle had to tell me three times that it was time to get out of the car.
I put the earbuds to my IPod in Jasper's ears so that he could listen to it on the plane, hoping that it would distract him from his sickness. I just looked aimlessly around, trying to see something, anything, that would tell me he was going to be okay.
When we finally landed, I insisted that Jasper be taken to a hotel so that he could rest. To my relief, they finally agreed on something with me. Peter even said that he and Carlisle would go to see Aro with the venom alone if Jasper didn't feel up to it.
Imagine my disappointment when Jasper wanted to go.
For one of the first times since I met him, I couldn't understand his reasoning for something.
Why would he want to go to Volterra, when he could stay here safely and rest with Emmett and me protecting him?
Carlisle reluctantly admitted that it might be best for Jasper to go anyway, in case Aro could get the cure ready quickly.
"But why should he go?" I protested. "He's so weak. Won't it be bad for him?"
"No," Carlisle said patiently. "He needs to go, Alice. Please don't start this again. You've been very cooperative and I'd rather not see you start arguing with us again."
I turned away from him. I knew perfectly well that I was being unreasonable, but I didn't give a damn. Taking Jasper to the Volturi was dangerous. This was ridiculous. Why couldn't he just stay here?
"Alice." Jasper's voice was barely a whisper now. I knelt beside him and took his hand.
"What is it, baby?"
"Are we going to the Volturi today?"
I frowned, realizing I didn't know. I searched the future.
"Yes. We'll go this evening. But I don't know when Aro will have your cure ready. I can't see that. Why don't you try and rest for a little while?"
"I'm not tired."
"I didn't say you have to sleep. Just lie there and rest." I wasn't in the mood for him to complain.
He seemed to realize that and nodded, becoming quiet. I sat next to him and watched Carlisle talk to Peter, rubbing Jasper's back gently.
Jasper remained quiet until it was time to leave for Volterra. Charlotte had stolen a car and it was waiting out front.
"Am I going to Volterra with you all, or do you intend to continue ignoring me?" she questioned sourly. We had kind of been ignoring her. I'd barely noticed she was here until now, she'd been so silent.
Guilt flashed across Peter's face briefly. "Sorry, Char, I've just been caught up in all this…" he waved a hand vaguely.
"Whatever. You're fine." She rolled her eyes and went out the door. We all followed her, me half-carrying Jasper, down to the car she'd stolen.
It was a short drive to Volterra, but Jasper was coughing badly by the time we got there.
"My dear friends!" Aro cried as we entered the huge room. "You have returned so soon! Have you brought me the venom?"
"Yes," Peter said shortly, holding out the tiny vial.
Aro took it and examined it, peering at it with cloudy red eyes. He even opened it and sniffed it, then let a drop fall on his hand. I wanted to scream at him for wasting the precious sample that would save Jasper's life.
"Ah," he said finally. "I believe this will help me in creating a cure."
I sighed in relief.
"Demetri," he called. "Please take this and put it in my rooms."
"You aren't starting now?" My voice was sharp.
"Silly girl. It could be weeks before this cure is ready. Do you not understand the time it takes for these things?" He cocked his head to the side, smiling mysteriously.
"No!" I cried. I couldn't help myself. "Look at him! He's dying! We need it as soon as possible!"
"Alice, I am very sorry, dear one, but it does take time for these things."
"Please!" I begged, ignoring the glare Peter was sending my way. "It needs to be finished. We need it. Can't you start on it now?"
For the first time, Caius Volturi spoke.
"If we were to start preparing it now, what would you be willing to give up in return?"
As for Lost and Found, that will be continued. I am writing the next chapter now, and I will not be taking it down. :) I can't say when I will be updating Hurt, because as of right now I have not been writing the next chapter... I only have the start of it written.
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