Ok, for the millionth time, wrote this while needing to study for a test…this is SUCh a bad habit of mine. LOL but I am going to study now so…yeah. At least I got done somewhat on time. this chap ends MUCH sooner than I thought it would, mostly because it was already pretty long and I decided the rest of the stuff I had planned for this chapter just didn't really fit…and I found a good stopping place.

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Alice

Come on, come on, come on…anything…anything at all….Damn it.

It had never worked before, but I couldn't help trying to induce one of my visions. I had tried it so many times, but it was really pointless. I guess that was, in a way, asking too much. I mean really, I was impossibly lucky that I ever say anything at all, it was probably greedy to want to be able to choose what I saw. Still, I really really couldn't help it.

If only I knew how my conversation with Billy would play out if I tried it in the morning; if it would work differently if I tried it that afternoon, after band practice. Conversations with him were always a war these days. It was worse with him than with my parents, honestly, because we had always been so close. I was his sometimes annoying shadow, and he was my absolutely incredible big brother, and no matter how we had fought over the years I could never remember a dispute that had lasted more than a day. We worked things out well, always, and even if one of us was hiding something from mom or dad we could always count on each other to tell the truth.

Which was why my visions had hurt him so badly, and why his behavior had hurt me in return. He thought I was lying, even to him, that I was pulling some crazy, stupid, attention grabbing stunt. I, on the other, knew I wasn't lying, and his inability to believe me left a hole in my chest I couldn't quite fix. I wanted to not care quite so much, and it had gotten better, but I still couldn't help it. I had always loved having a brother to count on and it was so much harder than I would have ever thought to lose him like this.

My phone buzzed across the surface of my desk, drawing me out of my thoughts. I launched across my bed, reaching over to pull it up, read the lit screen. Maybe, maybe…oh. No, it was Tyson. I sighed, pulled the phone into my hand and pushed a button on the side, felt the vibrations stop. I didn't think I was ready to talk to him, really. Of course, I was much less hurt than I should have been, much less hurt than I would have been if I would have been in love with him. But though I did love him, I had never been in love with him, and once I got over the initial betrayal it was surprisingly bearable. Especially since I had Jasper, now. No matter what had or hadn't happened between us yet I knew it, more surely than I had ever known anything. This would have been the one thing I would have been willing to bet on even without my visions. It was beyond certain, far deeper than that. It was something I could feel every time he touched me, a blinding spark that left my skin burning despite his cold skin, something I could feel in the almost frantic pull that had taken root in my chest, a pain that only lessened now when I could see him, lessened further the closer I was to him.

The phone in my hands vibrated again. Well, he was nothing if not persistent when he wanted to be. I flipped the phone open. "I'm not talking to you, Tyson."

"Alice, wait. Just hear me out for a minute, ok?" I was silent, holding the phone out in front of me rather than to my ear. "Alice?"

"I didn't hang up, did I?"

I heard him take a deep breath, heard his soft laugh. "No, no you didn't. Alright, most importantly, I'm sorry for what I said yesterday. It was stupid, and I was angry, and…well, I didn't mean it, Alice. You know I didn't."

I did, really. Like I had told Jasper, he wasn't a bad person. "Apology accepted."

"And I'm sorry for…for what happened with her."

I paused, eased the phone closer to hold properly. "That'll take longer, so skip it for now. Cause right now, you're still a jerk."

"I know." He sounded a little pained, and I could hear him almost start a couple of times before he found the right word. "Do you think we-"

"No."

He sighed, long. "Yeah. I didn't think so."

He sounded so defeated, and I didn't like it. He would be alright, I didn't want him to think he wouldn't. "Come on. You know we…I'll forgive you, Tyson, and we'll be friends again. I know that, and you do too. But this…it just wasn't really working. I think you know that."

"I hoped it would."

I smiled, enjoying his sincerity. "Yeah. Yeah, me too. But it didn't, for either of us, and we'll be ok."

"So. Jasper, huh?" His words were tight, but I could still hear the sincerity there, his genuine desire to make things something like they used to be between us.

"Yes. But he isn't the one who told me, Tyson. Really."

"Yeah, ok. I believe you. Still…moved in pretty fast. And we don't really know anything about this guy."

I rolled my eyes. "Don't worry, you've already taught me what a creep acts like." I snapped it a little harsher than I intended and I winced, took it back. "Sorry. That was low, huh?"

"Eh, it's ok. Probably only fair, right?"

"Yeah. Anyway, he's not…" What could I say? What did I really know about Jasper? Nothing I could put into words, certainly. I knew only that he wouldn't hurt me, that I was assured of that fact. But I didn't know it in a way I could explain to Tyson, or anyone else. "He's a good guy."

I could hear him shuffling around in his car and I looked at the clock. 7. He was on his way to work. "Let me ask you one thing, mija."

I smiled, leaned back against the wall. I was glad, now, that I had answered the phone. I loved this side of him. Talking easily with him, listening to his warm, familiar voice. "One thing only, I'll hold you to that."

"I can handle that." He was smiling now, too. "You wanted this. You wanted him. From the first day."

It wasn't even really a question, and not for the first time I wondered if he was more observant than I gave him credit for. "Yeah. Yeah, I did."

"Yeah, ok. I thought, maybe. I mean I didn't, at the time. Anyway, alright. I understand. I hope he's what you think he is, Alice." His voice was a little tighter again, now, and I knew it would likely be a long time before he completely accepted what I knew we could both already see. Things were better, like this. I only wished he could see it as clearly as I could.

"He is. But you're almost to the store, you have to go."

"Yes."

"I still haven't forgiven you."

He laughed, almost natural. "I know. Does it help if I say it really was stupid? And that she's an airhead?"

"Honey, I already knew both of those things. But thank you all the same. Goodnight."

"Goodnight."

I clicked the phone shut, let it fall from my hand to the bed. Well, at least we had made a step forward. He wasn't as upset as I had feared, and that brought me more relief than I could say. As much of an ass as he had been, that past week and who knew how many other times, he was a good friend. I wanted him to be happy too.

'''''''''''''''''''''''''''

I was waiting for Billy in his truck when he came out, not surprised in the least at the look on his face when he saw me. It was that 'what is she doing here?' look that he gave me every time he saw me now. After that last time he had yelled at me at school for saving his life(though clearly, he didn't see it that way), he hadn't spoken to me at all. I was tired of flinching.

"Sorry, Billy. I needed a ride."

He nodded, though he slammed the back door when he threw his bag in. I hated this. I hated everything about it, and I wished I didn't need to ask him for anything. It hurt too much, it was just too hard. But if I was going to that dance with Jasper, then I needed to find the dress I had seen in my vision. Of course, I needed a new one anyway, nothing I had would do for this occasion, and while I didn't have much money…well, I'd figure it out somehow. I had seen it, I must be able to find it. It was a beautiful cobalt blue, simple, uneven on the bottom with a beautifully black edged fringe. It had looked great on me. And besides needing it for myself, I wanted desperately to be beautiful in his eyes.

But going shopping meant I needed a ride, and considering my parents had sold my car when I had told them about the visions, and I wasn't about to ask Tyson for this, Billy was my only option. We were halfway to school before I got up the nerve to speak. "Billy?"

He twitched, his hands tightening on the wheel. "Hm?"

"I…could you give me a ride into Port Angeles later? I'm sorry, but I need to go shopping, and there's no one else to drive me…"

"Tyson?"

Quietly, I shook my head.

"Hm." For awhile, I was afraid that was going to be his answer, a no by default. He spoke again, though, when he was pulling into the parking lot. "Don't know."

My heart leaped, my brain chastising me, telling me how stupid it was to be happy at his slight decrease in hostility. "But maybe?"

"…yeah. Maybe. If I'm going." He finished parking, then, and hopped out of the car, grabbing his bag and starting up the hill without waiting for me. I sighed, leaning back against the seat. Well, maybe pretty much always meant no, but it was better than nothing.

Something tapped softly on the window, and I almost jumped out of my skin. The shock passed almost instantly into perfect calm, even before I could turn my head and register that there was no threat. I pulled the lever and pushed the door open just enough to slip out, grinning.

He was smiling too, and he reached around me and into the car to take my shoulder bag. "Sorry I startled you."

"No, it's fine. Hey."

"Good morning." I reached out for my bag but he shook his head once and pulled it away from me, draping it over his own shoulder. "Your talk with your brother, how did it go?"

"Oh…better than I expected." I shrugged. "Hard to say." I looked over at him then and caught a look that seemed somewhere between anger and worry, but it passed too quickly for me to be sure.

"Good."

He was so close, on my left side. This close, I could smell his wonderful scent, a scent that defied description, really. Cinnamon and sandalwood and other things that at the moment I couldn't quite place. It was just Jasper. Slowly, unsure if I could, I slid my hand into his. I heard his sharp intake of breath, his fingers closing instantly around mine and gripping tight. My heart swelled in my chest, and I knew I was probably grinning like an idiot. So, this was ok with him. More than ok, based on the way he was holding on. "You know, we still haven't finished that project."

He laughed softly, and I turned to look at him, a shock jolting through me at the way his hair fell over his golden eyes. The mischievous smirk on his face would have probably made me curious, if I could have spared curiosity a thought. As it was, I could spare nothing a thought while I was looking at him. "Don't worry about it. I'll do it, and I'll give the two of you whatever information you need."

"But you don't have to-"

He waved his other hand at me, that same adorable smirk still in place. "Seriously, it'll take me five minutes, I promise. Don't worry about it."

Alright, so that was something new about him. Well, not really new, just…more. I had known he was into history, the civil war and Texas in particular, but apparently he wasn't just into it, he knew a lot about it. Automatically, I rubbed my thumb across his skin, needing the extra contact. Everything I learned slid something else into place about this man I loved so much but knew so little about. "Alright then. Thanks."

"No problem." We were at the building now, and he very reluctantly handed my bag over to me, draping the strap gently over my shoulder. His hand brushed the bare skin just above the collar of my shirt and I could feel the flash burn underneath. "Have a good morning."

"You too." The thought hit me then, and I called out to stop him. "Wait, Jasper!"

He stopped on a dime, turning to face me, the look in his eyes perfectly interested and somehow hopeful.

"My brother…he didn't exactly give me an answer this morning. But the band is practicing down on the practice field during our lunch, so I think I should go talk to him then. See what he says. If you could meet me after…?"

He nodded. "Of course."

Good. With him to look forward to, I might be able to get through another of those impossibly hard conversations.

''''''''''''''''''''''''''

They were on their way out when I came up, and I was lucky that he was always one of the last ones. I waited until they were almost all gone, and those closest to him were definitely caught up in their own conversations and paying me no attention. "Billy?"

He jerked, his eyes cold when they came to rest on me.

"I'm sorry, I was just wondering if you-"

"Yeah. And no, I can't."

I took a deep breath, tried to calm the mix of anger and hurt that was clawing at me. "Billy…" And somehow, then, it was all too much. Something about my own voice saying his name that way, pleading, begging…it reminded me too much of how things had been, before. Reminded me of every reason I hated the way things were now. "Billy, please, I'm sorry ok? Please, I hate this, can't we just-"

"Can't we just what, Alice?" He was yelling, now, and I flinched, looked away. "Go back to the way things were before? You ruined that. You ruined everything, for the whole family! So don't you tell me this is my goddamned problem, alright? I didn't do this. You did!"

"Fine! I did it, it's all me, all my fault because I wouldn't let you-"

"Oh don't even-"

"NO!" I was close to him now, screaming right back. He was taller, more intimidating, but I didn't care. "No! It's the truth, Billy! When have I ever lied to you?"

"You never did before."

"And I'm not lying now! Can't you see that? I was only trying to look out for you!" I realized, absently, that I was crying and I brushed a tear away angrily. "Please, Billy….I just…you're my brother. Please, trust me."

He shook his head, a look of disgust still on his face. He moved to walk away but I couldn't let him go yet. I caught his wrist, and he wheeled on me, furious. "I can't trust you , Alice, because it's impossible, ok? Nobody sees the future, Alice. Nobody. You weren't saving me from anything. Either you're crazy, or you're lying, and I think you're too damn smart to be crazy, so that means you have to be lying to me. And I don't care why anymore. I used to, but I just don't care now, alright? Just let it go. And leave me the hell alone. Can you do that?"

There was a low, deep noise from behind me then, though it sounded more like the growl of an angry lion than anything human. I was halfway through turning my head to look when I caught the expression on Jasper's face, and it effectively froze me in place. He looked past furious. Almost past murderous, even. He came up behind me slowly, and I felt his hand come down surprisingly gently on my shoulder.

"Get your hand off her." His words were calm but colder than steel, and I felt Billy release the grip I hadn't even known he had had on my arm.

"So you're the new guy?" He looked Jasper up and down, and I had to hand it to him, really. He was almost able to look entirely unafraid.

"He's not just the 'new guy', Billy, don't-" Jasper squeezed my shoulder gently, and I stopped.

"Jasper Hale." His voice had not warmed a single degree. "Leave us. Conversation's over, you're done here."

Billy laughed, a little nervous but mostly full of derision. "What are you, a jedi?"

"No, I'm telling you you're done or I'm going to break your wrist, which is what I should have done to begin with. Go. Now."

I expected him to fight back harder, really, but then again, the look on Jasper's face right then possibly could have stopped an army. He glared, then shrugged before stalking off. He muttered something I couldn't catch under his breath, but I thought that Jasper must have heard it because I could feel his grip on me tighten. I took a deep, steadying breath. "Jasper, I-"

"Did he hurt you?" He turned me to face him so fast I almost didn't feel the movement, his gentle hands pulling my arm up, fingers trailing over the skin where Billy had held my arm.

His touch was distracting, and for a moment I couldn't focus. "I…I…" I shook my head a little, tried to clear it. It didn't really work, not with his hands still on me. "No, I'm alright."

"You're sure? Could leave a bruise…" He muttered it almost to himself, fingers trailing over my arm again. "He had no right to talk to you like that, it doesn't matter if he is your brother. That's not the way a decent man behaves with a woman."

There was something about the way he talked that I was really only noticing just now, something strange about some of phrases that maybe I should have caught all along. Something…proper, correct, almost aged. Most men couldn't have cared less how they spoke to women, now. Price you had to pay for equality, I guess, but somehow I loved his view of it, or maybe just the way he said it. So sincere.

I was so caught up in the beauty of his words that it took me a moment to actually process everything he had said, but when I did I could feel all the blood drain from my face. "How…how much did you hear?" But I knew the answer already, knew that he had to have heard. I was trembling instantly, the terror intense beyond belief. I was going to lose him. He would be right there with them all, thinking I was crazy, calling me a liar, an addict, anything that could explain me away.

"Alice." The terror was gone then, wiped away for a fraction of a second. I could feel it rising in my chest, keeping me from even looking up at him when he said my name. Quickly but carefully his hands came up to cradle my face, and though I still wanted to be afraid, knew that I should be afraid, I wasn't. "Alice, honey, calm down. Everything's alright. Hey…" There was something coaxing in his voice, and I finally looked up, was drawn in by the tenderness in his eyes, more than I had ever seen. It was breathtaking. "That's it, look at me. Everything's alright."

"Then…you…you didn't hear-" But he had to have, didn't he? And if he hadn't, now he was only going to wonder what I was hiding… For reasons I couldn't explain, I still couldn't be afraid.

"I heard everything he said. I'm kind of sorry to admit this, but I followed you, I wanted to be ready to meet you right when you were done. I heard everything. No, don't, just listen." He must have seen the panic rising in my eyes. "I believe you."

I had never in all my life heard such beautiful words. After so long of being yelled at and insulted, it sounded borderline as good as hearing an 'I love you' would have been. Although, I couldn't really judge, as I had never heard him say it, and I knew his 'I love you' would be the only one that could ever possibly top this. Normally, I would have doubted his sincerity. No one believed me. But standing here, looking into his eyes, how could I? I could see it there, the absolute truth of it. He believed me. Jasper believed me, no questions asked.

I responded in the first way that came to mind and flung my arms around him, burying my face in his chest. I felt him tense immediately, and some form of sanity came back to me. Oh, you shouldn't have done that. Idiot. I moved instantly to let him go, to pull away but he wouldn't let me, one arm coming around to firmly encircle me, keeping me close. He was still tense, though, and I felt guilty for pushing him. "Sorry…"

He sighed, and it sounded angry. "Don't be sorry, Alice, I'm not upset with you."

"With him?" I pulled back just a little, enough to look up at him. He nodded tightly.

"And myself."

"Why-" But talking wasn't important anymore, even to ask why. His right hand came up the cradle the back of my head, pull it in closer to him, encouraging me to bury my face against him as I had before. As if I needed much encouragement. I nuzzled against him happily, breathing him in. I knew, now, that I was irrevocably addicted to this scent. I wanted to be able to fall asleep with it on my pillow, to find it on my clothes, on everything. Jasper…

His fingers trailed gently through my hair, his arm sliding tighter around my waist. I felt his lips against my hair and I gasped softly, my hand tightening on his shirt. Just that simple, innocent touch and my heart was pounding ridiculously. Slowly, I tilted my head up to face him, my breath stopping when I saw that he was still only inches away. Less than that. He moved closer, his hand against my cheek now gently restraining.

"Don't move." I really doubted I could have moved even if I wanted to. The look in his eyes was mesmerizing, and he was close enough that I could feel his breath on my lips, almost taste him on the air. Never mind that I couldn't have moved anyway. He sounded so serious, so almost worried that I froze, barely even daring to breathe or blink. He moved closer with such deliberate slowness, as if every inch was somehow a mile until finally his lips brushed mine, barely at first. So soft, so brief I could barely feel it. "Alice…" I loved the way he said my name, always. But the way he said it now, his lips almost on mine as they moved… It was incredible. I was literally almost dying to close the non-distance between us, but I did as he had asked, only because it had seemed so important to him. Still, it was killing me.

Finally, his eyes locked with mine, he pressed his lips fully against my own. His eyes, then, were the most blindingly brilliant I had ever seen them. I could actually see the spark hit them before they fluttered closed, his lips moving cautiously against my own. My eyes fell closed as well, everything in me focused on the sensation of his kiss. It was slow, incredibly careful, nothing like the passion and fireworks in the vision I had seen. Still, there was a smoldering burn to it, a feeling that had me struggling not do a great number of things, all of which, of course, involved moving.

Far too soon he pulled back, and when my eyes opened and met his I could see an almost sparkling mix of awe and something like triumph in them. Something I could see let me know it was alright now to touch him, if I wanted, and my hand came up to curve against his cheek. He nuzzled against my palm, his eyes still dancing. His hand came up to catch mine, kissed the back of it gently before intertwining his fingers with mine and bringing our hands down to rest against his chest, still joined.

"I'm the only, aren't I? No one else believes you?"

"No one."

His eyes flashed dangerously. "Fools." And I could see that he meant it, his almost hatred for them so very clear in the way the word came off his tongue. His eyes gentle once more, he squeezed my hand. "Will you tell me, about the things you see?"

I smiled, laughed softly. I was giddy, almost high on happiness, on the almost unbelievable fact that he didn't think I was crazy. And I was most definitely still feeling the buzz of his kiss, the aftershocks of which I knew would be with me all day. "I'll tell you everything."

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:sigh: lucky Alice…