Life here at Volterra without Edward and Emmett was supremely dull. Not only did the two of them make life a lot more interesting, but with Emmett gone Rosalie had become a constant annoyance, badgering me for predictions practically every five minutes. And Edward was the closest thing I had to a friend here, excluding Jasper.

Jasper was my soulmate, but Edward was the other freak in the family, which bonded us in a strange way.

“Alice?” Carlisle knocked on my chamber door tentatively the morning after the third day of their departure. I rolled my eyes and called for him to enter. He had been just as annoying as Rosalie lately.

“I haven’t seen anything new Father,” I informed him before his mouth had had the chance to form the words of the question.

“Oh, well, alright then,” He stammered, appearing flustered as he smoothed his tunic. “Have you been keeping tabs on Isabella as well?”

“Bella Father, you know that,” I smiled, realizing I knew our subject well by now. She and I would get along when she came here… “And yes, I have been watching for anything new from her, as always.”

“And?” I let him ask it, even though he’d not needed to.

“Nothing new has come from her… yet,” I tacked on the last word in hopes it would raise his spirits, as he looked slightly crestfallen.

“In that case daughter, I bid you good morning,” He bowed and retreated through the door by which he had come, leaving me to my thoughts as I gazed out over the city that was being bathed in the morning sun.

***

A meadow, seven figures standing before my father, a brick building with the word ‘Office’ emblazoned upon it, an animal running through the forest, a pair of yellow eyes, and then – blackness.

“Alice? My God Alice, are you alright?” A frantic voice was speaking my name, but where was it coming from?

Then I was being held in a pair of stone cold arms, waves of calm now emanating through me: Jasper.

“I love you,” I whispered as I leaned against one of his arms, my eyes not yet wanting to open.

“Is she alright Jasper?” Esme’s soft voice rang in my head and through the hall where I had collapsed, and my eyes opened slowly. I tried to stand up and my head spun. Jasper held me down anyways, so there was no use in trying.