A/N – A few of you have asked why Alice wasn't there when Bella awoke; hope this Chapter makes things a little more clearer – as most of you probably know by now, I like to be different! Thanks, again, for the reviews – I love them! ES.

Chapter 68 – Waiting

"I think I know what the answer is already, Alice… but you really need to…."

I cut Jasper off before he could finish his sentence.

"Jasper, please… not now" I mumbled, as I felt my grip on Bella's hand tighten.

Three days.

She had been like this, in a comatose state, for three days. Oh, she had drifted in and out of consciousness, but each time she had been drowsy, and lethargic, almost as though someone had drugged her…

Well, in a way, you did Alice…

I pressed the palm of her hand against my lips, an act I had repeated countless times throughout the last 72 hours.

I had watched as Carlisle lifted her head gently forward, making her sip the blood he had filled in a tall glass. I watched as her mouth opened, and she slowly started to drink the liquid, but not once had her eyes focused on anything; they seemed so far away and distant.

She seemed so far away and distant, from me.

She is out of my reach, inaccessible…

I felt my stomach muscles constrict as the scent of the blood that was still remaining in the glass sitting on the bedside table wafted across the room, almost taunting me…

Drink me… you know you want to…

Now I understood why Jasper had chosen to stand well away from the temptation.

I bit down hard on my bottom lip as Bella stirred, her head turning to face me. My hopes were immediately dashed as she seemed to freeze in that position, eyes still tightly closed.

Please wake up Bella… I need you… I have so much I need to explain... I've missed your voice, and your smile... I need you to open your eyes, and look at me...

Jasper placed a reassuring hand on my shoulder.

"She will soon awaken, Alice. It just takes a little time"

I looked up at him from my position; I was sat cross legged at the side of Bella on the bed. I hadn't moved from this position since I had placed her here days before.

"How long, Jasper?" I asked.

Jasper looked from me to Bella, where his eyes remained.

"Each person is different Alice. It was a matter of hours for me, but when I did awaken I was…. A little wild and extremely unpredictable. You need to understand, when she awakens, she may seem… different". His voice was calm and temperate, but I could hear the warning.

Different?

Jasper detected my fear at once, as he turned to face me, placing both his hands on either side of my face.

"She will still be the Bella you know, and love Alice, please believe that. But she will be a new born. You know how… difficult… I find it to coexist with humans? Well, it will probably be the same for Bella… but she will have our support, your support Alice, and I know… all will be well" he finished as he lent down and kissed the top of my head with his soft lips.

I sighed, then.

"All will be well? Jasper, he's still out there… he… shot Bella! Somewhere out there, Reuben is waiting, and I have no idea what his plan is" my voice was shaking, partly with fear, partly with anger.

I continued my voice firmer this time.

"All will be well, once I have found him, and killed him"

My voice was laced with the same venom that was now coating my throat, the same venom that I had injected inside Bella, to save her…

The same venom that now seemed to pinch at my throat as my stomach tensed.

You need blood, Alice… you need to hunt…

As if reading my thoughts, Jasper crouched down so his eyes were now level with mine.

"Alice, you need to hunt. You won't be any use to Bella if she wakes up and you are too weak to help her, too weak to answer the many questions we both know she will have. Go hunting with Emmet and Rosalie, you can be back in a few hours where you will find Bella in the same condition she is in now. Please Alice… I hate to see you this way. I know you are in pain, and I know you are weakening… I can feel it"

I placed my hand on Jasper's cheek, where I held it for a while, still holding onto Bella with my other hand.

After a few minutes I finally broke the silence.

"What if she wakes up when I am gone? I would never forgive myself… I have to be here for her, always be here for her…" My voice trailed off as my gaze rested on Bella again. So still, and pale… How could I leave her? How could they even ask me to?

Because they care, Alice. Because they know you are weak, and they know you need to be strong for her…

"If she starts to stir, I promise I will find you, and tell you. Besides, I suspect a vision will alert you before I can" Jasper stated, as I sighed.

But what if my vision didn't? They hadn't exactly been, precise, of late…

"If I go, Jasper… And this is only if, I want you to promise me that you'll keep Jake away from her? I can't see her properly when he is close by, he… almost blocks… the clarity, or he did when she was human…."

She isn't human anymore, Alice…

I shook my head as Jasper took my hand.

"I promise I will explain it to him, and keep him away from her" he replied, lacing his fingers through my own, "and if he proves… troublesome… I am sure Emmet will assist" Jasper finished, a wry smile on his face.

"I don't want to cause any upset between anybody" I whispered, as Jasper laughed.

"Oh, I'm sure Emmet would like nothing better... he has started to refer to Jake as a 'puppy' each time he stops by, I am shocked they haven't come to blows yet!"

Jake wouldn't like it, but I didn't much care. He had visited Bella on and off since we brought her here, and I knew he was hurting too, but I couldn't take the chance of him being close to her without me being there, couldn't take the chance of him indirectly blocking my visions…

And you don't want him to be the first person she sees, Alice. Face it, he loves her, you love her… you don't want him to be here, with her, alone…

I shut my eyes, trying to block out the words I knew to be true.

"Rose and Emmet are waiting downstairs" Jasper continued, as I raised my eyebrow.

"Waiting? You must have been pretty confident at persuading me Jazz" I replied with a smile on my face.

Jasper laughed, "Oh, I can be very persuasive, especially when I can engineer my gift"

I stood and slowly released Bella's hand before turning to Jasper.

"That was unfair" I playfully hissed, as Jasper shrugged.

"Perhaps… but the truth is, we were worried about you… especially Esme, she's been beside herself with anxiety, for Bella and for you… her emotions, coupled with Charlie's, not to mention Jakes… it has drained me somewhat. It was nice to escape for a while and sit with you"

At once I felt guilty for the obvious emotional turmoil Jasper must have been going through. I hadn't really paid attention to anything, or anyone, bar Bella. I had been that focused on her, I had barely noticed Charlie, or Jake, when they had entered the room and sat with us. Somehow they had known not to ask me any questions, known to remain silent, although I did recall Jake's words…

"You saved her Alice; I am forever in your debt"

He had been calm, then. But I remembered hearing him argue with Sam outside my bedroom window after we had first brought Bella here.

"You can't go inside, Jake… despite the alliance, they are still…"

"Don't tell me what I can and can't do, Sam. I know what they are; you think I've somehow forgotten? How the hell can I forget when Bella is one of them too now? My best friend! You can't and won't stop me from entering this house, to check on her"

And he had entered, not only could I detect his footsteps below, but I could smell him, and I could hear him…

"I want you to take me to her, Carlisle. I need to see her"

"Jake, please, calm down. You need to be aware that she is unconscious, she…"

Jake had cut into Carlisle's words, then…

"Unconscious? How long has she been that way? Is Alice with her? I need to see them both Carlisle…"

"Perhaps if you shut up and allow Carlisle to finish, he can answer your questions?" Rosalie had interrupted, bringing a slight smile to my face.

Yes, Jake had been… agitated, until he finally got to see Bella, where he has remained silent, placing a hand on my shoulder…

"You saved her Alice, I am forever in your dept"…

How hard it must have been for Jasper, to be aware of so many strong emotions pulling at him all at once…

Before I could say anything he smiled.

"Not one word, Shorty. I'm okay"

As I walked towards the door, something made me turn back. Bella was still unconscious, her head now facing the other way.

"Wait here" I whispered to Jasper as I ran across to the table in the far side of the room, littered with magazines, I lifted a few until I found what I was looking for. Slowly I walked back across the room, and placed the framed picture on the bedside table. The picture Esme had taken of me and Bella before we left for the ball. The picture I had framed as a gift for Bella…

The picture that had been taken when Bella was still human...

The picture I wanted her to see when she opened her eyes, properly, for the first time.

I shook my head slightly and lifted the glass that was still on the table. The bottom was still filled with a little blood… human blood… but since I had bitten Bella and tasted her blood, I found I was stronger and able to resist putting the glass to my own lips and finishing what Bella couldn't.

Jasper on the other hand…

"Go ahead, Jazz, and please ask Carlisle to come here. I don't want to leave Bella on her own"

Jasper nodded and left the room, as Carlisle entered a matter of moments later.

"Alice, I can't tell you how relieved I am that you're going with Emmet and Rosalie" he whispered, as he took the glass from me. I noticed he held another similar glass in his free hand, only this one was full….

"Are you expecting her to awaken, Carlisle? Because if so, I am not leaving her…"

Carlisle shook his head. "Bella seems to awaken at certain intervals; I will be with her, to administer the blood, if she does. But I suspect she will be out for at least another twelve hours"

I nodded.

Twelve hours.

I had twelve hours to hunt, and return, to Bella.

She needs me…she can't awaken without me there…

And face it Alice, you need her….

I could hear something moving up ahead. Rosalie glanced at me and slowly pointed her finger towards the noise. I nodded. Emmet, on my other side, gestured to Rosalie to widen her approach, indicating that he would do the same. I watched as he then pointed at me, and then motioned his finger forward.

I understood.

Slowly we all moved ahead, Emmet and Rosalie moving away from me as though I was the tip of a triangle. Within moments they were out of my view, as the rustling sound continued.

Deer.

I could smell it, as it moved slowly, its long legs brushing past the undergrowth.

It didn't take long for me to approach it, and lunge forward as Rosalie and Emmet appeared at my side, arms stretched out to stop the desired object from moving either side of me.

After we had finished draining the animal, a white flash appeared across my eyes, temporarily blinding me.

I was running fast inbetween the trees before the vision had even subsided.

"Alice, wait… what is it" Rosalie shouted, as she suddenly appeared at my side.

No time… you have NO time to answer Alice, concentrate…and run… keep running…

Emmet appeared next to Rosalie as we all continued at a rapid pace, the direction dictated by me.

"Alice, slow down, what the hell is the matter" Emmet continued as I felt my feet barely touch the ground.

I knew this would happen… KNEW… why I didn't just stay put… but no… I had to leave her side…what will she think of me now?

Emmet crossed against Rosalie and placed a strong hand on me, trying to slow me down.

"Alice, you're worrying me…" He shouted, as I still continued to run.

I felt him pull me back as pure anger erupted somewhere deep within me.

"Emmet, if you pull me back I'll rip your arm off" I hissed, as he immediately let go.

"Alice… "Rosalie continued, as I turned to face her.

"Bella is about to wake up" I shouted as the realisation of my words hit Emmet and Rosalie hard.

"Hell, why didn't you just say so" Emmet bellowed, as he started to pick up the pace.

"Come on…last one back is the loser" he continued, as I felt my legs pound against the woodland floor even harder.

As I gathered even more speed, three thoughts ran through my mind…

Would I get there before she woke up?

What would she think of me if I arrived too late and she woke up alone?

Why did I leave her?

I will never leave you again Bella. Never.

As the three siblings continued their sprint through the woodland, each of them intent on reaching their destination, none of them noticed the tall, auburn haired, vampire follow them with interest.

"Run, Run, as fast as you can…." He murmured.

"But what are you running to?" He questioned.

"Time to find out, Reuben" He hissed, his coat flapping in the breeze.

Time

To

Find

Out...