A/N A huge thank you to all of you who've reviewed my last chapter, a/o put my story on alert.

Before we get to the phone call between Rosalie and Jasper, I think it is time to find out what happened to the rest of the Cullens after they've left Forks … via Rose's memory.

Enjoy!!!

Chapter 17 Family

Rose POV

I didn't know what day of the week it was today. Without being tied to a regular schedule like going to school or university or God forbid a job, had that effect on me … and probably on any other vampire as well. And here in the deep woods of Canada, far away from any human population, without having any connection to the outside world through television or newspaper, the concept of time seemed to vanish completely, one day simply blended into another. Sure time had another meaning for a vampire than for a human, considering we had an eternity ahead of us instead of the average seventy or eighty years.

Under normal circumstances I tried not think about this at all … the obvious differences between my kind and the humans. It still pained me that I'd lost my chance of having a normal human life and all the good things that came with it … a marriage, a family, a true future. The humans all took it for granted … but things have turned out quite differently for me.

"Oh, come on Rose." Emmett wailed. I was quite used to him acting like a five-year-old, especially when he wanted something … badly.

"Em, I told you I'm not thirsty. Please, just leave me be for a while." I sighed in exasperation.

"Alright, babe. As you wish." My mate conceded, finally giving up on swaying me to come with him. For the last five minutes he's been trying to convince me to go hunting with him. But I wasn't hungry nor in the mood to go hunting just for the fun of it. I knew he meant well, that he was trying to cheer me up, but it wasn't working. Emmett kissed my cheek, whispering 'I love you' in my ear and then he was gone, out through the door, leaving me sitting alone on the couch in our little cottage.

This place was ours. Mine and Emmett's. It was totally different from the other places we owned. Small, only two rooms, plus a bathroom. The only luxury was a hot tub, of which we usually made good use whenever we spent time here. Sure it was well known that I normally preferred more comfort than that, but that made this little place in the middle of nowhere that much more special. We've bought this property and the surrounding land a little over forty years ago, shortly after our second marriage, spending two months celebrating our honeymoon in this place.

Being on my own was becoming my favorite pastime … away from everybody, alone to deal with my thoughts and qualms. Of course I felt bad, letting Emmett down and paying him not as much attention as I used to. We didn't fight, but didn't talk much either. Surely, my feelings haven't changed towards my mate, I still loved him with every fiber of my being, and I knew that he felt the same about me. He was my only reward in this life, my second … my only chance of true love. But still, something was very wrong, and I knew that he could feel that too.

Ever since we'd left Forks I've been in a shitty mood to put it lightly, unable to control my outbursts on many occasions. Yes, I've tried very hard not to take it out on Emmett, but unfortunately I haven't always been successful. But he has endured my fits of temper with his endless amount of patience and love, which made me feel even worse.

We both thought time and distance from the other family members would do us some good, which was why we'd decided to take some time off, relocating to one of our hideout places. I hoped the time alone would help us to find some peace and reconcile but I realized now … after more than two months have passed already … that it didn't make any difference whatsoever.

Something vital was missing and I knew exactly what it was: the family bond we've shared with the others for all those many years. Having lost that did not only hurt me, of that I was positive. I could see how much Emmett suffered from the loss, and his pain combined with my own was almost too much for me to bear. Sure, like every other family we had our little disagreements, but somehow we'd become sort of dependent on each other, on the stability and support our family seemed to provide for all of us. It might sound comical that strong and almost indestructible creatures like vampires had a need for something like that, but especially for me having a family played a vital component to endure this existence as a vampire at all.

We Cullens were an exception among our own kind in more ways than one. Our choice to sustain on animal instead of human blood was probably the most obvious, but living together in such a large group, coexisting peacefully in a almost human like family dynamic, was quite unusual for vampires … apart from the Volturi perhaps, though they were anything but a family in the original sense.

The term coven didn't apply to us. I always thought that we were describing ourselves as a family because that's what we were. None of us wanted this life - this existence in the first place. And in creating this life for ourselves we held on to the small piece of humanity.

Of course there had been times in the past when we'd lived apart from each other, especially Emmett and I needed some alone time from rest of the family once in a while, but we've always returned … and with joy.

But this time was different. It didn't feel like a temporary vacation but more like a permanent change. And those kinds of changes didn't come very often for vampires. In fact any kind of change was usual instantaneous and permanent, this much I knew by now. And that's what frightened me the most. I was afraid that no matter how much time would pass that there was nothing we could do to repair the damage we've created … we've all created.

The events on Bella's birthday party had been only the trigger. I knew now that there had been something looming at the horizon long before that day. And we all had played our part in the following mess. I didn't want to point fingers. I wasn't that callous or petty, even though I might come off like that on occasion … to people who didn't know me. True, in the beginning I only blamed the human girl for this whole mess. If she hadn't entranced my brother with her blood and with the enigma of her silent mind, none of this would have happened. But then again if Edward had just stayed away after he'd run off the first time …

Arghhh … I groaned, not very ladylike.

There were a lot what ifs, but it was useless to ponder over this. What was done couldn't be undone by simple wishful thinking. Blaming Bella for accidentally cutting herself or blaming Jasper for reacting the way he did wasn't going to change anything. The difficult but final decision that had been made afterwards by Edward, Alice, Carlisle and Esme was one out of desperation, I understood that. We all have made mistakes, and we've paid for it greatly.

As a family … we were broken. And I didn't know if we would be able to recover from something like that.

I snuggled deeper into the couch, closing my eyes, wishing that I was able to cry. I let my mind wander back to the day we'd left Forks …

Emmet and I drove together in his Jeep. I was still pissed that I had to leave my BMW behind, in storage of course, even though I knew that I wouldn't be able to drive it up in Denali anyway.

"Don't worry, babe, we find you another nice vehicle to work on." He tried to appease me, patting my knee lovingly.

"It will not be the same." I complained, scowling out of the side window. "Why did we have to leave …?"

"I know." My mate sighed. "I didn't want to go either." The pain was palpable in his voice. It wasn't so much the place he was going to miss, but a certain person he had to leave behind without the chance to say goodbye.

I turned my head, facing him. "Then why in the hell did you agree with them?" I demanded to know.

"Like it would have made a difference if I hadn't ..." He defended himself. I didn't fight exactly either, just accepted the decision. I knew Emmett was right; our vote wouldn't have tipped the scale. Four against two.

Carlisle and Esme were in the car ahead of us. Alice and Edward would be following us after … whatever. The way those two had been acting lately made me sick to my stomach. How was it possibly to leave your supposed mate behind … high and dry? They were almost acting like nothing was wrong. But I guessed that they were both just hiding their true feelings. At least that was what I wanted to believe.

God, I miss Jasper. Where the hell is my brother? Not a beep, no life signals … anything … I really started to get worried.

"I'm sure he is fine." Emmett tried to reassure me for the umpteenth time. He seemed to be more in tune with my thoughts lately.

"I hope so." I sighed.

The rest of the journey we spent in silence, awkward not comfortable silence. Thankfully, with no need for a real break except for refilling the tank, we made it to Denali in record time.

We stopped at our new/old residence first to unload our bags, but then we made our way straight to the house of our cousins. It was probably a good idea. The atmosphere was tense at best. We all needed the company of others to unwind. Or at least to try to unwind.

Tanya, Irina and Kate were there, and so was Laurent. His presence did startle us for a second, bringing up bad memories, but his orange-colored eyes told us that he has been indeed trying out our lifestyle. It seemed that he was indeed serious about becoming a true member of this coven. Carmen and Eleazar were hunting at the moment of our arrival, but they were back in a couple of hours later …

Two days later our family was complete again … well more or less. Alice and Edward had arrived the day before, both in shitty mood. I didn't need my brother's ability to sense that everyone was pretty much miserable. I tried to stay away from them, barely spoke a word with any of the family members.

Our life in Denali was starting to suck, big time. I've never really liked it here anyway. I didn't know exactly why, but I guessed that with the more of us in one place, the territorial instincts in me took over. Sure Tanya and her coven were something like extended family to us, considering that they shared the same lifestyle and all that. But still … they were just so different. They were a coven, not a family.

Apart from Eleazar and Carmen, they were all single. And on top of that they were succubi, Tanya, Irina and Kate. But I always thought Tanya was the worst of the three. Her sexual appetite was borderline disgusting. A weird thing to acknowledge for someone like me, but even Emmett agreed with me on that matter, and we were known to be very sexual beings.

The way she tried to get it on with Edward every time we came to visit, was kind of entertaining, but mostly it was pitiable. In the past I used to get hysterical fits of laughter whenever Edward tried to let her down easy, always trying to be a gentleman about it. But with time it was getting predictable, so boring.

And now, under those very difficult circumstances I came very close to slap that bitch in the face for her insolence. Tanya had no shame at all, knowing very well that he was in pain. Even though Edward wasn't my favorite person at the moment … or ever … I still was very protective when it came to my family. She wasn't only hurting him be dismissing his feelings, but the rest of us as well. Thankfully, Kate stepped up to her sister, and demanded that she should stay away from my brother from now on.

"You've gotten your chance, and he made it very clear that he isn't interested in you. So do us all a favor, and let it the fuck go." Kate snapped. Tanya looked like her sister had actually slapped her, turning on the spot and vanished into the woods. She didn't come back for a couple of hours, but apparently heeding Kate's advice and stayed away from our house from that day on.

And Laurent's presence wasn't making things easier, quite the contrary. Edward stayed away from him from the very beginning. In fact Edward spent most of his time alone, shutting himself into his room, listening to music and was brooding, brooding, brooding. Alice mostly did the same.

Only once I tried to talk to her about Jasper again. I just came back from a hunting trip with Kate and Carmen that day. I enjoyed spending time with those two, because they were not trying to get me to talk about what was going on with the family. They were simply there, ready to listen but not prying.

I knocked on Alice's door. "Come in, Rosalie." She invited me, sounding not very happy for my intrusion. When I walked into her room she was sitting in her closet, going through a new fashion catalogue.

What the fuck is wrong with that woman? Her husband is missing and she is ordering new clothes … I wanted to rip the catalogue right out of her hands, and tear it to shreds, but I decided against it. I wanted to talk to her, not piss her off.

"What do you want?" She asked, not having the courtesy to look up.

I chuckled in response, leaning casually against the door of her closet. "Shouldn't you know that already?"

Finally she looked up, glaring at me. The line 'If looks could kill …' came to mind. "I don't have time for your theatrics, Rosalie." She sneered.

"Are you serious, Alice? You don't have time … please don't give me that shit. We are vampires for crying out loud. We got all the time in the world." I yelled. She wanted to reply something, but I was quicker. "Where is Jasper?" I was asking for further information this time, and I was convinced she knew that.

Alice stared at me with her eyes open wide in shock. Was she for real? She didn't see that exact question coming? But she recovered quickly, diverting her eyes back to the catalogue still in her hands. "I have no idea." She mumbled, shrugging her shoulders. Her voice lacked any emotions. I believed her words at once. She really had no idea where Jasper was. But that wasn't what set me off. She just didn't seem to be bothered by his absence … at all.

"What's wrong with you, Alice? Have you even tried to contact him?" I shouted again. I had a hard time not letting my anger to take total control of me. I wanted to smash something, or hit something … or someone. I didn't care which one.

Lately I had trouble coping with certain emotions, especially my rage. The urge to resort to physical violence was stronger than usual. I was convinced that Jasper had always kept my urges under wrap with his gift. Just one more reason to have him back …

"He hasn't taken his phone …" She tried to defend herself.

"Oh, come on. Is this the best you can do? It's a lame excuse, and you know that." I fumed. "I know that Jasper doesn't have his phone on him. I was there when he took off, remember. But there are a whole lot of other ways to try to contact him. Have you even tried? Do you even care?"

A second later she was in my face. "Shut up, just shut up. This has nothing to do with you, Rosalie. This is between Jasper and me. So just do me a favor, and leave me alone." I've never seen Alice act this way, and for a moment I was flabbergasted.

Before I could say something or react in any other way like slamming her into the wall behind her for example and beat the shit out of her, the door busted open and I was pulled away from her. Emmett's strong arms encircled my waist, holding me in place. Edward was doing the same to Alice.

"How could you just abandon him like that? He is your mate." I accused her, shaking in anger.

"No he's not." She snapped, shocking all of us. She clapped her hand over her mouth, like she had said too much. I didn't know what to say, only knowing that she was telling the truth. How long has she known this?

"Come on, babe. Let's get out of here." Emmett whispered soothingly into my ear, already leading me towards the door. Alice freed herself from Edward's grip, retreating back into her closet. She spared all of us a last hurtful look and then locked herself into the closet.

"She doesn't know where he is." Edward said evenly. "She has tried but she couldn't see anything."

With that final statement he left us, probably returning to his own room. We followed him out into the hall. Emmett closed the door to Alice's room quietly behind us. "Thank God, Carlisle and Esme are not here." He stage whispered. I had to agree with him there.

Carlisle and Esme were trying their best to keep the family together, but it wasn't working. It was only a matter of time before we'd split.

It wasn't really a surprise that the first one to leave the family was Edward. His mood hasn't improved at all, if anything it even got worse with each passing day. It was unbearable for all of us to witness it, the way he was punishing himself, although he barely made an effort to spend time with anyone of us.

Edward made his flight only a month after he'd arrived in Denali. Alice wanted to go after him right away, but Carlisle and Esme convinced her that she should leave him alone, to give him some time. They probably thought he might come back after a couple of days. Two weeks later she took off to find him.

We haven't heard a peep from neither one of them for quite a while. I could hear Esme dry-sobbing every day, mourning the loss of her children. Carlisle tried to distract himself by teaching at a local community college.

A month after Alice's departure I couldn't take it any longer. Fortunately, it was easy for me to convince Emmett to take a break with me … from all this family drama. He didn't show it very openly, but even my mate had a hard time dealing with the constant tension and worry. It felt like walking on eggshells being around the remaining members of our family.

Here we were now. Two months have passed and nothing much has changed. Emmett continued to call Esme once a week, to get and give an update on things. But mostly he did it because he wanted to appease her and Carlisle. Alice has called them once, too, only to let them know that she and Edward were still alive and kicking, but she didn't reveal any information about their current whereabouts or their future plans.

For my part, they both could just go to hell and stay there …

I still couldn't wrap my head around the last thing Alice had said to me. 'No he's not.'

And it has been the last time we've talked to each other, or yelled at each other to be more accurate. I've been avoiding her ever since that day right until the day of her departure. Her actions kind of made sense after hearing her proclaim that Jasper wasn't her mate. Edward's words gave me some comfort, and I hadn't doubted his sincerity. According to him she has been using her gift at least once to look for him, but apparently she hasn't felt the need to do more. Even if he wasn't her true mate, he was still a part of the family as far as I was concerned. But it seemed like that I was the only one who thought so.

I finally left my seat from the couch, and walked over to the table. I picked up my laptop and turned it on. We might not have a working television around this place … much to Emmett's disappointment … but at least we got a working internet connection.

I checked my e-mails for the second time today. Still nothing. I didn't want to give up hope, but I was starting to get more pissed. I doubted that Jasper has actually gotten himself into any serious trouble. Due to his past experience he knew how to take care of himself. And if he really was with Peter and Charlotte, I would have no reason to worry.

But the silence was unbearable. Didn't he know that I was worried? Did he not care … like Alice? Was that it?

Suddenly my phone vibrated in my pocket.

A/N Well, what do think? Does this chapter answer some of your questions, or not?

And as always I would appreciate your input on this chapter.

Until next time … take care!