A/N: …hmmm…..nothing to say…..
Disclaimer: Twilight and all its characters belong to Stephenie Meyer. Daniela belongs to yours truly.
Today was the day. It was mere hours until we would stand face-to-face with the Volturi. After everyone got done hunting last night, we had headed to the clearing I had seen. Some of the wolves and Daniela and Renesmee were sleeping. Jacob had convinced Bella there was no safer place to have Nessie then with them.
Jasper stood still, watching the trees where the Volturi would appear. I walked over and took his hand in mine. He glanced over. "You're happy. About something in specific."
I smiled. "I found a way around."
He frowned. "Around what?"
"The wolves."
Jasper's eyes widened. "You can see again?" I nodded and he turned to me fully. "How?"
I shrugged. "I was working on it last night and I just…got around. I guess I was so determined that I finally found…some way and I can see again. There are still a lot of decisions to be made, but I know that we don't have to worry about Daniela."
"What do you mean?"
"Well, Daniela won't keep aging. We don't have to worry about that." I squeezed his hand. "She'll stop growing in about five or more years."
"At what age?"
"17. It's perfect, and the Volturi can't say anything about it because I'll just show Aro."
Jasper's smile melted into a frown. "I don't want him touching you."
"Come on Jazz, it's the only way."
He shook his head, but didn't say anything more. His eyes returned to the spot across the clearing. "How long do we have?"
I checked, focusing on the future. It was still fuzzy, but based on the brightness of the sky, I'd guess it was around noon. "Sometime around noon, so like a few hours."
Jasper took a deep breath and nodded. "Okay. We should have the wolves get up. In about an hour Daniela and Ness should be woken up."
"I'll go tell Sam," I told him and turned to go find the pack leader. Jasper didn't let go of my hand and I looked over my shoulder. "What?"
"I'll go with you." I shrugged it off. We found Sam, in human form, talking to Dad a little ways away.
Once we told Sam, he nodded and went to where the wolves were all sleeping. Daniela was sleeping with her head on Seth's shoulder and I smiled slightly. I might have been against it at first, but there was really no downside. It was obvious that Daniela adored Seth and vice versa.
Bella was still practicing her shielding with Edward and Kate. She had a look of frustration and concentration on her face. Edward kept telling her how well she was doing and finally she let out a breath and her shoulders slumped and groaned.
"You'll get it eventually, Bells," I called with a grin. She looked up and glared at me.
Of course I knew she'd get it eventually. The future wasn't solid, but I could see her in future time, shielding the whole family's thoughts from Edward as part of a joke. It seemed pretty easy for her then.
"You're so optimistic," Jasper stated, his lips pulling up slightly.
"Well…I have a reason." I reached up to kiss him quickly. "And besides, I kinda missed being the optimistic one that everyone can count on the say it's all going to be okay. If I'm not doing that, no one will."
Jasper smiled fully. "I'm glad. I missed optimistic Alice."
"She missed you too. Emo Alice isn't as fun."
He laughed and shook his head. "I know."
I hit him playfully and he winced. I grinned triumphantly.
Jasper looked over my shoulder and I scowled when I felt my sight go. It was one of the wolves. "When should I wake Daniela?" Seth asked, stopping beside us.
"About an hour," I answered. Jacob appeared behind Seth and I sighed.
"Wait a minute, you can 'see' again? Do we actually get to see this?" Jacob teased. "I heard from Bella that you get this…look."
"I can't see with you around. You block my sight, remember? When you're farther away, I can get around. Which means you have to stay back during the fight."
"What about Daniela?" Seth asked worriedly, joking aside.
"Don't worry, I'll be holding her. She is my daughter, Seth. I can protect her just as well."
Seth still seemed uneasy, but he nodded. "At the first sign of trouble, I'm moving up. I don't care what you say."
I sighed, but it was the best option. It was better than having him there the whole time and not being able to see. "Deal." Seth nodded solemnly.
Both Jacob and Seth went back over to the back and I turned back to Jasper. "So…what do you think is going to happen?"
Jasper's eyes narrowed. "Knowing the Volturi, they'll get their way somehow."
"That's not an answer."
"Honestly Ali, I'm not sure. I hate not knowing whether this are our last hours together. It's killing me." His pain, horror, and desperation washed over me and I felt my heart break. I hugged him tightly.
"Jazz, it's going to be fine. I might not be able to see for sure but…I know. Somehow I know. I guess it's just…intuition."
Jasper didn't say anything and we just held each other. I meant what I told him. Deep down, I knew that we'd be okay.
I pulled back slightly to meet his eyes. Through our gaze, I conveyed my hope and love to him. He didn't need his empathy to know what I was trying to tell him. He smiled slightly and leaned forward to kiss me. It was short, since we were in the company of other people, but still extremely meaningful.
"I love you Alice, more than you'll ever know," Jasper whispered, running his fingers through my hair.
"And I love you Jasper, more than anything," I murmured back, reaching down the lace our fingers together.
After an hour passed, Daniela and Renesmee were woken up and Seth came over. Jasper and I had just been watching the rest of the family, content without talking.
Daniela was sitting on Seth's shoulders, her tiny hands twisted into his hair. She cocked her head in question, probably feeling the feelings Jasper and I were having currently. Shit. Hopefully only the strong ones and not the undercurrent of lust I was feeling.
I held out my arms to Daniela and she climbed off of Seth and to me. "You're happy," she stated, smiling. I nodded.
"Yeah, I am. I have a new reason to be." I didn't elaborate, but she didn't really care and went on to the next thing she had to say.
Daniela pointed first at me, then Jasper. "Love."
"Yes, I love Daddy, a lot." I glanced at Jasper. "And I love you too, Daniela, just well, not in the same way."
She giggled. "Of course not!" I really didn't want to think answer about that right now.
"How long do we have?" Seth asked me, backing up slightly.
"A little over an hour," I confirmed, going around Seth to see. "They'll be here soon."
Daniela frowned and I figured she knew who I meant by 'we'. Of course, she had seen the same thing as me, so of course she'd know. Being as smart as she, Daniela would know today is the day that they'd be here.
"Sam wants to know where we should be," Seth told me.
I turned to Jasper for this. He was the strategist, I was just the psychic. "In the back, behind the other vampires. We'll need you as far back as possible so Alice can see, but not so far that you can't be right there if it comes to a fight."
Seth nodded and started to walk away. He glanced once at Daniela, but continued to where Sam and Jacob were discussing fight strategy.
As my eyes landed on Edward, Bella, and Renesmee, I got a vision. It was an uncertain vision, since nothing after today was certain, but it was clear enough. It was decided. Renesmee would become a vampire.
Edward looked up sharply and met my eyes. He nodded once, barely perceptible then looked back at Bella. She gave him a look, but he shook his head and said he'd tell her later.
Jasper didn't question my vision since it obviously had to do with Edward, Bella, and Nessie.
The next hour was filled with tense conversation and planning. We got into groups, the wolves at the back, Jasper's friends in front of them, my family, then Jasper and I at the front. Daniela was in my arms and Jasper's hand was in mine.
Once I knew the time was getting closer and closer, conversation slowed to a stop and everyone's eyes were trained on the trees across the forest.
Jasper's grip on my hand tightened as the black shapes started moving closer and becoming clearer. It was time.