“What’s wrong Jasper?” He had a confused look on his face. “I have a feeling we’re being followed. Do you see anything?” “Sit down and I’ll look.” He sat down and stared at the sky, I started to look around. I didn’t see much, a few squirrels, a deer or two, a raccoon, and a few Grizzly Bears. Emmett’s favorite. This doesn’t help much, I’m already in an almost depression from being away from home, now I have to start seeing things that remind me of them. “Unless you mean we’re being followed by creatures of the forest I don’t see anything following us. Maybe we should hunt, that might take the feeling away.” “Alice, I don’t think that’s it. I felt it when I was in London too. I felt five different emotions when I was with William and Robert. It was brief so I couldn’t really tell where they were but I know what I felt and it was oddly familiar too.” He’s been pretending that the snake never existed. He’s been pretending there were three sisters and two brothers. I’m happy about that. “Jasper, just come and hunt with me. Please? It might help. Plus we would’ve stopped and hunted a little later anyways.” He stopped staring at the sky and looked at me, “Alice? Do you here that? You have to hear that!” I turned to the bush, I heard it. It was a small brushing noise. I walked over to the bush very carefully, if Jasper was right and something was following us I’m not taking any chances. Besides nothing in Europe has been very friendly. Even Laura, Katrina, and Nala had a temper problem. Before I got to the bush something came out from behind it, a raccoon. “Jasper? It’s just a little raccoon. Are you sure you’re okay? You really should hunt. You’re acting a little paranoid.” He was staring at the raccoon. “Yeah, I’ll hunt with you. You’re probably right, but Alice if I am right and someone is following us you are getting a very big I told you so.” He smiled. “Stop smiling Mr. Paranoid and come on. Go find something to hunt.”
He got up. “I don’t know about you but I’m in the mood for bear. You see any?” “A few. Up the hill a little ways.” He started walking towards the bears. He turned to look back at me. “You coming?” “Yeah but I think I’ll find a deer.” He caught on to what I was talking about. “Okay. I bet you I can get the biggest one though.” “Jasper, I’m not falling for it.” “Okay but I know why you doing that. You’re afraid I’ll get the biggest bear.” “I would get the bigger bear but since I’m hunting deer the bear is all yours and F.Y.I, I’m not afraid, I would get the biggest bear. Now go get your bear while I go get a lamb. Deer!” Great I’m making mistakes all the time now. Edward’s favorite saying. Anything else I should be reminded of? Do I get to see a woman who’s tall and has blonde hair? Or a girl who’s very clumsy and shy? “Okay Mrs. Lamb. I’ll go get a Grizzly and you go get your deer, Dear.” “Very funny.” I followed him until he got his bear it was the biggest but it didn’t go down without a fight. “Damn it! That’s my only shirt! Stupid bear.” I mocked him “I bet I can get the biggest one though. Jasper, just go get the second biggest bear before he rips your pants too.” “No. I said I could get it and I will.” “Fine tell me how it goes.” The deer wasn’t very far away. I took him down in a second. It wasn’t very filling but it was good enough. I sat on a rock and waited for him to come back.
“Hey there.” I turned around. Not only was his shirt ripped but so was a part of his pants. “I told you so.” “Hey. I was going to say that later. When it turns out I’m right.” “So, you take down the bear or did the bear get away?” “No. I took him down. It was fun.” “I’m happy you’re feeling better. But you realize now we have to get you new clothes which means we have to go to town and find a store!” That wiped the smile off his face, just like it does to anyone who knows me. “Alice, no. No, no way!” “Yes way! I told you to leave that bear alone and you didn’t so now you get to go on a shopping spree with me!!” He looked like he was sick. “You know I got that weird feeling again.” “Don’t even try it.” He had a smile on his face again; he looked like a kid who woke up on Christmas with the toy of his dreams. “Oh no. We don’t have any money.” He put a little frown on his face. “I thought of that. I took a few thousand dollars before we left. We’re covered.” He didn’t loose hope. “But it must be ruined from when we went swimming.” “I thought of that. I put the money in a waterproof wallet.” “Where’s the wallet?” “The wallet is in my pocket. Safe.” Now he lost hope. Nothing scares my family more than one of my shopping sprees. James, Victoria, and Laurent looked like flies compared to my shopping sprees. It’s even worse for Emmett, Carlisle, Jasper, and Edward. What boy wants his sister or wife to shop for clothes for them? Not mine. Too bad, Jasper is just gonna have to suffer for an hour, maybe two, make it three. “Now come on. It’s almost sunrise, and we’re going to the nearest mall or nearest clothes store. I hate shopping like this but I have no time to look for designer clothes.” He had another smile on his face.
“Alice. My shirt and pants are ripped. You know the saying. No shoes no shirt no service.” He thinks he’s going to wiggle his way out of this. He’s not going to get out of this one. “Jasper? Ever heard of a bribe? A few hundred dollars will convince any store manager to let me shop. No matter what the consequences are.” “Fine, slap on the cuffs and drag me to the store. How long will we be in there?” “An hour or two, maybe three.” “Oh no.” “Oh yes. Jasper you’ve handled worse things than that. Remember the last time we went shopping together?” “Yeah. We were in there since 6:00 a.m and left around midnight. Talk about a bribe. I can’t believe you made that manager make the store stay open longer.” “Flirting goes a long way when you dress like this.” “Yeah well I didn’t like that bribe.” “He sure did.” “That’s why I didn’t like it, that and because he let us stay in there longer! I thought nothing could kill us but your shopping sprees kill everyone.” He smiled a goofy grin. “Stop smiling and come on.” We started walking. “We need to get to a store before all the good clothes are gone.” He stopped right where he was. I kept walking.
“Jasper no matter how many times you stop I’m getting you to a store!” I stopped and turned around. He was frozen again just like when he thought someone was following us. “Jasper, don’t start that again. No one is following us. You just don’t want me to get you to a store.” “Alice, I hate going to a store with you but I told you I surrendered. I was going to go with you with no trouble.” “Then come on.” “Alice, I love to say this to you, I told you so. I betted against you and I was right. So I told you so, I told you so, I told you so! At least try and pay attention to your surroundings.” “I don’t see anyone and I don’t smell anyone. What’s your point?” “Yeah but I feel something.” “Your nerves about going to a store?” “Alice, I’m being very serious!” “I’m sorry; ok what do you feel now?” “Five different emotions besides ours.” You would think he would realize where we are. “Jasper, we’re in the forest. Have you ever heard of Hikers?” “Alice, this is no time for sarcasm.” “Sorry.” I really haven’t been myself since we left, neither of us has been. “They’re getting closer……” There was a breeze so I took a deep breath. Jasper wasn’t feeling hikers. He was right. “Jasper. Go ahead.” “I….TOLD....YOU….SO. Can you see anything?” I looked around. “I don’t see anything.” “Do you see them coming our way anytime soon?”
No. I don’t see them coming but I don’t see them at all. It’s either because I don’t know them or it’s because someone isn’t letting me see them but that’s impossible. Well, to our knowledge it’s impossible. Usually all I need is their scent and I can see their futures. “Sorry Jasper but I don’t see them at all.” “Maybe they won’t come at all. Hopefully our paths accidentally crossed, hopefully.” “Jasper let’s just go to a store if they are following us then they wouldn’t even try to go in the store.” “Ok. Let’s go.” We both turned and started walking but a lot faster than we were walking. We both just wanted to get away from there just in case.
“See anything yet?” “Jasper you’ve been asking that every two seconds. Can you give me a break? I saw nothing, I see nothing, and I doubt I’ll ever see something but I must admit the smell has been getting stronger.” He started walking right past me. An army man who’s scared half to death of someone who might not even be following us. “Alice could you hurry?” “About ten minutes ago you were begging me not to go to a store and now you’re begging to go to the store.” “Well Ten minutes ago I was afraid of being shopped to death. Now I’m afraid I’m going to have to fight someone for you……again or fighting for you to get off someone or fight because they started fighting.” “Hey, I thought we were going to drop that.” “I thought you were going to walk faster.” “Quit it, we aren’t acting like ourselves already do we have to push each other over the edge?” “You’re right I’m sorry Alice.” “It’s ok but I was being serious when I said the smell was getting stronger but now it’s stronger than before.” “I know. I wonder what they want.” He turned his head to look at me. “I told you I see nothing. I hear nothing and I smell something. Isn’t that good enough?” “No. When you see something then it’ll be good enough.” Then something stepped out from a tree in front of us.
“Well, it looks like you didn’t have long to wait. Correct me if I’m wrong but I believe your names are Alice and Jasper.” I was speechless. She was tall with black eyes and she had flaming red hair but she had it short. I stopped walking but Jasper kept going. “Jasper? What are you doing? “I’m hoping she’s not there that’s what I’m doing.” “Now my feelings are hurt. Believe me when I say we come in peace. Corny I know but true. We mean no harm. Once again corny but true. I feel like an alien from outer space from one of those old movies.” She started laughing. What’s so funny? She pops out of no where and I’m panicking because I didn’t see her come out from the tree until after she actually did it and Jasper’s running like a fool. “Jasper would you get over here?!” “Not until it goes away!” “For your information I’m not an it, I’m a she and they are a they.” She pointed in front of Jasper but it was where he was headed. He passed her but before he could go any further four other vampires grabbed him and started carrying him back. They had to bring him back kicking and screaming, literally. I have never seen Jasper do that! Kicking, screaming, and biting? I thought he was above that kind of stuff. Well, unless he needed to do that but like she said they mean no harm and they come in peace. That does sound corny. “Would you put me down? Can’t I go anywhere without people doing this?” “Doing what? Carrying you back like a baby?” One of the men carrying him looked at me. He was big but he was smaller than Emmett but taller than Edward, he had brown hair but his hair was like a buzz cut and he had black eyes too. “How many times does he get carried like this?” “Umm actually this is the first.” “And the kicking and screaming?” “First time.” “Huh.” They put him down right next to me and walked over to the woman. “Well here you go. Now you’re on the ground. Don’t make a run for it or we’ll have to hold you down.” Another woman turned to me. “You tell us if he’s going to try anything. You’ll be the first to know when he’s planning it.” “He already is.” “Alice!” “Jasper! He’s trying to beat the odds in his head. He was planning on me following him but he wasn’t planning on staying much longer.” “Alice!” Well it’s true!” “It may be true but you didn’t have to tell them!” “Would you stop that! All the math you’re doing in your head is giving me a headache!” “Well they’re giving me a headache!” “And that’s my fault?!” “Yes! If you’ve walked faster then…..” “Would you shut up?! If I would’ve walked faster than they would’ve walked faster anyway!” “I’m sorry to interrupt but this is no time to fight; besides we weren’t planning on fighting you anyway. We just wanted to discuss something with you.” “Now you see that Jasper you’re making me fight with you over nothing.” “I’m making you fight with me? You’re making me fight with you!” “I am not, you’re the one……..” “WOULD THE BOTH OF YOU SHUT THE HELL UP?! YOU’RE GIVING ME A BLOODY HEADACHE!” He was very short and had blonde hair with red eyes and a British accent. “That’s quite enough from you Cedric.” “Yeah well that’s enough of them I could take. They would’ve done the same damn thing over and over and over.” “Come on man shut up. We’ve heard you complain the whole time too. You’re not the only one with a headache.” Uh-oh. I go to get there attention. “HEY!” “WHAT!” Three voices shouted at me at the same time. “You might want to start running.” “Why?” “Well, Jasper’s almost out of the country.” “SON OF A……” “THIS IS NO TIME TO BE CURSING CEDRIC!!!!! JUST RUN!!!!!!” “You know where he’s going?” “Of course. Africa by the looks of it. He’s still trying to figure out if he should go there or America and if he should come back for me.” Then Cedric and the one fighting with Cedric left. It was the same one who asked me those questions. I should feel mad, depressed, and betrayed but I don’t. I should be wondering why he’s running but I’m not. I’m just curious to know what the hell is going on here and why the other woman is so familiar. “What are their names?” I pointed to the woman and the man who didn’t say anything yet. “That’s Sierra and that’s Maxwell but just call him Max. I’m Franny but everyone calls me Fran.” Max was medium sized with black hair but with a gray streak in it that looked like a lightening bolt, his eyes were red like Cedric’s and Sierra was about Rosalie’s size and had long black hair down to her knees but her eyes were gold like mine. “Well Fran, Max might want to join Cedric and the other guy.” “Why I’m sure Cedric and Frank can handle Jasper by themselves.” “Then obviously you don’t know Jasper as well as I do. Max.” He looked at me. “Go with Cedric and Frank.” He shook his head. “NOW!” He started running in the right direction. “I’m sorry Fran but if he wouldn’t go then I would never get Jasper back over here and you would never be able to ask the question.” “I have to ask the two of you the question separately anyway.” “Then go ahead and ask me.” I have a feeling this will be very, very odd.
“Alice I’m a shield. I block physical, mental, and physic powers. Like yours. Jasper’s power is the one exception to my shield and we’re not sure why. We have come across Jasper once before. We were following Peter&Charlotte a long, long time ago and then Jasper joined them. We found Jasper very interesting. So we wanted to ask him a question but then he left Peter&Charlotte and so we decided since we wanted to ask him a question we’d follow him instead but he got to where he was going to quickly and we didn’t have enough time to ask him.” “Why didn’t you ask him straight out instead of following him?” “I was getting to that.” “Sorry.” “He was going somewhere we weren’t sure where so we stayed a distance. He went somewhere you should remember quite clearly. After he finished what he was doing he came out not alone but with you. We decided since he found a better life we would leave him alone but then we came across three brothers. You should know them very well too. Especially……” “Don’t you say that name!” “Fine. So we decided to follow them since they had such an interesting past and they were very funny to watch. We asked all three of them the question and only one said yes.” “Robert.” “Exactly. He thought it would be funny to travel the world and show off his guns?” “His muscles.” “Ah. You know we never understood that, anyway when he realized he was the only one who said yes he backed out. We still followed them because William looked as if he desperately wanted to say yes to the question. So we followed them just in case they change their minds. We were about to stop following them when we noticed Jasper was with them. We thought it was a perfect time to ask the question.” “Oh that explains what he said earlier.” “The reason we thought it was perfect was because we thought he left you.” “So quick to judge.” “I’m sorry Alice, we just wanted to ask the question to Jasper and we thought he got bored with his old life like he did with Peter&Charlotte and decided to leave but obviously he didn’t.” “Yeah well he came very very close.” “We know.” What the hell? Do they do this for a living? Follow vampire after vampire coven after coven. It’s madness! I never thought vampires had to worry about stalkers!
“We saw what happened and we really thought the separation was permanent.” “It looked that way to me too.” “We know but that Katrina had to butt in and tell you this and tell you that and told you not to go to the Volturi, and she ruined everything. Sorry.” “No problem.” Yeah it’s really no problem, you sit here insult me and then go and insult my best friend and then stalk my husband to a point when he’s about to loose his mind when he’s already acting insane. All for a question? I don’t get it. “So we followed him and right when we were about to come out of the shadows he starts running straight for you! we were so mad, we knew you were going to take him back but we saw the tension between the two of you and well we thought another fight or something would happen and the separation would happen again and if it did we wouldn’t wait, as soon as you two were apart we were going to ask him the question. It was Cedric’s idea to just stop the both of you and ask you both the question.” “I would understand this a whole lot better if you told me what the question was or if you would drop your shield.” “If I drop my shield even for a second our whole family is vulnerable, like I’d put them in danger like that. I’ll tell you the question as soon as I tell you one more thing.” “Fine tell me so I can get this mess over with so I can get Jasper back and go get my anti-depressant.” “Really? I didn’t know we could have anti-depressants.” “I meant shopping my anti-depressant is shopping.” “Why? Shopping is so dull and boring.” I thought a woman would understand. Any woman who has a problem either eats, (Can’t do that) or shops with her friends. I have a few girlfriends to hang out with Bella, Rosalie, and as soon as she gets older Renesmee. So it’s either shopping or I loose all hope and be upset and snap at people all the time. Like Rosalie. “Shopping is not dull and boring. You’re getting off track just tell me the one thing you wanted to tell me before you ask me the question.” “Boy are you impatient.” “I’ll show you impatient if you don’t shut up and get to the damn point.” Uh-oh. First sign of a fight I start snapping.
“Frank can see the past instead of the future and if he touches you he can allow you to see your past. People’s past is much more interesting than their future, that’s what make us follow certain people. We go by what their past is. It’s interesting because he sees their human past and vampire past. When we first saw you he saw only a brief part of your human past. He only saw your friend, your closest friend when you were in an insane asylum. We thought Jasper was crazy for going with you but it turns out it was the other way around. No offense.” “It’s ok.” Ha, ha, ha make fun of the crazy people. Second sign of a fight I’m dreaming of killing her. I really hope Jasper gets back soon. Speak of the devil.
Looks like our good friends Mr. Past and Mr. Bloody hell found my husband in the ocean and Mr. No is right behind them. Jasper once again starts to go faster. They got him, he’s kicking and screaming again, and now they are carrying him back here while the whole time Jasper is cursing and trying to get away.
“You might want to ask me that question now.” “Why?” “Because I know three people whose carrying one important person, who’s headed this way.” “Right. Fine.” I might have to kill her, depending on what the question is. “We want you to join us.” Oh my god, she has to be joking! I started laughing. “No, never.” “But if you choose to join us all the things you can’t remember from your human life you could know now and you’ll be able to remember everything. Forever and ever. Isn’t that what you want most Alice? To know everything you used to know. To remember your mom, your dad, and your sister. Don’t you want to remember the good times you had with them? Your birthdays? Everything? To get to actually see them again? Isn’t that why you tried to find your papers from the Insane Asylum? To see when you got there and if you had a sister or brother or any living relative. We could give you a lot more than outdated papers my friend. So….you in or out?”
I can’t believe it. My years of searching for a picture or one solid document to tell me everything I need to know and all I had to do was find Frank before he found these fools. I love my new family a lot but do I love my old family more? She really did make me an offer that’s hard to refuse. Should I? Should I really go for it? Should I abandon my search for a half breed like Renesmee? Should I abandon everything I have for this? How do I know she’s really telling the truth? Sure she guessed about my best friend and my search for my papers from the insane asylum but how long has she been following us? She says since Jasper found Robert and William but she also said she saw him first with Peter and Charlotte. So if she is a shield she can block her mind like Bella can. This explains why Edward can’t read Bella’s thoughts. So she could have been following my whole family for months with no detection. “Well? Are you in or out?” “Would you give me a damn second?! This is a lot to take in! I mean I either stay with my new family or see my old family again! It’s a decision that I have to think about!” “I understand but can you take a break and tell me if they’re almost here and if you’re leaning to yes or no.” I closed my mind and tried to block out everything else.
There is a problem. Jasper got out of there grasp but Cedric tackled him and now they have him under control again. “Your first answer is they should be here in another twenty minutes and to answer your second question…..” I can’t believe this. “I’m actually leaning toward a yes.” “Great! This is awesome if we have you on our side we won’t only be able to see the potential in vampires from their past but now their future too! This would be perfect! Welcome aboard!” “Whoa, whoa, whoa, I said I was leaning toward yes I never said a definite yes. I have a question for you.” “Go ahead! If this is something that might help get you in our family then ask away!” “How do I know he really sees the past?” “Ah! The same question they all ask! As soon as Frank comes back I’ll get him to show you a sneak peek of your human life!” “Alright. What about Jasper?” “Well if he knows you said yes……” “I didn’t yet.” “Ah ha! The keyword! Yet! Anyway if you do say yes then after he says no. You know he will because he’ll think you said no. Anyway after we tell you to come with us he’ll change his mind and he’ll come too. Perfect plan isn’t it?!” “So Jasper has a definite place here?” “Of course! You both do! And if you both say no then we will never bother you again but if you change your mind then find us. You’ll always be welcomed with us!” “Ok. I need more time to think.” “Oh, I’m sorry but you and Jasper can’t see each other when they get here not until you both give us an answer. So Sierra? Can you bring Alice behind those trees over there? And make sure she’s comfortable!” “Sure. Alice come with me please.” “No offense Fran but I’ll never be comfortable until my decision is made.” “Good! Because neither will I.” “Oh and Fran?” “Yeah?” “They’re here.” “GREAT!! I’ll have to put a shield around Jasper too. We don’t want you to cheat on your test. Now go, go, go!!! Sierra take her quickly!” “Come on Alice.”
