Chapter Thirteen: All Nightmares come to an end
He rushed through the store, heading quickly into the storage section, and he saw a blonde man standing over Alice's tiny body James his thoughts snarled.
He growled at the intruder, rushing at him before he even thought about moving, and their bodies hit the floor. He heard a satisfying crunch coming from James' body.
He punched James hard in the face, watching with a sick fascination as blood began to pour from the hopefully broken nose.He missed the fist flying at his own face, realising to late as it connected with his jaw, sending him flying backwards, but he recovered quickly, grabbing James again, he couldn't let him get away. He had to pay for what he had done. He felt arms pulling him off, and he tried to fight them. He felt the need to hurt and kill the evil in front of him.
"JASPER LET GO" shouted the voice of the person pulling him away, and he recognized it as Emmett. "Jasper, Officer Parker's got him, let go, Alice needs you" Emmett said again Alice the name rang through his being, and he went limp in the strong arms, letting the police pull James away from him in a firm hold.
"Alice" he said turning around to where she had been lying. Rosalie was bent over her still form. He scrambled to his feet, almost tripping over in his rush to get to her side "Alice" he said again grabbing her hand in his, and he truly noticed how much smaller than him she was.
"Alice darlin', you have to wake up now" he whispered his face close to her ear "We've got him; he will never hurt you again".
"Rosalie when does the ambulance get here" shouted Emmett from behind them, giving the slumped body of James a kick as he passed.
"They said ten minutes; there's been an accident on the roads" she moved closer to them "Is she going to be OK?" she asked worry in her voice.
He looked up at her shaking his head, he didn't know, he looked back down at her still form, her eyes shut and breathing low nooooo! His mind screamed it can't end like this I haven't told her I love her.
"Emmett, give me your belt, and grab some of the cotton skirts" said Rosalie, he saw Emmett standing still confusion etched across his face, at his confused look she stopped "I need to stop the bleeding I think I can make a bandage and tourniquet out of your belt".
He glanced up at his sister, her face set with concentration and he hadn't ever been so glad that she had paid attention when their father had taught them first aid for all situations. Emmett came back quickly, handing her the skirts and pulled off his belt quickly handing it over.
He squeezed Alice's hand tightly "come on darlin', you can't leave me like this" he pleaded with her; he could see Rosalie wadding up the skirts and getting Emmett to hold them tight against Alice's stomach. He just whispered words of love and promises as she cried out in pain; he kissed her forehead and told her to hold on as Rosalie tied the belt around her tightly.
He blinked rapidly, trying to dispel the tears that where pouring from his eyes, and he quickly wiped them away as they continued to fall. He could hear sirens now getting closer, and he breathed a little easier. They would help; she would be fine.
He lent closer "helps almost here pixie" he said, finally saying the nickname he had, had for her since he saw her out loud "so you have to hang on a little bit longer, I can't do any of this without you because I love you Alice" he whispered his tears falling into her hair.
They all jumped slightly as they heard the door in the main shop burst open and voices begin to shout.
"Where back here" called Rosalie running out to grab the paramedics.
A chocking cough brought his attention back down to Alice, seeing her eyes flutter open "Jazz" she sighed softly, her face screwed up in pain.
"Shh, helps arrived and we have James. You just have to hold on for a little while longer; we will get you to the hospital soon"
She nodded, a little bit gasping as she tried to move her body "I love you too Jazz" she whispered, groaning as she shifted again at the pain flaring from the bullet wound.
"Sir you need to step back so we can help her" said one of the paramedics, and he felt himself being pulled back, letting Alice's hand fall from his own. He looked to see who was holding him surprised to see his sister behind him. He turned to her and hugged her close.
Everything past in a blur as they lifted Alice out of the stock room and into the ambulance, the police dragging a still unconscious James into the police car.
They made their own way to the hospital, to sit in the small room, waiting for any news on her condition.
He looked up suddenly remembering Emmett, Alice's brother who would be hurting just like him he could see the larger man sitting on the other couch, his face a bland mask not revealing the pain that he knew lay just beneath the surface as he could see the tear tracks on his stony face.
He saw Rosalie sitting with him, one of her delicate pale hands clutched within his own, giving comfort the only way she knew how, through contact to a man who so needed it. He looked down at his own hands, noting the blood on his fingers where he had clutched Alice's hand so tightly.
Hours had past with little word from the surgical team. Bella had shown up at some point with a worried and quiet Ollie who ran straight towards Emmett, seeking protection from the scary world he had been pushed into.
Violet was also subdued and sat with his mother quietly, knowing that her daddy needed space.
"Mr Brandon" called a doctor as he entered the room, and all heads looked up, causing the doctor to stumble over his next words.
"How is she doc?" asked Emmett his voice hoarse as he stood up, worry pouring off him.
"We were able to remove the bullet. She has stabilized and is now in intensive care. She had sever internal bleeding which we managed to stop and will be monitoring her progress over the next several days for any signs that an infection has spread." They all nodded, only half of the words making sense but he knew later his father or Edward would explain it again.
"She won't be awake for another couple of hours but she can have a few visitors" he said nodding to them, and Carlisle walked him out of the room, no doubt wanting to hear the full story of the operation and after care.
Emmett walked back over to where Ollie was now sitting on Rosalie's lap, "Come on little man, we can go and see your mom for a little bit" he said helping him down and holding his hand.
"You too Jasper" said Emmett stopping as they got to the door, looking over at him. He looked up suddenly at him, he nodded quickly and stood up, and his mother gave him a tight smile before he was following them down to Alice's room.
They approached the white room, and he could see her through the window. She looked so tiny and ill laying against the white sheets and pillow, with machines beeping at intermittent intervals.
They stepped through the door, Emmett slowly guiding Ollie to her side and gently picking him up to show him that Mommy was just sleeping.
"See like I said" said Emmett, and he could tell he was trying to hold back the tears.
Ollie nodded taking it all in, and he slowly lent forward to give her a kiss on her cheek, and gently whispered something to her before Emmett placed him back on the ground.
The clicking of heels on the floor caught his attention, and he turned to see Rosalie standing by the window. She opened the door slightly. "I thought I would come pick up Ollie so you boys could be alone" she said smiling lightly "We can get some juice and a sandwich" she said turning to the young boy who looked at him for approval. He nodded his head and watched as Rosalie took his little hand, walking him back to the others, while he and Emmett were left as faithful watchers.
They both took a seat on either side of her still form; he slowly reached for her hand, needing the contact to reassure himself that she was real.
"I wish I had protected her better, paid more attention to our friends" said Emmett suddenly, breaking the oppressive silence.
He looked up at the larger man, pulled from his own thoughts. "Do you think that would have helped?" he asked.
"Probably not" Emmett replied. "I just can't help but think I should have seen something" he said.
He nodded "I wish I had gone with her into the stock room, or met her years earlier" letting Emmett know he wasn't alone in feeling this guilt.
"Your good for her, anyone can see it", he blinked slowly, taken aback by the comment.
"Well she's good for me to, after Violet's mother Maria left I thought I would never find anyone else that I would love but then Alice danced right into my life and I fell for her hard" a genuine smile appearing as he looked down at her.
"It's good to know, and she feels the same way, she will never be happier than she is with you" said Emmett, gently holding her other hand.
They both lapsed into silence then, lost in their thoughts and wishes of what if's, the hours passed with other family members appearing, wanting to see her, check on her and reassure themselves.
He was dozing in the chair when he felt the hand he was holding twitch slightly, and he opened his eyes quickly "Emmett" he said waking up the other man
"What?" asked Emmett jerking awake, and he looked down to see Alice's eyes open slowly.
"Alice" Emmett sighed, a grin spreading across his features "You had us worried there for a little bit" he leaned forward, kissing her forehead softly.
Alice smiled weakly "sorry" she whispered.
He couldn't say anything, not with the large lump in his throat that wouldn't go away no matter how much he swallowed.
Alice turned to him her eyes lighting up as she saw him "Jazz" she called softly.
"Alice" he sobbed, tears pouring down his cheeks as he buried his head in the pillow near her shoulder and gripped her hand "I thought I lost you" he choked out.
"Oh Jasper" she said softly, causing him to look up at her; he was startled to find that Emmett had left them alone, he hadn't heard him leave.
"Please don't do that ever again, I can't lose you" he softly kissed her lips being gentle of the bruise that was blooming on her face.
She slowly kissed him back. He gently pulled back from her "Marry me?" he asked
"What?" she asked, trying to sit up and wincing as her stitches pulled, he quickly placed a hand on her shoulder getting her to lay still.
"Marry me Alice?" he asked again, smiling now at the confusion in those beautiful green eyes he had fallen in love with
"Jasper, no, we can't, you're just in shock" she choked out, tears filling her eyes.
"Alice shut up, I love you, you do remember me telling you that at the shop, and I never want to be without you, so please Alice Brandon, will you marry me?" he asked one last time. He watched as she looked up at him, her eyes wide with shock and confusion, but he could see the acceptance and love growing.
"Yes" she whispered hoarsely "of course I'll marry you".
He lent down and kissed her, happiness flooding him as well as the relief that she was here and she was his.
"They have him right?" she asked, looking at him, slight worry lingering at the back of her eyes.
"Yes, they have him he won't ever get you again" he said "I wish I had gone with you to the storage room" he whispered.
"Jazz, he would have killed you; he only missed because I tripped, so don't blame yourself, I'm just glad it's over" she said smiling warmly up at him.
He sighed "Me too" he kissed her again, and gently stroked her hand and watched as she slowly fell asleep once more.
Thank you to all who read this chapter I hope you enjoyed it
Disclaimer: all the adult Cullen's, Brandon's, Nessie and Jake belong to Stephanie Meyer; the other kids are all my own imagination